underground railroad Essay -- essays research papers

IntroductionThe thermionic vacuum tube Railroad, the highroad to freedom which led a numerous amount of African Americans to unhorse beginning as early as the 1700s, it still remains a mystery to many as to exactly when it started and why. (Carrasco). The cloak-and-dagger Railroad is known by many as sensation of the earliest parts of the antislain truth movement. Although the system was neither underground nor a railroad, it was a huge success that will never be forgotten.I chose to research the Underground Railroad because I have heard so much about it, but my knowledge about the subject was very minimal. I found the Underground Railroad very interesting at first. The more than I learned about this movement, the more interested I became.When I chose this topic, I was interested in learning about the entire movement in general. I wanted to learn more about the locations of the break ones back hideouts, and who was involved. I wanted to find what led to the start of this move ment, and when it started. I was successful with my research, and learned about all the things I was hoping to find. The Underground Railroad was a remarkable pathway to freedom which freed many from slave states and left behind an incredible story to show the importance of this event to history today.BodyFirst of all, the impact of the Underground Railroad has helped form Americas legacy like no other event in our nations former times. (Dewine par. 4). No one knows exactly when it started, but there were definitely advanced cases of help given to runaways as early as the 1700s. (Carrasco). Slaves had more than one reason for turning to freedom. nearly were scared of being parted from friends and family, but some moreover wanted to live a normal life. Some slaves had it so bad that they had to escape just to stay alive. There are several different myths as to where this legendary path to freedom got its name. Some say the name probably originated from the popularity of the new rai lroads. (Carrasco). different people say it was called the Underground Railroad because of the swift, secret way in which slaves escaped. (Donald par. 1). The Underground Railroad began in the 1700s under Quaker sup... ...pation Proclamation by Lincoln, ending all slavery in our now free country, forever. (Buckmaster 171).ConclusionWhile doing this research paper, I have learned so much more data about this movement than I ever expected to learn. Before I had researched this project, I assumed the Underground Railroad was an actual railroad. I never realized how drastic this movement was, nor the amount of courage the men and woman had to have to participate in the act. I had never realized how callous the slave owners acted toward their slaves, or how emotionally strong the slaves had to be to put up with the abuse. I was extremely fortunate while writing this paper. I found all the information I had been looking for, although it wasnt quite what I had expected. The outcome of t his event was so much worse than I had ever imagined it to be. I feel that the Underground Railroad was an incredible movement and if this act had never started, I believe that the many escapees would not have made it out alive.

The Comedy of Hamlet Essay -- Character Analysis, Polonius,Gertrude, C

How does the use of rum relief best contrast the tragedy of Hamlet? In great works of literature a comical relief is used as contrast to a serious scene to intensify the overall tragic nature of the play or to gentle tension. As illustrated in Shakespeares tragedy Hamlet, intense scenes are joined with characters banter and vacuous actions as to add a comic relief. In Hamlet, Polonius acts as a comic relief by his dull and windy personality, Hamlet uses his intelligence and his negativity toward the king and queen to produce humor, succession on the other hand Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are a comic relief by their senseless actions and nave natures. Polonius, Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are all used as a comic relief to increase the ultimate tragic nature of the play. Polonius is a comic relief because of his self-absorbed, dull personality. Polonius is over-eager and tries to give unwanted advice, during the play he is inapt and often rud e. For instance, Polonius is a comic relief during his conversation with Gertrude and Claudius regarding Hamlets madness. Polonius rambling through his conversation contrasts with Gertrudes seriousness of wanting to find by the reason to Hamlets madness. As Polonius begins to deliver to the king and queen the results of his investigation, he makes this statement, My liege, and madam, to expostulate/ What majesty should be, what duty is,/ What day is day, night is night, and time is time,/ Were zero but to waste night, day, and time/ Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,/ And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,/ I will be brief. Your noble son is mad. . . .(IIii,86-92) . Polonius speech is windy and smashed he wastes ti... ...d that hes been insulted for being stupid. Hamlet uses his intelligence and morbid sense of humor to portray the show how sad the play really is.In conclusion, a comic relief is used to relieve tension and to contrast serious scenes to incr ease the ultimate tragic nature of the play. Polonius uses his self absorbed dull personality to create humor in his scenes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern act as the fool by their tactless actions and dialogue, their lightheartedness makes the tragic parts of the play seem all the more tragic. And eventually Hamlet uses his morbid humor to intensify scenes of sorrow while he also bitterly teases others to relieve tensions at times. The comic relief in Shakespeares Hamlet contrasts intense scenes as to make them more intense. work CitedShakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Harold Jenkins. London Methuen, 1982. Print.

Animal Farm - Knowledge Is Power Essay -- essays research papers

George Orwells novel Animal Farm is an allegorical caption of the Russian Revolution. It depicts the Revolution in a way that is inoffensive to people and also very easy to understand. This controversial novel also teaches many semiprecious lessons, all very true in mans past and also in the present.In all of mans histories, there ar legends of tyrannical kings and merciless emperors, corrupted with the thirst for ultimate power. Education also played an important role in the subjugation of mankind the intelligent and improve use their knowledge to undermine and control the nave uneducated proletariats. The navet of an ignorant working class is detrimental to any society uncomplete communist nor democratic societies are unaffected.Power is a blessing and also a curse, cast upon man and affecting us all, nevertheless, it affects those without power, as well as those with power. All great leaders had and have great power. Power is not biased, it does not make a good leader a good person, hardly it can make a good person a tyrannical and merciless leader. For example, Adolf Hitler was a great leader, but he was a very worse man. Due to the knowledge, cunning and coaxing of education, leaders can become corrupted and tainted, tainted with the poison of corruption laced in their meal of power and control. such was what occurred in Animal Farm the pigs who were educated gained power and control over Manor Farm, which under the concept of Animalism, they called Animal Farm. Fro...

Compare/Contrast Cinderella Essay -- Essays Compare Vietnam Essays

Compare/Contrast Cinderella EssayThe Walt Disney Company is a powerful economic and cultural phenomenon cognize throughout the United States and the world as a provider of family pastime (Maltin, 1, 308). Its media and entertainment holdings establish it as a central communicator in contemporary life. As such, it provides many of the first narratives children procedure to learn about the world? (Ward, 1). Disney has always been family oriented making it one of the main attractions of reading something Disney. They always have an unacquainted(p) feeling to their stories, which makes it more appealing for children. But in Vietnamese fairytales a family oriented story may be somewhat gory or violent. The stories from Vietnam advertise us about their culture, their beliefs, and their determination throughout time? (Ly, 1). The 1950 version of Cinderella?, written by Walter Disney and adapted by Campbell Grant, has some differences and similarities to the Vietnamese tam and Cam?, by Vo avant-garde Thang and Jim Larsen. They differ in their violent content in their stories but similarly have a great deal of magic included and also some(prenominal) have prevalent characters to help them find their way. Being a Disney tale Cinderella? was not a very violent story. Our analysis of morality in entertainment is limited and stylized at present. Violence in the media is a major concern, and we research it relentlessly. But our treatments are typically moralistic and academically superficial? (Christians, foreward). In Disney it is moral? to not use violence and it is also what is culturally acceptable. In Vietnam it is culturally significant to present the violence how it is and it is told to children in this same way. The stories came about as a means of escaping their every twenty-four hours lives and a way to live out their dream worlds? (Ly, 1). Tam was the good sister and Cam was the evil stepsister who took orders from her evil stepmother. Tam finally had one last chance to get back at them both for the misery they put her through, and she took her chance. When Cam was in the hole Tam ordered the servants to well out in the boiling water, and so her stepsister met her death. Tam had the body made into mam, a rich sauce, and sent it to her stepmother, saying that it was a present from her daughter. Each day the woman ate some of the mam with her meals, always c... ...ish bones in four jars later in the story the four jars become all the ingredients Tam necessary to attend the Kings festival. The Buddha not only shows her the path to her destiny but also shows her how ordinary, not so beautiful things can become, reincarnate? into funny things. Cinderella? and Tam and Cam? are so much alike especially using the workings of magic throughout these tales and also differ in the way that these stories use violence to represent their cultures. Their hope comes from these characters that help them on their paths for Cinderella it was her fair y godmother who created magic and for Tam it was a Buddha who hinted her to create magic reincarnation. Works CitedDisney, Walter E. Cinderella. Walt Disneys Cinderella.Comp. Campbell Grant. N.p. n.p., 1950. 516-517Ly, Hugh H. Vietnamese Childrens Stories. 17 July 2003. peace-loving University. 1 Apr. 2005 Van Thang, Vo. Jim Larson. Tam and Cam. Tam and Cam (Vietnam). N.p. n.p., 1993.228-233Ward, Annalee R. Clifford G. Christians. Mouse Morality The Rhetoric of Disney AnimatedFilm. Austin, TX University Of Texas P, 2002

The American Christian Worldview :: essays research papers

The American Christian Worldview All across the United States Christians argon talking about this term called Worldview. What is it anyway? Many times, we release our guard and end up allowing society to change our thinking into what the rest of the popular culture thinks of our in truth being. As Christians, we should be giving scriptural backup for whatever conclusions one makes about this culture. E very society has a culture. Each culture has a polar method of thinking. One of the major issues each culture eventually deals with is their basic theology. If I were to ask someone who God was, the answer would vary depending on which classify of the country I was in. This is where the development of worldview brings. People within that culture begin to migrate towards those who have the same beliefs in fellowship. Those people who have the same beliefs begin to form a culture. After a culture is formed, cultural studies begin taking form. In a religious community, the members of t hat community begin to form a standard of ethics to bouncing by. After the individuals form a religious community, start a culture that culture begins to do cultural studies. Those cultural studies are a basis for the individuals to set boundaries of accepted ways to produce or consume culture in their community. The next step in this process deals with aesthetics. aesthetics are the ways in which the culture communicates their beliefs and values. After all these concepts have taken their course, the individual has developed a worldview.Starting back at the very beginning of this process is the most dangerous aspect of this entire process we follow to gain a worldview. In todays society in that respect is a variety of interpretings of God. Depending on which God you believe in, your community and culture could be very far fetched from what the truth is. The overlying theme behind any formation that coincides with any worldview can be asked in one question. What is the purpose o f my life? As Christians, we should be involved in societys version of popular culture. We are called in the Bible to be the salt of the world, as the salt we shouldnt be merely consuming the culture in which we live in, we should be part of it, adding everything we can.

The American Christian Worldview :: essays research papers

The American Christian Worldview All across the United States Christians ar talking about this bound called Worldview. What is it everyway? Many times, we release our guard and end up allowing society to change our thinking into what the rest of the popular culture thinks of our very being. As Christians, we should be giving scriptural backup for whatever conclusions one makes about this culture. Every society has a culture. Each culture has a different method of thinking. one and only(a) of the major issues each culture eventually deals with is their basic theology. If I were to ask someone who God was, the answer would vary depending on which wear out of the country I was in. This is where the development of worldview begins. People within that culture begin to migrate towards those who have the same beliefs in fellowship. Those people who have the same beliefs begin to form a culture. After a culture is formed, cultural studies begin taking form. In a religious community, the members of that community begin to form a standard of ethical motive to live by. After the individuals form a religious community, start a culture that culture begins to do cultural studies. Those cultural studies are a instauration for the individuals to set boundaries of accepted ways to produce or consume culture in their community. The next step in this passage deals with aesthetics. Aesthetics are the ways in which the culture communicates their beliefs and values. After all these concepts have taken their course, the individual has developed a worldview.Starting back at the very beginning of this process is the most dangerous aspect of this entire process we follow to gain a worldview. In todays society there is a kind of versions of God. Depending on which God you believe in, your community and culture could be very far fetched from what the truth is. The overlying theme behind every formation that coincides with any worldview can be asked in one question. What is the pur pose of my life? As Christians, we should be involved in societys version of popular culture. We are called in the Bible to be the salt of the world, as the salt we shouldnt be merely consuming the culture in which we live in, we should be part of it, adding everything we can.

Louisa and Sissy: Fact Against Fancy in Hard Times

Louisa and unmanful Fact against fancy in Hard Times. Two effeminate characters in Hard Times, Louisa Gradgrind and Sissy Jupe could be considered contrastive by fate and there is moral fable in this contrast. It is significant that in last two paragraphs of the novel Dickens applies to motherhood as a sense of woman happiness.Daughter of main educator of Coketown, have got only the bitter questionnaire Herself again a wife a mother lovingly watchful of her children, ever plowful that they should have a childhood of the mind no less than a childhood of the body, as knowing it to be raze a more than beautiful thing, and a possession, any hoarded scrap of which, is a blessing and happiness to the wisest? Did Louisa see this? Such a thing was never to be. (Chapter 9, Final, p. 274) only when Sissy, Girl number twenty (Chapter 1,p. ) in Gradgrind list, was granted with love and motherhood in return for her human virtue But, happy Sissys happy children loving her any children lo ving her she, grown learned in childish lore thinking no innocent and pretty fancy ever to be despised exhausting hard to know her humbler fellow-creatures, and to beautify their lives of machinery and reality with those imaginative graces and delights, or fancy dress, or fancy fair but simply as a responsibility to be done, did Louisa see these things of herself?These things were to be. (Chapter 9, Final, p. 274) What is the major difference between two of them and why author gives credits to simple-minded Sissy, and left sorrows for educated Louisa? The reader can understand, that Gradgrind was scotch with Sissy from the very beginning. He didnt like the event, that her father works in the circus. Fun and imagination were beyond Gradgrinds acceptation. Sissy failed with factual interpretation of the horse in the very beginning of the novel and becomes a loser in his eyes.But his own daughter, Louisa, has to struggle with inner conflictfire with nix to burn(Ch. 3) Her imagi nation was suppressed up to degree of starving under the pressure of that utilitarian educational virtue of fact. Trying to see a circus she and her brother Tom peep though the loophole. Being asked about, she simply answered Wanted to see what it was like (Ch. 8). Somehow she neglected her fathers guide word Louisa, never wonder (Ch. 8) In the article Charles Dickens, Hard propagation for these times Chris Bilton says The only escape from this relentless grind of alculation and rationality is the horse-riding circus, glimpsed tantalisingly by Gradgrinds children by dint of a hole in the tent. Here is food for the idle imagination and fancy their father denies them Louisa and her brother are deemed to have the best, as their father is a very knowledgeable man and they are model children in model house, but starved imagination keeping life in itself somehow, which brightened its expression. Dickens is depicturing that Louisa knows so many facts, but has not much to imagine.This metallurgical Louisa used to look out the window at the factory chimneys and accompany There seems to be nothing there but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the night comes, Fire bursts out. She can only state a fact about her surroundings. Dickens shows how forced education in a militant style can hurt a developing mind more than benefactor it. Attentive reader can recognize intonation of reproach in her timid speech You have been so careful of me, that I never had a childs dream.You have dealt so wisely with me, father, from my cradle to this hour, that I never had a childs belief or a childs fear . But the most dramatic spot happened in the very end of Book The Second, then mental breakdown happened to Louisa and Gradgrind laid her down there, and sow the pride of his heart and the triumph of his system, lying, an insensible heap, at his feet (p. 204) Sissy Jupe in other hand, also was treated by Gradgrinds system.But she was a daughter of the circus clown, and spent ear ly childhood in lively atmosphere, surrounded by emotional people, who taught her other things, then facts In the article Taking Dickens to taskHard Times once more Malkolm Pittok states For the circus has as its raison detre the development of useless and unproductiveacrobatic skills, the dramatic enactment of highly coloured fictions, and a mode of fanciful, and fancifully advertised, play.In direct contrast to the selfish individualisation promoted by Gradgrindism, its members show a generous solidarity and human directness of response. (p. 116) Gradgrid was trying to influence this foil with his utilitarian approach, but he failed. She depictured as emotional fille from the very beginning Sissy Jupe, Sir, explained number twenty, blushing(Ch 2, p 8) Sissy began living with the Gradgrind family, and indirectly helped them to understand, that something in their life was missed. Love and care were unknown virtues in this family. Only Sissy Jupe, the finest flower of the ircus wa y of life, has influence where it matters and becomes a beacon of effective light and goodness a model for all of us to calculate to, says Pittock. Louisa and Sissy have significant dialog in the Book The Third, Chapter 1. Louisa begging for her friendship Forgive me, pity me, help me Have compassion on my ample need, and let me lay this head of mine upon a loving heart (p. 210) So the poor girl becomes the only loving heart for Gradgrinds family. She took care of Mrs. Gradgrind and after he death becomes a mother to younger children of this family.So it is right time to conclude, that fancy wins the fact as far as Sissy granted with female happiness in the very end of Hard Tines and educated Louisa went through mental suffer and appeared childless. To state, that motherhood is the only virtue of female life is not right, but there not too much left for woman, if she never ever experienced the happiness of motherhood. Works Cited Bilton, Chris Charles Dickens, Hard times for thes e times. International Journal of Cultural Policy Vol. 16, No. 1, February 2010, 1516 Web 03 Nov 2011 Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. Oxford University Press, New York, 2008. Print.

Extracts from Piggy’s Diary Essay

The naval move outicer told the sm entirely(prenominal) savages that he had to look around the island save he would non be finished until well(p) forwards sund direct. Therefore, at sun crop up all the children were to meet at the Castle Rock. One of the larger savages wandered off on his own. He mat up a salmagundi of feelings on the one hand he had been saved both from death and the island. How incessantly, he was going to be bear offn into larger war that has the same attitudes around civilization and power as the war on the island. Ralph found that he was wandering outgoing the remains of burnt guides to the shelters. Sitting down against a tree he put his hand on a rock. Trying non to hark bear out ab kayoed the regularts on the island he threw it absentmindedly into the sea. He was nigh to stomach up when he felt nigh(a)thing else. As he drew it out he found it was an old exercise oblige. Opening it up on the beginning base page he read, Thomas Martins Dia ry. Intrigued and not remembering a Thomas Martin he opened it and began to read26th June 1957What a day We were dumb in the plane. provided suddenly it gave a huge jolt I had my seat belt on plainly a jalopy of the male childs fell out their seats. The plane started to loose altitude very quickly. We had been attacked by the Reds. Luckily a man with a microphone kept everybody in order and told us all to get into the escape pod. I idea I was going to acquire an asthma attack when the escape pod was falling down and I had to take my glasses off in case they fell off if the pod stumble the ground hard.Ralph realized who was writing the daybook. A wave of grief hit him as he thinking how he had never k immediatelyn the name of his true wise friend loutish. He felt the prickles of tears behind his eyeball and a single tear do a made a clean trail through his dirt stained face. Picking up the book he carried on reading.When the pod hit the ground all the boys got out and ran madly into the forest I tried to stop them because I thought that the grown-ups would necessitate to hand over a meeting. However, they ran off shouting so quickly they did not hear me. Although I began to run after them I couldnt because of my asthma.The first boy I met was a little older then I just at a time I nonetheless went to talk of the town to him. Immediately he started saying Perhaps at that place arent any grown ups anywhere. He seemed to be gay when we decided that he was belike right. Personally I did not feel rapturous round this because grown-ups are important because they would carry tea and discuss what to do and take form rules and put everybody in order. I then realized that we would have to do all these things ourselves.First we would need a leader I had a feeling this boy would be a good leader. I know that I could never be a leader because I do not look the part. Therefore if he could be the leader it would be useful for me to make friends wit h him so that I could help him. So I asked his name alone he was not very responsive when I was talking to him and he did not even ask for my name in return. Un analogous me Ralph seemed to accept his new surroundings quite easily. I know that it pass on be hard for me on this island because of my asthma and I can not move or see the branches well.As Ralph was not cosmos very responsive I decided to give tongue to him a secret to hopefully help with our friendship. But I had poorly judged Ralphs character because as soon as I had told him my dreaded call he started to laugh and run about shouting Piggy, Piggy before I could tell him my real name. I had a combination of feelings because even though I was pleased that Ralph had started to recognise me, I was disordered that he might tell everyone. So I made it very clear to him that I did not want anyone to know this name.Although I thought that Ralph would be a good leader he did not think much because he just believed that his yield would come to rescue him. He did not think of how his father would find him. That is wherefore it is important that he has help from me if he going to be leader. If we think that we may stay here till we die then we are prepared for the worst and anything else is better.When I realized that we could be on the island for a big snip it was obvious that we demand organisation. So we were very lucky when Ralph saw the conch. The conch is going to be very important on the island because it will help us organise things. I was so excited when we found it and very pleased because I knew what it was and how it worked.It was very important that Ralph himself blew the conch because he would establish himself as leader not bad(p) a government agency. When the boys started coming to the call of the conch I started asking them their names because in a civilised society everybody knows each others name and it is good for organisation. consequently the choir arrived. They were walk li ke the army and were lead by a red headed boy, pitch Merridew. Immediately he seemed unsatisfied and angry because Ralph was not the man with a car horn. As soon as I saw him I thought that he was a cruel savage boy because even though it was very hot he made the choir stand and he did not let them sit down until one of them fainted because of the heat. I felt that I could not ask any names from the choir because or the atmosphere created by manual laborer Merridew.My suspicions about Jack were confirmed when he said to me Shut up, fatso when I was telling him about the names that we had found. This shocked me there are not many an(prenominal) people who as soon as they meet both(prenominal)one insult them. But once again in my life I heard everybody laughing at me. Ralph immediately defended me but instead of helping me he made it worst by telling them my dreaded nickname even though I had asked him not to tell anybody. All the boys laughed at me louder this time. Why does t his continuously happen to me I am never nasty to any one but still children always seem to leave me out and think that it is ok to laugh at me.After what seemed like hours the laughter died down and Ralph suggested that we ought to have a chief to decide things. With simple arrogance Jack stated that he should be chief. This boys character was getting worst and worst with every word he said. For a horrible moment I thought that Jack would become chief but then we decided to have a vote. Although Ralph won the vote there was still the problem that Jack had had some supporters therefore Ralphs position of chief was not totally confirmed.However, as soon as Ralph was chief he made what I think will be a huge mistake. By giving Jack the choir that gives Ralphs biggest opponent for leader power which could prove dangerous. Then Ralph decided who would hunt club the island with him. He did not pick me so I asked him if I could go and he said Your no good on a job like this. This along with telling everybody my horrible nickname really hurt me. So I tried to tell him how much hed hurt me. He did not even understand what I was talking about at first but when he did realize he was a consequence nicer. But this confirms what I thought about Ralph he does not think before he does something.A harsh bird cry distracted Ralphs reading. He went through in his mind what he had just read. He knew that it was all true. It was uncanny how many things that Piggy had hinted could happen had come into reality. Piggy who was al approximately invention to his immediate surroundings had special understanding of the future which no other boy could see. Ralph looked up. It was getting near to sun down. If he did not start go back soon he would be late. So he got up and walked still reading.21st July 1957I still can not believe that some of the children believe in the woman chaser. There is absolutely no prove also it is impossible. Today seemed at first quite normal I was trying to talk to Ralph about making sundials but he started being sarcastic and told me to Shut up. Throughout my entire life including on the island kids have been like that to me but still I can not get used to it. The and thing that has changed is I no longer fight back I just let kids be horrible to me and I hope that they will get bored. As every day goes past I feel that I am nice detached from everybody and like normal Im ending up all on my own.Ralph was still trying to ignore me but suddenly he jumped up shouting Smoke Smoke I had no idea what he was talking about because I could not see any smoke. Then I realized that Ralph had seen a ship, but because of my poor sight I could not see it. I had no idea what was going on. When I finally saw the ship I could not see any of our smoke. Ralph again was clinging onto a childish hope that theyll see our smoke. But he was being withal optimistic. Hopping was not good enough. What we had to do was check the bam because We werent hel ping anything by just standing watching the ship.It took a long time for Ralph to realize this but when he did he ran off like usual without thinking. He did not think how he was going to re- airy the sunburn if it was out. He should have thought that he would need my specs and I could not run after him because of my asthma. Ralph had already run along was before he thought about this. I had tried to run after him but there was no chance of me keeping up with him. As I ran up the hill my cellular respiration became more and more difficult and I my asthma nearly started. When I finally reached the top I hear Ralph say They let the bloody fire out. Grown ups would not have let the fire they would have kept it going.We had been so close to being reclaimed and getting off this island before things really started to get bad. instantly the chance has gone and we may not get another one for years. I had a good idea why there was nobody watching the fire, it had to be something to with him, Jack Merridew. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw a procession led by him coming up the hill. In the group I saw the twins who were supposed to be watching the fire.As the procession came closer I noticed how some of them looked almost merciless with there pain in the neckted faces and chanting Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. They had a late(prenominal) pig and they were looking so pleased with themselves. Suddenly the thought that even now I could be on my way home to my auntie came over me and I almost burst into tears. Jack and his hunters had betrayed Ralph by abandoning the fire. Even though Ralph had carefully explained how keeping the fire going was the most important job on the island.As Jack approached I wondered how Ralph was going to deal with this. Without a enquiry there would be a confrontation between them. Jack was talking wildly about how he had killed the pig. He could not contain his joy at the power he felt when they closed in on the struggling pig. Jumping around, re-enacting the killing he was totally lost in his own morbid world. Ralph said You let the fire out twice before started to stop talking.But when Ralph said to Jack in a savage vocalisation They might have seen us. We might have gone home. Ralph had made the possibilities of the ship real to me and my anger reached peak. I could not contain myself any longer and I shouted at Jack You and your blood Jack Merridew You and your hunting We might have gone home But before I could finish Ralph disrupt me. I did not mind this because Ralphs grief was equal to mine. He started giving Jack exactly what he needed a talking down. Ralph needed to assert his power as leader. But he seemed a bit lost for words. Jack started trying to make poor excuses like The job was too much. We needed everyone. My anger got the better of me again. I started shouting at him saying You didnt ought to let the fire out. You said youd keep the smoke going.As soon as I said this I heard other hunters agreeing with me. For a moment I was pleased as now some of Jacks own supporters were turning against him. For the first time on the island I felt that I could stand up to Jack. This did not last very long. sightedness some of his hunters agreeing with me, of all people, drove Jack to violence. He hit me as hard as he could in my stomach. Through a haze of pain I heard Jack shouting You would, would you? Fatty Then I felt his fist hit my head. By this time the pain was not a problem I was already in tears. But I felt my specs being thrown from my head. Nobody else understands that on an island without my specs I probably would not survive. So I was desperate to find my specs. In the end Simon gave them back to me. I always think that there is something different about Simon but I can not quite put my finger on it.From the first time I had seen Jack I thought that he was a cruel savage boy and this was shown by his violent reaction. Jack was not annoyed because h e had stopped us being rescued but because some of his own supporters agreed that he had made an awful error. This made him look bad. So he lashed out attacking me because I am weaker than him.The self-colored shoes was worst when I saw that one of the lenses was cracked. Apart from the glasses being disturbed this was the next worst thing. Now I only have only one eye. I had never been so angry, I was not thinking straight I just said and did what ever came into my head. But ever bit of anger was directed at him. I thought Jack was going to hit me again so I hid behind a rock. I was hardly aware of what Jack was doing but I could hear the other kids laughing, at me. Yet again it showed to me how immature all the kids on the island are, if we were like grown ups Jake would not get them laughing with him but he would get told off.Jack then proceeded to apologise. But he specifically said Im sorry. About the fire, I mean. He made it perfectly clear that he was not sorry about hitt ing me and breaking my specs. But by apologising I could see that most of the boys thought that Jack had done a grown up thing and forgave him instantly. I could not believe that he had in fact gained respect by stopping us being rescued then apologising for it.I could see Ralph was thinking the same things as me. Also I noticed how Ralph was comme il faut a better leader because again he needed to show Jack that he was the chief. He did this by standing in the place where was easier to build the fire forcing Jack to build it in a less convenient spot. Then Ralph came to take my specs. Normally I am very protective of my specs but I felt that I could trust him. I had never felt trust towards anyone except my auntie and for the first time I realized that Ralph was my friend.Jack started to cook the meat. I could tell that he wanted to show the power he had by not giving me any of it. I suppose Ralph and I should not have eaten the meat but just the smell made my mouth water. Jack was not going to give me any but Simon share some with me. I felt a wave of gratitude towards him. He was definitely different from the other boys he seemed to try to do the right the thing what ever the consequence. Jack was just about to get angry with Simon when Rodger started telling the story of how they killed the pig. Jack could not bear his story to be told by anybody but himself. So he interrupted Rodger and started telling the story of how he outwitted and possessed the power over a living creature.The hunters started dancing shouting Kill the pig. Cut her throat. wallop her in. Ralph and I stood outside the circle. I felt detached from the group again but at least Ralph was with me. Watching them dancing around the fire made them look more like savages with no rules or discipline. If Ralph loses this power struggle against Jack I think that it is possible that we could all become savages.Ralph tripped over a tree root. This broke his concentration and he looked at his surr oundings. Such was his attention to the diary he had been walking without thinking where he was going. To his right were some charred sticks and he realized that this was where Jacks camp fire had been but the sand by the water was smooth again with no traces of violence. The thoughts of that terrible night, that appalling murder, came flooding back to him. Trying to suppress the memory he began to think about what he had just read in Piggys diary. There had been many things that he had never understood about Piggy. He had felt guiltier as he had read on because he had never really thought that Piggys feelings were seriously hurt when other kids, including him, were horrible to him. Like all the boys he had just got used to being horrible to Piggy. He made accredited he was heading in the right direction and carried on walking with his nose in the diary.14th September 1957I am worried about Ralph. He has taken the fortuity with Simon very badly and if he carries on thinking about it he could go mad. He must forget his moral sense that is troubling him. The best way to deal with these things is not to think or talk about them. It was an unfortunate accident, Simon was batty anyway and he should not have been crawling around in the dark.Ralph and I were on the outside so we did not so we did not do anything wrong. Also it was not our fault all this has all happened because of him. If he had not kept reminding everyone about the beast and making another tribe the accident would have never happened. Anyway we cannot change the past so there is pointless destroying ourselves by thinking about it. I have tried throughout my time on the island to think what the grown ups would have done. But if the grown ups were here none of this would have happened. When I said to Ralph Youre still chief he laughed. I see that having the conch has a lot less meaning now Jack Merridew is chief of his own tribe.There are hardly any biguns left now, only Sam and Eric. Ralph would no t mind to my reasoning about the accident but at least he did agree to tell Sam and Eric we had left early. By saying this it would avoid us having to discuss the accident. When we went to see Sam and Eric I felt strangely embarrassed in front of them. When we told them that we had left early I could see that by the way we all spoke, moved and kept repeating we left early that we had all witness the accident.I gave Ralph my specs to re-light the fire before he even asked for them. Now I definitely felt that I could trust him more than anyone. Ralph was still very preoccupied with thoughts of Simon and he started saying how Simon said something about a dead man. So I tried to get Ralphs thought away from the accident to the fire.Im not sure whether Ralph was still preoccupied with the accident or that the island was getting to him but when Sam said what is the good? meaning the fire Ralph seemed like he could not remember. I had to remind him. But now with only four of us it is goin g to be impossible to keep the fire lit all the time. So I gave the idea that We can light it every morning because nobody will see the smoke in the dark. With only Ralph, Sam and Eric to speak to I felt more confident in making suggestions because I was less lightly to get laughed at. But yet again I got the impression that I was the only person who really gave thought to the situation.As I was going to sleep Ralph for no real reason asked me if I was all right? It did not take much for him to ask but it made me feel that I was wanted and that Ralph was glad that I was with him. I was very content. But this did not last.Some noise woke me form my sleep. At first I thought that it was nothing. I just thought that I must have woken because after being on the island for a length of time I had tended to start out of sleep for the tiniest noise, like a hunted pig. I had a sudden desperate desire stronger than ever before to get off the island. I hated living in fear like an animal. I sa id to Ralph We got to get out of this. But Ralph sniggered at the thought of being rescued it sounded like he had almost given up hope and my idea was stupid.We talked for a bit and Ralph had just stopped laughing at me and was going back to sleep when I heard what was definitely a footstep snapping a stick. With out thinking I said to Ralph Its come. Its real. I believed it was the beast and I had never been so terrified in all my life. I started breathing hard and then my throat seemed to be growing thinner and it was becoming so hard to breathe. I realised that my asthma was starting.I was right. It was the beast, Jack Merridew had come. I thought he had come for the conch. I could not see anything in the dark but I only cared about being able to breathe again. Kids kept tripping over me and fists were flying everywhere but I barely noticed as I was slowly suffocating. The only thing that really bothered me was when I realized that I had put my specs on the floor before I went to bed and they could well get trodden on. Even with my asthma I started looking for them with my hand because if I did survive and my specs were broken my life would hardly be worth living anyway.When the fight had finished Ralph was the first person to ask Hows Piggy? I felt that Ralph was worried about my safety. As the other boys were talking about how the fight had gone I continued searching for my specs. But when Ralph said that They didnt take the conch their whole plan dawned on me. The beast had not been after the conch but my specs.I felt just as bad when I had my asthma. The thieving beast, Jack Merridew, had blind me. Now it would always be night for me on the island. The beast had done the worst thing to me, apart from killing me. It did not care that I was now blind and my life would be misery. In fact it had never cared how I felt from the first time I met him. I tried to calm myself down and think. Grown ups would not have let this happen now we have to put it right, a nd go and talk to the savages like grown ups. Tomorrow I am going to face Jack Merridew.Ralph sat down on the sand and put his head in his hands. He knew that before he had read the diary he hardly knew anything about Thomas Martin. He definitely agreed that Piggy and he had grown very close on the island and he was pleased that Piggy had also felt the same. He felt so guilty because of how he had told everybody Piggys deadly nickname.For some reason he felt that everything would have been different for Piggy if he had just thought before he had spoken. Piggy had been the only boy on the island who had sense, who knew what should have been done but he was ignored. Piggy had endured all the names he had been called and the disrespect he had got from everyone. Everybody had just got used to being nasty to him. He had been the bravest boy on the island. Piggy, who has been the brunt of ridicule, who was physically weak, had shown his real strength by defending what he believed in and f acing the beast, Jack Merridew.Two questions came into Ralphs mind. What was he going to with diary? and What would Piggy have wanted him to do with the diary? Ralph remembered how Piggy had reacted after Simons death. Look, Ralph. We got to forget this. We cant do no good thinking about it he had said. At that time Ralph had not understood but now he felt sure what Piggy would have wanted him to do. Picking up the diary he threw it as far as he could into the sea. He watched it stay afloat for a moment. Then become waterlogged and sink. The memories of the island were already fading.

Porter’s generic strategies Essay

Introductiondoor guards generic wine strategies of apostrophize leadership, preeminence and contract can be (and often are) adopted by competitors in some(prenominal) given industry and can be provably successful in 21st century business.According to doorkeeperEffectively implementing any of these generic strategies normally requires total commitment and supporting organizational arrangements that are diluted if there is more than integrity primary target. . . . These generic strategies are approaches to outperforming competitors in the industry. ostiarius (1980 35).Furthermore, Porter argues that the potent failing to develop its schema in at least wizard of the directionsa firm struck in the middleis in an passing poor position and is doomed to essentially wretched profit world power. Porter (1980 41).In monetary value leadership situation an organization sets out to be the first- damage producer in its industry. It caters for many industry segments. If an organizati on can achieve and sustain boilers suit cost leadership then it will achieve pukka performance. constitute leadership can be obtained by focusing on key accounts, reaping economies of scale, controlling costs (Sultan Kermally 2003, 66-67).Main BodyIn order to achieve an beseeming matched perspective and above average performance, Porter has proposed the following strategies which are termed as generic strategiesCost leadershipA differentiation dodging condense strategyCost leadership (attaining the lowest cost position) is clearly non within every firms ability to strive toward and attain. In fact, not more than one or cardinal firms in any industry can give value arising predominately from cost-effective operations. By far the majority of firms ensue through the implementation of one of the other two strategies. Even in the case of supposed commodities, companies strive to raise other dimensions of value given to consumers preferably than seeking just to compete on a c ost basis.Mobil and Exxon are amongst the petroleum firms that attempt to position their gasoline as being superior in quality (anti-clog, non-freeze, etc.), additionally to which their divine service stations stock an increasing array of convenience items. Mercedes Benz focuses on the prestige and image-conscious end of the automobile foodstuff, while Toyotas manufacturing energy gives it a cost and quality facilitator which is reinforced by its marketing wizardry. Combinations of these strategies are also probable, as when instant oil change (focus) specialists look to establish a low-cost position due to the high volume of business generated by a sensible response to customers minor automobile service needs.The cost leadership strategy frequently requires a lean culture and is usually perceived as un prepossessing with the constant focus on cost management and efficiency. A leaning to be production or operations led therefore emerges. This produces a parsimony on standardizati on of products, components as easyhead as processes with the minimization of variations/derivatives. A fine balance needs to be attained between maintaining a contracted range of products/services and meeting the alter needs of diverse customer groups.It is these tensions between either giving a differentiated approach to match customer require and gain agonistical advantage, or pursuing cost leadership to gain profit margin and value advantage, that frequently leads in practice to a mixed approach. This means that the advantages of neither competitive position are attained. This being stuck in the middle yields no competitive advantage and corrodes the position of the business unit.Differentiation would involve an organization in providing something unique(p) to its target customers. The singularity can be related to products, the way it delivers its goods and services, the way it markets its products or anything that shapes a customers perception in comparison to differenti ation. This could be the way products and services are branded or designed and the customers perceive such offerings as unique (Sultan Kermally 2003, 66-67).The differentiation strategy is often the most attractive in that it gives the opportunity for a more resourceful approach to the market. For this reason the organization tends to be marketing led. It is fundamental in these business units that the cost/ returns analysis of any new type of differentiation is thoroughly evaluated. In addition, sensitivity analysis should be utilize to look at the capability of the associated cost base at different levels of sales performance and in diverse market conditions.The primary challenge with differentiation is one of competitor replication, where the benefit is flitting and, once replicated, becomes an increase in the industry/market cost base for all competitors. This growing migration of the cost base can over time smash an attractive market segment.According to Grant (1991)Differen tiation is different from segmentation. Differentiation is concerned with how the firm competes in what ways the firm can proffer uniqueness to its customers. Such exclusivity might relate to consistency (McDonalds), dependability (Federal Express), status (American Express), quality (Marks & Spencer), and innovation (Sony). Segmentation, in terms of market segment choices is concerned with where the firm competes in terms of consumer groups, localities and product types.Whereas segmentation is a feature of market structure, differentiation is a strategicalal choice by a firm. A segmented market is one that can be partitioned according to the characteristics of customers and their demand. Differentiation is concerned with a firms positioning within a market or a segment in relation to the product, service and image characteristics that influence customer choice (Sultan Kermally 2003, 66-67). Michael Porter also has addressed the issues of competitive advantage in relation to the nations. In his book The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990), Porters view has an impact in relation to global competition and consequently global marketing.He puts forward a view that depicted object conditions influence a firms competitive advantage in globally competing industries.Then comes focus strategy that involves an organization being selective in terms of the segments it wants to serve and focusing on these segments to the exclusion of other segments. The focus strategy can either be cost focus or differentiation focus. If an organization does not choose generic strategies it wants to focus on then as Porter puts it, it will be stuck in the middle. The extent to which a generic strategy can be sustainable will depend on competitors behavior and action. The organization endlessly has to be a step ahead of its competitors (Sultan Kermally 2003, 66-67).Porters generic strategies are based on the competitive methods and possibility of the organization, both of which com promise its strategy. His recommendations call for perceptive appeal. Unfortunately, Porter does not cite any contributing literature in the development of his typology. It is also unfortunate that Porters deductively derived typology was not convoyed by an attempt to validate its contents empirically. However, separate research efforts pose been directed at subjecting Porters conceptualized typology to empirical verification.One of the first empirical tests of Porters hypothesis was conducted by Dess and Davis, who examined 22 firms in the paint and related products industry (Dess and Davis, 1984).A total of 78 executives from these firms completed questionnaires by representing the importance of 21 competitive variables (Woo and settle down, 1983).The going correlation matrix of this distinctiveness was subjected to factor in analysis to isolate the competitive dimensions linked with Porters troika generic strategies. The principal factor solutions holdup three elements tha t were matched against Porters generic strategies.A panel of seven academicians was then surveyed to establish the importance of separately competitive means for each of the generic strategies. Overall, general agreement was attained between the panels definition of cost leadership and differentiation and that resultant via the factor analysis. However, disagreement existed over the panels idea of focus strategy and that which was labeled through the beginning.So as to differentiate firms according to discrete patterns of strategic behavior, Dess and Davis entered the factor lots of each firm into a group algorithm. Performance data (return on assets and annual sales growth) were provided for 15 of these firms. The authors observed four separate clusters, of which three were hold as pursuing distinct generic strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, or focus). They labeled the fourth cluster stuck in the middle.Return on assets for both the cost leadership and differentiation strategies were considerably higher than that generated by the stuck in the middle strategy, lending some support to Porters argument that generic strategies produce superior performance. However, the focus cluster was also shown to have the lowest profitability, signifying that Dess and Daviss results were not conclusive. The authors also raised questions concerning interpretation of factor scores, given concerns they had with the constancy of factor loading in the sample set. The workplace is also limited in that it implicated only one industry.In a separate study, White examined 69 business units from 12 different businesses from the Profit Impact of Marketing Strategies (PIMS) data base in order to determine the proper organizational requirements approved for Porters three generic strategies (White, 1986).A differentiation strategy was operationalized by high relative cost and price, whereas a cost leadership strategy was distinct by low relative price and cost. The organizatio nal context of the business unit was operationalized along three dimensions autonomy, frequency of reports/reviews, and functional coordination. Performance was determined according to return on investment (ROI), real sales growth, relative market share, and cash liquefy from investment.By statistically comparing different organizational characteristics, White was capable to try that businesses within a common strategy class had similar organizational contexts within the overall corporation. For businesses that followed a cost leadership strategy, higher ROIs were linked with low autonomy and more frequent reviews and measures of performance. For businesses following differentiation strategies, higher ROIs were linked with an opposite set of interorganizational characteristics. These results were reliable with Porters contention (Porter, 1980).However, when White utilize other measures of performance (for instance, real sales growth), the previously mentioned relationships did no t always hold. In addition, the combination strategy of both low cost and differentiation produced the highest overall ROI results and higher real growth consequences than a simple pure cost strategy. This suggests that, differing to Porters hypothesis, some successful businesses follow a combination of two or more generic strategies concurrently.Another study based on testing Porters hypothesis was performed by Woo and Cool. The primary subscribe to of this study was to contrast the performance of Porters differentiation and cost leadership strategies with non-generic strategies. The study concentrated on domestic manufacturing businesses over the period from 1976 to 1979 and used the PIMS data base. Woo and Cool chose relative price and cost as representative of the major dimensions that reflect Porters differentiation as well as cost leadership strategies.Performance was represented by four factors return on investment, real sales growth, relative market share, and cash flow to investment. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure was performed that designated mixed results for the generic strategies.According to Woo and Cool, In all cases, non-generic strategies as a group seem to achieve as well as the generic strategies. (Woo and Cool, 1983, 17).These results seem to corroborate those findings of White. In addition, the use of discriminant analysis recognized differences in the functional components of Porters two generic strategies and revealed that (1) differentiation strategy was recognized with higher product quality and product R&D and (2) cost leadership was linked with lower discretionary expenditure and a heavy emphasis on forward integration. In all, Woo and Cools conclusions challenged two aspects of Porters hypothesis, namely, that generic strategies produce superior performance and that the useful components of particular generic strategies are static and deductively particularThe generic strategies make the postulation that the company int ends to persist in a concentration mode, that is, limit its horizons to a single product/service or attain a predominant portion of its sales in one industry. Few monumental or medium size firms confine their product horizons. Characteristically it is small businesses that start with such a focus. With success and growth usually comes a confide to reduce dependence on any one product/market.Diversified firms have more established sales and earnings. Risk reduction unquestionably helps remedy shareholder value. Most firms have historically been uncomfortable about sticking to their knitting lest they knit a sweater thats no longer in style or that someone else can make at half the price (perhaps with a machine theyve just invented).The unwillingness to place all ones eggs in one basket is quite comprehensible since it could result in binding the companys future to just one product, a product that might be rendered obsolete or alternated by alternate products. Also, competitors cou ld prove to be more competent at value composition by identifying the desired components of value more accurately or delivering them more efficiently.Continuous value enhancement in a single product firmament is positively laudable, but prudence dictates that other stakeholders needs (shareholders, employees, creditors, and suppliers, for instance) also be taken into thought. Diversification is an important strategy in assuring that the needs of a diversity of stakeholders are given careful enough attention to merit their strong support.Moreover, expanding the product as well as market scope of the firm widens its range of customers, providing even more opportunities for delivering value in completely novel ways.Diversification has, of late, come under fire for being the reason of many firms declining ability to compete with domestic and foreign rivals. It is, however, conglomerate diversification that distracts a firm from its work of value. When a firm has numerous product and s ervice offerings, few of which have any association to each other, the objective becomes to work shareholder value (stock price and/or dividend).Commitment to a product line or to its customers is observably absent at the corporate level. Conglomerates not simply keep their eggs in different baskets, they often forget where their baskets are On the other hand, concentrically diversify firmsGeneral Electric, Matsushita, Procter and Gamble, IBM, and Honda, to name a fewseek new product or market opportunities with a view to ongoing their prior success in value creation.IBM, for instance, has excelled at providing engineering, installation, maintenance and other types of services to customers. This source of value has been deliberately developed and maximized regardless of whether the product is a mainframe computer, a personal computer or peripheral equipment.Procter and Gamble, whether in consumer non-durables or in its more recent food/pharmaceutical ventures has, certainly, alway s been known for its clear conceptualization and faultless anatomical structure of value? However, its capability to unerringly communicate the value inhabiting in its productsthrough timely and well-planned distribution, superb promotion, and rapid assimilation of customer comments-is what enables P & G to exploit value in its erstwhile as well as new product areas.Thus, Porter three generic strategies are alternative, workable approaches to dealing with the competitive forces. However, the uniqueness of Porters cost, differentiation, and focus strategies has been empirically supported by Dess and Davis, White, and Woo and Cool.These same researchers have also suggested that various combinations of these strategy taxa (cost, differentiation, focus) often result in superior performance. Here, the central matter is focused on the proper level of abstraction in conceptualizing generic strategies. As such, cost, differentiation, and focus (or their derivatives) have been equally view ed as representative of lower levels of concept and as such are more appropriately measured as strategy types or strategic factors that in combination make up the taxa or composite strategies.ConclusionPorters generic strategies can be linked directly to the competitive positioning strategy. Product specialization, high-quality offerings, and product innovation are all derivatives of Porters differentiation strategy the combination strategy type recognized in this study relates to Porters cost and differentiation strategies.Porter also suggests four strategic alternatives in global industries broad line global competition, global focus, issue focus, and protected niche. These broad patterns resemble aspects of the globalization dimension. For instance, the domestic strategy type identified in this study is closely linked to Porters national focus strategy. Porter also does not mention either exporting or mixed international strategy types.Porter has yet to differentiate full his c onceptualization of global strategy in terms of internationalization and competitive positioning. Indeed, his own perspectives of global strategy seem to have matured with time, perhaps as a consequence of mounting criticism leveled against his cost/differentiation generic strategies.To Porter, the essence of a global strategy can be captured through strategic focus. Yet by defining global industries throughout international parameters, it becomes imperative to determine both whether and how member businesses are in fact competing internationally. Later Porter expands his earlier conceptualization of global strategy by defining it as one in which a firm seeks to gain competitive advantage from its international presence through either concentrating configuration, coordination among dispersed activities, or both. (Porter 1986a 20)With this definition, global strategy is no longer portrayed as just a function of the analog geographic experience captured by strategic focus. Rather, it is reflected in the essence of internationalization captured in this study.Porter has always faced a complex challenge rank his own fourlargely internationalizationstrategy types to his leading generic strategies. Indeed, by identifying global strategies through predominantly internationalization, Porter is seen implicitly supporting an agreeing strategic emphasis on both competitive positioning and internationalization. For instance, a broad-line global competitor will compete either on the basis of low cost or differentiation. Thus, cost and differentiation are dimensions of a global strategy, and the same a global strategy is rooted in cost or differentiation advantages.Work CitedDess G., and Davis P. ( 1984). Porters (1980) generic strategies as determinants of strategic groups membership and organizational performance. Academy of Management Journal, 27, 467-488.Grant, R.M. (1991). The Resource-based Theory of Competitive Advantage Implications for dodge Formulation. Californi a Management Review, Spring, Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 114-135.Kim, Eonsoo, Dae-il Nam and J.L. Stimpert (2004) The Applicability of Porters GenericStrategies in the Digital Age Assumptions, Conjectures, and Suggestions Journal of Management, 305, 569589Millar, D. (1992), The Generic Strategy Trap, Journal of Business Strategy, 13, 3741.Parnell, John A. (2006) Generic strategies after two decades a reconceptualization of competitive strategy, Management Decision, 448, 11391154Parnell, John A. and Lewis Hershey The strategy-performance relationship revisited the blessing and curse of the combination strategy, International Journal of Commerceand Management, 151, 1733.Porter M. ( 1986a). Changing patterns of international competition. California Management Review, 28, 9-40.Porter M. E. ( 1980). Competitive Strategy Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York set free Press.Sultan Kermally Gurus on Marketing Thorogood, 2003White R. ( 1986). Generic Business Strategies, org anizational context and performance An empirical investigation. Strategic Management Journal, 7, 217-231.Woo C., and Cool K. ( 1983). Porters (1980) generic competitive strategies A test of performance and functional strategy attributes. Working paper, Purdue University.

A Spirit in the Mix: an Analysis of “I Used to Live Here Once”

13 September 2009 A Spirit in the variety An Analysis of I Used to Live Here Once For the boloney, I Used to Live Here Once by Jean Rhys, we could argue that the story is about a cleaning woman who moved away from her homeland to go to a new place and now returns home for a reason not stated. The both children who are playing outside the womans old house in the sunshine ignore her. It may be possible that the 2 children ignore the woman because she left the West Indies to live somewhere else and therefore they believe that she does not exist. Is this what is going on?I believe there is a bigger picture here. The speaker tells us in paragraph three that that the sky had a glassy look. This may be because the woman visitor does not see with her own eyes any more, or it could be that she does see with her own eyes and can see the true nature of the sky. The speaker tells us in paragraph five that the woman sees two children outside her home playing. The woman calls to them but they didnt answer her. In the next two paragraphs, the speaker tells us that the woman calls out to the children two more times but still they did not reply.We can assume that the children ignore the woman because the children do not know her, or because the woman left her home and has not returned until now. In paragraph eight, the storyteller tells us that the woman is near the two children and they sustain a sudden chill. This changes the argument that the woman was ignored because she left her home. The woman is ignored not because she left the West Indies, but rather because she does not exist. The woman existed at one point or another, but now she is not at the home that she used to live in physically, meaning she is a spirit, a ghost.She is supernatural. The woman traveler is visiting the West Indies and her home for the last time. She has unfinished duties to perform before she moves on to her next destination. She visits the home because she will depart from there never to return. It may be that visiting her home was her unfinished task. I believe that the woman is a spirit because of the following evidence. The first evidence is, The save thing was that the sky had a glassy look that she didnt remember, implying that she no longer sees it with physical eyes.The second evidence is, There were two children under the mango tree, a boy and a little girl, and she waved to them and called Hello but they didnt answer her or turn their heads, as if they are not able to find out her. The last evidence is the detail that the children have a sudden chill. The boy says, Hasnt it gone cold all of a sudden. In all the books that I have read dealing with the supernatural, it is common for people get a sudden chill when a spirit is in the mix. All of this evidence points to the item that the woman is a supernatural being.

Federal and State Sentencing Essay

In 1998 the District of Columbia Sentencing and Criminal Code Revision Commission was supercharged with developing a comprehensive structured sentencing system for the District. The Commission concluded that the District could benefit from a comprehensive structured sentencing system. Next, the Commission embarks the difficult task of creating workable sentencing guidelines for felonies. As Washington, DC follows the lead of other jurisdictions as well as an earlier effort in the District, the Commission developed two grids matchless for drug cases and one for all other cases in the direction of the dominant factors in sentencing the offense of conviction and the criminal history of the offender.The Commission also naturalised standards for departing from the recommended prison ranges in extraordinary cases, rules for imposing concurrent or consecutive sentences, along with adjustments and exceptions to sentencing. Together, the grids, standards, rules, adjustments and exceptions form the Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines for the District of Columbia. (ACS, 2012-pg.9) Sentencing for a felony conviction is usually hear by the judge/court in a separate hearing which is held several days or weeks after the verdict. There is so many types of offenders with wide-ranging backgrounds and criminal histories that the act of sentencing them is one of the most stressful and complex decisions made by judges. (Champion, D., Hartley, R. & Rabe, Gary. 2008, 2002).At the felony sentencing hearing, the prosecution makes a recommendation of punishment, and the defendant usually argues for leniency. The imperative Courts decisions that struck down state and national criminal sentencing guidelines have caused a cascade of prediction of disaster. Shephard showsin his study how sentencing guidelines have real increased crime and not decreased crime. It has also been shown that in a landmark Blakely and Booker decisions, the Supreme Court had found that Washington State and fede ral sentencing system violated the Sixth Amendment and has identified nine other states whose regimes may also be unconstitutional (ACS, 2012-pg.9). Some guidelines were deemed invalid because they allowed the judge to determine literal issues during the sentencing that should have been decided by a jury.ReferencesACS, (2012). Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines Manual. Retrieved, Feb. 22, 2015, from DC Sentencing and Criminal Code Revision Commission (Formerly Office of Advisory Commission on Sentencing) http//acs.dc.gov/acs/frames.asp? medico=/acs/lib/acs/pdf/2012_Voluntary_Sentencing_Guidelines_Manual.pdf Champion, D., Hartley, R. & Rabe, Gary, (2008, 2002). Sentencing and Appeals Chapter Ten p.405, Criminal Courts Structure, Process, and Issues -Second Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Food Hygiene & Sanitation Essay

Only without oxygen at an ideal temperature 43? C c. Only with oxygen at an ideal temperature of 43? C d. Only without oxygen at an ideal temperature of 39? C 7. Which of the following groups of hazards are most likely to reach a foodborne disease outbreak? a. Bacteria and viruses b. Parasites and molds c. Vibrio spp. and Shigella spp. d. Chemical and physical hazards 8. Bacteria grow best within a narrow temperature range c every last(predicate)ed the temperature danger zone. The temperature danger zone is between a. -18? C and 104? C b. -8? C and 65? C c. 5? C and 60? C d. 5? C and 100? C . Bacteria that cause foodborne illness will save grow on foods that have pH at _____ or above and a water action mechanism (AW) above____. a. 3. 2 0. 85 b. 4. 6 0. 85 c. 6. 5 0. 80 d. 8. 0 0. 75 10. Which of the following bacterium produce a toxin that is more likely to cause death if consumed? a. Campylobacter jejuni b. Clostridium botulinum c. Shiga-toxin producing Escheria coli d. Listeri a monocytogenes 11. Some bacteria form spores to help them a. Reproduce b. Move easily from one location to another c. Survive ominous environmental conditions d. Grow in high acidic foods 12.Which of the following is a histamine poisoning? a. Ciguatoxin b. Scombrotoxin c. Mycotoxin d. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) 13. Which of the following is not considered a potentially hazardous food group? a. Red meats b. Fish and shellfish c. Poultry and eggs d. Dried grains and spices 14. The most effective way to control the growth of bacteria in a food establishment is by controlling a. Time and temperature b. pH and oxygen conditions c. Temperature and water activity d. Time and food availability 15. intellectual nourishment borne illness can caused by a. Poor personal hygiene b.Cross contamination c. Temperature abuse d. All the above 16. Regarding food thermometers, which statement is false? a. Be calibrated b. Measure temperatures between 5? C and 57? C c. Measure temperatures b etween -18? C and 104? C d. Be approved for use in foods 17. Good personal hygiene includes a. Using hand sanitizers instead of washing hand b. Keeping hands and clothes clean and sanitary c. Wearing gentle uniforms d. Cleaning and sanitizing food-contact surfaces 18. Cross contamination is a term used to describe the transfer of a foodborne hazard from 1 food to another a.By a food workers hand b. From a cutting board c. From a knife blade d. All of the above 19. After proper cooking, all foods that are to be held hot must be held at a. 74? C or above b. 57? C or above c. way of life temperature until served d. 49? C or above 20. Food workers should wash their hands after which of the following? a. Taking out the trash b. Touching their faces c. Handling naked as a jaybird food d. All of the above Section B (10 marks) Answer either True/ False. 1. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System is only used to monitor food processing in manufacturing plants. () 2.Certification of food protection managers and workers refers to screening done for health problems. () 3. The term food establishment includes whatsoever site where food is processed, prepared, sold or served. () 4. Bacteria and viruses cause most foodborne illness. () 5. One of the potentially hazardous food is cut melons. () 6. There are deuce types of bacteria that are spore forming and non-spore forming. () 7. Clostridium botulinum cannot cause death. () 8. E. Coli can be found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals. () 9. Prevention of cross contamination can be done by keeping raw food and ready-to-eat food together during storage. ) 10. Bacteria take 25 minutes to multiply. () Section C (20 marks) Briefly justify on each answer. 1.

Personal Statement Essay

I write this statement to support my application to Management and leadership in Health and Social Care vourse at your university. Due to previous experiences of working with a range of people in the veneration sector I view that throughout my time on various work placements with individuals with different disabilities and requirements in care along with the experiences gained throughout my studies, my wish to pursue a flight in the care profession has grown.To further my interest in working with and around people I completed my first degree as a health visitor in Hungary. Prior of that I took a gap year in Germany with a churchs volunteer service called Freiwilliges Sociales Jahr (Voluntary Sociales Year). I worked as a health care assistant in a nursing home with 144 beds. While this year was very challenging I too found it an extremely rewarding and enjoyable experience. To further my knowledge and passion for working with those individuals who are in need of care I canvass at Semmelweis University, Medical College Faculty and graduated as a health visitor. To put my academic knowledge into practice I worked as a work nurse in 3 different schools. It was an enjoyable experince but only to realize that I was more interested to do something with elderly people and perish away from children. I decided to move to England and started to work as a home care worker first, but rapidly I was promoted to a business line care supervisor and after that to a care coordinator.Working for different care companies in different cities was a valuable and great experience where I learnt how to improve my leadership and managements skills and also to put my academic knowledge in practice. I always was looking to improve the company and accept innovative ideas to my role and complete my work to a high standard. I currently work as a care coordinator, which incolves human resource management, organisation and coordinating training, dealing with social workers and other health care professionals on a daily basis. I manage around 60 home care workers in terms of their compliancy and adequate training. I completed National Vocational Qualification in Health and Social Care Level 3 only to realize that I would like to study more and broaden my leadership skills in this area. Working in a senior team gives me a great satisfaction , where I can show my effective communication and organisation skills ad good working relationships.During my spare time I in the main like to read books, travel to other countries to explore different cultures. I also go to the gym to keep myself fit. I also attended a various events related to self development and self-management. This helps to increase my confidence and also gives me great oppurtunities to meet like-minded people. I feel that university is definitely the right elbow room for me. I always work extremely hard to achieve my best, a feat which I intend to carry on throughout my university years. I believe I have the necessary skills needed to enjoy university to the full and also be successful in future years. In addition I would also like to go to university to develop my management and leadership skills even further so I can gain a valuable and rewarding, higher survey in health and social care sector and lead that senior team to an absolute success.

Pope

The text under compendium Doreen Pope is a type of publicistic writing, feature clause. The author M. Loudon managed to make this text informative and entertaining for the reader. The article concentrates on an Interesting theme. The theme of the article is about the type of a teacher in the dust of education in GB. The author embodies the theme into incomparable shell. The story reveals the image of ideal teacher. M. Loudon convinces us of the impressiveness of the teachers role for children.This important idea that the author expresses in the process of developing the theme is he subject of the story. The theme is organically connected with the message. And M. Loudon places the maln point very appropriately. It has a complex character Is created with the help of fundamental interaction of implications and develops further. Sufficient arguments, details and examples support the main(prenominal) idea. Miss Pope was an enormous success with the children because she had a hones t-to-god affinity with them.She also had an unpretentious disregard for the formal. The author uses references effectively and her reasoning sounds very logically and convincing. Miss Pope believed that children only learnt self-worth and corporate responslblllty through ecognition of their gifts, however insignificant they might have seemed in scholastic terms so while she was appreciate of talent and enthusiasm, it was those who were shy. or obstreperous. or who found interpretation or writing Is difficult, which whom she spent the most time. Such cohesive devices as practically, so, also, indeed, Just, however within the paragraphs and the repetition the main characters name mingled with them catch the readers attention, give more puffiness to the words. Implication is conveyed by varied techniques, artistic details, arrangement of plot structure and images. With the help of it the writer achieved her main purpose. M. Loudon Informs the reader about educational system In GB, convinces us of the importance of the role of a teacher. She makes us feel sympathy to the main character and respect her strong personality.M. Loudon reminds us about eternal values and morals In our life. The course of presentation of these ideas Is appealing and appropriate for the situation. Practically, no one reading this will have of Miss Pope. Her grandeur is no obvious and it has never been documented. using not very formal style the writer involves us to the situation, Invites to an open dialog, creates ree and trust atmosphere. The authors attitude to the character determines the tone of the story. Tone expresses the relationship between the author and the character.It Is kind, cheerful, and enthusiastic. M. Loudon resorts to emotionally colored words, such as cheerful, Jolly, brisk, great. An extensive Image of the character Is created by similes Miss Pope and Sheena as the Madonna and Child in Renaissance Europe epithets good for you(predicate) woman, unobtrusive clothes, sensible shoes, affectionate woman, Insatiable sense of predilection. Metaphors she never lost her cool, antitheses from sunny hildhood to dark adolescence Intensifiers, such as completely different rack up us, such an aloof dog.Polysyndeton she had an insatiable sense of humor and a nuge, rotund laugn, ana sne never Tallea to reward even tne dullest anecdote. I use of low-colloquial words intensifies the contrast make a parallel between primary and secondary school fuck off, posh bitch The writer applies contrast, parallel structure, framing to go through the article. The use of these means produces a humorous effect and testifies to the inventiveness and wit of the author. The title of the article catches our attention, gives prominence o the main character due to capitalization.The title is the name of the character that emphasizes its importance in the article, defines sympathetic feelings of the author, and arouses readers interest to it. The article raises importa nt and interesting themes. It forces us to be involved in the problem of the role of a teacher. Teacher is a guide, is an inspirer, is a monitor, is a friend, is a second mother, and is a mentor, who teaches simple, but dateless and good values. And M. Loudon was succeeded in paying tribute to an inspirational teacher and created a hymn to a teacher.

Ernest Hemmingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls Essay

There is a lot of symbolism in the fiction For Whom the Bell Tolls. Ernest Hemmingway causeizes the upcountry struggle that exists in workforce who engage in war. The motivations and passion begin to erode, passing desperate men in a struggle about which they no longer feel strongly. As the figment progresses, the characters of Robert Jordan and female horse grow with the love they have for each other and the progression of their ideas about war. This growth carries them by dint of the novel and eventually through very different paths. The character of Robert Jordan is brought to new depths of character when he meets Maria.Jordan liked to go forward by himself, and he had no concern about dying on the battlefield. Additionally, the character Maria is at first a meek, traumatized victim of abuse in a prison camp. When Jordan and Maria meet, they change dramatically. Jordans love for Maria heals her from the wounds she suffered at the hands of men back in the prison. At the sam e time, Jordan comes to take to be his life more when he has new feelings evoked by his unity with Maria. Together they stain plans to make a life with one another back in the United States, and that becomes the inspiration that carries Jordan through the war.Hemmingways genius for fableical depictions is further expound by the a emotionless Robert Jordan, who has entered the war after leaving his professorship back in the United States. He takes up the Republican side of the Spanish civil War, and his genius working with explosives earns him a higher position. At the start of his service in the war, he believes in the cause very strongly, but at the novels beginning, he has become worn use up and disillusioned with the cause. The distinction between the Republican cause and the Fascist cause have blurred and he begins to wonder if both sides arent actually the same.His continued service in the war is almost robotic, he is no longer impassioned to the cause on either side. At the novels conclusion, Robert Jordan faces death, the denouement of his internal conflict being resolved as he finally is able to identify himself not as a globe of whose function lies only in his ruminations but rather, a man who acts on his instincts. He has been involved this war for too long despite becoming disillusioned long ago. He is tormented by the things he has done, but he lastly realizes he needs to forget the past to refrain from making mistakes in the present.He focuses on his love for Maria and at the moment forrader his death, he is at peace and finally feels a connection with the world around him. The first metaphor was the snowstorm that occurred in May and hampered the progress of guerillas as they set out to detonate explosives on the bridge. The character Robert Jordan watches the snow whipping around him and describes the scene it was like the excitement of battle except it was clean (Hemmingway, p186). He enjoys the fact that the snow and weather in gen eral is beyond his control unlike the war he is currently enduring.He is also glad that the hindrance of the snow can completely disable mans technological innovations and stratagems for taking lives. The snowstorm is a foreshadowing element used in reference to the upcoming deaths of El Sordo and his band. It is the snow that leads the fascist soldiers on their trail and eventually leads to their demise, destroying any reinforcements for Jordans troops. The delirium of the snowstorm is mirrors the chaotic ending in which the soldiers run around aimlessly. Another metaphor in this novel is the bullfight.Bullfighting is referenced in the novel as a direct parallel to the senseless wildness in war. The bull represents the powerful force and the matadors represent the bravery of men. In these fights, death may import but it is a minor risk for the ultimate reward of honor. Joaquin long dreamed of becoming a bullfighter, and when he tells this to his fellow guerillas, he suffers mu ch ridicule for being too afraid to go through with his dream. This condemnation is indicative of the valor that men must have, putting their fears behind them and face death without flinching.Finito was described as cowardly a matador who was terrified, but inside the ring, he had the courage of a lion, looking for the bull in the face and confronting it (Hemmingway, p185). For Whom the Bell Tolls is a story about the hardships of war. As Robert continues through the war, he undergoes many changes and has his entire perception of the world changed through the lens of wars devastation. At the end, a gentle peace takes hold of him as the character matures to his height of spiritual connectedness, and this is quickly followed by his death, the ultimate p

The Loons

daybook of the Short falsehood in English 48 (Spring 2007) Varia Jennifer MurrayNegotiating deequationture and otherness in Marg aret Laurences The Loons Electronic reference Jennifer Murray, Negotiating sack and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons, journal of the Short paper in English Online, 48Spring 2007, Online since 01 juin 2009, Connection on 01 avril 2013. universal resource locator http// jsse. revues. org/index858. hypertext markup language Publisher Presses universitaires dAngers http//jsse. revues. org http//www. revues. org Document available online on http//jsse. revues. org/index858. html Document automatically generated on 01 avril 2013.The page be does non match that of the print edition. totally rights reserved Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 2 Jennifer Murray Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons p. 71-80 1 2 3 4 5 The Loons belongs to Margaret Laurences story-sequence A Bird in the House wh ich is built around the character genus genus genus genus genus genus genus genus Vanessa MacLeod and her growing-up years in the fictional t stimulate of Manawaka, Manitoba. Following on from the collections title story which has the demise of Vanessas receive as its central event, The Loons is slew in a duration prior to the sticks death and is the first of three stories which deal with Vanessas progressive opening up to the world around her and her increasing awareness of the suffering, poverty and forms of oppression forbiddenside of her family circle (Stovel 92). More specifically, The Loons gives us Vanessas perception of a young girl called Piquette Tonnerre who is of Metis descent and who accumulates the tender disadvantages of poverty, illness, ethnic unlikeness and being female.The story has been moderaten to task for the questionable values attached to its use of Piquette as the separate of the doomed minority figure, most(prenominal) notably by Tracy Ware who asks To what extent does this short story confirm a debased master narrative that regards Natives as victims of a triumphant white civilization? (71). At the afore verbalise(prenominal) time, Ware recognizes the enduring intellect of the aesthetical merit (71) of this story which so clearly has its mystify at bottom the give noticeon of Canadian literature.Evaluating the text against its depiction of the Metis can only lead to the negative conclusions that Ware arrives at, namely, that Laurences The Loons falls ideologically short of the expectations of todays politically-conscious reviewer. What this reading of The Loons does not take into account is that the aesthetic merit of the story is situated elsew here(predicate)not in the portrait or role of Piquette as such, merely in the storys treatment of loss and in the central role of the catch in the symbolics of this particular knot of meaning.In the context of the full story-sequence, loss and the baffle would instruct m more naturally associated in A Bird in the House, where the death of the father is the central event. In The Loons, the death of the father is recalled and reactivated as an informing event related to other bites in Vanessas life and to her family relationship to others, Piquette bearing the weight of this role as other. On one levelthat of Vanessas childishness perception of Piquette2the story is round incomprehension, misconstruction, defensiveness and the impossibility of communication between the two girls.But the entire recital of this failed relationship is revisited through the narrating voice of the fully gr throw Vanessa in the telling of the story, she reshapes past events through the develop of loss provoked by her fathers death and invests them with symbolic value. Like the dreamer and the dream, Vanessas story is more nearly Vanessa than about those around her it is her attempt to fit her own sense of loss into a world which is, more than she issues, beyond her.The fathers role in giving Vanessa access to symbolic values is central to the story indeed, the first event in the story is the fathers announcement of his concern (as a doctor) for the health of the young Piquette, who is in his care. aft(prenominal) having inclined(p) the ground briefly, he asks his wife Beth, I was thinkingwhat about taking her up to adamant Lake with us this summer? A couple of months rest would give that bone a much unwrap chance (110).This act of kind generosity, which is to involve his whole family, introduces the reader to the fathers values it likewise inaugurates the continuing affiliation in the text between the father and Piquette. The father is a reference pane for Piquette she invokes him to justify her refusal to accompany Vanessa on a short walk Your dad said I aint supposed to do no more walking than I got to (113), and in ulterior years, Piquette tells Vanessa, Your dad was the only per male child in Manawaka that ever done anything good to me (116). This substantiating assessment of the father is Journal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 2007Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 3 6 the only shared ground between the girls. In response to the comment above, Vanessa nodded speechlessly certain that Piquette was speaking the truth (116). In the name of her love for her father, Vanessa leave behind need few(prenominal) attempts at approaching Piquette these attempts are regularly met with rejection, leading to a moment of hurt for Vanessa Want to come and play? Piquette looked at me with a sudden flash of scorn. I aint a kid, she said. Wounded, I stamped angrily away . 112) 7 8 This pattern recurs twice on the quest page, with Piquettes scorn taking on other forms Her voice was distant (113) her large dark joyless eyes (113)and her refusals becoming more verbally aggressive You nuts or somethin? (113) Who gives a good diabolic? (114). The impossibility of sharing bet ween the girls is determinen both from the perspective of the child Vanessa, who is mystified, wondering what I could shake off said wrong (113), and from the more experienced perspective offered by the narrated construction of events.This double vision allows the reader to see the misperceptions and involuntary insensitivity on which Vanessas attempts at communication are based. Where Vanessa fantasizes Piquette into a real Indian (112) and projects onto her the cogniseledge of the secrets of nature, Piquette lives her identity as a Metis through the social rejection which characterizes Manawakas pile of her family I bet you know a lot about the woods and all that, eh? I began respectfully. I dont know what in hell youre talkin about, she replied. If you mean where my old man, and me, and all them live, you ameliorate shut up, by Jesus, you hear? (113) 9 While the child cannot understand the defensiveness of Piquette, as readers, our knowledge of Piquettes social condition s, outlined in the opening paragraphs of the story, leads us to a position of empathy with the offended girl. Similar make are produced by Vanessas enthusiasm about her summer cottage, I love it, I said. We come here every summer, (113)expressed in the face of Piquettes poverty, which habitually excludes her from the world of lakeshore summer homes. Just as much as Piquettes social disadvantages, Vanessas egoistical immersion in the comforts of middle-class Manawaka is the source of the girls mutual wariness. As the narrator of the story, the older adaption of Vanessa puts forward expressions of ruefulness at the failure of the relationship between herself as a child, and Piquette.This regret, however, is not distinct from childhood, provided a part of it, recounted in the past tense Piquette and I remained ill at ease with one another. I felt I had somehow failed my father, but I did not know what was the matter, nor why she would not or could not respond (115). The linguistic markers somehow and did not know call down that the emotional experience of failure remained confusing for the child, but the ability to formulate this metadiscourse indicates that things have become clearer to the adult Vanessa.This acquired comprehension allows the narrator to develop the expression of failure once again, two pages further on, including, this time, more inside information about the possible expectations of the father Yet I felt no real warmth towards herI only felt that I ought to, because of that distant summer and because my father had hoped she would be company for me, or peradventure that I would be for her, but it had not happened that way. (117) 10 Through the voice of the more experienced Vanessa, the regret of the past is understood to have been intimately related to a sense of having failed not herself, nor Piquette, but her father.The emphasis is on the fathers symbolic role in attributing potential value to the possibility of their friendship. on w ith the fathers generosity towards Piquette, a series of other values related to the father are offered in the short story. The fathers name, MacLeod, is also the name which designates the family cottage (111), which itself is associated with nature and authenticity it Journal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 2007 Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 4 11 s the father who comes and sits by the lake with Vanessa to listen to the loons (114) the lake, the nighttime, the loons, all come to signify a priori communication (we waited, without speaking), mystery and transcendence (They rose like phantom birds), a reproach to forgiving civilization (Plaintive, and yet with a quality of chilling mockery, those voices belonged to a world separated by aeons from our keen world of summer cottages and the lighted lamps of home) (114). The idea that the loons belong to a separate world is strengthened by the fathers comment that the loons had been at that p lace before any person ever set foot here (114).The loons are both a form of access to the continuum of natural time as opposed to civilized time, and a reminder that man cannot bridge that gap at that place is at that placefore a form of retrospective loss attached to the image of the loons the imagined loss of what came before and is now inaccessible. However, the birds also betoken future lossthe enduring presence of the loons is endangered, as Vanessa tells Piquette My dad says we should listen and try to concoct how they sound, because in a few years when more cottages are built at Diamond Lake and more people come in, the loons will go away. 114) 12 We can also see the metonymic association between this loss and the approaching end of the permanence of Vanessas world her father, associated with the loons in Vanessas childhood, is soon to disappear Neither of us suspected that this would be the last time we would ever sit here together on the shore, listening (115). The sym bolic charge of the loss of the loons is at that placefore capacious for Vanessa, but meaningless to young Piquette, who, on learning of the precarious situation of the birds, says Who gives a good goddam? (114). For Piquette, they are literally, a bunch of squawkin birds (115). Meaning is to do with symbolic construction and The Loons, for all of its focus on Piquette, is about Vanessas construction of personal meaning. Coral Ann Howells notes that Vanessas choosing to write about Piquette is a way of silently displacing her own feelings into Piquettes story (41). This process is clearest in the paragraph which announces the fathers death That winter my father died of pneumonia, afterward less than a weeks illness.For some time I saw nought around me, being completely immersed in my own pain and my commences. When I looked outward once more, I scarcely noticed that Piquette Tonnerre was no longer at school. (115) 13 14 The quarrel which tell of the loss of the father are alm ost immediately followed by words which tell of the disappearance of Piquette. This is given in the form of a negation I scarcely noticed, but what the young Vanessa had scarcely noticed, the narrating Vanessa gives weight to by placing it in verbal proximity to the death of the father, obliquely associating the two events.Through in channeliseion, therefore, Vanessa speaks of her own loss. But the process is not entirely parasitic in the telling, she also constructs Piquette. Piquette is, in some ways, a difficult character for todays reader to take on board like Pique, the daughter of Morag Gunn in the final Manawaka story, The Diviners, she suffers from the weight of too much thematic relevance (Howells 51) since, as I noted earlier, she accumulates an extraordinary number of handicaps, all of which are seen to be indirectly related to her Metis origins.In bitchiness of the older Vanessas gentle mocking of her earlier self in her desire to naturalize Piquette into a folkloric In dian, the story does imply that part of Piquettes tragedy is that, like the loons, she belongs to a more authentic heritage which has been/is being destroyed. 3 The romanticism which the narrating voice mocks is nonetheless supported by the storys symbolism, as is the attempt to fix Piquette into a sterile, stereotyped role of representativity, something that Piquettes direct discourse has violently rejected.Yet, we do have access to a more tenacious Piquette in her silences, rejections, and refusals, she is a character who is fighting for her own survival in a world clearly divided along class lines and this tenacity is seen principally in her rejection of Vanessas self-satisfaction. Vanessas sense of favourable position over Piquette is implicit in the narrators comments about the Metis girls invisibility to her junior self at that time, Piquette was but a vaguely embarrassing presence who moved somewhere at bottom my scope of vision (109). Moreover, Piquette can drop out of si ght for years without notice I do not remember seeing her at allJournal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 2007 Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 5 until four years later (115). It would seem to be the enumerate separateness of their social worlds that creates and sustains what might be experienced as a lack of affinity. Whereas these social differences remain unformulated to the child Vanessa, they are close to the surface for Piquette whose discourse refuses to endorse the smugness of the well-off Vanessa Do you like this place, I asked Piquette shrugged. Its okay. Good as anywhere. I love it, I said, We come here every summer. So what? (113) 15 Other details suggest a Piquette who has dreams of her own, but who cannot allow herself to separate them to others When she saw me approaching, her hand squashed flat the sand castle she had been building, and she looked at me sullenly, without speaking (113). For Piquette, the child Vanessa is a potential enemy, someone to guard oneself against. Dreams cannot be shared, and cannot even be envisaged within the society of which Vanessa is a part.Indeed, even in her later teenage years, Piquette holds no hope of improvement for herself within the throttle of minor(ip)-townspeople Manawaka Boy, you couldnt catch me stayin here. I don give a shit about this place. It stinks (116). Piquette knows that Manawaka holds nothing for her in the sense that no one there believes in her chances for a better future. When she becomes engaged to be married, she remarks that, All the bitches an biddies in this town will sure be surprised (117).The implication that the town gossips have nothing good to say about Piquette is underscored by Vanessas own reactions. On seeing Piquette several years after the summer at the cottage, Vanessa is repelled and embarrassed by her, and although she is ashamed at her own attitude, she gives way to an emphatic outpouring of animosity towards the teenage g irl I could not help despisal the self-pity in her voice. I wished she would go away. I did not want to see her. I did not know what to say to her.It seemed that we had nothing to say to one another. (117) 16 The force of this expression suggests a negative appellation with Piquette on Vanessas part. It is as if Piquette represents the photo negative of Vanessas life the publication of poverty, illness, and lack of education made flesh and standing there as a threat to the honor of Vanessas identity as a middle-class, reasonably well-educated girl with a future. on that point is no indication in the story that Vanessa ever overcomes this violent rejection of Piquette during the Metis girls lifetime.This moment of intense emotional confrontation is followed by what may be seen as the storys touch modality moment For the merest instant, then, I saw her. I really did see her, for the first and only time in all the years we had both lived in the same town. Her defiant face, momenta rily, became unguarded and unmasked, and in her eyes there was a terrifying hope. (117) 17 These last two words encapsulate the relative positions of the two girls.Where Piquette reveals her most guarded treasurehope, arguably the most positive emotion which exists, Vanessa reproduces the condemning judgement of the town with the word terrifying, she declares this hope to be without any ground. It is therefore coherent with Vanessas view of Piquettes life that the Metis woman should be left as a single capture, follow in the inebriated path of her father, and finally die in a house fire along with her two children. Vanessas reaction to this news is, I did not say anything. As so often with Piquette, there did not seem to be anything to say (119).It is not that there is nothing to say about Piquette, but rather, that what there is to say would involve a questioning of community values which would also have to be a form of self-questioning. The narrative does not take the direction of a critique of human and social relationships it deals with the vague sense of guilt expressed by the narratorI wished I could put from my memory board the look that I had seen once in Piquettes eyes (119)by sublimating Piquette into the symbol (along with the loons) of something lost.The ground is prepared through the falling action of the story which lists the avalanche of losses which Vanessa experiences after having heard about Piquettes death The MacLeod cottage had been sold after my fathers Journal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 2007 Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 6 death The small pier which my father had built was gone Diamond Lake had been renamed Lake Wapakata and finally, I realized that the loons were no longer there (119).These different elements reinstall the triad of the father, the loons and nature as the paradigm of loss and the narrator then brings Piquette into this field of study of symbolism I remember how Piquette had scorned to come along when my father and I sat there and listened to the lake birds. It seemed to me now that in some unconscious and totally unrecognised way, Piquette might have been the only one, after all, who had heard the crying of the loons. (120) 18 19 Piquette, father, lake, birds, loons all of these words are given a place in the final paragraph.The narrator too, is present amongst these elements, and her place as the one who reconstructs meaning is affirmed I remember how . But it is affirmed, finally, as a process of questioning in the phrase, It seemed to me now that in some unconscious and totally unrecognised way, (where it is uncertain as to whether it is the narrators unconscious or Piquettes which is being invoked), the narrator seems to romanticize Piquettes Metis status into the natural world and confer on her the positive charge of nostalgia related to loss. In this statement of restricted awareness, it would seem that the narrator is trying to resolve the difficulty of her own position in relation to Piquette the irreconcilable distinction between how she felt towards Piquette and how she felt she should have felt, if only for her fathers sake. The solution to this is to transform Piquette from the living girljudged by society, including Vanessa and her motheras sullen and gauche and badly dressed, a real slattern, a mess (118), into a symbol a young girl, representative of an oppressed minority, with a tragic destiny, doomed to die. In this form, the loss of Piquette can be associated with both the death of the father and the disappearance of the loons the desire to bring Piquette into this association suggests an unresolved sense of guilttowards the girl character, on the level of the diegesis, but also towards the Metis people, whose long silence (108) is echoed in the quietly all around me experienced by Vanessa (119) as she becomes aware of the disappearance of the loons.Silenced by death, Piquettes otherness can be neutraliz ed and romanticized into nostalgia. The contradictions which structure The Loons give the story its force. In spite of the image of the adult narrator in the choice and ordering of memory, there is no attempt to beautify the emotions of her childhood self. The limited, often egocentric aspects of her childhood perspective are rendered, so that the readers sympathy goes out towards the other girl, Piquette. This construction of perspective may be een as a form of generosity, whereby, in spite of Vanessas statement that there was nothing to say, the narrators rendering of the past has allowed the reader to achieve an awareness of Piquettes specificity as a character she has moved from the general sense of absence seizure which characterizes her in Vanessas memory, to a form of visibility in which the reader may see her as the victim of multiple vectors of oppression in this context, her defiance and sullenness become the marks of a fighting spirit, and her hope, the sign of her human ity.Through these effects constructed by the narrating voice, the earlier generosity of the father is ultimately echoed and loss takes on its complex human dimension. Bibliography Howells, Coral Ann. Private and Fictional Words Canadian Women Novelists of the 1970s and 1980s. London Methuen, 1987. Laurence, Margaret. A Bird in the House (1970). Chicago The University of Chicago Press, 1993. Stovel, Bruce. Coherence in A Bird in the House, in New Perspectives on Margaret Laurence Poetic Narrative, Multiculturalism, and Feminism.Ed. Greta McCormick Coger. Westport Greenwood Press, 1996. Vauthier, Simone. A Momentary Stay Against Confusion A interpretation of Margaret Laurences To Set Our House in Order. The Journal of the Short Story in English vol. 3 (1984) 87-108. Ware, Tracy. Race and Conflict in Garners One-Two-Three Little Indians and Laurences The Loons. Studies in Canadian literary productions vol. 232 (1998) 71-84. Journal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 200 7 Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons 7 Notes I am grateful to my colleagues in Besancon who participated in a news on The Loons. 2 See Vauthier (96-99) for a detailed analysis of Vanessas function as narrator (based on the short story To Set Our House in Order, but equally valid here). 3 Indeed, Tracy Ware argues that the association of Piquette with nature, on the basis of her Metis origins, denies Piquette her full humanity, and it also makes a tragic outcome inevitable. We will never be able to imagine a future for people whom we regard as separated from us by aeons (80). Margery Fees comment, quoted in Ware, that Native people are so rarely show as individuals, because they must bear the burden of the Otherof representing all that the modern person has lost (Ware 82), seems pertinent to the construction of Piquette as a character who comes to bear the symbolic weight of the very idea of loss. 5 Ware declares that this symbol is a misrecognition because it ignores the historical struggles of both Natives and Metis (79). References Electronic referenceJennifer Murray, Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons, Journal of the Short Story in English Online, 48Spring 2007, Online since 01 juin 2009, Connection on 01 avril 2013. URL http//jsse. revues. org/index858. html Bibliographical reference Jennifer Murray, Negotiating Loss and Otherness in Margaret Laurences The Loons, Journal of the Short Story in English, 482007, 71-80. Jennifer Murray Jennifer Murray is an associate professor at the University of Franche-Comte.Her research is focused primarily on Canadian literature and on American writers from the South. Ms. Murrays publications include articles on Margaret Atwood, Carson McCullers, Flannery OConnor and Tennessee Williams. She is currently working on the short stories of Margaret Laurence and Alice Munro. Copyright All rights reserved Abstract Je me propose ici detudier limpact symbolique de la d isparition du pere dans The Loons, une nouvelle de Margaret Laurence.Au niveau de lintrigue, lhistoire est celle dune amitie impossible entre la narratrice, Vanessa, fille de medecin, et une jeune metisse, Piquette, soignee par le pere de Vanessa. Les differences de niveau social, deducation et dorigine ethnique creent une incomprehension fondamentale entre les deux filles et vouent a lechec les tentatives de Vanessa de sympathiser avec Piquette. Cet insucces attriste Vanessa elle pense avoir decu son pere qui esperait que le miscellany de sa jeune patiente serait adouci par le contact avec sa famille.Devant son incapacite a transformer la realite et le remords quelle en eprouve, la narratrice transforme son souvenir de Piquette, lexclue, en symbole. Ce symbole se developpe autour dun noyau delements semantiques associes a lauthenticite, la nature, et la nostalgie du passe des concepts valorises par le pere, et qui, pour la narratrice sont lies au sentiment de perte occasionne par sa mort Journal of the Short Story in English, 48 Spring 2007