Leslie Annexstein & Eileen Ordover Essay

The issue of equity is one that remains and will continue to be relevant to organization managers. This has been particular challenging in industries that have been associated with particular genders, cultures or demographics which has increased the factors affecting individual performance and participation in organizations (Reeve, 2005). As shown in the article for the study, the issue has shown a great sensitivity to developing issues while at the same remains as an effective benchmark of changes in social perspectives. The sentiment expressed highlights not only the role of management in equal employment opportunities. Leslie Annexstein, Eileen Ordover, Levon Esters, Blannie Bowen and Edward Reeve are given credit in particularly for their efforts in the empowerment of women, the disabled as well as bridging social disparities. However, there is also acknowledgement that even with such advancement in research, legislation and social policies, equalitarian ideals are still far from being realized. It is troubling to think that despite legislation and popular acknowledgement of the need and value of diversity and equal opportunity that such disparities would persist. Therefore, the challenge is one that has to be taken up not only in the interest of social responsibility but as a means of ensuring one’s own welfare in the future (pp. 5-6). How can there be real sensitivity for diversity, in particular for language, cultural and social differences? Are current standards and measures able to accommodate for developing needs? What is the long term consequence of the inability to address issues? How the issues impact individual members of society? Reference Reeve, Johnmarshall (2005). Understanding Motivation and Emotion. New York: John Wiley & SonsMook, D. G.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Dreaming a Reality

Thesis:Martin Luther King was a leader that was born in a segregated world but was determine to change it so everyone live in a equal nation. And he did this by his words and action that don’t need any bloodshed. He used brain over bronze to accomplish what he set out to do. Martin Luther King jr. was as born as a middle child in Atlanta Georgia in January 15th 1929 into a family which was actively involved in the civil right movement. Martin father and grandfather was lead preacher at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Martin Luther King mother was a teacher and thought him how to read, she also try to taught Martin about prejudice and the Jim Crow law that separated Black and White . Martin father was preacher , and was strong Blackman who help black get job and black teacher that same pay as white teacher. Martin got married to Coretta Scott in Alabama in June 18, 1953. Martin Luther King Jr. had four children Yolanda Denise, Martin Luther III, Dexter Scott, and Bernice Albertine. Martin Luther King began his education at Yong Street Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia he attended Booker-T Washington High and later on graduated and went to Morehouse College with a scholarship from his high because he got an high school entrance examination he even skip ninth and twelve grade he entered at age fifteen. He graduated collage with a Bachelor of Divinity in sociology King then began doctoral studies in systematic theology at Boston University and received his Doctor of Philosophy on June 5, 1955. Martin inspiration was a civil rights leader, theologian, and educator Howard Thurman who was actually Martin father friend use to mentor The Kings and his friend. King played a big role in the founding of Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957; this organization was created so non-violent black people to protect. King also organized and led marches for the right to vote, desegregation, and labor rights in addition to basic civil rights. One of Martin most famous rallies(marches) was the March On Washington where lack people from all over the nation came together to fight for their God given right at that event their were many speeches given one of them was the famous â€Å"I Have A Dream Speech† all this was held August 28, 1963. Other things you might find interesting about that event was that their wasn’t only black people their even white that had the same mind set as black were their trying to fight along with them for civil right and what they believe in . There were performance by Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson who sang â€Å"How I Got Over†, also musician Bob Dylan performed several songs, including â€Å"Only a Pawn in Their Game. Their criticism from many people and this might even surprise that â€Å"black nationalist Malcolm X, in his Message to the Grass Roots speech, criticized the march, describing it as â€Å"a picnic† and â€Å"a circus†. The March on Washington isn’t the only event that happen for the civil right of the black, another event that happen was a Boy Cott which Martin Luther was still a pastor back then, well by now you are asking what really happen to cause that Boy Cott?. And the answer was that a African-American amed Rosa Park who was an seamstress came from a hard day of work and went to the back of the bus and a white told her to get up so he can sit there and she refuse for doing that she arrested for this anger was spark in the Alabama community. And so a meeting was called by the black community and an overflow crowd came to Ebenezer Baptist church for a meeting concerning Rosa Park situation and so Dr. King told them the only way that they could them was to Boy Cott the bus company. So on Dec. 5, the African-American residents of the city refused to use the buses. Most walked, those few with cars arranged rides for friends and strangers, some even result to even riding mules. Only a very few numbers of African-Americans rode the bus that day. Martin Luther king gave a lot of speeches such as the famous â€Å"I Have a Dream†, â€Å"The Purpose of Education† speech, and his other famous â€Å"Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech† and I See the Promised Land (a. k. a. I've been to the Mountain Top) which was his last speech. The â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was famous because King talk about the dream he has for the nation and the peech goes like this I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. † I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream th at one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, â€Å"My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring. † And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, â€Å"Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last! † This speech was the captivate the nation because of the words behind that it meant behind it. Martin Luther King Jr. as such a hard worker and a strong believer of equality and worked so hard on his nonviolence protect for civil right that he was even recognize as a modern prophet and even a modern day Moses. For all his hard work he was given the most honorable reward of all time which was the Noble Peace Prize on December 10, 1964 this prize which is only given to a person that done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of sta nding armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses when Martin receive his prize he gave a very good acceptation speech. Unfortunately on April 4, 1968 while Dr. King stood on a Memphis motel balcony probably taking a fresh breath of air was shot with a sniper bullet and died on the spot the shooter James Earl Ray was opposite of Martin Luther King’s Jr. motel where it was easy to aim and shoot at king . James Earl Ray was arrest in London at a airport, on March 10, 1969, Ray entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee state penitentiary. Even though the killer was found and punished it wasn’t even to filled the sadness in people hearts. Dr. King’s death wasn’t only a family issue it was a nationwide issue because he was a Great man who was trying to make the world a better place for every race. Conclusion: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was black man who was born into unequal world but tired his all best to change it without bloodshed he was willing to die for his believes. He was even critics by many people that don’t have the same mind set as him; his life and family life were put in danger but No that didn’t stop him he kept moving on. Like the old saying goes â€Å"Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven† and Martin did a lot for us and gave us a big push toward equality so he probably in his grave or in heaven smiling down at the nation because his dream finally came to pass.

We’ve Had Enough of NAFTA: Perspectives in Withdrawing Our Membership

After 14 years of existence, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has still yet to prove its worth as an effective regional trade bloc. As an avenue to promote free trade and globalization, NAFTA has been much criticized for its inability meet the objectives and levels of political and economic integration. In this case, the debate of whether the United States should withdraw its membership in the NAFTA or not will enable us to assess the viability of this regional trade bloc in the age of globalization. It was in December 1992 that the leaders of Canada, Mexico, and the United States have given their nods to draft the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (OAS, 2008). Approved in the US Congress in 1994, NAFTA the agreement went into effect 1 January 1994 (OAS, 2008). The main goal of NAFTA is to build a framework for North American countries to ease out the trade barriers in order to promote a steady flow of exported and imported goods in the area. Aside from allaying the barriers that hamper trade among the three countries, NAFTA also aims to achieve â€Å"greater openness in the trade of services and in foreign investment†. Another important purpose of NAFTA is to permit â€Å"the three countries to cooperate and coordinate on environmental and labor issues† (Jones, 2003). However, problems began to arise when environmental and labor concerns in this agreement became convoluted. Critics began to scoff NAFTA to be promoting inequality to the region. It is also revealed later that there are trade policies that are questionable that could be proven to be detrimental in the long term perspective. In the globalizing world, it is but logical that most trade groups contain countries in the same area of the world to offer trade agreements, like NAFTA, to obtain mutual benefits. Yeung et al. (1999) offered these reasons why countries form regional trading blocs: 1. Economic Development. Many countries attempt to achieve economic growth by creating their own industries and by embracing a policy of imports substitution. However, many industries encounter problems related to limited domestic markets and the inability to achieve economies of scale. Under these circumstances, many countries pool their resources and create larger markets by integrating their economies. 2. Managing Trade Regionally. Many countries regarded global trade institutions as too bureaucratic and slow in responding to both trade opportunities and trade problems. As organizations expand their membership, they tend to become less responsive to their members, ideological differences proliferate, negotiations take forever, and reaching consensus is often very difficult. Neighboring countries usually have similar cultures and philosophical outlooks. The smaller group can respond faster than the global groups to problems and trade opportunities. 3. Economic Competition. Countries can become far more economically prosperous by forming trade blocs. European countries, for example, viewed economic integration as a way to stimulate trade in Europe. But Europeans also believed that economic growth in Europe would enhance their ability to compete with the United States and Japan. 4. Political and Strategic Considerations. Although trade appears to be the primary reason for economic integration, many countries form trade blocs for political and security reasons. NAFTA reflected a trade-policy response to the regionalization of capitalist competition at a global level. Content rule, tariff reduction schedules, and other NAFTA provisions are designed to favor its members. Premised on an improved capacity to export commodities produced under low-cost conditions in Mexico into the high-price consumer markets of North America, Western Europe, and Japan, NAFTA is an attempt to reclaim economic power in a capitalist world system. Petras and Morley (1995) argue that â€Å"NAFTA is the centerpiece of a new economic strategy †¦ which Washington hopes to use as a springboard for its reemergence as a more competitive player in the world market† (p. 128–129). Moreover, Olson (2005) indicated that NAFTA promised a â€Å"win-win† scenario for Mexico and the United States because having it would mean more jobs and increased wealth, which in turn would bring greater stability to the area and lessen migratory pressures. Indeed, it is undeniable that NAFTA has brought about the sharp expansion of regional trade and investment in the region. From 1993 through 2004, â€Å"US merchandise exports to and imports from Mexico have increased by 166 and 290 percent, respectively† (Hufbauer 2005, p. xxxvii). As Mexico is burdened with gargantuan debt, they regarded this trade agreement with the United States as an essential step in achieving economic development. The United States desired to maintain stability in Mexico and saw abundant and inexpensive Mexican labor as beneficial to U.S. companies that were anxious to gain a competitive advantage over the Japanese and Europeans. Canada, wanting to retain its favorable trading relationship with the United States, viewed economic integration in North America as a way of countering U.S. dominance of the Americas (Vega-Canovas 1999, p. 230). However, NAFTA could not go unfazed without mudslinging from several critics. Jubasz (2004) revealed that the most reliable data available demonstrated how economic globalization of trade like NAFTA has caused the most dramatic increase in global inequality and poverty in modern history. Globalization of trade had only benefited the countries with bigger economies to dominate over economically-challenged countries. The policies of economic globalization such as free trade, financial liberalization, deregulation, reduced government spending, and privatization had concentrated wealth at the top. It had tried to removed from Third World governments and communities the very tools needed to ensure equity and to protect workers, social services, the environment, and sustainable livelihoods. In this way, economic globalization and its institutions—including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), have created the most dramatic increase in global inequality—both within and between nations—in modern history and have increased global poverty. More specifically, NAFTA has been accused to have caused the environmental degradation in Mexico.   Gallagher (2007) observed that â€Å"rises in income have been small and environmental degradation has been large† in Mexico since the NAFTA was established. Costly environment degradation is slowly eating away the natural resources because the proper mechanisms were not put in place to help Mexico manage its economic growth in an environmentally sustainable manner. To keep at pace with NAFTA, Mexico doubled spending on environmental protection and started a much-needed industrial environmental inspection program. However, shortly after NAFTA was signed and fiscal and financial woes set in, attention to the environment are totally ignored. Moreover, labor issues had rocked NAFTA in the 1990s. It had been an issue during Ross Perot’s presidential bid against Clinton and famous claim of an impending â€Å"giant sucking sound† helped frame the political debate, but also alluded to important economic trends that affected them all. Fact is that Mexicans complain of the devastating impact it has had on small farmers in Mexico after being integrated in NAFTA. Dugger (2003) reported that the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a research institute in Washington, D.C. filed a report concluding that NAFTA failed to generate substantial job growth in Mexico, hurt hundreds of thousands of subsistence farmers there, and had miniscule net effects on jobs in the United States. Income inequality is greater and illegal immigration continues unabated (p. A9). The World Bank, on the other hand, found that NAFTA brought significant economic and social benefits to Mexico and argued that Mexico would have been worse off without the agreement (Dugger 2003, p. A9). Clearly, there is a big problem with the level of integration among the United States, Canada, and Mexico in NAFTA as compared to that achieved by the European Union. NAFTA, unlike the EU, does not provide for the free movement of people across borders. NAFTA countries pursue their own independent trade, foreign, domestic, and defense policies. Compared with the Europeans, who have given up some aspects of national sovereignty in exchange for European political and economic unification, NAFTA members jealously guard their sovereignty. In this case, there should be strong reforms needed in the NAFTA trade policies to make it more favorable for Mexico. If unfair regulation persists and environmental concerns are still ignored, it is high time that United States should withdraw its membership from the NAFTA because it does not bring the greater good that it promises for the region. Works Cited Dugger, Celia W. Report Finds Few Benefits for Mexico in NAFTA, New York Times, 19 November 2003, A9. Gallagher, Kevin P. In Mexico, Free Trade Has Led to Large-Scale Environmental Degradation. In Miller, D. (Ed). Current Controversies: Globalization. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007 Hufbauer, Gary Clyde. NAFTA Revisited : Achievements and Challenges, Washington, DC: Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2005. Jubasz, Antonia. â€Å"Globalization Is Making World Poverty Worse.† In Balkin, K. (ed.), Poverty. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Olson, Eric L.  Divided states of the Americas: human rights and democracy in Latin America: a progress report.  Sojourners Magazine  35.3  (March 2006):  28-34. Organization of American States (OAS). NAFTA. 6 February 2007. http://www-old.itcilo.org/actrav/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/blokit/nafta.htm. Petras, James, and Morley, Morris. Empire or Republic: American Global Power and Domestic Decay. New York: Routledge, 1995. Vega-Canovas, Gustavo. â€Å"NAFTA and the EU: Toward Convergence?† in Yeung et al. (Eds.). Regional Trading Blocks in the Global Economy, Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 1999. Yeung, May T., Perdikis, Nicholas and Kerr, William A. (Eds.). Regional Trading Blocks in the Global Economy; Cheltenham, UK: Edward

The Famous American Criminal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

The Famous American Criminal - Essay Example He beheaded twelve of his victims and kept some heads at his apartment as a memento. Occasionally, he would break into people’s homes in the middle of the night and beat them to death. Bundy was initially charged in the year 1975 in the US state of Utah for kidnapping and attempted murder, which led to a long list of cases of murders in different states. Bundy managed to escape the prison twice from 1975 onwards during which, he committed more murders. He was ultimately captured in the year 1978 in Florida. In two distinct trials, Bundy was given three death sentences for the murders he had committed in Florida. Bundy expressed his views upon the art of crime in these words, â€Å"You learn what you need to kill and take care of the details. It's like changing a tire. The first time you're careful. By the thirtieth time, you can't remember where you left the lug wrench† (Bundy cited in â€Å"Ted Bundy Quotes†). Bundy attributed his madness and craziness to the st uff shown in the media. At one point, he said, â€Å"there lots of other kids playing in streets around this country today who are going to be dead tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day and month, because other young people are reading the kinds of things and seeing the kinds of things that are available in the media today† (Bundy cited in â€Å"The 14 Creepiest†). Although he confessed having killed 30 women, the true number was never revealed by him (Bell). Ted Bundy was executed on 24 January 1989. He was executed on an electric chair at Florida’s Raiford Prison.

Renew my heart by John Wesley Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Renew my heart by John Wesley - Research Paper Example When He mercies us, it is His generosity. This grace, which is bestowed on upon man, has converted him from dust into the human form and hence imposed the mark of God’s image on the soul (breathed into the human form). All that human beings do and possess cannot deserve even the slightest blessing of God. He moves on to say that the faith in God is also the gift of God Himself and one can be saved with the help of faith. Salvation is derived from faith and grace is the ever-existent gift from God. Hence faith without any pretence is able to secure heavenly grace and approval – human beings are â€Å"saved through faith†2. Therefore when an individual seeks union with God, it is his Faith, which in turn can save him from his sins and help him unite with Him. In Saint Augustine’s Confessions (an autobiography), concepts and experience regarding union with God and attempts towards salvation has found a refined outlet through his thoughts expressed in the vision at Ostia (a village in Italy) and the City of God which reveals the two worlds of man – that where he lives according to the human laws (according to man) and the world where he dwells according to God. It is practically the idea of two different cities emphasized here – the City of Gods and the city of Man. The two attributes or guidelines that underlie human life and its conditions are predestination (fate is pre decided by God) and grace (God’s blessings and kindness). These two beliefs have been wonderfully portrayed by Saint Augustine in The City of God which also extends the different conceptualization endorsed in the vision at Ostia a little further to encompass the broader aspect of status of human life and livelihood. When Saint Augustineâ€℠¢s family made a stop to rest at Ostia – a port in Southern Italy. It is here that Augustine experienced a union with God and realized that God is the object of knowledge and the mode of knowledge is realization of God without any

Leadership Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership Paper - Essay Example These leaders draw their authority from various attributes including charisma, formal power or even behavioral or reverence power. The leader influences occupational behaviors of individuals and groups through systematic structures, which facilitates communication within an organization. Miller (2011) adds that leadership, especially business leadership, requires some inherent social and professional skills in order to facilitate execution of responsibilities. In this case, different business leaders possess different leadership skills, which directly influence the success level of their practices. Leaders with comprehensive and positive leadership skills have high chances of achieving greater goals compared to those with the minimum requisite skills. Acquisition of requisite leadership skills depends on factors like social and economic background of an individual. In this regard, we will illustrate the application of leadership skills by examining one successful business leader with in the Islamic business context. In the essay, we feature an influential business leader from Saudi Arabia called Al-Waleed bin Talal. Al-Waleed, who belongs to the Saudi Royal family, is a business leader and an investor. He was born in Jeddah on March 7, 1955. He derives his roots from Arabs most celebrated personalities, King Abdul-Aziz Alsaud, who was the founder and leader of Saudi Arabia. In addition, he is the grandson of Raid El Solh, the iconic figure behind Lebanon’s drive for independence. His father, who is a member of the royal family is Talai bin Abdilaziz Al Saud and his mother Princes Mona El-Solh. His father remains influential in Saudi’s governance up to date, especially on matters relating to the rule of law and national constitution the society. Al-Waleed resides in the Saudi Arabia’s city of Riyadh with his wife Princess Deborah and his two children. Being a member of the Royal family, Al-Waleed manages vast personal and family wealth

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Business Strategy - Essay Example The reputation of the university is based upon its volume, immense growth and diverse student base as well as academic and research excellence. The present growth strategy of the university was formulated as a result of the changing policies of the UK government. Looking at the emerging growth of educational sector and changing trends in education business; the university has decided to adopt a sustainable strategy. The growth strategy will include internalization of the university and reaching a distinctive position in research and academic excellence within 2015 (â€Å"Operations and Activities†). The objective of the organization thrusts in creativity and academics. From the strategy map of Leeds University, it is very clear that internalization of university is the main aim of the strategy map. The university has always maintained a trustworthy image. Banking on the equity of the brand Leeds, three growth strategies have been determined, in order to achieve the goals of th e strategy map formalized by the university. 1. Embedding internalization into the core activities of the university. The rationale behind internationalization strategy is to maximize the contribution and alignment of the international activities with the core academic and organizational mission. The strategic ambition of the university is to become one of the top known and respected universities in the world. To fulfil this strategic vision, internalization of the core academic activities should be a priority. In order to achieve this objective, the university will have to establish strategic management groups to look after the governance and well as overall marketing plan of the university (Enders 361-382). These facilities will ensure that proper coordination is achieved between the academic as well as professional and marketing departments and the individual objectives are aligned with the objectives of the organization. The strategic team should keep a track on the changing tre nds in education and as well as student preferences in terms of choice of academics and courses. This will indicate the changing preference of international students and thus, the university can upgrade its courses according to the latest trends. 2. International recruitment The university has been very successful in recruiting international students and has been boasting a large volume of international students. Thus it is very important that the organization sustains its position in the international education market (â€Å"Internationalization Strategy†). This can be achieved by establishing a platform where sustained marketing strategies are prepared to keep attracting international students. Though increasing international recruitment will be an important part of the strategy, the university should also focus into creating the right mix of students in the international segments. This will not only help in achieving a diversified mix of students, but will also avoid any f ormation of racial or ethnic groups (Croft 1-10). Strategic international recruitment will also help in increasing the overall performance of the university as top students from international locations will be invited to pursue different courses in the university. In order to define the right mix and volume of international students, the university can opt for external benchmarking and previous experience of international recruitment. While external benchmarking will help in expanding the mindset of the management, previous

Compare and contrast the use of dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex and Essay

Compare and contrast the use of dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex and Doll's House - Essay Example th plays use dramatic irony to develop conflict in situations that would otherwise not appear to have any, but they differ greatly in how that irony is developed and who is aware of what; in â€Å"Oedipus Rex† the irony develops as a slow but inevitable march towards disaster, making the tone of the play about sweeping concepts like fate, whereas in â€Å"A Doll House† the irony develops through constant attempts by each character to hide their actions from each other, making the play a universal parable about the life of the typical 19th century family. Both â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and â€Å"A Doll House† are similar in using dramatic irony in a plot that would otherwise be bereft of conflict. For instance, in Oedipus, there is no particular antagonist as exists in a traditional narrative – Oedipus is essentially a hero and an anti-hero. The plot revolves around a â€Å"murder† that happened before the play even begins (Sophocles 18), and centers on a quest in which the hero eventually finds himself guilty of that same murder. Likewise, in â€Å"A Doll House,† one of the central themes is the inability of this family to openly communicate with each other, until the relationships in the family erode to the point that Nora, the protagonist â€Å"does not love† her husband Helmer anymore (Ibsen 1333), leaving her house â€Å"empty† when she goes (1333). Obviously this lack of communication would not function to advance the plot if the audience could not see it develop; thus â€Å"A Doll Hou se† uses dramatic irony to advance the plot While both â€Å"Oedipus† and â€Å"A Doll House† use irony to advance the plot, the effects of that irony on the viewer are very different, because the mechanism of developing the irony is very different between the two works. In â€Å"Oedipus,† the narrative relies almost entirely on outside knowledge of events to drive the irony. The audience never sees the events that set Oedipus up to kill his father or sleep with his mother, so when he

Electrons in Atoms Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electrons in Atoms - Research Paper Example This paper sought to study electrons in atoms; their history, science and applications. Both case study and descriptive research designs were employed r. Secondary sources were the main data sources used in this study. The first discovery of an electron was made by Sir John Joseph Thompson when he was studying Mysterious rays, today’s cathode rays in 1898 (Richards). Thompson made a very bold suggestion the mysterious rays were made up particles that were smaller than atoms, which he named corpuscles. Thompson further suggested that corpuscles might be the component of all the matter in an atom (AIP). By then the atom was believed to be the smallest indivisible particle of matter; hence the Thompsons theory was controversial until he, together with other scientists and proved it experimentally. Thompson’s suggestion that cathode rays were made of corpuscles later turned to be electrons, tiny, with a negative charge and the fundamental parts of an atom turned to be correct. In the mid-nineteenth century, an experiment of a glass tube with wires implanted in opposite sides, air pumped out, and a high voltage applied was very popular. Lovely glow patterns were made inside the tube. The experiment was improved by a German physicist in 1859, and the fluorescent glow was produced where the cathode light reached the glass. This experiment was a proof that the cathode emitted some kind ray (AIP). Speculations were made by physicists, including Thompson concerning these mysterious rays. Some thought they were waves like light waves while others, including Thompson thought they were particles. More experiments were made. A magnet was observed to push the rays about. Heinrich Hertz, a German Physicist, noted that the mysterious rays were not deflected by an electric field in a cathode ray tube as was expected for charged particles. More confusion engulfed scientists, and more experiments were needed to resolve the uncertainties. Jean Perrin, a French

ETHICS (PLATO) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ETHICS (PLATO) - Assignment Example In this sense, Plato believed that circles would still exist even if mathematics did not help us draw them. Plato believes that there is an inherent and unseen world where truth, justice, and beauty are eternal and non-altering. In this view, Plato gives credence to the concept of an ideal world just as Christianity proposes heaven. In the idea of heaven, Christianity asserts that people can perfect their behavior by emulating Christ thereby earning the privilege of staying in heaven. Heaven is an ideal place whereby there is eternal happiness and no injustice to individual. Individuals, therefore, exist in an uninterrupted harmony. Although this ideal contains some deal of similarity with Plato’s ideas, it differs in the sense that it does adequately endorse thinking. Plato believes that the mind is the only way of reaching the ideal world. This theory correlates the theory of forms that postulate a dual word. This suggests two levels of knowledge and two levels of reality. Plato defines a form as an abstract quality or property. For instance, when a person removes the property of an object, such as color, from the object, then the color becomes a form of an object. For instance, when a person separates the red color of a tomato from the tomato, the red color is perceived as a form. The existence of such a quality, the form, is independent of the existence of any object. In turn, objects copy the existence of forms. For example, a tomato copies the form of redness. It is essential to highlight the properties of forms in order to adequately understand their relevance in truth and justice. To begin with, forms are transcendent because they do not occur in space and time. In addition, a form is a pure property, which is separated from other qualities. In this sense, a form has an independent existence that does not rely o n the existence of other forms nor objects. On the other hand, a material and observable object is a combination of forms.

Business Entities, Laws, and Regulations Research Paper

Business Entities, Laws, and Regulations - Research Paper Example In this scenario, Mei-Lin is the hiring manager of a new construction company called Surebuild Inc. This corporation has advertised a position of jackhammer operator, and Mei-Lin is facing a challenge of determining the best applicant fit for the job. She wants to treat each applicant equally, and determine the most qualified under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act (Steingold, 2011). In the United States, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is charged with the duty of enforcing federal laws, which make it illegal to discriminate against an employee or job applicant due to an individual’s religion, race, age, sex, color, race, genetic information and disability (Steingold, 2011). ...Michelle is a 35-year-old high school graduate. She has experience in operating jackhammer, although she is currently pregnant. Mei-Lin cannot choose to discriminate against Michelle just because she is pregnant. She is, therefore, a legitimate applicant for the job. Nick is a 23-year- old college graduate, but with no experience in operating jackhammer. He has epilepsy, and this cannot prevent him from getting this job. This is because the federal law states that no applicant or employee should be discriminated against because of disability (Meiners & Ringleb, 2011). Felipe, who is the final applicant, is 38 years old without a high school diploma, and she does not speak English. She can be dismissed on the grounds that she does not have a high school diploma. The hiring manager can, therefore, choose either Nick or Michelle as the best applicants for the jackhammer operator position. Restaurant/Bar Business Starting up a sports bar and restaurant will be a difficult task for both Jose and Lou. This is because they do not have enough capital, and they will consider bringing in Miriam to provide the finances. This business will, therefore, be formed under the Partnership Agreement Act. In this scenario, Jose, Lou, and Miriam will be partners in the sports bar and restaurant, however, daily running of the business will be done by Jose and Lou only. In this partnership agreement, Miriam will only contribute capital in return for a profit. All the partners will have liability and share loses because each of them has something to lose. Most of loses will be directed to Jose and Lou because both of them are responsible for the daily running of the business. Opening sports bar and restaurant business require food and liquor licenses.

Chili’s Bar Essay Example for Free

Chili’s Bar Essay In the decision making process, it helps to look at all the information. This SWOT is comparing Chili’s restaurant to two of its competitors, Ruby Tuesday’s and Applebee’s. Company History Chili’s restaurants are part of the company, Brinker International Corporation. Chili’s Bar Grill is a casual dining restaurant that was founded in 1975 and has expanded to include 1,200 restaurants located domestically and internationally. There menu consists of fresh and healthy American dishes and limited amount of southwestern style Mexican dishes. In the last 30 years, Chili’s has created an identifiable, recognizable brand name, just think of the commercials. Chili’s Strengths Chili’s is the one of the largest full service restaurant chains with over 1,200 stores, second only to Applebee’s which has about 1,900 stores. Their competitor Ruby Tuesday has less than 900 stores with many of those franchises. Chili’s is part of Brinker Intl. , which is world’s second largest casual dining restaurant operator, the first being Darden restaurants. This allows them to offer affordable prices, because they can negotiate product rates for all of their stores, unlike a smaller company. They have also expanded their company to include Chili’s Too, Small Town Chili’s, and offer catering services. They update their menu one to two times a year, unlike Ruby Tuesday’s which updates their menu every three to four months. Chili’s has a popular menu that keeps people coming back, so they tweak it a bit to keep up with trends, but keep their core items. At this time they serve the same menu in every store, which allows for consistency throughout the company. They have a very broad market with a recognizable brand name and they focus on customer satisfaction. The restaurant business can be very competitive, but they have unusually high management retention and that may be in part to extremely competitive starting salaries and excellent benefit packages. Their competitor, Ruby Tuesday, has franchised many of its stores, creating varied salaries, salary caps, and benefits, when going from a franchise to a corporate store, which can make it difficult to retain managers. When Chili’s is looking for hourly employees, it offers several opportunities to them. They can apply and interview online, receive benefits and have the opportunity to grow with the company. Their hourly employee turnover rate is also lower than the industry average. Chili’s Weaknesses Even though the Chili’s brand is recognizable, it doesn’t appeal to the upper class. The casual dining concept, no matter how different, is still the same. They receive much of their food frozen, unlike Ruby Tuesday which receives all of their meat and produce fresh, making some items not the best of quality. During the busy times, servers are pressured to decrease their table turn time, the time from when a guest sits at the table until they leave and the table is ready for another guest, which can make it difficult to build a rapport with their guests, but at the same time they want their PPA (per person average) to be higher. Many of their restaurants are focused around the bar, which segregates some consumers that do not want to be in that environment. It also makes their seating area than some of their competitors. Chili’s Opportunities There are several things Chili’s can do to remain competitive in the casual dining industry. They can continue to expand internationally, beyond the 20 countries they are already in. Their competitors have yet to exceed that with Ruby Tuesday’s being in about twelve countries and Applebee’s is in almost twenty. They have a very well known brand which will allow them to continue expansion at a rapid rate with the backing of their parent company, Brinker Intl. They are launching a program to try international cuisines at some of their foreign locations. If consumers react positively this could be a great growth opportunity, if it is not taken to, it could be a threat to their international stores if they continue it. They can enlarge their restaurants or configure different models, based on the demographics of the area, to include more seating for guests and not just the bar area. They can continue to expand their brand recognition apparel and glassware. Chili’s Threats The largest threat to the Chili’s brand is the competition of casual dining restaurants, which are easy to duplicate. Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday’s both had higher 1-year sales growths, with 10% and 17. %, respectively, compared to Chili’s at 6. 1%. Chili’s saturated some U. S. markets and has no where else to expand in those areas. They need to keep up with current trends and eating habits, because they change often, to stay current with the market. Summary Chili’s has managed to saturate the US and foreign markets better than its competitors. Their sales are higher and they retain their employees longer. They need to look at a few things like following eating trends and standing out from the competition a bit more, but they are a highly competitive company that keeps people coming back.

Why Do Youth Join Gangs?

Why Do Youth Join Gangs? Why do teens join gangs? This is a question many parents ask themselves. There are several reasons why teens join gangs, but ranging from; to fit in or to feel accepted, come from a broken home, being rebellious, these are the most common. Peer pressure is a major influence on some teens decision to join gangs. Teenagers in the world today face more peer pressure than ever before. Gang involvement has been higher in the last ten years. While doing research on teens, I came across a website called Peer Pressure During Adolescence (www.mc.maricopa.eduept/dev/Fall99?peer_pressure/index.htlm). In this reading it states; Two major concerns about the influence of peer pressure are gang involvement and the use of alcohol and other drugs. It also goes onto say that gangs provide a sense of safety not just belonging. The youth are searching for anyone who will listen, even if it means giving in to join a gang. We as parents need to speak with our children and actually listen. The teens of todays generation seem to b more aggressive and persuasive than ever before. We as parents may even feel intimidated by our own children. Can you just imagine how intimidated the children must feel when approached by a gang member? According to the TUSD Department of School Safety, it states that the primary age of gang members ranges from 13-21years of age. It also indicated some common reasons teens join gangs, which listed as: Identity Gang members cannot achieve an identity in their larger community, so they gain culture. They often visualize themselves as warriors against the outside world, protecting their neighborhood. Protection Joining a gang in a community with several gangs offers considerable protection from violence and attack from rival gangs. Fellowship Studies indicate that a tight structure tends to be lacking in the homes of gang members. Gang activity offers that closeness, that sense of family that is often lacking in the home. Intimidation Pressure to join a gang can become very dangerous. New members may be forced to join by threats, violent beatings, and initiations in order to increase gang membership. (www.tusd.k12.az.us/contents/deparment/safty/general.htl) Another reason to be address for teens joining gangs is fellowship. Many would refer to this as a broken home. Maybe the parents got a divorce, or another family member raises the child. Fellowship for instance, as listed above gang activity offers that closeness, that sense of family that is often lacking in the home. This is actually something that parents/guardians can correct in their own household. If people would communicate with the youth there maybe less number of teens, joining gangs. Having a good communication with your children will not only be less likely to join gangs but the drug use and violence standard for teens could also be lowered. Another reason why some teens might join gangs would be to make fast money. There are several reports of gangs robbing people, banks, and other locations. Another thing would be the usage and selling of drugs. If a teen comes from an underprivileged home or even if he/she comes from an extremely wealthy home, the selling of drugs in a gang could bring them fast cash. There are still going to be reasons for the increase number of teens in gangs due to various situations. The excitement factor can be considered. Teens may feel a thrill in the rebellious acts that gangs perform. They may feel as if they are living in a movie or fantasy world when actually it is reality. While belonging or claiming a certain color that their enemies do not like, that can spark interest in a young youths eyes. To have a rush in the crimes gangs commit or just the whole lifestyle in general can capture some teens minds. There are several movies that portray the cool kids as rebellious teens. The wanting to be cool can lead to many troubling situation including joining a gang. It is time for all the reasons and excuses to be done away and have the youth pulled back to reality, in so do by, show them the after effects of the gang life style, and the other options they have in life. In my research, I found a website informing people of their decisions to live the gang lifestyle. The writer Rob Gallardo indicates, One joins a gang for various reasons. However, choosing to continue to live out the gangster lifestyle always involves a series of choices. .choices we make now always correlate to consequences immediately or just down the road. (Operation No Gangs, www.operationnogangs.org) What Rob is saying is that there may be a lot of reasons for teens joining gangs ,the greater concern would be the consequences that could take place resulting in that reason . We need to step up and reach out to the youth of today. The youth will be the next president, vice president, or even a counselor for teens that join gangs. I have a stepson who had a good life growing up, or we thought he did. When he became a teenager, he went down the wrong path so to speak. He stole cars, robbed people, shot at peoples homes while people were inside. Let us just say he was not the same boy we knew. He spent all his teen years in and out juvenile facilities. He came out with several tattoos, and his vocabulary included gang slang. He claimed to be in the MS13 (one of the worst gangs in Texas). When he came out one time, my husband asked him why he was do all the stuff he was doing, his response was a very emotional one. He mentioned the fact that his mother and my husband were not together. My husband tried to explain everything to him. That was one indicator that the choice he made was for coming from a broken home. He now has a son and recently came out of the c ounty jail for breaking probation. Now the choice he makes has a much worse consequence. If we were to interview all the former teen gang members, I am sure there will be several reasons for their choice to join a gang. Peer pressure, fitting in, and coming from a broken home will be the top answers that will be given. Lets try to eliminate these reasons for our youths sake and encourage a positive way of life for them. Do Customers Want a Standardised Product? Do Customers Want a Standardised Product? â€Å"Customers no longer want a standardised product and their expectations determine quality, Differentiation and Customisation should therefore replace standardisation as the way to meet those expectations in the hospitality sector† – To what extent do you agree or disagree this point? It can be seen that customers wants standard quality of commodities and facilities they consume in their day to day life. Change in their needs may sometimes create discontent to the customers and absence of delightfulness can be seen. Along with the product being standardised it is mandatory for that to also be of approved quality. This statement falls true in case of â€Å"High Quality Product attracts more Number of Customers†. One can get benefited by adopting the Standardisation policy as the rules and regulations of the particular company will be the same and hence the procedure of the company runs smoothly as the policies are determined as per the rules. Standardisation helps in getting expected quality of commodities to the customers and their expectations determine the quality which they want to perceive. The importance of Standardisation can be understood by linking it with quality of service perceived by the customers. Customers want better quality of service at standardised level. For example, if in a pizza hut restaurant, one table gets proper personalised attention with quick service and the other table does not get the same level of service when compared then this leads to high quality of dissatisfaction amongst the customers getting poor quality of service. This factor will not create delight to the customers and would not meet their expected standards as well as their expectations. It is not every time that customization proves to be better but also standardization helps customers to fulfil their requirements in their day to day life. Though it is rightly said that customisation means to modify the things as per the customers individual requirement and choice but standardization is to keep the uniformity of the product designed and maintaining its standards. Standardisation means to conform to a uniformly pre-described set of norms, repeatedly by standardizing any product. Standardized product gives better quality of service. As the products and commodities are standardized it becomes easy to provide service in accordance of the same. In other sense customization means making changes in particular product as per the customer’s requirement and desires. This helps customers making their own choice about any standardized product. Customization and Standardization either of two satisfies customers needs in their own terms and services. Considering all such factors customization and differentiation can be replaced by standardization based on some norms and policies. One of the benefits of standardization is the cost effectiveness leading to high price. Compared to pizza hut one can notice the price effectiveness of the restaurant. There are costly dishes in the restaurant which are not actually afforded by lower class of people even if they desire the pizza hut food. Further, if the products and commodities are standardized consistency and uniformity is maintained and it becomes easy to work so the management runs smoothly and efficiently. Adding to this, it is also necessary for a restaurant to plan its future uncertainties and certainties affecting the business. Similarly on other note, there are some disadvantages of standardization affecting the creativity of a personnel working in a particular sector. Referring to Pizza Hut restaurant, it can be observed that as all the procedures and recipes are standardized, this shows death of one’s own personal touch and also kills their creativity. Also for that, to make workers and employees un derstand their work properly it becomes mandatory to provide them with required training and for that high cost is imposed on such activity which leads to increase in labor cost factor. As all the work and the procedures are standardized lack of motivation is being provided to the employees, somehow leading to dissatisfaction for the employees. On other side adopting standardization policy fails to satisfy customers based on their needs and wants as all the things are standardized and no further changes can be made as per their own choice but comparing this to pizza hut, they help us customizing the product we want to some extent. The base of standardization is the policies determined at the time of formation of the standardized products and services. Companies marketing their products and services overseas are faced with the decision of whether to standardize or adapt their product offerings. The standardization of products across cultures is increasingly becoming an important issue nowadays that is difficult to follow for some company. Standardization policy means to sell the same product throughout the world making no changes even at one particular place, as this maintains the uniformity over the world of such company or brand. Adding to this, as all the products are standardized it becomes easy for the manufacturing and production committee to manufacture the products uniformly as per the requirements throughout the world. Doole and Lowe (2008), mainly advocate product standardization. In their observation, Doole and Lowe (2008), point out that the standardization discussion leads at one extreme, a global approach in which everything in the international marketing activity is standardized in all countries as standardizing the various elements of the marketing process has the aim of scale economies in production thereby leading to improved efficiency. As the world becomes smaller and the markets are seen as being the same, others have been advocating a standardized product strategy as they view the market to be the same as it is increasingly becoming homogeneous. Further, Doole and Lowe (2008) point out that if the product is not attractive or appealing to the customers, then no amount of sales promotion, appropriate channel of distribution or reduction in price will help to achieve the marketing target. Hence, physical design, brand name, quality, packaging, durability, taste and services attached to the product are very important from the marketing point of view. It is an obvious thing that a product’s appearance, function, and support make up what the customer will actually buy. Therefore, it is vital for managers to pay close attention to the preferences and tastes of their product packages in addressing their customers. Further, in managing product components, product planning and development entails careful planning with the customer in mind. Thus suggesting that, the decisions are required to be taken regarding product range, packaging, branding, quality, labeling and other features of the product. In the question as to whether to standardize or adapt, a product manufactured for market should be according to the needs and expectations of consumers. Comparing this to pizza hut, it can be seen that if the product is attractive it creates delight to the customers and make them desire about the particular item. A customer gets attract seeing the marketing strategies of the restaurant providing facilities perceived by the customers ful filling their individual desires and wants. In pizza hut we can see that the menu at different branch of it differs and is attractive which attracts more customers and also the advertising element plays a vital role for the same. It is also mandatory for such brand to check whether the qualities of the products they are using are of standard quality or not. According to the understanding of the authors, standardization is a practice of setting identical characteristics for a particular good or service. Lundeteg, A. (2012) also suggests a standardized approach as a â€Å"one size fits all† approach. It can be seen that the standardization of products across cultures is increasingly becoming an important issue that the managers of global firms are facing today. Adding to this, Valdez (2011) points out that those firms following a standardization strategy enter foreign markets using the same advertisements, packages and presentations that were used in the domestic market. Because making new advertisements, packages and product lines is expensive, standardization requires less investment as compared to other such policies of the company. Pizza hut brand also follows these norms, as in our day to day life we can see that the brand is trying to achieve success more by offering affordable offers to the customers also by delivering their desired product at home and also by announcing new products and strategies in the market by attractive advertisements and publicity for the same. Thus, such adoption of strategy helps more customers to attract towards such facilities. According to Kustin (1994) in making a marketing plan, the type of market is important to be considered and additionally the degree of standardization must be thought well. Later on it is indicated that the product standardization plays more of a big role in durable and nondurable consumer goods. Kustin notes that standardization of strategies is better off in markets that are categorized with similarities. He mentions that global marketing attempts for success and competence in standardized product strategies, where products are sold in global markets at reasonable prices and same country strategies are set to be same for all markets in the world. Therefore, it is worth noting that from a company’s perspective it is strongly recommended to reflect standardization strategy when wanting to develop a global product strategy while considering the market characteristics. There is continuous competition in the global market about the better quality of service and commodities provid ed by the different brands like pizza hut, dominos, etc. as the taste, presentation, procedures and the policies differ from one and the other type of brand. The standardization policy in India and foreign countries may differ because of the eat pork. This problem has no solution yet until the approval of permission is done. unavailability of some products in India which are used in foreign countries. For example in India, ban on beef and ham fails to satisfy the needs of the customers desiring for the same which causes dissatisfaction to the customers to some extent, so to overcome this problem an alternative measure has to be taken instead of not delivering the desired product change the design of the product and deliver to the customers making some innovation and creativity. This somehow creates delight to the customers by not fully dissatisfying them. The products offered in pizza hut in India is different from the product being offered in pizza hut of USA because such unavailability of resources in the market. The major issue in the McDonalds standardized products was beef. Hence the biggest challenge to any food business in India de finitely was about balancing the diversity and the product offerings. As such, cow being sacred and worshipped, beef could not be served and in the same vein Muslims did not eat pork. This problem has no solution until the permission for the same is being approved. It is said that there have been international companies, which have introduced their product line across borders using the standardization strategy and have been successful. Standardization helps in achieving the pre described set of goals by following some pre determined policies and the procedures. However, Customization helps in getting the customers what they actually want and in which manner but Standardization comes to a limitation to this which somehow stops customer’s to get what they want and desire for their needs. Thus it makes clear that the motives of standardization should be adopted for smooth and accurate running of the business or a firm. It also becomes easy to follow the norms and policies if everything is standardized. The implicit argument in this article is that whether to replace standardization with differentiation and customization and if, then to what extent it should be replaced. Here, standardization proves to be better than that of customization and differentiation in the products and the commodities. The biggest benefit of adopting standardized procedures is that the work becomes easy and ease of management can be seen which in case of customization does not follows the same. Many problems are faced when the procedures are to b customized as per one’s own requirement at every level of service. Standardization is more beneficial as there are many restaurants or such brands adopting same policies and procedure throughout the world which creates uniformity in following such rules. In other hand, customization does not proves to be this much convenient as standardization because it demands variations in many ways which is not possible for a world wide spread company to follow different procedures at different places. Hence, emphasis is laid more on standardization than on customization. Hence the degree of Pizza Hut’s standardization of their products is greater as compared to any other company. Here by, all the companies should follow the standardization policy for their ease and smooth running of their business. List of References: Doole, I and Lowe, R. (2008), International Marketing Strategy: Analysis, development and Implementation, 5thed. London, Thomson Learning. Lundeteg, A., Knowledge Management: Standardization Vs. Adaption in MNCs, unpublished thesis, (Sweden: Uppsala Universitet, 2012). Kustin, R.A (1994), Marketing Globalization: A didactic examination for corporate strategy, The International Executive (1986-1998), 36(1), pp. 79-79.

Colonialism Heart Of Darkness And Chinua Achebes English Literature Essay

Colonialism Heart Of Darkness And Chinua Achebes English Literature Essay Joseph Conrads novella, Heart of Darkness is considered to be a great work of art not only because it painfully portrays how brutally and unjustly the natives are treated in the African wilderness, but also because its treatment of colonialism is considered a cornerstone in the history of western fiction. Colonialism refers to the enterprise by which a nation extends its authority over other territories; it is characterized by an unequal relationship between the colonists and the natives of a country. Colonists usually think that they are doing the country good by bringing civilization and enlightenment; however the result is atrocity and death. This is clearly portrayed in Heart of Darkness. One of the characters who exercises colonialism is Kurtz whose main purpose is extracting ivory from the land in whatever way he can. He is treated as a supernatural authority by the Africans who always seem to obey and listen to him carefully. Marlow indicates the Africans obedience to Kurtz when he tells us, He was not afraid of the natives; they would not stir till Mr. Kurtz gave the word. His ascendancy was extraordinary. The camps of these people surrounded the place, and the chiefs came every day to see him. They would crawl. (p. 131) Kurtz believes that everything in the wilderness belongs to him, as Marlow hears him say, My Intended, my ivory, my station, my river, myà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p. 116) Moreover, he thinks that there is nothing wrong with what hes doing; on the contrary, Kurtz believes that hes doing the right thing. His civilization mission and his philosophy regarding the natives are expressed in his report of which Marlow tells: But it was a beautiful piece of writing. The opening paragraph, however, in the light of later information, strikes me now as ominous. He began with the argument that we whites, from the point of development we had arrived at, must necessarily appear to them [savages] in the nature of supernatural beingswe approach them with the might as of a deity, and so on, and so on. By the simple exercise of our will we can exert a power for good practically unbounded, etc., etc. (p. 118) Although Marlow is not a native, he finds himself obliged to be treated like one. In other words, he finds himself reacting in the very same way as the natives themselves to Kurtzs authority. I did not betray Mr. Kurtz it was ordered I should never betray him it was written I should be loyal to the nightmare of my choice. (p. 141) It is interesting that Marlow refers to Kurtz as the nightmare; it seems as if he is hypnotized by him and has no choice but to do as he is told. Moreover, the phrase, it was ordered adds to the ambiguity of what Marlow is trying to say. He could have said, I was ordered but he does not. It is worth mentioning here that Heart of Darkness is a novel that is partially biographical. Conrad was obliged to seek employment with a Belgian company in Africa due to difficult labor conditions in 1889. Although he stayed for a short while in Africa, it was an experience that shattered his health and changed his world-view, while the moral degradation he witnessed in the Congos economic exploitation disgusted him. A decade after this, he wrote Heart of Darkness, which is about his experience in Africa. What is really ironic is that in the book Joseph Conrad in Context, it is mentioned more than once that Conrad never got over his experience in Africa, as if other people in his place would not feel the same thing! So basically, Marlow seems to echo Conrads own opinions in his novel. Colonists are driven to exploit ivory at an insatiable rate without even bothering to think about the devastating effects on the natives. This is very clearly shown in the following quote: Marlow refers to the ivory merchants as a devoted band calling themselves the Eldorado Exploring Expedition. He says they were sworn to secrecy. They spoke the language of sordid buccaneers: it was reckless without hardihood, greedy without audacity, and cruel without courage; there was not an atom of foresight or of serious intention in the whole batch of them, and they did not seem aware these things are wanted for the work of the world. To tear treasure out of the bowels of the land was their desire, with no more moral purpose at the back of it than there is in burglars breaking into a safe. (p. 87) In brief, what these colonizers were doing was purposeless, which in turn means that the consequences which were brought about as a result of their actions were also useless. Furthermore, the colonists had a quasi divine authority to do as they pleased in the colonies; this is portrayed by the conversation between the uncle and the nephew, which was overheard by Marlow, Certainly, grunted the other; get him hanged! Why not? Anythinganything can be done in this country. Thats what I say; nobody here, you understand, here, can endanger your position. And why? You stand the climateyou outlast them all.' (p. 91) Here, they are talking about hanging Kurtzs assistant and probably Kurtz himself, so that they can get Kurtzs possessions, including his ivory. Colonialism is also explored in other parts of the novella, where the reader can see just how mercilessly and brutally the natives are treated by the colonizers. When Marlow is on a steamer with a Swedish captain, he describes how the natives, whom he sees on his way to the station, are being exploited and treated as mere beasts. All the natives are represented as being naked and horribly thin; they are never referred to as humans. They are forced to work under hard conditions, are given no clothes, and are left to starve: A continuous noise of the rapids above hovered over this scene of inhabited devastation. A lot of people, mostly black and naked, moved about like ants. A jetty projected into the river. A blinding sunlight drowned all this at times in a sudden recrudescence of glare. (p. 63) When Marlow finally arrives at the station, he sees yet another traumatizing scene, A slight clinking behind me made me turn my head. Six black men advanced in a file, toiling up the path. They walked erect and slow, balancing small baskets full of earth on their heads, and the clink kept time with their footsteps. Black rags were wound round their loins, and the short ends behind waggled to and fro like tails. I could see every rib, the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope; each had an iron collar on his neck, and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them, rhythmically clinkingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but these men could by no stretch of imagination be called enemies. They were called criminals, and the outraged law, like the bursting shells, had come to them, an insoluble mystery from the sea. All their meagre breasts panted together, the violently dilated nostrils quivered, the eyes stared stonily uphill. They passed me within six inches, without a glance, with that complete, deathlike indifference of unhappy savages. Behind this raw matter one of the reclaimed, the product of the new forces at work, strolled despondently, carrying a rifle by its middle. He had a uniform jacket with one button off. (p. 64) When reading this passage, one cannot help but wonder, how could these poor natives possibly be criminals? They do every single thing they are told to do, without the least bit of complaining and yet, they are called criminals. The words tails, collar, breasts panted, and dilated nostrils immediately bring to the mind the image of dogs. And of course, we should not forget the colonizer, who is right behind them with a rifle, making sure that these men walk in a file, without glancing at Marlow, and only staring stonily uphill. So not only are they compared to animals, but they are also expected to work like machines! This is the main reason why Achebe does not accept Heart of Darkness, it is because he does not like the way African people are portrayed in it. Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian poet and novelist, was attracted to Conrads Heart of Darkness as a child. However, in the 1970s, he changed his mind about it and until today, he continues to dismiss the novel. In his essay on Conrads novel, Achebe attempts to explain why. He says that what Conrad is terribly worried about is the idea of kinship between him and the blacks, which is why he dehumanizes them. Contrasting with this is Edward Saids opinion that Conrad is exaggerating the imperialistic and the dehumanizing discrepancies so that we, as readers, are outraged at its injustice and therefore work out solutions for ourselves. In other words, Heart of Darkness is, according to Said, a self-referential novel. But still, Achebe has a strong point in saying that Conrad has dehumanized the Africans because Conrad seems to be obsessed with the words black and darkness since he associates them with the Africans and uses these words numerous times throughout his novel. Convincingly Achebe believes that the most revealing passages in the novel are about people. He says that the following quote contains the meaning of Heart of Darkness, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but what thrilled you was just the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If only the thought was thrilling, then what would knowing do to us?! It is this remote kinship that seems to terrorize Conrad and is implied throughout the novel several times. However, his passages about the natives or savages, as Conrad refers to them, seem a mere description of what they are and what they are going to do. His personal sentiments are never revealed. But the vocabulary he chooses and the way he describes the Africans force the reader to sympathize with them. However, there are parts in the novel where we can infer that Conrad, although not showing sympathy towards the savages, cannot bear looking at them. For example, when he sees the six men tied to each other with chains around their necks, he says, My idea was to let that chain-gang get out of sight before I climbed the hill. And in another incident, he says, The hurt nigger moaned feebly somewhere nearby, and then fetched a deep sigh that made me mend my pace away from there. Clearly, he was not strong enough to neither hear nor see these savages being treated mercilessly. When Marlow arrives at the Central Station, he witnesses more of these atrocities towards the niggers. The manager of the station is apparently an uncivilized person who is there only because he hasnt been ill, as Marlow tells us, He had no genius for organizing, for initiative, or for order even. That was evident in such things as the deplorable state of the station. He had no learning, and no intelligence. His position had come to himwhy? Perhaps because he was never ill . . . He had served three terms of three years out thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦He was neither civil nor uncivil. He was quiet. He allowed his boyan overfed young negro from the coastto treat the white men, under his very eyes, with provoking insolence. (p. 74) One of Conrads greatest fears that is implied in the novel is the possibility of the whites having distant kinship with the blacks, and this is mentioned by Achebe. This explains why Marlow wasnt able to forget his African helmsmans look on his face just before he died, And the intimate profundity of that look he gave me when he received his hurt remains to this day in my memory like a claim of distant kinship affirmed in a supreme moment. Conrads careful word choice of distant kinship rather than brother, for example, is cautiously observed by Achebe. He understands that Conrad is trying, as much as possible, to create layers between himself and the natives. Also, the words remains to this day in my memory, are understood by Achebe as a negative connotation, as if this memory continues to torture him to this very day. Achebe concludes from this that Conrad is a racist. Moreover, Achebe states that Conrad has dehumanized Africans. But I do not agree with him on this point. My evidence to this can be seen in this quote, when Marlow who can be considered Conrads mouthpiece at this instance says, The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. We can infer from this quote that Conrad was actually against the idea of Africans being treated the way they were. Also, according to Edward Said, Conrad, being a creature of his time, could not grant the natives their freedom, despite his severe critique of the imperialism that enslaved them. In other words, Conrad was against this imperialism and he criticized it as well, but the era that he lived in made it impossible for him to do anything about it. In my opinion, it might be that Conrad never meant to dehumanize the Africans; it might be that the experie nce he was going through during his stay in Africa was so overwhelming to him that he could not or was not able to reveal his sympathy. Maybe he did not want to reveal anything at all in order to emphasize it being a part of its darkness. After all, it is Conrad himself who chose to write his novel in an ambiguous and subtle way which leaves the reader with puzzled thoughts about what exactly Conrad is trying to say. Almost everything in Heart of Darkness seems; everything is not is. In conclusion, as we can see, examples of colonial acts are displayed throughout Heart of Darkness. Colonists take over the wilderness and practice exploitation only to acquire ivory. But at the same, the colonists actions are purposeless, such as when they order the natives to aimlessly blast the railway when there is actually nothing to blast. This brings about the failure of their exploitation and civilizing mission. Works cited: Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. London: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd, 1967 Achebe, Chinua. An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrads Heart of Darkness' Massachusetts Review. 18. 1977. Rpt. in Heart of Darkness, An Authoritative Text, background and Sources Criticism. 1961. 3rd ed. Ed. Robert Kimbrough, London: W. W Norton and Co., 1988, pp.251-261 http://kirbyk.net/hod/image.of.africa.html Said, Edward. Two Visions in Heart of Darkness Culture and Imperialism, (1993) pp. 22-31 http://www.ecfs.org/Projects/EastWest/Readings/SaidConrad.pdf Feminism in To the Lighthouse Mrs. Ramsay vs. Lily Briscoe During Virginia Woolfs time, women were deprived of numerous rights which men had access to, including education. Women were only expected to get married, give birth to children, raise them, and take care of the household. However, towards the end of the 19th century, a series of feminist movements began, whose concern was to give equality to women in terms of education, employment, and marriage laws. These movements are known as the three waves of feminism. The First Wave occurred in the late 19th century and ended in the early 20th century, during Woolfs time; its primary gains were to acquire the right to vote and the right to practice birth control. Virginia Woolf, among other female writers, had to fight for her rights as a woman. In the novel, To the Lighthouse, Woolf presents two female characters, Mrs. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe, as complete opposites. Mrs. Ramsay is depicted as a subservient Victorian woman, whose main mission is not only to take care of her family, but also of others around her. This was very typical of Victorian women, who basically spent their time at home, making sure that everything was tidy and fine. However, Lily Briscoe on the other hand, is the total opposite of Mrs. Ramsay. The fact that she achieves her vision and completes her picture at the end of the novel is because she has asserted her rights as an independent individual and has rejected Victorian morality. Throughout the novel, it is clearly understood that Mrs. Ramsay is an uneducated woman. Her lack of education is presented in several quotes: What did it all mean? To this day she had no notion. A square root? What was that? Her sons knew. (p. 123) Woolfs deliberate use of sons instead of sons and daughters or children is to show that Mrs. Ramsays daughters, just like Mrs. Ramsay herself, are uneducated. Her husband spoke. He was repeating something, and she knew it was poetry from the rhythm and the ring of exaltation and melancholy in his voice. (p. 129) This again shows her lack of education, for she recognizes that her husband is speaking poetry because of the rhythm and tone, not because she knows the poet Charles Elton. Even while reading a book, she has no notion of what she is reading, for she feels that she is climbing backwards, upwards, shoving her way up under petals that curved over her, so that she only knew that this is white, or this is red. She did not know at first what the words meant at all. (p. 139) Also, when Charles Tansley talks to her about his dissertation, she is not able to quite catch the meaning, only the words, here and thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ dissertationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ fellowshipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ readershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ lectureship. She could not follow the ugly academic jargon. (p. 13) Although this may seem exaggerated, it was very true of the condition of women during that time. Women being uneducated was a privilege to men for this gave them superiority and complete control over women. While looking at his wife reading, Mr. Ramsay wondered what she was reading and exaggerated her ignorance, her simplicity, for he liked to think that she was not clever, not book-learned at all. He wondered if she understood what she was reading. Probably not, he thought. She was astonishingly beautiful. (p. 141) Not only does he seem to enjoy that his wife is uneducated, but he also mocks at her for not being able to understand what she is readi ng. The only thing that he praises about her is her beauty. In his critical essay, John Hardy presents the metaphor of Mrs. Ramsay as a queen. He claims that she is constantly queen like during dinner; while sitting at the head of the table, she carefully observes, one by one, each and every person sitting round the table. Hardy furthermore says that Mrs. Ramsay is enabled to triumph over her husband, because during dinner and even afterwards when dinner is over, she is able to read his mind. These two qualities, again, elevate the female, i.e. Mrs. Ramsay, over the male, i.e. Mr. Ramsay. However, although being uneducated, Mrs. Ramsay seems to have supernatural powers, such as having premonitions and casting spells. They must come now, Mrs. Ramsay thought, looking at the door, and at that instant, Minta Doyle, Paul Rayley, and a maid carrying a great dish in her hands came in together. (p. 114) Always she got her own way in the end, Lily thoughtà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ She put a spell on them all, by wishing, so simply, so directly. (p. 118) These are powers that none of the male characters in the novel have; in fact they do not even seem to understand such things. Woolf, by giving Mrs. Ramsay such powers, has elevated the female figure to a higher status. Will you not tell me just for once that you love me? But she could not do it; she could not say ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ For she had triumphed again. (p. 144) Mrs. Ramsay, by not saying the thing that her husband very desperately wants her to say, has triumphed over him. According to John Hardy, in this scene, what may seem to us as Mrs. Ramsays surrendering to her husband is in fact the inverse. By admitting that he was right and that they would not be able to go to the lighthouse, she has surrendered to her husband. But because, while doing so, she has lost her self, i.e. her personality as a Victorian woman, the surrender becomes a triumph. In other words, her being able to say that she was wrong places her, Hardy says, on another and higher plane which is undoubtedly right. Hardy, furthermore, views Lilys final painting of Mrs. Ramsay as an admiration of her, in triumph over her husband. Even more important than her powers and intuitions is the fact that she not only takes care of her family, but also of others around her, as we learn that she knits a stocking for the lighthouse keepers ill boy. (p. 5) It is Mrs. Ramsay who prepares dinner for her entire family as well as the guests and tries her best, during dinner, to make sure everything goes fine. This again is another characteristic of a typical Victorian woman. After all, it was not knowledge but unity that she desired. (p. 59) Interestingly, Hardy argues it is Mrs. Ramsay who holds everything together and hence is the central figure of the novel. After all, it is only after Mrs. Ramsays death that the characters feel an unbearable silence with undertones of panic. Since Mrs. Ramsay is gone, her power has also gone. Moreover, we are left with the thought that if it wasnt for her, there never would have been a trip to the lighthouse. And Lily too, is able to complete her painting only after Mrs. Ramsays death. Berenice A. Carroll, however, in her essay, To Crush him in our own Country, has opposed this view. According to her, it is Lily who is the heroine of the novel. But the fact that she is persistently associated with being little and insignificant and also that she paints as she sees, not as the dominant artist of the time makes her anti-heroine. By creating the character of Lily Briscoe, Woolf presents the absolute opposite of Mrs. Ramsay. Although faced by many obstacles, namely Charles Tansley, who tells her women cant paint, women cant write (p. 56) and whose voice seems to haunt her for the rest of her life, Lily Briscoe overcomes them and succeeds in asserting her rights and achieving her vision. It is this exact thing that has shocked many readers in the Modernist Era a woman breaking away from Victorian beliefs and customs. Every time Lily hears Charles words women cant paint, women cant write (pp. 100, 106, 183, 184, 228) in her head, she is greatly disturbed and struggles, yet does not give up. Aside from saying that women can neither paint nor write, Charles also believes that It was the womens fault. Women mad civilization impossible with all their charm, all their silliness. (p. 99) Women, according to him, are charming and silly, nothing more. Yet, what is ironic is that while everybody is having dinner together, it is Lily who comes to Charles rescue after he goes through great pains in order to state his opinions. Lily Briscoe knew all that. Sitting opposite him could she not see, as in an X-ray photograph, the ribs and thigh bones of the young mans desire to impress himself lying dark in the mist of his flesh that thin mist which convention had laid over his burning desire to break into the conversation? But she thought, screwing up her Chinese eyes, and remembering how he sneered at women, cant paint, cant write, why should I help him to relieve himself? (pp. 105-106) Lily can very clearly see that Charles is suffering for not being able to join the conversation, yet she does not help and enjoys watching, rather she sits there smiling. Of course for the hundred and fiftieth time Lily Briscoe had to renounce the experiment what happens if one is not nice to that young man there and be nice. (p. 107) It is only after Mrs. Ramsays request that Lily finally helps Charles and he is relieved. Again, it is women who seem more powerful than men and come to the rescue. Mrs. Ramsay also functions as a match maker in the novel. In fact, this is the only thing she seems to be thinking of most of the time. She was driven on, too quickly she knew, almost as if it were an escape for her too, to say that people must marry; people must have children. (p. 70) Mrs. Ramsays belief that people must get married actually seems to come out of her spontaneously. The word driven shows that she cannot help but think this way. Of Paul and Minta, Mrs. Ramsay keeps insisting that they must marry. (p. 57) In fact, Paul is driven to propose to Minta because of Mrs. Ramsays ceaseless insistence. (p. 136) This shows that Mrs. Ramsay is only concerned with making the match, but completely indifferent of its outcomes, as what happens to Paul and Minta. This is exactly why Hardy argues that Mrs. Ramsay is a colossal egotist the fact that she matches up couples and arranges walks for them by the beach but at the same time is irresponsible of their outcomes does in truth show her as egotistical. Ah, but was not that Lily Briscoe strolling along with William Bankes? Yes, indeed it was. Did that not mean that they would marry? Yes, it must! What an admirable idea! They must marry! (p. 83) Another clear instance where we see Mrs. Ramsay being obsessed with matching up people for them to get married. However, Lily is the only woman in the novel to assert her independence as an individual. By doing this, she becomes Mrs. Ramsays foil. Lily, in fact looks at marriage, as degradation and dilution. She need not marry, thank Heaven: she need not undergo that degradation. She was saved from that dilution. (p. 119) In his essay, Hardy points out that Lily goes as far as to describe Mrs. Ramsays matchmaking mission as mania of hers for marriage. After ten years, when Lily does in fact not get married, she feels she has triumphed over Mrs. Ramsay. (p. 202) I must move the tree to the middle; that matters nothing else. (p. 100) For Lily, her art is more important to her than anything els e, including marriage. Even while having dinner, while everybody is engaged in conversation, all Lily can think about is how to improve her painting. During Woolfs time, it was very difficult for women to get educated and even if they were educated secretly, it was difficult for them to publish their writing. Therefore, they had to hide their work and Woolf shows this in her novel through the character of Lily. She kept a feeler of her surroundings lest someone should creep up, and suddenly she should find her picture looked at. (p. 20) and so to clasp some miserable remnant of her vision to her breast, which a thousand forces did their best to pluck from her. (p. 22) These two parts are where Virginia Woolf has very skillfully portrayed the difficulty women had to go through in order to do what men could without facing any hardships. Mrs. Ramsays daughters, in a sense, resemble Lily, though not completely, in that they too dream of a life, where they do not always have to take care of some man or other. (p. 7) However, this is not what Mrs. Ramsay believes. During dinner, she looks at Prue, her eldest daughter who is watching Minta, and says to herself, You will be as happy as she is one of these days. You will be much happier, she added, because you are my daughter, (p. 128) referring that she will get married. Mrs. Ramsay believes that women, only through marriage, will find true happiness. According to her, an unmarried woman has missed the best of life. (p. 58) Ironically, those who do get married in the novel end up in a tragic life. After Paul and Mintas marriage, not even a year passes and Paul leaves Minta for another woman. As for Prue Ramsay, she dies in childbirth. Even Mrs. Ramsay dies. It is as if these women are taught a lesson for following Victorian conventions. Lily, on the other hand, does not get married and is rewarded by being able to complete her painting that she had started ten years ago. Hardy points out that Woolf has deliberately chosen to end her novel with Lily and her painting, nothing else. We never get to know about the work of Augustus Carmichael, the only other artist in the novel. This again, is done intentionally by Woolf, her purpose was to reinforce Lilys, and in turn the females work over that of the male.

West Begin :: essays research papers

WEST AS A LAND OF CONQUEST. â€Å" Citing the Sioux as the example, explain the conquest of the Natives. When did the conflicts occur and where did they occur? What were the Anglo American objectives and what were the Means? What was the outcome?  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you stated that most all of the Plains Indians were tough’s fighters, but the tribes that became the most powerful were the Comanche’s in the South the Sioux in the North.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1860 Indian sovereignty had been responsible for the government’s efforts to erect t permanent barrier or buffers between the tribes and the Anglo culture. West of the bend of the northern bend Missouri River would constitute a permanent Indian country. Treaties never withstood other pressure of white interest in the lands occupied by the Indians and that pattern was true in this case as well.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1850 each tribe was granted a large area of land under a policy called concentration.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1851 each tribe revived its own defined reservation, confirmed by separate treaties duly ratified by US Senate. (Which did not survive for very long because it favored whites who wanted access to land, and it divided the Indians and kept them for negotiation in their common interest.)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New policy. Recommended two large reservations would be established. South, Indian Territory (Oklahoma) was established and in the north, the Dakotas all the way to the Powder River in Montana was established, which failed.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Corruption and incompetence in the Bureau of Indian Affairs was a major problem.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1850s until the late 1890 there was nearly incessant warfare on the plains. (A small band of Indians would attack whites that had encroached into Indian Territory). Little Crow, the Santee killed more than 700 white before they were subdue by the Army in retaliation after the US Army encroachment by the whites in 1860.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1864 fighting between whites and Indians broke out in eastern Colorado and led to one the most despicable event s in the annals of Anglo-Indian conflict.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gold was discovered in Cherry Creek in what is now Denver.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Natives were assigned to lands in eastern Colorado between the Platte and Arkansas Rivers.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Retaliate again in rejecting this treatment to recover their lost territory. Which lead to John Chivington attack this camp without warning when all the Indians who did not want to fight went the army camps where they would be protected. November 28,1864.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black Kettle managed to escape to the south. Four years later he and his people ware attacked by the US Army at the Washita Rive on the Texas-Oklahoma border.

Western Perspective on Western Biases in Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Relig

In many ways Rita Gross’ stance on Western bias on Hinduism, which creates an andocentric stance on three primary deities of Vishnu, Siva, and Devi, worshipped in Hindu tradition, is valid. As argued by Gross, within texts of Hinduism there appears an inclination towards an andocentric classification of the primary deities. This classification which is continually purported, truly does, resembles a group created with a patriarchy in mind. The list consistently is, as provided, Vishnu, Siva, and Devi. According to Gross’ theory, the male oriented Hindu representation of the primary three deities was not questioned by Western scholarship. As well as the fact, that Western traditions primary â€Å"favour of texts† would have hindered any further advancement of Hindu religion (Gross, p. 320). By excluding the rituals and symbols of the deities there would only be a partial understanding of Hinduism. In my opinion, I agree with Gross on the aspect of Western tradition biasing the actual representation of goddesses. But I believe it may be important to illustrate the fact that other factors could have enabled an increase of Western biases. Among the unquantifiable number of civilizations which have come and dissipated into time, religion has been variably andocentric. Take the Greek and Roman religious tradition, both held above all the patriarchic tradition of rule under a man: Zeus and Jupiter. Further on in monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are also aspects which can be determined to be andocentric. All three religions validated, over time, through dogma and tradition of a male god. Even though Judaism contains a matriarchic tradition of governance, there remains an ideology, which the old and new testa... ...n are subordinate to the male deity, in example Mary the mother of Christ became one of her son’s chief followers. Mary is still held in high regard but not in the same esteem as her son, Christ. In this suggests an andocentric tendency by Westerns who place more importance on men than women. When faced by a polytheistic system of deities which includes goddesses as not subordinate to the gods but sometimes more powerful and fearful characters could also increase the bias held by Westerns. Works Cited Fuller, C. J. The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2004. Print. Gross, Rita M. "Toward a New Model of the Hindu Pantheon: A Report on Twenty-some Years of Feminist Reflection." Academic Press 28 (1998): 319-27. Klostermaier, Klaus K. Hinduism: Beginners Guides. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2007. Print. Western Perspective on Western Biases in Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Relig In many ways Rita Gross’ stance on Western bias on Hinduism, which creates an andocentric stance on three primary deities of Vishnu, Siva, and Devi, worshipped in Hindu tradition, is valid. As argued by Gross, within texts of Hinduism there appears an inclination towards an andocentric classification of the primary deities. This classification which is continually purported, truly does, resembles a group created with a patriarchy in mind. The list consistently is, as provided, Vishnu, Siva, and Devi. According to Gross’ theory, the male oriented Hindu representation of the primary three deities was not questioned by Western scholarship. As well as the fact, that Western traditions primary â€Å"favour of texts† would have hindered any further advancement of Hindu religion (Gross, p. 320). By excluding the rituals and symbols of the deities there would only be a partial understanding of Hinduism. In my opinion, I agree with Gross on the aspect of Western tradition biasing the actual representation of goddesses. But I believe it may be important to illustrate the fact that other factors could have enabled an increase of Western biases. Among the unquantifiable number of civilizations which have come and dissipated into time, religion has been variably andocentric. Take the Greek and Roman religious tradition, both held above all the patriarchic tradition of rule under a man: Zeus and Jupiter. Further on in monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are also aspects which can be determined to be andocentric. All three religions validated, over time, through dogma and tradition of a male god. Even though Judaism contains a matriarchic tradition of governance, there remains an ideology, which the old and new testa... ...n are subordinate to the male deity, in example Mary the mother of Christ became one of her son’s chief followers. Mary is still held in high regard but not in the same esteem as her son, Christ. In this suggests an andocentric tendency by Westerns who place more importance on men than women. When faced by a polytheistic system of deities which includes goddesses as not subordinate to the gods but sometimes more powerful and fearful characters could also increase the bias held by Westerns. Works Cited Fuller, C. J. The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2004. Print. Gross, Rita M. "Toward a New Model of the Hindu Pantheon: A Report on Twenty-some Years of Feminist Reflection." Academic Press 28 (1998): 319-27. Klostermaier, Klaus K. Hinduism: Beginners Guides. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2007. Print.