Thursday, October 31, 2019

What was the relationship between European overseas expansion and Essay - 1

What was the relationship between European overseas expansion and political, economic, and social developments in Europe - Essay Example In 1775, the British colonies in America revolted and demanded a representative government for them. And domestically the French revolution changed the political face of Europe under the French slogans of   libertà ©, egalità ©, fraternità ©. This also gave opportunity to Napolean Boaparte to impose war which changed the social life of Europe. Between 1815 and 1871, there were many revolution campaigns and Independence wars within and outside Europe. The social and trade union of England were a result of the war ridden years. Serfdom was also rejected by the Russians and Balkan nations started realizing that they need to be independent and needed major changes in their infra-structure, so they revolted against their Ottoman governments and started gaining independence. And right at the heart of Europe, after the Franco-Prussian war Italy and Germany became national estates and by 1871, most of the European countries had become constitutional monarchies. To capture the scrambles of this great divide and restructuring of the new countries, many European nations engaged in a war and World War I started which further changed Europe and its economics as real steel age had

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Violence in the Aztec Society Essay Example for Free

Violence in the Aztec Society Essay â€Å"The dismal drum of Huichilobos sounded again, accompanied by conches, horns, and trumpet-like instruments. It was a terrifying sound, and when we looked at the tall cue (temple-pyramid) from which it came we saw our comrades who had been captured in Cortes’ defeat being dragged up the steps to be sacrificed. When they had haled them up to a small platform in front of the shrine where they kept their accursed idols we saw them put plums on the heads of many of them; and then they made them dance with a sort of fan in front of Huichilobos. Then after they had danced the papas (Aztec priests) laid them down on their backs on some narrow stones of sacrifice and, cutting open their chests, drew out their palpitating hearts which they offered to the idols before them. Then they kicked the bodies down the steps, and the Indian butchers who were waiting below cut off their arms and legs and flayed their faces, which they afterwards prepared like glove leather, with their beards on, and kept for their drunken festivals. Then they ate their flesh with a sauce of peppers and tomatoes.† -Spanish Conquistador, Bernal Diaz (The Enigma of Aztec Sacrifice by Michael Harner (1977:46-50)) The Aztecs were a tribe in central Mexico during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. They were located in Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, on an island in Lake Texcoco. The Aztec community was highly advanced for their time period in things such as architecture and mathematics. They developed a complex calendar, irrigation systems, exquisite art, advanced agriculture, canals used in transportation, chinampas (floating gardens), and were the first civilization to require their children to go to school. Yet, they were extremely violent and resorted to barbaric acts. It appears from the Spanish records and archaeological findings that the Aztecs were most definitely a violent society, but were they inherently violent or did they have rational reasons related to non-violence explaining their behavior? The main reason scholars think that the Aztecs were seen as a malicious  group was their ritual of human sacrificing. Spanish records of the Aztecs have been known to exaggerate their descriptions of human sacrificing but archaeological research done in 1960 and 1969 tends to support the conquistadores’ accounts. Headless human rib cages completely lacking the limb bones were found at Aztec sacrificial sites. Although these remains were found, many scholars perceive this as a religious act pertaining to the Aztec’s belief that humans must sacrifice that, which was most precious to them, life, in order to receive in return the sun, rain, and other blessings of the gods that make life possible. Ortiz de Montellano (1978,1990) attributed the Aztec practice of human sacrifice to their belief that the gods required it. He went on to say that the majority of human sacrifice during harvest periods indicated that it was â€Å"a gesture of thanks and reciprocity to the gods ( 1978:614).† The Aztecs often went to war with their neighbors to bring back prisoners for human sacrifice; this was called the flowery wars. Although the Aztecs did take prisoners to be sacrificed, some scholars believe that the flowery wars were not only for obtaining sacrificial victims. Hassig (1990) linked human sacrifice to their unstable economic position. He analyzed the flowery wars as an empire-building strategy that was used to wear down stronger enemies rather than as a deliberate procedure to capture people for sacrifice. Price (1978) and Isaac (1983) similarly thought that the flowery wars reflected the shifting of power between neighboring cities and their inability to conquer the Valley of Mexico (Tlaxcala-Pueblan Valley). Price suggests that the failure of military conquering made human sacrifice an ideal excuse to explain this lack of success. King Moteuczoma characterized the wars as rituals for obtaining captives and as military training for soldiers. This is seen as a strateg ic plan to direct the conquistadores’ attention away from political and military weaknesses in the Aztec civilization. In the mass majority of sacrificial rituals, cannibalism was performed. This often took part during the sacrificing of prisoners of war but also happened during the sacrifice of some of their own people. Harner (1977) rejected anthropological theories hypothesizing that human sacrifice was  caused by the requirement of their religion and gods. He thought that their causes were because of a high population rate that caused protein scarcity. Based on studies of population pressure, Harner (1970) suggested that the big picture of Aztec human sacrifice and cannibalism resulted from demographical and ecological factors. These created protein shortages, population pressure, seasonal crop failures, a lack of livestock, the depletion of wild game in the region, famine, and the environment surrounding the valley was not suitable for farming due to the desertification of the land. The Aztecs had corn and beans to provide protein but since these vegetables could only be grown in certain seasons, they were an insufficient way to get protein. This is what led Harner to believe cannibalism was their only constant and abundant supply of protein. Harner also suggested that the purpose of the flowery wars was to capture prisoners to sacrifice with the intent to consume them. Price, (1978) however, disagreed. She stated that the highest classes of society, who consumed most of the human sacrifices, already had easy access to other meat. Ortiz De Montellano (1978) argued against Harner’s hypothesis as well. He stated that there was a wide range of meat protein available, advances in agricultural techniques, plenty of stored food, and that the Aztecs had a good overall diet. Montellano also suggested other ideas as to why the â€Å"ecological hypothesis† was not true. The first was that the Aztecs were conquering new lands and areas for agriculture, which sometimes provided them with a new source of game to hunt, thus having a larger pool of meat to eat. His second was of the minor availability of the total human protein from sacrifice because the flesh was reserved for the elite, which included great warriors and priests. Montellano’s third was evidence that explained that the bulk of the Aztec’s sacrifices took part during the periods of time in the year when there were plenty of crops and plenty of food to easily sustain them. This means that instead of the Aztecs relying on human meat during the off-season, they practiced cannibalism regardless of their food status. Michael Winkelman (1998) said, â€Å"in comparison to other societies with human  sacrifice, the Aztecs were extreme in several measures: they were the only human sacrifice society in this sample with a high risk of famine; the highest on several measures of population pressure; in the highest category of population density (over 500 persons per square mile); and had the highest levels of overall warfare for land resources. Therefore, their sacrifice and cannibalism may reflect their extreme conditions on many ecological variables.† John M. D. Pohl (2002) stated, â€Å"Aztec sacrifice, once perceived as a ruthless practice committed by a ‘tribe’ seemingly obsessed with bloodshed, is now seen as no more or less brutal than what many imperial civilizations have done.† The Aztecs were not the only people throughout the Earth’s history to have such violent practices. William Prescott (1992) compiled research comparing the Aztecs violent ways to those of other cultures throughout history. According to Prescott’s research, such violent practices were found among the ancient Canaanites, the Celtic people, and the Romans. The Romans had slaves that they condemned to die merely for the purpose of entertainment in the Colosseum. The research also notes the story of Abraham and Isaac in the Old Testament, where Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God. While the story was against sacrifice it still shows that it was a known practice. Another biblical story of sacrifice that Prescott mentions is the story of Jepthah. Jepthah pledges that he will sacrifice the first living creature that he saw when returning home if god would give him victory in his upcoming battle. When Jepthah returns home, he is greeted by his daughter and is forced by the bindings of his word to make a burnt offering of his daughter. Prescott’s compilation of research also included the Hindu custom of suttee, which was the suicide of the widow on the funeral pyre of her husband because of the Hindu belief in Samsara. French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss (1964) described the Aztecs as suffering from â€Å"a maniacal obsession with blood and torture.† However, Harner (1977:51) stated, â€Å"Gruesome as these practices may seem, an ecological perspective and population pressure theory render the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice acceptable as a natural and rational response to the material conditions of their existence. A materialist ecological  approach reveals the Aztecs to be neither irrational nor mentally ill, but merely human beings who, faced with unusual survival problems, responded with unusual behavior.† The Aztec’s beliefs about the world and how they, as a people, could keep the sun rising and the plants growing and therefore continued life for future generations was also a very powerful force in their commitment to give to the gods the highest honor of human sacrifice. The Aztecs definitely had a violent culture and had some very unorthodox practices, but were their methods any more cruel than nuclear warfare, terrorism, and torture for political reasons? We look at the Aztec’s reasons for their violent actions as insufficient but we do not question our own reasons for the violence we create today. Perhaps it’s in the way we view, interpret, and justify the actions.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Envrionmental Anaylysis Of Nissan And Renault Marketing Essay

Envrionmental Anaylysis Of Nissan And Renault Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION: The organisations operating in 21st century are characterised by volatile, turbulent, and brisk changes. The rapid pace of changes has both positive and negative impact on the working pattern of employees in the present environment. Moreover, leadership, globalisation, diversity, flexibility and networks are the major drivers and trends of change management. These trends create opportunities and threats in the organisation which are illustrated as follows. TRENDS ISSUES Globalisation Global vs. Local Diversity Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneity Flexibility Flexibility vs. Stability Networks Interdependence vs. Independence According to Ghosn (2009), Diversity has different angles which bring things together which are inaccessible in the corporate environment and in physical world. Moreover, diversity plays an important role in implementing effective change and to stay competitive in the global environment. The world is so complex and changing at an accelerating speed therefore the agenda should be driven by diversity and globalisation. However, diversity is not something that can be imposed in organisational culture and beliefs (Anderson, 2008). Moreover, the concept Diversity is fundamentally linked dealing with the change. At present, organisations depend on cross functional teams to enhance global competitive edge. However, this type of teams cannot capitulate expected performance (Ancona Caldwell, 1992). In contrast, cross functional team need collaboration between them. Here, to enhance the performance cross functional teams, they need to understand the concept of diversity. NISSAN RENAULT AT GLANCE: Company Particulars Nissan Renault Vision Enrich peoples life Drive the change Mission To offer exclusive and innovative automotive products and services by ensuring high quality values towards stakeholders in alliance with Renault. To achieve success thorough sustainable development by safeguarding quality in which company operates with its partner Nissan. Date of Incorporation 26th, December, 1933. 25th, February, 1899. Revenues (FY 2009) 3.35 billion euro. 33.71 billion euro. CEO Carlos Ghosn. Carlos Ghosn. Headquarter Japan. France. Employees 1,75,766. 1,24,300. Product Range Automobiles, Outboard Motors, Forklift Trucks. Automobile, Industrial Vehicles and Financing. Subsidiaries Infinity, Nissan Forklift, Nissan Marine, Nismo, Autech. Automobile Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors. Operating Worldwide 118 countries around the world. Renault Nissan Alliance is an inimitable partnership of two companies combined for performance and created a national automobile group of global scale, signed on March 27, 1999. This alliance based on two main founding principles: By combining both companies strengths and developing each and every possible synergies throughout to convey a productive approach i.e. Win-Win results. Respecting and preserving each companys self-sufficiency of their brand uniqueness and own corporate. The revival plan developed by an international team of 200 Nissan managers. What this global team has done is fully understand the root causes of our current problems and develop solutions that allow Nissan to act decisively ( Ghosn). The revival plan come together project to develop Nissans business and existence of market and it also reduce net debt from 1.4 trillion Yen to less than 700 billion and also reduce the cost by 1 trillion Yen by FY 2002. The combination of growth and cost reduction will allow Nissan to achieve a consolidated operating profit of 4.5 percent of sales by FY2002, (Ghosn). The main and the first goal of revival plan are to return Nissan to profitability for FY2000. While cost cutting will be the most dramatic and visible part of the revival plan, we cannot save our way to success (Carlos Ghosn). Revival plan highlights Nissans dedication to become worldwide achieving growing market share, competitive and profit based on desirable products and brands. This revival plan not only shows Nissan make progress and develop into a strong company over again, but, make Renault as the worlds fourth largest car maker. ENVRIONMENTAL ANAYLYSIS OF NISSAN RENAULT: PEST Analysis Factors Nissan Renault Political Government policy: Impacted positive on automotive sector so as to Nissan-Renault Policy to promote local manufactures and exporters Economical Time of inflationary and deflationary: Due to rise in interest rates , there is hike in prices of oil and car, buying power of customers goes on pick which indirectly affect to the Nissan-Renault. Currency Evaluation: Volatility and unstable currency rates affects the operation and sales of Nissan Renault. Impact on countries economy: Automobile industry uses plenty of goods such as aluminum, plastic, rubber, computer chips, vinyl, textiles, rubber, coppers, iron and steel.. Social Personality status: As standard of living of rises, people opt for more luxurious car. Population: Increase in population results in more sales of car. Standards and attitudes: Different values and attitudes are affects on the customer. Technological Technological change: The changing in the technology makes huge impacts on the product life cycle. Internet: Nissan Renault has very vast opportunity to advert their product by on website and gains competitive advantage. Opportunities As Nissan Renault is way back in to the hybrid technology so company needs to adapt this technology. However, hybrid technology is not much old so Nissan Renault should initiates to produce hybrid car. Continue to expand mainly in the developing country particularly in the Eastern Europe and Latin America. Introduce new innovative ideas. Threats Instability of fuel prices holds the sales of cars. Purchasing power of the consumer is been affected by the global economy. Competitor growth is been increased in this era for the Nissan Renault. Macro factors such as interest rates, inflation, incomes, recession, and unemployment. LEADERSHIP AND DIVERSITY : There is no question about the leadership vision of Carlos Ghosn. When he evaluated the revival plan by observing the strengths and weakness. He analyzes the situation by setting some objectives that were affecting the company from performing at better level. He makes the teams to choose the better methods of achieving the targets. Carlos understand the the objective and vision of Nissan and work culture was indistinguishable. He clears the strategy and vision in its Revival Plan. The culture of Nissan was homogeneous as they were thinking in the same manner. Though the CEO of Nissan opt for the changes, but the work force did not feel the changes was necessary in the culture of organisation. In order to transform Nissan, there was need for new culture to have impact on the culture of organisation (Nakae, 2005). The cross functional teams has to achieve something in order to delivery of revival plan successfully. For this objective the cross functional teams were form with both car m anufacturing organisation and the desired outcome was to equilibrium the cultural values. Cross functional teams are managed by executives appointed by Carlos who are open minded, reliable, culturally diversified. The whole transformation of leadership was to improve the performance of the Nissan. The Cross Functional teams were not created to share views and ideas of each culture. However, the motto underneath was to split the hierarchical barriers in the organisational culture. However, enabling the changes in the organisation cannot give assurance of success. The protection of self-esteem of the particular culture and the identification of organisation must be assured. However, he argues that facilitating change with upholding interest of organisation can wobbly balance act (Ghosn, 2002, Harvard Business Review). The leadership of Carlos Ghosn has characteristic of cultural diversity and with the help of his diversified cultural experience, he extract the cultural differences in organisation. In addition to this, when revival plan of Nissan was implemented, this was stage of performing for the cross functional team. However, the factor which considered as critical and hurdle in the stage was eastern collectivism and homogeneity of Nissan organisational culture. On the other hand, individual sponsorship with both diverse teams can be helpful to remove certain barriers to diversity of cross functional teams. CHANGE APPROACHES: Following are the change resistors and change approaches given by Kotter to Schlesinger (1979) which can help Nissan and Renault alliance in order to successfully implement rival plan. Participation Involvement of people in Staff Groups Decision Making Increase Commitment Facilitation Support in Identifying Resistance Convincing the Commitment to change Attitude Behaviour to Change Compulsion or coercion Explicit or Implicit Warning for behaviour Written notice for termination on Failure Negotiations Agreements to Overcome Resistance Use of Effective Third-party settlement Communication Learning about the change by Informing Educating Justifying Resolving disputes Adjustments Co-operation Use of Power to fulfil need for adjustment Grouping Threats and Rewards to fulfilment While implementing this change there might be resistance to change at different level in the company as suggested by Kotter Schlesinger ( managing innovation change : A critical guide for organisations 2nd edition, Nigel King Neil Anderson 2002). Individual level Group level Organisational level REASONS FOR ALLAINCE: The main reason of the alliance was to sharing investment, technology, respective cultures and supporting each other. The alliance was particularly made on the eagerness of the Carlos Ghosn to prospective successful synergy and keep freedom of the operations and culture amongst both organizations. Renault was keen to provide a common platform for generate development cost in important economics such as design studies prototyping and validation protocols, purchasing and industrial equipment. Which strategy has also been successful and adopted by several company such as Daimler-Chrysler in the United States and Volkswagen and Skoda in the Eastern Europe. They also focused on to the improve coordination and cost reductions for Nissan and Renault to the economic point of view. The major advantage of the alliance was both companies able to steps forward in to the foreign market for the instance Renault builds their car in the Mexico plant and to the other hand Nissan able to use Renaults Brazils plant. And also able to use their distribution channels in to the different countries. Under the alliance of the Renault and Nissan had agreed to share their components and their engines, for the instance Renault is expert in making diesel engines and Nissan is expert in making petrol and manufacturing procedure. Moreover, vision of two foreign companies to achieve mutual respect and peruse a common target we ask every single team not to do anything for the other teams. Pursue your own interests, growth and profitability. Because you are doing this, you will seek synergies (Ghosn, www.extra.emeraldinsight.com). This was the most important aspect to support the alliance of Renault Nissan, not merger. NISSAN RENAULT ALLAINCE STRUCTURE: Renault Nissan Alliance Objectives To be Ranked Amongst Top Three Companys in the Eyes of Customer Quality Value Product Services Technology Leadership excellence Each Region Segment Sustainability High Profit Margin Growth RENAULT 50% NISSAN 50% RNPO: Renault Nissan Purchasing Organisation RNIS: Renault Nissan Information Services 15% 44.3% Revival Plan Major Areas of Cooperation/Change   Carlos Ghosn was able to convince both the companies to  align  and come to following areas of collaboration, PURCHASING Both the companies are agreed to tie up their purchasing activities and try to minimise the purchasing cost of raw material. In the year 2001 during the rival plan both the companies were sharing about 30% of combine buying activities where as at present in the year 2009 the cooperation has increased to 100% which indicates the success of this alliance. Research and Development Under this regards both Nissan Renault both agreed to following two points. Allocate similar stage and components which are not really visible to customers as open body of automotive products in order to achieve the economies of scale and to reduce purchasing production cost. The platform integrated their efforts by manufacturing cars like Nissan Qashqai Renault Megane and many others which resulted in combine sales of more than 50% in the year 2008.  Ã‚   Switch Over Technology Production The tie-up enable both companies to swap their technological expertise to create competitive advantage. The Alliance was successful in creating gearboxes together for their combine products. They expertise of Nissan in making gasoline engine and Renault in making diesel engine resulted into co production of different engines. Both companies are moving forward to align their strategies and advanced mechanism in safety, environment performance. They also aims to develop zero emission technology which enable them to focus on electric cars by the end of 2010. Cross Cultural Management/Teams The unique alliance between Renault Nissan has been working for more than eight years by setting up collaborations in managing culture at all levels as a continuous process of best practices. It is very difficult for Carlos Ghosn to handle the cross cultural tams of Japan France at the same time but with the effective leadership he was able to create more than 30 teams each year. Apart from the above the alliance has decided to set production standards in both the companies which resulted into increase in the overall sales of the company. Both firms are using each others manufacturing capacities in order to produce mass production which in turn gave core competence in production capacity to both car manufacturers. HOFSTEDE CULTURAL ANAYLSIS : Hofstede model of cultural Dimension (source: hofstede, (1991), available at: www.ifets.info/journals/5_3/frank.html) Hofstedes cultural dimension helps us to categorize the key divergence between cultures. Thus this model was used to evaluate French, Japanese, and European culture. According to Hofstedes analysis there are three cultural dimensions that varies between French and Japanese culture power distance, individualism and masculinity (Hofstede, 1983).Because of the differences in masculinity scores it would be accepted that Japanese workforce have a different outset of gender in comparison to their European and French counterparts. Possibly this could direct to tension or pressure between female European workforce and Nissan employees. Japanese gender differentiation could also create legal problems due to the anti discrimination legislation in the Europe A high Power Distance score is directly linked to an autocratic management style. The variation between Japan and France points out that French managers have a more centralised, less counselling approach than their Japanese age group it is also states that average power distance of Europe is low as compared to France and Japan signifying that autocratic style of management in these countries would be strange throughout Europe both the countries have high scores in terms of power distance the Japanese put a high emphasis on the workforce age,( Deller and Flunkert) 1996 state that even capable junior staff will not be given preference over older colleagues. So employees. The significance of superiority is connected with the Japanese principle of lifelong possession with many of the employees commit to one firm which they toil for the whole of their life. In comparison the French structure chain of command is based on the educational backdrop of the person. The education system of France is so vastly controlled with the most brilliant student being conventional to elite schools. Approval to this school is a status mark that prevails through the existence of person with the French perception of accomplishment being judged by a persons family background, educational level and financial rather than by direct accomplishment (Newson -Balle and Gottschalk, 1996). This could lead to disagreement if Japanese disrespect their French counterparts and the French shows lack of respect to their uneducated Nissan associates A countrys individual signifies the level to which culture underpin person over communal success. However it states that workers work better independently who has high level of individualism in comparison with those low scores France has the highest level of individualism score compared to Japan i.e. France with 71 whereas Japan with 46. Therefore Nissan in its European operations must give an opportunity for its employees to gain accomplishment. Moreover if it is put into practice in Nissan operation it can escort performance and motivation The long period of direction signifies a level that the long term goals greater than the short term goals becomes the centre of attraction for the members of society. However it is vital to understand that managers at Nissan should design the strategies by arriving at a logical assurance while working with the Renault ENABLERS AND BARRIERS FOR REVIVAL PLAN: The alliance leader of Nissan Renault imposed incremental change through Nissan Revival Plan 01/2. The key driver for the change was to provide Nissan with sufficient market oriented strategies to compete in the market with other larger manufacturers with heterogeneity in their Japanese organisational culture. However, high risk in the alliance was to deal with cross culture value and beliefs of organisation. Nissan was facing problem of product recalling which was damaging its brand image and the other is the lack of diesel technology in comparison with their key competitors. The focus of Nissan was on profitability, cost reduction, innovation in Europe to continue its growth and brand reputation. As the commodity prices poses a threat to Nissan they oppose this problem by making some alterations in their input materials. They have developed a twofold strategy which is to maintain the equilibrium between individual uniqueness and maintaining their globalized resources. The increasi ng demand and supply in car manufacturing industry by launching new innovative model was the critical enabler factor for Nissan to cut their manufacturing overheads, increasing purchasing power, reducing bargaining power of consumers to remain presence in the market. The main threats for Nissan is the market saturation which effects its growth as the volume of the car sales fell which has make Nissan cant able to make its presence in the European market. The hurdle in this alliance is the culture of the organization which effects the stability and strength of the organization. However, apart from the , the main objective was to create dual citizenship which balanced the equilibrium and support their cultural values and desires to success of the organization. FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS FOR DRIVERS OF GLOBAL CHANGE: DRIVING FORCE RESTRAINING FORCE Technological Change Huge Investment RD and cost of capital Economic Integration More International market Emerging Market in Developing Countries Increasing speed of international more domestic competition Cross Cultural Challenges Falling of Communist Society Fewer Barriers

Friday, October 25, 2019

All Quiet On The Western Front :: essays research papers

The Sorrows of War and the Glorious Lies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is it really worth it? Is the simple order by a superior officer enough for someone to spill the blood of innocent soldiers? In All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a group of soldiers learn the hard way about the realities of war. They encounter trench warfare and hand-to-hand combat and slowly see how horrible the war is. Using the book, the author expresses his hatred towards war and how only evil comes from it. The emotions and actions of the soldiers represent the realities of war where brotherhoods are formed, the public is tricked in seeing war as good, and how deep inside everyone is the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The soldiers in the Second Company form this bond between each other that represents that of all wartime buddies. They develop these friendships where they depend on each other so that they can make it through the war. The young soldiers play cards, smoke together and joke around together to pass time when they are not fighting. Their reactions towards dying friends show their love for one another. â€Å"Suddenly little Kropp throws his cigarette away, stamps on it savagely, and looking around him with a broken and distracted face, stammers â€Å"Damned sh*t, the damned sh*t!†Ã¢â‚¬  (page 18). Even after their good friend Kemmerich passes away, the circle of friends is able to pull together and get through it all. They have a deep love for each other. Some soldiers like Paul and Katczinsky even feel a father/son relationship with each other. â€Å"We don’t talk much, but I believe we have a more complete communion with one another than even lovers have† (page 94). The war has brought them together. It has made them rely on each other for survival and has brought them to forget the horrors of war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The soldiers fight because of simple orders. They really have nothing to gain from it. Their superior officers don’t know what its like. They get out on the battlefield and cowardly turn away. All those people who romanticize war including Kantorek and Himmelstoss go to trench warfare and they see the real truth. They see that they have misled the public with propaganda and their continuous actions to have people volunteer. â€Å"Quickly I jump back into the dug-out and find him with a small scratch lying in a corner pretending to be wounded.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Poetry Essay

The poem described the speaker’s longing and hope for her happiness in life. As she raises everyday, she depicts life at its best to fulfill her joy and contentment even if she is alone. The four stanza poem discussed the character’s identity and idea towards joy and contentment in life. The speaker wants to convey to her readers that whatever circumstances they may have; it is a great start to thank God for a new day of life. The first stanza discussed the emotions of the speaker as she faces the new day. The second stanza discussed how she thanked her creator for the new beginning of challenges and happiness. The third stanza discussed how the speaker prayed for the people around her whether they are in the same race or not. The last stanza described how the earth is filled with gladness if equality and justice exist. The speaker described her prayer through this poem. It is a selfless desire to transform the earth into salvation and peace despite of all the injustices and social inequality. On the other way around, the title also described the wholeness of the poem. It serves as the identity and apparent illusion of the poem. The title of this poem showed the main idea of the poem as it reveals the attack of the poet. In conclusion to this, it can be said that the poem is too short to read and understand. The poem has simple thoughts to convey to its readers. The attack of the poet showed how prayer becomes powerful despite of all the troubles and fears of the society.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal Reflective Essay Addressing Swifts Satire Approach Concerning the Social Problem of Dublins Starving Children

Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal Reflective Essay Addressing Swifts Satire Approach Concerning the Social Problem of Dublins Starving Children Abstract Swift’s A Modest Proposal is a genius work in the art of literary satire. I picked certain issues and commented on them regarding how Swift made Irish beggars and their children a necessary evil that was deteriorating Ireland from the inside. Largely, this behemoth of a problem was causing an economic slump of mass proportion.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal: Reflective Essay Addressing Swift’s Satire Approach Concerning the Social Problem of Dublin’s Starving Children specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I point out his brilliant use of population figures, social issues (domestic violence, poverty, hunger, etc.), and religious groups (other than his own). He addresses these issues by offering a ludicrous solution- cannibalism of the young infants when they reach their first birthday. Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal: Reflective Essay Addres sing Swift’s Satire Approach Concerning the Economic Problem of Dublin’s Starving Children Swift presents a brilliant tongue-in-cheek argument concerning a way to solve the plight of starving Irish children. He introduces his ludicrous proposal at the beginning of his essay, and then supports his subject by reinforcing his foundation with strong, supporting arguments. Each building block of his argument elicits sound thought for handling Ireland’s glaring social issues; namely, begging and starving children. Swift proposes to eat one-year-olds because of their economic burden. While purporting his idea, he uses economic strategies, population figures, cooking methods and avoiding commodity outsourcing to support his irony. Swift looks at a beggar’s child as the projected worth of a future commodity. He justifies his moral depravity and degrading of human life in lieu of population control, annihilation of abortion, domestic violence and food shortage. He refers to wives as â€Å"breeders† of these future delectable human dishes, and believes a one-year-old could give back to the commonwealth by offering its â€Å"carcass† as food for a starving country. He reasons that a beggar’s child should be able to live for the first year so that it could be fattened up on mother’s milk, which the â€Å"dam† naturally produces and therefore would cost the commonwealth nothing.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Swift surmises that his idea is humane because the future holds nothing for these children who mature and adopt livelihoods like â€Å"stealing,† going off to fight for the â€Å"Pretender in Spain,† or â€Å"selling themselves to the Barbados.† Instead of suggesting the obvious- limiting the number of children each female â€Å"breeder† should have- he encoura ges the â€Å"breeders† to get pregnant, enjoy motherhood and nursing of their suckling infants for one year, and then sell them to the marketplace as a prime cut of young, tender meat. This is a chilling mental image of the plight of a poor Irish infant. He continues to build upon this horrific image of an Irish infant dressed and prepared as the main serving for a lavish feast. He enjoys toying with the image of â€Å"a young healthy child well nursed† that could be â€Å"a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled,† and suggests serving it as â€Å"a fricassee or a ragout.† This is a disturbing image of a baby as the main dinner dish. He continues to take this macabre image further when he suggests â€Å"a child will make two dishes at an entertainment† function for friends, and if it is only to be one family dish, would â€Å"be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.† Thi s gruesome image has come full circle by suggesting the infant â€Å"carcass† could be extended to four days of leftovers. Ireland’s population has always been Catholic, and Swift sees Catholics as a major part of the starving human burden that is hurting Ireland. He ridicules the Catholic religious holyday, Lent. He reasons that since Catholics eat more fish during Lent, nine months later, a lot of infant Catholics are born. He does not criticize this, but reasons that because Catholics propagate more after Lent, the meat market will benefit from plump infants ready for the grocer. Swift connects Ireland’s economic problems directly to the Catholics and their lack of birth control- even in the face of being extremely poverty stricken.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal: Reflective Essay Addressing Swift’s Satire Approach Concerning the Social Problem of Dublin’s Starving Children spe cifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He revels in putting a price on a beggar child as the child matures. He uses the figure of 120,000 children as full reservoir, then reserves 20,000 as breeders, but not more than 5,000 of that number as males. He reasons that 5,000 males is a usual number for sheep, cattle and swine. Swift’s irony gives the reader a picture of a single cock that breeds with the entire hen house and the reader cannot help but be amused. One male should suffice four â€Å"breeders,† he surmises, but then catches himself in this digression, and reverts to his ridiculous projected numbers. Of the 100,000 infants that remain, Swift writes, these should be fattened up for the meat market. He almost forces the reader to think that it is a well thought-out plan that would benefit all- irony at its very best. Swift is not a feminist. He never refers to the father’s responsibility to his beggar children. Instead, he p uts the sole responsibility of caring for beggar children on the mother. This is a result of the makeup of Dublin’s street beggars- mothers and many small, unkempt children. It is false to believe that he is not a moralist. Obviously, poverty-stricken mothers and their children disturbed him, but is that because of their drain on an already weak Irish economy or because these deplorable human beings actually tugged at his heart strings and bothered him enough that he felt the urge to write about it? He calls his writing a â€Å"modest† proposal- another play on words. In no way is this modest suggestion, but rather an alarming, vivid picture of cannibalism meant to elicit action regarding this social problem. Reference Swift, J. (2011). A modest proposal in R. J. Diyanni (Ed.), Fifty great essays. (pp. 296-303). London: Longman.

Monday, October 21, 2019

College Interview Attire What to Wear to Your Interview

College Interview Attire What to Wear to Your Interview SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As if college applications aren't stressful enough, an interview with the admissions department can ramp anxiety up to eleven. Though an interview is a great way to make a lasting impression, it also introduces some new things to worry about in addition to your application, such as what you're supposed to wear. Like all parts of the college application process, you want to make a good impression, but also be yourself. Not everyone is a fashion maven, and there are additional barriers for students experiencing academic hardship. If you have questions about what to wear to a college interview, you're in luck- we've got answers. From how to style yourself to how to afford business casual on a budget, this guide will help you look sharp and feel confident during your college interview. How to Pick an Outfit for a College Interview If you’re applying to college, it’s quite possible that you’ve never needed to understand what â€Å"business casual† means. How can you be both â€Å"business† and â€Å"casual?† Is that a suit with flip-flops? A skirt and your favorite band t-shirt?If you find the concept confusing, don’t worry- you’re not alone. â€Å"Business casual† is generally how students are advised to dress for college interviews, though some interviews in more professional settings may require you to jazz it right up to â€Å"business† sans â€Å"casual.† Be sure you get information about where you’ll be meeting ahead of time to be sure that your outfit matches the setting- no matter how great your suit is, it’s going to look a little silly in a boba tea shop. So what does business casual mean? This style of dress fits somewhere right between business or formal wear- suits, ties, dresses, the kind of thing you’d see Cheryl Blossom wear onRiverdale- and casual wear- t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, like you might see Riverdale's Archie or Betty wearing. Business casual is meant to be professional, but not uptight; a blazer over a button-up shirt, but not a suit, or a cute dress with flats rather than heels. While a little flair is acceptable, people should come away remembering you, not your outfit. But knowing what business casual is isn’t enough; you also need to buy it. If you or your family have money to spend, any department store will have appropriate business casual items, outlined below. If you’re on a strict budget or simply can’t afford new clothes, many thrift stores, as well as lower cost department stores like Wal-Mart and Target, carry blazers, button-up shirts, and dressy shoes in leather or faux-leather. There may also be local charities like Catie’s Closet or Clothes for Kids that can help you find free or low-cost business casual wear for your interview. Don’t be afraid to ask for help- these organizations want to help you succeed. If you’re unable to afford the perfect outfit and there are no organizations nearby to help you, don’t panic. Dressing well for your college interview is just one part of the application process. You might blow an interview by not showing up, refusing to speak, saying you cheat in school, or admitting that the only reason you’re there is because your parents made you apply, but your outfit probably won’t destroy your chances, particularly if the interviewer can see you made an effort. Aim for somewhere in the middle of the Archie-Cheryl fashion spectrum. What Should You Wear to a College Interview? Business casual is a good starting line for what to wear to a college interview, but some people, such as students who might be auditioning for an arts department or people with tattoos and piercings, may have some additional concerns about what to wear. And with pictures being worth a thousand words, here are a few outfits to help you plan your own college interview outfit. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nines Bambines (@nines_bambines) on Nov 6, 2018 at 10:14pm PST This look is the perfect business casual- sharp, flattering, and not distracting. Business Casual for College Interviews Let your personality shine through in your words, not your clothing. Though these outfits might feel bland in comparison to your normal clothes, they’re the most appropriate thing to wear to an interview. "Business casual" doesn't have to mean unflattering or without personality- as the above outfit shows, you can look confident and work-appropriate at the same time. Dress a little more conservatively than you normally would. Even if you’re wearing a dress, your shoulders shouldn’t be bare- throw on a nice cardigan or blazer to go with your outfit. Your shoes should be clean and unscuffed, and preferably made of leather, fake leather, or suede. Nobody’s going to bend down and check that they’re the real thing, but they should look clean, polished, and professional. For colors, lean toward neutrals, pastels, and cool tones. Bright colors are fine, but try not to go too wild with mixing and matching patterns and bold tones- a blazer over a bright button-up is great, but a pink skirt with an orange shirt and blue shoes is probably pushing it. You want your interviewer to remember you, not your outfit. Opt for a high neckline over a low one. Leave v-necks and plunging necklines at home.Collared shirts are always a good idea for a college interview, and easy to find at any clothing store, including Wal-Mart or Target, as well as thrift stores. Choose no patterns over patterns, and conservative patterns over flamboyant ones. Checks are fine, but plaid is pushing it- and also tends a little more casual than business casual. A simple pattern of chevrons is fine, tropical toucans is not. Think a navy blue shirt with white embellishments or a white shirt with a cute pattern rather than bright with an eye-catching pattern. No jeans, no leggings. Tights should be plain, not patterned or extremely textured. Opt for dress pants, chinos, corduroys, or similar. You might be able to squeak by with dark denim with no holes or embellishments, but if you have another option, take it. Your shoes should be closed-toe and dressy. Heels aren’t necessary, particularly if you’ll also be touring the campus (coming soon - what to wear for a campus tour)- you want to have sure footing and be comfortable. Still, ditch the sneakers and opt for a comfortable ballet flat, wingtip, loafer, or boot. Opt for simplicity over elaborate decoration. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Matt Hartman | #runnineverlong (@runnineverlong) on Oct 30, 2018 at 7:52am PDT Something like this is great for an interview or an interview with an audition. What to Wear for College Auditions If you’re a musician or other performing artist and your interview also includes an audition, dress appropriately. Most of the same rules apply; think button-up shirts and khakis rather than jeans and t-shirts. But if you’re a classical musician, a black and white theme might be appropriate- black pants, white button-up shirt, black blazer, for example. Again, this won’t make or break your chances, but do be aware of what field you’re applying to and keep that in mind as you’re choosing outfits. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ð â€¢ ¸Ã° â€"”ð â€"™ð â€" Ã° â€"Šð â€"â€" ð â€¢ ºÃ° â€"‹ ð â€¢ ±Ã° â€"”ð â€" Ã° â€"Šð â€"Ëœ (@foxfell) on Jul 16, 2018 at 9:40am PDT Though the earrings are a little too big for a college interview, this classy look is perfectly fine with visible tattoos and piercings. What to Do If You Have Tattoos and Piercings If you have facial piercings, please, don’t try to hide them with a bandage. It looks far more unprofessional to try to cover them up with a bandage than to swap the jewelry out for something more understated, if necessary. College campuses are fairly used to wild hair colors, piercings, and tattoos. A nose stud isn’t likely to raise eyebrows unless you’re applying to a particularly conservative school. Use your best judgement- search social media for what students at that college look like, and decide whether it’s better to take your piercing out for a day or to just go with it. Tasteful tattoos are fine for most colleges, and will likely be covered up by an appropriate outfit anyway. If you have a tattoo of anything obscene or offensive, you should make efforts to cover it up. Makeup can help, but be sure to practice before your interview. If you have stretched piercings or body art in unusual places (such as your face or neck), there are ways to cover up or hide them. You can use makeup or a piercing retainer to temporarily hide tattoos or piercings. But keep in mind that neither of these options is foolproof- a retainer won’t trick anybody into thinking you don’t have a piercing on close inspection, though it might make it less obvious at first sight. If you feel like you’re going above and beyond to hide your tattoos and piercings, it might be worth considering whether this is the right school for you. Changing your entire personal appearance to get into college might mean that the school isn’t a good fit. If you’re willing to let the piercing go or have the tattoo removed if you get accepted, hiding it might be worth it- but if not, think about whether it’s really the right school for you. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mary Zilba (@maryzilba) on Oct 30, 2018 at 8:38am PDT A bun and natural makeup are perfect for a college interview. How to Do Your Makeup and Hair for a College Interview Don’t go wild with styling your hair. Keep it simple: don’t worry about lots of gel, hours with a curling iron, or getting a whole new ‘do just for an interview. If you have long hair, consider putting it up in a bun or ponytail to keep it out of the way. Long, flowing waves are nice, but be sure that they’re styled well enough to hold up during an interview. If you’re not sure, a bun or ponytail will look fine. Colored hair shouldn’t be a problem for most schools. Follow business casual styling standards and you should be fine. If you’re concerned a school will frown on dyed hair, you can dye it back before the interview, but, as with piercings and tattoos, consider whether that’s something you’re willing to do for as long as you’re attending. If not, think about whether this is the right school for you. Keep your nails trimmed and clean. A simple manicure- a single color, French tips, and so on- is fine, but now’s not the time for those claw nails or elaborate nail art. Makeup should be natural and simple. There’s no need for heavy eye shadow, lots of eyeliner, or bright lipstick. Stick with neutral colors rather than being adventurous. Any perfume or cologne should be light, if worn at all. If someone can smell you more than a foot away, you’re wearing too much. Do opt for deodorant, though! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Junho âÅ" ª (@mrjunho3) on Oct 28, 2018 at 8:30am PDT Keep any accessories simple and understated. What Accessories to Wear at a College Interview Again, go simple. A light necklace, bracelet, or watch are perfect accessories. If your jewelry might be distracting- whether for you or for the interviewer- leave it at home. Clanky bangles, a statement necklace, or particularly flashy earrings are better for other settings. One accessory you should bring is a bag. You can keep any papers you get during the interview and tour, a water bottle, and anything else you might need safe and out of the way with an appropriate bag. Avoid backpacks or totes with flashy logos or energy drink branding. A simple brown or black messenger bag, a plain tote, or similar is a good choice. A plain backpack will also get the job done, but plain is the operative word; again, you don’t want to stand out for your clothing choice. A good business casual outfit should have you feeling like this. General Tips for Confidence During a College Interview All this information about outfits will help you dress the part, but what else can you do to look and feel your best during a college interview? #1: Wear Something Comfortable If you’re uncomfortable during your interview, you’re not going to be at your most confident. If your outfit isn’t working for you, swap it out for something that does. Break in your shoes and leave the itchy fabrics at home. #2: Find What Looks Good Business casual may not be your normal attire, but you still want your outfit to make you feel good. If you’re tugging at your sleeves or checking the height of your pants all day, you’re not projecting confidence. Other things may make you nervous, but your outfit shouldn’t. #3: Practice! Have a firm (but not overwhelming!) handshake and a confident greeting. If these aren’t things you’re already adept at, practice! Don’t just practice on your friends, who might laugh or go too soft on you. Find someone you trust to put the pressure on a little and see how you perform. #4: Be Prepared to Answer Questions Running through practice interviews will help you develop answers to questions ahead of time. Anticipate questions about your strengths and weaknesses as a student, and have genuine answers- admissions officers have heard every kind of humblebrag in existence, so be genuine. #5: Stay Healthy The night before your interview, get plenty of sleep. Eat a healthy breakfast the day of your interview, and drink plenty of water- and please, go to the bathroom before the interview. Good self-care will help you ace your interview because you’re operating at peak performance. What’s Next? You want to the right outfit for a college interview, but there's a whole lot more to prepare for, too. Check out this list of college interview tips to be sure you know exactly what to prepare for during your interview. Not every college requires an interview for admission. If an interview intimidates you- or you're certain it'll help you land a coveted acceptance letter- check out this list of colleges that require interviews to help you plan your applications. Though you're the one getting interviewed, a college interview is also a great place to ask questions about the college you're applying to that you can't find online. This list of questions to ask a college interviewer will help you get the most out of your experience. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Compare and contrast approaches to Tonality in New York Counterpoint, String Quartet number 8 by Shostakovich and Quartet by Webern Essay Example

Compare and contrast approaches to Tonality in New York Counterpoint, String Quartet number 8 by Shostakovich and Quartet by Webern Essay Example Compare and contrast approaches to Tonality in New York Counterpoint, String Quartet number 8 by Shostakovich and Quartet by Webern Essay Compare and contrast approaches to Tonality in New York Counterpoint, String Quartet number 8 by Shostakovich and Quartet by Webern Essay Essay Topic: Web Compare and contrast approaches to Tonality in New York Counterpoint, String Quartet number 8 by Shostakovich and Quartet by Webern.As these pieces are all from the 20th century, each of the composers added their own interpretations with regards to tonality. I aim to analyse each piece in the context of tonality in order to answer this question.New York Counterpoint (NYC) by Steve Reich is tonal which means it makes use of a conventional key which is B major. This can be seen from the five sharps of the key signature (and lack of D naturals and F naturals.) In fitting with the key of B major, all the notes Reich uses in NYC are from the B major scale which makes the piece entirely diatonic.Although the piece is tonal and diatonic, Reich does not make use of functional harmony. This can be seen because of the lack of cadences and chord structures. The notes of the ostinati in the first section (bars 1-26) are based on chords four and five (E major, and F# major.) For example, in the f irst two bars beat 1 of bar 1 uses the noes A and C (chord V) then, the three semi quavers contain all the notes of chord IV (EGB) and the A and F just after beat four are from chord V. In the second bar, this trend continues; just after beat 1 notes from chord five are used (F and C in clarinet 7 and C and A in clarinet 8 and so on. Here, it is important to note that the notes from each chord only sound with notes from the same chord, no overlapping of notes is heard.This is a contrast to what happens later in the piece. Later in the piece, tonal blurring occurs which means that the notes from different chords (chords IV and V) sound at the same which results in a slightly dissonant blurred harmony. There is a good example of this at bar 22 on the penultimate semiquaver beat: The live clarinet and clarinet 3 are playing an E and clarinet 6 is playing a B, these notes partly make up chord four. Also, on this same beat, clarinet 1 is playing an A# and clarinet 4 is playing an F# whic h make up chord 5. Because these notes sound together, the notes that are heard together is B, E, F#, A#. Some of these notes are from chord four and some chord five which results in the blurred tonality because they sound simultaneously. The reason that this tonal blurring occurs is because of phasing which is the process of adding a rest before or after the ostinati pattern. In this example, the live clarinet and clarinet six are one beat out of phase (crotchet rest at the beginning of bar 17) which means the ostinati pattern (C#, B, G#, E) now starts a beat later than it did in bar 1. (unclear)Another tonal device that Reich uses in NYC is the pulsating chords found at bar 27 in clarinets 7, 8, 9 and bass clarinet 10. Here, Reich adds extra dissonances to the chords. For example, on the last two semi quaver beats of bar 27 the notes that are heard are F# (cl7), B# (cl8), D# (b. Cl 9) and a C# in the bass clarinet 10. The notes make up the chord of B major (BD#F#) however the diss onance of a C# is added which creates unclear harmony. This dissonance is then extended when the chords change in bar 33. The notes heard are A#, D#, G# and E. These notes dont make up any conventional chord therefore, creating dissonance in the tonality.String quartet 8 by Shostakovich is a tonal work in the key of C minor, this can be deduced from the key signature and the accidentals of B natural. However, the C minor tonality is unclear and undermined from the start due to the different keys that each of the DSCH motives enter in. The cello enters in the key of C minor (D, Eb, C, Bnatural are all from the C minor scale.) The viola enters in the key of G minor (A natural, Bb, G and F# from G minor scale.) The 2nd violin enters in C minor (same notes as cello but an octave higher.) Finally, the 1st violin enters in bar 5 in the key of F minor (G, Ab, F, E natural all from F minor scale.)It is also interesting how Shostakovich uses all twelve notes of the chromatic scale by bar 6 w hich firstly shows no evidence for a diatonic nature in the melody but also links the piece (weakly) with serialist techniques.Although there is little strong evidence of functional tonality reflecting the arch form structure throughout the piece, there is an element of functional harmony found at the end of the first section. The first section (A) is from bars 1-27 (characterised by its contrapuntal exploration of the DSCH motif) and towards the end (from bars 24-26) there is a hint of a functional perfect cadence. This is because in bar 24 the notes used at beat 3 (lowest to highest on score) are: F, F, Ab, C. This makes up chord four in C minor.The next chord used is chord five in C minor at the beginning of bar 25, the notes uses are: G, D, Ab, Bnatural. This is a major version of chord five (G, B, D) with the Ab (that drops a tone to G in the 3rd beat of 25) acting as a 9-8 suspension. Finally, the chord used at the start of bar 26 is chord 1, the notes are C, C, G, C. However, there is the absence of the third note which shows whether the chord is a major or minor, so although the progression as gone IV, V, I (traditional, functional harmony) the functional harmony is not so strict because it is not a proper chord I used to finalise the cadence and section A.Another tonal device that Shostakovich uses is the presence of a double pedal note on notes one (C) and five (G) of C minor. This is found in the B section (bars 27-44) in the 2nd violin, viola and cello and lasts for 17 bars. Again, there is no 3rd to make the tonality of this double pedal major or minor, creating an ambiguous feeling by the use of bare, open fifths.Unlike NYC and Shostakovichs string quartet, Weberns Quartet is completely atonal. Its atonal because the piece is composed using serialist techniques. This means that Webern has created a tone row which is constructed from all 12 notes of the chromatic scale, not in order and none repeated. This has the effect of placing no importance o n a single note. The prime order tone row can be head in the tenor saxophone from bars 6-10.Because no importance is placed on a single note, it removes all the traditional and conventional elements that were laid out by 17th/18th/19th century tonality. The music isnt centred on the tonic, it has no key, it has no cadences and no deliberate harmonic chords that accompany a supporting melody. Although, there are chords they are simply a result of different perumatations of the cantus firums (prime row) overlapping, such as the climatic point at 22 and 23. In other words, any notes that sound together are not a result of deliberate harmony. There is no harmony in this work.However, it is still interesting how the structure of the Quartet is a traditional sonata form. Conventionally, a traditional sonata form would have made use of functional harmony with modulations and different keys for different sections. As previously stated, the Quartet does none of this therefore it is an exampl e of Webern using a traditional structure in a 20th century manner.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Malta Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Malta - Essay Example It indicates the general views that Malta is a transit country and the vast majority of migrants hope to reach other European countries rather than settle in the Islands. It also includes relevant statistical information on migration and the foreign population in the Maltese Islands. In the conclusion, it indicates possible future research development and alerts against the possible risks of limiting research to the topical issues of illegal immigration and border control for both economically and socially acceptable solutions. With an area of just over 300 square kilometers and a total population of 399,867 (Department of Information of the Maltese government, 2003), the Maltese Islands have been for several decades one of the most densely populated countries in the world, thus facing the problem of how to strike a balance between population growth and the limited economic resources of the country. During particular historical phases, the combination of overpopulation and unemployment resulted in the emigration of thousands of Maltese abroad. Since the 1980s, however, such emigration has slowed down and, over the past recent years, the flows have reverted with immigration being on the increase. Large scale emigration ha... Since the 1980s, however, such emigration has slowed down and, over the past recent years, the flows have reverted with immigration being on the increase. Large scale emigration has been a feature of Maltese life since the early years of the nineteenth century when, under British colonial rule, early efforts to encourage and assist Maltese to migrate began. The outflow started to develop on a more permanent basis during the two World Wars when the government established the Department of Emigration to manage the emigration flow (NSO 2003a). After the Second World War, Maltese emigration reached its peak. Government's efforts to facilitate it were intensified and turned migration into one of the main political answers to the country post-war economic hardship. In fact, in the aftermath of the war the economic conditions of the country had begun to take a down-turn and, consequently, many Maltese lost their jobs (i.e. the dockyard, which used to employ about 11,000 people, began gradually to wind down). Furthermore, a baby boom in the immediate post-war period, led to a net population growth of about 8000 people/year thus leading to a density of 1,158 people per km and a total population of nearly 350,000. As a consequence, in the late '40s and '50s, many Maltese began to leave the country and migrate abroad opening a new phase of massive and rapid migration. "Intensive propaganda was carried out to the squares of every town and village so much so that many had the impression that to solve their problems all they had to do was to pack their belongings and leave." (Attard 1997; p.2). As a matter of fact, from 1945 to 1979 around 140,000 men, women and children left the Maltese Islands with Australia, the UK, Canada, and the US

Friday, October 18, 2019

Environmental Scanning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Environmental Scanning - Essay Example Of all efforts, which are aimed at improving processes in an organisation, it is the alignment of the organisation with its environment that is the single most important to an organisation's success. Therefore, in an effort to align an organisation with its environment, it is very important that an organisation carries out environmental scanning and scenario planning. According to (Saxby, Parker, Nitse, & Dishman, 2002) environmental scanning is quite an involving process, which requires strategic planning, and the involvement of heavy resources to execute. Environmental scanning for any given business involves acquiring and using information surrounding key organizational events, market trends and other important trends as well as external relationships between an organisation and its partners, shareholders, as well as the customers (Aguillar, 1967). Environmental scanning is important in that the knowledge an organisation acquires from carrying out the process enables the organisation to carry out strategic planning especially in regard to how the organisation should respond to future challenges, respond to competitor activity as well as respond to the market environment. This is very important to any organisation considering that for an organisation long term planning is as important as the short term planning. Therefore failing to carry out a thorough environmental scanning is likely to result into loss of business for the company or in some cases losing out on market shares. Environmental scanning is important in that it positions the organisation to foresee future threats; an environmental scanning helps the organisation to identify future opportunities occasioned by political, economical as well as social factors. Unless the organisation is able to identify what the future holds for the company, it is very unlikely that such an organisation would continue satisfying its customers. Lack of proper environmental scanning results into loss of market share something, which can adversely affect organizational expansion and extension plans. Therefore environmental scanning should be carried in such a way so as to enable an organisation to face the future with certainty as well as plan the possible scenarios and course of action incase things do not work according to plan. Environmental scanning involves several steps, which include undirected viewing, conditioned viewing, enacting as well as searching (Kohn, 2005). Environment requires the correct analysis of the industry, which the organisation belongs to. Therefore viewing involves actual observation of the organisation activities, noting any difficult or challenging situations, which seem detrimental to the organizational success. Viewing enables an organisation to take note of environmental factors or issues, which require be looking at and resolved. Viewing is the right step, which results, into identification of environmental issues, which are a threat to the organisation, or on the other hand, viewing generates information or insight into opportunities in the market which if further analysed can present the organisation with greater avenues for growth. Undirected viewing according to (Aguillar, 1967) involves a situation whereby an organisation fails to invest the necessary

Charlotte Perkins Gilmanin The Yellow Wallpaper Essay

Charlotte Perkins Gilmanin The Yellow Wallpaper - Essay Example The same opposition can also be read in The Yellow Wallpaper when the narrator objected to the treatment by writing: â€Å"But I don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he is just like John and my brother, only more so!† Because she objected to the physician’s advice and treatment, Charlotte Perkins Gilman found herself recovering from her illness. Soon enough, she wrote the â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† in 1892 as a way of â€Å"rejoicing by the narrow escape† and â€Å"to reach Dr. S. Weir Mitchell and convince him of the error of his ways†. She admitted that she was â€Å"helped by a wise friend† to abandon the treatment and continue with her work. Later, in The Yellow Wallpaper, she described this person in the form of a woman who â€Å"creeps† behind the yellow wallpaper which enabled her to sink deeper into madness or liberation from her current condition. While there are feminist ideal s reflected in the story, it is mostly because of her experiences having grown up with women who thought of liberal ideas. For Gilman, the goal was to publicize the conditions of women suffering from postpartum depression during her time. The parallelism of Gilman’s life to that of the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper a testament that biographical interpretations of fictional works remain to be relevant because readers are able to have a closer interpretation of the writer's original intention in writing the story.

The globalisation of trade Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The globalisation of trade - Literature review Example For example, Starbuck was one American company which had coffee shops virtually in every corner of America before the introduction of globalization. Since their operations were saturated in America, they struggled a lot to find enough space in America for expansion. Globalization helped them to expand their operations to overseas countries. In short globalization helped international or cross cultural trade to increase a lot. Globalization of trade brought many opportunities and challenges. Some people argue that international trade helped countries to attract more foreign direct investments so that their economy started grow rapidly. They cite India and China like countries as examples to show how well a country can utilize globalization opportunities. In fact China opposed the â€Å"global economic order, political order and the major global institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank before the reforms started in China† (Overholt, 2005, p.3). However, they quickly reali zed the possibilities of global trade and globalization. It should be noted that these two most heavily populated countries in the world have been struggling for growth before the introduction of globalization. Their huge population size was a curse or barrier in front of their struggle for growth. However, globalization helped these countries to convert this population barrier into a blessing. In other words, these countries are currently the providers of manpower for international market in which manpower shortage is a big problem. â€Å"During 1997–2005, China’s average annual growth rate in real GDP was 8.9%. During the forecast period of 2005–2010, it was assumed that the PRC continued its historical growth trend of 8.9% per year† (Mai et al, 2010, p.5). Moreover, â€Å"the PRC’s exports increase by about 46%and imports by about 45% relative to their respective baseline levels in 2010†(Mai et al, 2010, p.7). According to Albert Keidel ( 2008), China’s economy will surpass that of the United States by 2035 and be twice its size by midcentury (Keidel, 2008). Indian economy also showed similar trends during the last few decades as a result of globalization of trade. The globalization of trade has assured the place of multi-national. It has been suggested that the role of such firms is to generate wealth, create work and raise the standard of living in the countries in which they operate. However, critics of globalization suggest that multi-national companies often exploit physical resources and take advantage of labor in countries where legal requirements may be less stringent than in their own countries. This paper critically discusses this statement providing arguments for and against the globalization of trade, taking India and China as major examples. Overview of economic growth in India and China It is often said that global wealth is currently shifting from the less heavily populated American and European regions to the more heavily populated Asian region because of globalization. The above argument seems to be correct when one would consider the economic statuses of India and China before the introduction of globalization. The standard of living and per capita income of Indians and Chinese people have increased a lot in the past few decades. Moreover, unemployment problems in these countries were come down a lot in the recent past. It should be noted that international

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Article _(Have Gun) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article _(Have Gun) - Essay Example As said thesis points out, the crafting of government policies has become a sticky process of compromises and negotiations that involve the three major institutions in the American political system: congressional committees/subcommittees, executive branch agencies and interest groups. Sometimes called by various names as policy subsystems, issue networks and iron triangle, the three entities function essentially by staking out a claim over a specific area of public concern. Politics come into play when the executive branch agencies or bureaucracies go out to compete for scarce resources in the policy making arena in a bid to establish and maintain a â€Å"policy domain.† Apart from being specialists or technocrats, present realities thus require that the bureaucrats be also consummate politicians. It was believed to be the politicians more than the technocrats in CDC in action when the bureaucratic agency started to stake out a claim over gun-related violence as its administrative domain in the early 1990s. The agency found as window of opportunity the growing concern of Americans about the corrosive effects of escalating violence caused by firearms. 1) Firearm-related violence is a public health issue. As such, this kind of violence is CDC’s legitimate domain owing to its expert knowledge in the health care arena. The problem needs to identify risk factors, to develop, test and implement appropriate interventions. Violence was defined as â€Å"the intentional use of physical force against another person or against oneself, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury or death.† It encompassed such acts as suicide, homicide, rape, assault and child or elder abuse which are intentional. 2) CDC has the necessary expertise in this area. Gun-related violence causes an estimated 35,000 deaths yearly in the US which translates into tremendous health care costs,

Welfare to work programs Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Welfare to work programs - Term Paper Example It is a requirement for any recipient of CalWORKs who is able-bodied to participate in the activities of the welfare in order to continue receiving support. There are many providers of these programs, for instance, voluntary organisations as well as private companies. They achieve this by securing contracts in order to find employment for the claimants. The payment largely depends on the results and the providers take the risk until they get the required results. The welfare for work law was put in place in order to limit the time one receives welfare, thus the need to participate in the welfare activities for 32 to 35 hours per week, for every week. The introduction of this new welfare system has sparked different and varying viewpoints and understanding of the informants of the program. The understanding of the informants about the policy differs greatly from that of the policy makers and the state administrators. The informants pointed out the numbers of positive outcomes and benefits of these programs. They pointed out that employment improves their self-image and their self-confidence. The fact that they are able to be productive a nd get a source of livelihood from it gave them as continues to give them a sense of achievement and purpose in life. Being employed makes them proud of themselves rather than just receiving welfare and support that they have not worked for. The informants also alluded to the fact that the employment programs they receive help them provide materially for their families. They are able to pay for their bills, as well as buy material possessions for themselves and their children. Informants have also highlighted the fact that the day care programs helped their children gain proper socialization. Moreover, they were contented with the fact that working made them value the little time that they spend with their children. In nut-shell informants view the employment programs in terms of the concrete benefits that

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The globalisation of trade Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The globalisation of trade - Literature review Example For example, Starbuck was one American company which had coffee shops virtually in every corner of America before the introduction of globalization. Since their operations were saturated in America, they struggled a lot to find enough space in America for expansion. Globalization helped them to expand their operations to overseas countries. In short globalization helped international or cross cultural trade to increase a lot. Globalization of trade brought many opportunities and challenges. Some people argue that international trade helped countries to attract more foreign direct investments so that their economy started grow rapidly. They cite India and China like countries as examples to show how well a country can utilize globalization opportunities. In fact China opposed the â€Å"global economic order, political order and the major global institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank before the reforms started in China† (Overholt, 2005, p.3). However, they quickly reali zed the possibilities of global trade and globalization. It should be noted that these two most heavily populated countries in the world have been struggling for growth before the introduction of globalization. Their huge population size was a curse or barrier in front of their struggle for growth. However, globalization helped these countries to convert this population barrier into a blessing. In other words, these countries are currently the providers of manpower for international market in which manpower shortage is a big problem. â€Å"During 1997–2005, China’s average annual growth rate in real GDP was 8.9%. During the forecast period of 2005–2010, it was assumed that the PRC continued its historical growth trend of 8.9% per year† (Mai et al, 2010, p.5). Moreover, â€Å"the PRC’s exports increase by about 46%and imports by about 45% relative to their respective baseline levels in 2010†(Mai et al, 2010, p.7). According to Albert Keidel ( 2008), China’s economy will surpass that of the United States by 2035 and be twice its size by midcentury (Keidel, 2008). Indian economy also showed similar trends during the last few decades as a result of globalization of trade. The globalization of trade has assured the place of multi-national. It has been suggested that the role of such firms is to generate wealth, create work and raise the standard of living in the countries in which they operate. However, critics of globalization suggest that multi-national companies often exploit physical resources and take advantage of labor in countries where legal requirements may be less stringent than in their own countries. This paper critically discusses this statement providing arguments for and against the globalization of trade, taking India and China as major examples. Overview of economic growth in India and China It is often said that global wealth is currently shifting from the less heavily populated American and European regions to the more heavily populated Asian region because of globalization. The above argument seems to be correct when one would consider the economic statuses of India and China before the introduction of globalization. The standard of living and per capita income of Indians and Chinese people have increased a lot in the past few decades. Moreover, unemployment problems in these countries were come down a lot in the recent past. It should be noted that international

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Welfare to work programs Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Welfare to work programs - Term Paper Example It is a requirement for any recipient of CalWORKs who is able-bodied to participate in the activities of the welfare in order to continue receiving support. There are many providers of these programs, for instance, voluntary organisations as well as private companies. They achieve this by securing contracts in order to find employment for the claimants. The payment largely depends on the results and the providers take the risk until they get the required results. The welfare for work law was put in place in order to limit the time one receives welfare, thus the need to participate in the welfare activities for 32 to 35 hours per week, for every week. The introduction of this new welfare system has sparked different and varying viewpoints and understanding of the informants of the program. The understanding of the informants about the policy differs greatly from that of the policy makers and the state administrators. The informants pointed out the numbers of positive outcomes and benefits of these programs. They pointed out that employment improves their self-image and their self-confidence. The fact that they are able to be productive a nd get a source of livelihood from it gave them as continues to give them a sense of achievement and purpose in life. Being employed makes them proud of themselves rather than just receiving welfare and support that they have not worked for. The informants also alluded to the fact that the employment programs they receive help them provide materially for their families. They are able to pay for their bills, as well as buy material possessions for themselves and their children. Informants have also highlighted the fact that the day care programs helped their children gain proper socialization. Moreover, they were contented with the fact that working made them value the little time that they spend with their children. In nut-shell informants view the employment programs in terms of the concrete benefits that

High school education Essay Example for Free

High school education Essay We can all say education is a big requisite in life, but do we really spend the appropriate time to it? . We sure not†¦, at least I didn’t for a couple of years. Freshman year on high school could be hat year you would never forget. Becomes a new life style, met new people, new hobbies, and new interests. Basically turns out to your biggest change in life. My high school education could of say it was more fun and adventurous than those kids who actually are focus to graduate with a high GPA, get an efficient scholarship, and attend to a reputable university. I started out my freshman year good. I was attending to class, participating and doing class work, I was doing homework. I had no problems, then after my freshman year was over I had many friends that I was expected. Then I got to meet my true friends which I still hang out and do crazy stuff. My sophomore and junior year I went out of control laterally. I never was in school, just to go get my free lunch because, who didn’t liked to be in lunch? Right. To be clearer, anywhere was a better place than school. Yeah I had so much fun, memories than I would never forget, unexpected trips, water balloons fights, ride horsing, and four wheeling, ditching parties, even run away from cops. But like how it needed to happened, it happened. My slacking in grades would be known eventually by my mom. There’s one thing that I’ll be always glad for, I have the most overprotective mom in the world. Her reaction was immediately that the next day she knew about I was not going to school, she was there talking to the principle asking him to make a stop of it. All the trouble that I was into, and all the talks my mom and I had, it made my mind expand to reality and to convince myself that I was not doing good in school and that would affect my future. I catch up my senior year picking up my GPA and grades to proudly get thehigh school education and be able to register at CNM. College is a different level than high school by too much. Here you cannot take the risk to slack not even a little. If you slack not showing up, or not turning homework, grades are really affected. College has help me to raise myself as an adult and take proprieties first. That you are who build your future, that hard work always pays off. I’m thankful to attend to college.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Ethnomethodology And Interactionism

Ethnomethodology And Interactionism Ehnomethododolgy and interactionism have been two of the most emerging social theorys to come up from the 20th century. Interactionism was the one that initially started it with the emergence of Meade in the 1920s who emerged with a style of being pragmatism as its main core argument as well as analysis how we socially act with teaches other. Herbet blumer worked on Meade theory and he created symbolic interactionism through it. With their main aim of it being what is behind the subjective theory of humans, the social process and being pragmatic, this theory has then led to several divisions created throughout they include Phenomenology, Social Action, and Ethnomethodology. The view of ethno has created the biggest difference and has been viewed as analysis people everyday life and how people act which defines there social order and therefore it will be used to document to how the world works and operate unlike many other theorys not interested in putting people in separate reality o f using extreme types of cases. In addition the Ethnomethodology can be viewed as members of society must have some shared methods that they use to mutually construct the meaningful orderliness of social situations and that it differs from normal sociology as viewed what is important is the procedures over which social society is created One of the things that interactionist sociologists are different to macro sociologist such as functionalist and Marxist conflict theories. This can be viewed as the way they look at how the individuals act in situations instead of just analysing how they react to a social stimulant. In addition they tend to look at how different social actors understand the behaviour of theirs is significant as a way of understanding in the way social world constructed. One of these differences can be shown in the difference where etnomethodologist tend to be highly indifferent to subjective methods of research as not really thinking that they correctly define human behaviour in the manner they like. In terms of contrast to the normal style of sociology the ethno view doesnt attempt to make an theory or methodological appeal In addition does not view its subjective states as an individual or group of individual as well will refuse to use concept view such as value states, sentiments , goal-orientations as a way of referring to any types of actor or other actors. Therefore for an ethnomethodologistss the way in which you can fully realise social scenes is when the actual location would be under inspection. Therefore the role is to describe the personality of these activities not just accounting as just a person in a particular location but instead look at what happens , how it happens and why these moment tends be different . A difference between the two would be the use of symbols whereby interactionist tend to assume that the truth of symbols are then interpreted by various actor in social while ethno deliberately avoids these assumption to describe social scene and do not think symbol are necessarily used as constants in social scenes. One of the things that make ethnomethodology unique is the method behind its research is different as it tends to look at practical reasons and how that is different compared to the domain of talking interaction or other constituent activity system which believe are very limited and only get a small amounts of research through it . In addition they look in methodological research and how tends be viewed through either ethno-graphic or quasi-experiment which are different to the usual analysis of conversation and look at audio and video recording of on-going interaction. They believe methods of interviews are fake and dont really give the most fairest way of analysis human behaviour as also think can be based on false assumption such as camaridie in the interview which be viewed differently by the parties but it could lead to giving less accurate results. In addition one of the most important thing for the Interactions is how they analyse peoples social life , instead of the functional objective macro-organised structure of the social system where everyone has a place and just a certain role. This is important as it fits in with the interactionist philosophy of their theoretical perspective on the image of humans instead of just analysing society and viewing how that defines. Instead human are pragmatic actors who must continually change their behaviour to be able to respond to other actor and that the only way they we can adjust is because we have the power to interpret them either through symbolic ways or could be linguistic methods through those abilities able to adjust to respond accordingly. This is then enhanced by the way we can imaginatively rehearse other ways of action before to attempt to act. This is then aided by the ability to think and then react to our actions even viewing are selves at times as the symbolic objects. T herefore the interactionist theorist would view human as active, creative participants, who define and make the social world not just conformist passive players in this social world. One of the major differences would be how they both tend to view the difference in role taking It tends to be a key role in the method of interaction whereby it allows take other people views and how their actions lead us to interact in a certain way. Furthermore in other times interactions tend to look at improvisational use of rules where the social situation isnt working well which means then human change their role to try and improve the experience. However a ethno view is that they would prefer to go analyse their research through looking at different ways that people express themselves in conversation and the way that these methods are managed. In addition the way interactionist seem to learn is through participant observation whereby instead of just looking at survey and interview instead they will view that what makes it important is looking how they act in there day to day life and how being immersed in the live is the best way of being able to understand why people commit their action and how the process of the situation is communicated through the interaction. Therefor while they will be very close in terms of contact as a consequence they are explicit over how what they learned from the person can alter their views and thinking but will be objective when it comes to conducting the research One of the criticisms ethnomethodologistss have over the interactionist approach is that they believed that there tends to be an over reliance on the cognitive system approach . There logic is that normal people tend to grasp just normal situations and that is all they process, however when there is a specific event with horrific sequence they start thinking about their pre-conscious state which leads them to disrupt there normal pattern of social interaction in addition the ethno group believe that this only a temporary problem and very quickly will be to allowed to enable normal social interaction again with just a bit of work However in certain methods there tends to be certain similar aspects if you look at how they tend to be linked to a certain degree over the interactionist concern with the role of abnormality within the studies of social group and social relationships. Usually interactionist tend to look at the method of organization which stresses how positions in place work tend to be defined by its inherent informal structure. Therefore this had led to a view created by (Hughes, 1956) that beside every task division of labor rests a moral hierarchy of positions which dictate how per-sons are to relate. Therefore when usually this a study into the social organisations the interactionist will tend to look at how the social organization start with a formal structure and how that progress through a variety of different views and ideas which then as a consequence redefine those initial structures . These view on the structure complement the ethnomethodologistss which also emphasis that a formal struct ure cant be ignored and they are vital fundamental for social relationships. Furthermore ethnomethodologistss major view in this regard in this topic is that the productions of sociologist are similar to those in everyday life. They get to there point through a couple of ways, one of those tends to be tend that sociologists main concern is the affairs of the general people in the social order . Therefore when they start with their initial test they create a certain boundaries and certain rules which will define their method however during these test they will find throughout it anomalys or that the statistical test is not accurate or that what they observe does not actually fit in with their initial hypothesis or central concept . So therefore when they try to make there concept work with their hypothesis they will tend to rely on the documentary style of analysis whereby they look at there earlier view of daily interaction and look at how to help them reach a hypothesis The two views can also have fault lines in what they necessarily try to find as an interactionist are far more concerned with normal common sense question about how we live our lives , while the ethnomethodologistss tries to analysis on the meaning of the social and look at what behind what we all do . One of the major differences can be viewed between how language is differently viewed between the two ideologies as for the interactions language can be viewed as submitting signs of the person that represent the central aspect of the social life; while for the ethnomethodologistss it can be pointed to the person as a way of being the standard reality and how it is explained A criticism that has been used towards interactionism from the ehthno has come towards the Blumer approach and their assessment over how they failed to accurate describe how the social process in the vein that there was a total gloss on the usual human social interaction especially demanding that there should be a place for the minute description of behaviour especially language behaviour instead of the constant reference to mind or self , society which where conceptual goals coming from which then used the prepared account of the social life in the method of Blumer. Therefore it while there are similarities between interactionist and the ethnomethodologists especially as ethnomethodology would not be able to exist without interactionism as that is what started this brand of sociology which went against the functional sociologist style of before such as structuralism , functionalism , Marxism it started then as a new breed of sociology and ethnomethodology became a branch of it like Phenomenology did as well . Therefore whatever the difference will be there central point will always be very similar to each other .

Sunday, October 13, 2019

A Study of Winter Poetry Essay -- Environment, Winter, Spring

I chose to study winter poetry because I often focus on the cold and harsh conditions, rather than the beauty present. These poems are excellent in making one see past the bleakness, and toward the magnificence of the dazzling light. The beginnings of both â€Å"Winter† and â€Å"The Winter’s Spring† mention the loneliness and coldness of winter. This helps the audience find common ground with the poet, since it is easier to see winter as ugly rather than beautiful. In â€Å"The Winter’s Spring†, â€Å"The winter comes; I walk alone† (1), asks the audience to follow as no one, but the author believes the in the beauty of winter. â€Å"I want no bird to sing† (2) sounds hostile and reclusive, and is reinforced as the author claims to keep his heart his own. Already, the audience views the author as a cold and unloved being. Instead, the following stanzas contrast with the first, and winter is compared to spring. Nature imagery, like â€Å"the foliage of the woods† (25) and a white dove’s caring wing are likened to winter. In the poem, the foliage covering the bare trees is the snow, as is the white dove’s wing gently covering everything.  "The Winter’s Spring† also uses words that create a heavenly image, like the â€Å"Christmas rose† (also known as the Lenten rose), â€Å"white†, â€Å"piercing light†, â€Å"dazzled†, and â€Å"white dove† (7,16, 17,22). This contrasts with the audience’s initials views of a lonely and hostile winter, instead suggesting winter emulates the look of heaven. Likewise, the poem â€Å"Winter† starts with a violent mood, filled with negative connotations: â€Å"Clouded with snow/ The cold winds blow,/ and shrill on leafless bough/ The robin with its burning breast/ Alone sings now† (1-5). There is sensory and sound imagery of a cold snowstorm, and of a bird singing... ...ly to â€Å"Winter†, except that the negative connotations are confined to the first three lines out of thirty, rather than over a third of the poem. Thus, a far greater amount of the poem is used in praise of winter and the remainder is the author gushing over the beauty of winter, by using it as a metaphor to spring. He never wants spring to come, because the winter’s spring is better. Examples include the â€Å"snow-white meadows† and the â€Å"White Easter of the year in bud† (18,27), with meadows, Easter and flower buds all commonly associated with spring and rebirth, not winter. The recurring and repetitive comparisons in this poem effectively assert the magnificence of winter. Both of these poems effectively persuade the audience, by first acknowledging the ugliness of winter, but then using common and varied devices like contrast and imagery to praise winter’s beauty.