Animal Farm Language as a Tool of Control Essay

Animal Farm is a short novel, published in 1945 and written by George Orwell. The novel tells the story of a group of farm animals who, in an attempt to create an idealistic state, overthrow their human master. However, their leaders, the pigs, progressively become more corrupt and the other animals realise that their goal, to establish a utopia, has become a mere, receding whisper. The pigs use verbal and semantic techniques to control and manipulate their naà ¯ve minions, including through the use of persuasive words, the alteration of rules and use of hymns and poems. In the novella, propaganda is used to manipulate the other animals on the farm. Squealer, the silver-tongued propagandist, exploits the power of language in an effort to defend Napoleon’s wicked actions. Some techniques used by Napoleon and Squealer to two-time the proletariat comprise the use of drastically simplifying language into memorable verses, to limit the terms of debate. An example of this is when the sheep are taught by him to bleat ‘four legs good, two legs better’ (pg. 89, Chapter 10).This is an ironic twist to the original maxim ‘four legs good, two legs bad’ (pg. 22, Chapter 3) quoted by the sheep, which was used to unify the animals against the human enemy. Squealer also chooses to overcomplicate language, to strike intimidation and confusion among the uneducated animals. Where he says to the birds, ‘a bird’s wing is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation’, the birds are confused as to what Squealer means here. On top of these language techniques, Squealer also employs perplexing false statistics, many lies and a boasting vocabulary, to bring about a sense of hopelessness and self-doubt within the other animals. Deceptive practices are used tenfold by Squealer in his speeches to the other animals, and in the novel we are told of his misleading abilities. We are told that he can ‘turn black into white’ and that he has a ‘shrill voice’ and ‘twinkling eyes’; these are his assets of manipulation. His first example of deceit in the novel is when the pigs have taken the milk and apples for themselves, and Squealer cuckolds the ignorant animals with lies such as ‘Many of us actually dislike milk and apples (pg. 23, Chapter 3). ’ On top of that Squealer also uses false statistics in this speech to support his arguments, an example includes ‘Milk and apples (this has been proven by Science, comrades) contains substances absolutely necessary to the wellbeing of a pig (pg. 23, Chapter 3).’ Squealer uses these lies to justify the pigs’ evil means, and to convince the other animals that the pigs only eat the milk and apples for the other animals’ benefit. The larceny of the milk and apples ages from the very first moments after the Rebellion, and thus shows how early the pigs’ wicked and unscrupulous intentions manifest themselves. As events unfold, on Animal Farm, we see small privileges quickly evolve into complete corruption, and we begin to see the pig resemble those who they usurped. The power of language can take many forms, including the manipulation of the written word. Old Major’s ideas of equality are taken on board from the very start and after the occupation of Animal Farm by the animals, the Seven Commandments are written. These Commandments bind the animals to one another in harmony against the humans and keep order within Animal Farm. We see the first example of alteration on the Fourth Commandment which states ‘No animal shall sleep in a bed’. After the pigs move into the farmhouse and sleep in the beds, the embargo on sleeping in beds is altered, by the addition of the words ‘with sheets’ on the Commandment. However, this is a minor crime compared to what happens after the fiascos of winter. Snowball is incriminated for the collapse of the windmill and in turn, trials are held in which animals confess to crimes that were motivated by him. In direct contradiction with the Sixth Commandment which states ‘No animal shall kill any other animal’, the executions that follow are a horrific event. However, when the Commandments are checked, ‘without cause’ has been added to the Sixth Commandment. Squealer was employed to make these changes to the Seven Commandments to justify the pigs’ humanisation and also to exercise control of the proletariat beliefs about themselves and the society. Ironically, the revision of the Commandments allows the pigs to commit human behaviour, when the original purpose of the Commandments was to prevent the animals from following the humans’ evil habits. Orwell demonstrates how simply a philosophical code of belief can be turned into propaganda, with the revision of the commandments. Animal Farm is filled with many songs, poems and mottos, including Old Major’s rabble-rousing ‘Beats of England’, Minimus’s odes, and even the sheep’s chants. Serving as propaganda, each of these songs, poems and slogans, are one of the pigs’ major tools of control over the animals. Most notably, ‘Beats of England’ was used to stir the rebellious side of the animals and was a symbol of revolution. The pigs used ‘Beats of England’ to grind down the animals’ sense of individuality and keep them inspired and united to work for their freedom. However, when the chant is used by Clover to criticise the direction of Animal Farm, Napoleon argues that ‘Beasts of England is no longer needed as the rebellion has been achieved. Replaced by ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Comrade Napoleon’, ‘Beasts of England’ is outlawed (pg. 59, Chapter 7). The principles of the rebellion are distorted by Napoleon and are demonstrated by the replacement of ‘Beasts of England’. ‘Comrade Napoleon’, written by Minimus, is used by Napoleon to glorify himself. The poem generates a happy feeling towards his rule and, even though he had minimal role in the success of animal farm, ‘Comrade Napoleon’, attributes many of the events to Napoleon reinforcing his position as leader (pg. 63, Chapter 8). This demonstrates how language, in this case in the form of songs, chants and poems can be used to distort and manipulate a religious or political code of belief to benefit the bourgeoisie. In conclusion, as seen in the novel, language is a major tool of control used by the pigs. In the novel, Orwell tries to demonstrate the danger of a naà ¯ve working class, and the use of propaganda to control others. Orwell warns us of the many dangers if we believe everything we see and hear and draws attention to the way certain leaders, such as the pigs, gain and maintain power and control using language as a tool of repression and manipulation.

Usc Sosw 503 Assignment 1 Systems and Ecological Theory

SOWK 503 – Fall 2012 Assignment #1: Article Critique 9/26/12 Julie Emmer LCSW CAP Abstract The purpose of this paper is to critically critique and evaluate the study: Parenting a Child With a Disibility: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents, written by Jung – Hwa Ha, Jan S. Greenburg, & Marsha Mallick Seltzer. This paper will critically apply the Ecological Perspective and Systems Theory, to the social concern as it addressed in this study.This paper will accomplish this critique by assessing the hypothesis, evaluating the method of study, and critically discussing the results of the study in question by using the key concepts of the fore mentioned theories. Upon the completion of this paper, the reader will have a full understanding of the study, and how it may relate to field of Social Work using a Systems Theory perspective.Critique of: Parenting a Child With a Disability: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents Key Concepts of stud y The study Parenting a Child With a Disability: The Role of Social Support for African American Parents, was conducted as an expansion of the findings of previous studies. There have been a many studies that have examined the racial impact of the parents of disabled children; however, few have examined the influences that may affect an African American family raising a disabled child.Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the following two areas of interest: (a) the impact of having a child with a disability on parents’ mental and physical health among urban-dwelling African Americans and (b) the extent to which positive and negative social interactions with family members other than the spouse moderate the impact of child’s disability on parental adaptation (Ha, Greenberg & Mailick Seltzer, 2010). The authors’ motivation for this study is to provide empirical evidence to assist professionals in addressing possible needs when, supplying social servi ces to this population or environment of lients. Important facts and concerns related to the social concern. The authors of this study referenced several previous studies that supported their theory of; family support from other than a spouse will attribute to wellbeing and equal homeostasis of the parent. Previous studies â€Å"suggest that extended families constitute a core social network for African Americans and provide important financial and instrumental support (Ellison,1990). Furthermore, support from kin is related to happiness and life satisfaction among African Americans (Ellison, 1990).In addition, it is also suggested in this study that negative entropy (interactions) or lack of supra system (extended family) involvement may impact the parent in a negative manner. The reasoning of the focus on African American parents, is to assess the influence of having a disable child, and how it may affect the negative energy that is already experienced in the family system by opp ression and discrimination. This study was conducted in urban areas in Milwaukee county Wisc. as a continuance of the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS; Brim, Ryff, & Kessler, 2004).The African American Milwaukee sample provided a unique opportunity to address within-racial group differences in the impact of having a child with a disability. (Ha, Greenberg & Mailick Seltzer, 2010). The sample group of the study was a group of 48 families with a disable child that is afflicted with one of the following disorders: autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or intellectual disability, or was ever afflicted with a long-term serious mental health problem. The comparison group of 144 was families consisting of at least 1 child and no children in the family system have a disability. Theory ConceptsThe systems approach attempts to view the world in terms of irreducibly and integrated systems. It focuses attention on the whole, as well as on the complex interrelationships among its constituen t parts. The systems theory sees all of the aspects of a person and their environment as an individual system and an interrelated system. A social system is a special order of systems†¦ composed of persons or groups of persons who interact and influence each other’s behavior. â€Å"Within this order can be included persons families, organizations, communities, societies, and cultures† (Robbins, Chatterjee & Canda, 2011).The systems theory allows us to examine the focal system from a micro, meso, or macro perspective. Keeping all of the individual systems autonomous, while still being able to conceptualize the interrelatedness of the systems together. Similar to the systems theory, the ecological theory embraces many of the same concepts, but has narrowed the focus, so that it does not include such a broad view of the system. The Ecological theory is an adaptive, evolutionary view of human beings in constant exchange interchange with all elements of their environme nt (Germain & Gitterman, 1980, p. 5).The idea that person and the environment are inseparable and must be considered jointly, is primary assumption of this theory. The person and his or her environment form a unitary system in which each is dependent on the other and directly shapes each other. Application of theory and key concepts The sample of population of this study was derived from a population in the urban areas of Milwaukee. Even though this study did not disclose evidence concerning the ecosystem and the environment of the subjects, it would be fair to assume that they are victims of coercive and exploitive power.The reasoning for this assumption is the geographical location of this study, is known for having a high number of production plants and heavy pollution. The coercive power that is being afflicted is quantified in the study, with the fact, that the subjects do not reside in close proximity to any social services. This study was conducted to measure the affect of ra ising a child with a disability this environment. Further focus was placed on the effects of synergy from a supra system (family) on the focal system (parents), and the possible negative health effects derived from the lack of synergy.The results of this study were divided into two sections. The first section was to assess the effects having a child with a disability (sub system) has on the focal system. The negative energy from a sub system with a disability did have a negative effect on the focal system’s physical health, and homeostasis. The negative impact on the homeostasis of the focal system was attributed to physical impairments of the subjects. However, this was seen only in the older population that was studied and may have been caused by the rise in physical activities that is needed to care for a child with special needs and aging.This aspect supports the concept of adaptation of the focal system to achieve the goodness of fit in their habitat. The lack of mental health disorders in the focal system, may also indicate that entropy from resources in the environment or supra system, may cause the same amount of mental distress in the focal group as a whole. The second purpose of this study was to examine the effect of transactions between the supra system and the focal system. Specifically how the focal system’s homeostasis is affected by the exchange of positive, and negative energy, or entropy.The results of this study partially supported the hypothesis that positive energy transactions between the focal, and supra system is a predictor of the homeostasis of the focal system. The positive and negative mental affect is less when a system has positive energy transactions with the supra system, and in turn, leads to a balanced homeostasis and goodness of fit. In turn, the systems with entropy or negative energy transactions from the supra system are more likely to have reduced coping measures, and a reduced goodness of fit. Emerging patt erns.Examination of this study from a systems perspective did yield an emerging pattern. I was able to access the importance, and interrelatedness of a system. This study provided empirical evidence that systems are interconnected. The transaction of energy from a sub or a supra system will affect the homeostasis of the focal system. This effect may be positive or negative, but none the less, it will affect the focal system. This study also provided evidence that a system will adapt to its environment to achieve a goodness of fit and equal homeostasis.The systems theory was able to help me assess the interrelatedness of the study; however, it did also help me to recognize the limitations of study. One such limitation is narrow focus of the study. I believe for the study to be effective, the authors would have needed to address social concerns, coercive power, and exploitive power, which may be affecting the focal system as a whole. Compressive summery Upon completion of this study I did possess a new knowledge and enlightenment concerning the African American parents of disabled children.This study demonstrated the negative effect on homeostasis and physical health, that is derived from negative energy transactions with the supra and sub systems. However, I am still left with questions concerning the effectiveness of this study. This study was performed in a nondiverse community on a very small sample size. Therefore, I believe that further study is needed, with the focus group living in diverse communities and being subjected to different environmental influences.Furthermore, this target sample was limited to children with mental disabilities, and to effectively assess this subject, the sample must be expanded to include physical disabilities. This study was in an environment that may be oppressed and suffering from systematic discrimination. I was amazed to read that the persons with disabled children were not afflicted with more mental disorders than the pe rsons without disabled children. This aspect raises concern about the environment of the sample group. This study stated that this population is isolated from resources, and has a high unemployment rate as well.All of these factors will affect the wellbeing and homeostasis of a person. Therefore, I believe that further exploration is needed to assess the community stressors and influence on the overall wellbeing and homeostasis of the community. These influences should not be explored only for this study, but to also access need, and provide resources for this population. Resources Ha, J. , Greenberg, J. S. , & Mailick Seltzer, M. (2010). Parenting a child with a disability: The role of social support for african american parents. The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 92(4), 405-411.Robbins, S. , Chatterjee, P. , & Canda, E. (2011). Contempory human behaivior thoery. (3rd ed. , p. 38). Sadddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon. Ellison, C. G. (1990). Family ties, Friendships, and Subj ective Well-Being among Black Americans. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 52(2), 298–310. Germain,C. B. & Gitterman, A. (1980) The Life Model of Social Work Practice. New York: Columbia University Press. Green, R. (1999) Ecological Perspective an eclectic theoretical framework for social work practice (2nd ed. , p. 259-308). New York: Aldine DeGruyyer

Managing Children’s Behaviour

When children go to preschool, they have to sit still, listen to the teacher and their classmates, understand and obey rules, and get along with others. Many of these children were unprepared to meet these new expectation when they first arrive at a preschool. These are some of the reasons for behavioural issues in preschool. Teachers who encounter these children may not have received much training in classroom management and may not know how to help them change their behaviour. Therefore, the teacher may respond with frustration and anger, inadvertently creating more problems. The teachers may in turn feel stressed and unsupported. Disruptive behaviours like hitting, complaining and disobeying will be discussed in details. Hitting Children may hit others or themselves for a variety of reasons in order to gain attention. Children get angry easily as they have a lack of self-control. Younger children in particular may sometimes have trouble communicating. This is because they may not know the words to describe how they feel or what they want, therefore they act out their feeling s or needs. Analysis of child management approach and benefits and challenges of such approach will also be discussed further. An eclectic approach is a combination of strategies and not a one size fits all approach. It has active involvement and can select the most appropriate strategy for a specific child at a specific time. Different discipline encounters will need different strategies. An eclectic approach also uses the decision-making model of child guidance. It identifies the problem and problem ownership.

Symbolism on why people wear figuritive masks in front of others Essay

Symbolism on why people wear figuritive masks in front of others - Essay Example Since most of my old high school mates have moved away, I will instead visit the Westfield Gateway Mall. Since malls do not change much I expect to see familiar scenes during the night. I will take notes on a notebook which will include all activities which seem familiar and new ones that seem interesting (Metz and Mauk, 34). I will then use the most interesting of my notes to write my invention essay. My only concern in writing g this essay is that since the Westfield Gateway Mall is such a large place I may miss many interesting and new things due to lack of time. I visited the Westfield Gateway Mall one evening in order to make my observations. The Westfield Gateway Mall is packed with lines of cars in the huge parking lot. The doors are made of creative designs which seem to invite you into the bowels of the mall. The building gives off different feelings from its decor. The side of the building ranges from bumpy to smooth while the lights are in a variety of luminous green and y ellow to deep azures and purple. The mall is located within the Los Angeles District. The people, the places and the decor comprise what is the essence of Westfield Gateway Mall. Many different activities take place within the mall though not all are in plain sight. It takes an observant eye to see some of the subtle hints. I walk into the inviting sliding doors and head to the food counter attracted by the sweet aroma of fried chicken. As I walk inside I can instinctively sense eyes boring into my back though I meet turned heads when I turn around. I stand in line next to a teenage couple who can’t stop whispering into each others ears. Well the guy can’t stop talking into the girl’s ears while the girl seemed to have an absent look yet pretended to giggle at his every word. I get my burgers and head to a shiny table to savor the environment. Eating my burger, I look up at the numerous tables spread around the eatery and the kids screaming and scampering all ov er the place. At a table next to me are two ladies who were chatting while the husband talked on the phone with a blank look. I got interested in the blank look of the husband and started analyzing it more. It seemed to me that the husband was merely playing down the seriousness of the conversation for the sake of his wife. It seemed as if he was saying something he did not want his wife to hear though he did not want to leave the table as he was afraid of arousing suspicion. Meanwhile a birthday party is going on full swing at the corner of the eatery. One of the women pretends to be unconcerned when the children run to the party and attempt to grab the pieces of the cake. She wears a face of nonchalance though it is obvious to me that she is embarrassed at her child’s behavior. This is proved by the fact that she seems rooted to her seat and makes no attempt to go to restrain the misbehaving child. In the meantime I notice a waiter who I guessed to be in his mid twenties cl eaning out tables as patrons depart and come in. A family of three with a teenage daughter was seated two tables away. I observed the teenage daughter cast furtive glances at the young waiter though she vehemently denied any such thing when the father reprimanded her. This reminded me of my childhood memories when I was reprimanded for truancy and denied it yet it was clear for all to see my guilt. I go and lean on a railing to watch the steady stream of people coming and

Political Socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Political Socialization - Essay Example As such, this brief analysis will attempt to weigh and analyze the type of different political socialization experiences that have shaped the way in which this author engages or chooses not to engage in the political arena of our nation. The first of these factors can be traced to the fact that although I consider myself to be a believer, I do not allow my individual belief system to dictate in what way my political faith evolves. Although developmental factors have had a profound effect on the way that I engage with the world, view reality, and perceive key issues, I was fortunate in that my upbringing, to include each of the factors that have been previously listed, did not directly influence the way in which I allow my belief to influence my political views (Diemer 246). Obviously, it is impossible to say categorically that my belief system does not influence my political beliefs due to the fact that this belief system is integrally tied to the individual that I am and the way in which I approach key issues; however, I can say that as compared to many of the individuals I know who are deeply involved in politics, the level to which my belief has socialized me with respect to politics is limited. Likewise, perhaps the most important determinant to the way that I have been politicized is the experiences and formative occurrences which were a result of my childhood and the way in which my parents raised me. Although it is difficult to point to a specific example of how it took place, it is not difficult to say that due to the values and morality that my parents sought to pass on to their children, it deeply affected the way I have come to identify with politics and specifically key political issues. In this way, I would say that this socialization determinant is perhaps the most important of all (Pels et al 312). Due to the act that I have always retained a close relationship with my family, the value system which they passed on to me has remained largely intac t with respect to the way I have developed my own political thought process. In much the same vein, I consider the education that I have received to be one of the main factors that have served to socialize my interpretation of politics. Due to the fact that education helps individuals to open their world view and consider aspects of topics that they would otherwise not consider, my educational experience has served to open up topics that the other forms of political socialization I have experienced up until this point have not. It is worth noting that although one cannot consider one aspect of their upbringing and experience as necessarily more powerful than another, I would consider education to be the one factor that is perhaps even more powerful than the world-views and values that were given me by my parents. This is at least partly due to the fact that as a young person I was inspired to question my surroundings and not take things for granted. In this way, due to the fact that I grew up in a household that prided itself in freedom of thought and of expression, I was encouraged from an early age to explore and formulate my own ideas. Although all of these factors have helped to develop the way I engage in the political process, there is of course a final fact that has not been considered (Skhavat 197). This factor revolves around the previous experiences I have had and noted with regards to the political process. Oftentimes I have been told by peers and professors alike that my political views are â€Å"too jaded† for someone of my age. However, due to the fact of the experience that I have witnessed with regards to a litany of

Organizational Culture and Harley-Davidson Case Study

Organizational Culture and Harley-Davidson - Case Study Example The success of Harley-Davidson as a company can be attributed to its strong organizational culture. Harley-Davidson management strived to rediscover the things their company did best and was gifted with the knowledge of what culture could help achieve its vision of the future. Its leaders consciously re-examined its community roots and undertook actions that served long-term corporate and community purposes (Burack, 1993, p. 78). According to Schuster and Weidman (2006), Harley-Davidson's culture could be described as participatory because it imbues "collaborative decision-making at all levels". Schuster and Weidman (2006) shared that this company applies "collaborative model" because it decentralized the senior management's decision-making down to its salaried-only work groups. Although Harley-Davidson management considers this culture as a "work in progress", it has already attained various success levels throughout the organization. The continued exposure of their leaders and plan t floor employees into working productive teams, the company has gained non-traditional opportunities and it increased the level of employee support for this practice of labor-management partnership. Harley-Davidson's is an epitome of a company's effective approach to people management No doubt, organizational culture... Conversely, failure to comply with cultural norms generates social pressures to conform; thus the individuals would either align with the cultural expectations or face ostracism and ridicule by their peers. Much of this process occurs in an informal and unspecified manner, filling in the gaps left by rational organizational control systems such as reporting relationships and job descriptions. Ultimately, it is the customers that benefits in the application of a We have recommended for Harley-Davidson to establish a website where customers and potential customers can convene, the site will be called "Harley Dreamers" and the goal of this website is to promote Harley-Davidson events and while linking our customers to each other. The site will also offer a "Swap Meet" portion of the website, where subscribers could post ads for motorcycles and parts for sale or for trade. Another feature would be a site like "Bike Log", which could complement the "Swap Meet" site because people purchasing a bike from the site will be able to see where the bike has traveled and users can share their good or bad experiences using Harley-Davidson's motorcycles. "Swap Meet" should be free for all Harley-Davidson customers, since this is the great selling point for getting people to subscribe to this site. Lastly, the "Technical Information Center" is a vital feature of the site where subscribers can obtain answers directly from Harley-Davidson professionals who wo uld answer to their needs 24-hours a day. The GPS system will also enable users to track a bike or they can simply chat with other bike owners about their experiences on our blog. Incidentally, decentralized and collaborative decision-making that already exists in Harley-Davidson culture can work best with

Sociology - Asian-Americans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sociology - Asian-Americans - Essay Example Asia's products had reached the Americans from then on until eventually it reached Europe. Since 1565, economic trade among Asian countries and the United States was already existent. America's silver reached China, as well as lacquer in its American colonies and in Spain. Crops - corn and potatoes - from the United States had been transported to China to support its growing population passing through the Manila, Philippines. The galleon trade as well inhibited a connection between China and the Philippines such that the sailors from Manila to Acapulco remained and traveled to Spain's other colonies in other parts of America. Due to this continuous access to some parts of America, Filipinos, who were the first Asian settlers in the United States, established fishing and shrimping villages in bayous near New Orleans possibly as early as 1765, when they reached Louisiana. From then on, other Asian settlers followed after the Filipinos. "South Asians settled in port cities along the Eas tern seaboard by the 1780s, followed by the Chinese shortly thereafter, and Hawaiians negotiated the coasts and camps of California and the Pacific Northwest by the 1790s." (Okihiro, 2001) Initially, men were the initial settlers in the US. ... In 1778, at the same time when Captain James Cook came across Hawaii, Chinese sailors came in and immigrated as well. They too settled and intermarried with Hawaiian women. Some of the Chinese however reached the country along with the Koreans and Japanese as laborers to work on sugar plantations in the 19th century. Although there was still a large number of Chinese and Japanese began immigrating to the U.S. in the mid 19th century and worked as laborers on the transcontinental railroad. The surge in Asian immigration in the late 19th century had caused the "yellow peril", a term used to refer to the fear in the growing number of Asians in the country. ("Asian") The increasing tumult in the immigrants' respective countries was deemed as the main cause of such event in the American history of immigration before it even had its independence. "National independence failed to sever Asia's moorings within the world system and its circuits of capital, goods, labor, and culture, and political and economic refugees and migrant laborers still accompany products from Asia to Europe and North America as they did in the past. Since 1980, the rate of growth among Asian Americans far surpassed that of other groups, including whites, African Americans, and Latinos." (Okihiro, 2001) The United States' during the time that the Asian Americans were migrating into the country, America was at the same time facing its own economic and societal struggle. Along with the United States' capital deals with its systemic crisis of declining profits, the country seek out for cheaper labor that would live up to the government's infrastructural budgets. One way out of this crisis was to recruit and hire immigrants that were composed of

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process Essay - 2

Critical Appraisal of Business Planning Process - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that external market conditions change rapidly in certain industries, thus driving a need for innovation in order to compete with other businesses operating in the same market environment. Products and services both from an entrepreneurial business and the competitive environment have a specific life cycle by which it generates profitability and consumer adoption patterns. A product or service will move from growth to maturity, a period where sales decline and thus new product development becomes a critical internal activity of the organization. This is why generating new ideas becomes a paramount objective in the planning process, usually requiring the input of executive leadership and managers to determine how best to introduce a new product whilst still recognizing costs. In generating new product ideas, the business leaders must determine whether compromises will be made, opportunity costs or trade-offs, in order to launch a new product o r service on the market. â€Å"Will conventional wisdom be defied, an understanding that teams, plans and reflects on learning lead to reduced cost, risk and speed to market†?. Recognising the financial impact of new product development and market launch urgency must be considered when generating new ideas. Innovations, however, are critical to maintaining a stable market position.Strategy formulation determines the objectives necessary to achieve a long-term market position. The strategy defines sustainability over the long-run or whether growth is an expectation related to revenue-building. An entrepreneurial dimension of strategy is persisting to find a better fit in the competitive market or developing a vision by which the organization founds its values and organizational structure against. Developing a long-term orientation is necessary for business planning as it determines the strategic direction the business intends to pursue and thus resources are allocated toward m eeting this purpose.

Ancestry in a Drop of Blood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ancestry in a Drop of Blood - Essay Example The knowledge of the underlying historical issues of Indians is vital for their social integration especially in the US. This seeks to enable them establish their origin and â€Å"tribe membership†. Consequently, it seeks to enable them to understand their ancient cultural practices and social values that define what it means to be an Indian (Kaplan, 1). As indicated â€Å"Ancestry in a one drop rule† is a historical term used in the US for social classification of various communities and groups, for example, the Indians. The use of the term in describing various societies has made individuals from the settings to engage in systematic modalities to establish their origin (Kaplan, 1). Their interest, for example, the Indians is to establish their â€Å"tribe membership† to avert falling victims of â€Å"racism† in US. Indians who are referred to as Native Americans by the academicians leave in the northern part of the state. It is believed that their descendants are in the northern part of the state and that that is their origin. However, the reference of the Indians as invisible black people has prompted their quest to establish their real identity through â€Å"DNA tests† (Kaplan, 1). The tests are to enable citizens to establish their real origin and native landscape to quell the mixed reports on their origin. The â€Å"DNA tests† will be executed through â€Å"blood quantum† that is a credible procedure of conducting the test. This is to facilitate the identification of individual’s immediate parents and lineage setting (Benhabib, 73). Indeed, some of the Indians preferred to be called native speakers while some had preference to Indian. The term Indian was found later to be politically incorrect since it encourages racism that compromises integration. Some objected the idea of being referred to as native inhabitants since native means a person who is born at the location in question that they doubted. Ideally, the principle of blackness

Business-Related International Event Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business-Related International Event - Essay Example Several governments with nationals aboard the ill-fated plane have informed families and friends of the passengers to prepare for the worst following the disappearance of the plane. The disappearance of the plane and the developing speculation on the same has had myriad economic implications globally as the essay below analyses. Terrorism for example is an international threat to peace and stability. The manifestation of a terrorist attack on the plane as speculation has had in the past few days makes several Chinese’s and Malaysian cities vulnerable. Such an attack would prove that the securities agencies in Kuala Lumpur do not carry out extensive and effective scrutiny of international passengers (Celia, 2014). Air traffic into such regions is therefore likely to reduce thereby slowing the pace of economic activities in different cities within the eastern bloc. As explained, terrorism is a global threat and in case the speculations are factual then the catastrophe would serve to prove that the governments in the eastern bloc are not doing enough to secure their borders from external terrorist attacks. Security is a major concern to the development of entrepreneurship in any market. Entrepreneurs travel from different destinations with their products and require security in order to grow their businesses. A terrorist attack portrays lack of security in a country thereby increasing the fear most entrepreneurs have in such markets. A claim that more than two hundred passengers aboard the plane had stolen passports provides much insight on the operations at the international airport in Kuala, Lumpur (Sophia, 2014). The lack of effective security coupled with the globalized nature of the disaster is likely to destroy the economic market in the country as foreign investors and tourists will shy away of the market owing to the proven terrorist threats. Plane accidents often make international news owing to the interest that such

Edmund Husserl's Cartesian Meditations (topic upon your own decision) Essay

Edmund Husserl's Cartesian Meditations (topic upon your own decision) - Essay Example Edmund Husserl's is one such philosopher who lived in the more modern world. His work was concerned about phenomena and how the human mind interacts with it. In his book titled Cartesian Meditations: An Introduction to Phenomenology, Edmund Husserl (1960) introduces a number of significant philosophical thoughts. One of the most prominent of these is transcendental phenomenology in which the author gives a new way of analysing phenomena. This kind of thinking looks at phenomena from a different point of view. Although Edmund’s views can be seen as having been inspired by Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and mathematician in the 17th century, Edmund’s theories on phenomena seen to be developed in contrast to what Descartes developed. This can be particularly seen in his transcendental phenomenology which tries to see phenomena in a very different way. Unlike Descartes, Edmund and his school of thought argued that phenomenal can be seen in different dimensions (Husser l, 1960). In fact, Edmund argued that it is possible to take a phenomenal and strip it down to its very essence. In other words, transcendental phenomenology as developed by Edmund postulates that with regard to phenomena, there are those elements which are essential for that phenomenon to exist and there are those which are merely conceptual as conceived by human beings. To be able to separate the essential from the conceptual, Edmund used eidetic reduction. Eidetic Reduction Eidetic reduction is a process by which phenomena can be stripped to its basic essential aspects, without changing it. Eidetic reduction is a conceptual tool that can be used to understand Edmund’s transcendental phenomenology as a way to understand phenomena. Eidetic reduction can be traced back to Descartes. Descartes used a block of wax phenomena as a way to explain the layers of phenomena. For example, the wax can be experienced by the five senses in regard to its shape and the space it occupies, th e smell it exudes, the texture, its opaqueness etc. However, by heating up the block of wax, these properties of the wax can be changed without changing it into another object. In other words, once the wax has been heated up, it will lose its texture, its shape, space and its opaqueness will be changed to transparency. Yet, even after all these characteristics have been changed, the wax will continue to be wax. This means that the block of wax is perceived in two particular ways. The first is one the essential properties of the wax and the second one are the perceived or non essential properties of the wax. Edmund argued that the same can be applied with regard to people’s thoughts. In other words, people’s thoughts can be seen to have both the essential aspects of phenomena and other aspects of phenomena which are more conceptual or perceptual. Using eidetic reduction however, Edmund argues that these thoughts can be stripped down to their basic or essential details. The importance of this kind of stripping is that it leads to a more practical reality, as opposed to when phenomena is understood while it is still shrouded in non-essential properties. Edmund was an essentialist in that he believed that phenomena should be understood in its very essence without being affected by the other factors. However, with regard to ph

The Life of Alexander the Great Essay Example for Free

The Life of Alexander the Great Essay At the age of twenty years old, Alexanders reign of the Macedonian throne began in 336 B.C. following the death of his father, Philip II. Olympias, Alexanders mom, was thought to have assassinated her own husband so that the throne would be prepared for her son. When Alexander became King, he wanted to do great things so that everyone would know that he is King. From the beginning of his reign, he always had a passion for fighting and winning wars. He also noticed that he had many enemies and conspirators and to immediately get them out of the way, he had them all executed. In 335 B.C. he destroyed Thebes, located in upper Egypt, for rebelling against him. In the following year, Alexander had the most amazing military campaign by guiding an army consisting of Greeks and Macedonians fighting against the Persian empire with the goal of taking revenge on Greece in order top fulfill his fathers dream. Throughout his lifetime, he accomplished many things, had incredible defeats, and conquered many countries. By this, he earned his title of the great and was most excellently admired for it. His people saw him as an outstanding motivator, leading men into dangerous, unknown regions, earning much respect and inspiring countless soldiers. Alexander didnt much care about his own safety yet placed all of his concern straight on the goal and the ways in which he would complete it. When in battle, he would like to show his equality between him and his soldiers by riding his war horse on the enemys front line, experiencing the same risks and threats as they were. People started urging him to get married and have a child to carry on his great title but he was too busy with his conquests. He had much hope and faith in his troops and thought out his plans well for only the greatest of successes. He was the ideal of male Greek culture. (pg. 130) Seen as a great hero, he helped his troops along to continuous triumphs. When visiting Gordion in Anatolia, he was given the opportunity to be rewarded the lordship of Asia if only he could make loose an unmoving knot binding the yoke of a chariot. Leaving everyone in awe, he sliced the tough knot with a quick slice of his sword. His never failing most high reputation  among the people never failed and the empire continued to grow. He kept a very close eye on the latest technology and techniques in order to keep up with his war successes. Alexanders unique fighting styles made enemies doubt themselves and their abilities to stand strong against him. He always had his plans all laid out and precise and after conquering Egypt and Persia, his strategy showed to be this : establish colonies of Greeks and Macedonians in conquered territory and keep the traditional administrative system in place. (pg. 131) Alexander began his journey of the founding of new cities by naming the first Alexandria after himself, located in Egypt. His maintaining passion for capture and exploration ruled so greatly in his life that his next goal would be to travel to India. Alexandria the Furthest was established on the way and he ended up settling for an alliance sealed by a marriage to the Bactrian princess Roxanne. (pg. 131) Voyaging into India, seventy days of marching through stormy weather led to the disappearance of the soldiers will to win. In 326 B.C., located on the banks of the Hyphasis River, they forced Alexander to turn back. Finally returning back to Persia, he started on the plans of his next attack without delay. His next target would be the Arabian peninsula followed by all of North Africa. Ruling over the Greeks became less important to him and he decided to restore citizenship within the city-states and he made the declaration that he wanted to be honored as if he were a god. Feeling astonished by this peculiar request, the other leaders complied by sending religious gifts showing their respect. Alexander thought so highly of himself because of all of his great and praiseworthy actions , that he started to believe that he was actually the son of Zeus. He felt that he showed to have godlike power therefore he must be as he proclaims he is. On the somber day of June 10, 323 B.C. , the young Alexander passed away due to extreme drinking and high fever. His future plans were ended by his sudden death not too long after the death of his best friend, Hephaistion . Following Alexanders death, a child was born to him and Roxanne. Despite his short reign, he greatly impacted and benefited the future for geography and many other scientific fields. Altogether, Alexander III immensely  extended the influence of Greek civilization and arranged the way for the empire of the Hellenistic period and the annexation of the Roman Empire.

The Outcome Of The Korean War

The Outcome Of The Korean War The Korean War officially began on 25 Jun 1950 when forces of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK North Korea) invaded the Republic of Korea (ROK South Korea). After initial stunning successes by both sides, there then followed over 3 years of bloody conflict which ultimately ended in an uneasy status quo ante bellum which still persists. The central hypothesis to this paper is that the use of military force was an effective policy tool for all parties involved to meet defined political objectives. The degree of success that each state/organisation achieved will be examined in detail. This essay will be limited to analysing the conflicts immediate aftermath and will not consider events beyond the Geneva Conference in Apr 1954. Specifically, this essay will investigate the rationale that led the DPRKs leader (Kim Il Sung) to consider the use of military force to achieve his primary objective of unifying Korea. The causes of the Korean War will also be briefly examined to set analysis in context. Causes The decisive event that caused the Korean War was the decision by two US Army Colonels on 10 August 1945 to divide Korea at the 38th parallel  [1]  . The decision was taken on Aug 10 1945 and for no better reason than à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it would place the capital city [Seoul] in the American zone.  [2]  From the moment that the Korean partition decision was made public, the leaders of the DPRK and ROK were essentially determined to establish a unified country by diplomatic or military means. Indeed, many in the United States were worried that the ROK would invade the DPRK first, such was the bellicose rhetoric emanating from the ROK President Synghman Rhee. The dividing line on the 38th parallel did not have any historical significance to Koreans of any faction and the imposition of an arbitrary dividing line by the joint Soviet/United Commission in Korea came as a total shock  [3]  . Indeed, Bruce Cumings asserts that the interim United States occupation forces nearly became as unpopular as the newly ousted Japanese once the 38th Parallel decision became widely known  [4]  . It can therefore be argued that nascent nationalism, coupled with diametrically opposed ideologies and the unfortunate choice of an arbitrary dividing line provided the catalyst for the DPRK invasion of the ROK on 25 Jun 1950. It can also be postulated that Kim Il Sung was left with little option but to resort to military means to bring about his desired end state of unifying Korea. Military outcomes From its inception, the Korean War was viewed as a limited war by the principal combatants, who (albeit for different reasons) had no wish to see the conflict escalate into a wider conflagration. The military outcome of the Korean War was indeterminate, with neither side emerging as a clear victor. After the initial period of manoeuvre (from Jun 1950 Jun 1951) the Korean War settled into a stalemate reminiscent of World War 1 trench warfare. With neither side willing to escalate the conflict to gain a decisive edge, continued operations by UN and Communist forces essentially became a series of (relatively) pointless battles  [5]  in order to gain territory or exert political leverage at the Armistice negotiations in Panmunjom. When the Korean Armistice was formally signed on 27 Jul 1953, a heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established following front line positions. Neither side could claim victory in the true sense of the word. Political and Strategic Objectives of the Soviet Union Due to chronic instability in the ROK, the Korean peninsula perhaps presented the best opportunity for a communist leaning buffer state to be established that would protect Soviet and Chinese borders from any perceived American threat. The northern portion of Korea was occupied by Soviet troops, who quickly moved to support indigenous communist orientated commissariats. Kim Il Sung emerged as the favoured choice of the Soviet leadership and the DPRK was established in 1948. Once it became clear that Korea would not be unified by political means alone, and the Soviet Union had successfully tested an atomic bomb, Stalin eventually gave his consent and backing to Kim Il Sung  [6]  to proceed with the invasion of the ROK, but was purportedly unwilling to widen the conflict and risk a wider war with the USA  [7]  . Stalin viewed the Korean conflict as a key part of a wider Soviet strategy to embroil the USA (and its allies) in a protracted struggle far away from what both sides regarded as the Centre of Gravity in Europe. In this the Soviets largely succeeded as the USA became wedded to the defence of the ROK on a point of principle after the DPRK invasion. Stalin also determined that it would be perhaps better for the Soviet Union to engage in conflict with the United States at an early juncture, rather than to wait for Germany and Japan to be re-armed, which would greatly increase Western military capability: [Stalin] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦added that even if the USA provoked a big war, let it take place now rather than a few years later, when Japanese militarism will be restored as an American ally, and when the United States and Japan will possess a military spring-board on the continent in the form of Rhees Korea.  [8]   The Soviet Unions relationship with China was crucial. Stalin viewed newly communist China as the junior partner in the communist world. While content to provide administrative, technical and planning advice, Stalin determined that the Soviet Union would not become overtly involved in any Korean conflict in order to avoid a direct confrontation with the United States. Kim Il Sung visited Moscow in Apr 1950; during this period, Stalin laid out the terms of any DPRK invasion of the ROK as: The Chinese (specifically Mao Zedong) must approve the invasion; The DPRK invasion must appear as a counter to an ROK move into the DPRK; and that Kim Il Sung would not be able to rely on overt Soviet support if the USA intervened, but would have to rely on Chinese support  [9]  . In essence, Stalin determined that there were great advantages to a conflict being fought by proxy between the fledgling communist Chinese state and the United States. A conflagration in Korea that pitted the United States against China would make any chance of rapprochement between the two states highly unlikely and would also fix American attention far from the Soviet vital ground in eastern Europe. Another key piece of evidence of Soviet strategy was revealed by the former Sovier premier Nikita Khrushchev. In his memoirs, Khrushchev gave an explanation of why Stalin decided to support Kim Il Sungs proposed invasion of the ROK. Khrushchev stated that when the United States Secretary of State (Dean Acheson) publicly stated that the ROK was outside of the United States Defence Perimeter  [10]  , this inadvertently sent a strong signal to Stalin that the ROK was a soft spot that was worth exploiting  [11]  . Stalin therefore reasoned that the United States would not commit forces to support the ROK regime in the event of a DPRK invasion  [12]  . Once it became clear that the Korean Peninsula would not be unified by diplomatic means, Stalin was content to sanction the use of military force (by his DPRK proxy) to bring about unification of Korea. The eventual outcome of the Korean War did not meet the Soviet primary political goal of establishing a communist, unified Korea as the eventual cease fire line ran almost exactly along the 38th parallel. Despite this, it can be argued that the Soviet Union greatly benefited from the outcomes of the Korean War. The United States was badly shaken by the Chinese intervention in Nov 1950  [13]  and the loss of American prestige was tangible when United Nations forces were forced into a pell-mell retreat south after the Chinese riposte in Nov 1950. The Korean War diverted the United States from what the Soviet Union determined as its vital ground in Europe. Korea also provided a means to test Soviet military capabilities in combat against the United States, especially in the air. Finally, Korea also allowed the Soviet Union to cement its relationship with China and prevent any rapprochement between China and the United States. The Soviet Union, by financing and supporting its Chinese and DPRK proxies was thus able to meet the majority of its aims, without becoming overtly involved in the fighting. On the minus side, Soviet support for the DPRK invasion unwittingly provided the justification for huge increases in United States military spending and the rearmament of West Germany and Japan. The Soviets were henceforth viewed as aggressors bent on spreading communism throughout the world, which the United States was clearly going to resist. United States Political Objectives and Strategy Prior to the outbreak of the Korean War, debate was intense as to how the United States should respond to the perception that Soviet aggression in Europe and elsewhere was on the increase. With memories of the Berlin Airlift still fresh and communist ideology seemingly in the ascendancy everywhere, US policy makers sought to determine what course the United States should follow in response to perceived Soviet aggression. A key strategy document outlined the United States response to the communist threat and was drafted in early Jan 1950 by the National Security Council (NSC). The resulting paper (NSC 68) aimed to define how the United States would respond to Soviet expansionist aims and also made predictions about the future nature of conflict between the superpowers in a bi-polar world post World War 2. While it was recognised that the main Soviet threat was most likely in Europe, NSC 68 recognised that the communist threat was global and would have to be countered. NSC 68 defined t he United States options as: Option 1: Maintain current policy; Option 2: Adopt an Isolationalist stance; Option 3: Go to war with the Soviet Union; Option 4: Fund and authorise a rapid build up of political, military and economic strength.  [14]   NSC 68 painted a dire picture of Soviet intentions and recommended that Option 4 was the preferred course to chart. The principal author (Paul H. Nitze) proposed radical steps, many of which were politically highly sensitive. Key recommendations were that West Germany should be rearmed as a priority and that a policy of Containment be adopted. Containment was defined as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It is one which seeks by all means short of war to (1) block further expansion of Soviet power, (2) expose the falsities of Soviet pretensions, (3) induce a retraction of the Kremlins control and influence, and (4) in general, so foster the seeds of destruction within the Soviet system that the Kremlin is brought at least to the point of modifying its behaviour to conform to generally accepted international standards  [15]  . President Harry S. Truman was presented with the conclusions from NSC 68 in Apr 1950. Its findings placed Truman in a dilemma; although the United States still had many more nuclear weapons than the Soviet Union,  [16]  the United States could not afford the increase in conventional military spending and support to European nations proposed by the paper. The United States Congress had strongly opposed increased military spending in favour of more spending within the United States. A fierce debate thus raged in the United States as to how perceived Soviet aggression should be responded to. United States policy towards the ROK was somewhat haphazard. As already mentioned, Acheson had publicly stated that the ROK was outside of the United States Defence Perimeter and relations with Rhee were often difficult given his bellicose nature and frequent outbursts about reunifying Korea by force. This prompted the US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to press for remaining US troops to be withdrawn in order to concentrate on more important commitments elsewhere. The last US troops were withdrawn late in 1949, which again seemed to signal to Kim Il Sung and Stalin that the United States would not intervene in the event of an invasion of the ROK. Meanwhile, the debate over the implications of NSC 68 continued to rage in Washington, with those in favour of increasing military spending gaining little traction in the face of harsh budget realities. The invasion of the ROK on 25 Jun 1950 was greeted with shock in Washington and no doubt a degree of satisfaction by those that had signposted the Soviet inspired communist threat. American policy was thus immediately polarised and global US Political objectives were quickly wedded to the idea of Containment. The DPRK invasion of the ROK acted as an accelerant that ignited the United States commitment to defending what it perceived as the free nations of the world. Due to an ongoing Soviet boycott of the Untied Nations, the United States was able to secure the UNs approval for the use of force and quickly committed substantial forces in support of the United Nations Command (UNC) in order to restore ROK sovereign territory. With the support of the UN and the containment of DPRK forces at Pusan, many in the United States began to call for a more aggressive strategy to Rollback communism. The United States implemented its Rollback strategy in Korea after the successful landings at Inchon on 15 Sep 1950 had severed DPRK supply routes and seen communist forces retreat in disarray back over the 38th parallel. UN Security Council Resolutions 82 85 condemned DPRK actions and eventually gave UNC forces authority to proceed north across the 38th parallel with the express intent of removing Kim Il Sung and reunifying Korea as a nation state. What set out as an ideological stance taken in Washington to Rollback communism was thus implemented in reality i n Korea, with poor results after decisive Chinese intervention. While it will be debated later in this essay if the UNC advance precipitated Chinas entry into the conflict, it certainly was a contributory factor. The United States was justified to seek UN approval to use force to restore ROK territorial integrity; Containment was a valid political objective that justified the use of force in response to the perceived Soviet threat. The Rollback strategy was (with hindsight) unjustifiable and did not warrant the use of force in a vain attempt to unify Korea. Overall, and despite the ambiguity of its outcome, the Korean War had important implications for American foreign policy. In the short-term, the conflict globalized the policy of containment and was the impetus for vastly increased Defence spending and extensive US military deployments in Europe and elsewhere. The Korean War deepened the United States already combative relationship with the Soviet Union and effectively scuppered any possibility of cordial diplomatic relations with Communist China for twenty years. The outcome of the Korean War was satisfactory for the United States. Communist advances had been contained and the ROK preserv ed as a bulwark against communism in Asia. Korea also had a far ranging impact on US policy and the policy of containment was to be applied to South Vietnam with disastrous results. China In Apr 1949, the Chinese Civil War ended in the decisive defeat of the Chinese Nationalists. A newly unified China under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedong was keen to assert much greater influence in the region and this was to be a critical factor for the duration of the Korean War. United States support for the remnants of the Chinese Nationalist regime in Taiwan continued to be a major source of friction between the United States and China and was an underlying theme that determined Chinese political and strategic objectives in the region. As a result of the United States overt support of the Nationalist regime and the lack of Chinese counters to US military strength (particularly Naval), Mao was keen to determine if there was an indirect means to confront the United States and perhaps even extract concessions over the future of the Nationalist redoubt in Taiwan. Chinas decision to enter the Korean War was determined by Chinese leaders interpretation of Chinas security interests and their judgment as to how Chinas security would be affected by entering the conflict. At this early juncture after the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War, the Chinese leadership was highly sensitive as to how Chinas stature, capability and willingness to defend its position were perceived by outsiders and particularly the West. China had suffered greatly at the hands of Great Britain and the USA and others during a prolonged period of foreign intervention in its affairs and Mao determined at an early stage that China would become involved in a Korean conflict if the situation dictated  [17]  . Once UN Forces crossed the 38th parallel in force and the Rollback strategy was openly advocated by the United States, the Rubicon was clearly crossed for the Chinese leadership and in particular Mao Zedong leaving them little choice but to act to defend its interests in the region. In essence, if all of Korea was occupied by UNC forces, then this would (in the eyes of the Chinese leadership) create a fatal danger to the fledgling Chinese revolution. Chinas use of force to meet its strategic objectives was fully justified in the minds of the Chinese leadership. The sanctity of the Chinese revolution appeared to be under threat once Rollback gained significant support in the UN. It can also be argued that Mao saw a fleeting opportunity for China to deal an embarrassing blow to UN Forces by committing large numbers of Chinese volunteers at a decisive moment in the campaign. By committing Chinese forces to an ideological struggle such as Korea, Maos reasoning can be assessed as sound; China would bolster its credibility within communist circles and perhaps emerge from the conflict as a beacon for other fledgling communist states so long as the west was prevented from securing success in Korea. Underlying much of Chinese strategic thought was the possibility that prolonged involvement in any Korean conflict had the potential to secure concessions from the United States over the future of Japan and crucially Taiwan. Chinese intransige nce during the later stages of the Korean War can be attributed to not wishing to terminate the conflict until a more favourable situation had been achieved by communist forces and also Stalins wish to prolong the conflict to keep the USA involved in a peripheral action. DPRK Strategy and Political Objectives DPRK strategy was relatively simple once the division of Korea became permanent. Under the shrewd leadership of Kim Il Sung, the DPRK charted a course that played the Soviet Union and China off each other in order to serve the DPRKs best interests. Once any hope of a diplomatic solution had vanished to unify Korea, Kim Il Sung determined that a narrow window of opportunity existed for the military unification of Korea. Indeed, the DPRKs invasion of the ROK perhaps provides the best example of Clausewitzs dictum à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that war is not merely a political act, but also a real political instrument, a continuation of political commerce, a carrying out of the same by other means  [18]  . On 7 March 1949, while talking to Stalin in Moscow Kim Il Sung said: We believe that the situation makes it necessary and possible to liberate the whole country through military means. The Soviet leader apparently disagreed, citing the military weakness of the North, the Soviet-USA agreement on the 38th parallel division and the possibility of American intervention if the DPRK intervened militarily in the ROK. Stalin added that only if the ROK/USA attacked Pyongyang could the DPRK try military reunification by launching a counterattack. Then, the Kremlin chief explained, your move will be understood and supported by everyone.  [19]  On 17 January 1950, Kim Il Sung complained to the Soviet ambassador Shtykov: I cant sleep at night because I am thinking of the unification of the whole country. If the cause is postponed, then I may lose the confidence of the Korean people. Kim Il Sung apparently requested permission to make a new visit to the USSR to receive orders and permission fr om Stalin for the offensive  [20]  . This is a key point; for Kim Il Sung, the war was as much about maintaining popular consent for his regime as it was for unifying Korea. The DPRK was essentially justified in resorting to the use of force in its attempt to unify Korea. This is a contentious point of view, but it can be argued that as the Korean War was essentially a civil war, then once diplomatic means had been exhausted, the only way left to Sung was to exhort the Soviet Union and China to support a military endeavour to unify the Korean peninsula. It could also be argued that had the ROK not been supported by the United States, then the ideological and nationalist tensions in Korea would have played out after a period of internal wrangling. Korea would have likely emerged after the end of the Cold War as a stable, unified state that would have been open to capitalist influence (like many former Warsaw Pact states) and not the insular, paranoid autocracy that still persists. The outcomes of the Korean War essentially did not meet the primary aim of the DPRK to unify Korea, but did ensure the continued support and investment of the Soviet Union and C hina, much as the United States supported the ROK. ROK Political and Strategic objectives ROK strategy was again relatively simple. By continually agitating against the communist DPRK regime, Rhee hoped to draw the United States into a Korean Civil War in order to enable the unification of Korea by force. Many accounts of the time place the blame squarely on the DPRK for invading the ROK, but this is too simplistic. Rhee continually blustered that he would lead an ROK invasion of the DPRK to reunite Korea. On a visit with The US Secretary of State (John Foster Dulles) a reporter (William Mathews of the Arizona Daily Star) recorded that: He [Rhee] is militantly for the unification of Korea. Openly says it must be brought about soonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Rhee pleads justice of going into North country. Thinks it could succeed in a few days à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[I]f he can do it with our help, he will do it  [21]  . Rhee was an ardent nationalist and was clearly set on reuniting Korea by any means, so long as he had the support of the United States to do so. ROK forces were responsibl e for repeated violations of the 38th parallel and ROK initiated artillery exchanges were commonplace from Spring 1949 onwards  [22]  . Continued United States military support was thus at times difficult to justify in the face of pressing commitments elsewhere and the Joint Chiefs of Staff finally withdrew all but a token force of advisors in late 1949  [23]  . The primary political objective of the ROK can thus be clearly identified as seeking to secure and maintain United States military, economic and political involvement in the ROK. In this, the Rhee regime was entirely successful as the Korean War precipitated massive United States military, economic and political support which extends to the present day. Indeed, the prolonged nature of the conflict served to ensure that the Korean conflict was centre stage of the Truman/Eisenhower Presidential Election. Rhee and his regime survived the war intact and the experience of the conflict had a direct influence on ROK politics for two generations with successive semi military dictatorships controlling ROK affairs. The United Nations Facing its sternest test, the United Nations had weathered a challenge, which, if unanswered, might have resulted in disaster and eventual disintegration. Under the U.N. flag, the original objective of the intervention in Korea-halting Communist aggression-had been successfully carried out and the independence of its foster child, the Republic of Korea, had been preserved. This practical demonstration of how the United Nations could function when peace was threatened greatly enhanced the prestige of the organization and established a precedent for future U.N. military action if the need should again arise. The effort had not been given unanimous support by U.N. members, it is true, but twentyone nations had contributed forces of one kind or another to sustain the U.N. decision. Although many of these countries had supplied only small token units, the mere fact that they had participated at all was encouraging, since it indicated their belief in the U.N. and their willingness to put teeth in the enforcement provisions of its charter. The Korean War marked a real departure from the dismal experience of the League of Nations in this respect. Conclusions

Analysis Of Chinas One Child Policy

Analysis Of Chinas One Child Policy During the mid 1900s, Chinas population was growing at an alarming rate, increasing by at least 2 or more percent each year (Potts 2006:361). Estimated to reach 1.3 billion by the year 2000, Chinese government officials were worried that such extreme growth would serve to harm the potential for future economic growth. Even maintaining acceptable living standards was becoming difficult, with much of the population living in poverty. It was clear that action had to be taken in order to rapidly slow the growth at which Chinas population was expanding. Fertility rates-the average number of children born per woman-needed to drastically decrease so that China would be able to develop as a country able to have influence on a world scale. The One-Child Policy was created and put into action in 1979 in an attempt to limit the number of offspring that families could produce. The majority of families were restricted to bearing only one child, reducing the size of each subsequent generation. Att empts to abide by these laws has led to many potential children being aborted, and many others being put up for adoption. Further impacting the fates of these children is Chinas long standing traditional preference for boys. Many female children have been selectively aborted or put up for adoption, so that families can have another chance at producing a son. The One-Child Policy has been the determinant of two very significant parts of my family. At four years old, my cousin Emma was born. When I was five, she joined our family. Four years later, Darci arrived. Neither girl was born into a Canadian family, nor do they bear any physical resemblances to their parents. Both adopted by my aunt and uncle as infants, my cousins became part of our family as a result of Chinas one-child policy. The majority of others in their adoptive groups are also girls. In my paper, I am going to explore the consequences of Chinas One-Child policy, especially focusing on gender roles, and how the policy has impacted the way in which individuals of different genders are valued and treated. I will analyze the effects that the policy has had based on familial desires, economical incentives, and educational goals. Finally, I will comment on how the policy must be adapted if China wishes to maintain control over its population, both in terms of growth and citizen compliance. Family Traditionally, Chinese culture has followed a very patriarchal structure. As in most countries, males were more valued than females and took on the responsibilities of providing for his family. Women were submissive to the men in the household, and when a marriage occurred, it was the brides duty to leave her birth family in order to become a part of her new husbands (Deutsch 2006:367). In 1979, and even today, many families are of the mindset that a son is more valuable to them than a daughter. Allowed only one offspring, a son is often the more desirable choice for households (ibid:367). There are a few reasons for this. Especially in China, the males ability to carry on the family name is a major factor. As many women take on their husbands last name upon marriage, her maiden name ceases to be a part of her, in practical usage. If a family is allowed to have multiple children, one daughter does not necessarily mean that the family lineage will be discontinued. There is always the possibility for a new son to be born, able to represent the family name his entire life. However, when this option is taken away, many couples feel increased pressure to bear a son on the first try. The development of ultrasound technology in recent years allows couples to learn the gender of their child before it is born. Although this can be an advantage in many ways, knowledge of a female daughter means that there is an opportunity to abort the pregnancy before its advanced stages. While I am not going to comment on the moral issues associated with the abortion itself, frequent abortions of female fetuses has led to a severe imbalance of girls and boys. This will be discussed in more detail later. Economics There is also an economical incentive to take into account here. No different from many other places, males tend to earn higher salaries than females and obtain jobs in more skilled and demanding work placements. While this was not an effect created by the One-Child Policy, the differences in employment between men and women began to increase around the same time as the policy was enacted. Economic reforms introduced in the 1970s gave greater independence to businesses in regards to their labour and operations policies. Rather than a goal of equal labour, businesses were now allowed to make the majority of their hiring decisions and assign what they felt were appropriate wage rates for their employees (Wang and Cai 2008:442). This only served to increase the value differential between males and females. Overall wages gradually increased over time, with males eventually taking over many of the top sector jobs and earning higher wages. A study done (ibid:444) determined that even thoug h women make up a larger percentage of the lower three job sectors, it is still men that are taking home the greater amount. For whatever reason, whether it is for educational reasons or pure gender role discrimination, employers have a clear tendency to prefer male workers over female employees. This gender preference has translated itself into an effect on the One-Child Policy, where families desire sons more heavily than daughters. As the parents of the first generation of One-Child offspring move into retirement age, they will have only one child on whom to rely for financial support. As opposed to previous generations, in which the burden of caring for ones parents could be split between multiple siblings, One-Child adults are faced with the burden of caring for parents individually. Granted, with fewer children to bring up, the cost of parenting is lower which allows for greater saving, however Chinas lack of a substantial pension plan makes it difficult for Chinese citizens t o save enough to support themselves entirely throughout retirement (Potts 2006: 361). Nor do children have the option of defecting care of their parents to a third party: Article 21 of the Marriage Law of the Peoples Republic of China (1980) specifically renders children with the duty to support and assist their parents. This forces only children to bear both the fiscal and social responsibilities of caring for their elderly parents. While it is not ludicrous to ask a child to care for a parent, the One-Child Policy simply intensifies this responsibility, especially if the child is not in substantial financial situation for only him or herself. A daughter, hurt with the plausibility of a lower paying workplace, is more likely to have a harder time supporting her parents than a son would, more able to obtain a financially lucrative position. For these reasons, among others, Chinese couples often weight the value of a son as higher than that of a daughter. However, the higher value placed on male children causes many potential daughters to be aborted, abandoned as infants, or put up for adoption (Martinez 2008:86). Since the one child policy was enacted in 1979, there has been a gradual, but significant, increase in the ratio of males to females, with approximately 33 million more boys than girls under 20 reported in the 2005 census (Nature 2009:1). The shortage of women available to wed leaves many potential grooms unable to find matches, affecting the lives of many Chinese citizens. The One-Child Policy negatively affects Chinese society in this manner, as well as intensifying gender stereotypes that have been persistent in the history of the Chinese people. On the other hand, couples that do end up bearing only one daughter tend to internalize an alternate set of perceptions than those with a single son. Education Despite the frequent prejudices held against females in China, daughters brought up in an only child environment often receive certain advantages. In families of multiple children, with both girls and boys, girls were often treated as lesser family members. With largely predetermined plans, most women did not maintain a prominent position in their birth families through most of their adult life. Instead they would commit themselves to their husbands lives, integrating themselves into his family and adopting their new roles as wives and daughters-in-law. These temporary statuses often devalued daughters in the eyes of their birth families and therefore they were often denied certain opportunities and privileges than their male counterparts (Deutsch 2008:368). Although this specific mindset may be mostly outdated today, statistics show that women still tend to receive less education than men. The Chinese census taken in the year 2000 reflected a difference of approximately 1.1 years of schooling between the sexes (Cai and Wang 2008:443). However, couples that raise only one female child have only one child to rely on during their old age. As lesser schooling often leads to a lesser wage, and given the likelihood of females to earn a lower wage no matter what, parents of single daughters are more likely to invest more time and effort into their education than they might otherwise. Though still not expected to receive a higher level of education than boys, surveys taken in the late 1990s and early 2000s indicated a strong desire for equal education of both sexes (Cai and Wang 2008:443). There is a possibility that this could just be the reflection of the evolution of gender perceptions, though it is very likely that in China at the very least, the One-Child Policy had some effect on this new mentality. As touched upon earlier, the Policy forces elderly parents to rely on a single child for support in their old age. Having the option of relying solely on a female ch ild with a lesser degree of education points towards a less lucrative financial future. A parents desire for a more stable financial future may lead to the provision of a higher degree of education for his or her only daughter. Further adding onto the instability of a parents retirement well being is the fear of losing a daughter to the family of her husband. Without the possibility of additional children to depend on, parents of only daughters are less willing to give up their only child to the household of another family, and therefore tend to value self-sufficiency and education more, promoting increased gender equality. From this perspective, Chinas One-Child Policy creates both negative and positive effects. The Future of the Policy Numerous times in recent years, spokespeople for the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China have stated that the current family planning policy will not be revoked within the near future (Family Planning 2009:1). As a country with an estimated 1.3 billion people at the close of 2010, an efficient tactic for preventing overexpansion is a necessary component of national policy. The One-Child policy is still considered to be of the utmost importance for maintaining effective population control. However, as it currently exists, it is vital that a re-evaluation and revision of the policy take place. A 2009 survey indicated a desire for the allowance of second children by approximately 78% of the population (Family Planning 2010:1). As Chinas population continues to grow, it will be increasingly difficult to ensure that the policy is followed properly. Already, the policy has become harder to enforce, as the independence and wealth of the Chinese people continues to es calate (Hesketh, Lu and Xing 2005:17). The development of the country is such that the One-Child policy may not be practically feasible very shortly. An adaptation is necessary in order to upkeep the efficiency of the policy. In fact, those responsible for the policy seem to have already become aware of this. In 2002, while no major changes were made to its fundamentals elements, specific aspects of the policy were softened gently. Influenced by rising tensions between the Chinese government and its people, the strict quotas based around reproduction were done away with and couples no longer need to obtain permission to have their child (ibid:21). This was a positive step towards the future long-term continuation of the policy. In addition to the concerns of enforcement, there are other worrying issues surrounding the policy. As mentioned earlier, the insufficient numbers of females below 20 years of age is alarming. By the year 2020, it is estimated that the difference between men and women of marriageable age will be dangerously close to the 24 million mark. Authorities from within the Population Association of China are foreshadowing a spike in the sex industry of China, including the trafficking and solicitation of prostitution and pornography (Mcleod 2010:17). This severe imbalance poses an issue that must be addressed, so as to avoid continued long term damage to Chinese citizens and society. As the disproportion increases, it will become all the more necessary for the Chinese to review their Family Planning Policy and patch up the holes that are creating these issues. Conclusion Out of all the countries in the world, China is home to the greatest number of people. Shanghai, one of its most prominent cities, recently hit a landmark population of 23 million people (CNNGO 2011:4). Its population is showing no sign of slowing down naturally any time soon. Chinas rapid expansion makes a policy designated to control population a necessary element of governance. All the same, the current program working towards this goal is causing its own issues. Looking purely at the numbers, the One-Child Policy is working admirably, no doubt one of the reasons for why those in charge are hesitant to retract it. It is estimated that an astounding 250 to 300 million births have been prevented via this policy (Hesketh et al 2005:6). However, now the issues is not so much how many people make up the total population, but what people comprise it. The desire for sons has left many daughters unborn, abandoned, or put up for adoption as infants. This policy is the reason that I have tw o of my cousins, both girls adopted from China at a very young age, as part of my family. Through analyzing the effect that the One-Child Policy has had in the past 30 years, it is clear that in order to continue to be successful in the future, something must be done to re-balance the male-female demographic, as well as change the perception that many have of females as being less valuable than males. While an important part of Chinese government, the One-Child Policy must be adapted if it wishes to remain effective.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott :: essays research papers

Little Women by Louisa Alcott would definitely appeal to women of all types and ages. Little Women appeals to a broad audience, its full of the values and beliefs, and it paints a very real picture of most American’s lives at the time. The reason for this book appealing to such a broad audience lies in all the characters’ personalities. Mrs. March is a strong, independent woman who never falters, therefore she relates to all independent women; but she is also a mother who plants strong values in her girls and is the rock foundation of the family, with that she relates to all mothers. Margaret’s desire for luxury is a desire that we all can relate to and her properness is a trait most girls can relate to. Jo’s mischievous demeanor and talent for writing is something that if one cannot relate, admire to have. Beth is the insecure, sweet, homebody in all of us. Amy represents the beauty and talent, and sometimes moral code, which all women have. Laurie represents all the men that wish to be loved any uncommon-but-beautiful woman. This book is full of the values and beliefs of its time. The March family, that were once-upon-a-time a rich family, were still connected to the â€Å"higher† society. As a result, they were sometimes willingly and sometimes forced to commune with people who looked down on them for being poor. The book taking place during and after the period of the civil war there was a lot of tension concerning Blacks. Some of the values Mrs. March teaches her girls is the importance of never trying to be something there not; the unimportance of material possessions versus mental possessions; and that regardless of what the world told them, they are equal to men and therefore deserve equal rights. The book does a good job of directly and indirectly showing realness of all Americans lives. The whole book feels very real, probably because it’s an autobiography. One very real aspect of the book was the death of Beth. Many loved ones were lost to scarlet fever back then. That particular part of the book, along with being the most real, was the most touching. Despite her being a homebody and living a short life, she had a huge effect on everybody she knew. Another very real feature was the financial struggle of a family of five women and a father away at war at a time when women had no rights.

Latino Assimilation Essay -- Culture

Immigration has always been an issue in the United States, which is often portrayed as harmful and as major threat to American culture. As a result, various anti immigration policies have been aimed against immigrants in order to prevent and preserve the miscegenation of American culture, such as English only policies. Among the largest minority groups in the U.S, are Latinos who currently compose of 15% of the U.S population (Delgado and Stefancic 3). Unfortunately, Latinos have been accused of taking American benefits, jobs, and have wrongfully been depicted as a result of not assimilating to American culture. Latinos are often accused of resisting assimilation, but what has failed to be acknowledged is that there are obstacles set in place that are preventing Latinos from completely assimilating. Among those greatest obstacles there is discrimination. Institutional as well as individual discrimination have prevented many Latinos from feeling a sense of belonging. As a result Lati nos have been reluctant to assimilate. Another major component is proximity. Many Latinos are native to nearby countries, which allows for easy communication with family members as well as their culture. Moreover, it also allows for a constant influx of immigrants that replenish and preserve Latino cultures and traditions in the U.S. Lastly, Latino movements are working diligently to promote unity among communities for the purpose of creating a sense of identity and pride amongst Latinos, such as the Chicano movement. In comparison to other migrating groups, Latinos have had different experiences that have prevented them from completely assimilating into American society. Throughout our history and presently, Latinos continue to face acts of cruelty... ... English 583. Delgado, Richard and Stefancic Jean. â€Å"The Shape of the Latino Group: Who Are We and What Are We Talking About Anyway.† Richard and Jean 3. Feagin, Joe R. â€Å"The First U.S Latinos: White Wealth and Mexican Labor.† Richard and Jean 67. Hartley, George. â€Å"I Am Joaquin: Rodolfo â€Å"Corky† Gonzales and the Retroactive Construction of Chicanismo.† Richard and Jean 241-242. Johnson, Kevin R. â€Å"No Poor Need Apply.† Richard and Jean 98-100. Lopez, Ian F, Haney. â€Å"Legal Violence and the Chicano Movement.† Richard and Jean 308-309. Mendoza, Gustavo Chacon. â€Å"Gateway to Whiteness: The Census and Hispanic/Latino Identity.† Richard and Jean 49. Perea, Juan F. â€Å"Buscando America: Why Integration and Equal Protection Fail to Protect Latinos.† Richard and Jean 601-602. Waters, Mary. â€Å"Assimilation and Demographic Replenishment.† Richard and Jean 409-410.

Philosophy: The Power of Ideas Essay

 · Is it more common for people to make decisions regarding religion based on reason or by faith? Explain your answer. Considering the development of religious philosophy, it commonly appears that people make decision regarding their religion based on their faith. People create their religious doctrines, idealism, and theology based on the faith towards the existence of God wherein they argue that these principles are given with divine intervention and provision. In the aspect of religion, people decide matters within their institution as their approach for developing and strengthening their relationship towards their God through the medium of faith. Indeed, people pursue their religious interest based on faith rather than their own reasoning as an influential part of their religious philosophy is their faithful submission towards the divine being. As part of their religion, people make decisions as inspired by their faith thus, putting much more interest and significance on their religious teachings rather pursing their own idealism. In general, people put much more emphasis on faith towards the idealism of the divine being rather than the philosophy of the human beings.  · Considering the historical development of religious philosophy, whose philosophies do you think most advanced Western religious thought? Explain your answer. In the course of religious development in the world, most religious philosophies originated from the western culture though only some has full advanced and realized the western thought. Under this aspect, that the philosophy of the Roman Catholic religion manifests much representation of the western thoughts. Their teachings have promoted the monotheistic view towards divine existence and have strengthened the relationship of the human beings with their divine creator. Because of the significant foundations laid by their philosophy, the western thoughts were widely accepted by the other culture giving the western idealism much influence to the world. Because of the contribution of this specific religious philosophy, the world has realized the western thoughts regarding the existence of the divine being and has established their own religious relationship in relation to the western idealism

Introduction to Starbucks

Introduction Starbucks first opened in 1971 in Seattle’s pike place market as a single store and at that time it was a merchant of whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices. The name Starbucks was given after the first mate in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and there logo was motivated by the sea- featuring a twin tailed siren taken from Greek mythology. Howard Schultz is the Starbucks president and chief executive officer and he joined the company in 1982 and then for a short time left the company to start his own coffeehouses in Italy but then later in August 1987 he bought Starbucks with the help of other investors.Now Starbucks has 17,651 (as of July1, 2012) total number of stores all over the world in places like Bahrain, Australia, Canada, Taiwan and Egypt and so on, plus they offer just more than whole bean and ground coffee, tea and spices, they now also offer handcrafted beverages such as hot and iced espresso, merchandises such as mugs, fresh food such as sand wiches and also offer ready to drink products such as bottled frapuccinos. Starbucks mission till date has been to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.One of the reasons why Starbucks remains popular for its coffee is that their coffee buyers individually travel to coffee farms in Latin America, Africa and Asia to select the best quality beans. In addition to that Starbucks is a responsible company which does not only consider profits but also looks factors such as principled sourcing which is helping farmers for a stable future and a stable climate for the world and another factor being environmentally friendly. Starbucks by 2015 will completely be environmentally friendly hence all its cups will be re-useable or recyclable.

Essay on “Me talk pretty one day” Essay

†Me talk pretty one day† is an essay written by David Sedaris in 2005. It tells the story of the authors return to school at the age of forty-one and about his experience with learning French in Paris with a very strict teacher. The theme of the essay is David Sedaris attitude towards learning a new language. Although he seems to have an attitude towards learning French he actually moves all the way to France with only one month of French lessons as his previous experience with the language because he does not think that he can learn proper French in America. Throughout the essay you can almost hear the author’s ironic and sarcastic voice. He creates an ironic tone to the whole experience of learning the language which gives the essay some humor. The language in the essay is very informal which is supported by him talking about own experiences. He uses a lot of imagery and has a tendency to exaggerate his experiences. For example: â€Å"it’s everyone into t he language pool, sink or swim† (p. 1, l. 16). This gives the reader some lifelike pictures of the situation. He also gives the reader the feeling that they are there with him by using sentences as: â€Å"’Even a fiuscrzsa ticiwelmun knows that a typewriter is feminine† (p. 2, l. 72). He gives the reader the whole experience of him learning the language. He does not know the words and he makes it easier for the reader to identify with him. His attitude towards learning the language changes throughout the essay. He starts by being positive but after his first lesson he feels terrified. Even though he is the oldest one there, the teacher makes sure that there is no segregation. The teacher is very strict and does not care to give the students a hard time. â€Å"Before beginning school, there’d been no shutting me up, but now I was convinced that everything I said was wrong† (p. 3, l. 101). This shows us that he is so afraid of the teacher that he does not dare to use the advantage that he actually is in France. He can easily improve his language by trying to speak outside of the classroom but he simply does not dare because of his teacher’s personal attacks. The teacher completely ruins all of the students’ confidence. It ends up with them feeling as if they were in a war zone. â€Å"We soon learned to dodge chalk and protect our heads and stomachs whenever she approached us with a question† p.2, l. 83-84). This feeling of fear and shame ties the students  together and there is no competition between them. Sedaris wants to avoid the attacks and the humiliation so he starts studying really hard. He wanted an identity but the teacher would not let him have that. He was constantly reminded that he could not speak French which also shows in the title: â€Å"Me talk pretty one day†. It shows the insecurities in Sedaris’ and the other students faith in learning the language. They all hope that one day they will be able to speak and understand French but has lo st the hope because of their teacher. David Sedaris describes the teacher as: â€Å"a wild animal â€Å"(p.2, l 82). â€Å"She crouched low for her attack† (P. 2, l 52). This makes her stand out like terrifying and aggressive. The teacher’s attitude towards her teaching seems to be that if she pushes them hard enough it will end up giving good results. Even though Sedaris describes the teacher as a terrifying wild animal he still has a humorous tone around it which makes it relatable for the reader since most people has found themselves in a similar situation. Towards the end of the essay we get the feeling that Sedaris’ French has improved. The teacher’s insults do not seem to bother him that much anymore. By the teacher being so strict to everyone, do the insults not seem to be that serious and maybe not something she means entirely. Suddenly he could handle her personal attacks and it occurred to him, that for the first time since arriving to France he could understand every word of the teacher’s sentence. Even though she had just insulted him he feels like it was a victory for him. He cannot speak the language but it is a step in the right direction. He had lost all hope in ever improving in this class but now he had. He becomes curious and it gives him the lust for learning back. He ends the essay with the sentence: â€Å"Talk me more, you, plus, please, plus† (p. 3, l 128). This shows us that he wants to learn and he does not care if the teacher insults him, he just wants to hear the language and learn from it. David Sedaris’ essay shows that to learn a new language you need to learn the culture around it and you have to feel at home in the situations where the language are included. Learning a language is not just about learning the words and the sounds which the teacher ignores completely as she exclusively focuses on the form of the language rather than its use.