How Does the Author Present Human Nature in Lord of the Flies?

Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding, it was published in 1954. It is an allegorical novel in which Golding uses many powerful symbols to present his ideology about human nature. In this novel human nature is seen as a theme which runs through the entire novel. In this essay I will give examples of how Golding presents Human Nature in Lord of the Flies. The quote â€Å"where’s the man with the megaphone? † connotes Human Nature. When the boys land on the island after greeting one anther they ask for others. This shows Human Nature because naturally they are curious about their surroundings; this is developed in each human from a very young age. Looking for other people when you are lost is a common thing to do. Human Nature is presented through the pronoun â€Å"where† because as most humans would do when they are lost, they are questioning things. â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. † When Ralph starts to desire rules it is the beginning of civilization on the island. Rules are a way of keeping everything under control so that everyone behaves and all rights are equal. The noun â€Å"rules† represents Human Nature. It connects with the principle of Human Nature where naturally rules are desired to keep everything in line. Rules have been made dating back to biblical times to restore law and order. Without rules there is chaos, the fact that this boy has recognized that rules are needed to be made and obeyed shows the impact not only human nature but society has on all of us. The conch is a strong symbol of rules and rules relate to civilization. The conch was one of the first set of rules made on the island. No boy may speak unless he is holding the conch and once he is holding it, he cannot be interrupted. The boys have imposed this â€Å"rule of the conch† on themselves, and thus the conch represents society’s rules. We have rules so that we act civilized, desiring to be civilized is simply part of our Human Nature. Human Nature is presented through the event of Jack killing the pig. â€Å"His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge†¦.. taken away its life like a long satisfying drink† this quotation gives the reader chance to explore the mental state of Jack in the aftermath of killing his First Pig. Jack is overjoyed by kill and is unable to think straight as his mind is â€Å"crowded with memories†. A flaw of Human Nature is the feeling of power it’s something all humans desire unfortunately the lengths some people will go for power can be extreme. Golding explicitly connects Jack's exhilaration with the feelings of power and superiority he experienced in killing the pig even If it is not a good thing. Jack's excitement stems not from pride at having found food and helped the group but from having â€Å"outwitted† another creature and â€Å"imposed† his will upon it. Ralph Wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart† this is at the end of the novel when Ralph realizes that although he is saved from death on the island. He will never be the same again. He as well has lost his innocence and learned about the evil that lurks within all human beings. The phrase â€Å"darkness of man’s heart,† talks about the pres ence of evil instincts lurking within all human beings, no matter how civilized you may be. This connotes Human Nature as it talks about something that is within all humans naturally just that some people are able to suppress the evilness. The question that rises in this novel is whether these boys where evil all along or whether it was the effect the environment had on their nature. Human Nature is presented in the novel as the protagonist Ralph and the antagonist Jack. It is clear that when they both land on the island they both appear as immature kids who wanted to get back home. It is part of their Human Nature to return back to where they came from, which is what they try to do. â€Å"You’ll get back to where you came from† here Simon talks and acts almost as if he was a prophet, as if he knows truly that they were going to go home. It is in their nature to go somewhere knowingly that eventually they will go back to where they came from. Golding’s use of words in the novel and the way he presents Human Nature through different techniques makes us question Human Nature. The novel mostly focuses on Humans Nature being the cause of Society’s Flaws. The novel makes you think about Human Nature as a whole and whether these boys were capable of killing each other from the beginning or whether it was due to their surroundings. It also makes you think about yourself; someone who is affected by human nature; if you were left on an island at a young age to tend for yourself what would become of you. In this novel Jack the antagonist has his first experience of killing a pig at first he couldn't do it, but eventfully he did. This urge then took over his innocence and turned him into a murdering savage. It is clear in Lord of the Flies that Golding believes Human Nature to be evil.

Johnson Wax

Case: Johnson Wax: Enhanced Case analysis: Define the problem John Sherman, the product development manager of Johnson & Company, had to take a decision about the future of Enhanced, a new instant hair conditioner. The issues faced by Johnson Wax are whether to launch ‘Enhance' right now, launch it after some modifications or abandon the product. They wanted a new product with the same success that Agree, the company first care product but they also wanted to reduce the costs of the product development process. Formulate the alternatives 1. Launch Enhance as it is right now 2. Make some modifications to the product or its positioning . Abandon the product Analyze the alternatives Current situation Johnson Wax is successful in a specific segment of the hair conditioning market with his product Agree. So they decided to offer another personal-care product line being Enhanced. This is an instant hair conditioner targeted toward woman 25-45 years old with dry hair and was formulate d to appeal to that audience. Market potential The market of the conditioner in which Johnson Wax want to introduce Enhance counts 6 important companies in 1978: Johnson’s Agree (15,2%), Wella Balsam (4,7%), Clairol Condition (9,95), Flex (13,4 %), Tame (5,4%), and Sasson. The firm has previously done Blind-Use test, which actually showed that the consumers don’t distinguish great differences between different brands of conditioner. Tests have shown that one of the most important dimensions for the customers is the conditioning factor. But during the phase of callback the respondents mentioned most frequently manageability and conditioning came third. This means that the company should reposition itself. The market is open for new products that focus on manageability. An incentive to launch the product is that Agree would lose less than half a share point to Enhance. Product design Enhance was available in two sizes for both regular and extra conditioning formulations. It had one facing for each size and formulation. Enhance was offered in 8 and 16 ounce sizes in either clear or opaque plastic bottles with nozzle tops. Research have shown that sampling is not successful and a waste of resources. Another way must be used to promote the product. One way is advertising on TV or in magazines with the use of a celebrity. The downside of this is, that it could be quiet expensive. Distribution channels The distribution channels that Johnson might and should use are wholesalers and retailers through a system of manufacturers’ representatives and factory salesmen. Johnson has created a well established network throughout the years and if they use it to distribute the Enhance product it will reduce transportation cost due to economies of scale. Another benefits will be the reduction of costs through the already established knowledge of the manufacturers’ representatives and factory alesmen. Pricing As suggested in the ‘Trail Estimation’, Enhance was offered in 8 and 16 ounces sizes at $1,31 and $1,94 respectively. With these figures the trial rate of Enhance was estimated at 23%. If we look at the comparison to all ASSESSOR-tested health and beauty aids products, we can see that Enhance can be placed in the group between 20-30 %, which indicates a group percentage of 27,1%. Afte rwards the repeat rate was estimated through telephone call back interviews and they came to the conclusion that the repeat rate among buyers in the laboratory was 60%. If we compare that to the all ASSESSOR-tested health and beauty aids products, we can conclude that Enhance has a high repeat purchase rate. The overall conclusion is that we can set the prices at the level suggested in the ‘Trial Estimation’ because survey have shown that those prices will be accepted by the customers. The steps to the optimal solution 1) Recommend a solution -Abandoning the product is not an option because of the investment already made,e. g. product development and Assesor-test. If we would abandon the product, these costs will be sunk costs. Launching the product as it is now is also not a good option. The MDS, as a result of the ASSESSOR test, was not encouraging about Enhances’ prospects. It is clear that some modifications has to be made. -The optimal solution is to launch Enhance, given the prospective that they will modify the product and subsequently reposition it. Surveys have shown that sampling is not successful so another way of prom otion must be proposed. 2) Plan of action 1. Keep the price at the trial estimations rates, those were very similar to those of the competition( $ 1. 31 and $ 1. 94 for the 8 and 16 ounce sizes. . Sell the product through the existing distribution channels of the Agree line( distributed nationally and overseas to wholesalers and retailers through a system of manufactures’ representatives and factory salesmen. 3. An important step to ensure success of the product is that we make some modifications to the product. The ASSESSOR results in the product acceptance indicates that those who made a repeat purchase will most likely mention manageability as the thing they liked most about Enhance. The company does not really focus on manageability as much as they do on conditioning and cleaning. The relative importance of ‘manageability’ is merely 23% in comparison to 33% for ‘conditioning’. Given the results of the likes and the dislikes of the customer, we can conclude that the company needs to focus more on the ‘manageability’ of Enhance. Manageability needs to be the primary characteristic, followed by conditioning. 4. Given the switch of primary characteristic, the advertising need to be adjusted and thus mainly focussing on the manageability of the product. Advertising needs to focus on the fact that Enhance leaves hair shiny, lustrous, soft and silky, body and fullness. In a nutshell, it makes hair more manageable. This can be realized through advertising in magazines and TV. 3) Contingency plan The prediction trial/repeat model estimated the base shore at 3,9% while the preference model estimates the base share at 3,8%. The Johnson Wax management had set a target market share of 10%. This is about three times as high as the estimations. If we modify the Enhance product we can assume that the market share will increase in the test, hence the adaptations in favor of the likes of the consumer. We will set a base share of 7,5%, which need to be pursuit within two years. If we do not accomplish this objective, we need to abandon the product.

Learning and Memory Paper Essay

Human memory has been a significant interest concerning how people develop memory and process memory. Researchers and educators are diligently interested on the neuroanatomical neural processes related to learning and the current literature, neuroanatomical and neural processes related to memory and the current literature. In addition, the relationship between learning and memory form functional perspective. Researchers discuss the reasons learning and memory are interdependent, and have performed testing through case studies using animal studies because they are most useful and replicable studies for understanding the learning-to-memory-link. The examples from research help researchers with solving the mystery of the memory processes. Researchers discuss the importance of lifelong learning and brain stimulation to longevity and quality of life to obtain knowledge and how the human individual develops their capabilities to obtain memory and how memory can affect human behaviors. To u nderstand the functional relationship between learning and memory we must first define what both learning and memory is. Learning is described as â€Å"the acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, practice, or study, or by being taught† (Merriam-Webster, 2011). While â€Å"Memory is the means by which we draw on our past experiences in order to use this information in the present† (Sternberg, 1999). Therefore, as one can tell memory is essential to all of our lives. Without a memory of the past, we cannot operate in the present or think about the future. We would not be able to remember what we did yesterday, what we have done today or what we plan to do tomorrow. Without memory, we could not learn anything. Learning and Memory are linked to cognitive abilities in both humans and animals. A well-known example to show the relationship between learning and memory is the classic rat in maze. Rats have been used in experimental mazes since at least the 20th century. Thousands of studies have examined how rat’s run different types of mazes, from T-maze to radial arm mazes to water mazes. These maze studies are used to study spatial learning and memory in rats. Maze studies helped uncover general principles about learning that can be applied to many species, including humans. Today, mazes are used to determine whether different treatments or conditions affect learning and memory in rats. To take a step further, According to Kolata al, 2005 case study the tasks that comprise the learning battery (e.g., Lashley lll maze, passive avoidance, spatial water maze, order discrimination, fear conditioning) were explicitly chosen so that each one places unique sensory, motor, motivational, and information processing demands on the animals. Briefly, performance in the Lashley lll maze depends on animals’ use of fixed motor patterns (egocentric navigation) motivated by a search for food. Passive avoidance is an operant conditioning paradigm in which the animals must learn to be passive in order to avoid aversive light and noise stimulation. The spatial water maze encourages the animals to integrate spatial information to efficiently escape from a pool of water. Odor discrimination is a task in which animals must discriminate and use a target odor to guide their search for food. Finally, fear conditioning (assessed by behavioral freezing) is a conditioning test in which the animals learn to associate a tone with a shock. We reported a positive correlation between the aggregate performance of individual outbred mice in the learning battery described above and their subsequent ability to accommodate competing demands on their spatial working memory capacity. Specifically, we observe that when mice required performing in two arm mazes concurrently (a manipulation intended to place demands on working memory capacity), their performance in the target maze positively correlated with their general learning abilities. These results are suggestive of a relationship between working memory capacity and general learning abilities in mice. Memory is the process by which information is saved as knowledge and retained for further use as needed. Neuroanatomy, is the study of a particular nerve and are located, or rather memory is stored diffusely through the structures of the brain that particularly in its original state. There are four neural structures that play a role in memory. For example, (1) hippocampus and (2) perirhinal cortex have roles in spatial and object memory and (3) the mediodorsal nucleus and (4) the basal forebrain are implicated in memory. The medial temporal lobe memory system, is part of the system for memory in the medial temporal lobe (MTL), this neural system consists of the hippocampus and adjacent anatomically related cortex, including entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortices. According to (Squire, Larry R.: Zola-Morgan, Stuart, 1991,)†These structures are essentially for establishing long-term memory for facts and events (declarative memory). The MTL memory system is needed to bind together the distrusted storage sites in neocortex that represent a whole memory. However, the role of this system is only temporary.†P1. When time goes on after learning, our memory stored in neocortex slowly and eventually becomes independent of MTL structures. Rats have been used in experimental mazes since at least the 20th century. Thousands of studies have examined how rat’s run different types of mazes, from T-maze to radial arm mazes to water mazes. These maze studies are used to study spatial learning and memory in rats. Maze studies helped uncover general principles about learning that can be applied to many species, including humans. Today, mazes are used to determine whether different treatments or retrieval is established, encoding processes that initiate priming and explicit memory have not yet been anatomically separated, and we investigate then using event related functional magnetic resonance imaging. According to (Schott, Bjorn H.: Richardson-Klavehn, Alan; Henson Richard N. A; Becker, Christine; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Duzel, Emrah, 2006,)†Activations precedicting later explicit memory occurred in the bilateral medial temporal lobe (MTL) and left prefrontal cortex (PFC). Activity predicting later priming did not occur in these areas, but rather in the bilateral extrastriate cortex, left fusiform gyrus, and bilateral inferior PFC, areas linked with stimulus identification,† P 2. However, these areas showed response reductions, and researchers results, illustrated that priming and explicit memory have distinctive functional neuroanatomies concerning encoding with MTL activations being strictly for explicit memory, and influence that priming is initiated by sharpness of neural responding in stimulus identification areas, that are consistent with recent electrophysiological evidence regarding priming related neural oscillations at encoding. Lifelong learning and brain stimulation are essential to mental and physical health, especially in old age. Throughout life, learning is what allows us to adapt to new situations, and learn how to survive and thrive in our current environment at any given time. As we learn, our brain becomes more active, taking in new information and comparing it with old. The new data is either corroborated by the old, or there is a conflict, at which point we must use judgment to determine which information we should keep and what we should discard. Learning can never stop, or it would mean the end of growth, and possibly the end of life, for an individual. Our environment changes every day, and new stimuli are encountered. Even if we have knowledge of what cars and streets are, and know how to practice safety when they are near, we are presented with new combinations and variables on these constructs every day. We must constantly assess the people and places around us, analyze them, and apply any new information to what we already know. This process, some would argue, is what makes us alive, intelligent creatures at the top of our ecological food chain. As for quality of life, very little is more important than keeping the brain active. As we age, the brain and its synaptic processes slow down and decay. Older people are more prone to dementia and other degenerative diseases. Working word puzzles or simply keeping a part time job to occupy the brain and keep it active and learning can extend the quality of life for any aging individuals, doing the same thing, while young can have the same effect. Our mental health is tied closely to our survival and our quality of living. If we can keep our brain learning, it can stay active and alert much longer than if we sit in front of screens and stop learning early in life. Human memory has been a significant interest concerning how people develop memory and process memory. From inspirational design in testing using animals, such a mice and mice being the greater source of exp erimental advances in research in the investigation of memory and human subject use. Researchers have unfolded how memory is developed, through the experiments of these subjects. Although, there is still much more investigation greed towards how memory effects how we learn, to how we store memory and process memory. We must continue the investigation; whereas so many people suffer memory dysfunctions; due to human illnesses and diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, brain damage and learning process needs. Bio-psychologist, work closely with other fields of psychology, biological factors and psychological factors that play a role in the memory processes. Learning can be defined as the process in which one’s experiences are combined into memory. One type of the traditional learning is school learning; this is done by incorporating textbook facts in which is called declarative memory. Not only does one have declarative memory, but also learning of procedural memories. Declarative memory is an explicit memory, a type of long-term memory in which one will store memories of fact (Psychology Glossary). Having memories of things, such as when Columbus sailed to America or on what day and time your baby brother was born, one has declarative memories. Procedural memory is the most basic form of memory. For example, this type of memory is used for procedures or furthermore the basic associations between stimuli and responses (Psychology Glossary). Having the memory of riding a bike is an example of procedural memory. Once an individual has learned what the proper procedure for riding a bike, it is then stored within the procedural memory. The limbic system actually focuses on the frontal lobe and the hippocampus. This system communicates by shooting of the electrical impulses in one’s neurons (Morin 2009). The neurons then become accountable for the storing of information. Brain plasticity refers to the ability for nerve cells to change through new experiences. These neurons take the information when an individual has been exposed to the stimulus to be learned. The retrieving of information is somewhat of a different process, however still maintains some of the same comparisons. Retrieving information becomes an activity of â€Å"re-activating† of those neurons. For both the long-term memory and the short-term memory these types of memories are then stored into many different places. The long-term memory process ensures that an individual will store these memories permanently (Morin 2009). This includes the changes to the cell structure and the creation of the new and unused synapses. Synapses are the junction between the neurons where a neural cell will communicate with a target cell. This is done when translating stimuli into a storage system that is used by the brain, linking the encoded stimuli in the memory and then accessing the memory of the stimuli at the time when it is needed, otherwise known as encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. REFERENCES Kolata, S., Light, K., Townsend, D.A., Hale, G., Grossman, H.C., Matzel, L.D. (2005) Variations in working memory capacity predict individual differences in general learning abilities among genetically diverse mice. Neurobiol. Learn. Mem. 84:241–246. Learning. 2011. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved Jan 16, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/learning Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Cognitive psychology (2 nd ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Neuroanatomical Dissociation of Encoding Processes Relater to Priming and Explicit Memory. By: Schott, Bjorn H.: Richardson-Klavehn, Alan; Henson, Richard N. A.: Becker, Christine; Heinze, Hans-Jochen; Duzel, Emrah. Journal of Neuroscience. 1/18/2006, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p792-800, 9p. 5 The Medial Temporal Lobe Memory System Squire, Larry R.; Zola-Morgan, Stuart Science, Vol. 253(5026), Sep 1991, 1380-1386. doi: 10.1126/science. 1896849 Fernandez, A. (2007). Brain Exercise and Lifelong Learning for Alzheimer’s Prevention Alzheimer Disease. Article Directory – Find, Search, Reprint & Submit Articles for Free. Retrieved November 02, 2010, from http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Brain- Exercise-and-Lifelong-Learning-for-Alzheimer-s-Prevention/94361 Salthouse, T. A. (2006). Mental Exercise and Mental Aging. Evaluating the Validity of the â€Å"Use It or Lose It† Hypothesis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(1), 68-87. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-6916.2006.00005.x Morin, Chrisophe; September 14, 2009 The Neural Basis of Learning Psychology Glossary; www.alleydog.com

Was Jimmy John Liautaud just lucky or his business style enough to Essay

Was Jimmy John Liautaud just lucky or his business style enough to guarantee success in today's corporate world - Essay Example One of the major contributions to John success was low level of competition. In those days, people had not ventured in business. John therefore, took Cultural Revolution that was taking place at that time to conquer the market. People were moving away from gender segregation that was characterized by division of gender roles to an economy that all genders participated in the development of the economy. People were therefore starting to use fast foods as a result of changing family roles. Therefore, his quick response in taking up the new opportunity that arose made him to prosper in business (Corbus & Guertin, 2007) The success of any business depends on the owner’s ability to take risks and work towards overcoming these risks. This is to be supported by personal interest and commitment towards achieving the set goals. John was dedicated to prosper in his business as he spent much of his time strategizing on the best opportunity to undertake in order to prosper in the future (Corbus & Guertin, 2007, 20). Business attitude is the key to success of the business and this is the one that made John take the loan that was given by his father rather than joining the military John success was mainly spearheaded by his originality. Currently, many entrepreneurs are concerned at photocopying other people ideas and try to modify these ideas to suit their interest. As a result, high competition has increased as entrepreneurs are trying to outdo each other. This was not the case with John. Despite lack of specialization in business related sector, he knew that the only way to enter and segment his own market is coming up with a new product. This helped him to position the product in the market and get financial strength before other competitors entered the market (Corbus & Guertin, 2007, 22). In the current days, business transaction has recorded tremendous changes as a result of increased risks and uncertainties that face the sector. This has

Edit Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Edit Scholarship - Essay Example Over the past two years, I worked overseas in Kuwait and Iraq. Working for the U.S Department of State and the Department of Defense as a medic. My job responsibilities include, helping set up base hospitals, clinics, as well as direct projects related to public health and safety. In December 2012 my contract in Iraq ended and I had to leave my job due to the de-scoping of the State Departments Mission overseas and came back home. Not having a stable job, I have had difficulties financing my college education. It has been tough most of the times and I have been discouraged to the point of wanting to discontinue my education to make ends meet. I strongly believe that receiving this scholarship will help me concentrate more on my studies. Working in the Middle East I gained competencies in setting up and managing public health services. As well as doing inspections, teaching basic medical care to military, civilian, and contract personnel. I was able to lead group rescue efforts despite challenges in language barrier. As part of community involvement, I joined the International Zone (IZ) Medical Society which was involved in helping improve diplomatic relations between other embassies located in the IZ in regards to medical care in Iraq. Over the next year and a half I hope to finish my Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security. It is my intention after completing my degree, to make a career change from a medical career to that of law enforcement. I realize that such a transition will definitely come with challenges. This is in respect to the fact that I am more familiar with the medical environment. My experience overseas has taught me the importance and need to not only serve but also protect others. I am hoping with my degree I can fulfill my desire to serve others as well as protect them and my country. I am excited and looking forward to the new opportunities and growth experiences it will provide for my future. The scholarship provides me with a

Psalms Team Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Psalms Team Analysis - Essay Example The other category is the praise and thanksgiving Psalms. As the name suggests it is normally used when people are thanking God and praising Him for the good deeds that he has done unto them. It is normally used when thanking God after a blessing or a good deed. Another category is that of the Hymn psalms. They are normally divided into Creation Hymns and Divine Kingship.. They are normally used to recognize the majestic Power of God. They were used to describe the relationship at existed etween he Israelites and God. This type of psalm is best used when praising God and acknowledging that he is Lord and the God of all Gods. His powers are above all and he should be worshipped by all. There is another category of Trust psalms. These are normally used when one is facing a certain trial or tribulation. An individual or a group asks for divine intervention from God. Royal psalms on he other hand is a category that was used or rather directed to the kings. They were used to guide and praise the kings who ruled over the people. Wisdom psalsms were designed for guiding or rather offering techings. They are mostly applicable when one wants to learn more about the word of

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Hist up 10 1877 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hist up 10 1877 - Essay Example The way in which he established a policy to expand westward was to first slash the minimum amount of land that a farmer had to purchase. Originally a farmer had to purchase 640 acres, by 1832 a farmer only had to purchase 40 acres and the price per acre was slashed substantially. This made a strong financial incentive for settlers to steadily move west. In regards to how Jefferson viewed the West as being crucial to the well being of the republic, it is the case that he believed that scores of in small scale farmers that would be active participants in the American democracy. These people would help contribute to both the economic health of the country but also contribute to democratic health of the American Republic. #2-A) In regards to the first statement I am inclined to agree overall. Whilst there may have been an original plan to settle the west it may also be the case that Jefferson’s plan had been altered over time. With British colonial expansion in the Pacific North W est it may be the case that Westward settlement would have been seen as a defensive expansion. There was a significant increase in population across the Eastern seaboard and expansion would be a natural means to alleviate these pressures.

Critically discuss the article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critically discuss the article - Essay Example Just like in the investment business, the author argues that using past performance of a company’s stock is dangerous. He points out the likelihood of the stock underperforming in the future (Sullivan 2012, p. 1). According to Sullivan (2012, p. 2), investors ask the wrong question by raising an argument of the best funds between active and index funds. To the author, searching for patterns does not result to good investment policy. He proposes that the best way of picking good managers is by mixing art and science. The ability of mutual and hedge fund managers to excellently perform when the indexes are at the peak and then declining as more money comes into the funds makes the practice an art. The science of choosing managers involves a four element criteria of investment process, organizational structure, past returns and due diligence. He points out that performance track record is not the only indicator of good performance by a manager. To him, a good manager ought to have an investment plan or an institutional structure that is better than what people can see. The manager should not only use market timing, but rather understand the market properly to know when to enter and when top exit (Sullivan 2012, p. 3). The author, in trying to advice investors on the best methods to use in hiring managers who can perform has incorporated a number of factors. To him, those who use past performance make a big mistake. A number of factors can lead to managers performing well, which should be verified. However, when hiring, there is no indication that the manager is likely going to maintain the performance record or not. The author was right that a number of factors are involved in evaluating performance by a manager. The fact that the past does not always reflect the future outcome is true. However, past performance cannot be rubbished altogether. The very

Nintendo Company Ltd Essay Example for Free

Nintendo Company Ltd Essay â€Å"Nintendo Company Ltd .was founded in 1889 as a producer of Japanese playing cards, but by the 1980’s the corporation had turned its attention towards the production of video game hardware and software†. â€Å"Since then, Nintendo has gone on to become the third most valuable company in Japan selling more than 470 million home game consoles and handhelds as of 2009†. Nintendo was founded by Fusejiro Yamauchi the great grandfather of the current president of Nintendo.† Nintendos products arose in the mid-1980s from the relative obscurity of the amusement arcade to change the concept of home entertainment in both Japan and the United States†. Strengths: Nintendo â€Å"strongly established brands†, â€Å"robust revenue growth†, â€Å"strong cash flow from operations, and â€Å"Nintendo derived most of its revenue from the video game business, Nintendo was in the lead in video console† (pg.C269). Weakness: Nintendo weakness is â€Å"Inventory shortages†.†Nintendo was unable to meet demand during 2007 and also struggled throughout 2008†.†In an interview on the website Game Theory, Perrin Kaplin, Nintendo vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, suggested that shortages were expected some time†. â€Å"We are at absolute maximum production and doing everything we can†¦but demand continues to be really high† (pg.C273). Also Opportunities: â€Å"Rising demand for company’s products and related software†, â€Å"growing US games software market†, and â€Å"increasing demand for online gaming†. Threats: â€Å"Short products lifecycle†, â€Å"slowdown of the Japanese, the US, and European economies†. â€Å"The five forces may be interdependent i.e. pressures from one direction can trigger off changes in another dynamic process of shifting sources of competition†. â€Å"Industry rivalry here occurs in the strategic alliances i.e. battle to control market†. â€Å"With huge players like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft there is a tuff battle between companies to dominate the market†. â€Å"The threat of entrants into the industry can be negligible with the existence of players like Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft etc†. â€Å"There can be no substitute to the video games†. â€Å"The Power of Buyers in the video game industry is low as there are very few successful companies in the video game industry, therefore a small variety of video games available to the buyers†. â€Å"On the other hand, the Power of Suppliers is very high as there are more suppliers available to a handful of companies in the video game industry†. â€Å"Nintendo’s goal was to create games that everyone could play and a system that would appeal to women and people who had never played video games in the past† (pg.c273). Nintendo used the three generic strategies: overall cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Nintendo’s strategy was to attract and target all age groups also to make the Wii easy to use whether the player is skilled or a novice. Nintendo was successful at this strategy because â€Å"According to Nintendo, one of the key differences between the Wii and the competitiors’ systems was the broad audience that the Wii targeted† (pg.c273). â€Å"Many of the Wii games were able to be played by all people of all ages, and they were easier to control than the complicated controllers of the Sony Playstation 3 or Microsoft Xbox 360†. Nintendo’s TV commercials of the Wii showed people of different ages and social classes playing the Wii† (pg.c273). Yes I believe all companies can use the strategy of attracting all age brackets with unique products that are easy, fun to use, and affordable. The Nintendo competitive strategy are that the make their consoles cheaper to manufacture. They can sell the base console at a profit while their competitors have to subsidize the retail price. It also gives Nintendo far more room to maneuver when it comes to using the price mechanism to take on that competition. Nintendo will be able to sustain their competitive advantage if they lack in supply of product with a high demand. What Nintendo need to do is maintain their supply so that it will be able to keep up with their competitors and keep clientele. This is the problem they are having which is a high demand for product with low supply. I believe Nintendo’s strategy has good intentions, if I was in position to advise Nintendo of their strategy is will be to change is their supply and demand. If you have a low supply of product how do you expect to make profit? I would advise them to make sure that there is a high supply of products to keep customers happy because there is a great possibility that the company can lose clientele to other competitors. Some customers go great lengths for entertainment and some will pay any price to have it. Nintendo needs to keep their ratings up along with the other companies that are competing and the only way to do that is to make sure that the products are available and the prices affordable. This was an interesting case to work on and I hope I did a good job. I had no idea Nintendo was founded in 1889, I thought it invented in the 1980’s. After reading this case I know that even the popular companies sometime struggle in certain areas. I have a Nintendo Wii and even though I don’t get to play it often but when I do it’s so much fun. The Nintendo Wii is definitely for all ages like it was mentioned in the case. From reading the case and doing research online helped me learn about how Nintendo was founded and their timeline of products. I learned about their rivalry with Sony, Microsoft, and their struggles with supply and high demand. How However Nintendo Wii price was reasonable compared to the playstation3 and xbox. I believe what attracts customers to the Nintendo Wii is that as far as I can remember Nintendo always included a free game with the console which Sony and Microsoft does not provide. My opinion Nintendo strategy has good intentions but to be the better competitor Nintendo needs all their areas to be strong especially their supply of products. Even if it means to hire more employees or outsource jobs to keep products in stock they should go that extra mile to keep their customers happy.

Apple Financial Analysis Paper

Apple Financial Analysis Paper Apple Inc. is a unique company in the personal entertainment sector. It has been loyal to its design and marketing strategy over the past 33 years and has been able to position itself as a cult brand that is known worldwide for its innovative and market leading business operation. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc. once said: A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets (Warner, 2009). It is this attitude and the provocative but entertaining way the company introduces new products and presents itself to the public that made me want to have a look behind the scenes and into their finances. Background Apple Computer Inc. was founded in 1977 in the United States, in Cupertino, California and renamed to Apple Inc. in 2007 to display its comprehensive product portfolio (Datamonitor, 2010). Today Apple Inc. and its subsidiaries (from here referred to as Apple) operate in the wide field of personal entertainment. This includes designing, producing and promoting a variety of hardware products such as personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players (Apple Inc., 2010, p. 1) as well as software solutions and services around its products. Over the past 3 years the company has raised its resources for research and development leading to expenses of $1,109 million in 2008, $1,333 million in 2009 and $1,782 million in 2010, a total increase of 60% (2008 to 2010). As a result Apple launched several new and revolutionary products such as the iPhone in 2007, the time capsule software in 2008, a new edition of the iPhone in 2009 and the iPad in 2010 which have led to a sustained success that reflects in the financial statements of the recent years (Datamonitor, 2010, p. 9): In the fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010 ending in September of each year Apple increased its revenue by 14,4% to $42,905 million (2008 to 2009) and thereafter by 52% to $65,225 million (2009 to 2010). The companys net profit was $6,119 million, $8,235 million and $14,013 million in 2008, 2009 and 2010 which resembles an increase of 34,6% (2008 to 2009) and 59% (2009 to 2010). The introduction of the iPad, where 300,000 pieces have already been sold on its launch day, April 3rd 2010, and 7,458 million pieces since its launch (Apple Inc., 2010, p. 33) as well as the new release of the iPhone and the third-party offers in the iTunes Stores being music and electronic book downloads are mainly responsible Apples recent success (Dowling, Press Release, 2010). In order to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of the end of year financial results for Apple and its past and future development a critical analysis of its financial statements has been conducted and is presented hereafter. Analysis The critical analysis of the financial statement of Apple includes the general comparison of Apples main financial influencing factors and secondly a ratio analysis which will provide an in depth audit of the financial performance and its effects on the company. Main financial influencers The main influencing factors of Apples financial statements are the revenue, operating profit, net profit, cost of sales and earnings per share. These indicators show the overall financial performance of the company. The overview given in Table 1 (Refers to Appendix V) highlights the superior performance of the company from 2008 until 2010. Apple Inc. is an American based company, which is why the figures are expressed in USD and in the following table in $ million except for the earnings per share, which express the per share amount. Apples financial results are a good indicator for the economys progressing recovery from the financial crises of the recent years. The above-average rise of Apples revenue and profit are the result of its investments in product developments which have met the needs and wants of the target markets. The image of the company was strengthened by its very good sales performance which was influential for the rise of earnings per share. The great increase for Apples costs of goods sold result from the development and production of the iPad, which will also be visible in the result of the financial year ending September 2011, as well as the development and production of the new release of the iPhone. Ratio Analysis A ratio analysis is used to express how the figures in the financial statement relate to each other and by interpreting the ratios to explain how the figures affect each other and the companys development and performance (Dyson, 2010, p. 219). Comparisons of the figures are made within Apples own performance over the past financial years and where appropriate the figures are compared to two Apples competitors. For this critical analysis the competitive companies are Dell Inc. since they compete within the personal computer segment and Microsoft, who are one of Apples main competitors in the computer software sector (Datamonitor, 2010, p. 27). It shall be mentioned that currently there is no other company which provides a similar product portfolio as Apple. Therefore no absolutely satisfactory industry comparison can be made for the ratio analysis but indications on the positive or negative trend on the figures can be made. Liquidity ratios Liquidity ratios allow the assessment of the amount of cash which a company has access to from its own resources within the next twelve months. The two ratios which are put into one context are the current ratio and the quick ratio (Table 2 Refers to Appendix I). The norm result for the current ratio is 2:1 (Hendricks, 2010, p. 6). The higher the current ratio, the more liquid resources are available for the company to pay its short term debts. The current ratio for Apple was higher in 2009 but is still within the industry norm in 2010. By reducing the stock, the quick ratio is considered a more reliable statement of a companys liquidity. A ratio of 1:1 accounts as safe. This again has been greatly outperformed in 2009 and slightly decreased towards 2010 which indicates on Apples good ability to turn assets into cash quickly. The overall reduction of both ratios in the Financial Year 2010 (FY 2010) can be traced back to the fact that the companies liabilities have increased due to RD, production and retail store investments. Profitability Ratios Profitability ratios calculate the earnings a company generates in relation to the expenses and costs it has during the financial year. An increase of the value of a profitability ratio indicates that a business performing well. In order to interpret the companys performance a comparison to two competitors in Apples operating environments has been drawn. Apple has invested in its fixed assets by expanding its retail segment which explains the slight decrease in return on gross assets (ROA). As financial analysts state a ROA should not undergo 5%, Apple is in a very good position with an ROA of 24.66%. (Table 3 Refers to Appendix II,A,B). A high return on shareholder equity (ROE) expresses a companys effective employment of stakeholder investments and in return high earnings for the stakeholders. The figures show that Apple has been able to invest more effectively in FY2010. But the company comparison reveals that even with a great loss in ROE for Dell in 2010 it can compete with Apples performance. Where as Microsofts ROE with 40.6% is much higher. However since the ROE should be interpreted in relation to the debts, and Apple only has short term debts which the company covers quickly, the investment strategy of Apple can be considered as benefiting for both the company and the shareholders. Apples gross ratio decreased in FY2010. This is due to the less efficient use of its fixed assets in raw material and manufacturing. The company comparison shows that Apples gross ratio is at a high percentage a positive indication for profit that is confirmed in Apples overall results. The figures of Apples profitability ratios in relation to its competition display Apples ability to manage its investments and sales lucrative. Efficiency Ratios Efficiency Ratios express the ability of a company to use its resources profitably. An increase of the ratio figures over the years show an efficient management of resources. (Table 4 Refers to Appendix III). The rate of stock turnover (ROST) can be described as the number of times the stock is being replaced per year. A high ROST show the efficient investments and a low ROST can be an indicator stockpiling and poor sales. Since Apples sales have greatly increased in FY2010 the decrease in ROST of 33% from FY2009 to FY2010 most likely result from inefficient stockpiling. Speculations can be made that a too high prognosis on iPad sales in combination with a lower sales rate of iPods may have led to an increased inventory level. The fixed asset turnover (FAT) has decreased by 27% in FY2010 which means that Apple was less successful in using its fixed assets to generate sales. The reduction in FAT is the result if Apples investment in its retail branch and therefore an increase of fixed assets. While the ROST and FAT are decreasing naturally the cost of sales ratio (COS) will increase. Apples has more money tied up in its fixed assets and was not able to handle its stock as efficient as in recent years. The debt ratio expresses the percentage of assets which are financed by debts. Apple only has short term liabilities and no long term debts (Apple Inc., 2010, p. 27). Even though the short term debts have increased to 36.43% which Apples should reduce over the coming financial periods 63.57% of Apples assets are covered by equity. The risk for Apple therefore is low. Investment Ratios This part of the ratio analysis helps to judge how remunerative a potential or existing investment is or might be (Table 5 Refers to Appendix IV). Apple does not pay dividends per share to its shareholders explaining the dividend yield of $0.00. Therefore the company has more financial resources to reinvest in its business and the development of its products to maintain a peer position in the market. The earnings per share (EPS) allot the profit of a company to its number of shares and therefore indicating on the companys overall profitability. Apples EPS increased by 67% to $15.41 in FY2010 which relates to the nearly 60% higher net profit in 2010. It also reveals an increase in investment in the companys shares which most likely result from Apples positive consumer and investor awareness through the introduction of its new product developments. A high price/earnings ratio (P/E) describes the high demand of the shares and therefore the confidence of investors towards a positive future of the company. With the high increase in EPS the P/E has risen as well. Apples market price per share ($) tradedÂÂ  at 14.76x the EPS of $15.41. Over the past years Apple has proven to be a lucrative company to invest in and it is likely that this trend continues for the following financial year. Impact of current event since last balance sheet The publishing date of Apples recent annual financial report is the 25th September 2010. Since then Apple has introduced a new developments of its MacBook, the MacBook Air, a thinner and more powerful version of the Apple laptop (Dowling, Press Release 2, 2010). This will affect the sales of the iPad since it can be seen as a competitive product and it is likely to increase Apples stock turnover ratio because it is an additional product in the companys range. But at the same time Apple has made a move to stay competitive in the personal computer sector and it is likely that the company will increase its total revenue until the next financial report. Conclusion and recommendations Financially the fiscal year 2010 was a very successful year for Apple. The company has increased the investments in research and development of new products and its retail branch. This has led to the launches of the iPad and the new iPhone generation and has brought the focus of public attention to the company enhancing its image and increasing its desirability in the minds of shareholders and investors. Apple has increased its revenue by more than 50% and is taking a leasing position in the personal computer market despite the intense competition and price sensitivity of the consumers. The software and online services Apple is offering through third parties, such as the e-books have gained popularity. A negative affect has been recognized when analyzing Apples efficiency in using its resources. The stock turnover decreased compared to the previous year which affected the cost of sales and fixed asset turnover. It is recommended to continue the trend of high investments in research and development as this is a key success factor for Apple to be one step ahead of its competition. Additionally the service offers though third party suppliers in the range of music, e-books and applications for the mobile phones should be kept up, as they increase the popularity of Apples products. Furthermore Apple could compensate the negative effects of the decrease in stock turnover by introducing improvements in its marketing and promotion efforts to boost sales.

Ethical Impact of Knowledge

Ethical Impact of Knowledge â€Å"The possession of knowledge carries an ethical responsibility.† Evaluate this claim. Mahatma Gandhi, when asked by an adoring, adulating public, what he believed the greatest sins were, was prone to answer as simply and as quickly as possible. His answers varied, of course, depending on his audience, but in his last word to all of India, his autobiography, â€Å"The Story of My Experiments with Truth,† he characterized the greatest sin as â€Å"Knowledge without character.† Gandhi evidently believed that the possession of knowledge without the ability for action was perhaps the greatest sin man could commit. Of course, one must wonder a great number of things about the ethical responsibility that any wielder of knowledge is supposedly subject to. To begin with, the statement strongly implies the existence of an absolute ethical system, leaving no place for ethical relativism, a stance that leaves little room for debate on the varying ethical and moral standards that people of various different labels ascribe to themselves. Moreover, a rather interesting phenomenon that occurs in the academic world today is the existence of the foolish scholar; the man who harbors a veritable cornucopia of knowledge, but has little understanding of the practical aspects thereof, or of the use that other humans might put this knowledge to. The statement necessarily requires that this man be held responsible for any use or abuse of his research and knowledge, a thought that is not merely of obvious naivetà ©, but plainly unjust. What remains however, is the wilful and focused abuse and misuse of knowledge with the complete and total understanding of any ending that this misuse entails; this must, under any ethical system, be punished, but the question that remains is, which ethical system? How can one reconcile the idea of an ethically relativistic system and the demand of a universally absolutist system that the statement puts forth? Perhaps it is key to first reconcile the idea of an absolutist ethical system with the demands of the real world. W.T. Stace was a proponent of the same, arguing that only a single universal code of conduct could exist which was deemed morally correct. Kantian deontological ethics similarly stated that the only good action was the action that, when universalized, would have maximum moral effect, as demonstrated by the categorical imperative. Therefore, under Kantian ethical philosophy, we can state that as long as the principle of Universalizability is adhered to, an absolutist ethical system can exist, for it is then the non-adherents who are fundamentally flawed, and not the system itself, a position taken by Kant as well. Moral relativism cannot be well considered within the structure of the question, for to accept a morally relative system would cause, in itself, major issues within the foundations of ethicality. Moral relativism then leads towards existential nihilism, for to ac cept all ethical systems is akin to accepting none; No fundamental idea of right or wrong can exist, for right and wrong may well differ from individual to individual, and both are therefore abstract concepts with no real meaning or motive. Moral relativism within the scope of the question would render the question pointless, for no ethically relative system can assign ethical responsibility, the definition and nature of which will differ from system to system, person to person, and place to place. In the most idealistic and humanistic sense, perhaps ethical relativism is the only doctrine that can effectively promote universal acceptance, but in a practical, objective manner, ethical absolutism is the only possible form of moral systems which allows for the formation of laws, legal systems, and an ordered manner of living that does not give way to either Nihilism or Anarchy. Therefore, we establish the existence, at least in practicality, of an ethically absolutist system, and designate Kantian ideology, that of Deontological Ethics, as the ethical system to be considered within the scope of the question. Having established the kind of ethical system we are considering, we must now consider, in depth, the system of ethical responsibility itself. Knowledge has been argued to be akin to a tool. The common scythe is possibly the best analogy for the slightly less common tool of knowledge, for, like a scythe, knowledge can be used to either reap or sow crops or to kill and maim a person. The only difference, really, is the scale. Knowledge has long been considered a tool with no moral nature of itself. After all, one hardly blames the gun for going off, or, as in our comparison, commends the scythe for a bountiful harvest. The wielder of the gun and the farmer of the land; these are the men we attribute actions towards, and therefore, they are the ones deemed responsible for the use of their tools. However, with knowledge, and the possession thereof, things aren’t quite as straightforward. â€Å"I am become death, destroyer of worlds,† Robert Oppenheimer cried in anguish when he witnessed the Trinity Atom bomb test; a test he helped design and facilitate. The Natural Sciences are an area that is rife with ethical dilemmas. Consider the case of Oppenheimer himself, a man who helped design and invent the Atom bomb which was responsible for the death of thousands, the eradication of two who cities, and the disfigurement of millions of unborn children. Oppenheimer himself felt directly responsible for the chaos he had helped cause, but the question that arises is simple: Was he responsible for using his knowledge towards its inevitable end goal, and indeed, were any of the other scientists involved in the Manhattan project? Can blame for the Project itself be assigned so easily to the scientists commissioned? Under Kantian Deontological ethics, universalization of the subject leads one to question whether or not Knowledge needs to be shared at all. It is not a simpl e question of knowledge in Nuclear Physics, but of all knowledge, and the answer to this question is plainly positive. Knowledge needs to be shared so we, as humanity, can collectively move forward in a field that has implications around the world, a field which saves lives, improves living and, collectively, causes more good than ill. In the end, while there is a certain ethical responsibility involved with the possession of knowledge, hoarding knowledge and keeping it to oneself if plainly worse than the alternative: Sharing it and putting it to use. Consider, for example, Jonas Salke, the man who invented the Polio vaccine, and understanding the widepsread impact it would have, refused to patent it, essentially making the vaccine free. Under Kantian ethical systems, therefore, the sharing of knowledge is vital towards actual progress: The converse halts progress and forces every scientist to deal with the same bottlenecks and breakthroughs before any real research can take place. History is another AOK with a paramount ethical impact on the present and the future. Accepting, or alternatively, denying the past has consequences that shape the policies and attitudes of entire countries and races. Two comparative cases can be studied here: That of Germany and Turkey. Germany today is nation deeply repentant of its past sins and mistakes. Having accepted their deeds during the rule of the Nazi Party as being not only brutal, but downright horrific, Germany today has swung towards extreme sorrow and repentance, making it by and large illegal to deny the Holocaust and introducing an Amendment to their constitutional free speech which makes the Nazi party illegal. The Germans, a once nationalistic race, have disbanded their army, instead training a national police force. The knowledge of their sins has clearly had a deep and lasting impact on the Germany psyche. The Turks, on the other hand, vehemently deny the very existence of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Turkish history books not only fail to mention it, but Turkish historians, well respected in other fields, are curiously silent, and often in denial, about the crimes of Turkey’s past. The Turkish government itself refuses to recognize the brutality of its actions against 1.5 million Armenians. Modern day pundits, however, state that there may be good reason for this. An acceptance of Turkish guilt will indubitably lead to civil war due to the extreme denial of Turkish society on the matter, leading to a forced change in the government. While the acceptance of past mistakes may be crucial towards building a bridge towards a better relationship with the Armenians, the acceptance of this past mistake could very well destabilize the Turkish regime permanently, a turn of events with dire results for the Western World were an extremist party, of which there are plenty, to come to powe r. The Turkish government itself cannot make reference to the Genocide, for to do so is possibly akin to sparking off a civil war which could cause the entire region to erupt. The question to be asked, therefore, is whether it is possible to deny past actions and yet live morally, or whether it is absolutely necessary to accept one’s past guilt before once can be absolved of blame. The ethical impact of the genocide is plain to see, but the fact remains that the Turkish government has an ethical responsibility first towards its citizens and then to the rest of the world. To spark of a civil war due to events that took place a century ago may very well be considered unethical and immoral, but yet, to deny outright such egregious events is not a morally sound stance either. In conclusion, the ethical impact of knowledge is certainly vast. To measure this impact is, by and large, impossible, but one can certainly gauge the effect that knowledge once made public would have. While the possession of knowledge always carries with it an ethical responsibility, it is difficult to discern the scope and extent of this responsibility, even in a Kantian ethical system. While knowledge in the natural sciences must almost always be shared, in other AOK’s, such as history, civil and geopolitical issues come into play, which would lead to ethical catastrophes perhaps bigger than those that they try to repair. In the end, the only constant is that knowledge, for better or worse, is a powerful tool that must not be underestimated.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shakespeare, Cla

Your eyelids are heavy and your mind is fogging, finally they close altogether with the weight of the eyelids and in a few minutes you have fallen into slumber. You wake up with a vivid image in your mind, but you have no inkling as to what it means. It was just a dream. Whether people can recall it or not, everyone dreams. A dream, some may argue is irrelevant; images assorted together creating nonsense. Others depict a dream as a message our mind is telling us about. Throughout the day, the mind subconsciously picks up pieces of our daily life, whether they are thoughts, emotions, ideas, or interactions. When we sleep, our brain organizes and analysis these thoughts and puts them together like a puzzle creating images we might have missed during our waking hours. The brain naturally resists chaos and is attuned to order and organization and therefore sees past the chaos and malfunctions, it begins to matrix things, such as images in the clouds. It is through dreaming that these ima ges sort out all the chaos in the ordinary daily life and reveals a bizarre and unrealistic world, which is a reflection of the unstable reality that is actually lived in. Reality is considered unstable because it is constantly changing, moving and transforming into something else whether people are aging, dying or being born. It is a constantly changing factor that people refuse to accept and it is in our dreams that it is revealed. It is in this dream world where Shakespeare and Carroll use fantastical characters, such as fairies and the White Rabbit to exemplify the daily interactions one must make to seek the truth. It is in the court and woods, where everything is turned upside down and where what is right is wrong and what one knows, are no longe... ...nuously move to get somewhere and when they find they are looking for, they still have to keep going. The characters met through the journey represent the logical and illogical strangers that people face every day and some may help while others might pull them down. These interactions are significant because every interaction and actions affect a person even if it isn’t all that clear. Time is the biggest factor in how reality is unstable. No matter what a person does, time is constantly there and every second is a second past. The main reason it is not stable is because it is always changing and moving and whether one likes it or not, no one can change time. In a dream, time is not a factor and characters met can have no significance and in a dream, just for those few hours, the world can be a perfect and stable place, at least just until it’s time to wake up.

Porphyria’s Lover Essay -- English Literature Essays

Porphyria’s Lover The finest woks of Browning endeavor to explain the mechanics of human psychology. The motions of love, hate, passion, instinct, violence, desire, poverty, violence, and sex and sensuousness are raised from the dead in his poetry with a striking virility and some are even introduced with a remarkable brilliance. Thanks to the changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution, so many people living in such close quarters, poverty, violence, and sex became part of everyday life. The absence of family and community ties meant newfound personal independence; it also meant the loss of a social safety net. The mid-nineteenth century also saw the rapid growth of newspapers, which functioned not as the current-events journals of today but as scandal sheets, filled with stories of violence and carnality. Hurrying pedestrians, bustling shops, and brand-new goods filled the streets, and individuals had to take in millions of separate perceptions a minute. The resulting over stimulation led, according to many theorists, to a sort of numbness. Notably many writers now felt that in order to provoke an emotional reaction they had to compete with the turmoils and excitements of everyday life had to shock their audience in ever more novel and sensational ways. Thus violence also became a sort of aesthetic choice for many creative people. Browning can be charged of also employing violence as a tool for evoking aesthetic brilliance but this is only at the superficial level. Because when it comes to the use of violence in his poems we find them as close to reality as reality itself. His poems show us the human passions in flesh and blood and he was not going to be one who denied the presence of violence as a potent human passion or one who presented it as something out of proportion just to create sensation. His incorporation of violence with other human passions was real just and fully understandable. Many of Browning's more disturbing poems, including "Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess," reflect this notion. In his poem â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† we find Browning at his best. The poem is a love poem†¦ but has a lot more to offer than just the bright sunny side of love. For Browning love was a passion, which had its destructive side as well. But this did not in anyway lessen or tarnish its reputation as being the purest emotion. In fact the destruction... ...God has not said a word!" (59-60). Browning presents the viewpoint of a speaker educated in the divine workings of an ultimate force, yet the long-stifled yearnings of an unjustly socialized man color the intensity of the situation. In Browning's dramatic monologue, God's hand of judgment shifts away from the murderer himself and onto the culture that first inhibited the speaker's rational thought. Browning's characterization of a nameless speaker in "Porphyria's Lover" forms an unexpectedly conclusive response towards the sensual numbness of Victorian society. While the suggested insanity of the speaker would traditionally indicate the narrator's unreliability in a moral sense, Browning constructs the isolated scene such that the lover's emotional internalization is not only understandable, but divinely justified. The musings and actions of this unreliable narrator serve to illustrate the consequence of society's confines in a shockingly violent release. Through naturally flowing language, this poetic account of burning emotion within a setting of tranquil domesticity presents the all-consuming power of human sensuality in its bleakest attempt to override social structures. Porphyria’s Lover Essay -- English Literature Essays Porphyria’s Lover The finest woks of Browning endeavor to explain the mechanics of human psychology. The motions of love, hate, passion, instinct, violence, desire, poverty, violence, and sex and sensuousness are raised from the dead in his poetry with a striking virility and some are even introduced with a remarkable brilliance. Thanks to the changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution, so many people living in such close quarters, poverty, violence, and sex became part of everyday life. The absence of family and community ties meant newfound personal independence; it also meant the loss of a social safety net. The mid-nineteenth century also saw the rapid growth of newspapers, which functioned not as the current-events journals of today but as scandal sheets, filled with stories of violence and carnality. Hurrying pedestrians, bustling shops, and brand-new goods filled the streets, and individuals had to take in millions of separate perceptions a minute. The resulting over stimulation led, according to many theorists, to a sort of numbness. Notably many writers now felt that in order to provoke an emotional reaction they had to compete with the turmoils and excitements of everyday life had to shock their audience in ever more novel and sensational ways. Thus violence also became a sort of aesthetic choice for many creative people. Browning can be charged of also employing violence as a tool for evoking aesthetic brilliance but this is only at the superficial level. Because when it comes to the use of violence in his poems we find them as close to reality as reality itself. His poems show us the human passions in flesh and blood and he was not going to be one who denied the presence of violence as a potent human passion or one who presented it as something out of proportion just to create sensation. His incorporation of violence with other human passions was real just and fully understandable. Many of Browning's more disturbing poems, including "Porphyria's Lover" and "My Last Duchess," reflect this notion. In his poem â€Å"Porphyria’s Lover† we find Browning at his best. The poem is a love poem†¦ but has a lot more to offer than just the bright sunny side of love. For Browning love was a passion, which had its destructive side as well. But this did not in anyway lessen or tarnish its reputation as being the purest emotion. In fact the destruction... ...God has not said a word!" (59-60). Browning presents the viewpoint of a speaker educated in the divine workings of an ultimate force, yet the long-stifled yearnings of an unjustly socialized man color the intensity of the situation. In Browning's dramatic monologue, God's hand of judgment shifts away from the murderer himself and onto the culture that first inhibited the speaker's rational thought. Browning's characterization of a nameless speaker in "Porphyria's Lover" forms an unexpectedly conclusive response towards the sensual numbness of Victorian society. While the suggested insanity of the speaker would traditionally indicate the narrator's unreliability in a moral sense, Browning constructs the isolated scene such that the lover's emotional internalization is not only understandable, but divinely justified. The musings and actions of this unreliable narrator serve to illustrate the consequence of society's confines in a shockingly violent release. Through naturally flowing language, this poetic account of burning emotion within a setting of tranquil domesticity presents the all-consuming power of human sensuality in its bleakest attempt to override social structures.