Middle East case studies: Elixir Technology

1.  Ã‚  Entering the Middle East market through Malaysia is the best alternative at this time. Malaysia has a market not dissimilar with that of the Middle East. Entering Middle East via this option gives the Company an opportunity to partner with a company which has insights on working in a Muslim country. This way, Elixir is not starting with zero knowledge since this entry strategy is a duplication of what it did in Japan. 2.  Ã‚  Elixir develops and sells computer software which includes the stand-alone and the server-side versions of the Elixir Report. These two versions provide business an enterprise-class reporting solution. ER â€Å"was designed for high-performance operation, capable of handling large report generation† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 4). As such, Elixir Report is â€Å"able to accommodate multiple input data source types and provide reports in multiple output formats† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 4). Aside from these benefits, ER can support multilingual reporting and platform independence, and can support mobile devices. The core competencies of Elixir for its ER are: Speed in adopting changes in the environment and technologies into ER’s programs and applications. As a matter of Elixir claims that flexibility is built in into the Company’s spirit   (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). Network with technology vendors. This relationship enables Elixir to rapidly fit its ER into a client’s information system which was sourced from a particular vendor or several vendors. Capacity and capability to localize the Elixir Report into specific customer requirements. This capacity and capability is a result of the unique design of ER which enables Elixir for â€Å"easy modification for accommodating local cultural needs† (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). 3.  As the Company recognized the positive relationship between its understanding of it’s customers’ technology vendors and the efficiency of the sales process, Elixir made developing partnerships with other technology vendors the basis of its â€Å"marketing, sales and distribution strategy† ((O’Neil, 2004, p. 6). Another component of its marketing strategy is stressing that other technology companies translate their products instead of localizing them as what Elixir does (O’Neil, 2004, p. 8). Also, the Company provided for a free trial of the software which can be downloaded from the Company’s Web site (O’Neil, 2004, p. 9). By scaling the software into different versions and selling licensing agreements, Elixir is able to sell ER at a price 50 percent lower than its competitors. This scalability, however, is not a liability in terms of software performance. 4.  Ã‚  Elixir, as to its plan and strategy to expand outside Singapore, has been averagely successful. For example, in its entry into Japan, the Company’s initial marketing strategy – advertising in international magazines – generated low response from Japanese customers. However, this was remedied with the Company’s partnership with GrapeCity which enabled Elixir to bridge cultural gap and language barriers. This same strategy can be used in entering the Middle east market. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yes, based on the facts presented, it is financially beneficial for Lau Shih Hor to take Elixir into the Middle East. I suggest that Lau pursues a distribution partnership with a Malaysian-based company. This company has a better understanding of the Middle East market than Lau which will allow the Company to better localize ER which is one of the product’s competitive advantages. References O’Neil, E. (2004). Elixir Technology – Entry into the Middle East. Ivey Management Services, pp. 1-24.

Portrayal of society in Oedipus the king Essay

People and society have been significant principles in every civilization. We gain power through it, stay on top because of it and are a part of it. In Sophocles’ time people were of great importance for the Greeks, it was the time of the establishment of democracy, the country was governed for and by the people. Antigone was written in France during the German occupation and contains political messages to the people. This essay tends to investigate how society is portrayed in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, and briefly how and for what purpose this is done. The portrayal of society depicts the society in the play, and how that reflects the contemporary society of the author. One way of portraying society in Oedipus the King is through the chorus. In this play the chorus is a group of Theban people who express their ideas and thoughts, and pray to the Gods. By doing this they show how the Theban people react to what happens during the play. In the chorus’ first appearance we see them praying to the gods describing the horrors of the plague. The people of Thebes are suffering and they turn to Zeus, Apollo, Athena and Artemis for deliverance. This shows their strong faith in and devotion to the deities. The second time the chorus appears it is confused about Tiresias’ accusations. In spite of their conviction of the omniscience of the Gods, they decide to stay loyal to their king and not believe the prophecy until they see proof. This shows great loyalty to the king as does the finishing sentence â€Å"Never will I convict my king, never in my heart.†(l. 572) At the end of the ode the chorus is open to both possibilites, that of the deities being wrong and of Oedipus having killed his father. This is although they believe in them and respect them deeply. This demonstrates their open-mindedness and openness to new ideas. Sophocles’ contemporaneous Athenian society is also twined into the story. Oedipus’ character reflects that of the Athenian people. Bernard MacGregor Walke Knox writes1 â€Å"The poet’s language presents him to the audience not as a figure of the mystical past but as one fully contemporary; in fact he is easily recognizable as an epitome of the Athenian character as they themselves conceived it and as their enemies saw it too. One trait after another in the character of Sophocles’ Oedipus corresponds to Athenian qualities praised by Pericles in his Funeral Speech or denounced by the Corinthians in their attack on Athenian imperialism at the progress in Sparta before the war.† He goes on to explain that these characteristics are: being a man of swift and vigorous action, having experience as a result of constant action especially in naval warfare, courage, swiftness and rationality in action and decision, intelligence, adaptability to circumstances, and his dedication to the interests and needs of the city. Knox concludes with â€Å"Oedipus the King is a dramatic embodiment of the creative vigor and intellectual daring of the fifth-century Athenian spirit.† The preoccupations of the Athenians are also reflected in the play. During the fifth century B.C. when Sophocles wrote the play great changes were taking place in Athens. The old respect and attention given to the deities were eroding as the result of the intellectual, social and scientific progress of the time. About this Knox writes â€Å"The figure1 of Oedipus represents not only the techniques of the transition from savagery to civilization and the political achievements of the newly settled society but also the temper and methods of the fifth-century intellectual revolution. His speeches are full of words, phrases and attitudes that link him with the â€Å"enlightenment† of Sophocles’ own Athens.† This change in society is reflected when Oedipus ridicules and offends Tiresias who represents prophecy and spiritual power. In fact Sophocles expresses his conservative ideas by setting up the double irony of the blind man who can see the truth and the future and the seeing man who is blind to his past, present and even to his own identity. As the story goes on we see the proud man who rejected the prophetic power descend to total humiliation and destruction. Knox puts it this way: † The catastrophe of the tragic hero thus becomes the catastrophe of fifth-century man; all his furious energy and intellectual daring drive him on to this terrible discovery of his fundamental ignorance – he is not the measure of all things†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Anouilh wrote a new version of Antigone during World War II. His writing therefore contained political messages against the Vichy government. Most of the depiction of society happens through Creon and not the chorus. They are not Anouilh’s opinions but rather what he thought the Germans and the Vichy government’s view of people. By conveying this to the people he could motivate them to join the resistance. As opposed to Oedipus who loves and cares for his people, Creon does not respect or care about the people he governs. He refers to them as â€Å"the featherheaded rabble I govern† and says that if they â€Å"are to understand what’s what, that stench has got to fill the town for a month!† Clearly he doesn’t think much of their intelligence. He has only taken the position because he thought it would be cowardly not to and he thinks the country is on the brink of destruction. As he himself explains to Antigone he thought â€Å"Someone had to agree to captain the ship. She had sprung a hundred leaks; she was loaded to the water-line with crime, ignorance, poverty. The wheel was swinging with the wind. The crew refused to work and were looting the cargo. The officers were building a raft, ready to slip overboard and desert the ship. The mast was splitting, the wind was howling, the sails were beginning to rip. Every man-jack on board was about to drown – and only because the only thing they thought of was their own skins and their cheap little day-to-day traffic.† In these few lines Creon has called people criminal, ignorant, poor, thieves, lazy, quitters and egocentric. He is also giving a very dark picture of the country when he came in charge. He is implying that the government before him, be it Oedipus causing a plague and Eteocles and Polynices’ civil war or France’s third republic’s failure to deal with the depression, has destroyed the country and he is the one making amendments and restoring order. He describes people as hypocritical and makes them look stupid when describing Eteocles’ funeral. He sarchastically explains how â€Å"schoolchildren emptied their savings-boxes to buy wreathes for him. Old men, orating in quavering, hypocritical voices †¦and every temple priest was present with an appropriate show of sorrow and solemnity in his stupid face.† This also shows that he has no respect for religion or people’s beliefs, earlier he also uses phrases like â€Å"flummery about religious burial†, â€Å"priestly abracadabra†, â€Å"jibber-jabber† and â€Å"dreary bureaucrats†. At one point Antigone exclaims † Animals, eh, Creon! What a king you could be if only men were animals†. This can be Anouilh using Antigone’s voice to say that not all people are animals, but docile and obedient people are. In general one can say that society is portrayed as better in Oedipus the King than in Antigone. Sophocles describes society as loyal, pious, open-minded and Oedipus and the Athenians as active, rational, courageous, intelligent, experienced, good at adapting to new circumstances and compassionate. The only portrayal of society in Antigone, which is through Creon, describes it as criminal, hypocritical, stupid, lazy, self-centred and ignorant. That does not necessarily say anything about the people, but more about the ruler himself. The writers describe two successive generations of the Theban people, but through them write to and about people more than 2000 years apart. 1 Introduction to Oedipus the King in The Three Theban plays, Penguin Classics. Notes by Bernard MacGregor Walke Knox.

The editor's note Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The editor's note - Essay Example She said, â€Å"literally for the first time I read about Arab women in America, things I did not know, figures not exposed to the American media, and the most interesting thing in the magazine, is that youre talking about Arab women social life; not only that but you also have a page for teens, which allows them to write about the problems they face." And here comes another crucial month for us. This month’s issue integrates interesting and varied topics that I am literally in a dilemma as to what I should incorporate in this letter. First of all, let me clarify our choice for the campaign article. In this issue we focused on sensitizing people about cancer and also featured Negma, Egypts second forum, which took place in Boston, American Muslim Union annual branch, Egypt Cancer Networks fundraising dinner, and Noonelneswa’s first annual spring as well as community recognition occasion. Concerning our wellbeing feature, we presented a brave Arab face that successfully wrestled breast cancer and currently lives cancer free life. Further, because of the fact that April is the National Cancer Control Month, we incorporated an interview with an Arab-American woman who has tirelessly worked with the community in the fight against cancer. In your copy, please find the â€Å"best of the best† page so that you can di gest the information about one of the best-ranked high schools in New Jersey, which pioneered Arabic language class. I regret that I cannot find all the space to highlight for you all the interesting items featured in this month’s edition. As I conclude, you would be doing yourself no good if you missed the story about a British journalist, Lauren Booth, who is a sister-in-Law to the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who converted to Islam. She wore a veil and travelled across the world in a bid to facilitate and drive the Palestinian roots. In her endeavor, she recently toured America, where she met with the Arab and Muslim

IFRS .IFRS and US GAAP Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

IFRS .IFRS and US GAAP Comparison - Essay Example Firstly, income statement captions are not required in the case of US GAAP while IFRS prescribes minimum caption in income statement. In addition, the US GAAP treatment allows either single step or multiple steps format for income statement captions. According to the US GAAP treatment, classification of extraordinary items is permitted under certain circumstances and it can also be segregated within operating income; in contrast, IFRS bans classification of unusual items although it permits segregation of such items (Deloitte). The US GAAP provides a broader definition for discontinued operations while IFRS sets a narrow definition. Under US GAAP, restructuring costs are recognized only when it becomes necessary but IFRS recognizes restructuring costs when it is announced. Limited guidance on offsetting of assets and liabilities is a characteristic feature of US GAAP; however, IFRS insists specific guidance on offsetting of assets and liabilities. In case of IFRS, financial position’s classified statement is essential unless liquidity ordering is more meaningful. In contrast, such a statement is not required under US GAAP. Exclusion of long-term debt from current liabilities is a specific feature of IFRS. The US GAAP treatment refinances the exclusion of long term debt. The IFRS treatment states the minority interests as a component of equity while US GAAP guidelines restrict the presentation of minority interests as equity (â€Å"IFRSs and US GAAP†¦.†). As per the US GAAP balance sheet format, entries are presented as total assets balancing to total liabilities in addition to shareholders’ equity. In contrast, IFRS entries include current and non-current assets and current and non-current liabilities. While US GAAP presents items on the basis of decreasing order of liquidity, the IFRS presents the items in the increasing order. â€Å"IFRSs and US GAAP: A pocket comparison.† An IAS plus Guide: Audit, Tax, Consulting and Financial

Juvenile Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Juvenile Justice - Essay Example Delinquent offender is a crime or antisocial behavior that is committed by juveniles and is also considered as a crime if committed by adults. Status offenses are only committed by juveniles (Elrod and Ryder 362). Juveniles’ courts have intervened in the lives of status offenders. There are several arguments that have been put forward for and against for the legal basis of juvenile courts intervening in the lives of status offenders (Elrod and Ryder 363). Proponents of juvenile court intervention assert that status offenders have unique needs that can only be provided by the juvenile court intervention. For instance, many status offenders suffer from family neglect (Elrod and Ryder 363). Treatment of the status offenders require more financial resources than delinquent offender’s treatment thus this services can only be provided by juvenile courts. Status offenses will escalate to more criminal behaviors in the future since running away from home may lead to robbery if the courts fail to intervene. Status offenders are at more risk of victimization and death since incorrigibility expose the youths to drugs and prostitution. Juvenile courts have a primary mission of protecting the interests of children thus they have a duty of supporting lawful parental authority. Compulsory education laws would be undermined if juvenile courts relinquish authority over status offenders (Elrod and Ryder 363). On the other hand, critics of juvenile court involvement in Status offender lives assert that such intervention is ineffective and inappropriate since it may lead to more harm (Elrod and Ryder 364). Social agencies are better equipped to deal with Status offenders since juvenile courts lack the necessary expertise and financial resources to offer the required services. The processing of the status offense lead to labeling thus status offenders receive harsh punishment and are likely to engage in more antisocial behaviors (Elrod and Ryder 364). Status offenses revolve around family problems thus no need of juvenile court intervention since it hinders the responsibility of schools and social institutions in solving the community problems (Elrod and Ryder 364). In my opinion, the juvenile courts should not intervene in Status offenses since it is a violation of the constitution since all citizens should be protected equally regardless of age, race or color. The laws tend to be harsh towards children from poor families who are more likely to be subjected to cruel punishment like the delinquent offenders. Such intervention removes the parental responsibility on the behavior of juveniles and transfers it to the children. Juvenile courts involvement in the lives of status offenders dates back to the development of the parens patriae legal concept (Elrod and Ryder 365). Juvenile courts were designed to deal with delinquent juveniles and also troublesome children. The state has the duty to protect children and several statutes outline the duties of parents and teachers to the children. Legal statutes require the children to attend school regularly and obey curfews, and not to run away from the family (Elrod and Ryder 366). Some states refer status offenders as children in need of supervision (CHINS). The historical basis for juvenile courts intervention in status offenders is rooted in the Biblical passage that children are supposed to obey their parents

Country eassy 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Country eassy 5 - Essay Example Some of the main wood products that the country exports to other parts of the world include plywood, veneer, wooden floors, and lumber core plywood (Liu). Deforestation is not a major issue for the government of Taiwan. The annual rate of forest loss in the country is nearly 3 to 5 percent which is recovered using plantation of more plants and trees. The major causes of deforestation in Taiwan are large-scale industrial development, logging, and increased rate of population growth. The government of Taiwan takes huge interest in preserving its asset of natural forests. The Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture (COA) is laying the role of a guardian for the country’s one of the most valuable natural resources. It is not only working to increase forest productivity and improve forest health but also it is playing its role in making people aware of the need to protect the forestland of the country (Forestry Bureau). Liu, C. Does the country export wood products to other parts of the world. Hla.hlc.edu, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.

Should Trees Have Standing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Should Trees Have Standing - Essay Example Taking trees for that matter, as they are living creatures with biological properties, the debate now arises whether or not they have legal or moral rights. In my view, trees do have a legal as well as a moral standing, and their due rights should be protected, however, if humans cut trees for sustenance and not for pleasure, such an act shouldn`t be challenged in any case, as giving the rights is one thing but sacrificing one`s own rights for the sake of nature is another. The presumption can be backed by the works of Stone and Schmitz, both being highly reputable professors of philosophy. Stone here regards that trees, like corporations, should be assigned their due rights. Though trees can`t speak for themselves, so can`t the corporations, thus by virtue of law, trees should be protected from abusive behavior. Similarly, Schmitz talks about social egalitarianism in this regard and argues that it is irrational to presume that all species have equal moral standing as that is to be j udged by the self respect principal, i.e. though killing trees without a reason is highly immoral but killing trees for self-survival is completely understandable and doesn’t challenge the ethics and morality for that matter. To defend the legal status of the trees, the propositions from the Stone`s works can be analyzed and studied. He gives the example of a stream which is often quoted in such instances as it gives the most relevant explanation for the legal rights which ought to be presumed by nature. He proposes three basic requirements for the plaintiffs to sue the violators of the stream. When a company sued the industry for polluting the stream, the legal standing was given for the protection on the stream because, firstly, there was a holder to sue the industry, secondly, there must be a competent someone to bear the standing, and thirdly, there must be someone benefitting from the economic compensations. In this regard, the common law would deny any kinds of rights f or the natural objects, even trees, on the grounds that trees can`t sue anyone themselves, nor can they reap the financial compensations, thus there is no point in giving them any kinds of rights (Stone and Hardin 2002). However, Stone argues that same is the case with corporations, i.e. corporations are also dead entities, not even living beings like trees, and however they do have a legal status. In this sense, similar to the corporations, whenever anyone would sue the violators destroying the trees, the benefits would still be reaped by the trees and not by the plaintiffs. Thus, trees in any case deserve a legal standing whatsoever, similar to that of humans, as if the corporations can have a standing, so can the trees. Speaking of the moral rights of the trees, the concept can be explained by the principal of social egalitarianism, which regards all species as equal to humans, thus being not inferior or superior in any case. The proponents of social egalitarianism argue that his torically when the races were being denied the moral rights, i.e. slaves, blacks etc being considered as inferior, thus once modernization eliminated the discrimination, shouldn’t the same be applied on nature too? The advocates of egalitarianism regard trees as having rights similar to that of humans, thus trees should have a high moral standing in the social spectrum, thus, and it would be

How Higher Education is more than Academics- A Reflection on the Essay

How Higher Education is more than Academics- A Reflection on the Decision Making Process - Essay Example The objective of higher learning institution is to ensure that the learners get sufficient knowledge that will enable them to be important members of the society. This Calls for the cooperation of the students since they are the beneficiaries. The aim of this paper is to discuss the decision-making process of students in higher learning institutions; and why they should remain honest and not break the honor code. In every learning institution examinations are used to rate the academic qualifications of the students. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has offered a proper definition of academic standards as precise levels of academic achievement employed in the explanation and gauging of academic needs and accomplishments (Materu, 55). The University code requires students to embrace honesty in their tests and class assignments. In the academic life, students usually face the challenge in deciding on ethics and choice. When it comes to examinations and assignments, it is usually the decision of the student to behave ethically and embrace honesty in his or her work or to choose to take part in illegal group discussion or to copy the work from the internet. The decision a student makes pertaining the testing and assignments, will affect him positively or negatively. For instance if a student decides to cheat in an examination, it is a very risky decision because if he is caught, he is likely to be discontinued from the University if proved guilty (Forest & Kinser, 280). This will be a very big loss to the student and the society since the student will not attain his academic goal, thus hindering him from pursuing his or her career. It is important for the students to embrace honesty since dishonesty is destructive to the victims, parents, the instructors and the colleagues. Whenever the college education of a student is terminated, everyone feels the loss. The students should work hard by ensuring that

Keystone species - Sea stars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Keystone species - Sea stars - Essay Example It may increase population of a species or limit it through direct competition for resources or through predation. The sea stars are considered a keystone species in the rocky intertidal habitat because it determines the habitat’s composition. One of its significant effects is its control over the population of mussel. It dictates the population of mussels within the intertidal region that it inhabits. Even though it can predate many other invertebrates in the middle intertidal, its preference of mussels determines the prey’s population in the habitat. This has secondary effects on populations of other species in the middle intertidal. In the absence of sea stars, mussels grow and colonize the middle intertidal. This leads to extinction of other species such as barnacles and large algae in the locality. This means that sea stars control population of different biotic factors and allows for establishment and sustainability of different species in the middle intertidal, a factor that identifies its supreme influence. Sustainable biodiversity is important to an ecosystem. Sea stars affect biodiversity in rocky intertidal by ensuring a fair environment for survival of all factors in the ecosystem. Sea stars achieve this by controlling population of mussels that is a threat to other species in the habitat. By preferring the prey and by overwhelming it in the middle intertidal, sea stars allows for existence of other organisms that mussels would otherwise disadvantage and eliminate from the habitat. Removal of sea stars threatens biodiversity of the rocky intertidal habitat through facilitating dominance of mussels over other species. It allows mussels into the lower zones and this leads to extinction of other species in the region. Sea stars control population of mussels and their removal leads to extensive dominance of mussel that then disadvantages other

EN102 Exam 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

EN102 Exam 3 - Essay Example Social networking through the Internet is rapidly gaining attention from the public. This has potentially changed people’s lifestyle including purchasing habits. The ability of social media to form virtual networks is an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of advertising and to gain more consumers. The chance for interaction in most virtual communities is helpful to marketing improvement if businesses avail this kind of advertisement. Wood and Solomon (2009) contend that virtual communities are influential in examining the "differences in consumer perception of virtual and real-life recommendation sources" (p. 66) and would offer companies a practical look on what the consumers need. Social media offers an extensive marketing for the products and services of various companies considering the internet’s speed in disseminating information, while companies are able to keep track on the level of customer satisfaction through online interaction of virtual communities. Social media, amidst its disadvantages, is undeniably a useful tool in adapting to new age consumers’ preferences and needs. The onset of modern technology changes the trends of various aspects in the society, including marketing. The cost-efficiency of using social media to introduce the product to virtual communities is helpful in the development of the business’s market and profit. With a suitable brand online strategy, the business is introduced to the social media users. An advantage that social media has that other forms of marketing does not have is the chance to listen to a direct feedback and the chance to know what the consumers like or dislike about the product. If taken as a constructive criticism in the part of the management, such comments can be an opportunity to develop their products and services. Based on the information discussed at the previous parts of this paper, three

Working Cass Families and Modern Education Systems Redefined under Neo-Liberalism Policies Essay Example for Free

Working Cass Families and Modern Education Systems Redefined under Neo-Liberalism Policies Essay Connell’s (2003) article focuses on the problematic relationship between working-class families, and modern education systems, which is being redefined under neo-liberalism policies. Connell explores this issue in relation to an Australian reform, which was created with an intention to make upper secondary education more inclusive, in particular  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ through more extensive vocational education opportunities. Connell explains that the level of which working-class youth’s needs have been met, or neglected throughout the past 150 years of mass schooling in advanced capitalist economies remains a core problem of social justice in education. (p. 235) Connell’s argument is that while social class is no longer officially recognised as an issue in Australian life, class inequality and exclusion have a marked influence on education in the present day. (p. 247) Connell states that the nature of which working class families respond to state schooling is a key issue of importance in research on class and education. Connell’s central argument lies in her criticism of the neo-liberal market agenda, which she states is ultimately seeking to ‘reconstruct mass education on a ruling-class education organisational model’. Connell argues that due to the fact neo-liberalism fails to acknowledge that class structure exists, and assumes its market model is universally applicable (an assumption which Connell states is disproven by British research) –problems associated with class structure will continue to go unacknowledged. (p. 37) Connell further argues that many working class families continue to grapple with the ‘bureaucratic machinery’ of state education in order to obtain a reasonable education for their children, however as Connell believes – ‘there’s still a long way to go’ before this relationship is cohesive and productive for all parties involved. (p. 247) In support of her argument of class still being a key factor of inequality in education, Connell cites authors such as Bettie (2002), Dent and Hatton (1996), Thompson (2002), Lynch Lodge (2002) Teese and Polesel (2003) (p. 235). Connell cites Marginson (1997) to argue that the motives of neo-liberalism’s market agenda in the 1980’s was to ‘push to privatise education’, and where public education institutions remained –restructure them to become market competitive. (p. 236) Using largely a methodical approach, Connell draws on close-focus research carried out across four socially and geographically diverse government secondary schools, obtained from the Vocational Education and Equity in Senior Secondary Schooling project, and undertaken by staff of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Education, the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Board of Studies. Through a series of qualitative interviews with students, parents and teachers of Years 11 and 12 VET classes over a period of two years, Connell explores the relationship between working-class families and schools today, which operate under this neo-liberalist influence, but which are also attempting to implement social justice reforms, particularly in regards to expanding vocational education options. (p. 238) Connell’s central argument is plausible and relatable in the sense of the extensive field data carried out across schools depicting various class structures. The article being ‘peer reviewed’ also adds more weight to her claims. The central theme of her argument is logically developed throughout the body of the paper, and further solidified in the conclusion, however at times she touches on international research, (for example; the British research she suggests disproves the neo-liberalist market model is ‘far from’ being universally applicable) (p. 237) without any further details as to why. Adding further detail of the international data Connell cited would have helped to solidify her key points.

Human Growth And Development Analysis

Human Growth And Development Analysis As a social care worker I have often learned through trial and error what works in the real world, basing my practice on common-sense and not on abstract theories. But I recognise my views are often based on opinion and prejudice rather than evidence-based, peer-reviewed knowledge and as Beckett suggests, our own theories and ideas about why people are as they are and behave as they behave, are usually quite inconsistent and arbitrary, based on our own experience and on our own needs (Beckett, 2002:8). Human growth and development theory is concerned with understanding how people grow and change throughout their lives, from the vital early stages to old age, and therefore is essential for informing social work practice. The theory can be applied to a variety of areas within human life and conduct including social, cultural, emotional and psychological, and also, moral, intellectual, spiritual and biological viewpoints. In this assignment I will focus on the psychological and cultural significance of the stages of development in relation to a 12 year old in foster care. Jake, a dual heritage British male, was taken into care 4 years ago following him being removed from his mother Maggie an African Caribbean female aged 32. Jake and Maggie lived in a 3rd floor, 2 bedroom flat in an area where drug dealing and drug related crime is common place. In Jakes bedroom he had a plastic box for his clothes and mattress on the bare floor with a bucket for a toilet as Maggie would lock him in his room when she went out. Maggie had been using drugs for many years and her previous partner (Jakes father) introduced her to heroin 5 years ago. She quickly became addicted and the relationship broke down shortly afterwards. Jakes father has not had any contact or attempted to make contact since the break up. Jake and Maggie had been known to Social Services as Maggie was a victim of domestic violence and spent 4 months in a womens refuge. Jake has had a number of placement breakdowns and has been unable to form any attachments with any of the foster carers. Jake would often defecate around the house and his last placement broke-down because Jake defecated in the foster carers bed then went on to smear their bedroom walls. Jake displayed difficulties in using a knife and fork and would often get frustrated and either eat with a spoon or his hands. Maggie had been diagnosed as suffering from a severe depression, worsened by her drug addiction. It is thought that whilst Maggie was going through a depressive episode she would physically abuse Jake. Jake was often left on his own for long periods whilst Maggie would be out in search of drugs. When she returned home Jake was subjected to emotional abuse and was often blamed by Maggie for their situation. Jake has been in the fostering system for a number of years and in that time he has not formed any meaningful attachments. Whilst in placement Jake disclosed events and thoughts which alerted foster carers to the fact that there may be some unresolved issues that need to be addressed before Jake can move on with his own growth and development. Jake would often revert to pulling his hair and banging his head on the wall if he felt he had done something wrong and was going to be blamed for it. For example, when he accidentally breaking a cup. Jake is being assessed by CAMHs as he has been displaying behaviour that indicates there may be an underlying depressive mental health problem. Theories of human development have produced explanations about the origins of mental disorder in the areas of psycho-analysis and child psychology, from the early grand theories of Freud and Bowlby and further developed by Klein and Ainsworth. Freud saw psychodynamic theory as a more informative model in relating past psychological events to present day symptoms. Freud believed behaviour is not ruled by conscious processes but conflicting unconscious processes, he saw a persons psychological processes involving counteracting forces competing in an intra psychic conflict, a concept shared by many theorists of human growth and development. In Freuds model a child starts life with specific basic instinctual needs, such as for food or sexual gratification. Internally, the id continually seeks to meet these needs, while the ego mediates between the desires of the id and the restraints of the external world, particularly the demands of significant and powerful adults in the childs life, such as his mother and teachers. According to Freud these adult figures are eventually internalised in the form of the superego, or adult conscience. The childs ego attempts to negotiate the competing demands placed upon him, developing his own d istinct personality and progressing to adulthood (Freud, 1949). Eriksons psychosocial stages of development have Freudian psychodynamic origins. The idea that unconscious processes cause conflict within humans is also central to Eriksons theory. His staged development model is based on the idea that these intra-psychic conflicts occur throughout our lives and need to be resolved satisfactorily if we are to avoid psychological distress and mental illness (Erikson, 1995). Eriksons psychosocial theory of human development builds on Freuds psychodynamic model, but while Erikson accepts ideas, such as the unconscious, he rejects concepts of the personality which are described exclusively in terms of sexuality. Again, like Freud, Erikson believed childhood was central in the development of personality, but that the personality continued to develop beyond the age of five (Erikson, 1995). Eriksons psychosocial model describes eight stages from infancy and adulthood. At each stage a person encounters new challenges. If they are not successful in meeting these challenges, they may reappear as problems in the future. However, while each stage presents new challenges, they also provide opportunities to deal with the unresolved issues. In Eriksons model there is no assumption that one stage has to be fully completed or that the most favourable outcome has to be achieved before moving on. In fact, he acknowledges that it is likely that everyone will have unresolved issues from previous stages and there is a favourable ratio between favourable and unfavourable outcomes (Erikson, 1987). However, the more unresolved issues carried forward, will impede successful progressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦an unfavourable outcome in one stage makes it more difficult to meet fully the challenge of the next stage (Beckett, 2006:42). Eriksons model proposes a first stage that involves establishing a sense of trust (0 1 yrs.). If partly or completely unsuccessful at this stage, then it will be more difficult to achieve a sense of autonomy at the next stage (1 3 yrs.), and then more difficult still to develop a capacity for initiative in the next stage (3 5 yrs). The next stage in Eriksons model (6 11 yrs) involves establishing a sense of competence and achievement, confidence in ones own ability to make and do things (Beckett, 2006: 43). It is difficult to conclude how successful Jake was able to negotiate previous stages, however it has been suggested that despite adversities some children are able to develop reasonably well-adjusted personalities demonstrating resilience and normal development under difficult circumstances (Crawford Walker, 2003: 48). One of the weaknesses of Freuds and Eriksons theories of human growth and development using stages as the model, is the underlying assumption that everyones lives follow these particular linear lines, and that we all, more or less, achieve the same milestones at the same time. However, we know this is rarely the case. It appears, for instance, that these theories were based solely on a white, male Eurocentric model, and do not consider specifically customs from other cultures or perspective. Baltes (1987), for example, suggests human development is multidimensional, involving biological, cognitive and social dimensions, and multidirectional, not to be viewed as a single fixed route which represents the norm, but as periods of varying growth and differing paths. Bowlby differs from Freud in that he saw an attachment between child, and mother or primary attachment figure (which may differ according to the social and cultural background of family), as an essential need in itself and not simply to meet basic needs, such as, food and sex: Mother love in infancy and childhood is as important for mental health as are vitamins and proteins for physical health (Bowlby, 1953). Attachment theorists maintain that the way we relate to other people through our lives is influenced significantly by our first relationship with our mother or primary attachment figure (Howe, 1995; Howe et al, 1999). They suggest, like Erikson and Freud, that many problems in adulthood stem from unresolved issues in these early attachment relationships and these early relationships can shape an adults ability to form relationships, to parent, to deal with loss, and influence mental health in adulthood (Bowlby, 1990). While accepting much of his work, critics of Bowlby claim he placed too much emphasis on the child/mother relationship and suggest children may form several attachments which can be equally important (Rutter, 1981; Fahlberg 1991). However, children who experience trauma are sometimes unable to progress without repressing or closing down part of their conscious awareness of these events. We can imagine Jake needing to shut out his experiences of childhood neglect and, according to Freud, automatically and unconsciously repress the events of neglect and abuse. We can see how blocking out these unresolved issues could emerge in the form of depression at some point in the future. There is evidence of the social origins of depression in women, suggesting that specific life events, losses and major long term problems, such as childhood abuse, are significant causes of depression (Brown Harris, 1978). I feel that this best reflects Maggies current situation. We can imagine Jake experiencing a sense of loss or maternal deprivation (Crawford Walker, 2003) when faced with his mothers depression. This is a common emotional reaction in carers of adults with depression, the seemingly most central and common experience was the feeling that the person they had known who had become ill had gone away: they had become someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is the loss of the person that was, and secondly, and more complexly, there is the experience of the loss of the previous possibilities (Jones, 1996: 98-99). Although Maggie may have experienced depression continuously before Jakes birth, it is more probable that she had periods of respite when her capacity for emotional warmth and attentiveness to her sons needs was greater than during times of relapse. The difference in the consistency and intensity of a childs attachment relationships is considered an important factor by a number of attachment theorists (Ainsworth, 1973). The theories of human growth and development discussed above suggest that Jakes experience of abuse as a child may prevent him from developing into a mentally healthy adult. He may have automatically and unconsciously repressed the trauma of these events, only to experience the mental distress of depression in the future. Jake may have experienced physical abuse from an early age and failed to successfully achieve a sense of trust or autonomy or develop a capacity for initiative while growing up. Even relatively short periods of physical abuse at crucial stages may have placed severe pressures on his relationship with his mother. Jake may have only known his mother as depressed, but their relationship may have determined Jakes future capacity to form relationships, for instance, with foster carers or at school with friends and teachers. The method of intervention in Jakes life could be usefully informed by research that links mental distress with experiences of powerlessness. It has been suggested that mental distress may be seen as extreme internalisations of powerlessness placing a paralysing power both over those who may experience such forms of distress, and those who share their lives (Tew, 2005: 72). Using social models, Tew suggests two complementary ways to understand mental distress, internalisation or acting out of stressful social experiences and a coping or survival strategyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to deal with particular painful or stressful experiences (Tew, 2005: 20). A persons mental health needs may, to a certain extent, be determined by their membership of certain social groups that experience systematic oppression (Fernando, 1995; Gomm, 1996). Oppression, exclusion and powerlessness are the central themes of many social models of mental health needs, related to structural inequalities in terms of age, gender, race and class and so on, and involving families in terms of abuse. As social workers we occupy a relatively powerful position and may collude with the systematic oppression of black people with mental health needs: Factors such as oppression, injustice, social exclusion or abuse at the hands of powerful others may be implicated in the sequences of events that lead up to many peoples experiences of mental and emotional breakdown. Power issues may also shape the reactions that people receive from professionals and the wider community-for example, evidence suggests that African-Caribbean people may be more likely than many white groups to b e dealt with more coercively (Tew, 2005: 71). When coming to a stage where we may be better able to understand Jakes current circumstances and making initial judgments about the type of intervention most effective in this case, we need to recognise the limitations of our insights and avoid the pitfalls of making uncritical assumptions. Tew suggests that empowerment can be an integral part in the process of Jakes recovery. He outlines a model of power in terms of protection and co-operation and oppressive and collusive: In its more negative forms (oppressive or collusive power) it may be seen to play a role in constructing social situations which contribute to distress or breakdownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in its more positive forms (protective or co-operative power) it starts to define the territory for effective partnership working, anti-oppressive practice and the enabling of recovery and social inclusion (Tew, 2005, p. 86). According to the psychodynamic model of human growth, Jake may have grown up with many intra-psychic conflicts which may be emerging in the form of a neurotic or reactive depression. He may have many conscious and unconscious needs which she has suppressed and repressed. In denying and blocking out the fulfilment of these needs, he may have shut down areas of his consciousness which allows him to: experience emotion; interact with others in a spontaneous way; or experience fulfilling close and intimate relationships with carer and their spouse. Depending on the extent of physical abuse he encountered during his upbringing, it would be reasonable to assume that he may have been completely or partly unsuccessful in: achieving a capacity for trust with his parent; achieving autonomy; or developing a capacity for taking initiative, as described in Eriksons psychosocial model. For these reasons, it seems likely he will have failed to maintain a healthy, consistent and sustained relationsh ip with his mother or other primary attachment figure in the abusive situation he found himself. Intervention must aim to address issues of power and powerlessness, both in the foster carer/child relationship and outside it. As a man, as a person with mental health needs, and as a member of a black or minority ethnic group, Jake may experience oppression, abuse and social exclusion. To address these issues elements of empowerment and partnership should be part of the approach with an intervention designed to address Jakes mental health needs should involve building on his efforts to achieve his own full potential. This will include his ability to form and maintain healthy relationships with others, that would lessen any dependence on formal agencies and develop an alternative source of positive support and increase social inclusion.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Iris Recognition And Afis Technology Essay

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Iris Recognition And Afis Technology Essay Introduction The biometric scanning technology is a great revolution for contemporary society. There are many application made from biometric scanning technologies, which may use in many different way. Some of these applications based on biometrics are complex. This report is going to evaluate the effectiveness of Iris recognition and AFIS for to control accessing to a secure workplace. Background The human beings use the biometric information, which has already been a long history. For example, using fingerprint for signature, identifying someone from gait. In the middle of nineteen century, many features of human beings body were used to identify the criminal cases (Jain and Ross, 2004). With the progress of human society, a practically modern biometric scanning system is becoming more and more important. Today, there are many security problems such as to control access to a secure workplace, privacy and data security, which can be solved by the biometric scanning system. However, there were lists of practical biometric applications. To evaluate the effectiveness and find out which one is preferable, which is a required and meaningful action. Definition The biometric scanning system seems a kind of technology that uses the features of the human beings body. Jain and Ross (2004) point that the biometric scanning system is a science system that based on the identity of a person, which include the physical and behavioural features of the human beings. The physical attributes is static features such as fingerprint, face, retina, iris, vein pattern, hand and finger geometry. The behavioural attributes is dynamic features such as voice, gait and signature. Outline This report will talk about using biometric scanning system to control accessing to a secure workplace by two aspects, which include Iris recognition and Automatic Fingerprint Identification Scanning system. These two aspects will put perspective in a critical way in order to show both positive and negative. Hopefully, the outcome of this work can be a guide book for those who wish to select a possible biometric scanning system to protect the security of accessing a secure workplace. The AFIS In fact, to control accessing to a secure workplace is a category of identification and authentication. There are many method can reach this objective. The AFIS is one of these methods. In this section, firstly, it will find out the definition of the AFIS. Secondly, it will look at the uniqueness property of fingerprint identification. Thirdly, it will look at the reliability, convenience and availability. Lastly, it will mention fingerprint identification could be affordable. What is the AFIS? The AFIS is an abbreviation of Automatic Fingerprint Identification Scanning. This is a kind of biometric that use peoples fingerprint to identify something. The AFIS may use a database to store data that include fingerprint image, detail features of fingerprint of ten fingers and something else. It can be a tool for identification and authentication of large population group. The system will search in the database to match the correct person. Maltoni and Cappelli (2008) argues that using computer to process the fingerprint data that people input into the computer and computer will achieve the goal of identification and authentication by a series of actions such as sorting, locating, analysing and comparing. The uniqueness property The automatic fingerprint identification scanning has uniqueness property because it based on the fingerprint. The fingerprint is a physical attribute of human body. It even was used in the ancient time. Using a Fingerprint to make an identification and authentication probably has already more than hundreds years (Jain and Ross, 2004). At present, it was used in many areas for identification and authentication purpose because it is a simply unique way. For example, this method is used for door lock, car lock, computer accessing, internet accessing, attendance recording, bank account accessing, etc. There are a number of ways that use this method for identification and authentication purpose can be found. Some still do not think the uniqueness property is a very good feature for identification and authentication because there is a possibility of copy. When people use fingerprint to make an identification and authentication, the finger must be touched. It will leave a vestigial fingerprint on the touched panel of fingerprint machine, which will be copied easily. If this action is done by others who have ulterior motives, then the individual information will be used in an illegal way. This is very dangerous for individual information (Maltoni and Cappelli, 2008). However, the copy from the vestigial fingerprint of others is easy to identify although make a copy is a feasible method. Usually, this copy is so-called artificial fingerprint. Compare with the real fingerprint from human body directly, the copy is unclear, the shape is not complete, dull and one-dimensional. Therefore, users do not need to worry about this case. Reliability, convenience and availability The automatic fingerprint identification scanning is reliability, convenience and availability because fingerprint identification and authentication is the mature biometric technology (Komarinski, 2005). Firstly, the fingerprint is reliable because it includes quite huge information and will keep for all life of human being, In spite of the fingerprint just a little part of human body. Secondly, this is a convenient way and with available information which people used for identification and authentication. The reason is that human fingerprint cannot change and it can use any time and people do not need to worry about forgot things like cards, keys or others. The reliability of match fingerprints could be a problem. Due to automatic fingerprint identification scanning uses computer to compare and match the fingerprints. This action is only referring to some simple information about fingerprint such as shape or other simple information. Meanwhile, the performance of computer will affect the reliability of fingerprints matching as well. The results might not be accurate completely (Maltoni Cappelli, 2008). In fact, this is not a drawback to fingerprint identification because this issue caused by the performance of computer. This fact just demonstrates that the information come from the fingerprint is extremely large, even the computer was made busy. This is not the drawback of fingerprint but the exactly advantage it is. At present, the computing technology upgrade rapidly, thus, it does not need to worry too much for this. The reliability of computing matching algorithm will be improved. Smaller Equipments and Cost Effective Fingerprint identification scanning needs a fingerprint identification machine, which just is smaller equipment. Generally speaking, the fingerprint machine compare with its effectiveness, the price of this kind of equipment is probably not too much. It is affordable for some organizations even just for individuals. In addition, Maltoni and Cappelli (2008) argues that there are many type of fingerprint identification machine that for different usage of situation in the market. It seems just like a common machine, which such as microwave oven, TV, computer and something else. Due to this is a machine then there could have some issues sometimes. However, it is not a fault of the fingerprint identification. Much more, this should not be an excuse to say that the disadvantages of using fingerprint identification outweigh the advantages. Iris Recognition The iris recognition is another method to control accessing to a secure workplace. In this section, firstly, it will find out the definition of iris recognition as well. Secondly, it will indicate the higher reliability of iris recognition, it will mention the iris recognition is difficult to hoodwink. What Is Iris Recognition? As previous definition of biometrics, the iris is a statically human physical attribute. The iris, a kind of externally visible tissue with coloured, is an internal component part of eyes. Each iris contains a unique iris image. It includes many features such as lens, filaments, spots, structure, concave points, rays, wrinkles and stripes and other features structure, Patel (2008) claim that Iris can be used for biometric identification and authentication. Its key features are highly complex and unique. There is no two iris is same. The equipment of iris recognition scanning consists of a fully automatic camera to look for users eyes, when the camera found the iris, it began to focus. Iris recognition will take a high quality image of the iris. Higher Reliability The most important feature of the iris recognition is that it is a relatively stable and highly reliable method used to control access to a secure workplace. Firstly, iris has higher uniqueness and located inside of eyes, which include abundant information inside of human eyes. Secondly, iris recognition has higher stability due to its appearance is difficult to change after formed. Thirdly, there is higher recognition accuracy. Shoniregun and Stephen (2008) argues that the rate of correct of iris recognition is relative high compare with other solutions of biometrics. Lastly, it is a quickly biometric security scanning system. In most situations, it is only need one second for each person. It is very much lower than fingerprint identification scanning. According to these features, there is a strong possibility that the iris recognition could be a better way for controlling accessing to a secure workplace. Any biometric scanning technology has its drawbacks. Iris recognition as a kind of relative emerging technology has drawbacks as well. To use this method will cost high due to this technology is relative new and probably is not as mature as fingerprint identification. Why iris recognition is cost high? The main reason is that iris recognition needs an extremely high quality camera lens. This required core component for iris recognition is very expensive. Furthermore, there is a drawback seems like the most important point, which is that very difficult to scan and read the black eyes. If to do that, needs a good quality light source. However, there is a essential point cannot forget that security is the most import thing for using a biometric scanning system to control accessing to a secure workplace. Compare with other biometric scanning system, iris recognition is more secured, stable, reliable, convenient and fast way to protect secure workplace. As technologies development, the cost might be reduced. Users would benefit more from the iris recognition. Difficult to hoodwink Using iris recognition can prevent hoodwinking. Due to iris is a specific part of human eyes. It cannot be touched. Vacca (2007) argues that when it used for identification and authentication, which is totally without physical touch. It is a very important feature for protect individual biometric information. Compare with fingerprint identification scanning, iris recognition is better than automatic fingerprint identification scanning. If someone would like to change the appearance of iris, and then need to do very careful operating, moreover, it will have a big risk of sight. Conclusion To sum up, the advantages of using biometric scanning system outweigh the disadvantages. It is no exaggeration to say that those benefits from automatic fingerprint identification scanning are very attractive for individuals and organizations (Patel, 2008; Shoniregun and Stephen, 2008). From a critical thought, the report has been mentioned two biometric scanning methods which are automatic fingerprint identification scanning and iris recognition. Although these two methods exist some possible issues, advantages is mainly and clearly part. Firstly, as for AFIS, it has mentioned three benefits of fingerprint identification, which are uniqueness, reliability, convenient, availability and cost effective. Secondly, regarding iris recognition, it has mentioned the higher reliability and difficult to hoodwink. As a suggestion, for highly security reason, the iris recognition can be used. For example, airport, immigration checking. If just for common use such as enter into the office, class room or computer room, automatic fingerprint identification scanning is good for that. (Words count: 1928)

Alexander The Great Essay -- miscellaneuos

Alexander The Great Alexander the Great was a man with no equal in History. He was one of the most important forces known to man. Alexander the Great then crossed the Hellespoint, which is now called the Dardanelles and, as head of a Greek army undertook the war on Persia that his father had been planning. The march he had begun was to be one of the greatest in history. Alexander was one of the biggest influenced on people of all time and one of the most powerful personalities. He really molded people into acting the correct way. He brought people together and showed them how to live better. He defiantly changed the lives of many. Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC Philip his father was the brother of Perdiccas III king of Macedonia. His mother’s name was Olympia’s. Olympia’s was the daughter of King Neoptolemus I. He was known wide to be a great powerful man. Alexander had a younger sister named Cleopatra. The whole family had a lot of very important background. It was a fact t hat Alexander and Cleopatra’s parents did not get along. At this time it was a Macedonian tradition to have many wives. Philip had several and Olympia’s hated them all. She felt much hate towards them. When one of her rivals gave birth to a retarded son Arridaeus, there were many rumors that Olympia’s poisoned him. Olympia’s told Alexander that Philip wasn't his real father although he was. He made sure the boy was well educated, even the great philosopher Aristotle was one of Alexander's tutors. Even thought he though him well Philip wasn’t a very good father. He always discouraged Alexander and made him feel worthless. When Alexander the great was 3 his father’s son King Perdiccas died. His young son Amyntas was supposed to take his place as ruler. Philip was supposed to help him but he made his way above him making himself King Philip II. He proved to be a strong ruler, and in a few decades he conquered most of Greece. As a teenager Alexander became friends wit a boy around his age named Hephaestion. It was rumored that they were lovers. At this time Homosexuality was accepted in Greece. Even Alexander's father had many male lovers. Till this day no one really knows the relationship between the two but it is said that throughout their lives they stood by each other. When Alexander turned his father went away to war, leaving Alexander to serve as leader of Macedon. During t... ...me ill, and on June 13 he died in Babylon. He was 32. Historians have said that he died from malaria, but recently it has been said that he died of typhoid fever. The empire was soon torn apart by the struggles that Alexander the Great's advisors and generals had. This was now called the Diadochi. Diadochi is Greek for successors. In 319 the â€Å"Antipater† died and was succeeded as regent by Polyperchon, whom did Antipater’s son Cassander quickly oust. In time Roxanne and her son were also killed by Cassander, who became the king of Macedon in 305 BC. Alexander Aegus was thirteen when he died. He left his empire in his own words, "to the strongest. Whether or not Alexander had plans for any world conquering cannot be determined but he had accomplished greater conquests than any before him. He was one of the greatest generals of all time and one of the most powerful personalities of antiquity. He influenced the spread of Hellenism throughout the Middle East and into Asia; establishing city-states modeled on Greek institutions that flourished long after his death. Alexander will never be superior to any man and will remain forever as "the Great" in the pages of History as we know it.

Draculas Love Story Essay -- Essays Papers

Dracula's Love Story Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the title of Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation of the classic novel Dracula. Coppola signified that the film would stay with the original plot and theme from the novel by putting the author’s name in the title of the film. However, even though he claims that his film is patterned after the novel, Coppola still could not help but put his own twist on the novel by sensualizing the story and adding a love story between Dracula and Mina. By adding a romantic subplot, Coppola makes the viewers feel sympathy for the evil Dracula when he is finally killed at the hand of his loved one. Also, the character of Mina turns from heroine in the novel to victim in the movie by having her fall in love with Dracula. Coppola changes the original story of Dracula in the film adaptation in many ways by the addition of a love story between Dracula and Mina. In the film adaptation of Dracula, the origins of the title character are explained to provide a motive for the love obsession between the title character and his lover. In the film, Dracula is said to be the notorious prince of Romania known as Vlad the Impaler. This idea stems from a theory that Bram Stoker actually patterned the character of Dracula after a real prince of Romania named Voivode. The movie shows that after a very bloody battle in 1463 against the Turks, Prince Vlad came back to his castle in Transylvania to find that his adored Elisabeta (played by Winona Ryder) had committed suicide. Dracula says, â€Å"I, Dracula, Voivode of Transylvania, will arise from my own death to avenge hers with all the powers of darkness!† He condemns God and makes a pact with the devil to become immortal by feeding on other ... ...f Dracula’s birth into the world of the undead lays the foundation for the love affair between Dracula and Mina. However, the love story changes the characters of Dracula and Mina drastically from the novel. In the film, Dracula is a character with whom the viewer sympathizes while in the novel he is feared. Mina’s character is strong willed in the novel while in the film she is weak and pathetic. Coppola’s adaptation destroys the characterization of the novel, taking away from Stoker’s image for the novel. The movie, instead of being titled Bram Stoker’s Dracula, should have been titled "Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula". Works Cited Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. Perf. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, and Sir Anthony Hopkins. Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1992. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Penguin Books, 1993.

Death in Do Not Go Gentle, City Cafeteria, Death Shall Have no Dominion

Death in Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, City Cafeteria, And Death Shall Have no Dominion and Grandparents  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Death is a highly personal event. It affects each of us differently. It affected Peter Kocan's man in the City Cafeteria by making him look empty and disoriented. It affected Dylan Thomas by making him think about what there was afterward, and what you could do to avoid it. Death even affected Robert Lowell by making him realise how much it changed his life. I, fortunately, seem to have avoided death in many ways, but also have been touched by it, even recently. While preparing for this essay, ironically, one of my family pets died. It was a chicken named Ellephante, which belonged to my younger sister. I didn't know what to think. I don't think, even now, several days later, that I feel the chicken has gone. I suppose I'm denying it. I constantly revisit, in my mind, the times I went into my back yard to be greeted with a flutter of wings and a white body racing down the hill to greet me. I imagine this feeling to be similar to the one expressed in Grandparents, by Robert Lowell. He feels, as he walks around the farm, which now belongs to him, certain pangs of loneliness, of missing his grandparents. Small things set him off - the gramophone and the billiard table with the coffee stain. Small things still set my sister off - going up to the chook shed to feed the remaining chooks, or looking out the window and not seeing that other white shape we came to know and love as Ellephante. Taken before its time (the next-door dog is undoubtably the culprit), I do not feel that Ellephante 'went gentle into that good night'. Ellephante was a feisty chicken, always very vocal and very affectionate and tame... ... I look to death as Dylan Thomas does - as a natural progression from life. I don't know quite what I believe in - some days it's reincarnation, some days it's a very scientific returning to a state of atoms in different forms, some days (when I'm upset) it's just being buried and then it stops, some days it's being taken from this world to another. I don't know that I believe in a Heaven or Hell, as such, but it's nice to think about it some times. Unlike so many people I know, I don't fear death - I used to, but I have come to accept it as an inevitable part of life, which everyone will have to face. I just know that when it's my time to depart, I want people to remember the good times and not to dwell on the bad. "It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant, perhaps, the one is as painful as the other." Francis Bacon - 'Essays "Of Death"' Death in Do Not Go Gentle, City Cafeteria, Death Shall Have no Dominion Death in Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, City Cafeteria, And Death Shall Have no Dominion and Grandparents  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Death is a highly personal event. It affects each of us differently. It affected Peter Kocan's man in the City Cafeteria by making him look empty and disoriented. It affected Dylan Thomas by making him think about what there was afterward, and what you could do to avoid it. Death even affected Robert Lowell by making him realise how much it changed his life. I, fortunately, seem to have avoided death in many ways, but also have been touched by it, even recently. While preparing for this essay, ironically, one of my family pets died. It was a chicken named Ellephante, which belonged to my younger sister. I didn't know what to think. I don't think, even now, several days later, that I feel the chicken has gone. I suppose I'm denying it. I constantly revisit, in my mind, the times I went into my back yard to be greeted with a flutter of wings and a white body racing down the hill to greet me. I imagine this feeling to be similar to the one expressed in Grandparents, by Robert Lowell. He feels, as he walks around the farm, which now belongs to him, certain pangs of loneliness, of missing his grandparents. Small things set him off - the gramophone and the billiard table with the coffee stain. Small things still set my sister off - going up to the chook shed to feed the remaining chooks, or looking out the window and not seeing that other white shape we came to know and love as Ellephante. Taken before its time (the next-door dog is undoubtably the culprit), I do not feel that Ellephante 'went gentle into that good night'. Ellephante was a feisty chicken, always very vocal and very affectionate and tame... ... I look to death as Dylan Thomas does - as a natural progression from life. I don't know quite what I believe in - some days it's reincarnation, some days it's a very scientific returning to a state of atoms in different forms, some days (when I'm upset) it's just being buried and then it stops, some days it's being taken from this world to another. I don't know that I believe in a Heaven or Hell, as such, but it's nice to think about it some times. Unlike so many people I know, I don't fear death - I used to, but I have come to accept it as an inevitable part of life, which everyone will have to face. I just know that when it's my time to depart, I want people to remember the good times and not to dwell on the bad. "It is as natural to die as to be born; and to a little infant, perhaps, the one is as painful as the other." Francis Bacon - 'Essays "Of Death"'

Fahrenheit

Our culture should not have censored material. I think that if you have censored material it is hiding away part of the real world. Keeping controversial and upsetting material away from the public eye promotes ignorance and stupidity, but I feel that sometimes there should be limitations for the comfort of others. Overall, people should become more open minded and except the fact that they are going to see or hear things they do not want to. I think if you do not like something, then do not do anything that has to do with it.In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury he shows that censoring material causes people to become lazy and not think. Around the beginning of part 2 Faber says, â€Å"Do you know why books such as this are so important? Because they have quality. And what does the word quality mean? To me it means texture. This book has pores† (Bradbury 88). I think this is an example of how people become ignorant. When Faber is saying the book has pores, I think he saying since it has pores it makes you really think about what it is saying.If people cannot read the books and just live in their own little world they will not be able to actually think about the meaning of things. Reading books make people think, why? When the firemen are burning all these books in the society, the people will not be able to think or gain knowledge. They will all have the same intelligence they did when they were 10. This is not the only example Bradbury shows. In the story, Mildred has a room with a 3 wall television. She is always in there and her family is her family in the television.She is always watching it that she thinks it is reality. I think that her watching television all the time that is has affected her memory. For example, when Montag walks in the bedroom he feels, â€Å"Complete darkness, not a hint of the silver world outside†¦ a chamber a tomb world where no sound from the great city could penetrate† (Bradbury 15). His wife is so sucked into thi s room that one time Mildred had kept taking her pills forgetting that she took one. Her brain has been drained by the television. She has not thought about anything else which caused her to have short term memory.All she did was watch television and you do not have to think when you are watching television. In the You Have Insulted Me letter Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. wrote, â€Å"You should also resolve to expose your children to all sorts of opinions and information, in order that they will be better equipped to make decisions and to survive† (192). I agree with what he is saying. If there is hidden information from your children and they go out into the world, it would be hard for them to face a problem or challenge they have.For example, if these parents had a child and home schooled her her whole life, it would be difficult for her to go out and be social with her peers. Also, if she had a problem with someone, she would not know what to do. I think this is just like hiding boo ks from people. If you hide important information from people it causes them to be less open minded. In conclusion, I think that censoring material causes ignorance and stupidity for someone. If you do not want to see or hear something, then do not. Let the other person do what they want and just avoid them.There is no reason to get offended if someone likes to do something or read something that you do not. I think if people were more open minded and less hypocritical I think we would not have this problem today. If you want to do what you want, another person should be able to also, but people nowadays do not think well because they are too into their video games or television and their brains just get drained out. I believe if more of the population actually tried to understand the meaning of things, we would all be less ignorant and stupid.

Bacterial Growth Curve

Several Escherichia coli (ATCC 11229) bacterial cultures were established using serial dilutions and simple agar plate pouring. The growth of the bacterial cultures was evaluated using spectrophotometric and colony counting methods. Data collected from a two-hour monitoring using 30-minute interval sampling of bacterial suspensions were plotted against the 30-minute interval collection times on a normal and semilographic coordinates. The resulting growth curves showed that the cultures progressed from the lag to the log phase, which are typical of a bacterial growth curve.The growth curves generated by spectrophotometric analysis were similar to the growth curve created by the colony counting method. The techniques employed in this experiment may serve as basis in determining bacterial growth on both liquid and solid culture media using other types of bacterial species. The methods used in this exercise may act as a method in estimating the number of cells that are generated through different types of culture conditions.The colony counting method seems to be a more reliable method because it involves actual visual inspection of live colonies while the optical density readings involve light transmission through the turbidity of the bacterial culture suspension. The growth of bacteria pertains to a process wherein a single bacterial cell generates two identical daughter cells. This simple doubling of bacteria is observed in cultures that are classically conducted in microbiological laboratories. The quantification of bacterial growth is generally performed through the use of either direct or indirect cell counting methods.Colony counting is an example of a direct counting technique while the measurement of turbidity is an illustration of an indirect counting procedure. The progress of a bacterial curve is generally described through the use of a growth curve (Novick, 1955). Four different phases comprise a bacterial growth curve. The lag phase involves the adapta tion of inoculated bacteria to the conditions of the culture medium. This phase denotes that time that the bacteria are undergoing maturation. The logarithmic or exponential phase involves the doubling of bacteria in culture.The rate of division is observed to logarithmically increase through time. The growth conditions and the chances of survival of the resulting daughter cells influence bacterial growth rate. The logarithmic growth of the bacterial culture is dependent on the availability of nutrients in the culture medium. The stationary phase pertains to the decrease in growth rate due to the exhaustion of nutrients in the culture medium and in turn, wastes have accumulated in the culture medium. During the death phase, the cultured bacteria lose nutrient resources and die. Materials and methods. The bacterial concentration of an E.coli culture (ATCC 11229) broth culture was determined through the employment of serial dilutions and agar plate counts. Approximately 1 ml of the E. coli culture at log phase was transferred to a flask containing 100 ml of brain heart infusion broth. The suspension was slowly swirled and 5 ml was transferred to a cuvette for optimal density (OD) reading at 600 nm absorbance. Another 1 ml of the log phase bacterial culture was transferred to a test tube containing 9 ml of water. The suspension was mixed well then 1 ml of was then transferred to another test tube containing 9 ml of water.The serial dilution was performed six times, resulting in 7 dilutions. Approximately 1 ml of the 0 time point dilutions (10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7) was plated with 15 ml of melted agar, swirled evenly and set aside to solidify. The optical density (OD) of the broth culture was taken every 30 minutes by transferring 5 ml of the broth culture to a cuvette for spectrophotometric reading. All plated cultures were incubated for 24 hrs at 35-37oC. After 24 hrs incubation, the colonies that emerged on each plate were counted. The collected data from the OD reading and colony counting were then analyzed and plotted on semilog paper.Calculation for generation time (g) of the bacterial culture was performed using the following equation: g = time at absorbance 0. 41 – time at absorbance 0. 21 Results. The growth of the bacterial culture based on the concentration of bacterial cells was determined using two methods. Optical density (OD) reading using the spectrophotometer showed that the number of bacterial cells in the culture increased for the 2 hours that the cultures were monitored. The optical density reading were then plotted against the 30-minute interval collection times (Figure 1).Based on the collected data, the calculated generation time is 32 minutes. The generation time was determined as follows: g = 92 minutes – 60 minutes = 32 minutes Data collected from colony counting of broth cultures were plotted against the 30-minute interval collection times on a semilographic coordinates (Figure 2). The generation growt h curve was determined to be 10. 1 minutes, indicating that the bacterial culture had grown 10 times from the start of the experiment. The exercise involving determination of bacterial concentrations over 2 hours of monitoring showed that the broth culture of E.coli showed an increase in its growth. The data showed the features of the lag and logarithmic phases of a growth curve wherein there is a slow adaptation stage that shows minimal increase in the number of bacterial cells during the first 30 minutes of inoculation and then an exponential increase in the number of bacterial cells was observed soon after until the end of the experimental period. The results generated from optical density readings and colony counting show the same increasing trend in the number of bacterial cells in culture.The employment of two methods in determining growth rates of bacterial cultures provided an opportunity for comparison of these methods. The colony counting method seems to be a more reliable method because it involves actual visual inspection of live colonies on a Petri plate while the optical density readings merely involve light transmission through the turbidity of the bacterial culture suspension and this method does not differentiate the live from the dead bacterial cells but in turn just counts the number of bacterial cells that are present in the cuvette.It should be noted that the number of viable bacterial cells serve as the source of new daughter cells hence it is better to rely on the results that are generated by actual colony counts derived from visual inspection of Petri plates.However, it also should be noted that colony counting is also associated with a disadvantage wherein one colony may be composed of at least two to several bacterial cells hence the exact number of cells can not be determined. A colony composed of more cells can thus result in a bigger number of daughter cells than a colony comprised of only 2 bacterial cells. Reference Novick A (19 55): Growth of bacteria. Annual Review of Microbiology 9:97-110.

Political Theory Essay

Envy Test—The theory that the division of resources is actually equal if and only if one person does not prefer someone else’s portion of the wealth to his own. That means that if everyone in society is ahppy with what they have as compared to what everyone else has then the society passes the envy test. This has never happened and seems contrary to human nature. The further fallacy is that it could ever be achieved in that some people are born with innate talents that cannot be changed to give them fewer resources. Unremunerated rights—Proponents of this political theory argue that the Bill of Rights was not intended as a list of all the rights a person should be guaranteed under the Constitution. They argue that rights not listed, for instance the right to privacy, still exist. This theory was first put forth by the Warren Court in arguing that people had a right to privacy. It is also frequently used in the abortion rights debate as a justification for a woman’s right to control her own body. Politics of recognition—this is the political theory that argues we can only achieve enlightenment and equality when we recognize that people are not homogenous and acknowledge the inherent differences among people. This is almost the exact opposite of politics of equality which claim that all people have the same basic needs, wants and desires and should be treated all the same. Civic engagement—is the term used to define a person’s involvement in the social and political causes of the world around them. In psychology, it used primarily to describe how involved a person is in social causes—volunteering at a soup kitchen, etc. In political science terms, it is used to define how involved a person is in the participatory aspects of government—do they just vote, take an active role in campaigns, support certain candidates, etc. Black consciousness—primarily used in relation to South African politics, this is the theory than being black is more than a skin color and represents the way the minority chooses to act toward itself and toward others. The movement argues that blacks in South Africa exploit each other more than whites exploit each other and that part of the problem is a culturally defined set of values and attributes that they have accepted about themselves. The movement calls for blacks to band together to change the way they treat themselves and to change the way they are treated by the remainder of society. Veil of ignorance—this is the theory that citizens are deliberately kept in the dark about the actual effects of certain legislation. In 1971, philosopher John Rawls argued that social justice requires that people be blind to the way something will impact them in particular and look instead to how it affects society as whole. In recent years, the argument has been made the special interest groups have lifted the veil of ignorance making everyone consider how legislation affects them personally. Universal citizenship—the goal of universal citizenship is to eliminate all barriers to participation in the political process. Thus, under a proposal for it in the European Union, even children would have the right to vote, though this would be carried out by their parents until they reached a certain age either 16 or 18. It assumes that everyone should have an equal right to participate in the political process. Anthropocentrism—is the process of viewing things from a solely human perspective and the word is usually used in a derogatory sense implying that by being so self-absorbed in the wants, needs and desires of humanity we may be ignoring the needs of another equally important species. This is completely in opposition to the concepts of survival of the fittest and to the victor goes the spoils. According to Dworkin, Adrian (the gardener) owes nothing to Bruce (the tennis player), as a matter of justice. Although they will have unequal goods, this is not unjust. However, Adrian might owe something to Claude (the unsuccessful gardener), and Adrian’s descendents may owe something to Bruce’s descendents. Why? In your answer, be sure to identify and apply Dworkin’s theory of distributive justice. In Dworkin’s theory of distributive justice, the beginnings are the all important state as is their impact on the end.   In this scenario, the statement that Adrian owes nothing to Bruce implies that they began life with equal resources or that Bruce began life with greater resources. It does not discuss whether Bruce might owe something to Adrian. Likewise, by saying that Adrian might owe something to Claude, who is unemployed, it implies that Claude and Adrian have equal resources and equal talents, but that Adrian has been successful where Claude has not. Furthermore, by saying that Adrian’s descendants might owe something to Bruce’s descendents the question implies that those descendants might have unequal beginning resources and ending statuses. The key to Dworkin’s distribution of wealth theory is that equal resource means equality. Therefore, if both Adrian and Bruce have the same basic resources—family, education, etc.—then they have met the initial requirement for equality. However, when a situation develops so that Adrian envies the things that Bruce has, the equality is gone. The problem with Dworkin’s theory is that it fails to address the impact of talents in the equation and also fails to address non-financial aspects of the envy test. For example, if Adrian and Bruce are able to achieve equal financial success with their respective professions, they should be equal under the envy test, but if Adrian believes (accurately or not) that Bruce has a more glamorous life with less work, more access to fame, etc., then the situation may still fail the envy test. This example perfectly demonstrates the flaws in the envy test and in Dworkin’s theory. Regardless of the flaws, Dworkin’s theory has been largely employed and thus the other caveats of the question.   The way that Dworkin’s theory has been employed, it is accepted as a given that Claude, who is unemployed, will be envious of Adrian and therefore they will be unequal. To even out this inequality, the government application of the theory has been to take resources (in the form of taxes) from Adrian and give them to Claude. The problem with this solution is that it can create envy in the opposite direction. To make them equal, you would have to remove half of what Adrian has and give it to Claude so that he would not be envious of Adrian. Then, the two would have equal resources.   Then, however, Adrian is likely to be jealous of Claude who has all the same things that Adrain does but who has not had to work for them; he will envy Claude’s lifestyle. Ultimately, much of the bashing done about the distribution of wealth system comes down to just that—another form of envy. The liberal view of universal citizenship has been challenged by feminists and advocates for race-based identity politics. What is this view, what about it has been challenged, and what is it alleged to be missing? In your answer, discuss the theories of Young/MacKinnon and Fanon/Biko. The problem with the liberal view of universal citizenship is that it requires as basis equality. If all people were equal, had always been equal, and would always been equal, then the concept of universal citizenship would be not only valid, but the appropriate thing to promote. However, the reason that it is widely-challenged by feminists and advocated for race-based identity politics is that at no point in human history have individuals ever been treated as true equals. MacKinnon and other feminists argue that it is more likely that without identifiable and motivate sub-groups of voters, the system will default o maintaining the status quo and will as a consequence promote dominance by white male society. Fanon’s argument is similar though not exactly the same. He argues that to appreciate the value of citizenship, one must have been involved in a violent struggle to attain it. This is sort of revolutionary politics at heart. It assumes that people do not value rights that they are given so much as those that they fight for. The basic premised is that in fighting, through violent struggle to attain citizenship and later the rights conveyed with citizenship, the African-American (and to a lesser extent other racial groups) has gained a self-identity that would be lost if they had been granted universal citizenship. It is possible that the opposition to universal citizenship comes from our ingrained belief in traditional political theory as developed by dead white men who placed huge limitations on citizenship including social class, race, gender, age, land ownership and literacy as well as other requirements through the ages. It should also be considered whether, despite their high-minded motivations, feminists and others who have been granted citizenship and the rights therein are not opposing universal citizenship in their own out-moded version of us versus the other. As they are no longer a distinctive portion of the other, it is possible that they desire to continue to bestow that status on different individuals including recent immigrants and children. Conservative opponents to universal citizenship say that the concept eliminates concepts of national allegiance and even racial allegiance, leading to a homogony of people that destroys diversification and eliminates cultural differences. While some proponents would say that is exactly the point, opponents point out that assimilation of all different ideas into one mainstream is counterproductive and eliminates the desire for and will to change. Kymlicka claims that all approaches to contemporary political theory endorse the proposition that all persons should be treated as equals, and that their disagreement comes down to the practical question of what that entails. What must be done to treat all persons as equals, according to libertarianism, liberal equality, utilitarianism, feminism, and Marxism? According to libertarian philosophy, equality happens when people do not use force against one another and people are given all rights which do not impose on the rights of others. This is the ultimate culmination of the Wiccan creed of â€Å"It harm none, do what though wilt.†   Libertarians believe in the defensive use of force to protect what is yours, but are staunchly opposed to the use of aggressive force. Aggressive force can never be used to promote equality. Those who argue for liberal equality believe that it is the opportunity matters. If people are given an equal chance at success, then the system has been successful according to those who support liberal equality. Utilitarians believe that people are equal when the common good is enacted for the rights of all people and that the common good applies equally to all members of society. Proponents of this theory argue that good is the important motivator and if all the actions are taken in a strict moral and ethical stance for the good of all people then the actions are inherently equal. Feminism comes in two distinctive branches: one simply promoted that after years of oppression a woman is equal to a man and can therefore do anything he can do. In an extreme form of feminism, some believe that the woman’s capability of imbuing life and her propensity for compassion make her superior to the male of the species.   The problem in extreme forms of feminism is that they also believe women should be given more than equal opportunities in an effort to make up for the centuries of oppression by men and that men should be denigrated to the class of secondary citizens.  Ã‚   Marxist theory claims that men are unequal in their talents and abilities, but that one talent or ability should not be more highly valued than another—thus a person whose talent is in digging ditches should be as valued as a person whose talent is neurosurgery. Are equal rights sufficient for realizing justice? Why or why not? In your answer, consider and discuss those theories of justice that find equal rights sufficient as well as those that do not. Equal rights are not sufficient for justice. There must also be an equal application of those rights. For instance, if a black man and a white man are accused of a crime, both have an equal right under the law to a jury of their peers, but depending on the racial makeup of the jury selection pool, they may not have an equal opportunity for the enforcement of those rights. A black man may find himself facing a just or only white Americans and vice versa.   Likewise, technically a rich man and a poor man have the same right counsel if accused of a crime, but the reality of access tells us that the rich man will likely hire an independent lawyer and will be less likely to serve time for his crime.

The Things They Carried Rhetorical Analysis

The Things They Carried Prompt: How do the symbols, imagery, and anecdotes in The Things They Carried help to contribute to the meaning of the text? The Things They Carried, written by Tim O’Brien, recounts the horrible experiences of soldiers at war in Vietnam. Throughout the novel, the author not only tells war stories, but tales about his own life, often referencing and dwelling on those who have made an impact on his life. He stresses the importance of these people and stories, often referring to them as â€Å"war stories† although many of these are not true.They serve as an outlet for O’Brien, allowing him to let go of these horrible memories but also letting him keep the importance that they had on his life. These stories and messages are emphasized through the symbols displayed in the novel, the imagery used throughout, and the anecdotes that recount his memories. The symbols in The Things They Carried help to make the text more meaningful and further comm unicate the theme the novel displays. One of the symbols, the dead Vietnamese soldier, represents the horrors of war and what soldiers have to experience on the battlefield.Although it was never completely clarified whether O’Brien did or did not kill the man, the guilt he relays through the text shows that he does not want to be in war, but it is expected of him to kill others since he is involved. He does so to prevent scorn from society upon his return. The author copes with the death of the Vietnamese soldier as he does with others throughout the novel; he fantasizes about what kind of person the soldier was, what he did before the war, and what he will do after.He creates the soldier’s life in his mind, saying that â€Å"After his years at the university, the man I killed returned with his new wife to the village of My Khe, where he enlisted as a common rifleman with the 48th Vietcong Battalion† (O’Brien, 130). The man is a symbol of who the author h oped to be instead of who he was at war. The author himself was about to go to college, but was unable to do so in his life, so fabricated the soldier’s past to live out his dreams in a different manner.Even though he did not know the man, he still feels and remembers the loss like the soldier had a significant impact on his life. O’Brien keeps those that have passed on alive in his memory, and this is one of the many continuous themes of the novel. The uses of imagery throughout the novel help to bring more meaning and importance to the theme the novel holds. In many of the important events in the novel, imagery is utilized to stress the significance of the event. When Kiowa dies in the novel, the use of imagery shows the importance of Kiowa to the entire troop, and how his death happened.When describing his dead body, O’Brien includes the details that â€Å"A piece of his shoulder was missing; the arms and chest and face were cut up with shrapnel. He was cove red with a bluish green mud† (O’Brien, 175). This description of Kiowa’s dead and decomposing body helps to bring the reader into the war itself, and what the author was feeling at this point in his life. Not only does this imagery convey to the reader the condition of the body, but it also communicates the reality of war and the effect it has on the people involved.However, the author keeps Kiowa both alive through the text and in his memory, stating that a true war story is never completely true. This shows that although most of the novel is most likely fabricated and completely false, it still relates the general experience of the war and these experiences keep the war alive in the author’s memory. Many of the stories within The Things They Carried are short anecdotes, and they give examples of the war stories that O’Brien has both experienced and heard. These tales essentially make up the book, and thus are very important to the meaning of the n ovel.The author often recounts his experiences with those who have passed on even though these stories seem to have no relevance to the text itself. For instance, he remembers his first experience with love and loss on meeting Linda when he was in elementary school. â€Å"When I write about her now, three decades later, it’s tempting to dismiss it as a crush, an infatuation of the childhood, but I know for a fact that what for each other was as deep and rich as love can ever get†(O’Brien, 228). This love he felt for Linda was true, and even similar to the love he felt for many of the men in his troop.Even though O’Brien has not seen Linda or heard of her for three decades, she is immortalized within his memory, and as a result, he thinks about her often, as he does with other deceased characters in the book, such as Kurt Lemon and Kiowa. This memory of Linda shows that the book was not written only to recount his experience in the war, but to also remembe r those who have passed on through the text, and this shows that even when people die, they are never truly forgotten. The symbols, imagery, and anecdotes used throughout the text help to prove that no one single person is every truly gone from someone’s memory, and every memory has an mpact on one’s life. O’Brien uses symbolism to refer to the war at many points, and his memory of the man showed who he wished he was rather than what he really became. The symbolism used when describing Kiowa’s death shows the horror and reality of war, and well as the immortalization of people in the author’s memory. O’Brien’s anecdote involving Linda and his first experience with love shows this remembrance of the dead as well. This anecdote, along with others, brings more meaning to the story. These messages involved in the book help to bring more meaning and importance to the text, and help to leave an impact on the reader’s life.