Essay on The Role of Women in Beowulf - 1640 Words

The Role of Women in Beowulf Beowulf is an epic tale written over twelve hundred years ago. In the poem, several different female characters are introduced, and each woman possesses detailed and unique characteristics. The women in Beowulf are portrayed as strong individuals, each of whom has a specific role within the poem. Some women are cast as the cup-bearers and gracious hostesses of the mead halls, such as Wealhtheow and Hygd, while others, Grendels mother, fulfill the role of a monstrous uninvited guest. The womans role of the time period, authors attitude, and societal expectations for women are evidenced throughout the poem.†¦show more content†¦923). Wealhtheow exists as the main female protagonist in the poem. She does not enter as a character until she is needed to fulfill her role as the cup-bearer for the first feast at Heorot. She is well-respected within the mead hall and in return respects the men of the hall adorned in her gold, she graciously saluted / the men in the hall, then handed the cup / first to Hrothgar, their homelands guardian (ll. 614-616). However, as Wealhtheow continues her rounds of serving, it becomes apparent that Wealhtheow has more power than that of a common cup-bearer. This is evidenced when she is able to speak to the guests of the mead hall, and receives a respectful response from the guest of honor, Beowulf. In addition to the respect that she is given, it becomes apparent that Wealhtheow is well spoken and perhaps well educated: With measured words she welcomed the Geat / and thanked God for granting her wish that a deliverer she could believe in would arrive / to ease their afflictions (ll. 625-628). These descriptions of Wealhtheows presence within the mead-hall show her obedience to her lord, Hrothgar, as well as the respect she has earned from the people fu lfilling her role as graciousShow MoreRelatedRole Of Women In Beowulf1039 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the novel Beowulf, women can be looked at as unimportant, but from Campbell’s excerpt one can see how the role of women in Beowulf is as essential as the role of men. Throughout the course of Beowulf, many men take part in acts of protection, bravery, and sacrifice, but what many do not notice is the roles women have taking part in those same actions. Although women’s acts of protection, bravery, and sacrifice in this novel seem to be minor and not as celebrated as the men’s acts, theyRead MoreThe Role of Women in Beowulf1137 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of Women in Beowulf The women in Beowulf, which was written around 70 CE by an anonymous poet, fill many different roles, ranging from peacekeepers to wives and monsters, all of which are evidenced in the Queen Wealtheow, Queen Hygd, Hidleburh, and Grendel’s mother. The most prominent role of women throughout the poem is devoted wives and queens, which is reflected in the portrayal of Queen Wealtheow. When she is first introduced, Wealtheow â€Å"went on her rounds, queenly and dignified,Read MoreEssay about Role of Women in the Epic of Beowulf1585 Words   |  7 PagesRole of Women in Beowulf As an epic tale of heroes and monsters, Beowulf gives its readers much excitement and adventure, but Beowulfs importance is more than just literary. It offers many insights into the beliefs and customs of seventh-century Anglo-Saxon culture. Among these insights is the Anglo-Saxon view of women and their role in society. Good Anglo-Saxon women are peaceful and unassertive, greeting guests and serving drinks to the warriors and other men in the meadhall. WealhtheowRead More Role of Women in the Epic of Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society932 Words   |  4 PagesRole of Women in Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon Society  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beowulf, the hero of Anglo-Saxon epic, had many adventures, and many companions and fellow-warriors are mentioned throughout his story. Some of them seem noble and courageous, truly living up to the standards of their culture; some seem cowardly. But all have gained immortality in the words, many times transcribed and translated, of the famous epic. However, the women of the time are rarely mentioned in Beowulf. Still, even from those fewRead MoreThe Role of Women in English Literature: From Beowulf up to the Late Eighteenth Century963 Words   |  4 PagesDiscuss the role of women in English literature, both as characters in works written by men and women and as authors in their own right, from Beowulf up to the late eighteenth century. The role of women in English literature from Beowulf up to the late eighteenth century mostly represented the mores and gender expectations of the time. Exceptions were Rebecca in Sir Walter Scotts Ivanhoe who epitomized an intelligent and courageous woman and Grendalls mother in Beowulf who tried to attack theRead MoreAnglo-Saxon Literature Was Composed Between The Years 6501510 Words   |  7 PagesAnglo-Saxon literature was composed between the years 650 and 1110. Beowulf is one of the most famous epics written during this time. It’s also known as the oldest surviving Germanic epic and the longest Old English poem. Most stories written during this time were about the deeds of warriors, heroic acts, and religion. Beowulf is a warrior from the Geats who is asked to come protect king Hrothgar from an attack by a sea monster named Grendel. All of these characters are men. There are very few epicsRead More Medieval Women Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesMedieval Women The roles of women in early Anglo-Saxon culture were strictly defined. Women were viewed as possessions and served the function of the peace-weaver. In this role women were married off to warring tribes to promote peace and were to perform duties such as passing the cup from warrior to warrior during ceremonial functions. Women in Anglo-Saxon culture possessed virtually no autonomy and consequently were consistently at the mercy of their lords or husbands. The sense ofRead MoreThe Similarities Of Beowulf And Sense And Sensibility1345 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent eras and literary movements are going to have similarities. At first glance the two stories, Beowulf and Sense and Sensibility, are completely different, but if you look closer, youll find as many similarities as differences, its just that the differences are the most prevalent elements of these two literary pieces. To start off, Beowulf and Sense and Sensibility are very different. Firstly, Beowulf is an epic lyric poem; a lyric poem is a poem meant to sung, while an epic poem is an elegy, aRead MoreJohn Leyerle, Jane Chance, And J.r. R. Tolkien1422 Words   |  6 Pagesvaluable insight to their respective depictions of Beowulf’s structure. While Chance and Tolkien are accurate in terms of the representation of the monsters and historical references in Beowulf, Leyerle’s argument offers a more inclusive and whole depiction of Beowulf’s structure. Leyerle describes the structure of Beowulf as interlacing. Leyerle’s essay is more cogent than Chance’s and Tolkien’s through the definition of interlace, the significance of digressions, and historical allusions presented inRead MoreThe Importance Of Female Heroism Through The Epic Of Beowulf1660 Words   |  7 PagesBeowulf is known for displaying the importance of male heroism via Beowulf, but what about the significance of the women in the poem? The significance of women in Beowulf is overshadowed by the great heroism of the character Beowulf, but the women each have a reason for participating in the epic. The ideal woman was someone who was a noble, a mistress and loyal. An ideal woman is described in Maxim I: â€Å"at mead drinking she must at all times and places approach the protector of princes first, in front

Citizenship Birthright Under Fire Free Essays

Citizenship Birthright Under Fire Summary During one morning in Washington, DC, Senator Mitch McConnell who is the Senate minority leader, argued with Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina about the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. The 14th Amendment grants citizenship to anymore born in the United States. Graham spoke out saying the Amendment was a mistake because children of illegal immigrants could become citizens if they were born in the United States automatically. We will write a custom essay sample on Citizenship Birthright Under Fire or any similar topic only for you Order Now He also stated as well as granting legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, he would also amend the 14th Amendment in order to nullify future unauthorized immigration. Republican and Democratic lawmakers were surprised with Graham’s proposal since he was basically the only Republican to negotiate with Democrats to create an immigration overhaul bill. This debate has been centered on the citizenship clause â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. People against this amendment have argued that illegal immigrants are not under U. S. jurisdiction and therefore America-born children should not be automatically become citizens. The amendment has been practiced since the 1860’s and if the law were changed it would make babies born from Mexican mothers illegally they would become immigrants at birth. Opponents against the amendment say that Mexican mothers would have the babies here in the U. S. so that hopefully the mothers would receive citizenship. The only thing is by law American citizen children must wait until they are 21 years old to apply for legal residency for their parents. About 4 million citizen children have at least one parent who is an illegal immigrant. Even though Graham is pushing to reconstruct the amendment it would be huge political proposition. Opinion I woke up this morning, proud to be an American. I do not usually think would if I was born somewhere else or would if my relatives never came over to America? Or even would if the 14th Amendment was never thought of or brought up? I just go about my day as usual. If I really look into it and think about it, if my relatives never came to America, I would not be sitting here in this comfortable chair, typing this paper for my government class. As a matter of fact I, as a human being, would not be here. My grandfather’s roots are from Mexico and my grandmother’s are from Germany. If it was not for the 14th Amendment, they would have not met or have been able to be in this country. People come to America for a better life and opportunity. The U. S. is very diverse with different cultures, religions, and races and yet some people whose ancestors came over here are arguing that it is not fair for other people to have an opportunity to succeed. Yet I sort of see why they are complaining because America gets bigger every year due to people coming over How to cite Citizenship Birthright Under Fire, Essay examples

Conflicts Between Parents and Children on Career Choice free essay sample

As a matter of fact, there are a great number of things that parents and their children just cannot go along with each other and one of them is about career choice. Weve seen so many incessant arguments between parents and children about career choice that its somewhat become Inevitable. That happens simply because of the lack of understanding children from parents. A career choice reflects the childrens passion for something theyre very willing to carry out, to study for, to do search and to live with It, whether the choice Is dangerous or safe.Parents should not stop their children from pursuing their dreams because thats basically what they were born to do. Failure Is Inevitable for everyone, If thats what parents fear for their children. What matters here Is a chance to experience their dreams, a sense of what Its Like to find their own ways, to take control of their futures and to be proud of who they are. We will write a custom essay sample on Conflicts Between Parents and Children on Career Choice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Havent you heard Lifes a journey, not a destination ?Yet the end of the whole pursuit might not be great but its the journey itself that builds your childrens soul. By holding your children back, youll certainly destroy their motivation, restrict their freedom and may as well ruin their youth. A compromise is something that we need to come up with. I suggest parents let their children chase their dreams but with a certain achievement in a certain defined time to see if the pursuit works well or not.By that way children will feel that theyre given a chance to prove who they are so it turns out to be a big motivation for them to succeed in the field they choose. In conclusion, parents should not try to apply what they want to their children because what youngsters really need is a chance to pursue their dreams, to experience the Journey including both success and failure. The best way for parents to intervene is probably the suggested compromise.

Macbeth Analysis Essays - Characters In Macbeth,

Macbeth Analysis ?To Know My Deed, ?Twere Best Not Know Myself? How was it possible for such an admirable and noble man, so established in society, to fall so greatly into a dilemma, full of murderous plots and deceit? In William Shakespeare's Macbeth, the idea of one character becoming both victim and villain is introduced. Macbeth falls prey to others' deception, and is supplanted with greed and hate when he is tricked by three witches. When told that he is going to be King of Scotland, Macbeth does whatever he can to ensure his prophecy. In Macbeth's quest for power, he gains a flaw that ends in a deteriorated relationship with Lady Macbeth, and his eventual defeat. ?All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter!? (I.iii.50) The three witches, with their ?prophetic greeting? (I.iii.78) gear Macbeth's drive for power. They embody the supernatural element of this tragedy. With their imperfect predictions, they play on Macbeth's security and nourish the seed of his tragic flaw, which flourishes in their manipulative prophecies and drives him into becoming the King of Scotland. But the Scottish aristocracy comprises of King Duncan, his two princes Malcolm and Donalbain, and various other thanes and nobles, including Macbeth's friend, Banquo. His desire for position on the throne overrides his respect for the King and his own dignity, leading Macbeth to slaughter him, and murder all those who serve as obstacles in his treacherous pursuit of the throne. ?Yet I do fear thy nature. It is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great; art not without ambition, but without the illness should attend it.? (I.v.16-20) In the beginning, Lady Macbeth has a kind of power over Macbeth that she can only achieve through his devotion to her. She adds to his false sense of security, and Macbeth confides in her and lets her persuade him. As the murderous plots drag on, he loses his will to speak in confidence to her. As with Banquo, Macbeth no longer looks to him as an ally, but rather a hurdle that he must defeat in order to fulfill the divination that the witches have cast. Banquo is near enough to draw blood, and like a menacing swordsman, his mere presence threatens Macbeth's existence (III.i.115-117). Macbeth is not sufficiently cultivated in good or evil to gather poise for all occasions; thus he experiences difficulty in sleeping, he uses rhetoric inadequately in the presence of others when disturbed, and even resorts to improbability. ?That tears shall drown the wind. I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other (I.vii.25-28) Macbeth has a conscience that plagues him throughout the story, prohibiting him from forgetting all he knows that is right. But again, the words of his wife, Lady Macbeth, supplied with the warped foresights of the three witches, impels him to stay devoted to his utterly selfish ends. Macbeth's fall from grace into sheer misery is truly tragic in it's nature. Even his soliloquies, notable for magniloquence and marked by voluptuous word-painting, show more the stages of his corruption than its causes - the need for action to cover his lack of poise in awaiting developments and the need to stifle the moral imagination that enables him to foresee the consequences of his actions. Macbeth was simply a weak soul that had been unfairly hoaxed.

Concealed weapons in michigan essays

Concealed weapons in michigan essays When applying for a license to carry a concealed firearm, in Michigan you must first submit an application containing two references, a letter from your employer, a set of finger prints, and it must all be notarized. The forms are then taken to the chief of police or township supervisor for their approval who will then forward the forms to the county clerk. Final approval must then be obtained from the Concealed Weapons Licensing Board, who directs the county clerk to determine if all requirements are met. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a United States citizen, a resident of Michigan for more than 6 months, have good reason to fear injury to his person or property or other proper reasons, be a suitable person to be so licensed, have no felony convictions within the past 8 years, and have never been adjudges insane unless subsequently restored by court order. The Concealed Weapons Licensing Board determines how long the license will be valid, no longer than 3 years. Most would assume that being a correction officer would be a good reason to fear injury. According to the Board, being a correction officer is not a valid reason. Day after day officers are threatened by people who will someday be free. Many would assume that some of those threats may actually be real, but again the board does not. If I was a corrections officer I would be affraid that I just might run into someone out on the streets someday and that they could hurt me. ...

The Role of Colors on Maps

The Role of Colors on Maps Cartographers use color on maps to represent certain features. Color use is always consistent on a single map and often consistent across different types of maps made by different cartographers and publishers. Many colors used on maps have a relationship to an object or feature on the ground. For example, blue is almost always the color chosen for water. Political Maps Political maps, or those that show government boundaries, usually use more map colors than physical maps, which represent the landscape often without regard for human modification, such as country or state borders. Political maps often use four or more colors to represent different countries or internal divisions of countries, such as states or provinces. Blue often represents water and black and/or red is frequently used for cities, roads, and railways. Black also shows boundaries, with differing types of dashes and/or dots used to represent the type of boundary: international, state, county, or other political subdivision. Physical Maps Physical maps use color most dramatically to show changes in elevation. A palette of greens often displays elevations. Dark green usually represents low-lying land, with lighter shades of green used for higher elevations. In the next higher elevations, physical maps often use a palette of light brown to dark brown. Such maps commonly use reds, white, or purples to represent the highest elevations shown on the map. It is important to remember that on maps that use shades of greens, browns, and the like, color does not represent ground cover. For example, showing the Mojave Desert in green due to low elevation doesnt mean that the desert is lush with green crops. Likewise, showing mountain peaks in white does not indicate that the mountains are capped with ice and snow all year long. On physical maps, blues are used for water, with darker blues representing the deepest water. Green-gray, red, blue-gray, or some other color is used for elevations below sea level. General-Interest Maps Road maps and other general-use maps are often a jumble of color, with some of the following schemes: Blue: lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, reservoirs, highways, and local bordersRed: major highways, roads, urban areas, airports, special-interest sites, military sites, place names, buildings, and bordersYellow: built-up or urban areasGreen: parks, golf courses, reservations, forest, orchards, and highwaysBrown: deserts, historical sites, national parks, military reservations or bases, and contour (elevation) linesBlack: roads, railroads, highways, bridges, place names, buildings, and bordersPurple: highways, and on U.S. Geographical Survey topographic maps, features added to the map since the original survey Choropleth Maps Special maps called choropleth maps use color to represent statistical data for a given area. Typically, choropleth maps represent each county, state, or country with a color based on the data for that area. For example, a common choropleth map of the United States shows a state-by-state breakdown of which states voted Republican (red) and Democratic (blue). Choropleth maps can also be used to show population, educational attainment, ethnicity, density, life expectancy, the prevalence of a certain disease, and much more. When mapping certain percentages, cartographers who design choropleth maps often use different shades of the same color, producing a nice visual effect. For example, a map of county-by-county per capita income in a state could use a range of green from light green for the lowest per-capita income to dark green for the highest per-capita income.

Business Ethics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Business Ethics - Article Example The bank sold the securities to an investor who was unnamed and to the Zuni Indian Tribe. Stuck with $5.5 million in equity that it could not sell, through flashy moves the bank transferred the risk into CDOs marked at 52.7 cents to the dollar. They sold these CDOs to the investor and the Zuni Indian tribe for 95 cents on the dollar. The original property went into default and the purchasers were left with debt. Other fraud allegations were covered in the suit. Also, Wells Fargo had fired a whistle blower who had reported to the SEC in 2009 of these strange dealings at the bank. Is there a moral issue involved? Wells Fargo was fined a small percentage for the billion dollar chaos it helped created.It had probably obtained millions in income before the housing bubble bursted. Is uncontrolled greed a moral issue? Yes, it is. 2. In defense of Wells Fargo & Co., and Goldman Sachs who was mentioned in the article as being fined $550 million last year by the SEC for similar allegations, Mi lton Friedman, a worldly respected economist, in regard to corporate social responsibility is often quoted, "to make as much money as possible while con ­forming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom." Another defense would be to define the rules of society during the period of the spiraling housing prices as one that allowed speculation and rewarded it.

Critical Analysis Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Analysis Forms - Essay Example 7 State one argument made by the author. Since businesses need to maximize profits and paying lower wages maximizes the profit, more and more American jobs are being outsourced to other countries where wages are lower. 8 Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument. Premises: Businesses need to maximize profits. Paying lower wages maximizes the profit. Conclusion: More and more American jobs are being outsourced to other countries where wages are lower. 9 Is the author's argument valid or invalid, sound or unsound, strong or weak Explain how you determined this. The argument is weak. While it may be true that paying lower wages can help businesses maximize their profits, there are other factors involved, like the quality of work and the productivity of workers. 10 Does the author use moral reasoning If not, explain how you determined this. Yes. At the end of the article, he implicitly stated that the old days were better in that the government was small, taxes lower and families were more caring towards each other. Source 2 Title and Citation: Outsourcing Does Not Harm America Tim Kane, Brett D. Schaefer, and Alison Acosta Fraser. "Outsourcing Does Not Harm America." At Issue: Does Outsourcing Harm America. Ed. Katherine Read Dunbar. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. 1 Identify the principal issue presented by the source. Contrary to popular opinion, outsourcing doesn't harm, but benefits America. 2 Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this. None. Since each point/myth was presented clearly, it was easy to see the reason for each. The writers were able to support each idea with empirical data, not... False dilemma. The writer suggested that Americans have to be economically patriotic and that they should return to the old days when government was small, taxes low and families cared for themselves. This argument set aside the middle ground, failing to consider other factors that might prove helpful and merely using the extremes. The argument is weak. While it may be true that paying lower wages can help businesses maximize their profits, there are other factors involved, like the quality of work and the productivity of workers. None. Since each point/myth was presented clearly, it was easy to see the reason for each. The writers were able to support each idea with empirical data, not relying on people's views but letting the facts speak for themselves. When the writers said that there are 1.9 million more American workers today, they failed to consider or mention the population growth of the country as compared to this data. This could be considered "statistically incorrect." No. I scanned each point made. The writers concentrated on empirical data and veered away from people's opinions or views. There were no issues concerning morality. Most issues were technical in nature. "Landlords also sometimes turn victims of domestic violence out of thei

Management and Work Culture Essay Example for Free

Management and Work Culture Essay Instrumental to conduct SWOT analysis, and 3. Plan and build strategy based on the work culture How to develop strategic and operational plans by knowing work culture It is integral part of any individual, and organization. It describes shared value of an organization. It helps anyone to understand how things are done. Here is my cultural preferences: well resourced, ethical, and teamwork centered. Knowing my ideal work culture, I can do better planning and formulate the strategies for an organization. My cultural preferences Necessary resources to do high standard work. Using advantages of available resources, one can do better job of delivering projects with high quality standards. Active promotion of equal rights and justice for all. It will create a culture to grow with the company attitude. Fairness among the employees and employer makes everyone trust each other and the employer. Emphasis on social and environmental responsibility. In this culture, work and life balance here. Social and environmental responsibility culture will help employees more committed to the employer. Because organization is not just focusing on profit itself but also understand human values and help communities around them. Interdependence. Culture of interdependence makes everyone connected, and emphasis the important of collaboration between them. It results toward high level of performance, innovation, and productivity. Friendly and supportive colleagues. Friendliness and supports among colleagues is highly important for employees to challenge themselves, confront each other, and share the knowledge between them. Essential Competencies to Conducting (SWOT) analysis Strategizing competency is one of the most essential to do SWOT analysis. Steps to conduct SWOT analysis: 1. Identify mission statement and goals, 2. Review of internal strength and weaknesses, and 3. To find external opportunities and threats that affect the business or an organization. How my competencies relate to the essential competencies for conducting a SWOT analysis Based on competencies and career interests profiler, my strength are 1.

The Handmaid’s Tale :: Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale Essays

The Handmaid’s Tale The Handmaid’s Tale and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? draw on different narrative techniques to establish our relationship to their protagonists. Margaret Atwood allows the reader to share the thoughts of the main character, while Philip K. Dick makes the reader explore the mysteries behind the story. Atwood’s style works because she can directly show her readers what she wants. Dick’s opposing style works for him because he can present paradoxes and mysteries and let the reader form the conclusion. Both of these styles are skillfully utilized to create complex stories without losing the reader along the way. Both of these works establish relationships between the reader and the protagonist. In Atwood’s, the reader feels empathy and sympathy for the main character, Offred. Dick’s story is less clear-cut. While the initial reaction is usually empathy and sympathy for the human Deckard, further study often leads to the controversy that Deckard may truly be an android. The goals of the authors differ greatly, and so do their narration styles. But they are both effective in getting across the author’s intentions. Atwood needs to make the reader relate to the main character, to get inside the thoughts and feelings. So she uses certain style, for instance, to make the reader relate more to the character, she would have phrased that sentence: I need to make you relate to Offred, to get inside her head, and understand her thoughts and feelings. This sort of personal narrative of the thought process is the style of The Handmaid’s Tale. You learn Offred’s motivations and they are so perfectly articulated that you begin to yearn for the same things she does, and to despise the same things she does. This kind of personal relationship is necessary for the setting of the story. The best way to explain this future society and it’s rules and to make the reader truly have an emotional response to it, is to put the reader right into that society and let them feel what it’s like. This is the way Atwood gets across her feelings about the future world that Offred lives in. She forms a close relationship with the reader and the character, and then shows the reader Offred’s feelings about different aspects of the world. This is not to say that everyone reading the book will get the exact same thing from it.

Case 20 : Aurora Textile Company

Case 20: Aurora Textile Company GROUP QUESTIONS Learning Objectives: 1. The basics of incremental-cash-flow analysis: identifying the cash flows relevant to a capital-investment decision 2. The construction of a side-by-side discounted-cash-flow analysis for a replacement decision 3. How to adapt the NPV decision rule to a troubled industry 4. The recognition that a reduced investment horizon is a significant consequence of financial distress 5. The importance of sensitivity analysis to a capital-investment decision Case Questions 1. How has Aurora Textile performed over the past four years?Be prepared to provide financial ratios that present a clear picture of Aurora’s financial condition. From 1999 through 2002, the financial performance of Aurora was unattractive and disheartening. This could be attributed to the business risks that arose from the intense competition that characterizes the industry in which Aurora operates. Absent an industry benchmark or comparable with wh ich to gauge the performance of Aurora, we utilized a trend analysis of the period 1999 through 2002. With 1999 as a reference point, we noticed that all measures of profitability have worsened.On a cumulative annual basis, net sales have been declining by 15%, while profit margins and ROA were always in the negative (see exhibit 1). While raw material cost as a percentage of net sales have been declining, the cost of conversion is escalating and affecting the bottom-line (see exhibit 1). It is obvious that Aurora needs to manage its expenses to generate profits from sales. While on the surface, the liquidity measures have improved (see exhibit 1), it is doubtful that the company has the ability to meet its current obligations with just cash and cash equivalents on hand.This is partially due to the fact that many of the firm’s current assets are predominantly account receivables and inventories. While it is true that the firm, its competitors, and the industry are continuing to lose money, an effective cost-control strategy – i. e. a strategy that improves profit margins, reduces operating costs, and appropriately manages inventory and account receivables will be crucial for Aurora to remain sustainable. 2. List the factors affecting the textile industry. What do you think is the state of the industry in the United States?How should you incorporate the state of the textile industry into your analysis? Why should anyone invest money in the industry? 3. What are the relevant cash flows for the Zinser investment? Using a 10% WACC and assuming a 36% tax rate, what do you get as the NPV for the project? What are the value drivers in your analysis? What do you estimate as the cost per pound for customer returns under the Zinser alternative? (Hint: for a replacement decision, analysts often find it helpful to prepare two sets of cash flows and two NPVs—one for the status quo and one for the new machine. Status Quo In the first year of the project , we calculated net sales assuming the current 500,000 pounds per week production level at a $1. 0235 selling price per pound (52-week year). After the first 3 year, we assume sales will grow by 2% in volume and 1% in price. Material and conversion costs will not change, but will increase at a pace of 1%. SG&A costs are equal to 7% of net sales so will adjust accordingly. Change in inventory is cash spent so it should be considered when calculating cash flows.In our analysis we calculated inventory by dividing COGS by the number of days in a year and then multiplying by the number of days of inventory held, 30 days in the status quo scenario. The current equipment will be depreciated using the straight-line method with zero salvage value. The current book value of the machine is $800,000 and the depreciation expense is $200,000 for the next four years. Using these assumptions, keeping all else constant, in a 10-year horizon the NPV of the Hunter Plant is about $8. 1 million (see exh ibit 2). New Project – Invest in Zinser Machine Aurora Textile Company also has the option of investing in a new Zinser machine for the Hunter Plant. The main difference between investing in the Zinser machine and maintaining the status quo is an initial investment of $8. 25 million and the receipt of $608,000 in after-tax sales proceeds from selling the existing machine. Additionally, there is an initial $50,000 ($32,000 after-tax) cost for training employees, but this cost is only incurred once (see exhibit 3).In their first year using the Zinser machine there will be a 5% decrease in sales volume, but selling price will increase 10%. Material costs per pound will be the same as the status quo, but conversion costs will decrease to $0. 4077 per pound per year due to lower power, maintenance and return costs. Days of inventory held will also drop to about 20 days. All other assumptions are the same as the status quo. In this scenario, the NPV of the Hunter Plant is about $15 . 87million if Aurora invests in the new Zisner machine (see exhibit 3). Incremental Cash Flows – The Net Effect of the New ProjectWhen looking at the incremental cash flows for the new project, replacing the old machine with the Zinser machine is a good investment. The NPV of the investment is $6. 33 million and the IRR is 28%, much higher than the 10% hurdle rate (see exhibit 4). While all the assumptions made could affect the NPV of the project, the major concern that could erode the value of the project is whether Aurora can survive for 10 years. In our early termination analysis (see exhibit 5), if we ignore the salvage value the time horizon breakeven point of incremental NPV is between 4 and 5 years, about 4. years. However, even if Aurora shuts down, the earlier they terminate, the higher the salvage value of the Zinser machine will be. Therefore, the time period to breakeven might be less than 4 years. If the Zinser machine can be sold for its 50% book value at early termination, it only needs 2 years for the project to add value to the Aurora Textile Company. 4. How sensitive is the economic life of the Zinser investment to its value to investors? In other words, if the company survives the entire 10 years, what is the NPV of the project?What if the company can survive only four years, what is the NPV of the project? For our sensitivity analysis, the main things we focused on were production levels and price. Here is a chart representing the IRRs for certain production levels and prices. Our production level estimates were based on the fact that we don’t know how the market will react with increased foreign competition. The textile growth rate we used for our most likely model is the domestic rate of growth, not the world growth rate.We don’t know if letting foreign competitors into the market would significantly shift the industry out of America or if it will keep a constant growth (at 2%). Our price estimates were based on the new WTO mandate that is going into effect in 2005. With the tariffs and quotas on the textile industry being lifted, there will be a significant growth in the amount of textile goods imported into America. Even though the cost may be high to transport these goods into the states 5. What would be your recommendation to the Board of Directors?Specifically would it be better to invest in the Zinser or to pay a dividend to the shareholders. Be sure to explain the primary reasons that justify your recommended course of action. The U. S. textile industry is going through a tumultuous time, and most companies are experiencing losses. Therefore, it would seem like an odd time to invest more money into the company. However, as the industry evolves Aurora Textile Company needs to innovate to stay competitive. The industry is moving toward demand for a higher quality product, and Aurora cannot afford to fall behind.The Zinser machine will help Aurora meet this demand. If the project were accep ted, the Zinser machine would replace the current machine in the Hunter Plant. Because the other three Aurora plants would not be affected by this decision, we compared the cash flows of only the Hunter plant with the new machine and without. The NPV of the Hunter Plant is about $15. 86 million if Aurora invests in the Zisner machine, and only $8. 91 million without the investment. In addition, when looking at the incremental cash flows of the investment, the NPV is $6. 6 million and the IRR is 28%, much higher than the 10% hurdle rate. Taking all of this into consideration Aurora should invest in the project. In addition to accepting this project, falling spot prices for cotton could be beneficial to Aurora Textile Company in the future. However, the company also needs to implement other strategies to improve their profit margins, including reducing operating costs and appropriately managing inventory and account receivables. These changes will help Aurora move in the right directi on to ensure that they are not forced to shut down operations in the foreseeable future

Miguel Street Essay

Discuss the representation of man and manhood in the 2 short stories of Miguel Street. On Miguel Street, the representation of man and manhood can be seen negatively in these two short stories† â€Å"Bogart† and â€Å"A thing without a name†. Where as a man’s manhood is considered strong if certain characteristics such as aggression, evading the law and their present living circumstances. The story about Bogart illustrates where his manhood being threaten where as Bogart is unable to father a child by his Tunapuna wife so he finds a means to escape this difficulty. He goes elsewhere, run a â€Å"high-class† brothel, meets another woman and successfully impregnates. Once he has achieved his goal of proving his virility, he may return to Miguel Street although he returns as a bigamist as Hat would say â€Å"To be a man, among we man†. He would now be seen as a high standing man of the community, playing with the surrounding children and giving them parties, which is a vastly different from the life he once had by pretending to be a tailor but now is seen The main character in â€Å"A thing without a name â€Å" Popo is a carpenter by profession but he is not considered a man among his peers as his wife was the main breadwinner of the family which did not bothered him as he would continue to make â€Å"a thing without a name†. This however changed when Popo wife left him for another man, it is then that he was accepted as â€Å"one of the gang â€Å"within Miguel Street, as they could related to his pain and heart ache. His man hood was however bruised by the separation of his wife , so he would then retaliate by fighting the other man and going to prison, which eventually made him an hero on Miguel street.

Live Forever essays

Live Forever essays Modern science wants to achieve the impossible, life that never ends. This is a great idea to some but the ways that are proposed are downright insane. While most people are all for immortality I have a hard time volunteering when there exists so many flaws. If you take the time to stop and think about it its not even a question as to why this goal has yet to be accomplished. If you wanted to build a house wouldnt you first master one for your dog? Surely starting small and working your way up is a good idea. Science has other plans. Theyve already started a solution to which they dont know the whole process. While immortality may seem great there are many reasons why now is not the time to start worrying about it? Funding is the name of this game. The battle isnt about living forever its how to pay for it. The United States spends millions of dollars every year on a defense budget. Weapons development gets huge funding. This is the same government that refuses to fund research for immortality. Perhaps living longer isnt as much fun as making other live shorter. Without out the government aboard the decision of life has been left to the states. We all know New Hampshire has decided to live free or die buy how much are they willing to pay. This living forever thing could ruin the country. Sure California passed prop 71 giving billions for stem cell research but where does that leave Illinois (Economic study demonstrates Proposition 71 benefits to California's economy 1)? They decided that living forever costs way too much when they defeated a proposition for stem cell research (Illinois Senate blocks stem cell funding 1). Most states have yet to make a decision. Are we all destined to be subje ct to a nation made up of 100% Californians? If this is true is it really worth living at all? What motivated California to spend all that money? Where did they get all their m ...

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials Spectral evidence was admitted in the Salem Witch trials, but condemned by many before and after as legally invalid.  Most of the convictions and executions were grounded in the testimony of spectral evidence. Spectral evidence is evidence-based on visions and dreams of the actions of a witchs spirit or specter. Thus, spectral evidence is  testimony about what an accused persons spirit did, rather than actions of the accused person in the body. In the Salem witch trials, spectral evidence was used as evidence in the courts, especially in the early trials.  If a witness could testify to seeing the spirit of someone and could testify to interacting with that spirit, perhaps even bargaining with that spirit, that was considered evidence that the person possessed had consented to the possession and thus was responsible. Example In the case of Bridget Bishop, she claimed  I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what a Witch is. when confronted with accusatory testimony of her appearing as a specter to abuse victims. Several men testified that she had visited them, in spectral form, in bed at night.  She was convicted on June 2 and hanged on June 10. Opposition Opposition by the contemporary clergy to the use of spectral evidence does not mean the clergy did not believe that specters were real.  They believed, rather, that the devil could use specters to possess and get them to act against their own will. That Satan possessed a person was not evidence that the person had consented. Increase Mather and Cotton Mather Weigh In At the beginning of the Salem witch trials, the Rev. Increase Mather, co-minister in Boston with his son Cotton Mather, had been in England, attempting to persuade the king to appoint a new governor. When he returned, the accusations, official investigations, and jailings in Salem Village and nearby were well underway.   Urged by other Boston-area ministers, Increase Mather wrote against the use of  spectral evidence, in  Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in such as are accused with that Crime. He argued that innocent people were charged. He trusted the judges, though he argued they should not use spectral evidence in their decisions. At the same time, his son Cotton Mather wrote a book supporting the proceedings,  Wonders of the Invisible World.  Cotton Mathers book actually appeared first. Increase  Mather added an approving introduction to his son’s book. Cotton Mather was not among the ministers who signed Increase Mathers book approvingly. Rev. Cotton Mather argued for the use of spectral evidence if it was  not the only evidence; he disagreed with the idea  of others that the Devil could not make an innocent persons  spirit act without their consent.   Cotton Mathers book was likely seen by the author as a counterbalance to his fathers book, not in actual opposition. Wonders of the Invisible World,  because it accepted that the devil was plotting in New England, was read by many as supporting the court, and the warnings against spectral evidence went largely unheeded. Governor Phips Halts the Executions When some witnesses accused the wife of the newly-arrived Governor William Phips, Mary Phips, of witchcraft, citing spectral evidence, the governor stepped in and stopped the further expansion of the witch trials. He declared that spectral evidence was not admissible evidence. He ended the power of the Court of Oyer and Terminer  to convict, prohibited arrests, and, over time, released all still in prison and jail.

Should Sharia law have more or less power Research Paper

Should Sharia law have more or less power - Research Paper Example On the other hand, Muslims are of the opinion that Sharia law nurtures humanity, allows individuals attain their potential as well as helps individuals release themselves from the strains of life. This paper will assess of Sharia law should be given more or less power. As seen in the research conducted by Mahmoud (2013), Sharia law should have as minimal power as possible since a great percentage of religious laws do not provide a chance for humanistic values that gives all humans a chance to enjoy equality just like other individuals. Evidently, Sharia law is a good testament of discriminatory practices since it does not give all individuals to enjy equal rights. This explains why even international actors are opposed to the law especially bearing in mind that the law incorporates high levels of discrimination on different persons especially based on their gender. A good example is that of the Sharia law discriminating against the homosexuals (Mahmoud, 2013). With this in question, it is manifest that granting Sharia law more power means that the civil and the safety rights of a group of individuals in the society will be threatened to a great extent. Additionally, any person with contrary beliefs would be indicated to demean the government opera ting under the Sharia law since the law does not appreciate the divergent views of different people in the society. For the case of Britain, it is clear that the society is fighting for a secular Britain due to the constraints that the Sharia law has on its followers (Mahmoud, 2013). With the law having state power in many regions around the globe, it is evident that law will continually seize the achievements of the civil society if the law is given more power. The developments achieved over the years have high chances of being overrun by the Sharia law. A notable example is the rights of

Tibet Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tibet Buddhism - Essay Example This relates to the vehicles by practicing the Buddha’s teachings. Vehicles are paths followed to gain enlightenment. The vehicles are Hinayana, Mahayana and Tantrayana. The three turnings are teachings that allow an individual to choose a vehicle to enlightenment The Creation or Generation Stage is the first step in meditation of Buddhist sadhana. The Completion or Perfection Stage is when an adept realizes their personal path of enlightenment. The Great Perfection is the highest teachings of Tibetan tradition. Thus first the Generation Stage must be complete, the Perfection Stage, and finally Great Perfection can be learned. Trungpa meant that Tantric wisdom allows the suffering to stop, or nirvana, which goes into the cycle of birth, death, and reincarnation, or samsara. If hate, pain, and anger are stopped, the individual reaches nirvana. If these emotions are no longer there, than samsara is easier to accept. Luminosity, bliss, and emptiness are the states of the mind. Every mind is a luminous mind. Bliss is a state the mind tries to achieve. Emptiness leads to bliss due to the purging of all negative emotions. The reason Buddhist want to empty their minds is to alleviate suffering. If a soul is empty it cannot suffer. 4. Using Davidsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Tibetan Renaissance and Karmayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s The Great Perfection as guides, tell me how the relationship between the Tibetans and Tantra changed from the time of Relpachen to roughly one hundred years after his assassination. During Relpachen’s rule, the Tibetans and Tantra were closely intertwined. The Tantra was ancient Tibetan teachings of love. Since Relpachen support Buddhism, the Tantra was encouraged during his time. However after his assassination of Relpachen, his brother became king. This king was anti-Buddhist. So for a period of time Buddhists were persecuted. Thus the Tantra passed down by the Tibetans was weakened through this persecution, civil wars, and

Is Europe an optimum currency area Literature review

Is Europe an optimum currency area - Literature review Example This phenomenon has allowed for a vantage point to the economists from where they can try understanding the possible problems and difficulties associated with economic integration. The objective of this literature review is to understand the criteria essential to the achievement of Optimum Currency Areas in the light of the existing academic sources and theories. This literature review also intends to understand whether the European Economic and Monetary Union are gradually shifting towards an Optimum Currency Area position. It is Robert Mundell who is attributed to be the pioneer of the theory of Optimum Currency Area. Vasiliauskaite and Vitakauskas (2007) have successfully identified certain criteria delineated by Mundell to be necessary for the existence of a viable currency union. As per Mundell, for a region to move towards an Optimum Currency Position, the labour mobility is a necessary and pivotal requirement (Vasiliauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). The labour mobility in this con text includes the physical ability and possibility on the part of the labour in a region to move from the depressed areas to the propitious ones. This mobility criterion also entails an absence of the cultural and political barriers to labour mobility and the existence of viable institutional mechanisms to facilitate mobility of labour (Vasiliauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). Besides, According to Mundell, the monetary union in a region required an integration of the financial markets of the member nations accompanied by a total flexibility of prices and wages across the region (Vasiliauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). Also, Mundell tagged to these criteria the need for a regional political integration making way for the fiscal transfer mechanisms for the redistribution of capital around an Optimum Currency Area (Vasiliauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). Besides, it is also imperative that most of the nations in an Optimum Currency Area have diversified economies and similar business cycles (Vasil iauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). Vasiliauskaite and Vitakauskas (2007) have concluded after an elaborate analysis of the existing data that though the European Economic and Monetary Union does qualify many of the criteria considered by Mundell to be essential for the creation of an Optimum Currency Area, the labour mobility in the European Union is much constrained as compared to USA. In Europe there exist many cultural and economic barriers that hamper the hassle free mobility of labour. Also the European Union, unlike America, cannot rely on Fiscal Federalism to iron out the regional economic disturbances (Vasiliauskaite & Vitakauskas 2007). In his seminal work in the context of the Optimum Currency Areas that is A Theory of Optimum Currency Areas (1961), Mundell discernibly appears to adhere to a Keynesian mindset. According to Mundell, in order to mitigate the shocks occurring in the private sector, whether originating from the supply side or demand side, the countries could resor t to the manipulation of national fiscal and monetary policies (1961). This nascent theory of Mundell was essentially based on stationary expectations pertaining to exchange rates, price levels and interest rates. The earlier Mundell was conclusively all for the Keynesian fine tuning of national fiscal and monetary policies, shielded by a floating exchange rate (1961). Mundell held that the diversified econ

Sister Carrie Symbolism

Sister Carrie Symbolism The naturalistic writer presents his theme through symbolic detail. The use of symbolism in Sister Carrie offers some evocative effects to this novel, namely, it eases to determine the elements, expose the reality and consolidate the theme. In this way the symbolic degree of the narrative put down straight over the events and occurrences of the simple story itself. Dreisers use of symbolic detail permeates the novel ranging from careful descriptions of dresses and adornment to descriptions of great American cities and their surroundings. The author must make the reader aware that the details are important to the meaning. According to Donald Pizer in his The Novels of Theodore Dreiser: A Critical Study, Dreiser is much more successful as a symbolic than as a metaphoric writer. Dreiser generally accomplishes this end through a kind of incremental repetition (qtd. in Ward, web) of important details. Occasionally, however, he shows a lack of subtlety when he addresses his reader directly to reveal his intention. By recording carefully Carries reaction to specific events Dreiser shows her moving from her early naà ¯ve optimism to her final disillusionment and despair. Carries sensitivity to details provides the emotional centre of the novel. The most important patterns of details, in addition to clothing and money, are mirrors, the theatre, hotels, and restaurants; interiors and dwellings mainly. These comprise the walled and gilded city to which Carrie seeks entrance. Rocking to dreamland Symbols in Sister Carrie are what E.K. Brown, in his Rhythm in the Novel called rhythmical symbols because they constantly reappear in various contexts changing in character and situation during the novel. The rocking chair as a symbol of dream for Carrie in Chicago and of escape for Hurstwood in New York, and it is an obvious example of a rhythmical symbol. .(qtd. in Pizer, 1976: 91) Throughout Sister Carrie, the symbol of the rocking chair is employed by Dreiser to reflect the restlessness, the feverish activity, which leads Carrie to no satisfying destination( Gerber,1964: 62). Early in the novel Carrie is seen rocking in her sisters flat on Van Buren Street , dreaming of escaping with Drouet. As Drouets mistress in Ogden Place she desires a luxurious life, fame, applause, refinement. The rocking chair is a symbol of Carries continued frustration and her inability to make a choice, wavering instead from one possibility to the other. Just before Hurstwoods two visits which occur along chapters eleven and twelve Carrie sits rocking in her chair. Dreiser takes the opportunity to foreshadow the future outcome of her desire: She hummed and hummed as the moments went by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and was therein as happy though she did not perceive it, as she ever should be(87). In New York when living with Hurstwood, she sits rocking to and fro, thinking how common place( 229) her pretty flat is compared with what the rest of the world was enjoying(229)- the rest of the world made of those who had money and had a better life than hers.( Gerber, 1964: 62) In contrast to Carrie, after losing his business, Hurstwood uses the rocking chair to meditate over the lost days, the exhausted funds and his lack of strength. In the chairs slow and repeated motion he finds a narcotic dream of security. The final view of Carrie is moving. She now finds herself rocking in her chair, successful but unhappy, accomplished but unfulfilled (Gerber, 1964: 63), she dreams of new conquests which undoubtedly will or must bring her joy. Yet she accepts for the first time that happiness may not be for her, that perhaps her fate is forever to be the pursuit of that radiance of delight which tints the distant hilltops of the world (369). Dreiser creates a universe where life takes on the aspect of a fierce, grim struggle in which no quarter was either given or taken, and in which are laid traps, lied, squandered, erred, through illusion. (Dreiser, 1991: 82) And even the survivors of the struggle to become a king, are left without a trophy. The symbolic action of rocking is most fitting: Carrie is at once discontent, physically uneasy, reasonably energetic, and passively waiting for better fortune to come and find her. At the end of the novel, Carrie is still rocking. Her dwellings are different now and better by material standards-she is now in a lush New York hotel-but the action is the same and is symbolic of everlasting discontent. (Gale, 1968: 88) Carrie has reached in her quest the empty terminal, which Dreiser points out, so many Americans reach especially those who ascend from humble beginnings and are deceived by the life around them into believing the money ideal to be all in all. (Gerber, 1964: 63) Dreisers symbolism reveals the separate and distinct worlds of Sister Carrie. There is the realistic world of the reasonable mind in the imagined world of the emotional world, a world described in the novel as: Elf-land, Dream Land, or Kingdom of Greatness. This is the world from which Hurstwood emerges as an ambassador to bring Carrie back with him. It is this world from which Carrie ironically becomes a citizen ironically because it never seems to yield the rewards and beauty it promises. Life is a constant battle fought between the giant armies of frustration and desire. Dream symbolism provides a method of revealing what the world outside thinks of Carries behaviour. Minnie, Carries sister, functions in the novel as a choric figure. In her dream, the standard judgement of Carries actions is revealed. Carrie leaves the world of her sister to go to a dark and dangerous world below the surface of the ground. The swirling waters and unplumbed darkness of that world without a rigid morality seem certain to destroy the naÃÆ' ¯ve girl. It is no more necessary to accept Carries estimate of her sister Minnie as absolute and unbiased truth. Each girl unconsciously sees the other as a projection of herself, and thus interprets the life of the other as it would seem to herself. Clothes and Appearance The finest clothing made is a persons skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.   ~Mark Twain( il las sau il elimin pt ca doar acest subcapitol e introdus de un citat?) The most obvious and well-known recurring symbol in Sister Carrie is that of clothes- clothes as an index of taste and social position and for Carrie of a naÃÆ' ¯ve but moving desire for a fine and pleasing life. (Pizer, 1976: 92) One can acknowledge the fact that appearance, while not including value and morals, as should be of more importance, defines oneself and helps them establish a place within the social system. Sister Carrie serves as an outstanding model to portray this idea. To the majority of the characters, how they appear and act hides the reality of which they live. Dreiser carefully lists in precise detail everything Carrie owns: a cheap imitation alligator-skin satchel, [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦], a yellow leather snap purse,[à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and four dollars (1). Since Carrie does have enough money to pay for a real alligator-skin satchel, she holds a fake with the intention that she appears to be something else than she is. False appearances are a dominating theme through out Sister Carrie. Because so little is revealed about Carries identity, the first impression left by her is formed not by what she does or by what she opinions but by her belongings. Dreiser ends the description of her with the precise amount of money she holds. This stress on money will be a major theme all through the rest of the novel.    To Carrie, the feeling of completeness comes only when dresses magnificently. On her first day at work, she feels ashamed with her female co-workers. After leaving her obscure work station, she proceeds to the lobby where she encounters other young women. As she walks past, She felt ashamed in the face of better dressed girls who went by. She felt as though she should be better served and her heart revolted.(31) Being of middle class stature, she thinks degraded and believes she can get no respect or attention from these, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ better dressed girls.(31) Though she is extremely attractive in her lesser state, as proven by the young men who flirt with her, she feels only remorse because she was not lavishly displayed. Carries first come across with mass fashion comes with her visit to the Fair, a Chicago department store. In this episode she is not shopping or more appropriately, having no money she is only window shopping. (Geyh, 2006: web)   Carries call to the department store prove her interest in conspicuous consumption; it had developed a new and curiously intimate relationship between purchaser and consumer goods. (Eby, 2001: web) As she observes the eye-catching goods available for sale, Carrie could not help feeling the claim of each trinket and valuable upon her personally [. . . .] The dainty slippers and stockings, the delicately frilled skirts and petticoats.[. . .] all touched her with individual desire (22). But the lure that attire and other personal possessions have for Dreisers protagonists-that he calls the voice of the so-called inanimate! (98)-lets us to notice that memorable change. Every one of of the fancy items tempts Carrie although she cannot afford to pay for any of them; thus a capitalist economy manipulates the desire of the consumer without ever completely satisfying it (Eby, 2001: web). Carrie realizes how far removed she is from its glamour and attraction. Although she desires for herself the frilly dresses, the jewellery and trinkets heaped upon the counters, she keenly feels how none of these are in the range of her purchase. An outcast without employment (17), a mere job-seeker, even the shop-girls could see she was poor and in need of a paying job. The coveted items of clothing put on display in the department stores, restaurants, hotels and streets, are for Carrie, matter of both conscious and unconscious desire, but the desire is unrelated to any organic, biological need. The clothes are functional primarily as indicators of what Carrie might possess and be, of this desire, but also indicators of she is not , of her class bound status as a daughter of working-class parents, and of all that exceeds her grasp.( qtd. in Geyh, 2006: web) The importance of clothes in Sister Carrie arises from the choice that one can exercise over them as a conspicuous performance of prospective being. Drouet seduces Carrie buying her the clothes that would be the appropriate costume only for the role of mistress. The clothes are ones that she could not even explain let alone wear were she to stay in her role of working girl at her sisters flat.. Similarly, Carries first acting job in New York translate into a paradoxical ability to buy the clothes for the role of a young actress. ( Fisher, 1991: 554)( se intelege ca citatele sunt ale lui Fisher?) While Carrie is the main character whose existence thrives on the dependence on her looks, she is not the only one who Dreiser chooses to make a victim of appearance. At Carries first meeting with Drouet on the train from Colombia City to Chicago his clothing and conduct built up for her a dim world of fortune, of which he was the centre ( 6) The young man whose charm and audacity caught Carries attention on the train also suffers from the value he places on appearance. While uttering her first words in their first sparked conversation, she notices his, Flush, colourful cheeks, a light moustache, a gray fedora hat. (3) She further observes him noticing every light detail of his suit and the jewellery. His suit was of a striped and cross pattern brown wool, [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] the low crotch of the vest revealed a stiff bosom of white and pink stripes. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] his fingers bore several ringsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (3) From this quote, one can come to the conclusion that Drouet is a ra ther wealthy man with many refined tastes. In reality, He was not a moneyed man. (32) When in the presence of those who were fortunate, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ he straightened himself a little more stiffly and eats with solid comfort. (32) This defines his social status since he is well known among the prosperous. Carrie soon realized all the city had to offer her, such as wealth, fashion, eases every adornment for women, and she longed for dress and beauty with a whole heart (21).    Carrie is aroused by something promising in the entire material prospect that Drouet had to offer (5). While her background does subconsciously caution her momentarily, she ignores her misgivings in exchange for the happiness that Drouets success might bring her. While Drouet did work, he wants to hide his reality. His false preens dazzles many, including Carrie. As soon as Carrie sees that Drouet is not as well off as she originally perceived him to be, she turns to another man, another man who, like D rouet, was masking his own reality behind his allure of money and position. Mr. G. W. Hurstwood is the second gentleman to catch Carries fancy. He is the manager of a renowned restaurant and is known as a successful man about town. Many see him as a solid man of good physical stature, rather young, and is known for his, fine clothes, his clean linen, his jewels, and, above all, his own sense of his importance. (33) On the surface, Hurstwood is a man of power. He holds a valued opinion among many and some kind of effect on many more, Drouet and Carrie included. With all of the appeal, there is no possible way for anyone to see Hurstwoods personal life. No hint of the slightest inconsistency of the glamour can be found. People of social royalty know and see his family on many popular social outings. His wife is a charmer as well and many have high hopes for their young daughter. One would not conceive that Hurstwood and his wife were having heated arguments leading to marital problems. Due to the fact that many knew the family and how affluent in all aspects t hey are, most overlooked Hurstwoods callings on Carrie. Appearance, which led to this mans social status, kept people from considering this. Looks and charm is the only thing that kept this man from suspicion. Later in the story when Hurstwood social status declines, clothes and implicitly appearance reflect this time the reality. Gradually running out of money Hurstwood is not preoccupied with his appearance, he once rigorously guarded. Still, for the sake of old times, he tries to bring to light the old self. This fact emphasis Hurstwoods desire to keep appearances even though his social status was not the same. As Hurstwood experiences life as poor individual he begins to see the life of his wealthy past as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a city with a wall about it (328) on the other side Hurstwoods shabby clothes expose his state, the opposite but equally conspicuous equivalent to the display of state, that is the normal function of clothes.( Fisher, 1991: 554) In contrast to Carries new clothing which makes her part of her new world, Hurstwoods clothing is now threadbare part and worn. It is not sufficiently warm for him to weather in the cold winter. Clothing reveals the complete inversion of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾marriage of Carrie and Hurstwood. As Hurstowoods preoccupation for the lack of money increases he tells Carrie that they do not afford to buy her any new clothes, she had not failed to notice that he did not seem to consult her about buying clothes for himself. (340) A few short years ago he was struggling breadwinner who occasionally indulged himself in new clothing to meet the world, while Carrie remained home, running the household in her outdates garb. In Sister Carrie: An Introduction, written by Kenneth S. Lynn, the author summarizes Carries arrival in Chicago. He then proceeds to say that she is, depending solely on personal appeal to enable her to work out her salvation. He goes on to criticize Drouet and Hurstwood as well. Drouet has no reality; take away the salesmans clothes, and he has nothing. (qtd. in Pizer, 1976: 40) This quote aimed to describe Drouet, shows that though his flashy clothes are a trademark of his, he really comes down to nothing. Hurstwood is in the same situation and as Dreiser says after a passer-by inquires if he is a motorist, he finally realizes that he is nothing. Carrie is taught manners and how to become a lady. Because clothes can be changed more rapidly than apartments they become a more sensitive index to changes of state. Clothes are ones address. Only hotels are places of living sensitive enough to the fluctuations of self to equal clothing as performances of the monetary condition of the self. In New York after they separate, both Carrie and Hurstwood, move through opposite ends of the spectrum of records the need of a society in which money will be kept in the stock market so that its waverings of value can be represented in the daily newspaper rather in land or goods which are, by comparison, subject only to year-long or decade-long readings of change of worth. As the rocking chair is to fortunes wheel, second by second rises and falls, so too are clothes, hotels, and newspapers to the long-term indexes of fortune and value. ( Fisher, 1991: 554) Every feature of these characters is a show put on display like that of a theatrical play. None have a real personality because it has been erased by the tantalizing temptation of being that name on the front page, or the cause of a hush fallen over a room as they enter. They even manipulate simple features to deceive their prey audience. As far as personalities being deciphered, as mentioned earlier, these three critical characters have no real personalities. They display the best well thought out personality that the situation demands. When they are in the company of a wealthy benefactor, the room and scene is filled with gaiety on their plastered surface, but they loathe for the life. Each of these three characters uses their appearance to obtain material goods and respectable social standings. They all achieve this, yet in the end, they wind up in desolate isolation. Had these characters accepted their lives as they would have came to be, and not used deceit to con the unknowing, perhaps they wouldnt have ended up in a lesser state then they stood at originally. Money In this novel, together with mirrors and clothes, money represents social status. Dreiser chose to draw a realistic portrayal of America for what it really was- materialistic (Gerber, 1964: 52). Life is presented in relation to this driving force and seems to undergo all destinies, involving everyone, as participants in the mad-cycle of the booming economy. The money ideal would be exposed as the great motivating purpose of life in the United States: ones relative affluence at any level of society determining the degree creature comfort one might enjoy, the measure of prestige one might own, and the extent of social power one might command (Gerber,1964: 52-53). Sister Carrie completely reaffirms Americas mania with money because all characters status symbol is determined economically. Dreisers characters are often fascinated with the physical reality of money (Pizer, 1976: 91); the money she has accepted was two, soft, green, handsome ten-dollar bills (39). The physical transfer of money is an act which promises so much for both the body and the spirit that it either entails or suggests the sexual (Pizer, 1976: 91) Carries impoverished situation incites genuine pity, but Drouet offers her money having hidden desires and intentions. This allows him to touch her hand, the first act in establishing physical contact with her. The apparently harmless offer of loaning money to Carrie and the pleasant lunch are a first step into obtaining it. Giving her the money somehow permits him to feel her hand, the first move in creating physical intimacy with her. In reality, he is trading the occasion for sex. ( Pizer,1976: 92) The lunch and the loan are only the first step in getting it. As she feels the twenty dollars in her hand, Carrie fells that a she was connected to him by a strange tie of affection.(47). Having money as a principal weapon, Drouet has obtained the right to commence physical closeness with Carrie. Several times in the novel, including in this moment, an exact dollar sum is named. Carrie lives in a world of prices regardless of whether she is at work, out shopping, at home or on the street. Her labour worth is set to four dollars and fifty cents per week; accommodation costs four dollars per week; car fare amounts sixty cents per week; an economical lunch is ten cents; etc. By accepting Drouets money, Carrie unconscientiously establishes her worth to him at exactly twenty dollars. Carries desire maintain secret her intentions from Minnie and Hanson confirms that she is at least partly alert that she is selling herself. (Ward, 2000: web) Carrie symbolizes the collective values of the burgeoning American consumer culture. To her, money represents power; one might easily judge her and include her in the money-hunters category of people; those that would be happy to be trapped on a desert island if only she had a large amount of money. (Ward, 2000: web) She had not acknowledged the fact that money and nothing else is worth nothing. Only in relation to consumer goods does it represent anything of value. Chapter seven begins with one of Dreisers frequent discussions on the meaning of money. The true meaning of money yet remains to be popularly explained and comprehended (47). What Carrie does not understand, a fault she has in common with almost all of humanity, is that money should be paid out as honestly stored energy (48) not as a usurped privilege (48). Carrie definition of money would be simple and straightforward- something everybody else has and I must get (48). Dreiser then continues to give a remarkable explanation of money. Essential in his observation is that if an individual has money, it must be spent in order to recognize its value. Carrie as well as Drouet belong to this category. If not earned honestly money in this novel are obtained by theft or beggary. Money serves as a modality of characterization, consequently everyone in the novel is dependent on money to describe who they are and what they do. In the game played at the first meeting of Carrie and Hurstwood, Dreiser provides a miniature model of the characters, forces, and movement of the novel making symbolic use of the ordinary details. In this game of chance and skill Hurstwood manipulates his hand so that Carrie can win all the money while Drouet remains ignorant of what is happening. Dont you moralize Hurstwood says to Carrie, until you see what becomes of the money (74). This passage is like a vision from future, unconscious words evocative of what was to come. Social status is changed with money, at the same time offering those who acquire it the possibility to acknowledge the supreme wealth or the supreme lowering of status. For example, in the very beginning of the novel, Carrie rides in a train, the way poor people do then in a street car, as the fashionable girls of the time and finally she is forced to walk, forced to return to her initial status. This completes a chain that marks the gradual lowering of Carries status in the society until she reaches the lowest point, the point where she not only has no job but is also forced to walk around the city. Being Drouets company in the restaurant Carrie is aware of the decline. She observes that he affords to travel by train and she immediately associates means of transport with wealth. Lost between thoughts she hears him mentioning that she has to return home if she does not accept his offer, but she does not acknowledge the significance of this fact. She only sees a stage coach passing by . This serves as a visual reminder that a wealthy life can be lived only in a big city like Chicago, and is crucial to making her accept Drouets proposal. Her choice gives her a sense of well being, dragging her out from her state of dreamer, and, by the ending of the chapter, she is already riding the car from her vision. After Hurstwood and Carries affair and escape to New York, Hurstwood soon finds himself having to think carefully about small disbursements like rent and cab fare. Although he has sufficient money to invest in new businesses, he turns down many prospects because they are too low-class for him. Not only is his money very important to him now, but so is his respectability. Having to live so frugally as he searches for a job humiliates him (Balling, 1967: 61). The importance of Hurstwoods reputation to himself underscores the materialism in America. Being who you are to yourself is not as important as being someone to others (Gerber, 1964: 60-61). Hurstwoods decline pushes Carrie further away from him. Mrs. Vances decision to cut off her connection with Carrie because of Hurstwoods appearance exposes the dehumanizing nature of consumer society (Ward, 2000: web). While Hurstwood gradually sinks toward deprivation and suicide, Carrie once again moves foreword and appears on stage. Carries constant drag to something better was not to be denied (Thorp, 1963: 472). Her choice to leave him is almost completely motivated by finances, as was her decision to marry him. Mirrors reflections of the self Mirrors should think longer before they reflect.   ~Jean Cocteau Another important symbol is the mirror in which Carrie attempts to see inside herself to discover the truth or to reflect upon some problem. Like the rocking chair, the mirror represents the two poles of Carries thought, for it is also used by her simply to admire her appearance in new clothes. Both the rocking chair and the mirror fuse the desire for material satisfaction with the realisation that Carrie is never happy if she continually desires something new. Naturally, Carrie is never conscious of the symbolic import of these articles, but certainly the author is, and so, it is hoped, is the reader. Mirrors-both factual and the metaphorical mirrors of others reaction to her-contribute to this construction of identity as Carrie glimpses the ideal as reflected in them. The Mirror as the narrator notices convinced her of a thing which she had long believed. She was pretty, yes, indeed. (58) The process of mirroring through which Carrie creates her identity is, however not merely a matter of dress: it is bound with her natural acting ability. (qtd. in Geyh, 2006: web) Able to perceive the nature of those little modish ways which women adopt when they would presume to be something, Carrie mimics, mirrors, the gestures of those whom she admires: she looked in the mirror and pursed her lips, accompanying it with a little toss of the head, as she had seen the railroad treasures daughter doà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦She became a girl of considerable taste. (78-79) The urban environment itself offers numerous sites of such indemnificatory mirroring, from half-lit display windows of department stores in which one might see ones own ghostly reflection, to posh restaurants like Sherrys where the floor was of a reddish hue, waxed and polished, and in every direction were mirrors-tall, brilliant, bevel-edged mirrors-reflecting and re-reflecting forms, faces, and candelabra a score and hundred times (235) (Gyeh, 2006: web) Looking in the mirror is often considered a form of narcissism. This is particularly evident in the store episode when Carrie looks at herself with the new clothes on. Her sense of well-being is enhanced, to the point where she starts to feel a warm glow (70) creep into her cheeks. This is again shown up in chapter eight, when she realizes that she is beautiful after looking in a mirror. The two antithetical potions of Carries mind, her conscience and desire, make another appearance in chapter ten. There, standing before the mirror, she sees that her face reveals a more attractive girl than she was before but her mind, a mirror prepared of her own and the worlds opinions(70), reveals a worse creature than she had been before. She wavers between these two images, uncertain of which one to believe. The inner mirror, the reservoir of social and acquired moral option, must be watched closer by the reader. Sister Carrie is a study in depth of the character; what happens inside Carries mind is actually far more important than her outward fortune of trials and ordeal. Carries difficulties, more basic in the recent past, have now become mental ones, and altogether so turned about in all of her earthly relationships that she might well have been a new and different individual (70). In the mirror she sees a pretty face, but when she looks within herself she sees an image composed of her own judgements and those of society that makes her experience a certain moral queasiness. Carrie wavers between these two reflections, wondering which one to embrace. Her conscience, only an average little conscience (73), is shaped by the world, her own past life, habit, and convention, all welded together in a confused way. Her conscience bothers her because she failed to live with moral correctness even before she tried. Carrie is in a winter mood, full of silent brooding. Nevertheless the secret of her conscience grows more and more feeble. Before, the mirror only was an indication of vanity and represented the ability to imitate things. Now Dreiser remarks that the mirror is the symbol of a good actress as well, a good actress serves as her own mirror to her audience (Gyeth, 2006: web). Carries vocation and power as an actress find their fullest expression on stage, where she creates not only a series of idealized versions of herself, but also an array of miniature mise-en-scà ¨ne- shadow plays-of the city and its inhabitants outside. (Geyh, 2006: web) Carrie was possessed of that sympathetic, impressionable nature which, ever in the most developed form, has been the glory of the drama. She was created with the passivity of soul which is always the mirror of the active world, the narrator observes. (117) Carries greatest ability is that she can mirror back to people that they want to see. Newspapers The frequent symbol in this novel is the employment of newspapers to designate people who are no longer capable to see the future, people that are suppressed by the past and sometimes by the present. The newspaper represents old news as it presents things that have already happened. Individuals who fall back on the newspaper thus fall into the class of have-beens, of those who already lived their life and experienced the world. The first who reads the newspaper in the novel is Sven Hanson followed by Hurstwood. The two are reading the newspaper in the evening as a form of entertainment and because it is the only way they could find out about their own world. Hurstwood is scrolling the paper for the first time in chapter twenty. The paper symbolizes the past, and the incapacity to rise in the future. Thus, his wife is already making the decision concerning the future of the family, and the future vacation. In this scene between Hurstwood and Julia, the first finds in the newspaper a refuge from his wifes demands and from what his entire family represented to him. This way he tries to avoid domestic quarrels and pretends to read the newspaper. By contrast Carrie, reads the paper to see if she is written about in one of its articles. The newspaper gains more importance and is more often used by Hurstwood than ever before. Each day he could read in the evening paper (143). Later Dreiser describes Hurstwood as s pending his time reading newspapers, as the only enjoyable activity left. This again suggests that Hurstwood can only live by looking at the past rather than into the future. The significance of newspapers reaches the pinnacle in chapter thirty five during the storm. Hurstwood is entirely ruined as a man that he uses the paper even for trivial news suc

Huck Finn :: essays papers

Huck Finn American Literature The purpose of this essay was to discuss the current debate over Mark Twain’s book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The debate is over whether or not the book is appropriate for students to read and learn about. The question is now being presented and petitioned upon the Board of Education by a group of parents and students in the Francis Howell school district. The group has many justifications for why Twain’s book should be removed from the curriculum and even the school’s library. One reason was the many racial slurs used in the book to refer to Jim and all African Americans in general. An example of this in the book was Huck telling about how black people would all come to hear Jim’s witch story (Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Page 6). The slurs are used repeatedly and could easily have been done without. A second reason is the tobacco use of Huck Finn. The young character in the book is known for smoking his pipe. Some Parents fear this may encourage students to smoke. A third reason is Huck Finn’s bad lifestyle. Huck skips school, uses foul language, becomes involved in a gang, and he is known for being in lots of trouble (Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Chapter 2). Many parents think this may provoke students to try to live like Huck does. A fourth reason is the portray al of Huck Finn’s father in the story. He is a bad father and an extreme alcoholic and he beat Huck(Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Page 24). Many parents think students may grow up thinking this negative behavior is acceptable parenting protocol. Speaking from a teenage perspective, these accusations seem unjust and unreasonable. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a great Novel and an instrumental teacher in American Literature. Twain’s book accurately depicts the more liberal time period of the day. The racial innuendoes used in the book are by no means acceptable. It is the belief of many that these words were however not used on the grounds of demeaning the African American race, but that it was just the way people spoke during that age.

Organizational Communication: Process Essay

Introduction: Communicate with others is necessary and essential for everyone. Students  need to communicate with their classmates or their teachers and employees need to communicate with their boss and clients. Communication is everywhere in people’s daily life. However, there are many factors can affect how the communication goes. Communication formed from transfer information from one person to another.(Orlova, 2010) In this passage, the writer will give two real-life example of both successful and failure organizational communication cases then illustrate the reason why non-verbal communication , face to face communication and self-awareness contribute to the efficient communication and how these factors works. Last but not the least; the writer will explain how different organizational cultural values, lack of active listening and Computer-Mediated Communication boost the failure communication case. Successful Communication Example: This example is about a discussion group which formed with three people in my schoolwork, one Chinese, one Japanese and one Vietnamese. We were going to discuss a question about what cause to climate change. Since I do not know much things about the climate change. When Japanese was talking, I concentrated on what she said and have eye contact with her. If I looked like confusing, she would clarify what she just talked about and never mind to speak again. Both of Vietnamese girl and me had nodding our heads when we agree with her point of views. Sometimes we used some gestures and facial expression when we were discussing. What’s more, we had group meetings in school every day that we can finish our work together. At last, our tutor said we all done a great job. Factors that promote the organizational communication: â€Å"Non-verbal communication is usually understood as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless messages, language is not only source of communication, and there are other means also. Nonverbal communication can be communicated through gesture and touch, by body language or posture, by facial expressions and eye contact. â€Å"(Orlova, 2010).One of the reason of why Non-verbal communication promotes organizational communication is because it is trustworthy. As described in the example, when we were discussing, we had eye contact with others. Eyes don’t lie. If you have eye contact with someone who is talking, it proves  that you are paying attention of what he or she said and also shows your respect to that person. What’s more, the speaker can also recognize others whether understand what he or she is talking about. When I looked confused in the conversation, the Japanese girl will elucidate what she had just talk about in detail so as to make me know clearly about it. After this, I knew more things about climate change which encourage me to do more research about it rather than only listening about other’s opinions. This is really important when you are doing a group project. Another reason for why non-verbal communication is superior for organizational communication is that people can transmit a message naturally and even do not need to speak out to make others understand the meaning unconsciously. Firstly, body language helps us conducting the discussion. It will not make sense until you response to other’s talking. When we agree with others, we will show our understanding through nodding our heads or raising our thumbs. Secondly, we sat very close to each other when we were discussing, like friends more than group mates that help us to establish the relationship more friendly and warmer. Orlova(2010) emphasised the reason of why the use of spaces is mainly significant when people have interaction in groups is because where group members sit relative to one another have an effect on the flow of the conversation. Face-to-face communication contribute to the successfully communication as well. Rick et al. (2009) found that because face-to-face communication is produced in real time, speakers have direct feedback on how their message is being understood as it is being delivered. In our discussion group, our entire group members insist of having group meeting in campus everyday contributed to the success of the discussion most. Face-to-face communication is able to make sure that each of us merely focuses on our discussion in the particular time. Despite the fact that face to face communication not as convince as online chat. †Face-to-face communication is in fact much more than speaking and speech is greatly influenced both in substance and content by this essential form of communication.†(Marion, Jean-Luc & Gerard 2010) People can have a better interaction when having face to face communication. In our discussion group, when someone do not agree with other’s opinions we can discuss directly and asking questions.  Face-to-face communication can encourage people to continue the discussion as well. When someone can’t speak fluently, others will help him or her to keep on talking, for example, gives some door opener questions or paraphrase his or her arguments. Face-to-face encounters tend to go on longer than other forms of communication. However, when our group buddies have a face-to-face conversation, each of us has made an effort to the meeting. We have probably spent longer talking together in order to have a better discussion about our topic. Self-awareness also makes us do a better job on our group work. The more you know about yourself, the greater you will feel emotionally and the more adapt you will become at dealing with situations. Self-awareness is one’s own knowledge and assessment, including their mental aptitude, personality characteristics and psychological understanding of psychological processes and evaluation. If someone can realize what he or she good at and the weakness of themselves, they can do the job better. People evaluate themselves accurately which can help them to work more efficiently. One of the most important things in doing projects with others is contribution. It is impossible that you want others to finish your part of job either. Self-awareness can make you know clear about what you can do for this team. In our discussion group, I am the person who not good at collating information so that I was in charge for the researching part. I would give the information to the Vietnamese girl who is good at comprehensive analysis to collating information. This distribution of work can make our discussion group work more efficiently and everyone feel comfortable about this allocation. The failure organizational communication example: When I was doing the BEP course last year, a presentation group was formed with four people. People are all from different countries including one Iraqi, one Chileans, one Indian and me from China. However, when the Iraqi was talking about her thoughts about the presentation she did not allow others to add some views and she just keep talking on her own. After she finished her talking, she presently continued to busy about her own business  and totally annoying what other group members were talking. Though she is the woman who has many life experiences and she don’t care about what others thinking. In this situation, even we can meet at the classroom every day, our group buddies changed to use E-mail to connect with each other and did not have a formal discussion anymore. This was not like a team work. Not surprisingly, our presentation group got a very low mark due to the lacking of communication Factors that boost the failed organizational communication: Active listening is a complicated branch of learning which requires intense awareness and attention to both of verbally and nonverbally information that someone is transmitting. It calls for the listener to pour out themselves of personal concerns, distractions and preconceptions. (Mackay, 1994) Listening is the ability of how you receiving the message and make judgment about the words. When someone is listening, he or she may write notes with the purpose of make a long term remembering and paraphrase in his or her own words. What’s more, listening is also the ability of learning, people can learn from others when they are listening. Attentive listening not only means we pay all of our attention to receiving from others but also tell others what we interested in. Active listening is crucial in many areas, for instance, in the working environment, employee should listen to their colleague and students should take notes or paraphrase teacher’s speech during classes. Nevertheless, the writer thinks that acting listening is especially important for the team work. It can demonstrate your respect and only make other feel your presence but also making effort to the task. In our presentation group, the Iraqi only focused on what she was thinking and did not give some advices or reflection about others’ ideas. What’s more; she was doing her own business when others were talking and it seems that what we said have nothing to do with her. This kind of egocentrism is the barrier to listening which leads to the ineffective communication in our presentation group. Other group members would have prejudices and biases because the way of how she behaves. â€Å"Corporate culture defines the ‘feel’ of an organization-the strategies, managerial personalities, style, environment, traditions, ethics, and shared values and beliefs that contribute to its individuality. It can be broadly described as  authoritative, bureaucratic or entrep reneurial.†(Graham & Martin 2004) People come from different countries tend to have a different set of norms and different views to the same subject. Mott (2008) has argued that there are a lot of easily noticeable aspects of an organizational culture, such as their behaviour and life experience. At the same time, there are also other parts of organizational culture are more theoretical, like their beliefs, values, and assumptions .In our presentation groups, all of our group members come from different countries may have diverse culture values and assumptions. The Iraqi woman who thought herself had experience much more than each of us did not consider about others opinions or she thought only what she said was right and everyone should follow her. What’s more, the Chileans young boy stopped talk about the topic of our presentation after we were treated like that. And the Indian people and I just feel helpless in this situation. All of these things can be analysed as because we have different personalities and different style of communication with others. â€Å"The culture of an organization is important because it frequently affects its ability to get things done† (Graham & Martin 2004).Everyone in the presentation group contributed to the failure communication because it was hard for us to understand foreign countries’ terms, values and how foreigners performs in the certain situation. People do not have to right to judge other’s behaviour whether right or wrong. The living environment can affect someone’s values too. Computer-Mediated Communication leads to the failed organizational communication as well. Simpson (2002) claimed that â€Å"CMC is an umbrella term which refers to human communication via computers. Temporally, a distinction can be made between synchronous CMC, where interaction takes place in real time, and asynchronous CMC, where participants are not necessarily online simultaneously. â€Å"In spite of CMC bring us a lot of convince and freedom from time-space, CMC, it provide less time for our group mates to develop our relationship and have less chance to understand each other better. Besides, CMC does not involve people’s non-verbal behaviours and initial reaction. People can do multi task at the same time when they using CMC which may pay less attention on one task. In the example I stated above, the presentation group chose to communicate via CMC rather than face-to –face communication caused to the result that we are not able to communicate in a proper way. Using E-mail to connect with our  group buddies was inefficient because not each of us check mail box regularly. Sometimes we received the e-mail in the next day and would not response in time. As the presentation group which mixed four people from different countries, it was hard for each group members to communicate and understand others well.. Conclusion: To sum up, at the beginning of this passage, the writer talked about why the members of discussion group communicated with each other successfully .Firstly, non-verbal communication which contains a lot of eye contact, gesture and body movement make the conversation conduct efficiently. Secondly, the discussion group insists to have face to face communication everyday provide a positive impact on the organizational communication. Thirdly, self-awareness of each group member knows clear about what is the strength and weakness of them contributes to the successful communication as well. At the second part of this paper, the writer explained how organizational cultural values effect the conversation. If group members lacking of active listening can cause to the termination of the conversation had been discussed in this part. Next, the writer had illustrated the difference organizational culture values between group members would have a negative impact on the communication. Last but not the least, Computer-Mediated Communication which lack of non-verbal communication, instant feedback and initial reaction also boost the failure communication case. How to communicate with others is a course for everyone. Having a better communication with others brings lots of advantages in both study area and daily life. Because successful communication can help you to have a better relationship with others and sometimes it can avoid conflict as well. Learning to listen to others and accept others opinions is the basic skills for the successful communication. However, communication is not only consisting of literalness but also non-verbal communication. If you learn how to communicate with others, you take the first step to success. References Marion Dohen, Jean-Luc Schwartz, Gerard Bailly 2010 ‘Speech and face-to-face communication – An introduction’ Speech Communication, Volume 52, Issue 6, pp. 477 – 480 Mackay H.1994, The good listener. Better relationships through better communication.(Previously published as Why don’t people listen)Sydney: Pan Macmillan Martin Graham 2004,‘Cultural Values’ Motor Transport, 07/2004, p. 12 Mott Linn 2008, ‘Organizational culture: an important factor to consider’ The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, Volume 21, Issue 3, pp. 88 – 93 Orlova M. Ð 2010, ‘The role of interaction of verbal and non-verbal means of communication in different types of discourse’ Sociosfera, Volume 4, pp. 58 – 66 Rick van der Kleij, Jan Maarten Schraagen, Peter Werkhoven and Carsten K. W. De Dreu2009, ‘How Conversations Change Over Time in Face-to-Face and Video-Mediated Communication’ Small Group Research, Volume 40,Issue 4,pp.355-381 Simpson, James, 2002’Computer-Mediated Communic ation’ ELT Journal, Volume 56, Issue 4, pp. 414 – 15