Nature is not just a matter of presenting landscapes Essay Example for Free

Nature is not just a matter of presenting landscapes Essay The two poems in which I feel use nature as a source of inducing emotion and meaning to the reader are London, William Blake and To Autumn, Lord Byron. Both poems present nature in highly contrasting forms. To Autumn is a strongly appreciative poem of nature. It presents the cycle of nature and season, a depth to which the narrator appears to be contemplating what autumn represents. The poets is gives a calm and peaceful feeling which is purely created by the scenery and way in which Byron presents nature. London on the other hand contrasts the beautiful scenery of To Autumn by portraying an image of a poverty ridden city where depression is rife. There seems to be an apparent link between the poems which shows how the presentation of nature alters the emotions felt by the reader towards the way of life. Landscape is a main factor that distinguishes these poems. It appears to be the foundation of the poems meanings. The landscape is created by both poets through nature, either in its natural form or of the lacking appearance of natural form. To Autumns main theme is natures seasons and the transitions that take place to nature over time. The narrator is describing the ripening of fruit, possible in an orchard. The beauty of natures changing form is something that is being contemplated by the narrator as they delve to find a deeper meaning in nature. It could be seen that the narrator concludes the cycles has different stages as does life. Within the first stanza the narrator appears to be admiring the ripening process of fruit and how it is preparing to grow fully until it is in perfect form, as suggested by; To Swell the Gourd, and plump the hazel shells. The maturing sun shedding light onto the fruit seems to be the fruits necessary inspiration to ripen into its ideal form. The sun represents the inspiration nature is giving nature on earth. The poet personifies the Sun and seems to indicate the bosom is a creature with a mind of its own; Close blossom-friend of the maturing sun; / Conspiring with him how to load the bless/ The second stanza seems to be presenting the harvesting process and the suns setting upon the fruit. This stanza suggests the presence of natures implications over humans. It again emphasises the peacefulness and tranquillity induced by nature. Natures control over humans is shown in this case through the plants created by nature; Drowsed with the fumes of poppies The admiration of nature through its landscapes, scenes and creatures appears to create a feeling of peaceful, tranquil emotions. There are no challenges presented to natures ripening process. The poem narrates the simplicity and ease nature develops at. This leads on to the contrasting themes presented in London. London has a serious lack of natural form. It was written in the time of the industrial revolution and could be a protest by Blake against this absence of natural form. It presents the city of London, and contrastingly to the natural beauty in To Autumn and the natural course nature develops, it show the effects of destroying nature through urbanisation. The interference of human in adjusting the landscape seems to be the cause of the despairing feeling throughout the poem. The poem portrays a place of misery and despair. The charterd street/ Near where the charted themes do flow, / Indicate the way in which humans are trying to restrict and manipulate natures natural course. The repetition of charterd suggest the limitations human have put on nature and in due course on themselves. The freedom in To Autumn is emphasised by the vastness overwhelming presence of nature. Contrastingly the restricting landscape presented in London is reflected in the lack of freedom suggested to the reader. The use of light in London is a direct contrast to the use in to Autumn. The blackning church and midnight streets give a repressing feeling with an implication of despair. Light is a source given by nature, the lack of it in London emphasises the lack of nature through out the city. In To Autumn the sun is personified and is the giver of life to natures plants, ripening them and creating perfect form. The sun has a Clos bosom-friend that suggests a caring and nurturing instinct. The Presence of Humans is an obvious factor throughout London. There is misery within the city portrayed, and although humans are represented, they appear a more generalised object than individual characters themselves. There is a sense of misery created by the restrictions the inhabitants of the city are living under. The restrictions that have been implemented on these humans, seems to be a reflection of the restrictions the human race has put on nature. In the poem man has destroyed the open vastness of nature that represents freedom. The circumstances they have created for nature, by rectifying buildings, seem in turn to have impacted their way freedom. Through destroying natures natural course they have destroyed the nature of humans. There is no interaction between humans with in the poems and the population seems to be generalised object, as opposed to each individual having a personal character. This could be linked to the destroying of natures difference and replacing the individual areas with identical building all created of concrete and blocks. To support the theory that the humans misery was self inflicted through their choice to destroyed nature, the narrator states that the people are restricted by mind-forged manacles. The Marks of weakness, marks of woe are human traits and do not occur throughout To Autumn. To autumn has very limited presence of human. The presence that is there appear to only be there to admire the wonders of nature and in no way to interfere with its natural form. The attitude humans living in harmony with nature is what creates a far more relaxed and peaceful poem. Immorality is another focus in London that is contrasted by the harmony in to Atumn. There is many suggestions that the people in London are morally corrupt and live in a corrupt society. The Chimney sweepers cry is one reference that shows this. Chimney sweeps were always small children carrying out a very dangerous job with inadequate protection. The matter adults were putting children in a position of danger which may have made them cry suggests morals have been disregarded. The reference to the Blackning Church is another example. The church is a place of help for those in need, God is there to look after those who need help. Yet despair is rife surrounding the church and no source of aid is being supplied. Instead there is a negative dim portrayal of the church. The church within the poem is giving out a hypocritical aura. There appears to be no negative moral within To Autumn, nature and the people live in harmony. As far as the poem explains there does not appear to be any moral corruption, there is a level of respect held by people. The poems moral message is to appreciate nature and the beauty of autumn. The cycle taking place in To Autumn is shown in all aspects on nature. The sun carries out a cycle through the day, rising in the morning and setting in the evening to create the soft-dying day. Even though the cycle is at its end it is portrayed as calm and peaceful this is because it is known it is not the end for ever. The cycle will continue and the beauty and lights the sun has produced during the day will continue on. Again at the beginning of the poem the reader is shown the beauty of fruit ripening until it is ready to be picked from its roots. When it is picked it is not seen as an act of destroying nature but as a part of its cycle. The poem is emphasising that even though autumn is nearing the end of the year and often bring cold and death of plants and nature, it is not the season of death as everything returns. The narrator is appreciating the beauty he sees in nature and the natural death and birth of aspects. This is contrasted in london there is no apparent cycle that is developed in the poem. It suggest the misery and poverty is endless. Nature can not be re created once it has been destroyed in such a way shown in the poem. Therefore the poets is suggesting the happiness and natural cycle can never be restored and the circumstances created are forever. London is formed of four stanzas all containing four lines. Most lines contain eight syllables and there is a regular ABAB rhythm. The format is extrememly neat and compact. This could reflect the repression and restricted life the poem is portraying. Blake uses repetition throughout the poem to emphasis certain words. There are random capital letters placed at points in the poem where they are not grammatically correct, again this could be a method of emphasising these particular words. There is a first person narrative: I wander thro each charterd street, yet there is not personal emotion. The language is plain including no dialect but is forcesful, this supports the lack of personal opinions and feelings portray. This again could be supporting the theme of a generalised and restricted population that cannot think for themselves. To Autumn is presented in a more relaxed from, there are three stanzas of eleven lines each. The length of them makes it easier Keats to present the meanings of the poem though a story telling manner. Each stanza has a different theme and they lead on to one another. The active verbs in To Autumn such as run bend and budding emphasis the process and development in the cycle of nature. Post modifiers such as sitting carelessly are also present, this is to emphasis the tranquillity the poem is presenting. Keats also uses archaic language to emphasise the ancientness of the process taking place in autumn. The language gives a detailed, vivid, visual image. The use of soft letters again shows the calmness as the poem sounds calm when being read aloud. To Autumn and London differ all aspects shown portrayed in the poems. The landscape, attitudes of people and feelings induced when reading the poems all differ. However the poem have a very similar theme, that nature is a source of good and beauty. Blake portrays a world without nature and emphasises that as a result of this people are poverty stricken and miserable. When reading the poem there are feeling of sorrow and disgust at the controlled immoral society. His overall message therefore must have a link with the train of thought; nature unhampered with induces peace and tranquillity. Keats is showing the beauty of nature even in one of the less favourable months. The people throughout the poem are happy in harmony with nature. The reader feels a sense of tranquillity when reading the poem. The poems therefore are highly contrasting yet their underlying moral message is similar and in their individual ways they are showing appreciation for nature.

Analysis And Comparison Of Diageo And Sab Miller Marketing Essay

Analysis And Comparison Of Diageo And Sab Miller Marketing Essay This case study aims to analyse, compare and contrast strategic financial management of Diageo plc and SAB Miller plc. The analysis also identifies and explores the factors which are responsible for the current financial position and development of both the companies and critically evaluate the factors involves in future growth, development and change. To evaluate the performance of each company and compare them the financial analysis tools used are SWOT, the profit impact of market strategy (PIMS) and some comparison continued thereafter. In the end there is a conclusion for taking the summary of involved companies into consideration as to which company can be concluded to be more successful. Diageo plc Diageo is known for one the of world leading manufactures in liquors market. It is manufacturer of branded beer, premium spirits and wine products. Diageo market its premium alcohol beverages in more than 180 markets around the world. Its 17 brand range comes in the top 100 premium distilled spirits brands worldwide. Diageo produces premium spirits under brands including Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan, Baileys, JB, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray, Guinness, and Crown Royal. Diageos wine brands include Blossom Hill, Sterling, Beaulieu, Chalone, Navarro Correas, Rosenblum Cellars and Santa Rita. There are few other beer brands of the company include Harp, Smithwicks, Tusker and Red Stripe. Diageo operates in four mail markets are: Asia Pacific, Europe, International and North America. Diageo sees a revenue of  £12,958 million ($20,491.8 million) during the financial year ended June 2010 (FY2010), an increase of 5.5% over FY2009. Hence contribute to operating profit of the company to  £2,574 million ($4,070.5 million) in FY2010, an increase of 6.5% over FY2009. The net profit was  £1,629 million ($2,576.1 million) in FY2010, an increase of 1.5% over FY2009. (www.datamonitor.com) SWOT Analysis for Diageo plc Strength Adequate range of brand in premium spirits segment Due to involvement in various area of operations leads to less business Weakness Debt is a huge burden for this company The way legal procedure goes in this firm that may affect corporate image in bad manner Opportunities A great increase in demand in global spirits market Buying new companies, widen the market space and range of product as well Wine market growth also a positive sign Threats High degree of competition Very strict advertising rules Unavailability of cheaper labour SABMiller plc SABMiller is also a worlds biggest giant in liquor industries who has spanned across the six continents around the world. This company has more than 200 brands under its belt and market it across 75 countries. SABMiller operation mainly involves across producing beer and soft drinks. SABMiller offers premium beers brands such as Draft, Grolsch, Miller Genuine, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell. It also markets a range of local brands such as Aguila, Castle, Miller Lite, Snow and Tyskie. Additionally, the company is engaged in the bottling business, and is one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products. SABMillers operates in: Latin America; Europe; South Africa; Africa; Asia; and North America and headquartered in London, which employs about 70,131 people. SABMiller earned revenues of $18,020 million during the financial year ended March 2010 (FY2010), less than of 3.7% as compared to 2009. The operating profit of the company was $2,619 million in FY2010, less than of 16.8% as compared to 2009. The net profit was $1,910 million in FY2010, an increase of 1.5% over 2009. (www.datamoitor.com) SWOT Analysis for SABMiller plc Strength Top runner globally diversified brewer especially in African and Latin American countries Huge range of international and local brands Impressive cash productivity Weakness Less involvement to the Asian beer market though important player in China and India Opportunities Tie up with big retailers for distribution. Latin American acquisition to expand operations To improve the business and financials so restructuring initiatives Threats Huge competition Margins can be affected by hike in raw materials Bad perception pertaining to health in terms of beer as compared to wine PIMS (Profit Impact of Marketing Strategy) Analysis of Diageo Plc vs. SAB Miller Plc Competitive Position: Diageo is worlds top 10 premium spirit brands having volume of 55% in market and leads among each segment of beverage alcohol. Diageo focus on essential market taking that parts bigger economies in consideration. Diageo manage these markets are under four geographical areas: North America (United States and Canada), Europe (Great Britain, Ireland, Continental Europe, Iberia and Russia). The International business area comprises Latin America and the Caribbean (including Mexico), Africa and the Global Travel and Middle East business. The Asia Pacific business area comprises India, China, South Korea, Japan and other Asian markets, Australia and New Zealand. North America accounts for the largest proportion of Diageos operating profit. (www.diageo.com) C:UsersHimeshDesktopDia.PNG Source: www.diageo.com On the other hand when we compare the market share of SABMiller with that of Diageo, SABMiller operating brewing and distribution across six continents and is involves in over 55 countries. They have over 200 owned brands and six of their brands are among the top 50 in the world. In South Africa, where SAB Ltd began the year with the loss of a major premium brand to a competitor, overall volumes remained level while mainstream volumes grew satisfactorily by mid-single digits. (www.sabmiller.com) Production Structure: Diageo establishes its most of the product as world premium brands, regional brands and segmented brands. In the market the major player for Diageo is its world premium brands which are responsible for its growth. Commenting on Companys operational performance in a conference of the US analysts (2008), Chief Executive, Paul Walsh mentioned, Weve reported another year of strong organic growth, with net sales up 7% and operating profit up 9%, with free cash flow of  £1.25 billion. Our return on invested capital increased 50 basis points to 14.9%. We have returned  £1.9 billion to shareholders, with dividends of  £857 million and share buybacks of  £1 billion. And were recommending a full-year dividend per share of 34.35p, which will be up 5% on last year. (www.diageo.com) As we talk about SAB Miller, the firm grown to some US$1,978 million (2008: US$1,191 million) by simultaneously investing huge budget. This investment also improves manufacturing and selling to take full advantage of the market. Investment also increased due to the some key market currency strengthening as compared to US dollar. (www.sabmiller.com) In Morgan Stanley Conference, held in New York (2008), the company announced that they will continue to invest for growth while re-examining costs and CapEx. This includes continued investment in brands, packaging and innovation, new capacity being commissioned over coming year, cost productivity remaining a focus and re-examining all capital expenditures. (www.sabmiller.com/files/presentations) Attractiveness of the served market: Diageo long term goal aims at the continuous growth and increase shareholder value. When merger of Grand Metropolitan Public Limited Company (GrandMet) and Guinness PLC (the Guinness Group) took place Diageo was formed and simultaneously take over some companies and sold non-profit properties with the strategy of mainly focusing on premium brand. In the period from the merger in December 1997 to 30 June 2009, the group has received approximately  £10.5 billion from disposals (including  £4.3 billion from the sale of Pillsbury,  £1.9 billion from the sale of General Mills shares and  £0.7 billion from the sale of Burger King) and spent approximately  £5.6 billion on acquisitions (including  £3.7 billion in relation to certain Seagram businesses). (www.diageoreports.com) According to report of Chief Executive in the annual report (2009) of SAB Miller Group, This year has seen another strong performance with results continuing the trend of several very strong years. Adjusted earnings per share grew by 19%, bringing the compound annual growth rate over the last six years to some 20% per annum. At 143.1 US cents, our adjusted earnings per share have very nearly trebled since 2002. In the annual report of SAB Miller they have highlighted their key area of focus is to improve their routes to market both to remove costs and to ensure that the right products reach the right outlets in the right condition, accompanied by the right messages and merchandising material. Comparison of Financial Strategies of Diageo Plc and SAB Miller Plc Diageo Plc Diageo operates worldwide with its premium drinks and one of few companies who involves in beer, spirit and wine market. Diageo stood 8th of the worlds top 20 premium spirits brands on profit and business basis. Diageos produce world famous beer like Guinness, and contribute to approximately 22% of net sales while wine comes approximately 6% of Diageos net sales. Diageos size adds to low cost in production, selling and marketing. Due to this cost cutting they concentrate on cost effectiveness of the product and betterment of consumer services The most important it retains and attracts talented individuals who contribute for betterment of the strategies and increase business through organic sales hence profit as well acquisition of premium brands that valuable to the shareholders. (www.diageo .com) According to Bender and Ward (2004), if a key competitive strength of the existing business is built on the current product attributes or strong branding which have created very local customers, a strategic thrust for continued growth could be based on umbrella branding of new products with comparable attributes. From the above discussion it is clear that Diageos strategy is focused on its strength. SAB Miller Plc Within the span of 20 years SAB Miller expended its business from its base South Africa to the world, following is the list of their strategic priorities: Creating a balanced and attractive global spread of businesses: As in recent years SAB Miller acquired new companies leads to world market approach and introduced to emerging market not sticking on a particular part of the world. Few of the achievement are 7% organic volume growth and 9% group revenue growth. Developing strong, relevant brand portfolios in our local markets: Main motto to produce a good brand range that meets every consumer type and brings new improvement in terms of premiumisation, and growing demand for beer female consumers. To match with this demand a strategy is needed which tells each market dynamics and produce right range of brand for that particular market to grab the opportunity which leads to positioning of the distinct brand. Constantly raising the performance of local businesses: The greatest strength of SABMiller is operational performance. It is clearly shown by EBITA that their standard increasing day by day. At local level they are joining hand with big retailer to increase the performance. C:UsersHimeshDesktopsab.PNG Source: www.sabmiller.com Comparison of Current Position and Performance of Diageo Plc and SAB Miller Plc Diageo Plc consisted with 9% organic operating profit growth for the 30 June 2010. For 9 month span till 31 March 2010 Diageos organic net sales growth was 7% (Appendix 2), where as the growth seen in the first half on 30 June 2010. Hence no change in terms of financial position for the company. The return of cash to shareholders through the payment of dividends and the continued share buyback programme led to a reduction in net assets from  £4.2 billion at 30 June 2009 to  £3.9 billion at 31 March 2009. Paul Walsh, Chief Executive of Diageo commented: Trading in the third quarter continued in line with the first half and we are therefore maintaining our guidance for 9% organic operating profit growth for the current fiscal year. We continue to believe that the diversity and strength of our brands, the success of our marketing campaigns, our superior routes to market and our global reach will be key in delivering our performance. (Reuters, 2009) SAB Miller Plc In the year ending 30 June 2009, according to Graham Mackay, Chief Executive of SABMiller, The group recorded 1.5% growth in larger volumes. As expected organic volume performance was subdued, with larger volumes down 1.6% following the extraordinarily high growth of 13% in the prior year comparative period and reflecting lower volumes in China and the moderation of consumer spending in some markets. Group revenue growth has remained firm and financial performance in the quarter was in line with the groups expectations, although the challenging trading environment in South Africa impacted financial performance there. In the year ended 31 March 2009, the group reported US$3,639 million in adjusted pre-tax profit and revenue of US$21,410 million. (www.hemscott.com) This attitude towards good corporate governance is echoed in a statement made by Howard Davies, the chairman of the Financial Service Authority of the UK, who said in my view, investment in good corporate governance arrangements, and good regulation all those arrangements, is among the most effective and rewarding investment a developing market can make, and there are figures to prove it. (Davies, 2002) Diageo Plc vs. SAB Miller Plc Future growth and Development change Diageo Plc Looking at the current performance of Diageo Plc, they should invest to take leadership positions in every category, market and consumer occasion in which they choose to compete. They should drive brand growth by exploiting complete category participation opportunities, rather than solely focusing on individual brands within categories. Key categories include Scotch whisky, vodka and rum. In order for Diageo to grow the brand, they should ensure that they have personnel to grow. They can chose to add another brand or expand into another market segment but they need to be certain that they have a brand that they can expand upon. As mentioned by Saunders (2008) Carefully consider your existing brand. Does it evoke stability? Flavour? Health? In order to successfully expand your brand, you have to give people the same feeling they had when you first established it in the first place. Dont rush the process. Use a thesaurus to come up with like words and turn to compendiums of famous quotes and common phrases. Next step towards growth is to invest more resources into these and other brands with the best growth prospects. For this they are searching for opportunities in emerging markets. With European markets becalmed and continued economic uncertainty in the US, the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China have assumed even greater importance for Diageo. (Woodard, 2006) Though on year ending 30 June 2009, the only growth witnessed was in the top line 2% as they gained share in China and expanded in India and the markets of South East Asia. Finally, they should seek out selective acquisitions to support their brands growth. One of the key development for Diageo Plc this year is its deal with the United Spirits as United Spirit negotiates a deal with Diageo Plc for picking up a 14.9% stake. The total value of the deal works out to be around INR 18 billion. (www.businessweek.com) SAB Miller Plc SABMillers net profits climbed to 2.023 billion dollars (1.3 billion euros) in the 12 months to March 31, compared with the groups performance in 2008/09. This strong outturn to the year is particularly pleasing given the scale of the challenge we faced at its outset, with exceptional prior year comparatives, rising input costs and an increasingly competitive environment in many of our markets, SABMiller chairman Meyer Kahn said in the earnings statement. (www.uk.biz.yahoo.com) SABMiller is expected to produce a mixed bag of results with global volumes already reported to be 10% higher, led by South America, Europe and Africa/Asia, all ahead by more than 10%. The downside would be Miller in North America, which had suffered falling volumes and forecast lower earnings as higher costs like aluminium bite, analysts said. In addition, earnings growth from South Africa would be held back by the rand, which is 13 % down against the dollar from the previous year. We see the outlook statement as reassuring. The key point is SABMillers continuing confidence that it can fully offset these cost increases through price and mix improvements, said Cazenove analyst Matthew Webb. He raised his provisional earnings forecast for the year to March 2009 by 5 % to 162 %. (Reuters, 2009) The key development for SAB Miller in the current year is its decline in sales volume for the third quarter ended December 2009. The company recorded a 22% decline in the sales volume of its beer in Russia in October-December 2009 compared to the same period of 2008 due to a drop in purchases by distributors. The company sales in Europe fell 1% in the period, while global sales edged up 1%. Also, SABMiller plc may plan to make acquisitions. (www.businessweek.com) CONCLUSION According to the consolidated balance sheets (Appendix 2 3) of Diageo Plc SAB Miller Plc respectively, one can easily interpret that with an increase of revenue from last year by 14.47% for SAB Miller, gross profit has also gone up by 14% however when compared with that of Diageo Plc, it has shown an increase of only 7.53% in revenue and 7% in gross profit. From the balance sheet of both the companies it is clear that increase in the Net asset value of SAB Miller (24%) is almost double than that of Diageo Plc (12%). Diageo, under whose belt are Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka, fails to gain the trust of the North American and European consumer. This can be understood by as the profit without tax dipped from  £1.41bn to  £1.39bn in the first half on 31 December. There is an increase in Net sales by 3% however downfall of 2% due constant currency basis. Except from Guinness all world premium brand sales fell. SAB Miller showing great growth in world market (Appendix 1) especially in South Africa where it originated from. According to Jones (2008) British drinks giant Diageo and Dutch brewer Heineken agreed to strengthen their ties in South Africa and take on dominant domestic brewer SABMiller by building a brewery there by end-2009. Heinekens chance to expand in South Africa came in March 2007 when an International Chamber of Commerce court ruled to terminate SABMillers license to brew and distribute Heinekens Amstel beer in South Africa. Amstel dominated South Africas premium market, accounting for 9% of the national beer market and SABMiller said the license loss would cost it $80 million in annual profits. Therefore it can concluded that though looking at the current position (Appendix 1) SAB Millers performance is better than that of Diageo Plc, however it has threat from Diageo and its other competitors when we look at their upcoming acquisition strategies. Appendix 1.Share price comparison between Diageo plc, SABMiller plc and FTSE 100 C:UsersHimeshDesktopCapture.PNG Source: Yahoo UK IRELAND FINANCE In the share price chart the blue line represents SABMiller, green line Diageo and red line FTSE 100 respectively. The graph above shows share price comparison of SAB Miller plc Diageo Plc with FTSE 100 for the last 2 years. Appendix2. Consolidated Balance Sheet for Diageo plc (Source: Yahoo FINANACE) C:UsersHimeshDesktopBalance Sheet.PNG Appendix3. Consolidated Balance Sheet for SABMiller plc (Source: Yahoo FINANCE) C:UsersHimeshDesktopBalance Sheet2.PNG

Appearance Versus Reality in Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie Es

Appearance Versus Reality in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie In any Tennessee Williams' play, nothing is as it seems. Everything represents more than itself. Williams' creative use of symbols creates a drama that far exceeds the apparent or surface level. Williams himself admits that "art is made out of symbols the way your body is made out of the vital tissue," and that "symbols are nothing but the natural speech of drama [. . . ,] the purest language of plays [. . . ; S]ometimes it would take page after tedious page of exposition to put across an idea that could be said with an object or a gesture on the lighted stage" (Demastes 174). The reader must engage not only what appears to be just a needed prop or dialogue, but also the reader has to project beyond the obvious to understand the full impact of the symbols Williams uses. He controls every aspect of his plays by giving very precise stage directions. He is the god of his work. He directs every aspect as if he is afraid to turn lose any control unless it becomes something else than he wi lls it to be. In The Glass Menagerie, Williams uses many symbols that cannot fully be retained by the reader in just one reading of the play. The Glass Menagerie is a play about a dysfunctional family during the 1930s and how they survive in their own world of reality. Even the characters themselves are symbols of a deeper meaning; for example, Amanda Wingfield's name itself is revealing. Amanda contains the word man, and she has to play the role of the man and the woman of the house since the father deserted the family long ago. Close examination of the last name Wingfield gives the reader additional clues. The Wingfields are actually taking life as it comes to them, or, in... ...orks Cited Demastes, William D. Realism and the American Dramatic Tradition. Tuscaloosa, AL: U of Alabama P, 1996. Kolin, Philip. Tennesse Williams: A Guide to Research and Performance. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1998. Scanlan, Tom. Family, Drama, and American Dreams. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1978. Sievers, W. David. Freud on Broadway, A History of Psychoanalysis and the American Drama. New York: Hermitage House, 1995. Weales, Gerald. "Tennessee Williams 1914-. Contemporary Literary Cristicism. 21 Vols. Ed. Dedria Bryfonski and Phyllis Carmel Mendelson.Detroit:Gale,1978.471. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 1864-1908. Work Consulted Williams. Edwina Dakin. Remember Me to Tom. New York: Putman, 1963.

Effective Use of Color in William Gibsons Neuromancer :: Neuromancer Essays

Effective Use of Color in Neuromancer As I sit in my chair and type this essay, I am amazed to see myself staring into the computer next to me and wondering if William Gibson was indeed correct. The screen, which is a dark gray, has been put on "sleep mode" by Windows 98 but has not been powered off. It is not only the monitor that troubles me as I stare blankly into it, but rather, it is "the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." This is how Gibson touches the reader in Neuromancer. He uses images of colors with which the human eye is all too familiar, and, more specifically, he uses shades of these colors. One color, which particularly stands alone in Gibson's use and effectiveness, is gray. It represents so much in the novel and adds incredible dimensions beyond simple description. With the opening line, the coloring reveals the nature of his futuristic Earth. "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel." In the modern world, there are not too many people who do not know this color. The "snow" effect has been commonly used to describe it, as well as static, haze, and a number of other terms, but the color remains the same. It is the color of frustration, hopelessness and non-clarity, much like Case's world. There is very little hope left in Case's life as Gibson opens the novel, and within fifteen words, the reader is well aware of this fact. Not only does the world continue a bleak existence, but so to do the main characters of the novel. Molly, for example, is a lost assassin. She is not physically lost but rather spiritually as she has turned into a killing machine. The only true way to describe it is cold-blooded. Her icy nature is revealed, once again, through the use of the color gray. Her eyes, or what is left of them, used silver, mirrored lenses. Just by her paratactic description, the reader syntactically knows her faults through her faulty vision. In addition to Molly, one other member of Case's team is flawed using the color gray. This is Armitage, or Corto. Armitage is merely a shell of a man created by an Artificial Intelligence. To indicate the instability of Armitage/Corto, Gibson shows Armitage in a gray business suit, which contrasts starkly to the image the reader sees of Corto's military days, where he would have worn a camouflaged uniform.

The Rock :: essays research papers

nothing (III.iii.75). Happy with Othello's answer, Desdemona leaves the garden and Iago, alone once again with Othello, continues his evil machinations. He asks if Cassio knew about Othello's love for Desdemona from the beginning of their courtship. Othello says yes and adds that Cassio even served as a matchmaker for the two and "went between [them] very oft". Iago shows deep concern and subtly hints that Cassio's ulterior motive had been all along to engage in an affair with Desdemona. Iago plays upon Othello's insecurities, reminding him that Cassio is younger and more handsome and is a white Venetian citizen. It does not take long before Othello is convinced of Desdemona's betrayal. He chooses the words of Iago over his trust in his wife, and declares "my relief must be to loathe her." (III.iii.268). Desdemona enters with Emilia to call Othello for supper. He tries to hide his inner turmoil but Desdemona can tell that he is troubled. He complains that he has a headache. She pulls out a handkerchief embroidered with strawberries and lovingly puts it to his head, but he pushes it away and it falls to the ground. Othello insists she not bother picking it up, and he tells her that he is ready for supper. For some time Iago has asked Emilia to steal Desdemona's handkerchief and now, alone in the garden, she has the opportunity. Hiding it in her pocket, Emilia wonders what Iago's intentions are for the handkerchief. Iago enters and Emilia proudly shows him the handkerchief. He calls her a "good wench" and she asks him for what purpose will he use it. He refuses to tell her and she leaves on his command. Once alone, Iago reveals what Emilia desired to know: I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin/And let him find it" (III.iii.321-2). Othello returns from his short supper and he is distraught to say the least: "Farewell, tranquil mind" (III.iii.350). Desdemona's treachery consumes his thoughts and he lashes out at I ago, demanding immediate proof of her betrayal.

Women in Bollywood

Film is somehow a depiction of real life. The movies produced reflect a nation’s culture and the interplay of its citizens within the society. Such interplay is the role of a man and a woman in India. Cinema in India is the largest productive movie industry in the world. Known as Bollywood, Indians are able to make films which portray the Indian’s way of life, promote their sense of identity, and their nationalism. By looking at Indian films, one can have the general idea of the Indian society. Women, in particular, are clearly portrayed in Bollywood.There are notions of what a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ woman is. The actions of women depicted in the films also create norms on how women are placed in the society. Just like films from other countries, Bollywood have mostly projected women in a standardize character (Mishra, 2002, p. xix). Though the Indian culture evolves in accordance with modern times, women representation in films somehow has been ty pified within the norms. Two of the best-selling Hindi movies that made its mark on Bollywood Cinema have women as the main character.Mother India (1957) and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994), both are notable works in the Indian film industry. The former being a dramatic movie and the latter, a romantic comedy combined with musical. These two films presented women who are bounded by the traditions of the society and how they reacted to it. Both of the films pertained to the concept of India’s ideal woman. As heroines from the two movies revolved around different environment and time frame, they were depicted as the women molded into the traditions of Indian society. These traditions lead to the films’ depiction of India’s nationalism.As what Thomas mentioned in her essay (1989) about India’s struggle for freedom in the form of films: Since it first emerged in the context of colonial India’s fight for independence, Indian cinema, for a number of reasons, has been concerned with constructing a notion of Indian cultural and national identity. This has involved drawing on concepts such as â€Å"traditions†. (p. 11) Mother India is a film that has a heavier plot than that of the Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. Radha, the female protagonist faced a lot of moral and social struggles as the story progress.Her personal role as a mother conflicted with her public responsibility as a woman. As a young woman who married the man she loves, she was encapsulated in the dutiful role of a wife. Radha fulfilled the traditional wife duties as her husband’s companion and helper at work. Radha is one of the most dynamic characters in Bollywood. Her change in attitudes in the course of the film was necessary as dramatic situations occurred in her story. The changes that happened in Radha’s character are two opposite personalities of a woman.From the shy, newly married young woman she transformed into a self-dependent single mother who worked h ard to uphold the dignity of her children and their standard of living. Her marriage with Shamu made her a committed and devoted wife to him. She is always at his side especially when working. However, as tragedy followed Shamu getting handicapped resulted into his decision to leave his family, Radha’s role as a mother has to be emphasized. Her timidity turned into a strong, courageous woman who built her family within dignified moral grounds.With this kind of dynamism, Radha was depicted as a powerful woman. The character of an empowered and independent woman was very rare in Indian cinema at the time Mother India was released. This kind of portrayal brought Radha with goddess-like features because of enduring so much struggles and overcoming tribulations. Radha was one of the few fictional female characters depicted in a heroic manner. The flow of Radha’s story is quite similar with the goddess Sita. Radha who endured the hard work together with her husband just like what Sita did when she gave up richness to join her husband in exile.Both of them endured the hardships of raising their children alone. Though both of them may have been portrayed as frail and timid, they exude strength especially in the most challenging aspect of their lives. The loyalty and chastity of the goddess can be seen on the scene where Radha refused Sukhilal’s offer of marriage. Upholding her chastity meant maintaining the dignity of their family despite their situation of poverty. Radha always reminded her sons to live a life within moral principles and to serve as good citizens of their village.The chastity was not only for her but for her family’s name. Her sons became the extension of maintaining that purity despite their strife in life. Another goddess associated with Radha is the goddess Kali. The goddess is described as the â€Å"fierce, passionate goddess of both life and destruction† (Thorner, Raj & Trust, 2000, p. 97). The fierceness of th e goddess can be witnessed when Radha aggressively declined Sukhilal’s seduction and almost caused havoc inside his house. The characteristic of Kali’s destruction can be identified in the event when Radha shot her favorite son.There was a struggle within Radha to be a good mother or to be a law abiding citizen. Birju failed to uphold what his mother have instilled to them and because of this, Radha decided to end his life to maintain the honor of the family. The association of Radha with Kali has been further justified by Rosie Thomas. Focusing on the experiences of men closer to Radha, Thomas indicated Radha’s goddess feature of punishment. Her depiction on the film holding heavy axe and shovel that she uses for farm work portrayed her as a strong woman that is capable of punishing if things does not go right (Thomas, 1989, p.17). The mere association of men with Radha caused the men on the film to be somewhat destroyed. Thomas described this destruction as an attribute to Radha being compared to Kali: She kills her favorite son; her husband loses both arms (and implicitly his manliness)†¦the villainous Sukhilal end up covered in cotton fluff, cowering like a naughty infant as she beats him with a big stick†¦Thus, she is both venerator of men and venerated by them as devi (goddess) and maa (mother), and she is, in turn, in need of men’s protection and a protector and destroyer of men. (p.16) The character of Radha can be quite the contrary for the depiction of Nisha in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. This is a romantic comedy family-oriented film. If Mother India mostly portrayed the role of the woman in a society, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun showed women’s place within the structure of the family. Indian traditions are clearly emphasized on the film especially in the engagement and wedding ceremonies (Hirji, 2005). Though the plot in the movie consists of light drama, the underlying role of the women in a typical Indian family conn otes how women are in real life.The women in this film are bounded by family traditions which meant that every decision in the family should come from the male member of the family. The arrangement that was made between Mr. Kailashnath and Mr. Siddharth for Pooja and Rajesh’s wedding made it very clear. This scene proved that family decisions should rule and the rule comes mostly from the male members. Women in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun are portrayed as dutiful and obedient. Nisha, the younger sister of Pooja, is the woman who is given focus on the film. She is portrayed in the film as a playful prankster and cheerful woman.As every woman in India, she is deeply attached with her family and it is seen in her relationship with her sister whom she’s closest with. Eventually, Nisha’s relationship with Prem will be greatly affected by her relationship with her family. Like Radha, Nisha experienced a transition within her character. Though Radha is a bit more complex, Nish a’s transition can be seen from being a happy-go-lucky girl to a woman that has to fulfill her family’s traditions. This is more evident when Prem and Nisha sacrificed their love so that she could marry Prem’s brother after Pooja’s death.The woman is seen to give up her own wishes and desires to abide her duties in her family. This aspect of women in Indian culture provided similarities with the goddess that was compared with Mother India. Aside from being loyal and upholding her chastity, the goddess Sita is a devoted and dutiful woman to her sons and to her husband. This feature is apparent on the easy acceptance of Pooja with the arrangement of marriage with Rajesh. The marriage was arranged by two of the highest male authorities of both families and the film portrayed that the decision to marry was a final thing to do.Shedding off whatever attraction that may have happened when they were introduced, an objection for the marriage from either Pooja or R ajesh did not exist for the sake of their fathers. On the other hand, Nisha – despite her feelings for Prem – decided to marry Rajesh for the sake of her nephew and her dead sister. Though it was against her will, she decided to take the route of being married to her brother-in-law. This event, as part of her change, showed Nisha becoming an ideal woman who sacrificed and obeyed her family.Like the goddess Sita who allowed Rama to exile her, Nisha complied with her family’s request even if it entailed to give up her love for Prem. This film showed the Indian traditions viewing Nisha as a heroine who â€Å"would never put her own dreams ahead of the aspirations and desires of her family or men† (Ghose, 2006, p. 5). The conservative woman who considers her self as a second priority is what appeal as an ideal woman. Nisha is a good woman with a generous heart that can be compared to the dutiful goddess Sita who is the epitome of how Indian women are raised.O n the contrary, the opposite of the good or ideal woman is revealed in the character of Mamiji. Nisha is portrayed as the simple conservative girl while Mamiji is depicted as â€Å"selfish, mercenary, and vain† (Ghosh, 2000, p. 86). Her being vain is symbolized as being self-centered which opposed Nisha’s character of selflessness. The fact that Mamiji does not have a child of her own makes her what she is. The lack of motherhood in her personality diverted her attention solely on herself. The concept of a ‘bad woman’ in the film can be compared to the struggle that India has been experiencing after the colonial period.Somehow, the qualities of a ‘bad woman’ in the image of Mamiji such as going to the beauty parlor can be seen as a modern type of woman. As Rosie Thomas mentioned, Indian films are mostly in the context of struggling for independence by showcasing nationalism through tradition (Thomas, 1989, p. 11). The depiction of the scheming Mamiji as a modern woman in oppose to Nisha or Pooja as the traditional women of India; say much about India’s effort to promote its culture rather than the practices that are left by their invaders.Taking all of these into account, somehow it can be determined that an ideal woman within the Indian society is someone who is submissive and selfless. Both films are able to portray those traits. Mother India and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun are perfect depictions of women who are bounded by Indian traditions whether in society or in the family. Though both women differ in strength and with the way they are portrayed, Radha and Nisha are both subjected to the responsibilities that they have as women leaving no room for their own will and personal desires.The portrayal of women in films having goddess-like characteristics, symbolizes the nationalism of India. India regarded many female gods in their religion and they attributed these deities as an example of how a female should behave in the society. Emphasizing traditions in Bollywood is their way of promoting Indian nationalism. One effective way of showing these traditions would be in the form of a female as both of these films have been considered as icons in the Indian film industry.These female characters that were associated with Hindu goddesses transcend into society to be emulated and to uphold the culture. For Indians compare their country to a female that nurture its people and unselfishly gave her land for them to nourish and to raise a dignified India. References Ghose, A. (2006). Of Names of Women in Hindi Cinema. Retrieved October 30, 2008, from Esocialsciences . Ghosh, S. (2000). Hum Aapke Hain Kaun: Pluralizing Pleasures of Viewership. Social Scientist, Vol. 28, p. 83-90.Hirji, F. (2005). When Local Meets Lucre: Commerce, Culture and Imperialism in Bollywood Cinema. Carleton University. Retrieved October 30, 2008, from http://lass. calumet. purdue. edu/cca/gmj/OldSiteBackup/SubmittedDocuments/Fall20 05/graduate/Hirji-%20Refereed. htm. Mishra, V. (2002). Bollywood Cinema: Temples of Desire. New York: Routledge. Raj, Maithreyi. K. , Thorner, A. & Trust, S. (2000). Ideals, Images, and Real Lives. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. Thomas, R. (1989). Sanctity and Scandal: The Mythologization of Mother India. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, Vol. 11, 11-30.

Leadership in the Work Environment

The ability to be a successful supervisor does not center on being an expert in the tasks of the company. If one is a supervisor in a bottling company, success will not derive from the number of bottles that are capped, but by orchestrating personnel to be effective in the product line that caps the bottles. As such, the supervisor must pay a firm – yet benevolent – role with employees in order to make the employees as productive as possible within the grand scheme of company goals. When it comes to the personnel who comprise the totality of the workforce, there can be issues that exist that are somewhat hostile. Whether employees are unhappy with co-workers or there is an anger directed towards management, such hostility must be addressed by an effective supervisory leader so as to return to a level of harmony and productivity. So how would I apply my skills to be an effective leader? By using my skills at understanding diversity; and effectively communicating in order to facilitate my leadership role. No work environment will be completely harmonious and it is the supervisor’s responsibility to effectively restore a sense of harmony to the work environment. This will require a great leadership role on the part of the supervisor, but far too often people will assume leadership means being firm or, worse, dictatorial. Such actions may work on a short term basis, but ultimately, such a heavy handed approach will lead to failure. In order to be an effective leader, one needs to temper firmness with a compassion and sensitivity that will greatly allow for stronger bonding between management and employee. This bonding will eventually provide the impetus for  subordinates to follow the guidelines of those in leadership roles and managerial positions. On a baseline level, there needs to be an understanding as to the complexity that can exist within the workforce. Often, that complexity derives from the great diversity of the people who comprise the entirety of the workforce. People come from all walks of life, from a multitude of cultures, ages, backgrounds, etc. Because of this, misunderstanding can result from a lack of understanding of the cultural sensitivities of the individuals. On a baseline level, it is the supervisor’s/manager’s responsibility to become well versed in diversity. There are those critics of diversity training that suggest that such training is a waste of productivity. This is a very knee jerk reaction to the subject that is not entirely based in reality. The reason for this is that the time spent on diversity training will allow the supervisor to understand how to communicate effectively with those under his or her supervision. This ability to communicate on a culturally sensitive level will eliminate a great many problems that may exist in the office environment. By eliminating these problems, productivity is no longer seriously threatened. Of course, there needs to be a solid development of basic communicative school (written and oral) in order to effectively deal with their subordinates. Without solid communicative skills, a supervisor will never be able to effectively present company policies or important issues to employees. In other words, there can be no leadership without effective communicative abilities. How successful could any supervisor be if the ability to supervise was undermined by being ineffective in the role as a company  communicator? More than likely, the supervisor would be very ineffective in even the most minor aspects of the position much less highly complex and sensitive aspects. Consider the following: when a supervisor effectively communicates with subordinates while tempering sensitivity to the employees’ specific needs and concerns, then the employees develops and attitude that will be more willing to follow the guidelines of the supervisor. In other words, leadership becomes effective because faith and trust in the leadership of the supervisor becomes affirmed. Consider the opposite extreme: the frustrated supervisor who uses threats of disciplinary action or verbal belittlement as a means of ‘motivating’ employees. While such tactics may force employees into following the directives that have been put forth, they will do so begrudgingly. In most cases, such employees will be looking to leave such a job as soon as the opportunity permits. While these employees may take orders from a superior, the superior is hardly being an effective leader and CERTAINLY such actions can not be used to smooth over any hostilities that might exist in the workforce. As such, belligerent tactics of this ilk must be avoided at all costs. In summation, in order to be a successful leader and smooth over any issues that may arise in the workforce requires two things: a sensitivity towards the diversity of the workforce and a solid skill in communicative abilities in order to effectively convey the message of leadership. If these areas are lacking, effective leadership will be undermined. If these skills are developed to a significant degree, the ability to be an effective leader will be greatly enhanced. Ultimately, it becomes the choice of the individual whether or not to develop such skills and it will be a true leader will take up the challenge.