Leagility Defined for the Supply Chain Essay example -- essays researc

Leagility Defined for the Supply Chain Two words, lean and agile, combine to make the word leagility. Supply chain managers need lean supply lines to eliminate waste and keep costs low. They also require agile supply chains to get the right amount of the product to the right place in order to satisfy the ever-changing nature of the marketplace. Traditional management recommended a lean supply chain for products with a stable demand, yet low profit margin. Conversely, products with a high profit margin and volatile demand should have an agile supply chain (Van der Vorst). Modern managers may benefit from studying hybrid supply chains that are both lean and agile. Lean supply chains work best with products that sell in high volume and low variety (Christopher). The reason for this is clear when one considers a type of product meeting this criterion. Toilet paper sells in predictable volume and while there is some variety with this product, it is basically the same from brand to brand. The consumer is more likely to buy this product as a result of price rather than bells and whistles. A manager of a supply chain of toilet paper can use many tools to keep the logistics cost low. Sales of this product are likely to be tied to population size with little of no variation in sales†¦except in college towns where TP sales may be higher during rush week. This consistency allows managers to ship regular orders of the product. Consistency allows for long-range contracts with shippers, wh...

Environmental Essay -- Biodiversity, Ecological Systems

Biodiversity is the makeup and interconnectedness of ecological systems. Biodiversity makes up all the diversity among living things within a specific system. This diversity of life is invaluable to human existence for countless reasons; it is a primary source for environmental resources that shape the economics of a region, it provides the scientific community with what seems to be an ever-growing source of data that can be used for things like medicine, and provides food and aesthetic value to human life. Ontario is a privileged province of Canada as it contains over 25,00 different species of plants and animals. (†¨Lemieux, Scott. 2011) With such a vast collection of biodiversity Ontario has the obligation to ensure its protection and growth of the thousands of years of evolution that lead to the complex array of life it now contains. With the growth of the human population biodiversity is shrinking, as the globe becomes one species orientated the externalities of human exist ence threaten biodiversity. One example of these externalities are the impacts anthropogenic climate change, the changing climate due to human activities threatens wildlife as it changes their habitats at rates that most wildlife cannot adopt and evolve to live in. (Lemieux, Scott 2011). Considering the excess of 25,000 different species in Ontario, the province has a large obligation to protect and maintain this biodiversity from the dangers that human existence pose to it. The federal and provincial governments have created many laws and regulations that relate to the protection and management of the environment and biodiversity. More specifically the provincial government of Ontario has the Endangered species act, which will be the focal point of analys... ...he environment and biodiversity by protecting species at risk of extinction and their habitats. After analysis and discussion it is clearly evident that the statue was a positive movement towards a better-managed environment but has many areas of concern. The act deals with problems in a reactive nature when it should be a proactive one in maintaining biodiversity. Secondly it comes into conflict when the species concerned overlaps with private property and unjustly puts the social cost of helping the species to the hands of the private landowners, better management between landowner and government polices should be made to fix the conflicts which arise from this. Finally the act needs to deal with the scope of biodiversity being centered around a one species orientated nature, and by this should focus a better management of human interaction with the environment.

Good and Evil (a Wrinkle in Time, and Frankenstein Review) Essay

â€Å"Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil. † – Marcus Aurelius. A Wrinkle in Time is a book about the journey through the war of good versus evil and the ultimate triumph of love. Every character is clearly distinguished with either good or evil: the â€Å"good† characters include Meg, her family, Calvin, the Mrs. W’s, Aunt Beast, and the Happy Medium; the â€Å"evil† characters include IT, The Dark Thing, and the Man with the Red Eyes. Frankenstein, on the other hand, is a story told in a series of letters, as Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon to be disturbed by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who had been travelling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton take him abroad the ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster the Frankenstein created. This tale that Frankenstein is reciting reveals the two sides that a person, or a living creature can portray: good and evil. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent†, while A Wrinkle in Time was banned for having a fantasy-related genre throughout the plot, including witches and demons. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. â€Å"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; — obey! † (Shelley 149). In Frankenstein, the monster represents evil, as it comes to life, and terrorizes its creator. Dangerous knowledge is an ideal theme in Frankenstein. The pursuit of knowledge is right in the middle of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to go beyond accepted human limits and find out the secret of life. Likewise, Robert Walton attempts to pass the past human explorations by being determined to reach the North Pole. In A Wrinkle In Time, comfort and individuality is a major theme that I saw throughout the plot. The main character, Meg, is caught between the desire for conformity and the expression of her own creative nature. At the beginning of the novel Meg feels embittered towards other students at her school that make fun of her and tease her for being different, as well as those who see her little brother as being weird or odd. She desperately wants to be more like her twin brothers who have little problem fitting in. The theme that the two stories share, and that I have mentioned before, is the theme titled good and evil: â€Å"Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the patch of Dark Thing had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. Then, slowly, the shining dwindled until it, too, was gone, and there was nothing but stars and starlight. No shadows. No fear. Only the stars and the clear darkness of space, quite different from the fearful darkness of the Thing† (L’Engle 102). It’s interesting that the defeat of the Black Thing doesn’t lead to the universe being lit up like a baseball stadium, but rather to an absence of unnatural darkness. It’s almost like the battle isn’t so much between evil and good as between evil and the normal. Characters are â€Å"Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations† – Ray Bradbury. In Frankenstein, the main character or the creator of the monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating an artificial human form and eventually attempts to make it. Immediately after creating the monster, he falls into a depression and starts to fear. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, where he finds only tragedy. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he ends up really spending his entire life trying to destroy the same creation he was working to make for so long. In a Wrinkle In Time however, the protagonist is portrayed a bit differently: Meg Murry, The book’s hero, an awkward, but loving high school student who is sent on an adventure through time and space with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin to rescue her father from the evil force that is attempting to take over the universe. Meg’s greatest faults are her anger, impatience, and lack of self-confidence, but she changes and overcomes them, and in the end is victorious, as the story ends with a stereotypical kid’s-story ending. A happy ending for the protagonist. The main differences that I saw between the two are the two protagonists: Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), and Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), are to begin with, set in different times. A Wrinkle In Time could be set anywhere in the recent past. Frankenstein however, is set in the late 18th century. The whole concept of Frankenstein is much darker, and in fact I would say it could be classified as gothic science fiction, as the characters are much darker, and seem more serious and cold-hearted by the way Shelley describes them compared to the other book. A Wrinkle In Time is much lighter, as the characters, their actions, and abilities are all easier, and always give the advantage to the â€Å"good guys†. Also the whole concept of the book, and the idea of it, is more for a child’s imagination to handle and comprehend compared to Frankenstein, and I would classify it as plain science and fantasy fiction. Although these differences shape the stories in totally different directions, there are some similarities: The similarities between the characters and their traits are that they both have solid downsides to them. As I mentioned before, Meg’s (A Wrinkle In Time) faults are her temper, impatience, and lack of confidence in herself, and Victor’s (Frankenstein) faults are that he is in a depression and great fear throughout the plot after the Monster is created and is woken. Another trait I can compare between the two protagonists, are their determination to reach their final goal. Although I cannot see it in either book, but both books were officially banned in one place or another for ridiculous reasons. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent† in 1955. Maybe 57 years ago there were different rules and traits a person had to portray to be defined as â€Å"good†, but to make this specific book banned for being â€Å"obscene† (which means that it is offensive or the opposite of accepted manner). A Wrinkle In Time is banned for having witches, crystal balls and demons. Also, because Jesus is listed among the names of great artists, philosophers and teachers, and it is banned in the U. S. â€Å"Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin† (Shelley 37). All in all, these books have more differences than similarities in my opinion. Although both are really good, one is dark while the other is light compared. The similarities that I saw in the characters, the themes, and the reason they were censored are mostly because of the relationship between good and evil throughout it. Studying these two books and the reason for them being banned has surprisingly changed my life in a minor way, as I learned how people from different cultures and education they grew up with react to different things, and I learned to compare and contrast, not only the books, but real life situations such as the South Africans who banned Frankenstein versus my lifestyle and way-of-thinking. â€Å"Life is neither good or evil, but only a place for good and evil. † – Marcus Aurelius. A Wrinkle in Time is a book about the journey through the war of good versus evil and the ultimate triumph of love. Every character is clearly distinguished with either good or evil: the â€Å"good† characters include Meg, her family, Calvin, the Mrs. W’s, Aunt Beast, and the Happy Medium; the â€Å"evil† characters include IT, The Dark Thing, and the Man with the Red Eyes. Frankenstein, on the other hand, is a story told in a series of letters, as Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon to be disturbed by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who had been travelling by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton take him abroad the ship, helps nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster the Frankenstein created. This tale that Frankenstein is reciting reveals the two sides that a person, or a living creature can portray: good and evil. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent†, while A Wrinkle in Time was banned for having a fantasy-related genre throughout the plot, including witches and demons. Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. â€Å"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension. Remember that I have power; you believe yourself miserable, but I can make you so wretched that the light of day will be hateful to you. You are my creator, but I am your master; — obey! † (Shelley 149). In Frankenstein, the monster represents evil, as it comes to life, and terrorizes its creator. Dangerous knowledge is an ideal theme in Frankenstein. The pursuit of knowledge is right in the middle of Frankenstein, as Victor attempts to go beyond accepted human limits and find out the secret of life. Likewise, Robert Walton attempts to pass the past human explorations by being determined to reach the North Pole. In A Wrinkle In Time, comfort and individuality is a major theme that I saw throughout the plot. The main character, Meg, is caught between the desire for conformity and the expression of her own creative nature. At the beginning of the novel Meg feels embittered towards other students at her school that make fun of her and tease her for being different, as well as those who see her little brother as being weird or odd. She desperately wants to be more like her twin brothers who have little problem fitting in. The theme that the two stories share, and that I have mentioned before, is the theme titled good and evil: â€Å"Suddenly there was a great burst of light through the Darkness. The light spread out and where it touched the Darkness the Darkness disappeared. The light spread until the patch of Dark Thing had vanished, and there was only a gentle shining, and through the shining came the stars, clear and pure. Then, slowly, the shining dwindled until it, too, was gone, and there was nothing but stars and starlight. No shadows. No fear. Only the stars and the clear darkness of space, quite different from the fearful darkness of the Thing† (L’Engle 102). It’s interesting that the defeat of the Black Thing doesn’t lead to the universe being lit up like a baseball stadium, but rather to an absence of unnatural darkness. It’s almost like the battle isn’t so much between evil and good as between evil and the normal. Characters are â€Å"Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations† – Ray Bradbury. In Frankenstein, the main character or the creator of the monster. Victor becomes obsessed with the idea of creating an artificial human form and eventually attempts to make it. Immediately after creating the monster, he falls into a depression and starts to fear. He leaves the school and returns home to his family, where he finds only tragedy. Not fully aware of the consequences of his creating a new human, he ends up really spending his entire life trying to destroy the same creation he was working to make for so long. In a Wrinkle In Time however, the protagonist is portrayed a bit differently: Meg Murry, The book’s hero, an awkward, but loving high school student who is sent on an adventure through time and space with her brother Charles Wallace and friend Calvin to rescue her father from the evil force that is attempting to take over the universe. Meg’s greatest faults are her anger, impatience, and lack of self-confidence, but she changes and overcomes them, and in the end is victorious, as the story ends with a stereotypical kid’s-story ending. A happy ending for the protagonist. The main differences that I saw between the two are the two protagonists: Meg Murry (A Wrinkle In Time), and Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein), are to begin with, set in different times. A Wrinkle In Time could be set anywhere in the recent past. Frankenstein however, is set in the late 18th century. The whole concept of Frankenstein is much darker, and in fact I would say it could be classified as gothic science fiction, as the characters are much darker, and seem more serious and cold-hearted by the way Shelley describes them compared to the other book. A Wrinkle In Time is much lighter, as the characters, their actions, and abilities are all easier, and always give the advantage to the â€Å"good guys†. Also the whole concept of the book, and the idea of it, is more for a child’s imagination to handle and comprehend compared to Frankenstein, and I would classify it as plain science and fantasy fiction. Although these differences shape the stories in totally different directions, there are some similarities: The similarities between the characters and their traits are that they both have solid downsides to them. As I mentioned before, Meg’s (A Wrinkle In Time) faults are her temper, impatience, and lack of confidence in herself, and Victor’s (Frankenstein) faults are that he is in a depression and great fear throughout the plot after the Monster is created and is woken. Another trait I can compare between the two protagonists, are their determination to reach their final goal. Although I cannot see it in either book, but both books were officially banned in one place or another for ridiculous reasons. Frankenstein was banned in South Africa for being â€Å"obscene† and â€Å"indecent† in 1955. Maybe 57 years ago there were different rules and traits a person had to portray to be defined as â€Å"good†, but to make this specific book banned for being â€Å"obscene† (which means that it is offensive or the opposite of accepted manner). A Wrinkle In Time is banned for having witches, crystal balls and demons. Also, because Jesus is listed among the names of great artists, philosophers and teachers, and it is banned in the U. S. â€Å"Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin† (Shelley 37). All in all, these books have more differences than similarities in my opinion. Although both are really good, one is dark while the other is light compared. The similarities that I saw in the characters, the themes, and the reason they were censored are mostly because of the relationship between good and evil throughout it. Studying these two books and the reason for them being banned has surprisingly changed my life in a minor way, as I learned how people from different cultures and education they grew up with react to different things, and I learned to compare and contrast, not only the books, but real life situations such as the South Africans who banned Frankenstein versus my lifestyle and way-of-thinking.

How Golding Uses Symbols in Lord of the Flies Essay

William Golding’s book, Lord of the Flies (published in 1954) tells the story of a group of boys, who are stranded on an unknown island, when their plane crashes. On the surface, it is an interesting story of how the civilised English boys, during their time on the island, gradually lose their veneer of respectability and â€Å"decent† behaviour and devolve to the basest and barest form of humanity. Eventually, the boys almost entirely shake off the civilisation of the world they once knew. If we scratch beneath that surface, what we find is a much more complicated observation of society, laden with corporeal, philosophical and religious symbols. Indeed, the superb use of symbolism in the book is one of the contributing factors to the profundity of the book. The symbols that stand out the most are the conch; the gradual destruction of the island; Piggy’s spectacles; fire, and how it is used; and the beast, or the Lord of the Flies (another name given to the Devil), the crucial symbol, used throughout the book. All of these will be looked at into more detail, and, also, whether the beast is real or a physical manifestation of the boys’ fears, as well as the key comment that it is the evil which resides within man, will also be discussed. First, is the conch. This is the shell, which is discovered by Ralph and Piggy, and is used to represent power, authority and rules. From the very first time it is mentioned, Golding describes it as: â€Å"pretty and a worthy plaything†. It is, like everything else on the island, a simple and innocent object: and immediately afterwards, it becomes something so precious, due to its apparent beauty. Also, in the beginning, it is a mere utility: Piggy suggests that, when blown, it would be able to â€Å"call† the other boys, scattered around the area of the crash, to have a meeting. The fact that it is used to call already highlights its importance in the book, as it has instant results. The sound is, as Jack later says, like that of a trumpet, using the metaphor of summoning the boys: it has an authority all on its own. By the time of the next meeting, in the afternoon of that same day, Ralph, now elected leader, decides that it will be used during meetings, where only the person with it may speak. â€Å"‘I’ll give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when he’s speaking†¦And he won’t be interrupted. Except by me.'† Rules have been established, and the conch is at the centre if them, so it, now, is the means of putting across one’s feelings and/or ideas. Naturally, everyone agrees, including Jack. Golding puts this into the book, commenting on man’s need for rules within a society, and a code of behaviour, thus demonstrating what the conch symbolises. As well as these, it also symbolises democracy and free speech in our modern society, one of the few positive statements on humanity within the book, in the fact that all the boys are able to say something, as opposed to rule by force, or an autocracy, as demonstrated by Jack’s leadership, later on in the book. By chapter Five, things have already drastically changed among the boys. The threat of the beast has been lurking among them all for some time, now, and it has been left to grow to such an extent, that more and more people are behaving differently towards the island and each other. When Ralph has to call an assembly concerning these issues, he finds it difficult to get anything across, or even to be listened to, without brandishing the conch, or repeatedly reminding them that he has it. This symbolises that the power and authority of the conch is weakening, as the boys are tiring of adhering to the rules. Ralph even comments on this during his speech, when he says: – â€Å"things are breaking up†¦We began well; we were happy. And then-â€Å". It also makes a sly comment on rules and authority among real human societies, saying that we are unable to keep to them because of our nature as â€Å"free† beings, and therefore, the very idea of a rule, something that will confine us, is only temporarily effective, because we just cannot rigidly or lastingly keep to them. Many have argued for and against this theory, and much of it has to do with where we believe our origins as humans lie. For instance, if one believes in the Christian God, they believe that we are the way we are, because of the Original Sin; if Atheist, one may believe in evolution, and that we should, possibly each of us, create our own rules and boundaries, and not let any one person or body decide for us. It is, indeed an interesting debate. The idea of power corrupting, and being corruptible in return, is also evident in the way that Jack speaks out openly against Ralph, repeatedly, either with or without the conch. He even says, during the assembly scene in chapter Five, â€Å"bollocks to the rules!† In chapter Eleven, by which time Jack has succeeded in taking almost complete control over the island, the idea of the conch has become a laughing stock, and it has physically become worn and faded, and less beautiful. Golding shows how everyone, including Ralph and Piggy, regards the conch. Despite them knowing, and seeing in practice, that the conch is virtually useless, Piggy still tells Ralph to call an assembly, and use it, because he is so rule-rigid and loyal to Ralph, that he refuses to undermine him by abandoning the rules; while even Ralph only uses it, under the direction of Piggy: – † ‘†¦You call an assembly, Ralph, we got to decide what to do.’ ‘An assembly for only us?’ ‘It’s all we got†¦Blow the conch,'† This strict allegiance of Piggy’s, even now, to Ralph and the conch proves to be his fatal feature, as, when he, Ralph, Sam and Eric go up to the Castle Rock of Jack’s tribe, among jeers, insults and being ignored, Piggy still says: â€Å"I’ve got the conch!† This annoys Jack and Roger so much, that both he, and the conch, now having â€Å"lost its glow†, are destroyed by the boulder, the conch being: â€Å"exploded into a thousand white fragments and ceas[ing] to exist.† Although there has been no real authority or rules for some time, by now, apart from Jack’s, the end of the conch marks the real end, as even the husk, the last remaining vestige of organisation and rules, has been done away with. The fact that it is destroyed along with its one true follower, and the way that Golding writes it, links it with the idea of a murder: not only of Piggy, but of the conch, itself. Golding cleverly emphasises how insignificant it has become by putting its destruction into half of a sentence, and concentrating on the main part of the event, Piggy’s death. The next symbol to be discussed in the book is that of the island, and its gradual and subsequent ruin. Like the conch, it is a beautiful, peaceful and untouched world, but it is constantly affected by the boys’ actions throughout, even from before the book. From the first paragraph, the site of the crash is referred to as the scar, as if it were an injury to a living being, which, it could be argued, it is. Nevertheless, in chapter One, Golding creates a beautiful image of the island as a whole, using vivid description to emphasise it’s natural beauty, and this is continued right up to the point of the discovery of the conch: â€Å"a great platform of pink granite†; â€Å"a criss-cross pattern of trunks, very convenient to sit on†; â€Å"bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral†; â€Å"a golden light danced and shattered just over his face†; â€Å"the brilliance of the lagoon†. Golding’s intense description of t he lagoon and the watery areas all create the calming effect of water, due to his detailing their appealing aspects. The boys’ initial reactions to it are similar to what the reader should have. They find it amazing and exotic, seeing their whole situation as an adventure, likening it to popular adventure stories, aimed, mainly, at boys, such as Swallows and Amazons, Treasure Island, and Coral Island, which they say. Their excitement overpowers their sense of reality, and the fact that they are alone, without any parents or adults, which piggy reminds them of. But in chapter two, only just after Jack, Ralph and Simon have surveyed the island, and told everyone else how big and beautiful it is, their enthusiasm leads them to make an irreparable mistake. In an attempt to make some sort of signal to the outside world, they start a fire, which subsequently ends up scorching a large chunk of the island’s vegetation. This clearly symbolises man’s effect on the natural world, and how selfish and inconsiderate we have been, in furthering our own society. The excitement and vigour with which the boys readily execute the fire also comments on this: – â€Å"‘A fire! Make a fire!’ At once half the boys were on their feet.† Just like the young and carefree boys, man has created and used industry and technology to advance his own civilization, without the slightest thought for anything else. Already the intrinsic beauty of the island has been permanently tarnished twice. Piggy says, sarcastically, when commenting on the fire: – â€Å"You got your small fire all right.† This theme of the gradual destruction of the island is continued throughout the rest of the book, which charts, in a way, the time and scale of man’s destruction of the Earth. In chapter Six, the mother pig is brutally murdered, meaning that, now, although there will be plenty of meat, there won’t be any new pigs to hunt, when they are all hunted down. And, of course, it all comes to an end, when the fire courses through the island, at the end, in chapter Twelve, finally completely obliterating anything natural, or pure, about the island. â€Å"[Ralph] heard a curious trickling sound†¦as if someone were unwrapping great sheets of cellophane†¦Smoke was seeping through the branches in white and yellow wisps†¦and then the smoke billowed around him.† Concerning the island, and what it represents, Golding has used such vivid imagery in his description, that, when the island is being razed to the ground, the reader is left to feel slightly sorrowful about its end, and it encourages the reader to reflect on what has happened on it ever since the boys arrived. This ties in very well with the religious connection, the island even being described as an â€Å"Eden†: the idea of the Original Sin being the cause of man’s present physical and moral condition. At the beginning, the boys enjoy the island and are treating the whole experience as a great big adventure; after time elapses, and the boys have become afraid of the beast, lurking around the island, their terror and fear causes them to fight back against the island, thus doing things which, though they are not fully aware of it, are ruining their environment. Towards the end, they are conducting an all-out attack on the island, with the beast on it (though, with the leadership of Jack, this is somewhat directed against Ralph). Another distinctive symbol in the book, is Piggy’s spectacles. Not only are these a utility, when being used as the means to start a fire, but they also symbolise more: Piggy’s (or just, on its own) intelligence. It is the only asset that Piggy has over the others on the island, and it also ties in with him, his behaviour, and what they symbolise. Like the conch, and what it symbolises, Piggy holds dear his spectacles: this can be argued as natural, for reality’s sake, but he is not the only boy who has such high esteem for them. Jack seizes them from him twice, and it could be said that Jack only does it partly for their usefulness, partly for what they symbolise (intelligence and foresight), and partly because Jack just hates Piggy and will do anything to cause harm or suffering towards him. When in chapter Four, they are damaged, with one of the lenses being broken, he doesn’t care, as he mimics Piggy’s cry of â€Å"Just you wait.† And, in chapter Ten, Jack behaves triumphantly, when it is revealed that he and a couple of members of his tribe have raided the huts, and stolen Piggy’s spectacles: – â€Å"The chief led them†¦exulting in his achievement†¦From his left hand dangled Piggy’s broken glasses.† This reaffirms how jack abuses intelligence, by stealing the spectacles, and glorifying his triumph. Another clear sign that the glasses represent intelligence is the fact that Piggy, the most rational and scientific boy there, is less confident, without them. In chapter Ten, after the damage, but before the raid, Piggy says, to Ralph: â€Å"‘I only got one eye, now. You ought to know that'†. Despite his reliability, even Ralph is beginning to lose hope in Piggy, his spectacles, and the meaningless conch. Golding makes the glasses now represent hope, or the lack of it. Because Piggy’s sight is dimmer, no one can see a way out of their predicament. This links with what Golding is saying about how man needs rules, with the conch: so, man must also need hope, otherwise, listlessness and hopelessness set in. Therefore, the link between rules and authority, hope, intelligence and foresight, and rationality is strongly emphasised. Golding is saying that we, as â€Å"civilised† humans need all four, which have made up our present society. It’s also telling that their present society is in the middle of a nuclear war, which could be argued as what’s happening on the island, anyway. This is most clearly represented by the fact that, at the end, where the island has been devastated, and the conch, Piggy and the glasses have all been done away with, there is no moral code. The island now mirrors both their and our present society. The next major symbol in the book is the fire, and it has many different uses in the story. In chapter One, the boys have the idea of making a fire, to act as a signal to any passing ships, despite their lack of concern or consideration for the rest of the island, already discussed. But, towards the end of the chapter, the fire is described as being something different: dangerous and destructive, as it burns down a part of the mountain. This is a hint of what is to come, both in terms of the plot, and Golding’s way of using fire to symbolise how destructive humanity can be. â€Å"All at once the lights flickering ahead of him merged together, the roar of the forest rose to thunder and a tall bush directly in his path burst into a great fan-shaped flame†¦the heat beating on his left side and the fire racing forward like a tide.† It is telling, also, to what Golding believes about man’s effect on the earth, as the fire has made the island a hell, compared to the paradise that it was at the beginning. When, in chapter Four, the fire goes out, it symbolises the loss of hope, in Ralph, as he is losing control of Jack and his hunters, and Jack is wresting the boys to his power. This is also where Piggy’s spectacles are damaged, and the chain of events, here, all symbolise the despair that Ralph is beginning to have. It also ties in with chapters Eight and Eleven, where Ralph speaks of Jack â€Å"stealing† the fire, or hope, that was keeping him and the boys sane, and working together. Here Golding’ is making another comment about our society: without hope, there is nothing worth fighting for or bothering with. The boys have become savage over a period of time, during which they were almost rescued, but due to their own selfishness in wanting to enjoy themselves, they have concerned themselves with fun and pleasure, seeing as there is no hope of anything else. And this is where fire, as a symbol, takes on a darker side. In chapter Nine, during the feast, and having used it to cook the meat of the mother-pig (though the utilisation of the fire for cooking the could be a positive thing), the boys dance around it, as if in some ritualistic sacrament: shouting, howling and chanting: – â€Å"Jack leapt on to the sand. ‘Do our dance! Come on! Dance!’ †¦A circling movement developed and a chant†¦the littluns ran and jumped†¦Piggy and Ralph, under the threat of the sky, found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society†¦The movement†¦began to beat like a steady pulse†¦There was the throb and stamp of a single organism.† The way that Golding describes it, conjures up the image of the boys transforming, literally, into the very same beast that they are all afraid of. The pace and the language of the words give off a feeling of great tension, signified by the coming storm in the scene. Also, the boys are described as a â€Å"single organism†. Due to the nature the story, Golding deliberately dehumanises the boys, and turns them into a mob, to comment on humanity as it acts in a very closed society. When one looks into human history, it is evident that in any one group, as factions, we have done terrible things to each other and to our environment. Simon’s death, included here, is probably the most lucid example of how destructive human beings are en masse. The final, and most distinctive, symbol to be discussed is that of the beast. This is the most profound icon used by Golding to convey his overall message of the evils within man, and his pessimism towards human nature. The beast is first introduced by one of the littleuns in chapter Two, after Ralph and Jack have explained their situation to the other boys. † ‘He wants to know what you’re going to do about the snake-thing.’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Now he says it was a beastie'† The idea that the beast is a â€Å"snake-thing† links in with the idea of the Original Sin: the Devil taking the shape of a serpent (snake) to tempt Eve, the â€Å"mother† of humanity, into wrongdoing. As looked at in discussion of the conch, the island, and the fire, we already know that things go wrong on the island, and that Golding attributes this to human nature. The beast, and this idea of it being inescapable represents this. For instance, the different methods by which the boys dream up its presence (from water, air, snake-like) al are natural, or biblical references. Every idea of the form of the beast is a comprehensible, human, one. Also, during the frequent discussions among the boys’ meetings, as the fear of the beast increases among the boys, so, too, does Simon’s understanding. In chapter Five, he says: – â€Å"Maybe there is a beast†¦maybe it’s only us† This shows his comprehension of the idea of something evil and primitive growing within the society of the boys. This is made completely evident in chapter Eight, with his â€Å"conversation† (in actual fact, an epileptic fit) with the beast. Simon is in his â€Å"special place†, originally a peaceful area of contemplation, abused by Jack’s placing the head of the hunted mother pig there, as an offering to the beast. The conversation itself is very insightful towards Golding’s view of humanity and towards what Simon represents, also. The beast, or â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, as it is called, here, mentions Ralph, Jack, and Piggy, hinting at how they each represent an important aspect of human society (leadership, dictatorship, and rationality, respectively – all of the â€Å"secular†, or physical features of humanity). The fact that the pig/beast is named as the Lord of the Flies links in with Golding’s view that it is humanity’s one true fault, that we have it in ourselves to be evil. Man is the beast; it’s simply the evil within the boys that motivates them to think of it. The Lord of the Flies says: – â€Å"You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you?†¦I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?† Of course, Simon isn’t really talking to the Devil; the fact that it’s all taking place inside his own head highlights that he is merely seeing that this is the darker part of human nature. When Simon then goes up the mountain, to search for the truth about the â€Å"beast† which he, Ralph and Jack â€Å"see†, Golding is showing us that Simon is representative of Christ. He is the one who sees the problem with humanity, right from the beginning. He tries to explain this to his fellow man, and is laughed at about it, and considered to be mad or a fool; he eventually reaches â€Å"enlightenment†, when he finds out the truth (the figure they saw was only the dead body of a parachutist); and when, again, he tries to make this clear to the other boys, he is killed, tragically, during the feast-turned-ritual, while they are out of control: – â€Å"the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore†¦the tearing of teeth and claws.† Here, again, the boys are described as being the beast. Though extremely graphic and violent (as the death of Jesus was), Golding writes a beautiful aftermath, when describing the body being carried out to sea, paralleling the angelic ascension to heaven of Jesus: – â€Å"The edge of the lagoon became a streak of phosphorescence which advanced minutely†¦The clear water mirrored the clear sky and the angular bright constellations†¦the advancing clearness was full of strange, moonbeam-bodied creatures with fiery eyes.† The way in which Golding has crafted the language to create this imagery, is conjuring up the thought of Simon’s spirit, as it were, drifting up. It also emphasises the idea of the calm after the storm. A storm, during which, dark and violent events have occurred amongst the boys, and on the island. Now, as an irredeemable act has been carried out, Golding helps the reader reflect on this, with the serenity and beauty of the aftermath. As we know, after Simon’s death, everything happens very quickly. Within two days, Jack’s hunters raid Ralph, Piggy, Sam and Eric, and take Piggy’s glasses; Piggy is consciously murdered, in an attempt to retrieve them, and the conch is destroyed with him; Ralph is hunted down like a pig, and the island is destroyed completely by a raging fire, which, ironically, is the beacon that gets them rescued. The beast is Golding’s main device, used to convey this overall theme of the evil within man and his society. Most of the events in the book revolve around it. Ralph, the leader, tries to reassure the boys that it doesn’t exist, while being unsure of that himself; Piggy, the rational scientist, completely denies it’s existence, and pins the boys’ behaviour down to things which he can be certain of; Jack, the dictator, pragmatically uses the beast as fodder for the boys, denying it’s existence at one point, then offering it gifts at others. While Simon, the philosopher, is aware of its true form all along, but is ignored and killed for his speaking out about it. In conclusion, Golding’s exceptionally complex novel is, probably, one of the grimmest, pessimistic, cynical, and yet extremely profound literatures ever written. His view of humanity and human nature is unparalleled in the way he conveys it. Whether it is realistic or not would need another essay to discuss it, but by studying all of his injected symbols, and the different purposes he creates for them, we are given a very vividly bleak image. The conch, a beautiful shell, used for a noble purpose, is abused and ridiculed, eventually unceremoniously destroyed, by which point it is dirty and uncared for. It’s symbolising hope, authority, rules and freedom of speech comments on how we use these ideas today, in our society. The island, a paradise world, untouched and naturally beautiful, is ruined right from the boys’ very entrance, and is progressively destroyed, due to their unconcern for it. This shadows man’s behaviour towards his surroundings and how he has advanced his own race without caution or care for the earth. Piggy’s glasses, rationality and intelligence, cherished by Ralph and Piggy, and abused by Jack, mirror how people have used science and philosophy for their own ends, so as to get away with terrible things. The fire is, at one point, a symbol of hope and rescue; and at other points, it symbolises destruction, danger, and fear. And, of course, the beast: Golding’s main means. The evil within man, and how it is manifest. It is telling, however, that Lord of the Flies is only the first in a series of novels by Golding, used to convey his pessimistic view of humanity. As mentioned, there is so much to say about just the symbols he uses here, that makes this book one of literature’s finest pieces.

“The Scarlet Letter” Chapters 1-3 Review Essay

1. As the story opens a throng is gathered. Who are these people? Where and why are they gathered? Men with beards in sad-colored garments and crowned hats, there are also a few women. They are citizens and they are gathered outside, around the marketplace, to view Hester Prynne on a platform, with her scarlet letter. 2. The description in Chapter One of the people’s dress, the prison, and the surrounding vegetation serves to establish certain important impressions of Puritan society at the time of the story. What impressions of this society do you get from the opening chapter? It can be inferred that the timeline is in the seventeenth century due to the description of the area and the way it is referenced, such as the â€Å"market place.† I feel that the community is very strict Puritan. As it was mentioned in the Hawthorne biography lecture, his writing was influenced by a strict Puritan background. Puritans took sin very seriously, which included being very strict with punishments. In the first chapter, the details of Hester’s punishment are not in vivid detail; however, her sin is not just taken with a â€Å"grain of salt,† so to say, because she is put on display in front of the entire community. 3. The story itself begins with the punishment of Hester Prynne. a. What early hints do you get in Chapter Two about the nature of her crime? A group of women are discussing Hester at the market-place and the women agreed that the women who are mature and good church members should be allowed to deal with such â€Å"malefactresses as this Hester Prynne.† The women also refer to Hester as a â€Å"hussy.† It is also mentioned that Dimmesdale is upset about such a scandal. One woman suggests that Hester should be branded upon her forehead and another woman declares that Hester has â€Å"brought shame upon us all, and ought to die.† The women’s remarks suggest that â€Å"Mistress Prynne† has committed a woman’s crime, one that brings them all shame. So,  from the language of the group of women and the terms â€Å"mistress† and â€Å"scandal,† it can best be inferred that she committed a crime that looks bad amongst women and her being referred to as a mistress (one who partakes in sexual acts without relationship bounds) gives hints to her crime. b. What more definite information about her crime do you get in Chapter Three? While standing on the platform, Hester recognizes a man in the crowd who is accompanied by an Indian. This man inquires about her and why she is there. This is where we learn that she has committed adultery (the scarlet letter â€Å"A† is for adultery). 4. What two punishments have been assigned to Hester Prynne? One is that her sin ousts her from society. The other is that she must wear an â€Å"A,† the scarlet letter, especially for public humiliation, which marks that she committed adultery. 5. Standing on the scaffold, Hester envisions her earlier life. What facts do you learn about her previous life? What was her relationship with the man â€Å"well stricken in years†? We learn that she grew up in England, and her house, which was a decayed, poverty-stricken house of gray stone. Her mother had passed away and it was inferred that she also left her home to go to a city because she imagines a continental city with narrow streets, huge cathedrals; and ancient public buildings. While mentioning the city, the book also mentions the man â€Å"well stricken in his years.† It is said that she imagines a man whose years had worn on him, his right shoulder a bit deformed because the left shoulder is higher, the weary face and bleary eyes of a scholar who had read many books. In the third chapter, Hester sees a man in the crowd that matches the description of her imagination and he immediately catches her gaze. It is later revealed in the chapter that the man is her husband. 6. One man in the surrounding crowd is singled out. He is described as â€Å"clad in a strange disarray of civilized and savage costume.† a. What effect does his presence have on Hester?   Her intensive awareness of the public’s attention was relieved when she saw an Indian with a white man in the crowd. It is said that when Hester saw the man, she clutched her baby to her chest so hard that it cried; however, she did not even realize or hear her baby cry. She could not stop staring at him. b. What is the significance of his laying his finger on his lips when Hester fastens her eyes on him? He had noticed that she was watching him and she must’ve been confused by his presence. When he caught her gaze, he pressed his finger to his lips to signal to her to not say a word. c. What clues are there to his identity? When Hester was on the scaffold imagining her past, she imagined a man with deformed shoulders, his left shoulder higher than his right, she imagined a weary face and bleary ices with a penetrating power. The first clue is when Hester first sees the man and she notices his â€Å"intelligence† features, she also notices his shoulders and more into the details, it is revealed through the expressive descriptions of his eyes and his gaze that the man she sees in the crowd is the man she imagined. 7. While on the scaffold, Hester is subjected to a kind of interrogation. a. What important question related to her crime remains unanswered? Who the father of Hester’s baby is/who tempted Hester. b. What plea do the two ministers make in regard to this question? To reveal the man who is the baby’s father/tempted Hester into adultery. c. Who else besides the 2 clergymen questions her in this matter? It was Governor Bellingham. d. What is Hester’s response? That her child must seek a heavenly father, for her child will never have an earthly one. 8. Based on the reading you have done in these chapters, do you have a theory about the answer to the question which the ministers have put to Hester? If you do, explain what you have noticed in your reading that might support  your theory. During the questioning, Dimmesdale has a much stronger plea than Mr. Wilson, but prior to his questioning, he takes a moment to say a silent prayer, which Mr. Wilson did not, which gives a bit of a suspicion. Dimmesdale’s voice trembles and is quite broken when he speaks to Hester; he even mentions that even if the man who tempted her had to step down from his position of high power/authority, that it would be better than living a life of sin. When Mr. Wilson asked Hester to speak, her gaze never broke Dimmesdale, especially with she said that she would never tell. â€Å"She will not speak!,† murmured Dimmesdale, as he was leaning over the balcony with his hand over his heart as he had waited to see how Hester would respond. From Dimmesdale’s strong plea, his emotions and actions during the plea, and the way he reacts when Hester is asked to speak gives off hints that there may be a connection between Hester and Dimmesdale.

The Board of Directors of an English company which embarks on direct Essay

The Board of Directors of an English company which embarks on direct investment in a foreign country must contend with the problems of introducing property and - Essay Example Therefore, the liquid soap market seems to have a good fortune in Thailand due to the good number of Thai population, GDP growth, inflation rate and growth rate of soap in Thai market. Accantia Health and Beauty Ltd. is a dynamic, "can do" company, which produces skincare and healthcare products. All head offices functions are based at Alum Rock, Birmingham. Accantia has subsidiaries in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The company formed as a result of a leveraged buys out of the consumer business from Smith and Nephew Plc. There are many skin care and skin care product under the Accantia Company, which is Lil-lets, Simple, Simple Skin Define, Cidal, Wrights and retail brands. The highly successful brand of the Accantia Company is Simple, Cidal and Wrights. Our report will emphasize on Simple liquid soap, which is a good quality product at a reasonable price. There are many product lines under Simple brand, which are skin care, oil control, sun care, toiletries, and soap skin defense. As the diagram illustrate above, Thailand GDP continued to increase in 2001-2003 from around $115 to $135, which demonstrates economic recovery in Thailand. Moreover, the goal of Prime Minister Taksin is developing the consumer finance to stimulate spending of the citizens by easy access to cheap credit and mortgage. Private consumption expanded 5.0 percent each year in the third quarter of 2002. In 2002, Thailand is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, apart from Vietnam and China. The household debt stands at only 17 percent of GDP and 27 percent of disposal income, compare to household debt in South Korea of 69 percent of GDP and 105 percent of disposal income. Having a growing economy would be important for new products to be successful in Thailand. It means there will be a higher flow of money in the economy. 1.2 Inflation Rate Source: http://www.nso.go.th/eng/indicators/core_e.htm Inflation rate in Thailand was decreased between 1997 and 2001 from the highest 8.1% to 1.6%. However, it was estimated that the inflation rate would continue to decrease in year 2003, because it was decreased over 4 years. Furthermore, the forecast indicate that it would remain decreasing for a few years except Thailand is challenged with another economic crisis. Presently, the economy is recovering because of the government policy of keeping the inflation rate low to stimulate the customers' spending. 1.3 Growth in liquid soap market Procter & Gamble (Thailand) Ltd, the local unit of the US-based consumer-product maker, said yesterday that it plans to invest a further Bt5.9 billion to make Thailand its largest production centre in Asia. This company has seen

Familial Duty and Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Familial Duty and Responsibility - Essay Example In the east, familial duty is extremely important. This duty creates a bond between family members that help create a strong society. One example of the loyalty is towards the elderly. Children feel a duty to care for elderly parents. Instead of placing their elderly in nursing homes or elderly retirement centers, it is common for three or four generations to live under one roof. This not only helps the elderly but the whole family unit. Both parents can work outside of the home, while grandparents can watch their grandchildren. This helps family finances by eliminating not only the cost of caring for an elderly parent outside the home but the cost of daycare as well. The advantages of having several generations in one house can benefit more than the family, but society as a whole. If grandparents are home when children go and come home from school, children are less likely to get into trouble. If a child does get into trouble, an adult is there to handle the problem. Teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, criminal activity, and other mischiefs would be controlled by a loving grandparent. Another example of how familial loyalty could benefit Americans would be in the marriage. In the east, duty comes first. Marriage is a duty. In America, many individuals do what makes them individually happy, not what makes others happy. Extramarital affairs and divorce are common. This breaks the familial unit. For Americans to embrace and benefit the eastern way of life, marriage would have to be taken more seriously. When an individual does what makes them happy, then others around them do the same. Americans have forgotten to treat people how they want to be treated. Why would children want to take care of parents that put them through messy divorces? Divorced parents do not understand why children grow up so bitter.  Ã‚