Time Of Change Essays - Beowulf, Geats, English-language Films

Time Of Change The amount of bravery and courage displayed by Beowulf in his fights with three different fiends surpasses that of most. Victories over his enemies demand massive power and strength, traits only evident in Beowulf. Each battle appears similar to the others in that Beowulf succeeds in killing his enemy, yet differences exist between the three confrontations. Each of the three battles differs from one another in the preparation leading in to the fight, the means of warfare, and its effect on Beowulf. The preparations made by Beowulf before each of his battles includes different strategies and plots. In preparing for his first battle, Beowulf lures the wretched monster Grendel in to Hrothgars hall. In order to direct Grendel into a favorable location for the fight, Beowulf sacrifices a Geat soldier. A helpless, despairing soldier perished when, Grendel snatched at the first Geat he came to, ripped him apart, cut his body to bits with powerful jaws, drank the blood from his veins and bolted him down, hands and feet (739). Prior to the clash, Beowulf calculated the importance of good fighting grounds. This brutal sacrifice granted Beowulf a favorable location to attack Grendel. To prepare for the battle with Grendels mother, Beowulf armored himself with chain mail and trudged out to the marsh of Grendels mothers residence. He ventured to find the greedy she-wolf whod ruled those waters for half a hundred years (1511). Rather than allowing Grendels mother to search for him, Beowulf s plashed down into the water with fearful Geats looking on. Beowulf chose to attack Grendels mother, opposed to allowing her come to him. A more aggressive approach gave him an early advantage in the fight. Old age crept up on Beowulf, the most experienced warrior of all, yet he placed aside his age and pronounced he would battle The Dragon, with his sights set on winning treasure. These fortunes included those discovered at Sutton Hoo, which were a helmet, gold coins and silver bowls (Sutton Hoo 34). Beowulfs courage and valor surface when he says, Ive never known fear; as a youth I fought in endless battles. I am old, now, but I will fight again, seek fame still, if the dragon hiding in his tower dares to face me (2511). Death seemed a likely possibility for Beowulf in the confrontation with The Dragon. This dual presented him with three main threats. In the Anglo-Saxon work The Seafarer, the old sailor identified these three threats when he says, No man has ever faced the dawn cer tain which of Fates three threats would fall: illness, or age, or an enemys sword, snatching the life from this soul (Seafarer 68). Knowing this battle would be the toughest he had ever faced, Beowulf prepared himself with armor, a shield, and a sword. The challenge of The Dragon surpassed any other previously presented to Beowulf; therefore weapons and protection were necessary. Each fight involving Beowulf saw him presented with different problems and challenges, therefore preparation for these fights altered between each. The means and methods of warfare differ in the battles involving Beowulf. In the fight with Grendel, Beowulf insisted on using no weapons other than his bare hands. Beowulfs mentality becomes evident when he says, This fiend is a bold and famous fighter, but his claws and teeth scratching my shield, his clumsy fists beating at my sword blade, would be helpless. I will meet him with my hands empty (679). Beowulf takes pride in winning fair battles. Using weapons would, in his mind, give him an unfair advantage against the man-eating beast, thus making a victory dishonorable. The means of warfare in the clash between Beowulf and Grendels mother involved weapons, rather than sheer power. Grendels mother uses swords, and Beowulf uses chain mail and a helmet to protect himself. Beowulf swung his sword, his ring-marked blade, straight at her head; then iron sang its fierce song, sang Beowulfs strength (1543). Battling Grendels mother required much more protection than fighting her son, due to her immense strength and power. Even the sharpest and most deadly of Beowulfs weapons failed to penetrate the hide of her neck. The means of warfare used by The Dragon and Beowulf in

Creative Drama essays

Creative Drama essays Justification for use of Creative Drama in the Classroom Communicating ideas and opinions stands tantamount as the one skill that all human beings must do well to succeed in their lives. We must talk openly and honestly to convey whom we are, and what we want. And we must listen to understand who others are and what they want as well. For real learning is joyful. Learning, and more importantly, collaborating in the learning experience, is an invitation to pure excitement and exhilaration. Schooling should be a coming together for creative worthwhile purposes that can extend human experiences. Part of the richness of children's lives is their play, including language play. If we make room for it in our classrooms by implementing Creative Drama we can help students use this skill to recognize, think about, and comment on their world. The teaching job is compounded, though, when life's inconsistencies plague us. Kids refuse to do assignments. Parents badmouth programs. Administrators overlook successes. In understanding those frustrations teachers must be their strongest advocates. We should celebrate our triumphs, and promote our needs. We must meet and greet the public and wrestle openly and honestly about our accomplishments and goals. Teachers win when we are forceful and dynamic change agents. Young people must learn how to speak on their feet. They must know how to communicate effectively and to present a positive image. And teachers, above all, should exemplify the very best educational practices to accomplish this necessary goal. Good teaching is defined by good communication skills. Better teachers know what to say and when to say it. They have a "sixth sense" about the appropriateness of their remarks and are able to articulate their intuitive understandings with clarity and, often, humor. Their strength is in their ability to cross cultural divides by including everyone in their conversations. Speaking a...

20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting

20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting 20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting 20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting By Mark Nichol You know that in order to become a better writer, you need to become a better reader and so polishing off some classic novels is in your future. But who has the time? You do. Nobody’s admonishing you to get your book report in within two weeks. But if you still feel pinched between the hour hand and the minute hand, ease into great English literature with these short novels (most have fewer than 200 pages): 1. A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens Spectral visitors take miserly businessman Ebenezer Scrooge on a tour of the past, present, and future to prompt his reevaluation of the wisdom of his skinflint ways in this Victorian fantasy that helped usher in the nostalgia-drenched Christmas tradition. To this day, innumerable stage adaptations knock elbows with ballet productions of The Nutracker Suite and singing of Handel’s Messiah. Dickens’s Hard Times is another relatively quick read. 2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain The intrepid young hero, a half-feral but good-hearted boy, flees the deadly embrace of civilization, takes up with a freed slave and a couple of con men, and, with the assistance of one Samuel Langhorne Clemens, makes a library’s worth of observations about the human condition in one thin volume a triumphant survivor of censorship and political correctness. (The n-word pervades it quick, hide the children’s eyes and make reality go away!) See also The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which this book is a sequel to, and Pudd’nhead Wilson. 3. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll A young girl wanders into the woods and falls down a rabbit hole into a disconcertingly absurd hidden world in Oxford mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson’s satirical romp, laced with contemporary caricatures and poking at problems of mathematical logic. Like many great works of art, it was a critical failure but a popular success and, in the long term, the critics have come around. See also the sequel Through the Looking-Glass. 4. Animal Farm, by George Orwell A modern fable by the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four relates what happens when communism comes to Manor Farm: â€Å"All animals are created equal, but some are more equal than others.† Orwell (birth name Eric Blair), a proponent of democratic socialism by definition, the antithesis of Stalinism wrote the story in response to his disillusioning experiences during the Spanish Civil War, when totalitarianism cast a shadow over socialist ideals. British publishers concerned about the manuscript’s frank condemnation of the United Kingdom’s World War II ally the Soviet Union rejected it, but you can’t suppress the truth down for long. 5. Around the World in Eighty Days, by Jules Verne Fastidious Victorian gentleman Phileas Fogg makes a foolhardy wager at his club: He will circumnavigate the planet in eighty days. With resourceful French valet Passepartout by his side and a Scotland Yard detective who mistakes him for a fugitive from justice on his heels, he sets out with his fortune, his freedom, and, most importantly, his honor on the line. These and other novels by Verne have, from the beginning, fired the imaginations of readers from all over the world, though poor early English translations led to them being long mischaracterized as juvenile pulp fiction. 6. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley After an introduction to a horrifyingly regimented future â€Å"utopia,† readers meet John, a young man who has grown up in an isolated, unenlightened community before being brought back to civilization, which, shall we say, does not match his expectations. Huxley’s novel, one of the most celebrated in twentieth-century literature and also impressively high on the lists of books targeted for censorship depicts a future in which hedonism, not repression, is the greatest threat to humanity. 7. Candide, by Voltaire Everybody’s favorite scathingly funny French philosopher introduces a young man raised in indoctrinated, isolated innocence who is repeatedly blindsided by reality when he becomes a citizen of the world. Anticipating the antipathy with which secular and religious authorities would condemn his work, Voltaire published it under a pseudonym, but everybody knew who had done the deed. Candide was widely banned, even in the United States into the twentieth century high praise, indeed. 8. Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck A run-down street in seaside Monterey, California, is as colorful a character as any of the people who populate it in this sweet Depression-era story about a community of the world’s cast-offs. This semiautobiographical novel, a warm wash of nostalgia, also serves as a requiem for a lost world the author could never find again. Steinbeck often kept it short and bittersweet: Look also for The Moon Is Down, Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, The Red Pony, and Tortilla Flat. 9. The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger Reading this mid-20th-century anthem of adolescent angst remains a rite of passage for high school literature students, who get a thrill out of reading one of the most frequently banned books of all time. The narrator’s sour sensibilities and his frank assessment of the world’s crapitude captivate many young readers, although the author (who exacerbated the allure of the book through his notorious reclusiveness) intended the book for an adult audience. Salinger’s other works include novellas and short stories, including Franny and Zooey, Nine Stories, and the twofer Raise High the Roofbeam Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction. 10. Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton This flashback novel immerses the reader in the tragedy of a romantic triangle, as the title character agonizes over his affection for his sickly wife’s cousin, who has come to live with them and help around the house. Warning: Things don’t end well. The critical reception to Wharton’s work was mixed, but those who praised it recognized it as a compelling morality tale (though based on a real incident and thought to allude to the author’s own unhappy marriage). 11. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury In a dystopian future where firefighters ignite inflammatory books (that is, all of them) rather than suppress conflagrations, one member of the book-burning brigade, increasingly alienated in his decadent society, is lured to the light side. Bradbury initially denied that the theme of the story is censorship, fingering the boob tube for libracide instead, but he later graciously realized he could have it both ways. 12. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley A scientist conceives the idea of creating a man constructed from body parts and bringing him to life but is disgusted by his creation, which, devastated by the scientist’s and others’ rejection as it struggles to learn what it means to be human, exacts vengeance. The novel, written by the daughter of philosophers who began working on it when she was still in her teens, initially received mixed reviews, but its stature has steadily grown, aided by its wealth of classical allusions and Enlightenment inspirations, not to mention its profound psychological resonance. 13. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald A young man gets caught up in the world of wealth during the Roaring Twenties, especially that revolving around the enigmatic millionaire Jay Gatsby, but he discovers how superficial and hollow the American dream is after observing the petty passions of the rich. Fitzgerald’s novel was well received but did not fare as well as his earlier works, and when he died in relative obscurity years later, he believed himself a failure. During and after World War II, however, The Great Gatsby experienced a resurgence, and it is now accounted one of the great American novels. 14. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad A riverboat captain in the Belgian Congo, looking forward to meeting Kurtz, the manager of an isolated upriver colonial station, is devastated when the man he meets turns out to be quite different from the imagined ideal. Conrad’s story, overshadowed by Francis Ford Coppola’s loose film adaptation, the antiwar epic Apocalypse Now, should be read on its own merits. Though much praised for its psychological insight, is also considered one of the most potent criticisms of colonialism in literature. 15. Night, by Elie Wiesel The author’s harrowing account of his early adolescence spent in Nazi concentration camps during which his father, with whom he was incarcerated, gradually becomes helpless, and young Elie rejects God and humanity is full of raw, stark power. Its critical reception was complicated by various factors: It is a memoir that contains a great deal of fiction, and it was published in quite different forms in Yiddish, then a pared-down French translation, from which a further abridged English version was derived. But that form at least is widely acknowledged as great art. 16. The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde A beautiful young hedonist sells his soul for the price of agelessness, while a portrait of him painted by an admirer marks his physical dissipation. Wilde’s first novel was attacked for its homoeroticism and the scandalously frank depiction of debauchery but was received more favorably when the author toned down the former. Rich with allusions to, among other works, Faust, The Picture of Dorian Gray stands on its own as a tragic morality tale. 17. The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane A young Civil War soldier overcomes his initial cowardice, but, despite the fact that he acts heroically in a later battle, his humanity is diminished. Crane, who finished the novel when he was only twenty-four (he would die just five years later after a series of debilitating lung hemorrhages), was celebrated for its authentic detail about the conduct of war, though he had never experienced it himself. It was also hailed as a triumph of both naturalism and impressionism, as it realistically portrays the ordeal of battle while achieving allegorical stature. 18. The Sorrows of Young Werther, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Written primarily in the form of a series of letters, this semiautobiographical story relates the tragedy of a young man who falls in love with a woman already betrothed to another. Although it made Goethe’s reputation at a young age, it also precipitated â€Å"Werther Fever,† prompting a fad of overwrought young people lamenting the vicissitudes of unrequited love, and Goethe later disavowed it and decried the Romantic literary movement it epitomized. 19. The Stranger, by Albert Camus This existentialist classic chronicles the nihilistic life of an apathetic man who aimlessly commits murder and, once incarcerated, renounces humanity, which he has passively estranged himself from. Camus’s portrait of a man without a soul was a manifesto of his belief that life is bereft of meaning, and that the efforts of humans to find meaning are futile. 20. Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte This complex melodrama about the compounded consequences of acting on selfish and vengeful motives has been overshadowed by Hollywood’s treatment of the thwarted love between a young woman named Catherine and her untamed foster brother, Heathcliff. But the story boasts an unflinching honesty about its deeply flawed protagonists, and though critical response to its publication was mixed, it has lived on as an expression of star-crossed ill fortune. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†5 Lessons for Mixing Past and Present TensePersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

How to Write a Criminal Investigative Report Essay

How to Write a Criminal Investigative Report - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the criminal investigative report must contain a narrative for the events that occur. In constructing this investigative report the main challenge was the conflicting information given by different witnesses. Upon arriving at the scene of the murder at the home there was a collection of witnesses that were at the location during the shooting. While the forensic evidence had not been collected, the witnesses provided a number of opposing accounts. The first individual the author interviewed indicated that the shooting occurred as a result of a drunken accident. His claim was that the deceased and another individual were playing with the loaded gun and as a result of one individual falling the gun discharged and the bullet lodged in the individual’s forehead. The second witness that was spoken to indicated that while he did not witness the actual shooting, he had overheard the two individuals arguing in a fight that grew increasingl y loud before gunshots went off. The final witness was the individual involved in the actual incident who stated the deceased shot himself with the gun not knowing there was ammunition in the chamber. While the exact incidence of the shooting is not known, it’s believed that the first witness, who is also the brother of the individual that was involved in the shooting, is covering for his brother. It’s believed the second witness is being accurate in his description of the conflict that occurred before the shooting. Finally, believed that the individual involved in the shooting is lying to cover his involvement in the crime.

The description of decolonization by Cesaire in his work Discourse on Research Paper

The description of decolonization by Cesaire in his work Discourse on Colonialism - Research Paper Example The description of decolonization by Cesaire in his work â€Å"Discourse on Colonialism† The capitalism associated with the colonization did not establish any concept of assuring those who were colonized of their rights nor did it impart a system of individual ethics in them as thought (Cesaire 37). These were the ideals that bourgeois following Hitler teachings of, tried to pass onto people colonized in the guise of civilization. Colonization therefore never happened out of innocence and all efforts were used to subdue the locals in some instances through butcheries and massacres. For example, the French through the leadership of Colonel de Montagnac justified invading and capturing Algeria through massacring and maiming a large number of the population resident there. Similarly, General Gerard captured Ambike by shooting all the inhabitants of the particular town and razing it (Cesaire 40). The effect of colonization on the colonized has been minimal, as .none of the nations that were colonized has appreciated the civilizations. The colonized do not feel that the colon ialists brought any form of security or the rule of law but see some form of cruelty and sadism in the way the civilization was introduced (Cesaire 42). Imperialism through the colonialist played a key role in destroying the societies they found in place by making the citizens they found there undergo a lot of suffering and torture. This is contrary to how they found the societies in the sense that the societies that were colonized had lived communally and was not capitalist in nature; neither were the societies run in an autocratic way as they have developed afterwards and in the course of the colonization (Cesaire 44). Mohandas Gandhi in â€Å"The Practice of Satyagraha† advocated for self-rule by the Indians through a concept known as which would bring a society free of exploitation and void of civilization based on mechanization that the Europeans had used to enslave most parts of Asia and Africa. Since 1919, emboldened by the Wilsonian doctrine of self determination, Gan dhi had always wanted independence from the British colonial rule (Gandhi 227) but they strongly opposed it as they desperately wanted to hold onto the Indian sub-continent due to its strategic location and resources. Gandhi had realized that the British government played a trick of divide and rule as a way of colonizing India by playing the differences of the Hindu with the Muslims and therefore he added for their cooperation to defeat the British colonial rule through non-violent protest. In 1997 the Congress Party of India won the elections attributed to the efforts of Gandhi and later India was able to get her independence from Britain in 1946 (Gandhi 228). Satyagraha excludes the use of force or violence for any form of resistance but relies on the people exercising restraint by being humble and seeking the guidance of God in the struggle (Gandhi 230). This means that there is resistance but the non-cooperationist strives to translate ideas into action relying on the correctnes s of his position. Though there were Indians both of Hindu and Muslim religion who advocated for violence as a means of the struggle, Gandhi strongly opposed it as it was not justified in the teachings of the Mahabharata and the Koran unless necessary

South Korea Cultural Environments Essay Example for Free

South Korea Cultural Environments Essay This analysis is based on a two-day visit to Suwon, South Korea, a city of about one million inhabitants near Seoul, and a one-day visit to Seoul, the capital city, population over ten million. 1. Ascription/Achievement There were many indicators that Korea is heavily ascriptive. One contact there told me that he was unable to get a job he applied for because he would have been older than his boss, which is considered unacceptable. He said that the first thing the interviewer asked him was â€Å"Given your age, why would you want this position?† He indicated that this is a common problem for people who, like him, want to change careers in mid-life. Because employers insist that superiors be older than their juniors, an older person can’t easily hire into an entry-level position to learn the ropes. My contact mentioned a prominent website that matches job hunters with employers, which specifies for each job the birth date after which an applicant must have been born in order to apply. He also said that his own employer, an American, has encouraged him to undergo additional education in the U.S., but that this would be pointless for him because he would not be able to enter a Korean company as a new hire due to his age. A second example is a Korean contact who speaks both Korean and English at work. He has a colleague who is ethnically Korean but was raised in Canada. This colleague mentioned to him that she liked his English better than his Korean because his Korean was insulting to juniors. He explained to me that in Korean, there are many levels of language, depending on the social position of each person relative to others. Because he is the senior person in the office, his Korean language reflects his high status and the low status of others when he speaks to them, and it sounds insulting to his juniors and to his Canadian-raised colleague. English language, however, does not have this hierarchical structure, and when he speaks English with his employees, he sounds more neutral and respectful towards them. This suggests that the respect for rank and position in Korean language reflects the traditional ascriptive culture, which is impossible to disregard when speaking Korean, and serves to maintain a high level of ascription in Korea. 2. Universalist /Particularist Universalism was consistently in evidence. An example is a parking lot at a cultural exhibit, where there was a guard telling people where to park. The  parking lot was very large and almost completely empty. We were directed to a particular spot, next to another car whose passengers were getting in and out and unpacking the car. Because they were standing in the parking space designated for us, we couldn’t move into it, but when the driver hesitated, the guard motioned him vigorously to go into that one space. There were hundreds of spaces around, but the guard wanted us to park in that space only. In Seoul, there was a campaign to get people to take their trash with them rather than throw it in trash cans that the city would have to collect, so they removed trash cans in public areas. This was a new policy when I was there because one of the locals I was with explained it to another one. There were throngs of people in the area where we were walking, walking shoulder to shoulder. But there was almost no trash on the streets despite the fact that there was nowhere to get rid of it. People took it home with them to dispose of. 3. Diffuse/Specific It was clear from my conversations with people that relationships are very important in Korea. Social networks are very important in business and other aspects of life. I was surprised to learn that elementary school reunions are popular—people keep up with people they have known since early childhood. People prefer to do business with people they know and family-owned businesses are common. A colleague told me he was asked to hire a business contact’s daughter during a rough time for her. She had broken up with her fiancà © and needed to figure out her future. He had hired her into a position of considerable responsibility, without advertising for the position or interviewing other candidates. These examples indicate diffuseness and an emphasis on relationships and personal networks. 4. Individualist/Collectivist Students in my lectures commented that when dealing with western companies, they sometimes felt rushed in making decisions. They said western companies seemed to think whoever was representing them could make decisions on his/her own and that it was difficult to explain that they needed to consult many people within their companies to gain consensus before making a decision. This group decision making is characteristic of a collectivist orientation. I saw a television show that featured a â€Å"mass game† by Samsung employees. There were at least 1,000 of them, staging something like a U.S. marching band formation, but much more complex. They formed complicated, moving pictures that changed colors and it went on for a long time. It clearly represented a huge investment of time by many people. I looked it up on the internet, and employees volunteer for this project, and competition is high among groups. This kind of coordinated activity suggests a collectivist approach to work activity. 5. Short-Term/Long-Term In Seoul and Suwon, new buildings proliferated. This isn’t surprising, given Korea’s economic rise from poverty since World War II, but all of them seem to be built in a modern style, without design features that reflect or harmonize with older buildings. This is true in both Suwon, population 1,000,000, and Seoul, a major city where skyscrapers would be expected. There’s a neighborhood in Seoul that still has old shops selling traditional crafts, but it’s primarily a tourist attraction. People wear modern, western clothes, with traditional Korean clothes worn only for weddings and funerals. A contact told me that Koreans are looking to the future and want to â€Å"move out of the past†. He characterized Suwon’s local folk village and museum of a historic castle there as â€Å"boring†. A U.S. colleague who trains Korean entrepreneurs commented that Korean inventors often don’t have the â€Å"psychological stamina† necessary to develop relationships with large international companies. They tend to expect things to move quickly, and when complications arise they become frustrated and apathetic. These features suggest a short-term orientation, with little emphasis on the past, and the present and future most clearly in focus. 6. Indirect/Direct Students in my class were quite indirect in their interaction with me. They didn’t respond much to my questions and asked few of their own. One of them wanted to let me know that the exercises I was assigning were uncomfortable for her, but she prefaced her complaint with a long social discussion and ended it with the comment that it was good for her to have a different kind of work to do in class. Also, we talked about stereotypes of Americans, and they gave only positive examples. When I asked about negative stereotypes, they said they couldn’t think of any. When I offered some examples, they laughed, but appeared nervous. In a museum, I was looking at exhibits with a recorded tour that I listened to through earphones. After each exhibit I was instructed to move to the next and push a button to hear about it. The instructions, when telling me to start the next recording, were â€Å"How about pressing the button to hear about the next exhibit?† These are the most indirect instructions I’ve ever received. The fact that they were translated into English in this form suggests a very indirect orientation. 7. Neutral/Expressive People were very quiet in public situations—on trains, in my hotel and on the street. The hotel was almost silent, and although my room was near the elevator, which worried me initially, I never heard a sound from people getting on or off, as is common in the U.S. People were also subdued in their physical movements, with few gestures. When they ran, they kept their arms at their sides. I noticed that people were more talkative and emotive in casual situations, but even then not particularly noisy. 8. Monochronic/Polychronic Public transportation was very predictable, and people were on time for meetings. I didn’t notice excessive attention to watches or hurrying through meals, but activities seemed to begin and end on schedule. There was no multitasking during my presentations to the entrepreneurs there. People waited till breaks to check their phones or computers. They didn’t get up and leave to take phone calls. These behaviors suggest a monochronic orientation.

The Humour in Educating Rita Essay -- Educating Rita Willy Russell Ess

The Humour in Educating Rita ‘Educating Rita’ is a humorous play that was written by Willy Russell in 1979, based on his own life. It is set in Liverpool and depicts the perseverance of a working class, 26-year-old hairdresser with no qualifications called Susan, or as she is called throughout the play, ‘Rita’, as she tries to ‘discover herself’ by participating in an English literature course at the Open University. Her lecturer, who is from a more middle class background, Frank, is somewhat of an unorthodox one; he is frequently found to be drunk and, during one lecture, he is so drunk that he falls off of the rostrum in the hall! This erratic behaviour leads to him being sent to Australia for two years. In this essay, I am going to discuss how I might direct this play so that I achieve humour for the audience. There are four main aspects that create the humour in the play ‘Educating Rita’: the first of which is the comedy of the character. This is when a character in the play is perceived as being humorous by the way that the character speaks or a trait that the character has. When Rita enters Frank’s classroom in the first scene, she blurts out: â€Å"I’m coming in, aren’t I? It’s that stupid bleedin’ handle on the door. You wanna get it fixed!† As director, I would have the actress playing Rita fall through the door and point towards Frank, as if to order him to fix the door. The actor playing Frank would have to put on a stern face, looking in disbelief at Rita; in shock at the way she entered. Considering the fact that this is an interview situation, the audience would be shocked, as the language is totally out of the blue and inappropriate for such a formal situation. Also the fact that she ... ...e rostrum- an action that occurs because of his drunkenness. Along with Frank’s drinking, Rita’s entrance to the play is an example of extremely effective comedy of character. However, as the play progresses and Rita becomes more aware and cognisant of her actions the comedy seems to derive from Frank’s drunkenness. There is much to be said as to how you would direct this play. Personally I would involve more than just the two characters Frank and Rita. This would give me as director, the chance to introduce more humorous situations. Other occurrences that would possibly make the play more interesting could be added to the play with the introduction of extra characters. Willy Russell wrote this play to be performed, but I must wonder why he wrote the play with only two characters if he did eventually see the play being performed on the silver screen.

Organizing Work Essay

McDonalds Corporation It has become clear to upper management that the way McDonald’s has been operating over the past decade is not helping in moving the company forward. Upper management feels that the company is falling behind, and changes must be made immediately. The changes need to start with how the organization is structured. Once proper changes in structure are made, it is believed that McDonald’s will then be able to implement plans that will lead McDonalds into a successful future. The purpose of this paper is to make recommendations as to what changes in organizational structure would help McDonalds become more sufficient. Along with changes in structure the paper will also determine what work needs to be done, how it is to be done, and the approach that should be used to bring success back into the organization. Recommendations There have recently been talks between upper management about making necessary structural changes to the McDonald’s organization here in the U.S. The first recommended change is eliminating levels of management. Numbers of the past have shown that the old traditional way of communication and barriers of so many levels of management had become a barrier to decision making (Jennings, Maze, 2014). The team agrees with this change and believes that the change should be implemented as soon as possible. The basis for this change is that it will help in bring the company closer to the customers. With so many layers of management it seems as if there is more time being spent arguing and talking to each other, rather than talking to the customer and making decisions. McDonald’s marketing has shown that they need to adapt to the current customer’s needs of what they want. McDonald’s  president has worked for McDonalds for the last ten years, and he has seen numbers drop drastically which means, it is time for change (Jennings, Maze, 2014). Essentially it is safe to say that McDonalds is losing its relationship with its customers. Another huge change that McDonalds has been thinking about is changing the number of divisions here in North America from three to four. It is believed that grouping the regions into four divisions, as well as eliminating some levels of management will allow for regional leaders to have more autonomy, and will allow leaders to set a menu based on the restaurants geographic location. According to the McDonald’s website, Jennings, Maze, (2014), â€Å"The changes are highlighted by the elimination of layers of management, giving leaders of its 22 U.S. regions more autonomy in setting the menus and making marketing decisions.† These changes will also allow McDonald’s leaders to restructure the menu to be more diverse to any one’s eating habit. They will be allowed to market more things on the menu than just burgers and fries. Change is good, and they are excited to embrace it. How to do Work Effectively Every organization has its’ own structure to follow. McDonald’s current structure is failing when it comes to the customers’ wants. This is why upper management has been talking about restructuring the design by dividing McDonald USA into four divisions. These divisions would include, Northeast, South, Central and West (Jargon, 2014). Each region would have a president in charge. Under each president there should be different types of managers who know the culture of each region. This will allow for the company to deliver the right product to the customers. They also need to remove some of the managerial levels because having too many managers’ results in decisions not being made. Eventually leading to a lack of growth in the business. McDonald needs to adapt according to the changes that are taking place in the world such as; the economy, competitors and technology. They need to have basic meals that fit all regions; in addition to that, they need to create new products to fit with the culture of each region. Sweet tea is a good example of a product that fits in with the culture in the south. Therefore it would be good for McDonalds restaurants in the south to  promote sweet tea. However, sweet tea is not very popular in the Northeast so it would be pointless to spend money promoting a product that no one is interested in. This is where the president of the region would need to find another product to promote. One that will fit the culture, and interest of the people in the Northeast. This means that management in each region needs to focus on research and development in order to make the right decision. In addition, technology is really important nowadays that is why McDonald needs to work with Apple to create an account in Apple Pay. Customers can pay quickly and order their food ahead of time. This will satisfy their customers because most of them do not have the time to wait to pick up their meal. It will take both an individual and team effort for McDonalds to complete the work. Upper level managers will need to work individually to make the right decisions. For instance, upper level manager should study the region and try to figure out how they can enhance the product or create a new product to fit the culture. Lower level employees need to work in teams so they can satisfy the customers. For example, the worker operating the grill cooks the meat and when it is done he or she passes it to another worker to make the sandwich according to the customers preference. Each team member is important because if they are not motivated to do their work the whole team will fail to deliver the product to the customer. It is very important that there is manager in each branch to motivate and coach the employees. Managers must be able to fill the role of an employee if the branch was crowded and direct them to do the right job. The manager should focus on increasing the sales by satisfying the customers. Best Approach McDonald’s Corporation needs to embrace that changes that are set to take place. Upper management will need to stick by their decisions, and have faith in their management. This means allowing the presidents in each of the four new divisions to take full control of operations within their regions. The division’s presidents must look to regional managers for input on necessary changes. It is up to them to find out what the customers want, and what the customers want is what they should get. Ideally McDonalds is looking to do two things when making these structural changes. The first is to keep the same basic product menu in every region, but allow for different  regions to add certain products that cater to the customers in that region. Second is to allow for decisions to be made more efficiently and effectively. Conclusion The planning for these changes has already begun and sometime in the immediate future the changes will be implemented. These are good changes and the team feels that they will eventually make a significant difference in the overall success of McDonalds Corporation. It is going to take time, but we feel these changes will lead us into the future on the right path. References Jennings, Maze,, L.J. (2014). McDonald’s Reorganizes US into Four Regional Divisions. Retrieved from http://nrn.com/mcdonalds/mcdonald-s-reorganizes-us-four-regional-divisions Jargon, Julie, (2014). McDonalds Plan to Change U.S. Structure. Rettrieved from http://online.wsj.com/articles/mcdonalds-to-change-u-s-structure-1414695278

Key Approaches: the Social Learning Theory Debate Essay

â€Å"Outline and evaluate social learning theory. In your answer, make comparisons with at least one other approach in psychology.† – 12 marks Social learning theory states that behaviour is acquired through the observational learning from role models where a person identifies with that person and imitates their behaviour. This means that the behaviour of a model can influence the behaviour of all those that model the person and is particularly common with childhood celebrity role models. When a person identifies with the role model, the cognitive factors to the learning occur in 4 key stages; attention when the individual notices the action, retention as the person memorises the behaviour, judgement whereby the person is receptive to if they are able to imitate the behaviour themselves and motivation which is when the individual is reinforced whether directly or vicariously to repeat this behaviour based upon their own imitation of it and their confidence of success. So for example with motivation, if a child’s role model is a footballer who swears at another player and is sent off, vicarious reinforcement will occur and will dissuade the child from repeating this behaviour due to the negative consequences of it. When compared to the behaviourist approach which assumes behaviour lays between the stimulus and response and does not account for the mediating cognitive factors, social learning theory explains the cognitive factors involved in the process of learning behaviour and bridges the gap between traditional behaviourism and the cognitive approach. A study into the social learning theory was conducted by Bandura with his bobo doll experiment whereby he was investigating whether children would imitate behaviour based upon what they had witnessed being aggressive behaviour or non-aggressive behaviour towards the doll, as well as a control group whereby the child was left with the doll without an adult present. The results shown that in the presence of aggressive conditions, there was a clear increase in the incidence of aggression towards the doll in the children. In addition, higher physical aggression was noted in boys than girls but not verbal aggression. It was also shown that with a male model that aggression increased for both sexes and children in the non-aggressive category demonstrated lower levels of aggression than children in the control group. The study was conducted in a controlled environment so can be credited for reducing the possibility of extraneous variables, but as a result also could be criticised for the lack of ecological validity. Another area of psychology where social learning theory can be observed is through gender formation when a child imitates the behaviour of their models, often shown through how they act and dress. For example, girls modelling their mother are often shown as playing with their mothers’ makeup sets and trying on various shoes, whereas boys can typically be seen playing football often with their father and friends of the same sex. Many behaviourist theories are often very reductionist and do not consider the mediating cognitive factors, specifically in the acquisition of new behaviour and does not account for behaviour which has not been directly taught. For example, if a child see’s a juggler and attempts to copy the behaviour, behaviourism cannot explain why the child attempted to imitate the behaviour to begin with, whereas social learning theory can accredit it to the child modelling the juggler for having exceptional skills the child does not. Overall, social learning theory demonstrates the role of cognition in learning and also how complex social behaviours can be acquired. Furthermore, it makes use of the experimental method to test theories and insists on the use of human research. However, social learning theory also neglects the role of biology and hereditary and does not explain the process by which abstract ideas can be learnt.

Multinational Corporations essays

Multinational Corporations essays Multinational Corporations have emerged as one of the principal sources of foreign direct investment since the late 1970s by the worlds major industrialized nations. These firms allocate many different theories to achieve the status of a multinational. Internalization, product cycle, obsolescing bargain, and oligopoly theories along with the tariff-jumping hypothesis, shed light on how these foreign operations continue their path of vertical integration. However, even with these lucrative investment strategies it is difficult to distinguish help or hurt to the host country. Because of this proponents and critics of these practices have argued to whom is the greater advantage and why. A critique of these arguments will help in discussing the effectiveness of MNCs to illicit the policy goals of local governments; economic efficiency, growth, and improvement in the standard of living. A multinational corporation (MNC) is an enterprise that engages in foreign direct investment (FDI) and that owns or controls value-added activities in more than one country (Spero (2) they operate in a wide variety of countries around the globe; (3) the proportion of assets, revenues, or profits is high; (4) their employees, stockholders, owners, and managers are from many different countries; (5) their overseas operations are much more ambitious than just sales offices, including a full range of manufacturing and research and development (R Four theories and one hypothesis provide explanations of how structural goals are achieved by the MNCs. The internalization theory ...contends that firms expand abroad in order to internalize activities in the presence of market imperfections just as they expand domestically for similar reason...

Tech Article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tech Article - Essay Example So the work of the technology is to identify all moving objects with the aid of computer chipped tags. Lui and Chen 2009, in their article titled â€Å"Applications of RFID technology for improving production efficiency in an integrated-circuit packaging house†, defined the radio frequency identification (RFID) as an emerging technology that can be used to expand the possibilities for data capture. They stress that one of the primary use of the RFID technology, is for process control and material handling applications which can produce benefits of flexibility and interactivity. (2203) Potential impact for companies Lui and Chen 2009, explains that an integrated-circuit (IC) packaging house must be able to provide clients with instant and accurate information on its products and services. In other to do that properly, an IC packaging house must keep track of all its wafers, regardless of whether those wafers are in packaging, testing, or shipping. In other to achieve this, the company combines the RFID technology with an enterprise resource planning otherwise known as an ERP system for resolving various wafer receiving and inventory transaction problems. An electronic control system is thus developed using Oracle application implementation methodology or (AIM) to integrate RFID technology and the ERP system.

Desktop Computing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Desktop Computing - Assignment Example It also helps the smooth running of software like 3D Max and Maya extensively used for animation and modeling. Jean Jones needs to upgrade her OS from Windows XP Service Pack 2 to Win XP x64. Many might suggest Vista as a good alternative, however past records show that Vista slows Max viewport speed by a huge amount. The primary reason behind this is that Win XP takes less memory to run when Vista on the other hand takes up a lot more. Here comes the second parameter that is whether to consider 32 bit or 64 bit OS. The reason why 64 bit Win XP is being recommended to Jean Jones is that it will let her use a minimum 4GB of RAM. The basic components to look for while buying a PC for processing intensive activities are the processor, motherboard, RAM, graphics card and hard disk. For any PC to be fast, it should have a perfect combination of all these 4 components. In an unbalanced combination where one or more components are slower than the rest, then the slower components act as bottlenecks in the system, and the overall processing speed is determined by the slowest component. Hence, while identifying the configuration, it is imperative that all components are matching and high performance components. High performance components are higher priced, and hence they increase the overall cost of the PC. Given that there cannot be any compromise on performance, a high end PC can be made relatively inexpensive by cutting down on the peripheral costs. For example, by using low end casing/cabinets, speakers and data output devices like DVD combo packages, the overall prices can be kept with relatively lower budget. A processor is the 'brain' of the PC, and given other components are same, a PC with faster processor will perform faster. A quadcore, 64 bit processor, coupled with a suitably fast motherboard and 4 GB 800 MHz RAM will have sufficient computing speed to seamlessly execute the heaviest designing applications. (Ciao Shopping Intelligence, 2007A) While quad core processors give enormous processing speed, they are also highly expensive. Commercially available computers generally tend have