Ignorance to the Truth Essay

Often in tragic literature, authors infuse characters with a tragic flaw such as hubris. One work that explores an exuberant amount of pride is Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. In this play, Thebes is stricken with a plague and Oedipus, the King, will sacrifice anyone to save it. In the process of finding a solution, Oedipus realizes that he fulfills the prophecies that say he will kill his father and marry his mother. In the play, Sophocles shows Oedipus’ hubris by using irony. Characterization is also used to enhance the effects of pride on Oedipus’ ability to see logistically. Both characterization and irony play an important role in supporting the theme that excessive pride is a bad thing because it prevents people from viewing life with logic and leads to their downfalls. In the drama, Oedipus Rex, readers analyze the theme by looking at Oedipus’ tragic flaw. Sophocles describes how Oedipus changes from being a powerful and majestic king to being â€Å"the world’s outcast† (Sophocles 66). For instance, Oedipus’ hubris is shown from the beginning of the play when he steps down from the altar. He addresses the people of Thebes to discuss the deadly plague that has come to Thebes. Oedipus explains that he hears the â€Å"sound of prayer and lamentation† and that he himself â€Å"who bears the famous name,† has come to listen to his people (Sophocles 4). Oedipus shows how prideful he is when he refers to himself as being famous amongst the people of Thebes. Also, the fact that he comes forth when he hears prayers, indicates that he views himself as an equivalence to the gods because he defeated the Sphinx. Oedipus’ boasting relates to the theme because it foreshadows his tragic fate that he will kill his father and marry his mother as destined by the gods. Oedipus’ pride continues throughout the play when the messenger announces the death of King Polybos of Corinth. Specifically, Oedipus thinks that he is the son of King Polybos and that he escapes his prophecies by leaving Corinth long ago. Oedipus explains that he â€Å"never touches [Polybos],† so he will not â€Å"give heed to the birds that jangle above [Pythian’s] head† (Sophocles 50). Oedipus fails to realize that Polybos is not his real father, which relates to the theme of hubris. The overwhelming sense of pride in himself is what makes him blind to what is real. To support the theme of Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses dramatic irony throughout the play. Creon tells Oedipus that the murderer of King Laois must die in order for Thebes to recuperate from the plague. Oedipus shows concern for the well-being of the city but also for himself. He says that he will â€Å"avenge the city and the city’s god† (Sophocles 9). He further exclaims that â€Å"for [his] own sake, [he will] get rid of evil† because the murderer of King Laois might â€Å"decide at any moment to kill [him]† (Sophocles 9). Although Oedipus shows true concern for Thebes, his pride propels him to state that he will get rid of the murderer for his own benefits. The dramatic irony is that Oedipus is unable to realize that he will not benefit because he will ultimately have to be punished. Oedipus’ misconception connects to the theme because Oedipus fails to see that he is the murderer of King Laois. Dramatic irony is also shown after Iocaste realizes that Oedipus’ prophecies have come true and Oedipus refuses to give up his search for the truth of his birthplace. Oedipus says that he â€Å"is a child of Luck; [and that he] cannot be dishonored† (Sophocles 58). The irony is that the audience knows Oedipus’ tragic fate, yet Oedipus believes he is a child of luck. The irony relates to the theme because his pride blinds him to see the reality that he has fulfilled his prophecies. The overall use of dramatic irony enhances the theme of pride preventing a person from seeing things logistically. In addition to irony, Sophocles uses characterization throughout the play to enhance the theme. For instance, Tiresias, a blind prophet reveals Oedipus’ fate and Oedipus refuses to believe it. When Tiresias accuses Oedipus of weaving his own doom, Oedipus objects by exclaiming that he saves Thebes by defeating the Sphinx. He says that Tiresias’ magic â€Å"or the gods, for the matter† are useless (Sophocles 22). Oedipus is indirectly characterized as very self-centered and haughty. Oedipus’ ego relates to theme because he is so cocky that he does not perceive what Tiresias is saying. Instead, he reminds everyone of the time that he defeats the Sphinx. Oedipus gloats on past victories without dealing with present problems involving Thebes. Along with being self-centered, Sophocles characterizes Oedipus by incorporating epithets into the chorus’ lines. Oedipus summons the shepherd in search of primary proof of the murdering of King Laois. The chorus explicitly calls Oedipus a â€Å"tyrant [who is a] child of Pride† and that his â€Å"haughtiness and high hand of disdain/ Tempt and outrage God’s holy law† (Sophocles 46). Oedipus is indirectly characterized as a tyrant. The chorus denounces their King, which relates to the theme because Oedipus’ pride leads him to be â€Å"caught up in a net of pain† (Sophocles 46). By using characterization, the author shows the reader how Oedipus’ pride leads to his downfall. Hubris often leads to a tragic fall and causes people to become oblivious to the real world. Sophocles creates dramatic irony in the play Oedipus Rex to enhance the plot. The use of dramatic irony highlights how blind Oedipus is to his fate. It shows how Oedipus’ life changes from being a majestic King to an egocentric man who has given up all hope. Oedipus Rex leads the reader into analyzing his or her own life. People should be proud of their achievements as long as they avoid becoming insolent. A healthy dose of pride always does a person well, but an exuberant amount of it, makes him or her ignorant to the truth.

Poland Spring’s Advertisement Campaign Failure Essay

Poland Spring’s recent advertisement puts its viewers in a serene natural environment; a nice sunny day overlooking a crystal clear spring on a green field. In the center of this field is a giant plastic bottle, one that is â€Å"environmentally friendly.† The bottle is praised and pointed out for using â€Å"less plastic,† â€Å"less paper,† and the very important â€Å"dye-free cap.† The bottle is called the â€Å"Eco-Shaped bottle† and is designed to have less impact on the earth. The entire scene is under the giant caption that tells of how Poland Spring is doing â€Å"less† to the environment. The company is selling water in a disposable plastic bottle yet the advertisement seems to be trying to convince people that by consuming their disposable product they are some how helping the environment; that because they drink Poland Spring water they are doing â€Å"less to the environment. This advertising strategy however is not uncommon. According to Julia B. Corbett â€Å" ‘green advertising’ has focused on ads that promote environmental sensitivity toward†¦ a corporate image of environmental sensitivity† (Corbett 148). The recent ad campaign may seen to be about Poland Spring’s new â€Å"Eco-Shaped† bottle, but it is really about diverting attention from the pollution the bottle generates to instead creating a pro-environmental view of the company and its product. The Eco-Shaped bottle by Poland Spring is marketed with a few selling points the company points out directly in their advertisement. The bottle uses â€Å"30% less plastic†, â€Å"less paper† and a â€Å"dye-free cap†. These improvements are  better for the environment then the original bottle used by Poland Spring. However the problem lies in the fact that the product is still harmful to the environment. Last time I checked less of a bad thing is still a bad thing. According a recent article by Hope Molinaro, the California Department of Conservation (CDOC) stated, â€Å"in California, more than a billion plastic water bottles wind up in the trash each year† and that total is only the amount of bottles in the state of California (Molinaro, 64). The total amount equates to 3 million empty water bottles per day disposed of in just one state (Molinaro, 64). That large amount of plastic has many detrimental effects to the environment. The materials used to make the bottles consist of a tremendous amount of resources and are difficult to dispose of if not recycled. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to make the claim that a good portion of the plastic bottle waste generated in the United States is produced by the Poland Spring Company. Not only is the plastic filling our landfills, but there is evidence that the water bottle company is polluting its own town. According to a 2008 study of pollution demographics of Androscoggin County in Maine, where Poland Spring’s headquarters is located, the particulate matter is 62% higher there than the United States average (Unknown). It’s also 61% higher then the state of Maine’s average particulate matter found (Unknown). Particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. Poland Spring’s advertisement does not show any of this particulate matter when depicting how green and lush the springs it gets its water from are. One aspect of the Poland Spring’s advertisement that I find different and contradictory to traditional green thinking is that in the ad the plastic Poland Spring water bottle, is shown in nature. Normally when a plastic water bottle is found laying in a field or any natural setting for that matter, it is viewed upon as pollution. In this ad the bottle is sitting in nature and is supposed to be appealing to the human eye. The bottle is shown in a way that it blends into the natural setting and tries to convince people that it almost belongs there, in the midst of nature; that the  unnatural belongs with the natural. It is easy to relate the bottle as being positive to the environment however as it blends in with the incredible sunrise in the background on a beautiful day with a clear sky. The bottle is featured sitting in a field where the growth of the field is doing outstanding and there is not one dead or even one imperfectly grown plant. The land is doing so well it is almost portrayed as being happy and at peace with a giant, unnatural, plastic water bottle sticking out of it. This scene does not just occur in the ad however as pollution is a huge issue when there is a â€Å"disposable† factor to the product. A second contradiction in the ad is that Poland Spring is a water bottle company whose ad features more lush, green field then the body of water in which their product comes from. The ad is trying to make the product fall into the American consumers mind as a green product hence the green field is more affective then a view of the lake or spring containing the water Poland Spring is selling. Poland Spring is really trying to hammer in the point that it’s product is green and eco-friendly, and the more green in the picture the more green the consumer sees. Contradiction number three this ad uses is the slogan that titles it. In the current green revolution sweeping across America the constant theme is doing more for the environment. Under Poland Springs fancy, flower-laden font reads the words â€Å"doing less†. This is a clear indication that Poland Spring is not being beneficial to the environment by saying they are â€Å"doing less† harm to the planet we live on. Over the serene sunset, over laying the clear blue sky, and lush green field, lies an admission of pollution and guilt by the company. Poland Spring’s methods however are not so uncommon in today’s advertising market. Many advertising campaigns are seen now featuring nature in one way or another and one of the more common ways to do this is through and advertisements backdrop. According to Julia B. Corbett, â€Å"Using nature merely as a backdrop whether in the form of wild animals, mountain vistas or sparkling rivers-is the most common use of the natural world in advertisements.† (Corbett 150) So when Poland Spring sets it’s water bottle in the green field, with little purple flowers swaying in the wind, the peaceful sunset over looking the bluest clear sky the world has to offer,  followed by beautiful green hills rolling off to the distance there is a purpose to it. The purpose according to Julia could be that the company is trying to promote a â€Å"corporate image of environmental responsibility.†(Corbett 148) This is very well one if not the main initiative of the advertisement and it is even so less of an advertisement as it is a rebuttal. Recently, as our country starts to become more â€Å"green† and environmentally aware, there has been some recent campaigns against the consumption of bottled water. One major campaign against bottled water has been â€Å"Think outside the bottle†. Even the mayor of Miami, Manny Diaz along with a dozen or so mayors, is calling on municipal governments to phase out bottled-water purchases in a resolution to be presented at the U.S. Mayors Conference (Barnes). Poland Spring is trying to distract the average consumer from believing the hype that the bottle are bad for the environment and tries to prove that they are doing something about it. Poland Spring’s advertisement is focusing on green aspects of its product and is trying to make the company appear to have a green initiative, however the Poland Spring’s target audience is not the hardcore environmentalist. Any person who puts some research into what they buy and cares about the environment is going to know that consumption of disposable plastic water bottles is not going to help the environment. The ad however does target the average consumer who does sort of care about the environment but does not research into what they consume. A consumer might see the recent anti-water bottle campaigns and generate a negative view of the disposable, plastic water bottles that Poland Spring sells. That is why Poland Spring’s ad was created in the first place, to turn the average consumer’s view of the water bottle and the Poland Spring Company from a negative one to a positive one. In times of environmental awareness that the United States is currently facing, many unenvironmentally friendly companies are finding it harder and harder to promote sales for their products. Poland Spring is no different in that respect but tries a different approach that is gaining in popularity, green advertising. Poland Spring uses nature to show a pristine and beautiful backdrop for their hazardous product. The ad is focusing on deterring the public’s view of Poland Spring from environmentally damaging  to environmentally caring. As shady and undermining the ad is to not only the people but the earth its self, the ad creates a pro-environmental image of a company that does not practice what is preaches. Works Cited Barnes, Tayler. â€Å"Anti Bottled Water Campaign Enlists Mayors to Cause.† Corporate Accountability International. Miami Herald. Web. 07 Nov. 2011. . Corbett, Julia B. †Faint†Green: Advertising and the Natural World.† Communicating Nature: How We Create and Understand Environmental Messages. Island, 2005. Web. Molinaro, Hope. â€Å"Plastic Water Bottles Go to Waste, Says Calif. Conservation Agency.† Plastics Engineering 59.7 (2003): 64-. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. Unknown. Poland Spring Pollution Indexes. Raw data. Androscoggin County. CLRSreach.com

Financial and Non Financial Incentives Essay

â€Å"Incentives are nothing but the inducements provided to employees in order to motivate them† What motivates an employee to exceeding levels of performance? Performance is driven by motivation and motivation is driven by rewards or incentives. Incentives are the chief source of motivating people and is the key driver of employee behavior, effort and motivation. When we explore the Maslow theory we see that incentives also play a role in satisfying the social, psychological and security needs of an individual. Employee motivation, linked to both financial and non financial incentives, is essential to success in any organization and if you fail to get this right then there will be a big price to pay. Get it right and the spin offs are huge, staff retention, company loyalty and a productive workforce, and that definitely has a positive effect on the bottom line. So how exactly do you keep your staff motivated? Answer is simple, incentivize them! We can differentiate between two types of incentive; there are financial and non financial incentives. These incentives appeal to either the extrinsic nature or the intrinsic nature of an individual. Intrinsic motivators come from within the individual and they are not concerned with money, their motivation stems from completing the task itself rather than the rewards of completing the task. Extrinsic motivators come from the outside and are external e.g. salaries, wages. These individuals do not get pleasure from doing the task itself but will be more motivated by the reward of completing the task. Financial Incentives appeal to the extrinsic nature of a person and are proven to be the most commonly used form of incentives, it is a form of monetary value, salaries, wages, bonuses, commissions, share plans etc are all examples of financial incentives.

Oceans and Tides Paper (Earth Science) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Oceans and Tides Paper (Earth Science) - Essay Example What are surface ocean currents? In simple words rotation of the earth on its own axis causes winds that form gyres or circles on the surface of oceans. These gyres are found to move in clockwise circular patterns in the Northern Hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. This is phenomena is better known as surface ocean currents. These currents flow continuously but have varied intensity and in different proportions. There is no need to mention this that the concentration of these surface ocean currents depend on the depth or depletion of the sea bed. All these factors can actually increase and decrease the speed of these currents. These surface ocean currents can influence weather conditions. These are quite significant for navigators who make use of these currents to steer through their way. What are waves, their characteristics and wave erosion? Wave is actually a disturbance that is produced by some other body. A water wave that is created by a moving boat is its best example. One of its features is the wavelength which happens to be distance between two waves, the second characteristic is frequency which can be measured by the number of crests or troughs passing through a single point at one time and the third is amplitude which is the displacement of a wave. Wave erosion is also no different from other forms of erosion like soil erosion and coastal erosion. When waves hit on the banks, it carries a part of the soil with it from there. This is called wave erosion in short and can be avoided only by planting more trees as the roots of these trees can save the soil from eroding away. What is shoreline erosion? Besides wave erosion, shoreline erosion is another of its kind that is primarily caused due to movement of currents and waves. Apart from these two factors this erosion can also be caused by a change in sea level. In general when these waves hit unguarded shores they wash off the sediments of the shoreline and this is called shoreline erosion. Any kind of soil erosion causes land misuse as it degrades on regular basis. Land is very important for animals and humans both which are very much obvious. This in turn becomes a reason for overpopulation and scarcity of usable tracts of land for cultivation and other important activities that are a prerequisite for human civilization. A few things that can control this type of erosion are planting tree that can absorb moisture, then building septic tanks and proper drainage system can also take care of this erosion. What are tides? Now the most important of all the questions is what are tides? Tides are a natural occurrence that are caused by the gravitational forces of the both the moon and the sun. Since the earth is rotating on its own, hence the position of the moon keeps on changing. This change in placing causes the height of the tides to rise and fall accordingly. That is the closer the moon the higher the tides will be due to a strong gravitational pull. This is t he reason behind the tides getting high and low in a day as well as in a month. In addition to this another fact needs to be added that is the moon takes a little longer than 24 hours (around 50 minutes more) to come to same point with the earth. So this discussion shows that oceans and tides are equally important to us. This could again be explained in the context that because of the presence of this current in the water bodies, today the world can think of generating electricity. This tidal energy thus produced will be

Iclude 2 in-text citations and place the reference on the reference Essay

Iclude 2 in-text citations and place the reference on the reference page - Essay Example the company launches in the market having many variations, Samsung is confident that their customers will never run out of choices in terms of the products that will truly satisfy their needs and preferences. Samsung has a wide variety of businesses including advanced technology, semiconductors, skyscraper and plant construction, petrochemicals, fashion, medicine, finance, and hotels (Samsung, 2012). The impact of new competition on Samsung’s financial performance is more of a negative one. This is because the new competitors have only forced the company to spend more in order to produce more differentiated products and keep up with the intense competition. Unfortunately, the new competitors of Samsung especially from China have been able to establish a strong presence in the markets, which has contributed to the decline in the sales of Samsung’s products and a decline in profitability (Siegel, 2009). The negative impacts of the recent economic crisis do not help Samsung at all, as majority of the consumers have decided to spend less and save more. Thus, it is safe to say that Samsung has really become troubled by the emergence of new competitors and the threats that they continue to pose to the financial profitability of the company. A new marketing strategy that Samsung should consider in reaction to new Chinese competition is one that will highlight the excellent quality and significant value of its products. It is important for Samsung to emphasize on its marketing strategy that not one of their competitors can be able to match the superior quality and value that their products are able to provide. This should help in gaining the trust and confidence of the consumers to try Samsung products and personally experience their benefits. Aside from this, Samsung has to be willing to spend for advertisements as a form of a marketing strategy, which will help to inform the public about the superior quality and value that their products are able to provide (Grant,

PROJECT 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PROJECT 2 - Essay Example By so doing, it gives the rationale for the alternative methodology in doing this kind of research (Donald, 2010).  The journal is supported by some others on the topic. This research is, therefore, one of the best materials available in action research. It is because it gives more information on action research and the steps that can be followed when carrying out a comprehensive research are also outlined. Kitchen, J., & Stevens, D. (2014). Action research in teacher education: two teacher-educators practice action research as they introduce action research to pre-service teachers. Action Research, 23(3): 7-28.    The article analyses some of the qualitative techniques that are dependent on different forms of discourse analysis. By analyzing the different methods which depend on analysis of the spoken or written language, the journal examines the relevance of discourse analysis, while looking at qualitative techniques (Kitchen & Stevens, 2014). It entails the examination and analysis of different methods and plays an important role in the discourse analysis, which is a significant in the process of action research. Sample methods used in the analysis of the spoken or written language are discussed in the paper. By reading this article, the reader gets more information on discourse analysis. As such, he or she will be in a position to carry out the process without difficulty. Some attributes of the traditional empirical-research have not been taken seriously by various scholars. This article recognizes the advantages and the disadvantages of traditional research (Peters, 2014). By looking at the disadvantages of this type of research, the article seeks to discover the contradictions which may exist in the research methods (Peters, 2014).It comes up with the conclusion that this type of research has its individual extortions to potency. The paper therefore gets rid of the contradictions that may

Internal analysis (General Resources for Mr.Empanada) Assignment

Internal analysis (General Resources for Mr.Empanada) - Assignment Example One of the main areas of focus is the general resources of the company which include its reputation, relationship with other stakeholders and how the company and its brands are associated with reliability and quality. The first characteristic is that of reputation. This seeks to analyze how the company and its brands are perceived among their customer base. A good reputation can result in the company attracting more customers thereby increasing its revenues. A bad reputation on the other hand could negatively impact on the company as some customers would rather not associate with it. The company has a strong presence in the Tampa Bay area where it has a lot of clients and customers. In this area, the company has great reputation since its brands are a favorite to a majority of the people in the area. The company however faces a lot of challenges outside the Tamp area as its brands are not widely known. The reputation of the company and its brands needs to be improved outside Tampa Ba y area in order to attract more customers. The company’s main food, Empanada, is not known to most people outside the Tampa Bay area. This is the main brand of the restaurant and needs to be well known among its target customers. The company needs to do a lot of marketing in other regions to promote its brand. This will lead to a great reputation of the company and its brands thus increasing its general resources. ... This means that services have to be reliable and that its foods as well as services have to be of the best quality. Mr. Empanada restaurant’s services are evidently reliable in the areas in which the company operates. This is because the restaurant has managed to consistently attract more customers since its reopening in 2003, which has prompted the company to open other subsidiaries in other areas and planning to open other in the near future. The fact that more people are taking up their services implies that they appreciate the company’s quality and reliability. In areas where the company is popular such as Tampa bay FL, there are cases of repeat buying from loyal customers. The restaurant has a buy-price premium over competing brands among its loyal customers. In other areas, there is need for more to be done in order to ensure the company’s services are recognized in order to be able to compete with leading brands in the industry. The last general resource t hat needs to be taken in to consideration is the company’s relationship with other stakeholders including customers, employees, suppliers, creditors and debtors among others. The company has a strong and positive relationship with its stakeholders. The company has a great organizational culture that emphasizes on customer service. The employees are encouraged to relate well with the customers and other stakeholder. Following this analysis, several recommendations can be put forward to enable the company to expand its operations and be able to compete with leading companies in the industry. Like most of the successful restaurants, franchising is the best model. Mr. Empanada should adopt the business format franchise where it can partner with several outlets

Write a topic for this essay Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write a topic for this essay - Article Example Goldleaf Jewelry is focusing on increasing its revenue after it registered $21 million profit in the last three quarters of 2013 (The Wall Street Journal 1). This development has several implications on the United States economy. Firstly, the entry of the Chinese company into the United States oil industry means that there is foreign currency that shall land into China courtesy of the investment. This means that United States will lose some resources than it used to get when the United States based company, ERG resources was the one in charge of the oilfields. They are likely to bring some of the Chinese’s technocrats at the expense of the jobless citizens in the United States. This reduces the employability of the Americans. Another aspect is that China is rising very fast as an economic superpower, threatening the position taken by United States for years. With the entry of China into United States may create an impression to the world that China is the force to reckon with. As much as the Chinese company may adhere to the regulations, there is a potential risk that they may overexploit the resource hence causing a fast exhaustion. This issue may result to depletion of United States oil reserves in the near

American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

American History - Essay Example New England and Chesapeake regions were highly settled by people of English origin prior to 1700. However, by 1700 the regions evolved into two distinct societies due to the diverse reasons that had forced the different societies to flee in the regions by 1700. Religion and economic were the two factors that had motivated the settlers in New England and Chesapeake regions. The settlers in New England had fled to the region for religious freedom from Britain due to the persecution of Protestants and Catholics after the Church of England deviated from Catholicism under Henry VIII. Thus, the reputation of the region for religion tolerance saw the region been settled by a majority of white English people fleeing from religious persecution in England. This implied that the settlers in New England were highly fleeing to the region for religious freedom. In contrast, the English settlers in Chesapeake were motivated by an economic factor due to the thriving tobacco industry, and mining indu stry. The two diverse reasons that prompted the English settlers in the two regions saw two distinct societies evolving by 1700. New England by 1700 was highly dominated by English whites Puritans, Catholics, and Quakers due to the religious freedom reputation. In contrast, the Chesapeake region was predominantly populated by the black slaves. The economic motivation of the Chesapeake settlers had seen the slavery industry growing to provide cheap labor that caused the high number of black slaves in the region.

The Hotel Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Hotel Industry - Assignment Example People visit hotels for different purposes. The industry offers their customers various of services. The customers need lodging facilities where they can spend their nights and means of transport to move them from one place to another. Restaurants provide foods and drinks during the stay. The hotel industry offers cruise line services, especially for hotels that are located along the coast. Sometimes, customers may contract a selected hotel to oversee planning of special events such as anniversaries, weddings, and special days’ celebrations with proper entertainment services (Puri & Chand, 2009). Products provided by the hotel industry include all types food, soft drinks, and hard drinks. Customers for the hotel industry include people of all ages and races (Barrows & Powers, 2009). Demanders for hotel services and products consist of students, children, middle-aged citizens and the aged. People of all walks usually attend ceremonies such as weddings, conferences and other official functions because they have roles to perform in each of them. Wedding customers demand services of event planners, and these are mostly found in the hotel industry. Business travelers travel on expense account and seek secure hotels that are close to the places of their business rendezvous (Lockyer, 2007). Another group of hotel customers are leisure travelers; these also look for hotels that have leisure activities such as gymnasiums, swimming pools, playgrounds and racing equipment. The hotel industry is dispersed among many companies, each controlling a small market (Brody, 2009). The market structure for the hotel industry is perfect competition. In a perfectly competitive market, there are several buyers and sellers of a particular product; hence, customers have a variety of choices (Khan, 2007). This breaks the market into small portions and each company controls its own market portion. There are several companies in the hotel industry. These include Lords of the Manor, The Feathers Hotel Woodstock, Talbot Hotel, The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Holbeck Ghyll County House Hotel, and Assured Hotels.

Representations of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Example for Free

Representations of Women in Early Irish and Welsh Literature Essay Although there are parallels between Irish and Welsh sagas of elopement, the powerful self confident women depicted in these narratives do not represent the real women of Medieval Ireland and Wales. Proinsias Mac Cana has suggested that the dominant roles of Deirdre and Grainne in their respective tales (Longes mac nUislenn and Toruigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne) are ‘literary variations on the exemplar of the sovereignty goddess’ (Doan, 1985: 90). Bitel (1996: 2) asserts that Celticists have been seduced by these dominant female characters viewing them as representative of real women with considerable power over men, a depiction which if true should be reflected in the law tracts or ‘custom in action’(Stacey, 2002: 1107). This paper will argue that the ecclesiastical and legal tracts of both Ireland and Wales offer many images of women, judgements about women, and regulations for women. They do not however present the stereotypical medieval woman as the sovereignty goddess depicted in the secular sagas. Because women left no written records, we are dependent on male literature (probably all of the texts written in early Ireland and Wales) for a definition of woman and her cultural role. These male authors wrote of women in: ‘saint’s lives; poems; sagas and myths; gnomic texts; histories; chronicles; genealogies; folktales; theological tracts; and extensive ecclesiastical tracts; and secular laws’ (Bitel, 1996: 12). Although these texts offer insights on women they must be viewed through the hermeneutical lens of the socio-historical context of the era in which they were written. Early medieval Ireland was a patriarchal society and a woman’s role and identity was determined by patriarchal norms and conventions. The literati of this era did not define woman as an independent individual. Women existed only in relation to men and therefore their representation in literature was not entirely objective or according to Bitel consistent. Tensions exist between various texts. The portrayal of women as ‘capricious beasts’ (Bitel, 1995:137) presented in the eighth century wisdom text Tecosca Cormaic contrasts sharply with the recognition of a woman as home-maker and wife with limited recourse to the law depicted in Cain Lanamna or the law of couples (O Croinin, 1995: 127) . The majority of the extant Irish law books were composed between the seventh and ninth centuries. At this stage the Irish literati were members of the nobility educated in monastic communities. Many were monks but this elite group also included jurists, historians, poets and story tellers. Mc Cone has suggested that these learned elite produced literature for the monastery which was heavily influenced by Biblical texts (Bitel, 1996: 14). Donnchadh O Corrain, Liam Breatnach and Aidan Breen have argued that there exists a close connection between ecclesiastical law and Irish vernacular law (Stacey, 2002: 1108). Stacey asserts that although the legal sources from Wales (compiled in the twelfth and thirteen centuries) are later than the Irish sources there is also a significant link between ‘legal, poetic and ecclesiastical learning’ (2002: 1108). The Irish penitential books written between the sixth and the ninth centuries reveal conflict between the ideals of Christian leaders and the customs of early Irish communities. These penitentials were designed as moral guides for confessors in attributing penance in the rite of confession (Gula, 1989: 25). According to Bitel, Christian clergy were intent on transferring social control of sex from the kin group to the individual Christian (1987: 67). Fox concurs with Bitel, asserting that by liberating the individual from the bonds of clan and family, the church was attempting to reduce kinship to ‘its lowest common denominator [the nuclear family: the lowest kinship group that is compatible with reproduction] while appearing to support basic kinship values’ (1993: 109-110). The Clergy in promoting Christian morality for the individual attempted to reorganize Early Irish society. According to Bitel, the kin group were influential in controlling sexual activity. This was necessary to ensure the survival of the community as an interdependent group. Archaeological evidence suggests that houses consisted of one room. This allowed for little individual privacy and sex was a natural and visible part of family life. Illicit encounters had to take place outside of the home, and even then they were monitored by the community. Any kind of sexual relationship that had to be conducted in secrecy was considered dangerous. The survival and welfare of the clan depended on social stability and this principle determined the attitude of the pre-Christian Irish toward sexuality. Sex in itself however was not considered immoral. Celibacy was not portrayed as a virtue in the secular literature. Cu Chulainn’s sexual exploits are recorded in the sagas; however his casual encounters did not threaten the community (Bitel, 1987: 70-71). Bitel asserts that ‘the tension between individual desire and community need had always to be resolved in favour of the community’ (1987: 72), and herefore marriage was a contractual arrangement determined not by romance or love but by the necessity of producing children and the survival of the kin group. Woman’s reproductive capacities themselves are integrated into the economic life of the society. The image of woman depicted in Cain Lanamna is a woman whose social emotional and economic orientation is directed towards the family and home. Early Irish Law, commonly known as Brehon Law was a series of civil laws which governed every aspect of daily life including marriage and divorce. Marriage and divorce were interlinked by virtue of a contract agreed and a contract dissolved. Under the Brehon system, women were free to marry in one of nine ways, although the primary type of marriage, lanamnas comthinchuir was the most common. Both partners enter this marriage with equal financial resources. In the second type of marriage, lanamnas for ferthinchur, the woman contributes little or no financial assets to the marriage. In the third category, lanamnas for bantinchur, the woman contributes the greater share of the marriage assets. These three categories required formal pre-nuptial agreements. With the remaining six types of marital union (including cohabitation with a woman with family consent, voluntary eloping without family consent, voluntary abduction without family consent, illicit rendezvous, marriage by rape and marriage of two insane people) marriage entailed the assumption of financial responsibility for child rearing (O Croinin, 1995: 128). Corresponding to the wide variety of marriages recognized by law, there were many grounds for divorce. A woman might divorce a man who failed to satisfy her sexual needs because he was sterile, impotent, bisexual or homosexual. In this instance she was entitled to be paid her coibche in addition to a fine in compensation. A woman could divorce her husband on the grounds of indiscretion should he discuss intimate details of their marriage outside of the home. A woman could also divorce her husband should he abandon her either for the church or for a life on the road as he would no longer be in a position to maintain her. Physical abuse was also considered legitimate grounds for divorce. Even if the original blemish disappeared, a woman was entitled to the equivalent of her bride price as compensation. The laws are quite clear about the validity of female testimony in matters concerning consummation of marriage. This testimony is verified by a physical examination of the woman by female dignitaries. In a case where a woman refuses her husband his conjugal rights either because of a problem pregnancy or her menstrual cycle, the law regarded her objections as valid. A woman could also choose to divorce on grounds of infidelity although extra marital relations were recognized by law (O Croinin, 1995: 129). O Croinin suggests that in general terms many women were recognized by the law in ‘their capacity as wives and in their own right as individuals’ (1995: 133) Law texts are clear that a woman’s rights in divorce are specific to each type of marriage and related marriage contract. Lanamnas Comthinchuir was regarded as the most common type of marriage at this time. It was a dignified state for the wife, she was known as a be cuitchernsa, literally ‘a woman of joint dominion, a woman of equal lordship’ (O Croinin. 1995: 128). If this category of marriage ended in divorce, the woman received what she had initially contributed to the marriage in addition to a share of the profit accrued from the couple’s joint activities during the marriage period. O Croinin records that the division of property was in accordance with fixed proportions: ‘one third went to the partner who provided the land; one third to the partner who provided the stock; and one third to the partner who provided the labour’ (1995: 128). This last provision recognized the woman’s work in the home and on the farm. The second type of marriage lanamnas for ferthinchur represented a different kind of divorce settlement. Since the woman provided neither land nor stock, she was entitled to half of her own handiwork and one sixth of the dairy produce in store. If she had worked diligently on the farm and in the home she took one ninth of the corn and cured meat in store. She also received a sack of corn for a specified time. Divorce in the third category of marriage, lanamnas for bantinchur, ensured that the woman retained a life interest in the farm. She could not however transfer any rights to the estate to her children. She could however marry one of the heirs to the property and preserve her children’s right to inherit. Although the Irish lawyers appealed to Scripture, particularly to Leviticus to justify parallel cousin marriages, church law declared parallel cousin marriages incestuous (O Corrain, 1985). The Welsh tractate ‘the laws of women’ contains rules governing marriage and division of property in medieval Wales. There are four redactions of Welsh law manuscripts: the Cyfnerth and the Blegywryd redactions both derive from south Wales; Iorwerth is classed as a north Wales redaction; and finally the Latin manuscripts (there are similarities between the Latin laws and the Welsh redactions). Although the sources from Wales are dated to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, women in the Welsh tractate like women in Cain Lanamna are portrayed as wives and home-makers (Roberts, 2008: 58-59). Stacey asserts that the most ‘striking’ passage of the ‘Laws of Women’ outlines the domestic and agricultural goods granted to each partner in cases where the marriage had lasted longer than seven years (2002: 1109). This passage is common to each of the Welsh redactions of the law books and can also be found in four of the five Latin compilations. The couple must divide their possessions equally, the pigs become the property of the man and the woman takes ownership of the sheep. If there are only sheep and goats, the sheep go to the man and the goats to the woman. The children are also divided between the couple ‘two parts go to the father, the eldest and the youngest, and the middle to the mother’ (Stacey, 2002: 1111). The division of household goods is itemised: all milk vessels, except for one pail and one dish becomes the property of the woman. The man is entitled to all of the drinking vessels and the riddle while the woman is entitled to the sieve. The man is entitled to the upper stone of the quern and the woman to the lower stone. The bed clothes which cover the couple becomes the property of the woman while the clothes which they lay on belong to the man. The man receives the cauldron and the blanket and the pillows from the bed together with the wood axe, coulter and all the sickles except for one which the woman obtains. The woman is granted the pan, the broad axe, the bill hook and all of the flax, linseed and wool. She also receives the plowshare. Any gold or silver is divided equally between the couple. The man is entitled to the corn above and below the ground, all of the hens and one cat. The remaining cats become the property of the woman. The woman receives the salted meat but if it is hung it becomes the property of the man. The woman is also granted as much flour as she can carry along with the cut meat and the partly used cheese. They each retain their own clothes except for their cloaks which must be divided equally. Any balls of wool in stock become the property of the sons (Stacey, 2002: 1111). Like Irish Marriage Law, the Welsh Laws of Women attempted to secure a measure of financial independence for each partner in the event of divorce . Unlike Irish marriage law however which divided property according to specific marriage contracts, some rovisions in the Welsh divorce law appear illogical. Jenkins suggests that the Welsh division of property on divorce, attempts to ensure that each partner has the necessary provisions to survive but he asserts that the division of the quern stones is ‘curious’ since they cannot be used independently (Stacey, 2002: 1111). Similarly the coulter is granted to the man while the plowshare is received by the woman. Since both blades would have been required for planting this division appears to make little logical or practical sense. Stacey also points out that the man receives all of the corn and hens but only one cat to protect them from vermin while the woman receives the remaining cats although she has no grain or hens to protect (Stacey, 2002: 1113-1116). Welsh divorce law does not seem to be based on the wealth brought to the marriage by each party or indeed on the status of the marriage. In Irish Law the apportionment of property is determined by both of these factors (Stacey, 2002: 1113). Stacey suggests that the division of property in a Welsh divorce is symbolic of the destructiveness of divorce and failed marriage. He asserts that this was a secular ‘homily’ on the improvident nature of divorce (2002: 1124). Although the marriage property is divided the woman ultimately is disadvantaged because under Welsh Law, she has no claim to land and must be satisfied with portable goods. Although women under Welsh law were afforded the opportunity to divorce their husbands due to his impotency, leprosy or bad breath (Roberts, 2008: 63), Nerys Patterson suggests that the woman was further disadvantaged in the wake of marital separation: female virginity was highly valued and her loss of virginity would affect her chances of remarriage (2002: 1121). These medieval divorce laws clearly situate the woman in the home, rearing children, cooking, spinning wool and working on the farm. It is tempting to view these laws as depictions of a progressive egalitarian society, however the political and social realities of a woman’s life suggest otherwise. A woman’s legal definition derived from that of her father, brother or her legal husband. A legal tract on honour price (dire) defined women’s legal and social position ‘her father had charge over her when she is a girl, her husband when she is a wife, her sons when she is a [widowed] woman with children . . the Church when she is a woman of the Church [i. e. , a nun]. She is not capable of sale or purchase or contract or transaction without the authorization of one of her superiors’ (Bitel, 1996: 8). According to Bitel, these legally and socially incapacitated women were the real Medbs of medieval Ireland. When measuring a woman’s status, the laws measured women against the legal norm of the free adult male and as such a woman’s worth remained only half that of her male guardians honour price. The Irish literati along with many medieval authors considered female bodies as ‘less valuable copies of mens’ (Bitel, 1996: 19). This principle is reflected in the only extant Irish medico-legal tracts namely Bretha Crolige and Bretha Dein Checht which accorded women less medical attention and food rations than men (Bitel, 1996: 21). Women therefore were considered physically and psychologically less than man, less than human (Bitel, 1996: 23). The ninth century Triads text, Trecheng Breth Fene unveiled some basic assumptions about the nature of woman. The Triads suggested that ‘the three drops of a wedded woman’ were drops of blood (a good wife was a virgin at marriage); sweat; and tears (a good wife should be willing to suffer hardship to support her husband and children). One of the three misfortunes of a man was proposing marriage to a bad woman. According to the Triads, women were their husband’s property and were akin to animals. ‘When a man loaned either a woman or a horse, he had to expect it to be used by the borrower’ (Bitel, 1996: 23). The wisdom text also suggested that ‘like a cow’s udder, women through her womb, was one of the three renovators of the world’ (Bitel, 1996: 24). Another wisdom text Tecosca Cormaic suggested that women ‘should be feared like beasts’ because they were ‘capricious beasts’ (Bitel, 1996: 24). A woman’s physical characteristics and fertility therefore were animal like and unreliable. The eighth or ninth-century wisdom text Senbriathra Fithail considered the characteristics of ‘a good wife’ (Bitel, 1996: 27). Advising his pupil Cormac mac Airt, Fithal (a druid) asserted that a good woman had ‘common sense, prudence, modesty, excellent Irish, delicacy, mildness, honesty, wisdom, purity and intelligence’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). All of these attributes according to Fithal were necessary for a woman to become a desirable wife. A bad wife on the other hand was characterised by ‘wretchedness, stinginess, vanity, talkativeness, laziness, indolence, noisiness, hatefulness avarice, visiting, thieving, keeping trysts, lustfulness, folly and treachery’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal asserted that it was possible to detect a woman’s character based on her physical appearance. He suggested that Cormac should avoid: ‘the fat short one’; ‘the slender short one with curling hair’; the fair tall one’; ‘the dark-limbed, unmanageable one’; ‘the dun coloured yellow one’; and ‘the slender prolific one who was lewd and jealous’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal determined that the worst wife was a be cairn or a whore. A successful marriage however could be assured by a union with the ‘tall, fair, very slender ones’ (Bitel, 1996: 28). Fithal admitted to Cormac however that the ideal woman may not exist and that most women had character flaws. The author of Tecosca Cormaic was adamant that all women were ‘chronically dissatisfied, bad tempered, untrustworthy, wanton, manipulative, ambitious, greedy, arrogant whiners’ (Bitel, 1996: 29). Bitel suggests that the real problem with women is that they were not men and the writers of the gnomic tracts could only define them by their many indefinable natures: they had similar physical bodies to men but were not men; they had reproductive characteristics and temperaments similar to animals but were not animals. The only certainty appeared to be was that women must be controlled and her inferior position in society maintained (Bitel, 1996: 30). The writers of ecclesiastical canons suggested that women could only be redeemed by denying their female characteristics and their female sexuality. Bitel argues that canonists established a ‘gender hierarchy’ (Bitel, 1996: 32). Unlike the typologies found in secular and wisdom texts, the cannon scribes attributed a moral value to virginity and abstinence. Nuns were accorded a high moral value as were ‘widows who took the veil’ (Bitel, 1996: 32). Thomas O’ Loughlin suggests that the Collectio canonum hibernesis, a systematic collection of law, codified certain patristic theories producing an understanding of marriage ‘as a state secondary to virginity’ (1997: 188). The canonists justify their position by quoting Jerome who asserts that ‘virginity follows the lamb wherever he goes’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 192). Jerome expands on this theme suggesting that ‘earth is populated by marriage, so heaven is by virginity’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 192). The underlying concept is clear, virginity is exemplified and sexuality creates problems. According to O’Loughlin this principle was the basis of ecclesiastical thinking on marriage throughout the middle ages and Jerome’s opinion that sexual activity was ‘inferior and earthy’ in comparison to virginity which was ‘noble and superior’ has been held responsible for the cult of virginity and celibacy in the Latin church (O’Loughlin, 1997: 193). Augustine also considered sexuality dangerous but (quoting Paul in 1 Corinthians 7) asserted that while celibacy was the desired state, ‘lawful marriage is to be preferred to burning with desire and fornication’ (O’Loughlin, 1997: 193). The dangers of sexuality therefore were to be contained within the institution of marriage. Although canonists admitted that clerics could fall to sexual temptation, the general consensus was that women as the weaker sex were more likely to succumb to sexual temptation.

Jackson Pollock’s Essay Example for Free

Jackson Pollock’s Essay â€Å"Lavender Mist† is a masterpiece by Jackson Pollock, dated in 1950. This particular painting is considered art because of the subsequent factors. But before we distinguish the art behind his work, let us first come across the life of this magnificent artist. Background information about the artist Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956) was a prominent American artist and a main vigor in the intangible expressionist association. The youngest of five children, he was born in 1912 in Cody, Wyoming, and grew up in Arizona and California, and his schoolwork was done at Los Angeles Manual Arts High School (Pioch). He then later learned under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League in New York City. In 1945 Jackson wedded Lee Krasner and they resided to what is recently renowned as the â€Å"Pollock-Krasner House and Studio in Springs on Long Island†, where he refined the skill of controlling of own volition with fluid paint. After moving to Springs in New York according to Pioch, he embarked on painting and formed what was shortly termed his â€Å"drip technique†, even though spilling out is a more precise depiction of his technique. The artist’s method of decanting and dribbling paint is considered to be one of the derivations of the label â€Å"action painting†. Nevertheless at the acme of his eminence, he unexpectedly discarded the drip method. Then, Pollocks creations after 1951 were gloomier in shade, frequently just black, and prompted to bring about metaphorical fundamentals, shifting to a more marketable colonnade and there was vast requests from collectors for contemporary canvasses. However, due to this stress, his alcoholism intensified. After besieged with alcoholism his entire existence, Pollocks profession was stopped in mid-sentence when he passed away in an alcohol-linked, particular automobile accident less than a mile from his home on August 11, 1956, at the early age of 44. In the twenty years between his influx in New York City to make an incredible legacy concerning art and his hasty decease, Jackson Pollock had became apparent as the most ground-breaking visual artist in America, who is celebrated for his exceptional corporeal commitment with the achievement of painting (National Gallery of Art). Background information about this particular piece What prompted Jackson Pollock to make such a remarkable artwork are a lot of great people, marvelous places, and things. Strolling over the pastures and coppices near the place called Accabonac Creek which is located at the rear of their land, Pollock brought into being a connection with the environment which inspired him to do his illustrious timeless piece. Lavender Mist aggregates up his most distinctive and full of character painting and presents Pollocks authenticity as an artist. He used the outlines triggered by the severance and marbling of one enamel dampness in an alternative, the minute â€Å"black striations† in the filthy pink, to fabricate a perpetuity of ambiance. (Karmel) As a painting of altercations and catharsis with the inner mayhem that compelled him to paint, it evidently illustrates the effect of Picassos craft, which guided ancient forces into completely fresh creative appearance. The scrawled details and calligraphic features in â€Å"Stenographic Figure† have a flow of awareness superiority that appears to join together the techniques of Picasso and the â€Å"Spanish surrealist Joan Miro†, whom Pollock above all well-liked as stated by Karmel. Pollock momentously appreciated a Miro display at the â€Å"Museum of Modern Art in 1941† and was greatly inspired by the artist. Furthermore, wonderfully coordinated mesh of â€Å"Gothic†, entrenched in strapping dark cambers, demonstrates Bentons lifelong impact on the manner Pollock structured his works of art. It resonates with development and the manipulated incident that Pollock had experienced in practicum classes with Siqueiros, and at this instant used to his specific extremities. He even acquired his special inventive style expanded from Mexican muralists. The muralists’ idea of the original range between archaic and modern backgrounds stimulated Pollocks fervor in creating his craft. Iridescent substance shines with the luminous beam of noontime sun on a deep field in Pollock’s work is similar to what he sees everyday on their meadow. Vibrant with curves and spheres of warm-drenched tints, the painting is an indication to the value of the Long Island scenery as a stirring drive of Pollocks piece in the late 1940s. The composition is demarcated by all-encompassing strokes of trickled and spattered paint; a fine mesh that brushes across and stuffs the whole picture. Pollocks traceries affix the painting with their meandering, assuaged streaks and hurdling black and white components sets up rhythmic harmony. Conceivably the most undeniable substantiation of Pollocks primeval and vibrant attachment in the handiwork of his Lavender Mist is the smudge of his hands in the piece. These handprints not only provide a primal mark of possession and ingenuity, but they also highlights the smoothness of the image, hence pointing out the non-illusionist character of Pollocks painting. Formal elements within the piece The fundamentals of recognized elements are basic units that are shared in the design of Pollock’s Lavender Mist. The formal essentials within his piece are the following. First are lines which are the most vital building block of his work. Pollock used lines to form more intricate shapes and to direct the viewers from a part in the artwork to another. The first look at the picture will mislead an onlooker to see nothing more than a bewildering display of muddled lines and blots. But as one starts to set his eyes deeply in the masterpiece, one will perceive that there is more on the painting than mere lines and specks. Secondly, shapes are formed when these lines are combined to form different kinds of entities. The artist used shapes that are natural, uneven asymmetrical shapes observable in the natural world, and geometric shapes with tough lines and inclinations. The existence of â€Å"tic-tac-toe† grids, suspended figures, and ostensibly arbitrary sketches can be seen in the artwork, which stem from Pollocks declared appeal in being unfastened to the psyche as a spring of originality. Third are forms which are three-dimensional figures with thickness and extent. He included ancient and makeshift forms like orbs, rolls, boxes and pyramids in his piece. Even sections of a imaginary yet indistinct interpretation of the human outline associate Pollocks work with Miros images. Forth are spaces which are regions between and around things, and it can also be seen in Pollock’s Lavender Mist. Diminishing the quantity of gap around the items in Pollock’s artwork affects the way addressees perceive it. Then fifth are colors which distinguish and classify lines, shapes, forms, and space. The black and white streaks in his work have numerous dissimilar tinges of gray. The canvas has also texture in it which is the facade attribute that can be seen and felt. As displayed in the painting, rough, smooth, soft and hard textures blend into one. These textures are often ambiguous with its atmospheric appearance. Though there is no lavender on the painting, encrusted traces of paint engender exquisiteness and sort out of deceptively casual signs. Aside from the abovementioned elements, the following principles of formal analysis are also presented which build on one another. Balance is fashioned in the work of art when textures, colors, forms, or shapes are united pleasantly (Glatstein). In this image, it can be seen how the artist accomplish an impression of balance by spread out the entire streaks in the canvas. Contrast is also used as the quite a few elements of design hold the interest of the audience and steer the watcher’s eyes through the masterpiece. Movement, on another view, is shown as the movement of the work is directed by lines, contrasting shapes and colors. Furthermore, pattern is also brought about by the recurrence of shapes, forms, and textures across the canvas. Together with this, proportion is formed when the dimensions of elements in the painting are pooled cordially. In this work of art, all of the proportions come out unerringly as one would anticipate. And lastly is the assimilation of unity which is created when the principles of analysis are present in an artwork and in synchronization. Some imagery has a absolute sense of unanimity, while some visual painters intentionally keep away from reserved unity to generate a manner of tension and fretfulness. In this painting, the outsized regions of complementary textures, arrangements and tints craft a sense of unity. In any composition, all of these elements and principles are at hand, though some are more palpable than others. When slotting in formal study of art, artists decides on the fundamentals they sense are most stalwartly corresponding to the work they are making. Pollocks audacious intangible Lavender Mist legitimized the union and mastery of opportunity, perception, and control. Role or roles which the artist used when creating this piece Jackson Pollock perceives himself as one with nature. He claims that he belongs to the natural world that is why he has this extensive love of creating his masterpiece. In our day, one has to stride only into the countryside behind Pollocks home to comprehend the irresistible existence of nature in the impenetrable and intertwined surfaces of his painting. Pollock once protected the basis of his craft pronouncing, I am nature. The role of the artist is to produce something that, when looked over by a viewer, calls to mind instinctive way of thinking and emotions. Conclusion Jackson Pollock’s Lavender Mist is considered as an art because of the following reasons. First, the actual artwork is large, nearly 10 feet long and it seems to grab and get hold of a person viewing it, and pull him towards it. Second, what you see in the imagery is nothing like the genuine object. One and all discern that looking at an actual artwork is a lot different from staring at pictures of paintings with no sense. However, there is another rationale why people were so enthused by Lavender Mist, and it has to do with the very idea of art. There are a number of upfront explanations why people construct art. It may possibly be to craft an adornment, to convey a story, to portray or uphold a picture, or to exemplify a thought. Then again, there is another, more insinuating, but far more notable grounds why art is essential to people. The necessity to get into an individual’s self and influence the oblivious feelings is universal. People all complete it to some scale, even if more often than not people are blind to what artists do. That is where art draws closer in. As it is said previously, one of the points of art is to let people to have implicit approach to the inner consciousness. Immense art allows a way to get in touch with the unaware fraction of people’s subsistence, even if people do not grasp what we they are doing. In this meaning, the role of the artist is to produce something that, when looked over by a viewer, calls to mind instinctive way of thinking and emotions. Despite the fact that an Italian playwright disapproves of Pollocks painting as a bedlam, with total need of concord, absolute deficiency of structural orderliness, overall lack of skill, and undeveloped, afresh, paintings such as Lavender Mist collapsed the limitations of art as people are acquainted with it at mid-century. Pollock, in his most excellent work, has indeed the formal elements of art. He had an practically preternatural power over the whole outcome of those retreating pits of paint. In them, the brightness of colors is always right. Nor are they utterly natural; he would time and again touch up the dribble with his brush. The term â€Å"action painting† was made up to depict the system used by Pollock. He often used normal house paint, for the reason that he favored the manner it flowed. When one views the Lavender Mist, one is not agitated by consequential similes, so in effect all of one’s intellectual control is dedicated to feeling. One can open one’s self and absorb in the power and liveliness of the artwork. Needless to say, this merely works if one collaborates with the painter. His occupation is to construct a canvas that is delivered so dexterously that when one views it, what one sees in fact modifies what one feels at an oblivious situation. One’s work is to empty the aware intellect of thoughts and fixed ideas in order to let one’s self to be inclined by what one is viewing. This denotes that, if one is to really recognize the value of a work of art, one must be eager to let one’s self go, to put one’s self in the hands of the painter, so to verbalize, and let him take a person anywhere he desires. Most of the time, this relationship do not succeed, occasionally because the painter is basically not dexterous enough and frequently because the person viewing the artwork does not recognize how to really value it. Now it can be seen why the arrival of Abstract Expressionism was so significant. For the first time in account, painters were crafting intangible art so competently that it was able to go through swiftly and strongly into peoples unconscious. As a result, it is probable to view the record of painting as a lengthy evolutionary procedure, beginning with the sluggish, arduous progress of means and methods. Finally, after centuries of representationalism, the impressionists started to shake off the lengthy boundaries, which led to the advancement of a variety of schools of theoretical art in the 1940s, with Abstract Expressionism, the commencement of a new age of conception and human accomplishment (Hahn), and this must be somehow attributed to the remarkable artist, Paul Jackson Pollock. Works Cited: Glatstein, Jeremy. Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements Principles of Composition. May 31 2007. http://artsedge. kennedy-center. org/content/3902/. Hahn, Harley. Understanding Abstract Art . 2007. May 31 2007. http://www. harley. com/art/abstract-art/. Karmel, Pepe. Jackson Pollock: Interviews, Articles, and Reviews. (1999). National Gallery of Art. 2007. Washington DC. May 31 2007. http://www. nga. gov/feature/pollock/process1. shtm. Pioch, Nicolas. Pollock, Jackson. 2002. May 31 2007. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/pollock/

The Role of External Auditors in Accounting

The Role of External Auditors in Accounting Introduction Auditor liability has always been one of the main concerns of the public. Often falling under common law, tort law or both, public liability claims can arise out of unfair or unjust practices when it comes to auditing a companys financial standing (Lambe, 2007). The auditors can be held liable for approving a fraudulent account on behalf of a business organisation. Auditor liability, or failure to detect and report illegal manipulations of financial statements, could lead to serious damages for the shareholders of the company (Schaefer, 2004). In most cases, a fraudulent act exists when one or more auditors, on behalf of a company, approve inaccurate accounting for the reason of tax evasion or to strategically register for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). To prevent moral hazard associated with auditor liability, the British Serious Fraud Office has imposed heavy penalties on swindlers and white collar criminals in order to shut down or suspend suspicious businesses (Country Updates, 1997). On the other hand, auditors who are found guilty of professional negligence may end up facing a monetary loss or penalty through punitive fines and/or the confiscation of their licence to practise in the United Kingdom. According to Priddy (2011, p. 59), as stated by Michael Power of the London School of Economics, it was not reasonable to expect auditors to be challenging business models and raising strategic issues with finance directors, because that was not their job and if we want it to be their job, then things would have to change quite substantially à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The direction of my comment is that we might be expecting too much from this black box [External Audit] in terms of what it actually delivers. In response to Powers statement, this report will first discuss the roles and responsibilities of external auditors and then provide a brief overview of corporate governance. In line with this, there is a strong need to go through some business theories and concepts that will enable readers to have a better understanding of how businesses function in the corporate world. Based on the individual offices and duties of shareholders, internal and external auditors, the board of directors, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), this report will explain the limitations of the roles and responsibilities of external auditors when it comes to detecting and controlling fraudulent business activities. Roles and Responsibilities of External Auditors External auditors are professionals who are hired to conduct audits based on the rules or laws on creating financial statements for the government, a private company, or a legal organisation (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2011). According to Kwok (2005, pp. 151-161), accounting irregularities can be made for the purpose of tax evasion or theft, for instance, creating ghost employees, skimming from the proceeds, or stealing an asset. Specifically in the United Kingdom, Chartered Accountants and Certified General Accountants are the groups of individuals who are qualified to conduct external auditing. According to Poorter (2008), auditors practising within the United Kingdom have to perform a special duty of care towards a liable third party. This means that external auditors are made responsible for the fair, just and reasonable treatment of the companys external shareholders. In case of a binding contract between the company and its shareholders, it is a general rule for the external auditor(s) to fulfil his or her statutory duty as an auditor to shareholders collectively. As a standard operating procedure, external auditors are expected to evaluate the financial statement of an organisation on a yearly basis (Hicks and Goo 2008, p. 261). Upon going through the financial statement of a government, a private company, or a legal organisation, external auditors are expected to come up with a professional opinion regarding the financial statement presented to them by the organisation (Kwok 2005, p. 178). Correspondingly, external audit committees are expected to determine whether the accountants are able to adapt along with generally accepted accounting principles or whether they have made appropriate judgments, estimates, and complete disclosures in the financial statements (Hicks and Goo 2008, p. 259; Kwok 2005, p. 178). Given that the external auditors find something inappropriate in the presented financial statement, they should report their complaints to the company to allow the board of directors to review. As part of protecting the company and its shareholders, external auditors are expected to determine any possible damages that could result from the company owners major business decisions. Considering that external auditors are liable to both the company for which they work and the shareholders of the company as a third party, external auditors should avoid coming up with a biased judgment by making use of their best professional knowledge to protect the interests of everyone involved. Although internal and external auditors technically have the same roles and responsibilities when it comes to auditing a financial statement, an important difference between the two is that an external auditor is an independent party outside the organisation being audited (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2011). Another difference between internal and external auditors is that the general public, large groups of investors, and government agencies have the tendency to rely more on the audit report coming from the external auditors than the report presented to them by the internal auditors. Brief Overview with regards to Corporate Governance According to Colley et al. (2005), corporate governance refers to a system of authoritative direction or government which carefully examines the individual roles and responsibilities of the business owners, the shareholders, the board of directors (executive and non-executive), the CEO, and accountants. Since corporate governance is composed of both neutral and objective corporate values (Solomon 2007, p. 4; Haller and Shore 2005, p. 18), a lot of people consider good corporate governance as an acceptable model of business ethics and a moral duty on the part of a corporations executives and board of directors. Board of Directors Aguilera et al. (2008) revealed that corporate governance is often considered as the basis for making policy for a business organisation in relation to the actual structure of the board, the activism of the shareholders, and overall business performance. With regards to organisational policies and procedures, the board of directors within a business organisation has a significant role to play when it comes to successfully implementing corporate governance (Nordberg, 2007; Kim and Nofsinger 2006, p. 41). For this reason, the members of the board are required not only to carefully analyse the corporate financial report, but also to meet regularly to discuss the proposed strategic plans and issues that will significantly affect the success of the business (Solomon 2007, p. 103). Executive and Non-Executive Directors The board of directors is composed of executive and non-executive directors. As part of strengthening corporate governance, the companys board of directors is given responsibility for making important decisions in the best interests of the company and its shareholders (Mallin 2007, p. 125). Aside from determining corporate goals, developing strategic plans that will enable the business to meet those corporate goals, and implementing organisational policies to meet the businesss objectives (Mallin 2007, p. 124; Kim and Nofsinger 2006, p. 41), the board of directors is responsible for controlling operations, making decisions for resource acquisitions, and driving improvements in the quality of service (Carpenter, 1988; Pfeffer and Salancik, 1978). Since not all of the members of the board are directly or actively engaged in the daily business operations of a company, readers should be aware of some crucial distinctions between the roles and responsibilities of executive and non-executive directors with regards to corporate governance. It is common business knowledge that the executive directors are the ones who are directly involved in the daily business transactions that occur within and outside of the company, whereas the non-executive or outside directors are not. Despite the differences between the responsibilities of executive and non-executive directors, the Commission has publicly announced under the Action Plan Modernisation of company law and enhancing corporate governance in the European Union that all of the board of directors (regardless of whether they are executive or non-executive) should at all times ensure their collective responsibility when it comes to monitoring the financial and non-financial information behind the corporation (Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, 2003). Unlike the non-executive directors, the executive board of directors can easily access valuable business information such as corporate financial statements. By accessing this information, executive directors are able to examine company records on daily sales and expenses and other major business transactions like public shares, loans and investments. In the process of going through the companys financial statements, executive shareholders should be on the lookout for any signs of unusual business activity that could adversely affect the long-term operation of the business. Similar to the role of executive directors in corporate governance, it is the role and responsibility of the non-executive directors to reduce conflicting interests between the actual shareholders, the executive board of directors, and the management team who works behind the company (Solomon 2007, p. 82 and 92). For this reason, Waldo (1985, p. 5) strongly suggests that the best way for the executive and non-executive directors to perform their duty effectively is to actually go through the companys business information, including the corporate financial statement. Even though the non-executive directors are inactive in terms of monitoring the daily operations of a company, several studies revealed that the non-executive directors are expected to strictly and regularly monitor the progress of the overall business, its legal and ethical performance, strategic choices and implementation techniques used by the top management, including the appointing or removal of the members of the senior management aside from giving the rest of the board members some advice with regards to the strategies used in enabling the company reach the corporate goals and business objectives (Solomon 2007, p. 82; Carpenter, 1988)  [1]  . By closely monitoring the daily activities of the companys executive directors, the non-executive directors should make the executive directors accountable for the companys shareholders and external investors (Mallin 2007, p. 132; Solomon 2007, p. 88; Fama and Jensen, 1983). Solomon (2007, p. 86) revealed that there is a link between the role of non-executive directors and the role of institutional investors in the sense that the non-executive directors effort in ensuring that the business is free from any forms of corruption could somehow protect the socio-economic welfare of the companys public investors. Several authors suggest that the non-executive board of directors is strongly encouraged to actively participate in the board meetings with the rest of the directors and shareholders to protect the interests of the public investors (Mallin 2007, p. 125; Solomon 2007, pp. 86-88). Roles and Responsibilities of Accountants In general, accountants are not only made responsible for producing an accurate, true, and fair financial statement that not only enables the senior managers to make important business decisions, but also give the public stockholders the privilege of accurately monitoring their investments in the company. Because corporate accountants maintain accurate and transparent financial accounting information at all times, accountants play one of the few most important roles in the development of effective corporate governance. To ensure that the company is able to come up with an accurate corporate financial statement, the business organisation should hire internal and external auditors who are qualified in monitoring fair and true financial values. Discussion Romano (1996) explained that the shareholders have the authoritative power to influence the manifestations of legal and/or illegal business transactions. Given that most of the corporate shareholders are the business owners, these individuals are the ones who are in the position to select and elect their preferred members to the board for the purpose of managing the business affairs. On the other hand, it is the board of directors who appoint, hire, and delegate specific roles and responsibility to a selected CEO. In a normal business setting, it is the CEO who is in charge of managing the actual business operations. For this reason, the CEO is often made accountable not only to the business owners but also to the board of directors. Upon analysing the corporate structure that is commonly used in large-scale companies, it is often the business owners together with the voluntary participation of the executive directors, the CEO, and the accounting manager who have the authoritative power to manipulate the companys official business documents. By going through the corporate financial statement, the non-executive board of directors should search for any signs of unusual business activities that could create serious consequences for the company. To prevent coming up with a biased judgment, the non-executive board of directors should consult with the internal or external auditors regarding any signs of unusual business transactions. Due to the flow of authoritative power within a business organisation, it is possible on the part of the shareholders, the members of the board, and the CEO to enter into business collusion with the business owners. By engaging the cooperation of accountants, business owners and corporate leaders may easily manipulate corporate financial records at the expense of the stakeholders and external shareholders. According to Becht, Jekinson and Mayer (2005), collusion among corporate leaders makes corporate governance one of the most controversial topics related to business and finance. Cassill and Hill (2007) explained that according to the principles of corporate governance, by voting on major financial decisions, the board of directors is made responsible for ensuring a balance between the business owners monetary interests and actual profit-sharing with the companys employees and the rest of the other stakeholders. Several authors agree that corporate governance should be based on neutral and objective corporate values (Solomon 2007, p. 4; Haller and Shore 2005, p. 18). Since there is plenty of opportunity for the business owners to manipulate the board of directors to support their own personal interests, the concept of corporate governance can easily be violated at the expense of the majority of employees and public investors. A corrupt business culture is one that not only does not balk at accepting bribery, but may also be open to the practise of illegal offshore financing or the intentional manipulation of the actual financial statement (Dine, 2008). Within a business organisation, the board of directors and executives are among the few individuals typically behind the practise and development of a corrupt culture. For this reason, Dine (2008) revealed that European corporate law, following the UK model of corporate governance, is focused on investigating shareholders and the board of directors. Two good examples of real-world scenarios in the history of finance are the cases of WorldCom and Enron. In the case of WorldCom, its board of directors failed to fulfil their duty in terms of closely monitoring the executives management activities (Monks and Minom 2004, p. 509). This made them unable to protect the interests of their stakeholders. In the case of Enron, a total of 18 directors, including the CFO, ex-CEO, chief accounting officer and chief risk officer, voluntarily participated in the CEOs decision to manipulate the companys financial statement (Kim and Nofsinger 2006, pp. 52-53; Davis, 2005; CNN Money, 2004). Limitations in the Roles and Responsibilities of External Auditors when it comes to Detecting and Controlling Fraud Activities in Business Although the general public, government agencies, and a large number of investors rely heavily on the audit reports coming from the external auditors, there are still some limitations with regards to what the external auditors can do in detecting and controlling fraud activities that could happen within a profit or non-profit organisations. Hicks and Goo (2008, p. 258) explained that it is the managements responsibility to prepare complete and accurate financial statements and disclosures in accordance with the financial reporting standards and applicable rules and regulations. Therefore, it is wrong to believe that the external auditors are solely responsible for preventing the incidence of financial fraud. As stated by Kwok (2005, p. 168), an audit does not guarantee the detection of all material misstatements because of such factors as the use of judgment, the use of sample testing, the inherent limitations of internal control, and the fact that much of the evidence available to the auditors is persuasive rather than conclusive in nature. Since external auditors are auditing financial statements that are presented to them by the corporate accountants, it is expected that external auditors could only provide the general public, investors, and government agencies with a reasonable assurance that the audited financial statements are free of misstatements, alteration of the accounting records, honest accounting errors, or falsification of the financial statements. Based on the Courts decision in the case of Caparo (Richards, 2004), in the absence of any contract between the auditor(s) and either the investor, a potential investor, or any other third party involved, no duty of care will be owed.  [2]  Despite the external auditors responsibility to double check the accuracy of a companys financial statements, external auditors who work for a public company owe no duty of care outside the existing shareholders who purchase stocks in reliance on a statutory audit. It simply means that the external auditors can only be held liable to investors, potential investors, or any other third party involved only if there is a written contract stating that the external auditor owes them duty of care. In fact, external auditor(s) who are held liable for pure economic loss are considered as a case of simple negligence under contract law. Schaefer (2004) explained that the case is different when the auditor(s) are being judged based on tort law because tor t law does not include a pure economic loss as a negligent act. Considering the difference between a contract law and a tort law, external auditor(s) who are found guilty of negligence will be held responsible and will be obliged to pay for the victims loss. In case an external auditor violates any of the auditing guidelines and is found guilty, the accused external auditor(s) will not be held responsible to compensate the victims loss because of the fact that tort law excludes liability of a pure economic loss. In other words, the victim of a wrong audit can demand a claim against those people guilty of the wrong audit under a contract law (Ewert, 1999). Given that the general public can prove that both external auditor(s) and the managers of the company colluded against the outside stakeholders, the stakeholders of a given company can demand a claim against both the parties involved. Even though external auditors can be held liable for negligence and misconduct, there is still a limit as to whether an auditor can be held liable for a misconduct or not. For example, in case an external auditor has not provided the actual report to the company he works for, any law suit filed during the time frame wherein the external auditor has not yet submitted his final report will not be considered punishable by the Court, because technically there is no duty of care that exists between the company and the external auditor(s) (Poorter 2008, p. 70).  [3]  In other words, the duty of care between an external auditor(s), the company, and the shareholders of the company will only exist when the external auditor has already submitted his final report to his client, the company. Basically, the extent of auditor liability will depend on the Court judgment and the degree of damages caused by the act of negligence that has occurred in the process. In line with this, it is possible for an act of negligence to occur when the external auditor(s) and the owner or manager of the company agree to underestimate the actual revenue of the company in order to pay lower taxes to the government; or both parties may agree to overvalue the company in order to be able to get a better price when selling the companys shares to the public. Since there are different ways in which auditor liability may occur, the Court will be responsible for the investigation behind the said act of negligence. According to Schaefer (2004, p. 9), external auditor(s) with a binding contract towards the third party involved should not be held responsible for the loss that may occur in the purchase of stocks as long as the auditors did not take any actions that could trigger the decline in the stocks value. Therefore, external auditor(s) who did not manipulate the value of stocks are free from being held responsible in case the value of stocks depreciated. Rather than considering the loss of a public investor as a result of negligence on the part of the external auditors, the public investors are expected to be responsible enough to study the market first before they invest their money in the stock market. In case the general public is able to prove that external auditors were behind the manipulation of stock prices in such a way that they depreciated over time, then the Court has the option to make the company, including those people who were directly involved in the process of the fraudulent act, partially liable for the victims monetary losses. However, if a buyer was able to sell his share of stocks at an overvalued price for the reason that the internal and external auditors were not able to accurately detect the true market value of the companys stocks, the person who bought the overpriced stocks will have to compensate for the loss simply because it was the buyers decision to purchase an overpriced share of stocks. Conclusion The personal obligations of external auditors to the general public or public investors is limited for the reason that the roles and responsibility of the external auditors are limited in terms of determining whether the accountants were able to present the financial statement based on the rules or laws accepted for the development of financial statements for the government, a private company, or a legal organisation. Likewise, external auditors are also made responsible for detecting any potential accounting irregularities made for the purpose of tax evasion or theft by the creation of ghost employees, skimming of the proceeds, or theft of an asset. Under the principles of corporate governance, the board of directors (executive and non-executive directors), the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and the accountants have different roles and responsibilities in protecting the socio-economic welfare of the corporate stakeholders, including public investors. In case of a fraud scandal, it would be a misconception to put the blame purely on external auditors, since the board of directors (executive and non-executive directors), the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and the accountants share responsibility in protecting the socio-economic welfare of the corporate stakeholders, including public investors.

The 1920’s and 30’s - Difficult Times for Blacks in America Essays

The 1920’s and 30’s - Difficult Times for Blacks in America The 1920’s and 30’s were some troublesome times for many blacks living in the United States. Even though they were free men, a lot of blacks were still treated like slaves. They were subject to unfair trials, beatings, lynchings, the presumption of guilty before trial, and were also least in priority to whites. Harper Lee also shows these same acts of prejudice in her book To Kill A Mockingbird. It was much easier for a white man to go on trial than a colored man. In 1918, white troops from Illinois, in broad daylight, under the eyes of tens of thousands of people, shot, wounded and killed over one hundred Negroes without any reasonable or apparent provocation from the Negroes. No white soldier was even apprehended or tried in court for this act. Shortly after, Negro troops taunted by abuses, and provoked by prejudice were alleged to have â€Å"shot up the town of Houston†, killing a few people. The Negro soldiers were tried; the verdict was withheld from public; they were denied the right of appeal, and were hustled to the scaffold (Messenger 96). This example shows how the whites were by far favored over the blacks in the court of law. Also the quote â€Å"There is one law for the white man in this country and another for the black man†, shows how the courts were unfair (Messenger 96). During this time period all of the juries had to consist of white males. Most of the white males were prejudice. So, no matter what the evidence would say, the prejudice would take over and the thought that â€Å"all blacks are bad† would come in to play in the verdict. It would almost be dishonorable for a white man to not vote a black man guilty, no matter what the evidence poin... ... Herbert. Vol. 2. Secaus: Citadel Press, Inc., 1973. 512-516 Hodges, Aimee and Strenth, Rob KKK Page. 10 Mar. 2001 1928. 1-2 http://www.coe.ufl.edu/courses/edtech/vault/SS/20s/kkk/kkkpage.html>. Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1960 Messenger, The. 1918. "A Statement of Fact On Lynching." A Documentary History of The Negro People In the United States. Ed. Aptheker, Herbert. Vol 2. Secaus: Citadel Press, Inc., 1973. 610-614 Pickens, William. "The Woman Voter Hits The Color Line." A Documentary History of the Negro People In the United States. Ed. Aptheker, Herbert. Vol. 3. New York: Carol Publishing Group, 1990. 305-309. Walter, White. â€Å"A Statement of Fact On Lynching." A Documentary History of the Negro People In the United States. Ed. Aptheker, Herbert. Vol. 2. Secaus: Citadel Press, Inc., 1973. 610-614

Community Essay examples -- Teaching Education

Community This article asks the question; why must schools invite the public to join the dialogue on public education? New structures and committees are being erected in communities across the nation to build stronger connections between schools, school boards, and communities. One such structure is a district advisory committee composed of community leaders. Its purpose is to improve the quality of communication between the school district and the community. It looked for ways to increase community ties to the schools, to make residents more aware of what was going on, and to gain community feedback. Though this committee in New Jersey has functioned well and is very supportive, an increasing concern is that divisions within the community might contaminate both the committee and school board. Schools and school boards need better communication from the community to better the efficiency of the schools. Community input plays a vital role in developing school goals. Students and parents have the most immediate stake in school quality, but the community also has significant interests in the schools. The public, or community, has an important role in public education. Three reasons arise as to why community involvement is essential for a stronger school system. First, only the community can create â€Å"public interest.† Without good communication on public interest, elected officials cannot properly determine what is best for both the schools and community. Se...

College Admissions Essay: A Pivotal Time in My Life :: College Admissions Essay

A  Pivotal Time in My Life    My mother read The Yearling aloud to me when I was eight. I have always thought of that time - those nights when she read, seated in the hall outside the bedrooms, my sister listening from her room and me from mine - our rooms were dark, and the light was on Mother, and her voice was clear and expressive; she was a good reader - I have thought of that as a pivotal time in my literature life. Reading for me, until then, had been The Bobbsey Twins, Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, and Nancy Drew: a combination of classics and schlock, and I loved it all. But it was separate from me. It was not real. They were stories, and they held my interest and made me laugh now and then - but they were never real. But now, with my own father far away on business, my mother sat quietly in that hallway and read of the boy named Jody whose father, bitten by a rattlesnake, is struggling to live. "He pressed his face into hanging covers and cried bitterly," my mother read of Jody (and I, listening, pressed my own face into my pillow in anguish for Jody). "He was torn with hate for all death and pity for all aloneness," she read. It was the book, The Yearling, and its effect on me, that directed my reading from then on. After I had met Jody Baxter, I didn't want to hang out with Nan and Bert Bobbsey ever again.