From Modernism to Postmodernism in Art Essay

In order to understand modernism and postmodernism, it is essential to know where the ideas, values and events during these paradigmatic shifts. Essentially, the context of modernism and postmodernism, its ideals and moral imperatives, must be seen in the context that precedes it. This paper seeks to describe the shift from modernity to post-modernity in art and literature by understanding the ideals and imperatives that existed during these periods. A premise for understanding these paradigms in art and literature is to understand the paradigm that it overthrew, and present how historical context provides the logic behind the changes that occurred. The paper is divided into 3 major sections, first of which is a description of the romantic, pre-modernist era and why artists collectively shifted to modernity. Secondly, the utopian ideals and moral imperatives of modernist schools of art and thought are rediscovered. Lastly, the shift to the postmodernist paradigm is explored through the works during the transitions between modernism and postmodernism. Romanticism to Modernism Modernism is arguably a response to the paradigms that precede it, namely Romanticism. Romanticism in art and literature started at the early 19th century as a response to the wars and belief systems during the time. The moral imperatives during the time are concerned with religious iconography in relation to the clamor of states for independence. The imageries in art and literature inculcate these ideals. Art is concerned with propagating virtues that are marriages of the ideas of state and religion. Nationalism, truth and faith are only few of the features of art and literature. Fundamentally, art and literature is laden with symbolisms of greatness and goodness such that nature, radical notions of freedom and equality, reality and reason. Morality is seen as an artist’s virtue. The individual’s subjective experience is at the pedestal of art and literature. The trend is exemplified in Delacroix’s (1830) Liberty Leading the People. It is a lucid presentation of war where the symbolism of liberty is a woman carrying a flag. It is realist in its depiction and shows contrasting imageries of death, destruction and oblivion, on one hand, and of liberty, greatness and collective action of a people for a common good, on the other hand. What became the impetus for change in the prevailing romantic trend in art and literature? The stability of industrial revolution’s growth is not perpetual. Moral imperatives concerned with virtues of truth and spirituality, and the utopian ideals of freedom and equality were challenged by an undercurrent. There is a growing collective restlessness brought by ideas that challenged the status quo. The well-known of these ideas is in the theory of evolution by Charles Darwin that negated the dominant religious thought. Marx also came as a tour de force when he criticized the industrial revolution as fundamentally flawed. State and religion as social forces that are reflected in art and literature were overthrown with the anti-spiritual evolutionism and the anti-industrial/capitalist socialism. Modernism and its Ideals Modernism rose as a challenge to the status quo of romantic art and literature. It is despondent of the prevailing ideals and morals. In reality, modernism is a collective term for rises and falls of different genres of art and literature. Industrial revolution continued but its reflections in art and literature are marred and asymmetrical as opposed to the romantic acceptance of reality during the era that came before it. Industrial revolution is characterized by different emerging philosophies, innovations and scientific discoveries. Art during this time showed that new art styles and movements emerged and sank into oblivion at a moment’s pace. Deliberately, art and literature sought to render the moral imperatives of the status quo as sacrilegious. Artelino (n. d. ) wrote: â€Å"The history of modern art started with Impressionism. It all began in Paris as a reaction to a very formal and rigid style of painting – done inside studios and set by traditional institutions. † At first, the meanings and symbolisms of artworks were critiques to the status quo. However, the evolution of techniques and art genres became a sporadic phenomenon across Europe. Soon enough, the formal rigid styles were overthrown by non-formal and unconventional styles in art and literature. Modern art is quintessentially a movement coming from different vantage points that are experiencing similar historical contexts. In France, the creative process in the studio is scrapped for the environment. This is seen in the impressionist movement started by Claude Monet. Fauvism, using wild colors and taking impressionism to its limits, was championed by Henri Matisse (1905) in his Woman with a Hat. The industrial revolution is also characterized by mass production and consumption. The French developed an art genre that became a critique to mass production itself. Art Nouveau, French for ‘new art’, featured elegance and highly decorative styles and a dedication to natural forms. Artelino (n. d. ) describes that â€Å"(It) was an International art movement. The Germans called it Jugendstil, the Italians Liberty, the Austrians Sezessionsstil and the Spanish Arte joven. Art Nouveau was not restricted to painting or printmaking. It covered all forms of art – architecture, furniture, jewelry, glass and illustration. † Because of Art Nouveau’s high-priced artifacts it is difficult to be mass produced, making it a critique to mass production itself. One example is Horta’s (1898) museum which features Art Nouveau architecture. Victorian influences are overtures of the architecture, which is evidence that modernism is a two-fold response to its historical milieu. On one hand, a critique of the moral imperatives of a modern industrial economic-political system, and also an attempt to look back to more traditional art forms of the previous era. Modernism’s ideals posit a challenge to conventionality and rigidity, form and function of art during the genres that precede it and interestingly, genres within modernism clash and overthrow each other as the dominant art style. One example is art nouveau and art deco’s moral imperatives. While mass production is criticized in art nouveau by going back to fundamentals and looking forward to extravagance, art deco deemed that art must be mass produced. Art deco is simplified and easily mass produced form of art nouveau. Cubism as a modernist genre also criticizes the predominant trend in social institutions and modes of production by drawing influences from African art. This movement is spearheaded by Pablo Picasso (1921) as seen in Three Musicians. While drawing influences on African art, the painting also portrays hints of impressionism, and this is the reason why cubism is also considered as a post-impressionist art genre. This art form also paved the way for minimalism because of its principle of reducing complexities into simpler geometrical representations. Developments in psychology also paved way for surrealism, which is focused on interpreting the subconscious. Surrealist artwork is characterized by a dream-like ambience. Another critique towards modern art is its elite nature. Modern art is characterized by high art, art that is appealing to the elites in the society. Within modernism in art are evaluations to itself. Abstract art is a high art that does not appeal to a majority of people but is critically acclaimed by the high society. During this time, a new movement in modernism took art and mainstreamed it to the masses. This emerging response to abstract art and other forms of high art during modernism is popular art. Pop art challenges the principles of conventional art since it is something that the masses can relate to. Using common icons and symbols are prominent in the works of Andy Warhol (1962) such as Campbell’s Soup series. Pop art embraced advertising and marketing art as fine art, which makes it generally acceptable to everyone. The ethical consideration of pop art is that it is something that must not be monopolized by the high society. It is for everyone and it is seeing art in things that are common. From criticizing industrialization and the issues concerning the modern man, modernist art is also an anti-thesis unto itself. When different genres collide within modernism, new art forms and techniques emerge. Such is the makings of modern art that it spawned groundbreaking genres. Sensibilities of people also reflect the changes that occurred in societies at the time of modern art. Response to Modernism: The Rise of Postmodernism? Postmodernist art is considered a response to modernism. While modernism is about negating tradition and â€Å"discovering radically new ways to make art† (Wikipedia 2007), â€Å"postmodernism describes movements which both arise from, and react against or reject, trends in modernism† (Krauss, 1986). Postmodernism is making use of â€Å"pastiche and discontinuity† instead of taking reference of spontaneity and direct expression (Harrison and Wood, 1992). Postmodernist art divorces itself from moral imperatives and ideals per se. It is intrinsically questioning both variables in art itself. Postmodernism destroys boundaries of high art and low art while at the same time challenging the notion of what art is. Wikipedia (2007) describes postmodernist art as: â€Å"one that rejects modernism’s grand narratives of artistic direction, eradicating the boundaries between high and low forms of art, and disrupting genre’s conventions with collision, collage, and fragmentation. Postmodern art holds that all stances are unstable and insincere, and therefore irony, parody, and humor are the only positions that cannot be overturned by critique or revision. † Surprisingly, the boundary between late modernism and postmodernism is a grey area where post modern art are sometimes considered late modern, and vice versa. Post modern art believes that there is nothing new or avant garde, and it debunks artistic genius and beauty itself. It confuses, because the objective is subjective and subjectivity is confusing itself. It promotes ideologies while debunking it altogether. Conclusion The shift from modernity to postmodernism is reflective of the changes that occurred in post-conflict, post-industrial, post-ideological world we live in. It represents globalization in its redefinition of identities and its ideals are far from utopian. Moral imperatives are thrown altogether in so far as art and its traditions are concerned. Moreover, it does not conform to black and white, good and evil or beautiful and ugly distinctions that were features of art itself. But post modern art is not devoid of moral imperatives and ideals. The ideals and morality within postmodernism is a realization of the non-existence of such notions of utopia and grandeur. References: Artelino (n. d. ) Modern Art Movements. Retrieved March 14, 2008 from < http://www. artelino. com/articles/modern_art_periods. asp> Delacroix, E (1830) Liberty Leading the People. 102. 4 ? 128. 0 in Louvre, Paris. Oil painting. Harrison and Wood (1992). Art in Theory. 1900-2000: An Anthology of Changing Ideas. Blackwell Publishing. Krauss, R. E. (1986) The originality of the avant garde and other modernist myths. MIT Press. Reprinted July 1986, Part 1 , Modernist Myths. Matisse, Henri. (1905) Woman with a Hat. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Painting. Picasso, P. (1921)Three Musicians. New York: Museum of Modern Art. Oil Painting on Canvas. Warhol, A. (1962) Campbell’s Soup Cans. 20 ? 16 inches. Museum of Modern Art. (32 synthetic polymer paint on canvas series displayed by year of introduction) Wikipedia (2007). Postmodern art. Wikipedia. Org. retrieved March 14, 2008 from < http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Postmodern_art#_ref-Harrison1014_0>

Who Killed the Electric Car Analysis

IN 1996, ELECTRIC CARS BEGAN TO APPEAR ON ROADS ALL OVER CALIFORNIA. THEY WERE QUIET AND FAST, PRODUCED NO EXHAUST AND RAN WITHOUT GASOLINE. TEN YEARS LATER, THESE CARS WERE DESTROYED. TEACHER’S GUIDE â€Å"A QUIETLY SHOCKING INDICTMENT OF OUR GAS-GUZZLING AUTO COMPANIES AND THE PETRO-POLITICIANS WHO LOVE THEM. † –KAREN DURBIN, ELLE MAGAZINE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2006 †¢ TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL 2006 WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? NOTE TO THE TEACHER Who Killed the Electric Car? is a powerful tool pertinent to many academic disciplines and adaptable to a variety of abilities, learning styles, and classroom goals.This rich, self-contained film requires little or no additional research on the part of the instructor or the class, but can be used as the foundation for independent student research. The film divides neatly into two nearly equal and independent segments that can be shown on successive days or at different points in a unit. Both segments offer excellent discussion opportunities. The classroom experience of students taking courses on environmental science or offerings that include a unit on air quality or environmental concerns would be enriched by viewing Who Killed the Electric Car?.Courses that encourage interest in engineering and practical math applications would also benefit. The ethical and civic questions that the film explores offer a natural connection for teachers working in the area of civics, government, ethics, and business ethics. In many of these courses the film could be treated as a case study. The ethical questions raised are nearly unlimited and a large variety of higher-level-thinking activities can be developed from the film. Included in this packet are discussion prompts, class activities, and research suggestions. 1 FILM SUMMARY included, the General Motors electric vehicle is eatured. As this segment concludes, the success of the industry’s legal strategy is symbolized by a celebrity-studded funeral for the electric car. This segment is filled with factual analysis that examines conflicting claims about emissions, practicality, costs of various fuels, and consumer demand. Who Killed the Electric Car? is presented as a whodone-it mystery. Staying true to this genre, the film opens with necessary background information, describes the crime committed, answering all of the what, where, and when questions, and then in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gathers the suspects for lose scrutiny, coming to a conclusion on the guilt or innocence of each. The second half of Who Killed the Electric Car? is Sherlock Holmes at his best. The seven suspects identified in the first half of the film are scrutinized. One by one, consumers, batteries, oil companies, auto manufacturers, the U. S. government, the California Air Resources Board, and the newest villain, the hydrogen car, pass under the bare bulb in the inspector’s interrogation room in an attempt to answer the question asked in the film’s title: Who Killed the Electric Car? At the end of each segment the featured suspect is judged as guilty or innocent.Opening with a bit of automotive history that establishes the electric car as a competitive alternative to the internal combustion engine, Who Killed the Electric Car? takes the viewer back to the beginning of the twentieth century and the dawn of the automotive age. A straightforward explanation of why gasoline beats out electricity as the fuel of choice and how the internal combustion engine wins dominance concludes the broad overview. The film then moves to the recent past with the introduction of the California Air Resources Board and their 1990 decision to require that ten percent of all ars sold in California by each car manufacturer be zero-emission vehicles by the year 2003. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde response of automotive companies is revealed; production and marketing of zero-emission cars is detailed, a period during which the legal and political teams of the same manufacturers work to defeat the law that gave birth to modern electric vehicles. While several manufacturers are The film ends on a positive note, recognizing a grassroots movement that envisions cleaner air and energy independence. In a John Kennedy-style appeal, the film claims that those who solve our energy onundrum will be those that â€Å"change the world. † 2 SELECTED SCENES FOR CLASSROOM REVIEW 1:19 19:40 Two million new cars are sold in Television advertisement for G. M. ’s California each year. electric car. 2:55 21:21 Cheap oil supports the combustion Introduce Dr. Alan Lloyd of C. A. R. B. engine over the electric car. 3:35 22:10 Air quality in California: Manufacturer’s lawsuit to â€Å"Black cloud of death. † overturn emissions standards. 4:32 22:30 Each gallon of gasoline burned yields President Bush endorsing hydrogen 19 pounds of carbon dioxide. technology in the State of the Union. 4:55 22:43 Introduce S.Davi d Freeman. Hydrogen Hummer and the hydrogen highway. 7:40 23:20 Creating demand for electric cars. C. A. R. B. hearing on the emissions standards. 8:50 25:30 C. A. R. B. and California’s C. A. R. B. vote to kill the standards. zero-emission policy. 12:40 26:15 Cost to run an electric car equals Manufacturers start to collect gasoline when gas is 60 cents per gallon. the electric cars. 14:10 27:35 Californians Against Utility â€Å"Save the electric car† campaign, Company Abuse including the mock funeral. 16:10 29:30 G. M. claims to have built electric cars Last EV1 collected. according to demand. 19:10 31:20Marketing; How far, how fast, EV1s in a G. M. lot. how much? 3 33:20 50:36 G. M. spokesperson explains the Suspect: Car Manufacturers fate of the collected EV1s. 35:30 56:20 PBS at the car crusher. Suspect: Government 36:58 1:03:57 S. David Freeman, â€Å"We’re up against Suspect: C. A. R. B. most of the money in the world. † 37:15 1:07:02 Vigil for th e EV1s. Suspect: Hydrogen Fuel Cell 38:40 1:11:08 Would you buy one of these electric President Bush at a hydrogen cars? Display check for 1. 9 million filling station. dollars offered to G. M. 39:20 1:15:05 â€Å"Who controls the future? Last cars moved. He who has the biggest club. 1:18:52 39:34 1 Scene from Naked Gun 2 /2: Automotive Museum The Smell of Fear. 40:25 1:20:30 List of suspects. Verdicts. 40:58 1:22:32 Suspect: Consumers â€Å"The fight about the electric car was quite simply a fight about the future. † 43:20 1:23:58 Suspect: Batteries Introduce James Woolsey and Plug In America. 1:27:19 46:38 â€Å"The one group of people that steps Suspect: Oil Companies up to take it on is the group that will change the world. † 4 DISCUSSION PROMPTS These prompts can be used for full-class discussion, small group conversations, or adapted for use as writing assignments of varying length and detail. What compromises related to cars and transportation are you willing t o make to preserve and improve air quality? Brainstorm possibilities and then discuss each one, focusing on the average consumer. †¢ What one assertion in the film do you disagree with? Why? †¢ What one assertion in the film troubles you the most? Why? †¢ In your own words, explain why the car manufacturers collected and destroyed the electric vehicles. †¢ Did government serve the people in the case of electric cars? Why? †¢ Does government have the right to tell companies what to manufacture? Why? †¢ How important an issue is our nation’s dependence on oil?Explain. †¢ Do you agree that those who solve the energy question will change the world? Explain. †¢ Should the world oil supply be divided evenly according to population, given to those able to pay the highest price, or reserved for developing nations? Explain your opinion. †¢ Is it acceptable for a nation to use oil as a weapon? Why/why not? †¢ Would you characterize each of the following as a good citizen or a bad citizen? Why? -The oil companies -The automobile companies -U. S. consumers -Scientists researching hydrogen fuel -The citizens trying to save the electric car †¢ Is energy a national security issue?Why/how? Explain. †¢ How is the use of hydrogen as a fuel related to the reemergence of nuclear power? †¢ Does drilling for more oil in the pristine wilderness make sense? Why/why not? †¢ Given the information provided in the film, do you believe electric cars are a reasonable alternative to combustion engines? Why/why not? †¢ Given the information provided in the film, do you believe you will be able to buy a hydrogen-powered car in the next 10 years? 20 years? Ever? Why/why not? 5 MOCK COURT Choose defense and prosecution teams for each of the seven defendants identified in the film.Have the teams prepare for a mock trial using the information in the film and if desired, additional research. Stage a trial with a jury that has not seen the film. Roles: Judge: Acts as presiding officer maintaining order, resolving conflicts, and charging the jury. Prosecution team: Presents evidence against the named defendant using witnesses, charts, graphs, and physical evidence. The team would also cross-examine defense witnesses. The prosecution’s job is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of the defendant. Defense team: Presents evidence that rebuts the prosecution’s view and may suggest alternative perpetrators.The defense may use witnesses, charts, graphs, and physical evidence. The team would also cross-examine prosecution witnesses. The defense’s job is to create reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. This activity can be used as an alternative assessment of student knowledge while also building critical thinking and oral presentation skills. 6 COMMON GOOD Open the activity by reading the paragraph below. Allow for a few minutes of general comment on the concept of the â€Å"common good† and the claim by then G. M. president Charles E. Wilson: What’s good for the country is good for General Motors and vice versa.The preamble to the United States Constitution opens with the words: â€Å"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. † These words imply a common interest that is shared by citizens and government, a concept often referred to as the â€Å"common good. † In 1953, the then president of General Motors, Charles E.Wilson, was nominated by President Dwight Eisenhower to serve as his Secretary of Defense. During Wilson’s confirmation hearings, senators were concerned that he would have difficulty making a decision that could hurt General Motors, a major defense contractor, even if the decision was in the best interest of the United States. When asked this question, Wilson assured senators that he could make such a decision but that he could not imagine such a situation, â€Å"because for years I thought what was good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa. † Student instructionWho Killed the Electric Car? implies that the â€Å"common good† is not being served by the decision to abandon electric vehicles and embrace hydrogen technology. Write your own definition of the â€Å"common good. † Make groups of 3 to 5 and share these definitions. Try to agree on a group definition. Evaluate General Motors’ decision to kill the electric car program in light of your group’s definition. Be ready to report your findings to the class. Do Mr. Wilson’s thoughts from 1953 reflect the General Motors Corporation that is presented in the film? If the Senate c alled the current president of G.M. to explain the death of the electric car, imagine what he might say that would be quoted more than 50 years later. 7 HIDDEN AGENDA Teacher introduction As a class, brainstorm about the term â€Å"hidden agenda. † When you get all the ideas on the board, make groups of 3 to 5. In groups, have the class discuss the ideas on the board and then write a definition of â€Å"hidden agenda† that the group can agree on. As a class, share these definitions and create one working definition for the whole class. Have students return to their groups and discuss what â€Å"hidden agenda(s)† the following may have had.To make a claim, the group must have at least one piece of solid evidence from the film. Each group should decide which three of their claims are the strongest and prepare to present them to the class. Present and discuss: Automobile companies: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________ ________________ Evidence: Oil companies: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: Filmmakers: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence:Car companies: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: Federal government: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: Fans of the electric car: Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: C. A. R. B. : Hidden agenda: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Evidence: 8 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF BUSINESS? What is the role of business in a democratic/capitalist society?The complex interaction between business, government, and consumers is presented as a case study in Who Kil led the Electric Car?. After viewing the film, clarify your own attitude toward the role of business, before any discussion, by using the prompts that follow. Prioritize the entire list from 1, most important, to 10, least important, and then write just a sentence or two that explains each ranking. Using your results, make groups that include individuals with different attitudes. While you discuss the movie, analyze how different views of business influence opinions about the film. ______ The role of business is to make a profit. _____ The role of business is to make a good product. ______ The role of business is to serve the consumer. ______ The role of business is to support government. ______ The role of business is to educate government. ______ The role of business is to educate consumers. ______ The role of business is to improve life. ______ The role of business is to protect the environment. ______ The role of business is to provide consumers with choice. ______ The role of b usiness is to invent solutions to society’s problems. 9 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT? What is the role of government in a democratic/capitalist society?The complex interaction between business, government, and citizens is presented as a case study in Who Killed the Electric Car?. After viewing the film, clarify your own attitude toward the role of government, before any discussion, by using the prompts that follow. Prioritize the entire list from 1, most important, to 10, least important, and then write just a sentence or two that explains each ranking. Using your results, make groups that include individuals with different attitudes. While you discuss the movie, analyze how different views of government influence opinions about the film. ______The role of government is to defend the nation. ______ The role of government is to create a just society. ______ The role of government is to protect the consumer. ______ The role of government is to protect business. ______ The rol e of government is to regulate business. ______ The role of government is to educate consumers. ______ The role of government is to improve life for all citizens. ______ The role of government is to protect the environment. ______ The role of government is to provide consumers with choice. ______ The role of government is to invent solutions to society’s problems. 10 MAKING THE CASEIn the second half of Who Killed the Electric Car? , each of the suspects in this mystery is held up to scrutiny. Acting as an unbiased detective, develop a list of the evidence offered for guilt and the evidence that indicates innocence. In groups or as a class, use these evidence lists as the basis for a debate that leads to a vote on each suspect. The suspect___________________________________________________ Evidence to convict Evidence to acquit 11 BRIAN DANIELS teaches history and ethics at Hudson High School, Hudson, Massachusetts. He is the school facilitator for the democratic school initi ative atHudson High and an active member of the school’s First Amendment Schools team. He has been teaching for thirty years and holds bachelor’s degrees in history and psychology from Boston College and a master’s degree in critical and creative thinking from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He will become the Curriculum Director for English and Social Studies grades 6-12 in the Hudson school district in the summer of 2006. He has been published several times in the Boston Globe and has an article slated for publication in October of 2006 in the National Social StudiesSupervisors Association magazine. A SONY PICTURES CLASSICS RELEASE ELECTRIC ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS A DEAN DEVLIN/PLINYMINOR PRODUCTION A FILM BY CHRIS PAINE â€Å"WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? † NARRATED BY MARTIN SHEEN EDITED BY MICHAEL KOVALENKO CHRIS A. PETERSON DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY THADDEUS WADLEIGH ORIGINAL MUSIC BY MICHAEL BROOK CONSULTING PRODUCER ALEX GIBNEY EXECUTIVE PR ODUCERS DEAN DEVLIN TAVIN MARIN TITUS RICHARD D. TITUS PRODUCED BY JESSIE DEETER WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY CHRIS PAINE FOR BRIEF MILD LANGUAGE. WWW. WHOKILLEDTHEELECTRICCARMOVIE. COM WWW. SONYCLASSICS. COM

Education For Woman Essay

Education is very essential for every one because it is the only education by which we can differentiate between human beings and animals. Education tells us that how can we live in a society that’s why education is important for every one, for both men and women. In past, women did not receive any education at all. They were not allowed to come out of the four walls of their houses. Domestic works were their only education. But now we are living in 21th centaury where there is no any difference between men and women. In this century women have the same respect as men have. They help each other in every sphere. So education should be given to both men and women. But instead of this there are so many people who do not want to educate their women because they think that women do not need education. They think that women are expected to take care of everyone except themselves. They have to take care of the children, stay home, clean up the house, and be the self-denying wife and mother. They think only that the life of a woman is all about getting married, having children, and being bombarded by unimportant details of domesticity. But they do not understand that the education is very important for women not only for them but for a whole family. Because women are the mothers of the future generation. If women are uneducated, the future generations will be uneducated. In day to day life, the real problems are faced first by women and then the same problems are conveyed to men for solution. If the women are educated, they can solve all the problems of their houses. It is said that when ever any men get education it is only useful for him but when ever any women get education it is useful for whole family. An educated woman gives an educated family and an educated family can makes society better. We can not imagine a god society without the education of women. If a woman will not get education how will she manage whole family? Man and woman are like the two sides of a coin. Without one, the other cannot exist. Education women can not only give an educated family but Education of women can also be helpful in eradicating many social evils such as dowry problem, unemployment problem, etc. Social peace can easily be established. A woman has to play three distinct parts in the course of her life in each of which certain duties are expected of her. The first duty of a woman is to  be a good daughter. The second is to be a good wife. And the third is to be a good mother. Education teaches a mother what she should be. It also teaches her how she would do it to be a good daughter, a good wife and a good mother. Only With the help of education women can know their rights .Woman belongs to a weaker section of the society because she suffers from many handicaps due to rigid, outdated social customs and religious practices. But an educated woman cannot be exploited easily. She is aware of her rights and will go any length to defend them. Also, one of a mother’s highest duties is the education of her children at the time when their mind is not amenable to instruction. A child’s whole future life, to a large extent, depends on the teaching it receives in early childhood and it is needless to say that this first foundation of education cannot be well laid by an ignorant mother. Thus education will enable women to make their children, husbands and parents truly happy. Consequently it is very important that women should be educated. On all these grounds female education is a vital necessity.

Human Resource Management in Organisations - Shipyard Progres Essay

Human Resource Management in Organisations - Shipyard Progres - Essay Example Conclusion and Recommendations 11 References 12 Appendix 13 1. Introduction The evaluation of business plans is of critical importance for understanding the potential of a firm to secure its position in the market. The use of management systems that have been already tested in real market conditions can help managers to develop more accurate assumptions regarding their firm’s potentials both in the short and the long term. Balanced Scorecard is a management system focusing rather on long-term business goals and achievements. Different approaches have been used in the literature for describing the Balanced Scorecard; in accordance with Chi et al. (2011) the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) can be characterized as ‘a performance management system for assisting a corporation in actualising its strategy’ (Chi et al. 2011, p.224). From a different point of view, Rabbani et al. (2011) note that the BSC is based ‘on the critical success factor (CSF) concept of a limited se t of performance measures’ (Rabbani et al. 2011, p.1). The above approaches reflect the aims of Kaplan and Norton in regard to the use of BSC as a management system for measuring organizational performance. ... Reference is made to a specific firm: the shipyard Progres, a firm established in 1837 as part of the shipbuilding industry of Netherlands. Due to the radical changes in market structure and trends, the firm’s existing strategies need to be thoroughly reviewed and updated. Emphasis should be given on the management of staff but also on the management of the firm’s financial sector. The development of an appropriately customized Balanced Scorecard system could improve the monitoring of the firm’s strategies, helping to identify the key reasons of the failures in regard to the firm’s plan for expansion within its industry. Moreover, the specific system could help the organization to estimate whether the project under review, the purchase of an existing dry dock - which could be moored in Eemshaven harbour, is feasible and under which terms it could contribute in the firm’s growth. 2. Balanced Scorecard – usefulness, applicability and pitfalls a gainst Self-appraisal models The performance of organizations in the long term is difficult to be estimated with accuracy. The use of management systems, such as the Balanced Scorecard, helps towards the identification of a firm’s potentials within its market; in fact, the Balanced Scorecard, can offer to a firm’s managers the chance to evaluate the performance of their organization as being influenced by specific strategies and initiatives. From this point of view, the Balanced Scorecard can be characterized as a valuable management tool helping managers to develop a complete view of their firm’s current operational status but also of its perspectives in the future (Ba-Abaad 222009). The Balanced Scorecard has a

Biological approach to personality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biological approach to personality - Essay Example The biography of Gretchen Wilson may start out as sad story, but her life evolved into country music phenomena since then. (Kassidy Emerson) Since then to date, Wilson has been performing as s singer where she appears before spectators in many places, singing and dancing, appearing to look very social, and entertaining her audiences. Thus, to my own point of view, she is extraversion based on Hans Eyssenck's theory of Personality. (Robert Plomin) has shown that many environmental measures in psychology show genetic influence and that genetic factors can mediate associations between environmental measures and developmental outcomes. This theory can have it roots from the evidence of Wilson's history, where it is categorically seen that she was influenced by the environmental factor which led to being moving and spending night in places away from home, while later, environment factor led her to becomes a musician, where she ought to entertains people. Some children adapt quickly and easily to family daily routines and get along well with their siblings. Others, especially highly active, intense and "prickly" children have a more difficult time adjusting to everyday demands, and their interactions with parents and siblings may lead to friction and stress. Consider how an active, impulsive child can bother an older sibling who is trying to complete a school project, or how a distractible child who is low in persistence can frustrate parents' efforts to get him to complete his homework or to finish a household chore. Thus, it is noteworthy to point out that Wilson does not inherit her behavior from her parents, nor they teach her such manners. But she was totally influenced by the condition she found herself shortly after her father could not be seen, as he skipped from his family. While her mother lacks all the capabilities whatsoever to shoulder her responsibilities. As such, she began going ups and downs, looking for all possible dimensions to earn her living. To this end, she found herself in the Musical Industry.References Carl Gustav Jung, 1934, what is Personality, http://wilderdom.com/personality/L5-1WhatIsPersonality.html Kassidy Emerson, August 15, 2006, The Biography of Gretchen Wilson, A red-neck woman who is proud of her heritage, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/50653/the_biography_of_gretchen_wilson.html Eysenck's model of personality (P-E-N, Hans Eysenck, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Eysenck#Eysenck.27s_model_of_personality_.28P-E-N.29 Robert Plomin,

Quality Management System - Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Management System - Question - Essay Example tivity: A Brief Survey†). b) From the above calculations, it can be inferred that the Labor Productivity of Firm A is much less compared to its competitor Firm B and hence Firm A needs to improve its productivity per unit labor employed. Thus, Firm A should focus more into Human Resource Optimization in order to improve their labor productivity. The Plant & Equipment productivity of both the firms is same implying that both have utilized their assets by the same extent. The material productivity is also almost same. In terms of royalty, Firm A seems to be in a better position compared to its competitor Firm B as it has better sales value. The energy productivity of Firm A is much higher than Firm B implying that it has utilized its energy component optimally. The total productivity of both the firms is also almost the same, while Firm A utilizes it energy component better, Firm B optimizes its labor utilization. Thus, it can be inferred from the total productivity that the pros pect of Firm A seems to be slightly superior then Firm B. Problem 2 Histogram for Hours of Overtime It can be inferred from the above histogram that 12 employees which is 40% of the entire number of employees fall in the range of (93 – 185) overtime hours. The range (0-92) overtime hours and (186-278) overtime hours have 7 employees each which is equivalent to 23.3% of the total no. of employees. There are two employees each who fall in the overtime hours range of (279-371) and (372-464). The mean value of the overtime hours is 167.26 hours and it can be noted from the histogram that more than 50% of the total employees have overtime hours less than the mean. To conclude, it can be seen that the hours of overtime appear to be normally distributed amongst the 30 employees. Histogram for Days Absent The above histogram shows that almost half of the total employees (i.e. 14 which is 46.6% of the total) has number of days absent ranging from (0 – 1.2) days. Subsequently th e next highest figure of workers’ absence days falls in the range from (2.6 – 3.8) days. There are 6 employees whose days of absence fall in the range of (1.3 - 2.5) days while there are only 3 employees (10% out of total employees) whose absence days fall in the range between (5.2 - 6.4) days. From the distribution of histogram it can be revealed, more than half of total workers (63% of the total employees) have absence days which are less than the mean value of 1.93 days. To conclude, the distribution of histogram appears to be shifted to the left which means most workers have absence days less than the mean value. Problem 3 The data overtime hours and

National culture and commitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

National culture and commitment - Essay Example The cultural dimension of individualism versus collectivism will be discussed in detail and the implications for the organisation will be presented. Finally, the Saudi culture will be described, with particular attention being paid to the Islamic and Bedouin traditions underpinning Saudi culture, and their impact on organisational management. Over decades of scholarly explorations, the topic of national culture has remained a much favoured topic, with diverse views on national culture being proposed. The increase in cross cultural interactions, brought about by globalisation, has further contributed to the need for deeper understanding of the theoretical background and concepts of national culture and its influence on employee and organisational behaviour (Kalliny, Cruthirds, & Minor, 2006; Klein, Waxin, & Radnell, 2009). The characteristics of different cultures have been studied by different scholars, and various dimensions of national cultures have been used to measure and define various cultures (Hofstede, 1998; House et. al, 2004; Mallehi 2007; Pothukitchi et.al, 2002; Schein, 1998; Tayeb, 2005; Trompenaars & Hamden-Turner, 2000). The foundation for culture is the shared set of values and collective beliefs which in turn shape behaviour (Morgan, 1986). Research has indicated that such things as cognitive frameworks, learned behavioural norms, shared meanings and perceptions, ethical codes, stories, heroes, symbols, and rituals all serve to shape our sense of culture and thus our behaviours (Alvesson, 2002; Brown, 1995; Kreitner & Kinicki, 1998). Because of this shared foundation, people of the same national culture are likely to behave in a similar manner and to share similar attitudes and perceptions (Hofstede, 2001). According to Francesco and Gold (1998), culture is the â€Å"most useful tool in identifying and explaining differences in how people behave†. Culture is not static, but rather is constantly changing and evolving.

Introduction to Business and Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Introduction to Business and Finance - Essay Example Accounting scandals is becoming a norm with a number of recent accounting scandals that come into sight each year. These accounting scandals has shaken the economy and costed the stakeholders a great deal. In the last couple of years a few most talked about scandals were Enron, WorldCom, Barings, Parmalat and Hollinger, where billions of dollars accounting fraud happened. Not only did the corporations and accounting firms came into question but also the performance of stock exchanges, rating agencies, financial journalists, bankers and lawyers was questioned (Richard Dyson). These scandals have resulted in firms closing, thousands of people being jobless and many losing money in stocks, apart from the stock exchange crash. Public trust in the accounting and reporting procedures has been shattered. People are especially reluctant to invest their money in stocks, which results in stock exchange fall. Corporate Goverance is responsible to manage certain laws in the corporation and if not done effectively can result in loss for the firm. Corporate Governace in the firms is highly blamed when talking about the financial scandals. As cases of scandals, bankruptcy, accounting frauds are unfolding, the concern over the transparency of the financial reports is increasing. "All these companies used financial gimmicks to inflate their cash flow and profits in order to jack up their share prices and thus accumulate wealth. The investors are confronted with large, well-known companies, disappearing almost overnight. In the process not only small investors but supposedly smart, sophisticated investors have been fooled as well" (B. S. Rao). Many CEOs, CFOs and other related officers have been acquitted or are under trial as a result. One example of this is the recent indictment of Jeffrey Skilling, who was given lifetime prison and has to pay $80 million in fines (CNNMoney). Not only this th e stocks of these firms have gone to decline and now no more exists. The outcome of the other scandals is not different as well. The government after all this chaos has been active in taking some steps to stop these practices. In this regard the Securities and Exchange Comission is responsible for ensuring the transparency in the company. Steps are taken to guarantee proper monitoring of management and all the included pesonnel. Accounting Profession Although most of the accounting firms claim that their duty was only to review the finances, but the indictment of Arthur Anderson has led a question to the credibility of these firms. In this regard the the watchdog role of the auditors comes into question. The firms are now accused of overcharging in order to make the report much more attractive in order to gain profits and rise the stock prices. A report says that the "US government loses over $300 billion each year due to organized tax avoidance" prepared by the accountancy firms (Prem Sikka). There were days when the transparency of the markets highly depended on the accounting firms. Today people and investors have grown suspicious towards their perforamance. Here a question of how to regain the lost pride lies ahead of them. Other Factors Apart from blaming the corporations and the accountants for these scandals, certain other factors are to be blamed as well. These ould be the financial jouranalists, the lawyers

Thoughts and Experiences of a Travelling Tourist Essay

Thoughts and Experiences of a Travelling Tourist - Essay Example When we talk about the â€Å"Arabian Gulf† for example, Qatar, Kuwait, and Dubai, they almost share the same culture, religion, and language. People can find the hospitality in those countries that they never saw it before because it is a part of their culture. Arabian Gulf countries always attract people who search for summer activities like adventure, hunting, diving, luxurious hotels, traditional food, and so many other things. Furthermore, turrets always change their mind about those countries if they have misunderstood about Arab, Islam, or the Middle East in general. Middle East countries have been known to the world as dangerous countries because of the media and news, which have biased views. However, we sometimes need to see thing closely (Harrison 34). On the other hand, countries always share something together, which makes one say: it is really a small world. For example, when I went to Egypt I found that they share languages with other countries, with some of speaking Arabic, English, or even French. Egypt was really different country than all countries I’ve visited before, however. The people there are always happy and want to have fun and celebrate most of the time. They are willing to help others, especially tourists. We should not also forget the important things that make Egypt an attractive destination in Africa, which is Phrenic ancient, Nile River, museums, and the different cities like, Sharm Alshiekh, which is an awesome small city on the beach, located on the border of Israel. I also took a trip to Paris, arriving at Beauvais Airport outside the city. Thankfully, the airport offered shuttle services to take travelers to the city center, which depart every twenty minutes after the flight. I used the metro to commute around the city since it was cheaper, although sometimes I preferred to use the hop on or hop off tourist buses in the city.  

America's Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

America's Court - Essay Example As observed in the preface, Supreme Court justices and all other holders of positions under the federal judiciary are tenured to serve for as long as they live and can only be ousted from office by impeachment, a process which has not dismissed yet from the service any justice of the United States Supreme Court. The justices are not as particular as with the high officials in the executive and legislative branches of the United States government as far as concerning media releases. They are of the contention that what is more important is that the public, the lawyers and the judges, both in the federal and state levels, know and understand the rationale and wisdom in their decisions and the opinions stated therein. That explains why the high court did not have formal office for more than a hundred years that would supposedly attend to media matters. However, Chief Justice Warren Burger, with his activist stance, was personally of the view that the press sector could not just be simpl y disregarded. The Supreme Court was provided with its own building in 1935. It was only during this time that the judicial highness hired a Press Clerk in the person of one Banning Whittington, once a reporter of the United Press. The move was intended to accommodate the resident press people. Ultimately, it was deemed necessary to have a Public Information Officer who would connect and relate with and between the judiciary branch, the press, the public and, at times, the people from the movie industry. The justices then believed that the person to fill up the position should not be a lawyer in order to avoid a situation where the latter might venture into giving opinions to the inquiring public with regards to a decision or pending resolution of the high court. Along that line, a situation where the personal interpretation of the office holder might pose

Malunggay as an effective cooking oil Essay Example for Free

Malunggay as an effective cooking oil Essay Commercial cooking oil is an enormous need of people nowadays. These days, cooking oil is becoming expensive. Commoners, or people with insufficient finance, can no longer afford this necessity. Instead, they opt for oil with lesser quality simply because it’s cheaper. It’s very ghastly to do this because for one; your health could be affected, two; you could harbour diseases, and three; on the worst case scenario, it could lead to your death. To think that they would go to extreme lengths, such as that, just to provide oil. Going back to the topic prior to this, we think that although it may be costly, most cooking oils are of unsatisfactory standards especially in our nutrition. With that said, we all share the idea of wanting to solve this problem. We conducted a research about the effectivity of Moringa Olefeira, also known as â€Å"Malunggay†, when used as an ingredient for cooking oil. We chose Moringa Olefeira for a reason; gram for gram, â€Å"Malunggay† leaves contain: seven times the vitamin C in oranges, four times the Calcium in milk, four times the vitamin A in carrots, two times and the protein in milk and three times the Potassium in bananas. Using this so called â€Å"Wonder Vegetable† (according to the elderly), we could create a product that can be healthy and useful, and at the same time be sold in a reasonable price. Our main goal is aimed at the welfare of everyone. We hope that this experiment can be of great help to anyone who uses it. We gathered the data of this study from various references. We owe a massive and part of this study to literature and the internet; without them we wouldn’t have anything, even a problem, to begin with. 3 Statement of the Problem. Main Problem Can malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) leave extract be a potential material for formulating cheaper yet healthier commercial cooking oil? Specific Questions 1. At which concentration of malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) leaves extract will it be able to cook food? a. 10 mg/ml b. 20 mg/ml c. 25 mg/ml 2. How effective will it be on cooking safe and edible food? It can be inferred in terms of: a. Period or time of cooking b. Taste of the food cooked c. Nutrition facts or nutrients contained by the food 4. Significance of the Study People living in the community. The study will help the people in the community to manufacture useful cooking oil that can be alternatively used to cook food – which is a basic commodity. Malunggay is very common to the community so people can easily grow them and prepare it for extraction. In addition, unlike the commercial cooking oil we use, it is healthy and contains the nutrients of malunggay. The researchers. The researchers will benefit from the study because in would fulfil our curiosity. It will also encourage us to find other alternatives from malunggay -which is very abundant in our country- that can help us in our everyday lives. Environment. The environment profit from the study in the fact that cooking oil that is already used by people will just be thrown away in the streams and it will cause water pollution. Not like with the cooking oil made from malunggay, its chemical components can be easily dissolved in water. Manufacturers of commercial cooking oil. This study would help big companies as it lessen the production cost of cooking oil because it only uses malunggay. 5 Scopes and Limitations of the Study The study aims to produce budget-friendly and nutritious oil that can be used by people to cook their own food. In able to do this study, researchers must first collect Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) around the community and prepare it for extraction in the laboratory or do it at home. After the extraction process, series of test must be done to prove and justify the effectivity of the product. It must cook food using stoves at normal cooking temperature that are normally used by households and the food must contain healthy nutrients that must be good to our body. This experiment also has its fair share of restrictions. And one of those restraints is when the researcher doesn’t have sufficient materials to create the said product, especially if they don’t have the main ingredient or, in this case, the malunggay. The person would have to plant or buy these materials, thus spending much time and cash. Speaking about money, another problem may occur if the researcher has a weak budget. An extra problem is if the researcher does not have enough knowledge to create and research about the problem. Another limitation of the study is when the researcher doesn’t have a place to create the product or when his surrounding isn’t fit for the making of the substance. The researcher must remember to take into account even the smallest detail of this project. The researcher must have great dedication in doing this study. He should love what he is doing and he need to make it as one of he’s passion. 6.

Ded na si Lolo Essay Example for Free

Ded na si Lolo Essay We all know that Filipinos are very â€Å"traditional people†. What I mean about this term is that once they already have this certain belief, true-to-life or fictional, they would still have a very strong hold for it. The movie â€Å"Ded na si Lolo† certainly showed that kind of attitude that a Filipino has. The characters of the movie really portrayed well how those myths and beliefs affected our normal way of living. Even though some others will find it strange and impossible to happen, they still continue to do it for an unexplainable reason. There are some beliefs given in the movie that I find feasible and some others are just questionable. For the â€Å"kind of okay† myths, the first one is the â€Å"Don’t wear red during funerals†. For me this is some sort of related to our customs, because as we all know, red is a happy color and of course we should not wear it during the funeral but instead, wear colors representing our sympathy or grief like black or white. Another one is the â€Å"Don’t use the condolence money for ones expenses†. It’s very simple, all people who gave it intended it for the dead one, so don’t abuse. Instead of using it for your luxuries, own budget and the like, use it as a food and snack budget for the visitors, funeral expenses and everything that has relation with the funeral of the person. All of what I’ve stated is not only what I think a belief for us Filipinos but also plain custom and right practice which is humanly. For the questionable myths, there are concepts that I really don’t understand and accept. For me it kinda sounds funny and not humorous at all. First is the â€Å"Do not shower while the wake is going on†. I don’t know what happens if you take a shower during a funeral but if you are the owner of the house and you accommodate every visitor of the wake, just imagine how they will react if you smell and look bad. Same with the no sweeping and cleaning of the house, what would the deceased soul feel if his wake is untidy? It’s just simply a matter of hygiene. These are the least I can remember from the film that I’ve watched. Actually, we also have a lot of myths in our province. This has no relation with the funeral but it is related with the beliefs itself. Like if you are being followed by a dog and you’re afraid of it, just bite your tongue then drag it backwards and suddenly the dog will stop following you. Another one is that when the funeral is already finished, you shall not have leftover food in your house, like the ones being given to the visitors. Instead of keeping it, just give it to strangers or visitors themselves for the last day. They say that it will prevent deaths of other relatives for the same year. I find it some sort of weird and I have no choice but to follow it because I don’t want my mother or grandparents to get mad at me if I don’t believe them. I admit that I’m also afraid of what the outcomes would be so I just obey them rather than have regrets if it happens. All in all, I think that without these kinds of myths, we’ll not have our identity as Filipinos. It’s already part of our culture and way of living. Even though you find them silly at times, instead of being annoyed, just try to smile and follow the flow. It just shows how Filipinos are loyal and faithful to their beliefs. And I know that most of these myths are not for fun or anything, it’s how we express our much respect towards matters.

Alitalia Airlines: Financial Crisis Management

Alitalia Airlines: Financial Crisis Management Crisis survival for Alitalia:  Strategy re-evaluation for its continuous  viability in the medium and long term. Contents (Jump to) Introduction Alitalia Management Re-focusing Alitalia Recovery Conclusion Bibliography Introduction Based out of Rome, Alitalia is the national airline of Italy which was founded on 16 September 1946 under the name ‘Aerolinee Italiane Internazionali’ and is known as ‘Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. (Alitalia, 2006). Alitalia is 49% owned the Italian Ministry of the Treasury, other shareholders, which includes its employees at 49% as well as Air France – KLM which holds a 2% stake (Alitalia, 2006). As the leading airline in the country, Alitalia flies to more than 100 locales from its hubs in Milan and Rome, utilizing a fleet of 175 aircraft (Hoover’s, 2006). A major factor t be remembered and considered throughout this analysis and examination that Alitalia is a state owned airline and history has shown that the large staffs, inefficiencies, lower productivity and higher operational costs associated with such institutions makes them uncompetitive when matched against private industry. That legacy befell the fates of Sabena, Swissair and saw KLM Royal Du tch Airlines become an acquisition by Air France in May of 2004 (BusinessWeek online, 2004). The liberalisation of the European airline industry was the beginning of the downward spiral for the indicated airlines as the process, as deregulation entails the removal of government restrictions which opened the domestic markets of all European Union countries to any company in Europe (Badi et al, 1995, pp. 245-59). The process of deregulation increased competitive levels in the industry thereby promoting heightened productivity, increased efficiency and lowered prices as markets were pen to the laws of supply and demand. Under the deregulation process implemented by the European Union, legal monopolies as well as government aid for carriers disappeared, and aid reduction was supplanted by public funds, with most airlines finally becoming privatized (Ng and Seabright, 2001, pp. 591-619). Thus, the open sky policy, as it is termed, caused European airlines to restructure the manner in which they conducted business internally, through improving efficiencies as a result of direct competition. The main strategy that has arisen from the preceding has been the increasing of productivity. The emergence of the low cost carriers as a force in the industry has created additional pressures for the traditional full service airlines. The low cost carrier model of no frills, utilization of secondary airports and concentration on lower ticket prices has shaken the underpinnings of the traditional full service carriers which took off in Europe after the events of September 11th which generated a global melt down thro ughout the industry. Prior to deregulation, the national flag carriers, such as Alitalia, were supported by monopolies, legal, and were dominant throughout the European community (White, 1979, pp. 545-73). Airlines during that era shared intra European routes as a result f bilateral agreements and the airlines companies were primarily owned by governments with their losses underwritten by public funds (White, 1979, pp. 545-73). This structure left little incentive for bottom line accountability, productivity or innovation, a situation which aptly describes Alitalia, and this atmosphere served to shape the company’s operational and management culture as a job with Alitalia was decidedly plush and devoid of the usual performance standards. Today’s market has seen a shift to where almost all of these carriers have been privatized, with the disappearance of the corresponding government aid, and the legal monopolies have disappeared. Alitalia has always been a plodding governmental type airline operation, burdened with over staffing and low productivity. Examples of the foregoing can be found in the fact that Alitalia pilots average less than 500 flying hours per year versus the industry average f 600 to 700 for most carriers in Europe (BusinessWeek online, 2004). Half of the company’s fleet consists of high maintenance McDonnell-Douglas airframes that cost twice as much to operate than the newer more efficient airframes resulting in what analysts estimate as operational costs that are between 30% to 40% above the industry norm of other European Flag airlines (BusinessWeek online, 2004). The historical summary of the airline climate in Europe prior to deregulation, and the nuances of the monopolistic environment surrounding the flag carriers is an important background variable in understanding the manner in which Alitalia evolved, and the underpinnings of its organizational and cultural structures. Indicative of the waste which is prevalent in the company, as indicated by the examples of pilot flight hours and the age as well as composition of its fleet, is that the crews for the Milan hub live in Rome and commute via the airlines flight to work, occupying on average 60 percent of the seats on the morning flight (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The preceding example along with the other samples of waste serves to illustrate the spending and lack of fiscal accountability at the carrier. Also at fault, as a main contributor to the operational waste the airline generates, is the political climate of the country and how it impacts on the carrier. As a governm ent controlled entity â€Å"Alitalia has always been a place where politicians could get their people hired †¦Ã¢â‚¬  stated Allessandro Frigerio, fund manager for Pigoli Consulenza (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). This type of mentality says more about the climate the company operates in than any other, thus over staffing is a natural outgrowth. The preceding represents the historical corporate culture setting which prevailed during the industry shaking events of September 11th. As a result of the foregoing that date is utilized as a starting point for the discussion of the company’s financial situation. In revisiting this date, it must be remembered that the global economy was in the throws of a recession. The United States economic slowdown was pegged in March of 2001, and Japan along with Germany exhibited nearly zero growth (Drakos, 2002). The foregoing was the economic stage upon which the events of 9/11 transpired setting off shock waves in the global economy, inhibiting both leisure as well as corporate travel as a result of fear and the recession. The last year Alitalia recorded a profit from operations was in 2000, and the company has been unprofitable for 11 of the past 16 years (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). In 1999, Alitalia registered a net income of â‚ ¬380 for each of the companyâ€℠¢s 20,770 employees as compared to losses of â‚ ¬23,400 for each employee in 2003 (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The aviation industry lost an estimated $25 billion since the eventful date of 9/11 through 2003 and airlines have reacted to the economic realities by laying off in excess of 100,000 employees as well as remove an estimated 700 airframes from service to cut costs (Amos et al, 2004). The culture of Italy is adverse to shedding employees as a cost cutting measure, as evidenced by a 1970 statute that requires any business with more than 15 employees to appear in court to justify any layoffs or firings, failing that, company’s would have to rehire said workers and compensate them up to three months in lost wages (Bloomberg.com, 2004). In response to the economic crisis prompted by the global recession and the events of 9/11, the then Chief Executive Officer of Alitalia, Francesco Mengozzi announced a plan whereby 1,200 jobs would be outsourced to effect economies in operations, and an additional 1,500 jobs would be cut, with wage scales frozen. The preceding action resulted in th e company’s unions initiating three strikes, one of which resulted in the cancellation of half of the airline’s flights, upsetting the plans of more than 18,000 customers (BBC News, 2004). The layoff plan was an attempt by management to cut costs in an effort to head the company back towards profitability and possible privatization, as well as a potential alliance with Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (BBC News, 2004). The Italian government led by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi fired Mengozzi and replaced him with Marco Zanichelli who subsequently put forth a plan to either fire or contract out a total of 3,300 jobs. That recommendation also got Zanichelli fired, paving the way for the installation of Giancarlo Cimoli as Chairman and Managing Director. The problems created as a result of the global economic slowdown and the events of 9/11 were further exacerbated in Europe by the introduction of the low cost carrier business model, which was based upon the successful concept utilized by Southwest Airlines in the United States (Southwest Airline, 2006). Companies such as Ryanair have successfully entered the Italian market and accounted for 45% of the flights originating in Italy in 2002, which increased to 51% in 2003 and rose to 66% in 2004 (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The low cost model has proven to be a successful concept in that southwest Airline in the United States has rem ained profitable throughout the recession and events of the recession of 2001 as well as 9/11 and subsequent events, while in Europe easyJet, Ryanair and other low cost carriers have been expanding at the expense of flag carriers such as Alitalia (Drakos, 2002). The European airline market differs from the American airline industry fundamentally in the areas of their respective regulatory histories as well as the smaller size of their carriers (Ng and Seabright, 2001, pp. 591-619). Baumol et al (1981, pp. 231-56) advise that corporate theory to address the effects of reduced earnings owing to adverse economic and or competitive conditions is to utilize the conditioned demand function with defines the operation of cost functions. This states that the reduction of costs and implementation of diversification and innovation are solutions to be addressed in such circumstances. The failures of Alitalia in effectively implementing such measures over the past 16 years, along with the company’s corporate culture, unions and the political climate of the country have hampered all efforts to return the company to profitability and compete with rivals. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has stated that the airline â€Å"†¦ has twice as many wo rkers as necessary and this has been something that has been inherited from the past †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bloomberg, 2004). Berlusconi when on to add that it is difficult to cut costs at the carrier â€Å"†¦ because any cuts provoke the kind of reaction from unions and workers †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bloomberg, 2004) that result in strike and work stoppages. The preceding effectively indicates the reasons behind the financial crisis facing Alitalia presently: an oversized and unproductive work force that resists management actions to implement measures to cut costs, a company as well as political culture that is still rooted in policies of the pre deregulation era, a lack of response to the inroads of changes in the airline industry as marked by Emirates and Singapore airlines that emphasis customer satisfaction and service, as well as a failure to respond to the inroads and profit generating models as shown by the low cost carriers Customer opinions regarding the company are reflected in the Skytrax survey of 2005, which reveals the following on varied areas: Table 1 – Alitalia Customer Survey Comparison (Skytrax, 2006) Legend 5 stars = Excellent 4 stars = Good 3 stars = Fair 2 stars = Poor 1 star = Very Poor The preceding indicates that while unprofitable, the staff at Alitalia is performing at levels that are comparable to one of the world’s acknowledged best airlines, Emirates, and at a level that exceeds Ryanair, the market leader in passenger flights in Italy. Dealing with the aftermath of the economic events of 9/11 and the new competitive market will require the company to make changes in the manner in which it does business internally to enable it to cut costs and offer product route that are profitable. Alitalia Management The effects of deregulation and the introduction of the low cost carrier model in the airline industry has changed the context of management within the industry in Europe. The state supported monopolies and subsidies as well as the protectionist climate has given way to a true business model whereby the cost of the product to reach destinations represents one of the most important considerations. As shown via Table 1 Alitalia Customer Survey Comparison, the company compares favorably with Emirates Airline on service and score well ahead of Ryanair in all facets, yet Emirates is regarded as one of the best carriers in the world, and Ryanair has accomplished the feat of securing 66% of all passenger departures in Italy. These facets point to operational modes regarding overhead as the key reasons for the company’s dismal earnings and profit performances. Delfmann et al (2005, p. 20) advise that the â€Å"†¦ the most spectacular growth over the last 20 years among all tran sport sectors has occurred in aviation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This contrasts to the 11 years of unprofitable operations shown by Alitalia over the last 16 years. Delfmann et al (2005, p. 20) add that â€Å"†¦ increasing competition between network carriers has been given added impetus by the emergence of new, low cost carriers†. This climate has provided passengers with a wider array of destination choices, timetables and prices from which to select. As a fiercely competitive business, to prosper and survive in the airline industry, carriers must address the factors which prompt passengers to fly as well as streamline internal operations to reduce costs so that they can trim ticket prices. This model has proven successful in the low cost segment, and also has served the full service carriers in working their way back to profitable operations. Ryanair has captured a huge segment of the departures from Italy by adherence to these principles, which Krzos et al (2003) refer to as the application of knowledge management skills to define the key aspect of operations and thus focus on getting said areas up to and exceeding industry standards. Knowing what the problems are is the first step to devising solutions, and the application of knowledge management skills such as (Krzos et al, 2003): Flight Scheduling Pricing Support Services Crew and Staff Scheduling Represent internal key to aid in competitiveness. Flight scheduling represents charting and understanding the departure, arrival and destination preferences the market has and is showing and responding to these patterns through the arrangement of flights to met this demand (Krzos et al, 2003). Pricing represent a function of internal operations and efficiencies whereby waste, over staffing, and productivity impact on operating expenditures and the reduction of these costs permits reduced ticket pricing. The preceding brings up the issue of support services and crew / Staff scheduling which are personnel, policy and corporate culture problems at Alitalia. McAfee and te Velde (2004) indicate that the utilization of yield management is an important set of strategies that increase profits through the understanding of metrics in industries such as airlines. Yield Management is helpful when a product has two important characteristics (McAfee and te Velde, 2004): The product has a pre-set expiration at a definitive point in time, as evidenced by hotel rooms, airline tickets, and or time-dated products, and the capacity for same is known and fixed in advance and can only be changed at a high cost McAfee and te Velde (2004) state that forecasting the preceding utilizing present sales, competitive data, overall demand and forecasting provides companies with the ability to vary elements of their fixed cost, such as staffing, equipment, and facilities to put these resources to work at where they will meet the supply demands and reduce waste. The application of yield management has shown results for American Airlines which generated an additional $500 million through the application of this technique. Bieger and Agosti (2005, pp. 41-64) advise that management needs to be cognizant of and focus on: asset utilization, such as facilities, fleet costs, landing charges, handling charges and pro-rating of tickets, increased utilization of low cost subsidiaries to take over operations where the market model indicates a better fit with a division within the company, understanding the operational cost of fleet dynamics, fuel and operational costs of equipment alliance strategies for key business areas, staffing, airports These core business areas, with respect to the airline industry represent the means via which to focus operations on profitable business generation and reduced internal costs to maximum returns. Alitalia’s management practices have exhibited operational aspects that have run counter to the preceding management theory applications. The most obvious hamstring on management operations is a result of the government appointment of top management staff. Such an example is provided by the appointment of Giuseppe Bonomi, who served as Chairman for one year, and was an ally of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and a member of his Northern League separatist party (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The problem of political influence has helped to create the company’s choice of a poorly performing fleet which consists of U.S. made MD80 and Boeing airframes that were purchased â€Å"†¦ to please the Americans †¦Ã¢â‚¬  as stated by Oliviero Baccelli, a professor who teaches at Bocconi University in Milan (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The preceding fleet choices are coupled with Airbus airframes and ATR planes thus creating a highly divers ified fleet which increases ground maintenance, crew training, staff familiarities and inventory problems, having a tremendous upward effect on costs. Baccelli summarizes the preceding mix and match of differing airframes by stating that â€Å"Alitalia has always been managed with diplomatic goals in mind†, a view that is also shared by Marco Ponti, who serves as a professor at Politecnico University, who stated â€Å"Political interference has led to choices to please special interests and not the bottom line† (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). This type of climate has hampered effective operations and efforts on the part of management. Further examples of the preceding as shown as follows (Bloomberg, 2004), (BusinessWeek online, 2004).: The company’s unions have indicated that areas such as contracts for purchasing, as well as commercial costs have been excessive over the past ten years. Through renegotiating contracts the company would stand to gain an estimated â‚ ¬200 million yearly which represents approximately ten percent of costs as represented by areas such a food, fuel and the costs of maintenance. The company either needs to add routes to fully engage its over staffed operations or trim its workforce to match the level of flights. The multi airframe problem is illustrated by a cancelled flight from Malpense to Palermo in June of 2004 as a result of the fact that a replacement tyre could not be found. The politically charged investment in the airport at Malpensa which does not have any highway or fast train links to Milan. Despite this fact, Alitalia increased the size of its workforce at the airport by seven percent in 2001 for additional ground staff which were mostly idle due to reduced flights. The preceding illustrate the inefficient operations as well as limitations and political influence that have helped to hamper management’s efforts in the face of applicable management theory and operations germane to the industry. Re-focusing Alitalia The preceding events and long history of inefficient operations resulted in the appointment of Giancarlo Cimoli as Chairman and Managing Director of Alitalia. The situation had become so dire for the company that Cimoli stated that he had plans calling for splitting the company into two parts and to cut 5,000 jobs as a tactic which got the attention of unions who had effectively blocked all job cutting efforts in the past † (Business Report Independent Online, 2006). The tactic has apparently worked as the company and the unions, along with the government have agreed to a series of agreements that were signed in May of 2004 that paved the way for guidelines for the company’s restructuring plan (Alitalia, 2004). The â€Å"Director’s report on the activities of the Alitalia Group and Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiance S.p.A. in the first six months of 2004† stated â€Å"†¦ it has been clear for some time that the grave financial and profitability crisis th e Company finds itself in requires a prompt change of approach†. This sobering thought is seemingly back up by sweeping changes as contained in this plan, which are as follows (Alitalia, 2004): A ‘Bridge Loan’ amounting to â‚ ¬400 million the company as guaranteed by the Italian Government under EU regulations to enable the company to meet its fiscal obligations through March of 2005. The business plan for the period 2005 through 2008 devotes itself to the creation of conditions that will result in a rapid and sustained return to profitability, utilizing restructuring as a means to increase efficiency and set the stage for what the company terms as a re-launch in 2007 as represented by more favorable economic, market and business conditions. Said plan calls for: the moderisation of the company through the restructuring of procurement contracts for fuel, food, maintenance, general purchases and all commercial activities. A major re-launch and restructuring of the following: Restructuring of the two hubs in Rome and Milan to provide increased company exposure and the lack of adequate use of assets. This area is meant to respond to the inroads of Ryanair that holds 66% of departures from the country. Increase of flights and attractive routes to stave off competitive inroads Improvement of the company’s airframe fleet to remove aging aircraft and provide a smoother mixture of maintenance and parts inventory via a reduction of model types. Reposition and improve the brand name to exploit its ?Italian Style’ by focusing on customer satisfaction and improving services to improve public image. Restructure the pricing of products, yield management techniques, through an overhaul of the fare structure and change in pricing procedures to meet competitive innovations. Upgrade the use of technological innovations such as the Internet to sell tickets and provide customer information in keeping with the Internet oriented practices of the low cost model with has proven to be user friendly and used by customers in securing tickets. Redesign of the support and operational activities in flight as well as procurement and operations. Enhance the airline’s positioning in the European as well as Italian market to defend the company against inroads from rival carriers and then to aggressively pursue the acquisition of increased market share through winning back demand and use by Italian passengers as well as Europeans. Cimoli implemented the creation of AZ Fly, which handles the core business activities of the company as represented by (Alitalia, 2004): Marketing and Network, Flight Operations Sales and Distribution, Product Integration and Delivery, Cargo, Specified Corporate activities, and the Governance of activities constituting this new subsidiary In addition, Cimoli created AZ Servizi which will handle (Alitalia, 2004): Engineering and Maintenance, representing engines, allied components and engineering services, As well as ground handling, ICT, Sale of services as well as products to third parties, Shared services such as Administration, Planning and Control, Human resources, Centralized Business Services, and Call centers Cimoli’s plan divides the airline’s operations into external (customer, flight and related public activities), and internal operations to split the union’s influence and thus make each service or operational center accountable for achieving operational goals. This technique is described by Delfmann et al (2005, pp. 65-96) as consolidating the business model and shifting the orientation of the business to customer centric operation (Delfmann et al, 2005, pp. 97-117). Recovery The global economic recovery has aided in Alitalia achieved measures of success n its restructuring plan. The following list the areas that the company has achieved since Cimoli’s plan was implemented: The company trimmed its losses in 2005 to â‚ ¬167.5 million from the â‚ ¬858 million it lost in 2004 by the spin off of divisions indicated in the Director’s report on the activities of the Alitalia Group and Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiance S.p.A. in the first six months of 2004, which contained Cimoli’s restructuring plan. The preceding has not been accomplished without clashes with the company’s unions over job cuts that have reduced labor costs by close to one third. In addition the company’s revenues increased by twelve percent to â‚ ¬4.797 billion, and increased passenger traffic by eight percent over 2004 levels (BBC News, 2006). Implemented the cut of 3,700 jobs, representing an estimated one sixth of the workforce thus amounting to â‚ ¬280 million in savings (USA Today, 2004). The acquisition of Gandalf Airlines, a regional carrier that is based out of Orio al Serio Airport in Milan that flies jet as well as turboprop planes to such destinations as Barcelona, Bari, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Catania, Brescia, Pisa, Stuttgart and Verona. This move enabled Alitalia to gain access to additional slot facilities at a number of European airports and helped to increase passenger traffic (Alitalia, 2005). Reduced fuel costs in 2005 by 10% (Alitalia, 2005). Reduced sales cost to 13.5% in 2005 from 17% in 2003 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased Internet ticketing to 49% in 2005 from 11% in 2003 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased personnel productivity by 43.4% (Alitalia, 2005). Increased passenger traffic by 7.8% over 2004 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased passenger traffic revenues by 11.3% over 2004 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased pilot productivity by 12% over 2004 raising pilot flight hours to 563 from 504 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased the medium and short haul fleet utilization turnover by 15 minutes in 2005 over 2004 (Alitalia, 2005). Increased revenues by 11.6% to 4.797m euros from 4.299m in 2004 (Alitalia, 2005). Decreased operating costs by 2.9% to 4.537m from 4.674m in 2004 (Alitalia, 2005). Reduced the losses to 168m euros in 20

Computer Hobby :: essays papers

Computer Hobby A Hobby That I Enjoy My favorite past time is to spend time at the computer, even at a tender age I like computer systems. To having a computer was a dream, an almost impossible dream. I had a friend named George at that time, we were in the same school, same grade and we had a very good relationship. At that time he had a computer system and we spend our free time playing games, printing greeting cards, banners, we also did our school home work. It was very nice and playful even then I yearned to own my own computer, so I could spend more time learning how to use the computer. But I liked to have my own computer so I can do my own printings and spend more time learning how to use the computer. One day my parents went for a trip without me because I was in school at that time; so I stay with my grandmother for about five days until my parents got back from their trip. When my folks return home they arrived with a big box with no labels or printings on the outside of the box. My parents always knew that I wanted a computer. I didn't know what was inside of the big brown box until the next day when I saw the computer on my homework table. It was the best day of my life, for that day my dream became reality. It was use but in good shape conditions and working. Now my favorite hobby is computers systems and instead of having a use computer, I have the latest computer and I like to spend a lot time making graphics programs, configuring systems in my new Pentium II 450mhz processor, and playing with my small network system that I have at home. I also like to alter pictures for example take one girl face out and put in another girl or man face that no one would tell that particular picture was altered. I like to write my essays on my computer because I have more fun, my mind is more relaxed and I thing better as oppose to writing with pen. At least it works for me. I'm gland my parents bought me the use computer then because now I know how to use it very well and it will be inside of me for the rest of my life which will help me a lot in the future. Who knows what would have happen if I didn't get the use computer Computer Hobby :: essays papers Computer Hobby A Hobby That I Enjoy My favorite past time is to spend time at the computer, even at a tender age I like computer systems. To having a computer was a dream, an almost impossible dream. I had a friend named George at that time, we were in the same school, same grade and we had a very good relationship. At that time he had a computer system and we spend our free time playing games, printing greeting cards, banners, we also did our school home work. It was very nice and playful even then I yearned to own my own computer, so I could spend more time learning how to use the computer. But I liked to have my own computer so I can do my own printings and spend more time learning how to use the computer. One day my parents went for a trip without me because I was in school at that time; so I stay with my grandmother for about five days until my parents got back from their trip. When my folks return home they arrived with a big box with no labels or printings on the outside of the box. My parents always knew that I wanted a computer. I didn't know what was inside of the big brown box until the next day when I saw the computer on my homework table. It was the best day of my life, for that day my dream became reality. It was use but in good shape conditions and working. Now my favorite hobby is computers systems and instead of having a use computer, I have the latest computer and I like to spend a lot time making graphics programs, configuring systems in my new Pentium II 450mhz processor, and playing with my small network system that I have at home. I also like to alter pictures for example take one girl face out and put in another girl or man face that no one would tell that particular picture was altered. I like to write my essays on my computer because I have more fun, my mind is more relaxed and I thing better as oppose to writing with pen. At least it works for me. I'm gland my parents bought me the use computer then because now I know how to use it very well and it will be inside of me for the rest of my life which will help me a lot in the future. Who knows what would have happen if I didn't get the use computer

Nasty Trick in Stephen Cranes The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky Essay

Nasty Trick in Stephen Crane's The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky "The great Pullman was whirling onward with such dignity of motion that a glance from the window seemed simply to prove that the plains of Texas were pouring eastward" (91). Boom! We're on a train witnessing the liquid landscape of Texas. This fact is all Stephen Crane chooses to tell us. In fact, he doesn't even use the word "train" until the ninth paragraph when he is writing dialogue for the man who is the betrothed to the woman implied in the title of the piece, "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky." We learn in the second paragraph that the couple is on a coach from San Antonio and that "the man's face was reddened from many days in the wind and the sun" (91). We also learn that the "bride was not pretty, nor was she young" and it would seem that this couple are rather out of place on this coach speeding away from San Antonio (91). Crane is up to something. Don't think he's going to leave them on this train. No, I am here to inform you that he has a nasty little trick up his sleeve an d his goal is to "deceive to delight"; he is going to try a fast bait and switch, dangling the barbed hook before your startled imagination, and then, when you least expect it, he plans to go for the kill, jerking the carpet out from beneath your very feet. The couple "were evidently very happy" (91). The "man's face in particular beamed with an elation that made him appear ridiculous to the negro porter" (92). It would seem that this handyman "bullied" them in ways to which they seemingly naà ¯ve. In fact, everything about this couple seems naà ¯ve, simple, unsophisticated. She tells him the time "with a shy and clumsy coquetry" which causes a passerby to grow "excessively sardonic" and... ... of Yellow Sky to learn of Potter's new marriage. Upon bearing witness to this fact, a befuddles Scratchy replies "Well, I s'pose it's all off now," and, "placing both weapons in their holsters," his feet make "funnel-shaped tracks in the sand" as they carry him out of the story, the covers of the book folding shut on this scene (99). And this, I suppose, explains that nasty little trick Cain had up his sleeve, his goal of "deceiving to delight" accomplished with whatever degree of success the reader is willing to grant him, his fast bait and switch ploy holding up an "innocent and unsuspecting" simpleton only to, with deft slight of pen, transform him into a hero before our unsuspecting eyes. Works Cited: Crane, Stephen. "Bride Comes to Yellow Sky." Literature: The Human Experience. 8th ed. Ed. Richard Abcarian and Marvin Klotz. Boston: Bedford, 2002. 91-99.

Charles Dickens Bio :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was a nineteenth century English writer who wrote such classics as: A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Tale Of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and many others. He was born into a middle class family, but when he came home from boarding school at the age of ten he found his family living in poverty. He was unable to return to school in order to help out at home. When he was twelve, his father was sent to prison for his debts. While the rest of the family lived in Marshalsea prison Charles was forced to work long hours in order to support himself. This left a powerful lifelong wound, social humiliation, and defeat. This was an extremely formative experience in young Charles's life. Charles' father, John, was a clerk in the Navy Pay Office. John Married Elizabeth Barrows in 1809. Elizabeth Barrows' father Charles Barrows was the chief Conductor in the Navy Pay Office. Charles Dickens grandfather was also employed by the Navy Pay Office and was accused of embezzling  £6,000 and fled England. His father John was the basis for the character Mr. Micawber while his mother Elizabeth was the basis of Mrs. Nickleby. His first novel, the Pickwick Papers, was written as a serial from 1936-1937. Early in his career he taught people to expect the unexpected for he may have had them laughing in the Pickwick Papers but he soon showed a more serious side in Oliver Twist. He was labeled a social reformer because of the attack the Poor Law received as a result of his novel Oliver Twist. Charles took pride in his role of social reformer. Towards the end, Charles was not a happy man despite his literary success. His marriage had not been a love match, and in the end they lived separate lives. Restless, he released his non-literary energies in travel - to the US, Switzerland, and Italy.

Chapter 2-the Great Gatsby

Chapter 2 In chapter two of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses many methods of narrative. In this essay I will analyse three: Character, Setting and Voice each in detail. In the opening sentence of chapter 2, Fitzgerald uses imagery to create a setting of almost like a limbo with never-ending roads and barren land. This theme continues throughout the first setting in the chapter. â€Å"This is the valley of ashes-a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges† Fitzgerald uses the word ‘ashes’ twice which re-inforces how dead and desolate the ‘valley of ashes’ is.Secondly, Fitzgerald uses an oxymoron with the connotations of ‘ash’ and ‘wheat’: death and life. This is like a microcosm of the fact that many people (in the book) came to New York to achieve ‘The American Dream’ and many failed. However, it could also represent Gatsby and how there are hints in the book that he came from nothing but h as worked his way to the top. In chapter 2, Fitzgerald introduces a few new characters to the reader. The character that stood out most for me was Myrtle. Myrtle is Toms mistress and is characterized as the complete opposite as Daisy.She is described with a ‘thickish figure’, ‘sensuously’ and ‘smouldering’, whereas Daisy is slender, kind and loving. Further on in the scene, Myrtle changes her outfit quite often. â€Å"Mrs Wilson had changed her costume† The word ‘costume’ suggests that Myrtle is just playing a part in her own fairytale with Tom. It is ironic because the reader later learns that Tom has no interest in Myrtle apart from her being a distraction. Also, the quality of her dresses as we read deeper into the scene become more and more rich as the first dress is described as ‘crepe-de-chine’, the second is ‘muslim’ and the final dress is ‘chiffon’.She changes her ‘costume ’ to give people the impression that she is wealthy because it is the life that she wants to live. Lastly, the use of ‘Mrs Wilson’ instead of Myrtle infers that is more important than when she was with her husband and it also underlines the fact that she is married. Fitzgerald uses the change of structure in the narrative voice to portray the state of Nick. â€Å"I have only been drunk twice in my life and the second was that afternoon† We already know from chapter 1 that Nick is apologetic and likes to think he is honest. Therefore it is almost like he is apologising for what is about to come.This is most likely to be because alcohol was illegal then and he is obviously embarrassed by his state. Later on in the scene, the narrative voice then changes to a more drunken state for example, he rants and uses repetition of ‘then’. Later on, as the evening progresses Nick wipes off â€Å"a spot of dried lather that had worried me all afternoonâ₠¬  from Mr McKee’s cheek. If Nick was sober he would not have done this but obviously feels the need to due to the alcohol. Lastly, the whole scene is told in a strange order and it seems like he is looking back and piecing it all together.