Monday, September 30, 2019
Plato’s Writings Essay
This paper will discuss several of Plato’s writings such as The Apology, Phaedo, Crito, etc. The paper will be in part an analysis and in part a presentation of the philosophy of Plato through is writings as well as his writings in accordance with Socrates’ philosophy. Mortality Human nature is a nature of reason, not strictly adherent to passion or feelings. Morality then, becomes the crux of this nature. Morality is reason. This is not to say that Plato was an ascetic; he placed passion, and feelings in his philosophy but the ethics of humanity are tied into the good of a person because reasonably, being virtuous, or good led a person to being happy (eudemonism).            Anything else that a person may be presented with and made to make a choice, that choice should be rooted in virtue. Whatever else is chosen by free will should only serve to making that person virtuous.            Plato was a man filled with faith in human nature. Plato’s philosophy of human nature doing evil was that a person only does evil in ignorance, for he believed everyone, just as himself wants only what is good. The source of someone doing evil is brought about by unlimited desire. Something that goes unmitigated becomes possessive of that person and they in turn want, and want, without satiation. This is when the appetitive part of the soul (the part of the soul that wants sex, food, etc.) overtakes the rational (part seeking truth, and reason) of the soul resulting in moral weakness or akrasia.            It is not then self-interest that leads a person to happiness, and there is a definite equilibrium between the allowance of each part of the soul guided by reason, and asceticism. Plato was a not a Sophist. Without the guidance of moral reason then a state of chaos would ensue entailing an everyman for himself type of attitude.            Morality must then be shown as adhering to individual interests. Plato did not agree with the type of hedonism exhibited by the Sophists, who thought human nature was an extension of the animal world. Instead, Plato states that the nature of man is reason; and in this reason exists an organized society constructed by reason.            Happiness for the rational man then comes into fruition by governing their more base, animal, desires, which are irrational. This morality is extended into the realm of society because of human interaction. Therefore, if a man is to be the pinnacle of reason, and morality, and happiness, then the society that he lives and associates must then also exhibit such a moral temperance. If then a society is blinded by hedonism, or pure desire of self, a man in that society has no hope for personal happiness because of lack of morality, reason, and thus fully succumbing to akrasia. Plato’s Phaedo and Immortality The realm of the reasoning man, according to Plato in his work Phaedo, is extrapolated by Socrates, that is, a man who is within reason also must admit to the fundamental truths regarding life after death. That is to say, in Socrates explanation of immortality, there remains the outlook that the body and the soul are not eternally combined; but the soul is grounded in the body through emotions, and feral states of humanity. When the soul is released from such torpor, it then reclines back into its previous non-corporeal state to either rest, or to transform and reinvent itself in the world. The soul, according to Socrates, is that which is in us that commands and it is the body that serves.            The soul then, according to the previous statement is created in the divine will, and since divinity cannot be defined through the corporeal, the body must be mortal, and therefore finite. The soul on the other hand is infinite. The soul is the image of divinity; in the soul there is found an unceasing existence of transformation. The reasonable man must then accept the dichotomy of the body and soul, as well as accept their harmony he must distance the idea that the body and the soul are one. The body is mortal, and can succumb to dissolution, but according to Socrates, the soul is indissoluble.            The soul then has a life of her own. Socrates questions the ideas of what humankind supposes to be immortal. God is immortal, and the diversity of heaven and hell in all fallible senses is immortal, but the reasonable man but design for himself the idea that he too is of a strand of divinity. The soul is associated with the ideal and the invisible. The body commands emotions, and its fate lies within those external circumstances, that is nature, but the soul, in Socrates’ view is above nature. The soul is a higher self. As the introduction to Phaedo states, â€Å"The human being alone has the consciousness of truth and justice and love, which is the consciousness of God. And the soul becoming more conscious of these, becomes more conscious of her own immortality†(23). The soul hinges upon the realization that she is immortal. In that consciousness, and in that state of being, there exists God, and all that is immortal.            Therefore, Socrates is trying to define the perimeters of immortality, and the fact that a reasonable man cannot indubitably believe that the body and the soul will perish, but must in fact take credence to the soul existing at a higher level of existence, that is, at the level with God. Socrates is placing a belief system in his dialectic, and in so doing he goes into analyzing the existence of God, or the intangible being that is the divine. In Phaedo Socrates circulates his ideas around the immortality of the soul and the acceptance of this by the reasoning man on the basis of the dimension that God portrays.            By dimension, suffice it to say that God, in divine right, is perfect. It is in that perfection that man may find allusions to his reasoning, and by so doing, reason that since the soul is of God, then man himself is immortal, as Plato wrights, â€Å"An evil God, or an indifferent God might have had the power but not the will, to preserve us†¦But is he is perfect, he must will that all rational beings should partake of that perfection which he himself is†(23). Life after death then is a certainty on a celestial level.            Socrates is attempting to connect his theory of knowledge with that of the soul’s ability to reincarnate or transform or simply exist beyond the development of the natural world. In this doctrine he attempts to bring forth the ideas of past and future states of existence. He is attempting to define eternity, which is incomprehensible to the mortal keen, but with the soul, the soul being undoubtedly of a higher fiber than that of the mundane, Socrates must conclude that the mind itself is therefore dependent on an ephemeral essence that is beyond its comprehension. This type of thought process is one that is known as the transcendental method of interpretation. The Apology and The Cave In The Apology Plato presents Socrates explanation of immortality. The Apology presents the principles of Socrates in that philosophers should be humble and admit that they know nothing. Also, in this book Socrates is explaining why he is being persecuted and the following few paragraphs will highlight his philosophy about religion. Socrates taught philosophy in a question answer dialogue. The dialectic art of arriving at the truth was the system Socrates used. In this regard he would arrive at the truth by questioning the belief of engaged speakers in a philosophic circle. Although this idea of philosophy may come across as non-confrontational, Socrates used this method to verbally jab at the speaker until they themselves found fault in their philosophy, and through a system of negative or positive responses came to recognize the truth. This type of philosophy has been likened to a cross examination present in today’s court rooms, where the person under oath is asked a series of questions that are both destructive and humiliating, until they are forced to acknowledge the truth, much like the arguments around Socrates. The aim of such confrontational questioning was always about truth; Socrates believed that this was the main goal of philosophy, and philosophical discussions, and he believed that everyone involved with the account was in pursuit of this goal as well.            In order to be human, not only the idea of reflection upon life is necessary but in emphasizes of the use of the Socratic method in that reflection and in the course of finding the truth, questions are paired with such reflection. At this level, questioning and reflection are the apex of what it means to be human. Socrates however had some varying views on philosophy that opposed some of what Plato believed. Socrates was a skeptic, as was Plato, and as can be exemplified in the cave metaphor, but Socrates also believed that a person can be convicted of their own beliefs even if they cannot find their pathway of truth. Plato, in contrast, believed that philosophers were the delegates who maintained what was and was not truth, and led the way to such truth for the common man. It is not then self-interest that leads a person to happiness, and there is a definite equilibrium between the allowance of each part of the soul guided by reason, and asceticism. Plato was a not a Sophist. Without the guidance of moral reason then a state of chaos would ensue entailing an everyman for himself type of attitude. It is a bitter debate on whether or not Socrates was a Sophist, he himself vehemently denied it but some of his philosophies correlated with Sophist thinking (i.e. the issues of ethics, and living a good life, each Sophist preoccupations). Plato’s Crito, The Trial, Death of Socrates Plato is a firm believer in man not adhering to the masses opinion but staying true to one singular person, a person of wisdom, and as Plato states through Socrates, â€Å"And he ought to live and train, and eat and drink in the way which seems good to his single master who has understanding, rather than according to the opinion of all other men put together?† Plato’s basic rhetoric involves the golden rule of do unto others as you would have done unto you. There must then remain the basic principles of morality in society for society to maintain it’s virtuous code of ethics.            Socrates gives many examples of when a man is injured then he in turn must not injure, for here is the principle of a moral society, and the society in which Plato was integral. Socrates is continually requesting of Crito whether or not it is right to do evil. For, Socrates states, that doing evil in return damages not only the man, but also the society in which the man presides. It is therefore unjust to do evil, for committing evil is the same as injuring man, and by extension, the State.            Though the difference of partnership and dominator society is both prevalent in Plato’s Crito the difference can also be subjective. So, subjectively speaking there is a definite sense of the dominator society in Socrates adherence to their death sentence for him.            Though Socrates’ philosophy dictates that the State has to maintain control in order for morality to support society, Plato’s partnership with the State is deceived by the phallic nature of human’s innate aptitude for error. If the State is made up of individuals, and in Plato’s own writings, man is presumable good, or at least strives to be good, the objective reader must not misinterpret this to mean that man will always be good. In the absolute of this believe there can exist no room for fluctuation, and it is within the nature of humanity to be inconsistent, fallible, and wrong. Therefore, Socrates is misguided in the State, for the State is within reason imperfect for its members are human.            The State, according to Socrates is holier than father and mother for they beget father and mother and all generations. It is because of the State that humanity exists, but it is also with the State that human nature is best exampled as dichotomized. The State and humanity are both good and bad, capable of very evil and wicked deeds as well as adhering to moral laws. Plato is optimistic with Socrates, or Socrates was a very gullible man who professed to the rightness involved with the State because he was a man who liked control and not chaos. With an objective mind, there must exist both sides of the spectrum, both control and chaos so that society can function.            The dominator societies were about autocratic power and partnership societies were about shared responsibility. Socrates placed his faith in not the masses but the one ‘man’ that was full of wisdom; that is, the State, Plato writes, Are we to say that we are never intentionally to do wrong, or that in one way we ought and in another way we ought not to do wrong, or is doing wrong always evil and dishonorable, as I was just now saying, and as has been already acknowledged by us? Are all our former admissions which were made within a few days to be thrown away? And have we, at our age, been earnestly discoursing with one another all our life long only to discover that we are no better than children? Or are we to rest assured, in spite of the opinion of the many, and in spite of consequences whether better or worse, of the truth of what was then said, that injustice is always an evil and dishonor to him who acts unjustly? Shall we affirm that? Crito says yes, injustice is evil, and those who oppose the dictation of the State are acting with dishonor. Socrates forgets in his delusions of morality that the State is not always guided by such moral virtue, and that in its compromise of this, becomes evil. In current worldviews, there is a definite dissatisfaction in the governing of certain states, such as mass genocide, child crimes, etc, and if a person is to believe fully in Socrates and Plato’s philosophy the State is just in such action. Work Cited MacDonald, Ross. Socrates versus Plato. Aspects of Education. P9-22. 1996. Plato. Phaedo.   Plato. Crito. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. < http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/crito.html>
Sunday, September 29, 2019
What is a Cultural Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology is a term that is in everyday lives and topics. When one thinks of anthropology they think of the study of old remnants commonly referred to as archaeology. This, however, is not the only form of anthropology. There are four types of anthropology and they are archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. However, Cultural anthropologists are every where and study people of all walks of life. One can find a topic and find some type of study that an anthropologist has conducted on the matter. The following are five articles that explain how anthropologists are every where. Chapter: Corporate Anthropologists, page 24 The article talked about how anthropologists play an important role in the corporate environment. Anthropologists have been working with businesses since the 1930†³s, however in the 1980†³s this field experienced significant growth. This was due to the â€Å"globalization of business activity and the increased awareness of the importance of culture for business,†(Laabs 24). Cultural anthropology is the study of existing people and corporations find this information useful in trying to understand human behavior within their own organization. Business anthropologists have been studying the corporate world for years, on such varied topics as how to encourage more creativity or how best to integrate multicultural learning techniques into an organization†s training program,†(Laabs 25). Most anthropologists who work in the corporate environment do not use the title of anthropologist. There are currently over 200 anthropologists working in this field. The article then gave an account of one anthropologist†s experience in the corporate environment. The article concludes by saying what corporations think of the value that anthropologists add to the companies and that the role will continue to grow. The anthropologist that contributed to this article was Lorna M. McDougall. She works at Arthur Andersen†s Center for Professional Education, which is located in St. Charles, Illinois. McDougall is â€Å"studying why people from some cultures learn best from lectures, although others learn best through interactive learning,†(Laabs 25). McDougall has played a large part in developing Arthur Andersen†s Business English Language Immersion Training (ELIT) program. This program builds a language skill that allows for communication between two parties where English may be a second language. This program also provides an awareness of each culture†s business ethics. â€Å"The results of her work have helped instructors, who train Andersen consultants working in 66 countries, be better teachers,†(Laabs 25). McDougall is the first onsite anthropologist employed by Arthur Andersen and continues to be a great resource for the corporation. McDougall used an â€Å"anthropological methodology†by listening in on classroom sessions and conducting interviews. From the information that she gathered she noticed that â€Å"people from certain cultures are used to two-way communication in the classroom, although others just sit quietly while the ‘professor lectures†,†(Laabs 26). McDougall also teaches some of the management development classes and also contributes to the training classes. Her main areas of concentration for anthropological study include a technique where sometimes a management team proposes an idea and at other times she will propose an idea. She has also studied the meaning of gestures and colors for different cultures. She discovered that white in some cultures means marriage and in others, white means death. All her anthropological work has played a major part in Arthur Andersen†s company. I did my presentation on anthropologists and the role that they play in corporations. Until recently I was aware that culture played a defining role in companies that participated in globalization. I did not however know the role that anthropologists contributed to this topic. I recently worked a Technological Symposium for my company and this was a huge event where people from all parts of the world attended. It was at this convention that I learned that other cultures do business differently than Americans. It is not just a language barrier but a culture barrier. I am also aware of the work that anthropologists contribute to the development of web sites that are viewed worldwide. The anthropologist†s experience and mine are vastly different. She is quite a bit more experienced in the topic of corporate anthropologists. However, she and I both realized that language is not the only barrier that corporations face when expanding the operation globally. As the awareness of this field becomes known it will continue to grow. Chapter: Culture and the Evolution of Obesity, page 92 The article provides â€Å"a cross-cultural and evolutionary analysis of how both biological and cultural factors in obesity evolved. This analysis explains the sociological distribution of obesity today. It also emphasizes that peripheral body fat (characteristic of women) is a small health hazard compared to abdominal fat (characteristic of men),†(Brown 92). Peter Brown, the anthropologist who wrote the article, gave his perception on obesity. He believes that â€Å"an anthropological model of culture has significant advantages over the commonly used undifferentiated concept of ‘environment†for generating hypotheses about behavioral causes of obesity,†(Brown 93). Brown states that the problem of obesity and overweight is that today†s industry thrives on the culture belief about having the perfect body and sexual attractiveness rather on the medical perspective. Obesity and being overweight is not just a psychological issue but a serious health issue. Brown claims that there are four facts about the social distribution of society that must be addressed. They are: â€Å"1) The gender difference in the total percent and site distribution of body fat, as well as the prevalence of obesity; 2) the concentration of obesity in certain ethnic groups; 3) the increase in obesity associated with economic modernization; and 4) the powerful and complex relationship between social class and obesity,†(Brown 94). He goes on to further state that â€Å"human biology and behavior can be understood in the context of two distinct processes of evolution,†(Brown 96). The two processes are natural selection and historical changes in the structure of cultural systems. Furthermore, Brown states â€Å"Because the concept of culture is rarely considered in medical research on obesity, and because I am suggesting that this concept has advantages over the more common and undifferentiated term environment, it is necessary to review some basic aspects of this anthropological term,†(Brown 97). He provides a diagram that explains culture in relation to obesity. He concludes that fatness is â€Å"symbolically linked to psychological dimensions, such as self-worth and sexuality,†(Brown 99) but continues to state that this is not a consistent symbol. In some cultures fatness symbolizes wealth and health. Lastly he concludes that culture and its relation to obesity can be concluded practically and theoretically. â€Å"First, recognition of cultural variation in beliefs and behaviors related to obesity needs to be incorporated into health programs aimed at reducing the prevalence of obesity. The second conclusion regards the need for more research on the role of culture, as it interacts with genes, on the etiology of obesity,†(Brown 101). As a woman in today†s American society I am very aware of the problems and hype about obesity and overweight. I am constantly trying to lose weight or maintain it. I am never satisfied with the way I look. Every where we look thin women are displayed on pedestals and obese and overweight people are shunned. I personally consider somebody who is overweight lacking in sexual appeal and self-confidence. The thinner that I am the more desirable I feel. I know that other cultures do not view obesity in this manner. For example I am sure that a person in South Africa who is overweight is considered to be of great status. I just hope that one day nobody will be looked at or judged on their weight. I really enjoyed the anthropologist†s point of view on the obesity issue. The only thing that I disagree with is that such important issues such as bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders were not addressed. In an article in which weight is discussed these issues go hand in hand. For every person who is obese there are three that are fighting an eating disorder, and this is prevalent in all cultures. Peter Brown only once touched basis on the dieting craze that floods the world and this was very brief. Then he states that it is only wealthy women who are obsessed with dieting and this is incredibly false. Chapter: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, page 134 The article begins by the anthropologist explaining that men have privilege over women. â€Å"Denials which amount to taboos surround the subject of advantages which men gain from women†s disadvantages. These denials protect male privilege from being fully acknowledged, lessened or ended,†(McIntosh 135). Then the article proceeds to discuss how whites, whether they realize it or not, have a considerable advantage over other races. She lists twenty-six ways that whites have the upper hand. She then concludes with her personal analysis her experiences. McIntosh explains that as a white person she had been sheltered from the privileges that she had. â€Å"I think whites are taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege,†(McIntosh 135). She compiled a list of things that she encounters daily that are a privilege to white people that may not come so easily to a person of a different race. For example one item states that she â€Å"can turn on the television or open the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented,†(McIntosh 135). She then claims that if all these items are true that we are not living in a free country and that certain opportunities are available to whites. She concludes by stating that she hopes that social systems need to be redesigned. I am a white female so I was able to place myself in the anthropologist†s shoes. I grew up in an upper middle class neighborhood went to private school and I was still taught all about the different races. There is an entire month dedicated to Black History in schools. Thus, I experienced reverse discrimination, not a privilege for being white. When applying for scholarships upon entering college I was repeatedly turned down only to see a fellow student of a different race, with lower grades, less academic activities, and lower rank receive the scholarship because of their race. Affirmative action allows for a less qualified candidate to receive the job so that the company can have a certain number of ethnic people employed. There is a black Ms. America and a Black Ms. America, yet the former Ms. America was black. There are sororities that are specifically for particular races yet regular sororities can not discriminate on race but the race specific ones can. The anthropologist and I have very different opinions on being white. She claims that it is a privilege and that other races suffer, I strongly disagree with her. Where was her research done? Did she not look into such issues as reverse discrimination, affirmative action, and the privileges that are granted to others based on their race? The article was completely absurd. What was her basis for such an article? White people have to prove themselves where as others have doors opened for them because of the way our ancestors treated them. McIntosh needs to do a lot more exploration into the topic. â€Å"Lee Cronk discusses possible cultural misunderstandings that were involved in the creation of the unfortunate (and racist) term Indian giver. These misunderstandings were offensive to both Native Americans and whites. Europeans thought that gifts should be freely given and that the gift is less valued when there are strings attached,†(Cronk 143). Due to the before mentioned when anthropologists study gift giving rituals they are more interested in the relationship between the giver and the receiver than the actual item being given. The article makes several references to past situations and gives several examples of anthropologist†s point of view. The anthropologist†s experiences came from first hand knowledge when trying to give gifts to the people that they were studying. One anthropologist by the name of Richard Lee, from the University of Toronto, had an experience with the ! Kung hunter-gatherers. He gave the tribe an ox as a token of good will but all the ! Kung did was complain about how scrawny the ox was. â€Å"Only later did Lee learn, with relief, that the ! Kung belittle all gifts,†(Cronk 144). According to the ! Kung ridiculing gifts â€Å"is their way of diminishing the expected return and of enforcing humility on those who would use gifts to raise their own status within the group,†(Cronk 144). Another example from an anthropologist was by Rada Dyson-Hudson, from Cornell University. Dyson-Hudson gave the Turkana†s of Kenya pots, maize meal, tobacco, and other items. Much to her dismay it was less than appreciated. â€Å"A typical response to a gift of a pot, for example, might be, ‘Where is the maize meal to go in this pot? †or, ‘Don†t you have a bigger one to give me? †To the Turkana, these are legitimate and expected questions,†(Cronk 144). As a child and as an adult the whole gift giving process is different. I can remember getting a gift and never thinking anything of it. As an adult if I get a gift that is quite elaborate I always want to return a gift even better the giver. It is as if I want to one up the giver, as if it is going to make me a better person to give the better gift. As a child I remember receiving items from childhood friends and when a fight would occur the friend wanting the gift back, and this was referred to as Indian giving. Now as I get even older gift giving rituals such as Christmas has become consumer warfare. I think that gift giving is a touchy topic in all cultures. The similarities between the anthropologist†s experience and mine are amazing. It just goes to show that gift giving is a process that will never be fully grasped no matter how much research is done on the topic. Chapter: society and Sex Roles, page 159 Ernestine Friedl (Human Nature, 1978) The article begins with the anthropologist giving two contrasting examples of the roles men and women play in different cultures. Following this introduction the thesis is given that the roles will never be clearly defined as long as examples from other cultures are used in the argument. The article continues to site examples about how men are the dominant sex because they are the hunter†s and provide the resources. Several examples of tribes are given to support his hypothesis that as long as men provide the resources than they will have the upper hand. He concludes by stating that as women continue to gain positions in roles that allow them to provide the resources than they will be able to make demands to change the sex roles. Friedl makes the argument that to understand society and its sex roles one must not â€Å"toss examples from the world†s cultures at each other like intellectual stones,†(Friedl 160). He states that the differences, biologically speaking, can be â€Å"clarified by looking at known examples of the earliest forms of human society and examining the relationship between the technology, social organization, environment, and sex roles,†(Friedl 160). Friedl claims that the factors in a society that cause male dominance need to be researched because once these factors are understood than one can apply this knowledge to the constant changes in the sex roles due to the modern society. Through Friedl†s observations he learned that â€Å"The male monopoly on hunting unites men in a system of exchange and gives them power,†(Friedl 161). â€Å"Women do not hunt, I believe, because of four interrelated factors: variability in the supply of game; the different skills required fore hunting and gathering; the incompatibility between carrying burdens and hunting; and the small size of seminomadic foraging populations,†(Friedl 161). He also believes that another reason are not the dominant sex is because it is difficult to provide resources when one is pregnant. I grew up in school learning about how women†s roles in society have evolved over time. I realize that women were not and still are not the dominant sex. This is partly because it is still difficult for women to be in positions of power. I once tried for a position in a spirit organization at Texas Tech University. It was a male organization thus I was declined membership. Even in dating the men pay, open the doors for the women, and play the dominant role. I agree with Friedl in that the dominant sex is the one that provides the resources. His research was done by past observations and my experience came from personal experience in such areas as dating, work, and school. The times that I was unable to provide resources I was not dominant, but the times that I did provide the resources I had the upper hand. As we continue to grow as a society than women will be in such positions of power and than maybe an equality between the sexes can exist. My favorite article was the article titled â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack†. This was because it is such a controversial topic that gets a rise out of me and makes my temper flare. I would really like to argue my point of view with the anthropologist that wrote the article. It is a topic that is extremely controversial and will be around as long as there are people and different races. In conclusion, I now realize all the studies and broad range of topics that are discussed by cultural anthropologists. They play an important role in every day activities that I take for granted. As long as there are people and at the rate the world changes there will always be a need for cultural anthropologists.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Bric: Culture, Values, and Business Ethics Essay
INTRODUCTION BRIC, represents the countries Brazil, Russia, India, and China. These countries are known to be at similar stages of economic growth. The BRIC countries have had a huge success in the past decade with their industrialization and economic success. With the BRIC countries emerging as economic powerhouses and the increasing number of foreign counties increasing to do business with them, ethical rules must integrate into their business practices. An increasing number of companies are moving production to the BRICs in order to take advantage of generous tax incentives, high productivity rates, and cheap labor. Each country has cultures and values which makes them unique. They also have a very specific business ethic that one should know about if they want to be successful in these countries. BRAZIL Brazil, known as the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America and in the Latin American region. It is the fifth largest country geographically and by population with a population of 190,732,694 according to the 2010 Census. It is known as one of the world’s fastest growing economies and is part of the United Nations, the G20, BRIC, and groups. Brazil is known for their economy having a growth rate during the world recession in 2008 (Vernengo, 2010). Brazil’s land use is 87% forest/woodland and meadows/pastures and has a climate which is known to be mostly tropical since they have the Amazon. Iron, gold, petroleum, and nickel are some of the many natural resources they are known for. BRAZIL’S CUTURE AND VALUES The Brazilians have a unique culture that they share with one another. First off, the official language is Portuguese which makes up almost 100 percent of the population. Brazilians have a strong national ideology that their land is a â€Å"racial democracy†. As far as the Brazilian class system goes, people with darker skin tend to be economically and socially disadvantaged. Class is determined by economic status and skin color. Women make up forty percent of the workforce but are found with lower paying jobs than males such as teaching, nursing, and jobs with clerical duties (Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). Common Brazilian foods consist of rice and beans which are put together with meats and fish. The most important meal of the day is a multicourse meal eaten after midday. Middle-class would eat the beans or rice with fish or meat and the lower class would only eat beans or meat during this meal. Now that Brazil is industrializing. The famil y-centered meal at midday is being replaced with smaller meals that are consumed at restaurants with buffets or fast-food such as McDonalds. The lower-calls who cannot afford this will generally eat at home, buy snacks on the street, or carry food with them at work. Brazil has a nation dish known as â€Å"feijoada†which means â€Å"big bean†stew. It consists of a variety of meats cooked with black beans and condiments with rice, fresh fruit, and a side of onion sauce. Different social classes and economic inequality in Brazil has been a problem for a long time. There is a large rate of crime in urban areas such as kidnapping, murdering and assaults. Killing of police officers are common in less wealthy areas as well. â€Å"The murder rate in greater Sà £o Paulo, for example, is some five times that of the New York metropolitan area†(Culture of Brazil, n.d.). The Brazilian government has The Federal Constitution of Brazil that provides the executive, legislative, and executive independent branches. Voting in Brazil today is universal and required for all literate Brazilian citizens aged from seventeen to seventy and is optional for the citizens who do not have the ability to read and write. In the country of Brazil there are many unique values the citizens hold. To begin with, the main religion of the country is Catholic. Brazil has the largest catholic community in the world. During the colonial times, there was no freedom of religion which meant that all of the Portuguese settlers and Brazilians were forced to the Roman Catholic faith which in turn made most of the population today Catholic. Another popular Brazilian religion is Umbanda, which is a blend of African and Catholicism religions. Some branches of the Umbanda religion wear white clothes in ceremonies while others do not. During ceremonies, all of the people sing, drink and smoke, being under the influence of the spirits. â€Å"Music and dance are essential in rituals because they facilitate the communion with the spirits and help people in their daily lives†(The Umbanda religion – Brazilian spirituality, n.d.). In Brazil there are very specific way women and men meet. When two males meet, they shake hands with each other while maintaining steady eye contact with each other. When women meet with each other they kiss each other starting with the left check then alternating to the right similar to some Americans. When a woman wants to shake hands with a man, she should be to one extending her arm out first. Hugging and backslapping are also common among friends. BRAZIL’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Brazil there are many things to take note of. To begin with, Brazilians need to know who they are doing business with. As a result make appointments at least two weeks in advance. Face-to-face meetings are preferred instead of written communication so they know exactly who they are doing with. During meetings, business men socialize over coffee which at times can make meeting informal. When exchanging business cards, they are to be done during introductions with everyone at the meeting. One side should be translated in Portuguese and should be presented with that side facing the recipient. Brazilian companies have a vertical hierarchy where the managers at the top make the majority of the decisions. Most of the management is men but recently women are starting to gain these roles as well. When dressing, men should wear dark colored suits. Usually if someone is an executive they will wear a three-piece suit while a two-piece suit is worn by office workers. Women should wear dresses, suits, or something conservative and make sure their nails are always manicured. When doing business in Brazil there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. Always make eye contact because this will show that the business person listening is paying attention, interested, and honest. It should always be expected that a meal will take longer since it is more like a celebration rather than a meal. Food and drinks should always be accepted when offered during a special or business occasion. As far as things not to do, never give gifts that are purple or black since these are considered mourning colors. Never rush business dealings and always avoid pressuring final decisions since Brazilians take a long time to do this. Never show feeling of frustration since this will look bad for the person wanting to do business with them. Corruption and deforestation should never be brought up since these are current sensitive topics. Lastly, never publically criticize Brazilian counterparts if they need to be told something, it should be done in private so it does not make them look bad (Malinak, 2007). Knowing Brazil’s business etiquette is critical if a person wants to have success making business. RUSSIA Russia, officially known as the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world with a population estimate of 143,300,000. It is the world’s largest reserves for minerals and energy resources and is the largest oil and natural gas producer. It is also has the largest forest reserves. Due to Russia’s size, there are many climates. The main climates are humid continental and subarctic. Russia only has two main seasons which are winter and summer. The coldest month is January and the warmest month is July. Between these seasons for a brief time are their spring and autumn. Russia is known for their oil, natural gas, and timber which accounts for more than 80% of their exports abroad. They are the third largest electricity company in the world and the fifth renewable energy producer (Russia, 2012). RUSSIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Russian citizens have much pride in their country. They have many patriotic songs and poems about their homeland and take pride in their cultural heritage. Eighty one percent of Russia speaks the Russian language. Families are very dependent on each other and are very small, usually with only one or two children per family since women are always working outside of the house. Most of the families live in small apartments sharing with two or three generations (Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). The most common food of the Russian culture is bread while potatoes cabbage beets and carrots are the main vegetable of their diet. Russians love meat. Lower class has sausage, port, beef, mutton, chicken, and dried or salted fish while the higher class has duck, veal, and salmon. In the daily life of a Russian, breakfast is usually coffee or tea with bread or sausage. Lunch people eat potatoes, soup, macaroni, or rice and can be eaten only in a cafeteria in a w orkplace or at home. Dinner consists of boiled potatoes, cabbage, bread, or sausage and bread. There is not that much talk about different social classes in Russia any longer. The â€Å"new Russians†are seen to be driving late-model cars such as Mercedes and Jeeps while dressing in designer clothing and wear heavy gold jewelry. Showing off these items demonstrate wealth. Juvenile misbehavior has been increasing significantly along with prostitution, AIDS, and homelessness among children and teens. As far as government goes, they have a parliament that is divided into and upper and a lower house. The lower house is known as Dumab which has 450 elected members while the upper house consists of local governors and legislators from the eighty nine administrative regions (Culture of Russia, n.d.). On top of Russia’s culture, Russian’s values are also very important. The main religion the Russians follow is Orthodox Christianity which is run by bishops and metropolitans. For most of the Orthodox followers, religious practice concentrates on the affecting experience of liturgy, which is chanted daily, on Sundays, and in long, elaborate services on holy days. Churches and cathedrals are the most important sites to worship at. When two people meet for the first time, there should be a firm, hard hand-shake while making eye contact. If a male is shaking hands with a woman, this handshake will be less firm. When women meet each other they kiss on the cheek three times starting at the left cheek and then alternating. As for close male friends, they first give each other a pat on the back followed by a hug. RUSSIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in Russia it is expected for a person to be on time to all business meeting. Russians are known for testing patience. In turn, a Russian may be late to a meeting or not start the meeting for one or two hours afterwards to see the reaction the person will give. The best way to communicate in Russia is the fax and email since the mail can be unreliable. Before making a trip to Russia, one must inform the company of the intended business proposal and objectives. When giving a presentation, Russians expect it to be long and detailed and to include to history of the subject. Hierarchy is important to Russians. They respect age, rank and position. The decision makers higher up have authority over subordinates. When exchanging business cards it is usually done after the initial introductions with formal ritual. The business hard should include university degrees and be translated into Russian using Cyrillic text on one side while having the other side be in English. When dressing, businessmen wear suite that are dark and well tailored with a nice dress shoe. Typically a Russian businessman will never take his jacket off. What a businessman wears demonstrates their image as a professional. Women should dress conservatively in skirts rather than pants. When doing business with Russia there are some do’s and do not’s to be aware of. When first meeting, do shake hands firmly since Russians do this to each other naturally. Always get involved in small talk before starting a business conversation. Most of the small talk will deal with family. When doing business, never be afraid to show emotion and never reward anyone in public because Russians will see this as suspicious are can cause jealousy (Gorrill, 2007). INDIA India. Known as the Republic of India, is the seventh largest country in the world with a population of 1,210,193,422 according to the 2011 Census. It is the most populous democracy and second-most populous country in the world. India is considered a newly industrialized country and is one of the fastest-growing major economies. It has the third-largest standing army in the world. The climate in India is largely influenced by the Himalayan Mountains and the Thar Desert. These both cause winter and summer monsoons. There are four major climates in India which are tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid, and montane (India, 2012). I NDIA’S CULTURE AND VALUES The Indian’s have a unique culture. Different states have different languages with the main one being Hindi. Two other main languages are Urdu, and Bengali. India’s culture is based on an hierarchy with the tradition of the caste system. All relationships involve hierarchies such as schools. A teacher is known as a guru and is known as the person with all of the knowledge. At home the father in considered the leader of the family. In the business world the boss is seen as the person responsible for the business. As far as family, people are defined by groups rather than individuals. These groups can range from being part of a region, state, family, career path, etc. This extended family creates a numerous amount of rules, structures, and interrelationships. In the Indian culture, people do not like to say â€Å"no†. Instead if something was not available they would tell a person what they would want to hear. If a person asks for something, the Indians must do wha t is asked and if not, they would be considered rude (India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d.). As far as food goes, rice is the main food in India. Like the United States where there are people who eat meat and who are vegetarian, it is very similar in India but based on the cast system. Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Christians all eat meat except pork, besides the Christians. When in the lower-caste, Hindus eat meat except for beef. Members in the higher castes are vegetarians. Every caste, tribe, town, village, and religion has a variety of traditional ceremonies, mostly religious based that are observed with enthusiasm and wide participation. India’s government is a liberal democratic federal government and is the largest democracy in the world. The country is divided into twenty eight based states for administrative purposes. The central government also administers seven small â€Å"Union Territories†(Culture of India, n.d.). There are many different values that India holds. The main religions in India are Hindu, which makes up of 81.3% and Muslim which is 12% of the country. This is one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. There are thousands of rituals and millions of shrines, temples, and other holy places. Hindus have a large pilgrimage temples where Muslims visit tombs of saints. Most Hindus believe in reincarnation when one dies so when a person rebirths they can go into a new caste system. Hindus are usually cremated instead of buried. When Indians get married most of the marriages are arranged. Marriages that are not arranged are looked down upon. When people are to meet in India, the eldest person should be greeted first since they have an hierarchical structure. When leaving, each person individually must be given a farewell. More educated people who deal with westerners shake hands. Men shake hands with other men and women shake hands with other women. A handshake between and man and a women tend to be uncommon due to their religious beliefs. INDIA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE When doing business in India is it smart to make an appointment at least a month or two ahead of time by letter. Business appointments should be made in the late morning or early afternoon between eleven and four. When meeting for the first time it is possible for business not to be discussed at all since meetings start with getting to know people. When a decision is made, it is made by the person with the most authority. When talking to a person who does not have a professional title they should have to title of â€Å"Madam†or â€Å"Sir†. When exchanging business cards, it should be done after the initial handshake. The university or degree earned should be stated on the business card and should be given and received with the right hand only. When giving a business card it should also be in the position where it is readable as its handed to the recipient. The business dress code is conservative. Men should wear business suits that are dark colors and women should wear suits or dresses. If business is done in a hotter part of the country the dress code is less formal. One should always remain polite and honest at all times to prove sincerity and politeness. Never be aggressive during business negotiations because this can show disrespect. When offered a drink or food during a business meeting it should always be accepted. If not, it is considered offensive (Gorrill, 2007). CHINA China is the second largest economy in the world and is the fastest growing market economy. It is also the world’s most populous country. As of 2001, China has a population of about 1,347,350,000 with an annual growth in GDP of 9.5%. China’s success has been primarily due to manufacturing as a low-cost producer. This is attributed to a combination of cheap labor, good infrastructure, relatively high productivity, favorable government policy, and a possibly undervalued exchange rate. China’s climate is made up of dry seasons and wet monsoons. In winter the temperature is cold and dry whereas the summer it is warm and moist. Since China has such a complex topography, the climate ranges region to region. Recently there have been problems in Chine with pollution and environment deterioration due to the high population (China, 2012). CHINA’S CULTURE AND VALUES Chinese is the official language in China. The social structure is formal and hierarchical. There is a hierarchical class system supported by the Confucian philosophy. At the top of the system there are scholars followed by farmers, artisans, and at the bottom merchants and soldiers. Rice is the main food of China. Grain is grown where the climate is too hot to grow rice. Breakfast consists of noodles or wheat bread or rice with porridge served with shrimp, vegetables, and pickles. Lunch is closely related to breakfast. Dinner is the largest meal of the day which always includes soup being the last course. If there is a special occasion or family gathering, there will be elaborate meals. For the mid autumn festival, known as the Moon Festival, , â€Å"moon cakes†are served which are baked pastries filled with ground sesame and lotus seeds. Business occasions are usually at restaurants that consist of ten or more courses. China is a communist state. The president is elected by the National People’s Congress for a five year term. The NPC had duties to write laws, delegate authority, and supervise other parts of the government. The Chinese Communist Party is the only political party and controls either other small parties (Culture of China, n.d.). Since China is a communist state, majority of the country is atheist. Twenty percent of the population practice Confucianism and Taoism. Taoist temples consist of a courtyard, a main hall with an alter, and small shrines. Worships take the form of mediation or physical exercise. China has the one child only rule due to the high population it holds. In rural areas, families are allowed to have more than one, perhaps two or three. When meeting with the Chinese, many lower their eyes as a sign of respect. When at a large function it is okay to introduce yourself to guests but at small functions it is polite to wait for the host or hostess to introduce you. A Chinese person should always be addressed by the honorific title and surname unless advised otherwise (Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette, n.d). CHINA’S BUSINESS ETIQUETTE In China, Face-to-face meetings in the workplace are an essential step towards making a sale in most business markets. Only when a face-to-face appointment is secured can it be assumed that the enquiry is a serious one. As in the West, Chinese buyers are busy people and prefer for suppliers to visit them at their offices, unless negotiations are at an advanced stage and the client wants to visit the supplier’s production facilities to look at the scale of the operation. Hierarchical structures of Chinese society and business organizations are based on a strict observation of rank where the individual is subordinate to the organization. People will enter the meeting room in hierarchical order, as the Chinese are very status conscious. Senior members generally lead the negotiations and will direct the discussion. A long-term relationships are considered more valuable then hurried transactions. When exchanging business cards one side should be printed in English and one in Chinese. The card should be presented with both hands and with the Chinese side facing up. When accepting a colleague’s card study it carefully before placing it on the table, never in the back pocket because this is known to be extremely disrespectful. When doing business in China, punctuality is important. As far as business attire, men should wear Conservative with subtle colors. Women should avoid high heels and short sleeved blouses. The Chinese frown on women who display too much. Subtle, neutral colors should be worn by both men and women. There are many do’s and do not’s when doing business in China. One must always maintain eye contact. If this is not done one will be considered untrustworthy. The Chinese counterpart should always initiate the formal greeting. One should always address the counterpart by their title and last name. If they do not have a title use â€Å"Mr.†or â€Å"Madam†. One should never point when speaking as this is considered rude. When being offered food or a beverage, always wait until the host starts. Business should never be discussed when eating or drinking. It is also advised to not use large hand gesture since they are considered distracting to the listener. CONCLUSION To conclude, the BRIC countries have grown rapidly in the past decade with their success in industrialization and trading. Since there is such an rapid growth in business moving into these countries, if a business wants to be successful they need to know the specific practices and beliefs. Going into a country to do business without knowledge of the country’s culture and values will end up turning a business back to where they came from and end up being unsuccessful. Therefore, a business needs to obtain background information and knowledge of the different business ethics for success. REFERENCE Brazil (2012, November 14). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/br.html Brazil – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html China (2012, November 21). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html China Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners (n.d.). In Cyborlink. Retrieved December 3, 2012, from http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/china.htm Culture of China (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/China.html Culture of Brazil (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Brazil.html Culture of India (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/India.html Culture of Russia (n.d.). In Every Culture. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Russia.html Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in China: Chinese Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20China.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in India: Indian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20India.pdf Gorrill J. (2007). Doing Business in Russia: Russian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing %20Business%20in%20Russia.pdf Hong Kong – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/hongkong-country-profile.html India (2012, November 26). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html India – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-profile.html Malinak, C. (2007). Doing Business in Brazil: Brazilian Social and Business Culture. In Communicaid. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Brazil.pdf Russia (2012, December 4). In Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved December 4, 2012, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html Russia – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette (n.d.). In Kwintessential Ltd.. Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/russia-country-profile.html The Umbanda religion – Brazilian spirituality (n.d.). In Whatafy. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://whatafy.com/the-umbanda-religion-braxilian-spirituality.html Vernengo, M. (2010, March 29). Brazil: Latin America’s Big Success Story?. In
Friday, September 27, 2019
Chick Corea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Chick Corea - Essay Example Use of accompaniment developed in the jazz music such as ornaments are used, as the performer primary goal is to play a composition as it was written. Armando Anthony who was known as â€Å"Chick Corea†was a renowned jazz musician who tirelessly composed hits of the jazz fusion and pianist. (Ward, 2005 )As a member of Miles Davis band in the 60s, he was a vigorous participant in the electric jazz fusion movement. He was a collaborator with other musician as he took the chance to explore various musical styles with musicians such as the Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Keith Jarrett. He developed his talent of playing the piano as he tried to explore music of his own; musicians of Jazz fusion at his young age influenced him examples of stars like Dizzy Gillespie and Horace Silver. He build his career by studying musical education in New York. He took a profound stylistic turn from Avant garde playing at a crossover jazz fusion that incorporated Latin jazz elements that build h is relations with other artist in the jazz fusion industry. As a pianist he played the tune, stated the melody, and played the tune all the way through with his long solos. His accompaniments he used to make his song appealing that made people more excited and the audience loved it as they applauded him. (Weatherford, 2008) His work was known, as musicians would sing his compositions. (Weatherford, 2008) Chick Corie started composing Piano concerts and adapted a signature piece that he performed in Spain for a full symphony orchestra. In the late 8os, Corea joined forces with other young musician such as John Patitucci who was then known as Bass this made corea realized that the use of instruments led to opening new possibilities with labels that resulted to series of tours and recordings. The... "Chick Corea" outlines creative activity of talented jazz musician Armando Anthony. He build his career by studying musical education in New York. He took a profound stylistic turn from Avant garde playing at a crossover jazz fusion that incorporated Latin jazz elements that build his relations with other artist in the jazz fusion industry. As a pianist he played the tune, stated the melody, and played the tune all the way through with his long solos. His accompaniments he used to make his song appealing that made people more excited and the audience loved it as they applauded him. (Weatherford, 2008) His work was known, as musicians would sing his compositions. (Weatherford, 2008) Chick Corie started composing Piano concerts and adapted a signature piece that he performed in Spain for a full symphony orchestra. In the late 8os, Corea joined forces with other young musician such as John Patitucci who was then known as Bass this made corea realized that the use of instruments led to opening new possibilities with labels that resulted to series of tours and recordings. The characteristics that Corea mostly used which were aspects of Jazz improvisation was to create an interesting melodic lines which were as a result of repetition in the harmonic structure this led to overlapping of the melodic and harmonic elements in his composition. Core often preferred Lydian and altered scale that added which added tension to the improvised line that he composed making them colorful to listen.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Prison violence overlook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Prison violence overlook - Essay Example Ones downward march to destruction and negativity can be replaced by an upward march to construction and positivity. Robert J Meadows writes, . â€Å".....violence results from many factors, including but not limited to mental illness, racism, poverty, gangs, drugs, availability of guns, biomedical problems, media influences and family relatives.†(p.3) Everyone has the right to become a worthy individual and the proud citizen of his country in particular and the world at large. The prime questions are, what sort of circumstances and mind-set pushes one on to the track of self and societal destruction? How self-reformation is possible? The managers of the society own the responsibility to open the door to a new realm, a new direction and provide a new lease of life to those who have been entangled in the web of crime. The causes due to which they took to the path of crimes are many-fold. Throwing light upon this aspect Meadow opines, â€Å"Those who are poor or disenfranchised turn to violence because it is a means to an end. That is to say, society expects everyone to be winners, but not everyone has the same economic opportunity.†(p.4) An intensely shattered personality lies with the four walls of the prison and his/her psyche needs constant care. The criminals have great potentialities. They are gutsy individuals. In the absence of proper channelizing of their abilities, they have moved to the wrong track. But if checked and guided well in time,they can become good leaders. Their capacity for hard work is immense and there is something special in them. Upon release or acquittal, one has to restart and rebuild life amidst a society that will not willingly allow the process of assimilation easily. Whether guilty or guilty, the prison stamp shall remain forever on the individual. For the hardcore criminals, prison is the place to plan the next bout of criminal activities, once they are out of the prison. This is the
Urban Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Urban Health - Essay Example The number of cases also exceeds to countries like Eritrea and Gambia (Abernethy 2013, n.p.).According to these mentioned statistics, tuberculosis is an urban health issue which has to be prevented. To elaborate on the effect of TB and why it has grown into an urban health issue, this study text will highlight the emerging TB issue in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom. The discussion will argue on the perspective that immigrant populations contribute to its increase, as is observed in the New Ham region of the London Borough. Tuberculosis in Newham is at an alarmingly high rate (Howes 2013, p.136). The following study text will critically examine the prevalence of tuberculosis within Newham in comparison to other boroughs within the UK. The paper will discuss the situation of the area of New Ham, East London and see that are the causes of increasing number of tuberculosis cases. In its conclusion, the study will also provide some potential recommendations to deal with the issue which will help in the fight against tuberculosis in the said region. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014, n.p.),Tuberculosis is caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. As is popularly known, it affects mostly the lungs and other organs such as the lymphatic system, the circulatory system and to an extent the central nervous system (NHS 2014, n.p.). The lymph nodes surrounding the lungs and heart become enlarged, as is the case with all other lymph nodes in an effort to curb the spread of the disease to the entire body (On Health 2014, n.p.). Upon realizing this threat, the body’s immune system reacts by forming scar fibrosis or tissue around the bacteria. If by any chance the bacteria bypass the fibrosis, the disease is reactivated and the pneumonia re-emerges. What follows is damage to bones, kidneys, and the meninges lining the brain and spinal cord. There are two categories of TB. Latent tuberculosis means that
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Texas basic trial courts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Texas basic trial courts - Assignment Example The Supreme Court of Texas, is the final appellate jurisdiction in civil and small cases that issues writs. It has overall duties in Texas court system. Supreme Court has powers to implement essential regulations of civil trial practice, procedure, verification, appellate proceedings and publish rules of administration in the State. The Supreme Court has one Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices who serve for six years (Brandon, Quarles and Mathew 2003). Court of Criminals Appeals is Texas’ criminal counterpart of Supreme Court. It constitutes of nine judges who are elected and appointed as justices of the Supreme Court. During the hearing of cases, the Court of Criminal Appeals sit in panels of three judges, of which two must agree on a conclusion. The Court of Appeals in Texas have intermediate jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases in each geographic Courts of Appeal District in the state. They have limited writ authority. The court of Appeals is divided into fourteen districts with one chief and two to twelve justices. Three justices may sit in a panel during case hearing and majority must agree on the decision (Berry, Goldman and Janda 2008). In District Courts, civil and criminal cases in Texas originated in this level. Both are considered Courts trial of General Jurisdiction. They handle small cases, felony criminal maters, and civil actions over 200 dollars, divorces and title actions. County –level Courts in Texas, is a trial Court with limited jurisdiction. Constitutional County Courts have jurisdiction of fines greater than 500 dollars or jail sentence. Civil matters between 200 dollars and 5000 dollars, and appeals from Municipal are also handled. County Courts have control over civil cases under 10,000 dollars and partial control over criminal matters and Municipal Courts (May, 1996). Municipal Courts
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Art and El Anatsui Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Art and El Anatsui - Research Paper Example This is an artwork incorporating a collection of aluminum plates together with copper wires. Anatsui is determined to challenge the stereotype of metal being a solid, inflexible medium and to a certain extent portray it to be a soft, pliant and almost sumptuous material which is capable of attaining vast dimensions and being modified to precise spaces. The forms created by Anatsui are layered with implications that reach far beyond the physical characteristics of his choice of materials. As showed in this eight-foot-tall figure of an oversized wastepaper pack, Anatsui makes an outright proclamation about the climbing issue of waste change in third planet countries which have restricted reusing proficiencies. This artwork also interprets upon the frequent not reusable nature of human life in a rather subtle way. Comprising of trashed printing plates which were used for obituary pages in newspapers, the portrayed images with their death announcements remind people of the incessant scou rge of illness, corruption and maltreatment in a nation which has been struggling with the long-term aftermath, which is attributed to the effects of colonialism high illiteracy levels which has caused underdevelopment and corruption.This is an artwork incorporating a collection of aluminum plates together with copper wires. Anatsui is determined to challenge the stereotype of metal being a solid, inflexible medium and to a certain extent portray it to be a soft, pliant and almost sumptuous material which is capable of attaining vast dimensions... It is only after close up scrutiny that someone is able to know that the sculptures are made from discarded materials like in this wastepaper bag, which comprises of trashed printing plates. There are other artworks where he has used flattened tins, tops and liquor bottle wrappers (Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute 17). Through his artwork, El Anatsui guides his audience to reflect the social and economic account of West Africa’s past, consumerism, and garbage, as woven into fine-looking sculptures. The lesson from this artwork is that students can craft their own drapery as a response to Anatsui's art, incorporating African kente to find out rhythm and pattern in art. Waste materials can be recycled for use which in this artwork of wastepaper bag, it included folded papers and labels. It is the use of craft sticks which are then glued to a burlap background which gives the piece its firmness and dimension, enabling it to hang as a sculptural â€Å"Gawu†(Sterli ng and Francine Clark Art Institute 21). Although Anatsui has also worked using a variety of other mediums such as the wastepaper bag which was made of paper, he is however best known for his shimmering metal sculptures which he makes from several thousand liquor bottle tops of West African origin. This is one of the most renowned art works of El Anatsui. This wonderful piece of art work gives an insider's view of Anatsui’s practice of art. It took ingenious steps coupled with thousands of hours of labor. This is what converted the recycled waste bottle tops into the big, magnificent wall hangings. This artwork is a marriage of painting and sculpture; it is an object which speaks of African history as well as for the ethereal. This art piece or art work is very descriptive, and gives the audience
Monday, September 23, 2019
Hospitality Industry Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Hospitality Industry Marketing - Research Paper Example Through successful marketing, the leaders of the hospitality industries can find ways to please their clients hence; they can be in a better position to compete in the marketplace. All hospitality industries should make sure all their employee have done marketing courses, since it will help them to conduct marketing researches and analysis, which are an essential tools for the development of strategies for an organization. For the success of every hospitality industry, understanding how to make analysis, and developing planned strategy based on marketing research is very important. In addition to understanding the ways of satisfying their customers through marketing, the hospitality industries can also develop skills necessary for handling of their competitors. Moreover, marketing can help the industries make important decisions that will affect them positively. For this reason, it is vital to examine case studies. Those who work in the marketing departments within the hospitality in dustries have to collect information, about their customers’ behaviors. Furthermore, they should study their competitors by using the marketing research strategically. Additionally, studying marketing can enable one to know how people have solved marketing issues in the past, and this can take an organization to another level. Marketing enables an organization to know the useful ideas by studying the customers’ reactions. ... If one has some knowledge about marketing in the hospitality industries, it is recommended to develop the skills further, by taking some of specialized marketing courses, to enable them to work in any organization. Generally, it is vital to understand the importance of marketing. For people working at the hospitality businesses, they have seen the importance of having the marketing skills. If an organization has the best marketing ideas, it can be successful at satisfying its customers (Barrows & Powers, 164). Marketing processes used to attract the potential customers to a hotel For a successful marketing, an organization has to develop a sound marketing plan. An organization’s marketing strategies are the ones that differentiate it from its competitors. Therefore, for a Company to win its customers, it has to have good marketing strategies. Marketing is not just about selling what is produced, but it involves making a choice on what should be produced, and ways that the prod ucts will be sold. Marketing should be customer oriented rather that production oriented. For an organization to attract more customer than its competitors, it has to follow the following marketing process (Barrows & Powers, 164). First, the organization should know markets and market segments which when served; they can generate more profits. To do this, there has to be thorough marketing research methods from statistical analysis, to the observation of the current and prospective customers. The organizations should do this in order to understand the needs of different marketing segments, and the extent to which these needs are not being met currently. This therefore, requires that the products or services
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Speech of David foster wallace Essay Example for Free
Speech of David foster wallace Essay The speech, was written by David Foster Wallace, and it was delivered to the graduating class of 2005 at Kenyon College. Wallace talked about the real importance of having a degree that it is more than â€Å"just a material payoff†. He also tells the students that a liberal arts education is all about â€Å"teaching you how to think†. This means that it is all about having the choice of what we can think about. He talks about the real values of an education. It is more than the knowledge we learn but more about simple awareness. Wallace goes on with saying that learning how to think also come with becoming less arrogant to the different people around us. As humans, we tend to be very self-centered in everything we do. Wallace says that we need to learn to adjust our â€Å"natural default setting†to become less self-centered. Read more: David foster wallace good people essay I agree with a lot of what Wallace said in his speech. I think that earning a degree should definitely be more than how much money you will make. It should be about what it means to you as a person. Education is more than just learning information to get by in school and to graduate. It is about learning about yourself and who you as a person and I think that is what college does for people. Wallace is right in saying that knowledge is about the simple awareness and becoming less arrogant. I think that people do think that they are the center of the universe. This way of thought makes a person think they are the most important and that they are right all the time which is not true. Knowledge really is power because it does help people become less self-centered like Wallace states.
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Human Resource Management And Equal Opportunities Commerce Essay
Human Resource Management And Equal Opportunities Commerce Essay Within an organisation, the management is a process of five fundamental functions, planning, controlling, organising, staffing and leading. Human Resource management (HRM) is the planned and logical approach to the management of an organisation especially in regards to its assets for example the staffs who independently contributes to the achievement of the business objectives. HRM is also the function that concentrates on the policies and practices that need to be carried out within the organisation, including recruiting screening, training, rewarding, and appraising and other such activities. Having HRM in a business is very essential and there are many reasons why it is important. If there is not an effective process of human resource management within an organisation there is a chance that many things that are not useful for the organisation could occur such as hiring an unsuitable person for the job, workers not doing their best, business time wasted with useless interviews and experiencing legal and labour issues. On the other hand, a good HRM system would allow the organisation to experience high turnover and give the organisation support in achieving good outcomes. HRM is a method of getting individuals and organisations together so that the goals and objectives of each are accomplished. There are a variety of characteristics of HRM which include it being present in all enterprises, it also focuses on results rather than on rules and policies and it tries to assist workers to fully develop their working potential. HRM also encourages workers to give their best to th e organisation and produce good results and it also helps an organisation meet its aims by building and maintaining good relations with people working at different levels in the organisation. In commercial organisations and businesses, the HRM is influenced by many different factors which also affect its strategy. These include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Size of the workforce and arrangement à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increasing expectations of employees à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Radical modifications in technology and life-style à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Environmental challenges à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Impact of new economic policies and political ideologies of the Government à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Existing culture in the organisation There are four common objectives of HRM: Societal objective: To be socially responsible for the needs and challenges of the society. Organizational objective: To recognize HRM exists to contribute to organizational effectiveness. Simply stated the department exists to serve the rest of the organization. Functional objective: to maintain the departments contribution at a level appropriate with the organizations needs. Resources are wasted when HR department is more or less sophisticated. Personal objective: To assist employees in achieving their personal goals, personal objectives of employees must be given importance in order to retain, maintain and motivate them. Literature review Under the Equality Act 2010 it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you because of your sex (DirectGov 2011). Men and women in the same employment have the right to equal pay for work of the same value. Define equal opportunities (200) Equal opportunity is a standard of non-discrimination which highlights the opportunities in education, employment and benefits, and also in other areas which should be freely available to all citizens in regards to their age, race, sex, religion, ethnic origin, or any other individual or group characteristic which is not related to ability, performance, and qualification. The right to equal opportunities is one that is given evenly to all. Since the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, there have been many issues raised of equal opportunities in the workplace for women. Equal opportunities is concerned with keeping within the law and ensuring that all personnel decisions concerning pay, recruitment and promotion are based only on an individuals ability to do their job well. This is achieved by pre-empting discrimination through a systematic policy approach to all aspects of personnel activities. Diversity is a more wide-reaching approach to equal opportunities work. It incorporates the princ iple that all workers should receive equal rights but, rather than ignoring the differences between people in terms of their gender and race, this diversity should be recognised and respected. By valuing the varying qualities that different workers bring to their job and organisation, managers may create an environment where everyone feels valued for their individual talents, and where his or her skills and competencies are fully utilised.Unleashing all employees full potential benefits the bottom line. Why it is important? Business are nowadays more interested in equal opportunities because it allows businesses to gain benefits. People are more attracted to businesses that have equal opportunities in place and have same policies in place for males and females. Over the past decades, gender inequalities has been an issue in the management system of organisations. This means that all employees are treated with fairness and respect in that they are not subject to discrimination or harassment in the workplace.Equal Opportunity is an outcome, not just a process. It is also very important to have equal opportunities set in the management of business as it attracts more clients, more customers and in turn more sales.  Factors that affect equal opportunities : Small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and family businesses do not really take into account equal opportunities. On the other hand, large organisations value the human resources system and equal opportunities very much and it is essential for the daily running of their business. Define managing diversity : Managing diversity effectively follows on from, and expands on, equal opportunities. Diversity may be defined as the presence of differences among members of a social unit. Embracing diversity brings to an organisation a wide range of experience, ideas and creativity whilst giving the individual employee a feeling of being enabled to work to their full potential. Managing diversity means establishing a heterogeneous workforce to carry out its potential in an reasonable work environment where no member or group of members has an advantage or a disadvantage (Torres and Bruxelles, 1992). The focus of the workforce diversity issue has diverged from equal employment opportunities to effectively managing workforce diversity as an organisational essential. Managers should be able to bind the issues of managing cultural differences to the needs of the business and be well rooted in business issues, goals and results. Managing the diversity in an organisation should be considered by managers as an opportunity to serve the requirements of customers better and also to influence new markets. By valuing and managing different workers, it is possible to enhance flexibility, creativity and quick response to change. Why is it important : Companies that manage diversity among their employees can get the most benefit out of each employees unique talents, experiences, insight and creativity. The successful management of workplace diversity reflects positively on a company. Many customers choose to do business with companies that are fair in both their hiring and promotional procedures. The companies that properly manage diversity within their organization can increase their chances of doing business with more diverse vendors and partners, even on an international level. Managing diversity means acknowledging peoples differences and recognizing these differences as valuable; it enhances good management practices by preventing discrimination and promoting inclusiveness. Good management alone will not necessarily help you work effectively with a diverse workforce. What problems women face in business especially management : Much as the public and business people would like it otherwise, women are still facing obstacles that men are not. Yes, they have made progress, but theres a lot more to be done before they can drop the phrase special challenges. Women have always taken part in the work force but have traditionally worked in lower-status jobs or at pay rates which are lower than men. For one point to consider, women are still working less than our male counterparts in management due to the male dominated. In a Boston Globe article titled, Gap shrinking, but women still working for less/Study cites gains; disparity lingers, 3/4/04, staff writer, Diane E. Lewis refers to a new study presented at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston the previous day. She states, The pay gap between young men and women is smaller than its ever been, but women still face an uphill climb in the workplace. How equal opportunities overcome women problems in organisations : With equal opportunies in place women are being treated fairly and equally. It also eliminates discrimination and encourages consultation between employers and employees on any issues. Women have the right to work regardless of their colour, race, age or disability. There is no difference in pay or promotion. They are being treated the same. How managing diversity in HR overcomes women problems : Managing diversity is about valuing differences. Women are treated with dignity and allowed to perform to their level of ability. From the organisation perspective it means improved effectiveness and efficiency. Conclusion In summary, the management process within an organisation consists of five fundamental functions which are planning, controlling, organising, staffing and leading. To make management more effective and more directive in terms of the organisations workforce, human resource management is introduced into the organisation. HRM is the function that involves things such as recruiting, screening and policies.
Friday, September 20, 2019
The Role of the Central Bank in Stabilizing the Economy Essay -- monet
Monetary Policy Monetary policy is divided into two categories, contractionary monetary policy and expansionary monetary policy. Contractionary monetary policy is a policy that reduces the money supply and increases interest rate. It aims to slow down economic growth in order to prevent or slow down inflation. Expansionary monetary policy is a policy that lowers interest rate and increases money supply. It aims to stimulate economic growth and to pull the country out of recession. There are different tools of monetary policy such as Open Market Operations, Discount Rate and Reserve Requirements. The Open Market Operations are one of the major tools in monetary policy. It involves buying and selling bonds to regulate money supply in the country’s economy. In term of expansionary monetary policy, the central bank increases the money supply by buying bonds from commercial banks, and then the funds are increased and the commercial banks can use as loans to public. When there are more cash in the bank, the interest rates will be decreased and this promotes economic growth. In term of contractionary monetary policy, the money supply reduces as the central bank sells bonds to the commercial banks, the short term interest rate of banks increases and therefore it slows down the economic growth. Discount Rate is the interest rate that commercial banks pay to borrow funds from central bank (U.S. Department of State, n.d.). This works when the public deposit money into commercial banks; commercial banks also deposit money into the central bank. At the same time, the central bank lends money to commercial banks and commercial banks lend money to the public. When there is inflation, the contractionary monetary policy is applied. The c... ... [6 March 2014] Tutor2u, n.d., limitations of gdp when measuring living standards, available from http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/livingstandards/limitations_of_gdp.htm [5 March 2014] U.S. Department of State, n.d., Bank Reserves and the Discount Rate, available from http://economics.about.com/od/monetaryandfiscalpolicy/a/bank_reserves.htm [3 March 2014] Weil, n.d., Fiscal Policy, available from http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/FiscalPolicy.html [4 March 2014] Workshop on Fiscal Policy IMF, 2009, The Effectiveness of Automatic Stabilizers, available from https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=16&cad=rja&ved=0CEkQFjAFOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imf.org%2Fexternal%2Fnp%2Fseminars%2Feng%2F2009%2Ffispol%2Fpdf%2Ffatas.ppt&ei=c_4VU-j6NI6AhAf0lYCQDw&usg=AFQjCNHGi-hdnMfsvPmWfdpw6j9cisYLkQ&bvm=bv.62286460,d.ZGU [4 March 2014]
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Bird Imagery in Jane Eyre Essay example -- Jane Eyre Essays
In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte uses many types of imagery to provide understanding of the characters and also to express reoccurring themes in the novel. Through bird imagery specifically, we are able to see Jane develop from a small, unhappy child into a mature and satisfied young woman. "The familiarity and transcendence of birds have given them a wider range of meaning and symbol in literature than any other animal. The resemblance of their activities to common patterns of human behavior makes them exceptionally suitable for anthropomorphic imagery that links man to the common forms of nature" (Lutwack xii). Through the use of birds such as doves and sparrows Bronte enables the audience to gain insight into the type of person that Jane is, caring, selfless, and independent. It also allows the reader to see what type of person Mr. Rochester is, strong and controlling, by comparing him to eagles and cormorants. The connotations involved with the specific birds mentioned in Jane Eyre allow the reader to become aware of the distinct traits the characters possess and certain reoccurring themes presented in the novel. Bronte allows the reader to see the loneliness that Jane is experiencing at Gateshead Hall, by showing the relationship between her and birds. Dismissed from conversation with Mrs. Reed and the Reed children Jane retreats to a window seat and disappears into her own imaginative world with Thomas Bewick’s History of British Birds. She is concerned more with the illustrations than the text, she states "the letter-press I cared little for, generally speaking" (20; ch. 1). Through these illustrations, Jane is able to relate to the feeling of solitude expressed by the pictures. One drawing in particular that Jane observe... ...round Europe. Rochester, who is likened to birds of prey, seems to fit the description of these birds well. Being ravenous and preying on others is something that Rochester continually does during the novel, and this helps exemplify his dark character. By utilizing these specific connotations that particular birds carry with them the reader is better able to comprehend the traits of Jane and Rochester. Works Cited Bewick, Thomas. History of British Birds. Newcastle: Beilby, 1797. Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Beth Newman. Boston: St. Martin’s, 1996. Lutwack, Leonard. Birds in Literature. Gainesville: Up of Florida, 1994. Renfroe, Alicia. "Prometheus Unplugged." 1996. <http://prometheus.cc.emory.edu/panels/2D/A.Renfroe.html> (25 March 2011). Rowland, Beryl. Birds With Human Souls, A Guide to Bird Symbolism. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 1978. Â
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Fortinbras, Laertes and Horatio, as Foils to Hamlet Essay -- GCSE Cour
Fortinbras, Laertes and Horatio, as Foils to Hamlet         "What a piece of work is a man!" (II, 2, 305). In his statement Prince Hamlet, in his role as the star character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, acknowledges the complexity of man; as "infinite in faculties. . . express and admirable. . . like an angel [or] like a god. . . and yet. . . [a] quintessence of dust" (II, 2, 307) is man described. Shakespeare emphasizes the observation by casting Hamlet as "a man," exposing his strengths and weaknesses through the contrast provided by Fortinbras, Laertes and Horatio, as foils to the tragic hero.            At his first appearance, young Fortinbras is shown to be inferior to Hamlet; being "of unimproved metal, hot and full" (I, 1, 96) unreasonably "[sharking] up a list of landless resolutes" (I, 1, 98), he is in sharp contrast to the "sweet and commendable" (I, 2, 87) Hamlet introduced in the next scene. As the play develops, however, Hamlet's weakness are highlighted as Fortinbras works to earn his name, "which seems to symbolize the strong arm of the soldier" (xxvii). Fortinbras' uncomplicated, simple-minded determination towards final revenge of this father's death contrasts with Hamlet's intermittent efforts towards the same goal. The Norwegian's first appearance in the play, which does not occur until act IV, scene 4, is conveniently placed as Hamlet is on another of his "lows." Fortinbras' triumphant and majestic entry into Denmark evidences his ability to plan and act, circumventing obstacles in his plan as they arise, which contrasts with Hamlet's inability to do the same. Hamlet condemns himself and exposes one of his weaknesses -- his inability to act when required or possible -- by questioning "Wh... ... the deadly duel in the final scene. The scholar's strong code of honour and ethics, which pushes him to commit suicide at Hamlet's death, contrasts with Hamlet's lack of morals, sending his old acquaintances Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths in England and mercilessly "wringing [his mother's] heart" (III, 4, 35) during the closet scene.            By exposing and emphasizing Hamlet's many strengths and weaknesses as they appear throughout the play, Fortinbras, Laertes and Horatio act as foils to the tragic hero. Although they assist in the understanding of Hamlet, they do not completely dissect the inner workings of the main character, thus testifying to the complexity of an individual. Indeed, what a piece of work is a man!  Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Betty Bealy. Toronto: Canadian School Book Exchange, 1996. Â
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Memory Keepers Daughter Literary Analysis Essay
Kim Edwards shows through the whole book that we are only human, the themes that life is beyond our control and through the connection between suffering and joy. Edwards uses plot to set up a sort of life schedule. It goes in order into the future but occasionally skips years ahead. She also cleverly sets the book up so that each year, or â€Å"chapter†has both sides of the story, that of Caroline who is raising Phoebe and then the life of Norah and David raising their son Paul. As the book starts off it is that of a happy tone with Norah giving birth and then leading to a depressing and melancholy tone as Dr. Henry lies to his wife telling her that their daughter has died, to save her from the pain of their daughter having down syndrome. Norah gains more and more depression as the years go on, always wondering â€Å"what if†. With all the depression going on in the story line of Norah there is a gain of strength in Caroline’s story line as she raises Phoebe. This shows the theme of suffering and joy. The idea that even though the character is suffering they are the one with the most joy. Norah Henry has it all: the doctor husband, money and a healthy son but still wants what she never had; her daughter. Caroline has struggled with at first the decision to keep Phoebe and raise her as her own, then struggling with actually raising this baby girl with down syndrome alone and with no one, but she is joyful in the book never having the depression that plagues Norah and her marriage with David Henry. When Caroline finally sees David 18 years later, she says: â€Å"You missed a lot of heartache, sure. But David, you missed a lot of joy†. In the theme that life is beyond our control the author Kim Edwards has the book move through the years rapidly and at a fast pace in order to demonstrate how life flys by. Throughout the book Edwards uses photography as a metaphor showing the character David’s growing obsession with taking photographs as a desperate attempt to make time stand still: â€Å"Photo after photo, as if he could stop time or make an image powerful nough to obscure the moment when he turned and handed his daughter to Caroline Gill†. Life may also feel as it is out of their control with there being a constant aura of uncertainty or â€Å"what if†quality. That being said, the characters in the end will always wonder what life would have been like if David had never given his daughter away, but find it exhausting to wonder once they are brought together in the end after the death of David. As Paul reflects at the end of the novel: â€Å"His mother was right; he could never know what might have happened. All he had were the facts†. Life was also seeming to be out of anyone’s control with the struggle of the melancholy tone through the novel with Norah becoming more and more depressed becoming that of a drinker in Paul’s young life and then being so unhappy with her marriage with David for him being so distant that she has an affair with a man while she is on a trip to Aruba with her job. Even with the tone the author seems to have it progress in a rapid fashion just as the years fly by in the story line. Life is inevitable, people make mistakes, and the mistakes people make have great impact and effect not only them, but the people around them; just as David Henry’s mistake haunted his life and tormented that of his wife’s. In day to day life there are always the people that make mistakes with good intentions. The authors point wasn’t to completely make David the antagonist in the story but yet he was that one person who’s mistake was made with half hearted good intentions, he wanted to spare his doting wife the pain of having to raise one child with down syndrome, he didn’t want her to think that it was her fault in anyway. David just wanted the problem to go away not fully realizing that the problem wasn’t his daughter it was him having to deal with his own past. David Henry’s sister died at the young age of twelve and she had down syndrome as well, it is really sad that this character couldn’t deal with his own past so much that he ruined his present and his future. He knew the pain that his sister having down syndrome had left on him and her death that not only was he trying to spare his wife the pain of having a daughter with down syndrome but yet the author was trying to convey to the reader that he also did it to protect his son from it as well. Norah becomes the character you feel bad for not a protagonist but yet just that good character who’s life unfolding before her is the result of decisions from those around her. She is constantly depressed from thinking she lost her daughter, then she is also gaining more and more eternal sadness with her husband not letting her gain any sort of closure with this or even to simply tell her the truth of his actions and what he had done. The relationship between Norah and David grows further and further apart with him setting himself more distant from her as time goes on due to his guilty conscious eating away at him. Then on a happy note you have Caroline, she turned her whole life around for the life choices of David and that of herself. She raises Phoebe alone at first always fighting for more advanced learning abilities for down syndrome, she gains a man in her life named Al who helped her in the very beginning get to shelter when she had decided to keep the baby but then her car wont start in the middle of a blizzard, he becomes her knight in shining armor. Al becomes a big character having sought out Caroline after years and years of that first encounter with her and stays in her life loving and caring for both her and Phoebe, he becomes the father figure Phoebe never got to have. Kim Edwards set up all the right kind of characters for this plot and in every right way to develop the novel. In the end the themes of life being out of our control and the connection between suffering and joy are evident throughout the story. Kim Edwards used immense characterization that helped to develop those following themes with having the right selection of types of characters. The plot definitely has to do with developing the story, for it ties in with the life is out of our control theme having time go by so rapidly demonstrating that life is always constant and never stopping or standing still like a photograph for anyone or anything. Photos represent memories in life, David became enthralled with taking photographs in an effort to make time stop, maybe capture the memory he had when he made the decision to give his daughter away. The metaphor of David and his taking pictures ties into the Title â€Å"the memory keeper’s daughter†for he was the memory keeper, the keeper of the biggest life secret and lie. Kim Edwards made everything tie together with literary elements of metaphor, characterization, and Plot.
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