Vampire Women in Bram Stokers Dracula and Angela Carters The Lady of the House of Love Free Essay Example, 750 words

Vampire Women in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Angela Carter’s â€Å"The Lady of the House of Love† Bram Stoker’s Dracula mirrors the gender and sexual anxieties as well as the cultural fears of the late nineteenth century relating to the perception of women in society, while Angela Carter’s story â€Å"The Lady of the House of Love† portrays the exact same objectification a hundred years later. What Stoker’s and Carter’s vampire women have in common is their quest to escape objectification in order to claim power over their own bodies and an authentic existence. It is believed by most critics that Dracula is a novel that indulges the Victorian male imagination, especially in the sphere of female sexuality. The fact of the matter is that in Victorian England, society had extremely rigid expectations of female sexual behavior. They were offered three roles: the mother, the lunatic and the whore. The mother represented the image of purity and was the so called â€Å"angel of the house†; the lunatic women were considered those who desired more out of their life, who turned to other things than merely their household and for neglecting their family, they were labeled insane; and lastly, the whore was naturally, any woman free enough to explore her own sexuality, and as such, of no consequence to society. We will write a custom essay sample on Vampire Women in Bram Stokers Dracula and Angela Carters The Lady of the House of Love or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Stoker presents his reader with the embodiments of what Victorian society believes a woman should be: pious, innocent and pure. But Dracula threatens to turn pious women like Mina and Lucy, into their opposites, into women noted for their voluptuousness, a word Stoker turns to again and again with an unapologetically open sexual desire. But, the most prominent images of female sexuality let loose are the three ravishingly beautiful vampires: â€Å"In the moonlight opposite me were three young women†¦ There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time some deadly fear. I felt in my heart a wicked, burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips† (Stoker 43). These three women represent both Jonathan Harker’s dream and his nightmare. Moreover, they are the embodiment of a dream and nightmare for the whole Victorian male imagination. These women portray what the Victorian ideal orders women should not be, voluptuous and sexually aggressive. This fact makes their deadly beauty both an open invitation of a sexual fulfillment and a fatal curse. It is evident that these women offer more sexual gratification to young Harker in just two paragraphs than his fiancà ©e Mina does during the entire course of the novel. In the end, it is exactly this sexual aggression on part of the women that threatens to undermine the foundations of a male-dominated society by compromising their ability to maintain control. This is why it is of the utmost importance to label women into the three, previously mentioned types and treat them accordingly, thus purging the Victorian society of any possible threats. The objectification and subjugation of women in Angela Carter’s short story collection The Bloody Chamber is part of the latent content of her exposed version of the traditional fairy tales, of which â€Å"The Lady of the House of Love† could be a loose rewriting of The Sleeping Beauty. â€Å"Wearing an antique bridal gown, the beautiful queen of the vampires sits all alone in her dark, high house† (Carter 84) and she is the only Carter’s heroine who manages to objectify a man, instead of being objectified herself. She is condemned never to be happy with a man because, like a werewolf, her insatiable hunger causes her to kill her potential mates: â€Å"She rises when the sun sets and goes immediately to her table where she plays her game of patience until she grows hungry, until she becomes ravenous. She is so beautiful she is unnatural; her beauty is an abnormality, a deformity†¦ Her beauty is a symptom of her disorder, of her soullessness. † (Carter 85) It is obvious that she, just like Stoker’s three beautiful vampires, is liberated from the conventions of being a female. But, she is shackled by her own hunger. In addition, her story allows the readers to view the other side of the objectification, and how it harms both parties: â€Å"The blood on the Countess’ cheeks will be mixed with tears† (Carter 87). She is the proof that liberation is not for everyone, it is only for the strong ones, those who are aware of the fact that going against conventions and society results in one being an outcast, an undesirable part of the society he willingly shunned. Accordingly, the Countess falls into the whore type of the Victorian female differentiation, because she chooses to explore her sexuality, but at the same time, realizes that she is stuck doing Sisyphus work. Even though the three vampire women were not given a deeper insight by Stoker, they still represent a powerful image of female liberation. In the same manner, Carter’s Countess lives her liberated life in solitude and constant wait for the hunger to become unbearable. Freeing oneself from the shackles of conventions is difficult, but continuing one’s life afterwards, is sometimes even harder. References: Carter, Angela. The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. New York: Penguin Group, 1993. Print. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Barnes & Noble Inc, 2003. Print.

The Use of and Elipse to Help Pool Player - 680 Words

Architecture, games, astronomy and medicine have something in common, even if it’s not obvious at first sight. What connects these different areas is called Conic Sections. Where do they come from? Conic Sections are figures formed by the intersection of a plane and a right circular cone. A conic section may be a circle, an ellipse, a parabola, or a hyperbola . They were first discovered by a Greek mathematician, Menaechmus. He wanted to come up with a model that showed all three different conic sections. With the help of Appollonius, they came up with the â€Å"Double Napped Cone†, which clearly shows all three different shapes. In this project, I’m going to study and analyze specifically the ellipse. What is an ellipse? It’s the set of points on a plane whose sum of the distance of two fixed points is constant . The main parts on an ellipse are: center, foci and vertices. The focus is the most important and the most used in real life. The foci determine the shape of the ellipse, therefore the vertices, endpoints, major axis and minor axis. The ellipse is found mostly in architecture and astronomy. For example, in London, the St. Paul Cathedral has an elliptical form. Studies have proven that if two people stand at the two foci, and one of them whispers, the other guy can hear it clearly. In astronomy, lots of people confuse ellipse with eclipse; THEY ARE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS! The ellipse is very useful to astronomers because it defines the distance between the sun

Comparison Essay in Cold Blood Free Essays

Comparison Essay: â€Å"In Cold Blood† Film Book In Cold Blood is a 1967 film directed by Richard Brooks. The film is based on the book by Truman Capote, having the same title as the film. The closeness and accuracy of events between the book and the film are tied closely together. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison Essay: in Cold Blood or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some of the film was actually shot on location where the fatal Clutter murders took place. While reading the book, the reader learns that Capote uses a form of writing that could be difficult to portray in a film setting. As the storyline in â€Å"In Cold Blood† progresses, Capote shifts scenes to show the Clutter’s in their everyday routine, as well as the killers as they approach their victims. Brooks does an excellent job shifting scenes in the film, but not so much that it becomes confusing to the viewer. Although the book and film are closely related, there are a couple of differences that are quite noticeable and could in fact change a viewer/reader’s opinion of the book and or film. The character descriptions in Capote’s book are much stronger than those of Brooks’. The two sources also have two different endings. The character descriptions by Capote are very strong. Almost the entire first half of the book is dedicated to describing the Clutter family and the two killers. By describing in such depth, Capote allows the reader to form some sort of feeling towards the character. For instance, Herb Clutter was described as a good friend, boss, husband, and father. Capote writes, â€Å"He was, however, the community’s most widely known citizen, prominent both there and in Garden City and his name was everywhere respectfully recognized among Midwestern agriculturists, as it was in certain Washington offices† (6). He not only does this with Mr. Clutter, but he describes every family member in great detail. Nancy Clutter was widely known throughout Holcomb, and was basically the All-American child. As for Mrs. Clutter, her description was rather important. The fact that she was not mentally stable and remained sick most of the time aided in her vulnerability at the time of the murders. The analysis of each character enables the reader to feel for the Clutter family and come to the realization that they were just like any other American family; not criminals, wrong-doers, or anything of the sort. Not only does Capote describe the Clutter family, he takes a lot of time to figure out the criminals behind the murders. Dick Hickcock and Perry Smith are very well analyzed in throughout the novel. Basically their whole life stories and every move they made in order to reach the Clutter’s were documented in Capote’s book. In the film, on the other hand, the viewer sees slightly into the lives of the Clutter family, but the director does not describe each character individually. Without this insight, a viewer who has not read the novel may not feel the same way about the family’s tragedy. Knowing more about them would give the viewer a better understanding of what the family was like, and as to why exactly the killers went through with the awful act. The character descriptions in both the movie and the book are in fact different and cause different reactions to each. Not only are the details different in the film and the book, they actually have different ways of ending. Capote closes his novel with a scene located at a cemetery. This scene differs from the movie in that Brooks ended his work with the hanging of Dick and Perry. This conclusion was probably done for dramatic effect, as are most films. Capote’s ending to the novel was a more emotional approach to concluding the Clutter case. How to cite Comparison Essay: in Cold Blood, Essays

Carpe Diem free essay sample

Today on my to-do list I have to write my admissions essay, get my portfolio and resume together, actually finish school, and get my mind around the fact that I am going to be in a different world very soon. About a year and a half earlier than regular high school students, in fact. Yes, this is solely by choice but it’s still a big wall to get around. I realize that I won’t have my parents to do my laundry. I won’t get to come home and hug my dad before bed each night. (Yes, I’m still a Daddy’s girl, and proud!) I’ll have to be around people I really don’t know at all. For the most part I’m pretty self sufficient. I’m ok with going to eat by myself, studying alone, not having anyone to push me to do needed tasks, and setting a schedule for myself. Right now all of this seems so exciting, but when I actually get to college I think it’s going to hit me. I sit here and think to myself: wow, this is it. This is the time that teenagers yearn for, strive for, and live for. They keep going for the moment they get to drive away in their car and go live life on their own and go to college. They can’t wait for this step into a life by themselves.. I’m ready for this transition, or at least I lead myself to believe that I am. But it’s the petty things that are really getting to me. Such as: while living in the dorm is there going to be drama, just like in high school? (I went to a public high school for one year and had some horrible but needed experiences.) Am I possibly going to fail a class? Are all the stories true about getting slammed with homework constantly? My social life lacks, but will I even have time for that anymore? Will I smell constantly because I forget to do my laundry? I’ll be 17 ye ars old and in college. Is this one year of age difference going to make a huge discrepancy? It’s January 2, 2008 and I plan on graduating in mid-February. In my world that I’ve created for myself and set myself in, that really isn’t a long time at all. I have consumed myself with homework so much in the past year that 24 hours is not enough to accomplish everything my mind wants to. I sit back and think about all the time that I’ve spent preparing myself for the moment that I’d be done with high school. I think about how a year ago I was a sophomore, preparing to graduate at the beginning of the next year and go to college in the fall. I sit back and think about how I have stuck to this schedule religiously. I have allowed myself to miss out on high school dances, a teenage social life, and a chunk of adolescence because of my hatred that I grew for public schools and my â€Å"carpe-diem† like drive. A year ago I was living in the suburbs of Chicago not really going anywhere with my life. Now I live in Brentwood, Tennessee and it’s just the opposite. I miss Chicago dearly, and I still refer to it as home, but when I add it all up, as much as I didn’t want to move a year ago I realize how much of a positive impact it has had on my life. If I hadn’t moved a year ago I wouldn’t be sitting here today writing this. All I would care about would be friends and what I would be doing this weekend. If I had not moved to the Nashville area I don’t think I’d be pursuing Belmont with this much intensity. I’m very surprised that I’m not passing out from exhaustion everyday. I know good and well that I’m pushing myself. But it is absolutely amazing the lengths that you can exert your body and mind to. I have pushed myself to finish classes that were meant to be finished in a school year in two weeks. I retain everything I learn and get A’s and B’s in my c lasses. I have discovered just how much I wasn’t doing before I started home schooling. I thought I knew what it was like to be under pressure before a year ago. In all reality I had absolutely no idea. I’ve never liked big crowds. I’m much more of an intimate, one on one person. I actually tend to get intimidated in large groups and become standoffish and shy if I don’t know the people all that well. That’s one reason why I chose to home school myself. Not only do I not mind being alone in a work environment I do better when it’s just me or a small amount of people around me. I can stay focused and feel more secure. With Belmont being a smaller college than most I think it would really appeal to me. Through this whole finishing school matter I’m also faced with my dad having cancer. It has been a long, hard road for the past two years of his battle. Sadly, it’s still not over. I have had so many hospital visits with my dad t hat I have learned how to understand doctor speak and even where they keep the free drinks hidden. As I sit here and realize the extremity of this matter it hits me: this is not just a learning experience. This is a loving experience. To get to the good things in life you first have to go through the bad. But it’s going to be the hardest thing I ever do to leave my dad. I know I won’t leave him, leave him, I’ll only be 20 minutes away, but I won’t be in the house constantly anymore. I won’t be home for dinner every night. I won’t be under the same rules. Belmont is my absolute first choice for college, especially at this point in my life. I don’t want to and I don’t think I physically could be a farther distance away from my dad. He is my hero and the person I go to when I’m having troubles and don’t know what to do. I know eventually I’ll move away and be on my own but I don’t necessarily need to m ove that far away now and I don’t think it’s the right time to do that. He needs me and I need him. Thankfully we’re in an area where Belmont is right around the corner and I can have my cake and eat it too. I’d be close to my dad and have a great education at a place that I actually want to be. I am so anxious to start studying journalism. Ever since I was in 2nd and 3rd grade I have been writing short stories and have loved to read and write. I even joined my online school’s newspaper staff. Every month I have a different story published. I enjoy writing immensely. Reading and writing have almost always been apparent in my life. Words infect my everyday life and invade my heart and soul and touch me. Words don’t just have a connotation of something literal but also something emotional. I constantly thirst for a new word to add to my vocabulary. My highest aspirations at this time are to start a music magazine one day and a coffee shop with a music venue. What better school than Belmont? Music is the biggest thing there. Not to mention the journalism program and business management is strong. God has obviously put me in Brentwood, Tennessee for more than one reason, reasons I couldn’t see a year ago. This transition starts a new chapter in my life. For some reason all throughout my short 2.5 years of high school I didn’t think it would ever end. I thought that 4 years was a really long time. Because of the schedule I’ve set for myself a week is hardly here before it’s gone. My time has begun to fly, and quickly it goes. Now that it’s ending I’m starting to think very seriously about my career. I’m going to be going to college, what I have been waiting for. This is where it all starts. This is where my career and my hopes and dreams are going to be built up. This is the part in my life that back when I was in kindergarten I told my teacher about. Well, I’m grown up now and it’s all going to be in my hands very shortly. I no longer say â€Å"When I grow up I’m going to be a journalist.† Now I say â€Å"This is it. The time is here. I’m no longer staring at my dreams through a window at night. I’m now taking the steps to making them a reality. Life is here.† Carpe Diem – Seize the day, because it never fails. It is always gone before you realize it.

Agribusiness in the North America

Free Essays on Protestant Reformation

The Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church was a major 16th-century religious revolution, which ended the ecclesiastical supremacy of the pope in Western Christendom. Thus, resulting in the establishment of the Protestant churches. With the Renaissance proceeding and the French Revolution that followed, the Reformation completely altered the medieval way of life in Western Europe and initiated the era of modern history. Although the movement dates from the early 16th century, when Martin Luther first defied the authority of the church, the conditions that led to his revolutionary stand had existed for hundreds of years and had complex doctrinal, political, economic, and cultural elements. Conditions Preceding Reformation From the Revival of the Holy Roman Empire by Otto I in 962, popes and emperors had been engaged in a continuous contest for supremacy. This conflict had generally resulted in victory for the papal side, but created bitter antagonism between Rome and the German Emp ire; this antagonism was augmented in the 14th and 15th centuries by the further development of German nationalist sentiment. Resentment against papal taxation and against submission to ecclesiastical officials of the distant and foreign papacy was manifested in other countries of Europe. In England, the beginning of the movement toward ultimate independence from papal jurisdiction was the enactment of the statutes of Mortmain in 1279, Provisors in 1351, and Praemunire in 1393. These statutes greatly reduced the power of the church to withdraw land from the control of the civil government, to make appointments to ecclesiastical offices, and to exercise judicial authority. The 14th-century English reformer John Wycliffe boldly attacked the papacy itself, striking at the sale of indulgences, pilgrimages, the excessive veneration of saints, and the moral and intellectual standards of ordained priests. To reach the common people, he translated the Bible into Eng... Free Essays on Protestant Reformation Free Essays on Protestant Reformation The Reformation of the Roman Catholic Church was a major 16th-century religious revolution, which ended the ecclesiastical supremacy of the pope in Western Christendom. Thus, resulting in the establishment of the Protestant churches. With the Renaissance proceeding and the French Revolution that followed, the Reformation completely altered the medieval way of life in Western Europe and initiated the era of modern history. Although the movement dates from the early 16th century, when Martin Luther first defied the authority of the church, the conditions that led to his revolutionary stand had existed for hundreds of years and had complex doctrinal, political, economic, and cultural elements. Conditions Preceding Reformation From the Revival of the Holy Roman Empire by Otto I in 962, popes and emperors had been engaged in a continuous contest for supremacy. This conflict had generally resulted in victory for the papal side, but created bitter antagonism between Rome and the German Emp ire; this antagonism was augmented in the 14th and 15th centuries by the further development of German nationalist sentiment. Resentment against papal taxation and against submission to ecclesiastical officials of the distant and foreign papacy was manifested in other countries of Europe. In England, the beginning of the movement toward ultimate independence from papal jurisdiction was the enactment of the statutes of Mortmain in 1279, Provisors in 1351, and Praemunire in 1393. These statutes greatly reduced the power of the church to withdraw land from the control of the civil government, to make appointments to ecclesiastical offices, and to exercise judicial authority. The 14th-century English reformer John Wycliffe boldly attacked the papacy itself, striking at the sale of indulgences, pilgrimages, the excessive veneration of saints, and the moral and intellectual standards of ordained priests. To reach the common people, he translated the Bible into Eng...

Applied research method - topic to be defined out of the assignment Essay

Applied research method - topic to be defined out of the assignment - Essay Example The difference in organizational culture is perceivable and culture has been recognized as a strong determinant of beliefs, attitudes and behavior. The strategic decision of M&A would have to take into account the impact of the differences in culture between two organizations or even between two nations. A high percentage of mergers and acquisitions fail to meet expectations and a very strong argument is that cultures were not integrated. This makes it interesting to know the impact that M&A has on the culture of an organization. To determine the impact of cultural differences when M&A take place, literature review would be conducted. There is a broad stream of literature available but since it is not possible to go through or include the entire database, select academic journals would be used to determine the impact that culture has during mergers. Three academic papers are recent while two papers are decades old. This has been done to understand how the mind set of people has changed over time. Literature review permits quick and easy collection of general information on the issue. The literature review would help to arrive at the research question. Cultural differences have been blamed for high failure rate in M&A but research suggests otherwise (Teerikangas & Very, 2006). Differences in top management styles have been found in top US companies but not in rewards and evaluation system to have a negative performance impact. Functional background had a positive impact on post-acquisition performance. A buying firm’s behavior throughout the buying process is influenced by its national background. According to some authors, differences in national cultures are not an impediment but a potential success factor for M&A. Research suggests that decision-makers give disproportionate attention to strategic fit as compared to integration issues (Olie, 1994). One of these issues is the ‘cultural fit’ where the fundamental differences

The History and Practices of Voodoo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The History and Practices of Voodoo - Essay Example In the documentary, Witchcraft & Magic, Patrick Macnee suggests that â€Å"voodoo is generally perceived as tribal black magic practiced in primitive cultures.† Ross Heaven, the first white priest of Vodou in Europe, explains that â€Å"Vodou is a spiritual tradition of Africa and Haiti† (Heaven 7). Brandi Kelley, the Director of the Voodoo Museum in New Orleans, states that â€Å"voodoo is a compromise between African voudon and Catholicism† (Macnee). While all of these statements are applicable, the history of voodoo and its evolution is somewhat nebulous. In the book for middle school students, The Real Monsters, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen discusses perception and reality, â€Å"sometimes movies and books portray voodoo as a dark and evil religion that is dominated by black magic and pin-struck voodoo dolls. In reality, these things are not a part of traditional voodoo practices† (45). Bardhan-Quallen relates the observations of photographer Lynne Warberg, who has documented Haitian voodoo for years. â€Å"Participation in voodoo ritual reaffirms one’s relationships with ancestors, personal history, community relationships—and the cosmos. Voodoo is a way of life† (qtd. in Bardhan-Quallen, and Cochran 45). Slavery played a defining role in the history of voodoo. ... Linking their deities [†¦] to Catholic saints, slaves could pretend to pray to St. Barbara, for example, while really delivering their wishes to the vo-du thunder god, Songo† (Davis 8) Open to suggestion and seeking answers within the social constructs that confined them, slaves developed a new religion in which â€Å"transplanted voudon borrowed freely from native Indian cultures, European witchcraft, and other non-voudon African slave religions, for example the Kongo-based palo mayombe. And it co-opted precisely as much Catholicism as locally necessary to prevent the African content from being crushed by the Europeans† (Davis 8). In the words of Rod Davis, a reporter who researched and studied Voodoo for his book, American Voudou: Journey into a Hidden World, â€Å"Voudou took as many guises as necessary to survive, [†¦] hoodoo, root medicine, spiritual healing, ju-ju, black magic, and dozens of other euphemisms and forms† (75). Davis states that †Å"in different areas, voudou has different rituals and doctrines† (9). One can deduce that differing circumstances in each location, as well as other religions and cultures in the region, influenced the evolution of the religion. According to Davis, â€Å"in Haiti, the religion metamorphosed into vodun or vaudoux; in Cuba, Santeria; in Brazil, candomble; in Trinidad, Shango Baptist; in Mexico, curanderismo; in Jamaica, obeah. In the American South, it became voodoo and, in the most extreme caricature, hoodoo, the petty hexing (pins in dolls, love potions, etc.) which most people, black and white, confuse with the real thing† (Davis 9). In discussing people’s attitudes toward voodoo in early

Essay on All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

On All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy - Essay Example The grandfather embodies the undisturbed life, and after his death Cole begins to think by himself. He leaves a world that he thought he knew for one in which none of the past rules were available. At the beginning he doesn't know that he departs to find the truth about life and about himself. Besides the differences between him and others he must go exploring the world, because when everything collapsed, when his world ruined, he started to understand that the world might mean something else. His awakening is very much alike with what Plato said in the allegory of the cave. Cole is one of the philosopher-prisoners who sees the sun , the symbol of knowledge, and goes to find it. On his way he is surrounded by all kinds of people who try to withhold him. Finding the truth is not such a simple mission , it involves some obstacles and reaching it requires the passing of certain stages, from innocence to experience. These changes are revealed in the book with the help of symbols. In the beginning of the novel Grady is seen as a child who wants to conquer the world, but at the end he is presented with scars on his face and chest. His lack of experience from the beginning makes him to mistake, and the scars are the symbols of rough time that harden him and made him an experienced man. In the beginning Cole arrives to a ranch named "La hacienda de nuestra Senora de la Purisima Conception". This Mexican ranch is very much related to the state of the characters when they reach there. The name in English means Virgin Mary and implies that Grady arrives there with the hope that he will regain the moral values lost in his world. But Mexico is very similar to Texas. The owner of the ranch wants to combine two breeds of horses, so he wants to merge two styles of living, but he is very much against the union of his daughter with an American. This is the paradox of this world, and the meaning must to be seen in the symbol of horse. John Grady amazes everyone with his ability to break the wild horses, but this comes from the fact, that he himself is a wild horse, riding for a new truth. At certain moments in the novel characters are very much alike horses. The horse is the symbol of friendship and freedom: Cole goes with his friend to Mexico, and they get friends with a thi rd: Jimmy Blevins who had stolen a horse. Their friendship and the stealing of this horse are the one that gets Cole near death. The owner of the Mexican ranch doesn't want to breed wild mountains horses with its stock; he wants to subjugate the most powerful breed to make a stronger one. At a negative meaning the horse represents the stamina, and also the love and the death. Extending at the level of characters: the owner of the Mexican ranch wants the help of Grady, he praises his ability, but he doesn't want the unification of the two worlds, symbolized by the marriage, and in this way he rejects Grady. They are two different cultures and civilizations and Grady is not welcomed in any side. From the moment they arrived at the ranch they were seen as employees and their help was only temporarily. Even Alejandra's aunt was against the young lovers' affair denouncing the cultural differences between them. In this respect, John and Alejandra can be visualized like two wild horses tha t experience the taste of freedom and love, but only one is ready to face them. Alejandra will drop out her dream, being influenced by her

Coca Cola: Changing marketing environment

Coca Cola: Changing marketing environment Marketing environment are the actors and forces that affect a companys capability to operate effectively in providing products and services to its customers. The marketing environment consists of microenvironment (customer, competitors, distributors, and suppliers) and the macroenvironment (economic, social, political, legal, physical and technological forces). These shape the character of the opportunities and the threats facing a company and yet are largely uncontrollable. The major microenvironment that Coca-Cola is facing is its competitor, PepsiCo. Competitors have a major bearing on the performance of a company. It affects a companys capabilities to operate effectively in its chosen markets. For example, Coca-Cola was once successful and was the Wall Street favourite. It created a global brand and outperformed its arch-rival PepsiCo. However, by December 2005, its competitor, PepsiCo, for the first time in the history of the two companies, was valued more highly with a market capitalization of $98.4 billion against Coca-Colas $97.9 billion. Coca-colas number one status was starting to look vulnerable. It was losing market share to PepsiCo. The major macroenvironment that Coca-Cola is facing is Social/cultural forces. Social/cultural forces can have an impact on marketing decisions by changing demand patterns and creating new opportunities and threats. With the increasing numbers of health-conscious consumers, attitudes towards the demand for beverages are changing. The changes need to be monitored and understood so that marketing management is aware of the changing tastes and behaviour of consumers. Such changes can create demand shifts that can act as either opportunities or threats. In contrast to Coca-cola, PepsiCo considered the change an opportunity for business expansion. For example, PepsiCo diversified away from sugary fizzy drinks into a powerful portfolio of non-carbonated products. It bought the fruit juice business Tropicana and Quaker Oats. With these new businesses, the company has experienced double-digit growth, where as Coca-cola cherish the status quo and resist change. There are various ways companies can respond to the change in marketing environment, which are: ignorance, delay, retrenchment, gradual strategic repositioning and radical strategic repositioning. The first response of Coca-Cola to the changing marketing environment before the arrival of Mr Isdell to that of PepsiCo, is where Coca-Cola made no change to its strategy at the beginning after the death of Roberto Goizueta. It continued as normal, ignore its competitor, PepsiCo, which was threatening their existence. During that time, Coca-Cola was facing bungled takeovers, disastrous product launches, contamination scares, and constant feuding between factions within the management and boardroom. It still stayed put to Goizuetas philosophy, that is, it was that nothing could beat the low cost, high-profit -margin business of producing syrupy concentrate for bottlers, under licence. Between the competitions of the two companies, it had made consumers more cola-conscious. However, Coca-Cola rarely saw it like that due to the poor environment scanning. Coca-Cola appears to be internally orientated business, as it did not monitor and seek to understand customers, research competitor a nd their brands to understand theirs strengths, weaknesses, strategies and response patterns. Coca-Cola did not realize that salient forces are affecting their future prospects. Apart from the ignorant, Coca-Cola has delayed in their response to the marketing environment change. This can be caused by bureaucratic nature of their decision-making. Marketing myopia can slow response through management being product rather than customer focused. For example, despite the change in consumer tastes, lifestyle and expectations, Coca-cola is still focused on soft drinks where PepsiCo has already well diversified and even enter into snack food business. The result is that PepsiCo generates about 23 per cent of its worldwide profits from the stagnant carbonated drinks sector, while Coca-Cola relies on fizzy drinks for 80 per cent of profits. PepsiCos diversification programme and its branding-building expertise have made it the worlds fourth largest food and beverage company, ranking behind Nestle, Kraft and Unilever. Its sales were more than $43 billion compared with Coca-colas $32 billion in 2008. Slowly, Coca-cola has looked into gradual strategic repositioning. This involves a gradual, planned and continuous adaptation to the changing marketing environment. Coca-Cola has slowly and continually repositioned itself in response to its strong competition and the changing marketing environment. It has in fact gradually challenge its competitor by having launched Minute Maid fruit juice to challenge Tropicana, Dasani to take on Aquafina and so on, even though it seems to be playing catch-up. Compare to Coca-Cola, PepsiCo has adopted the radical strategic repositioning where it took part and involved by changing the direction of the business according to the change in marketing environment. For example, PepsiCo developed and marketed better alternative, more varieties and healthier beverages.

Oedipus The King: Images Of Blindness :: Oedipus Rex, Sophocles

Oedipus the King has many images of blindness, both physical and blindness of the mind. The characters surrounding these images are Oedipus and Tiresias the prophet. When the play begins Oedipus has vision and Tiresias cannot see, but by the end of the play, it is clear who can really see and who is blind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Oedipus first encounters Tiresias, the blind prophet proceeds to tell Oedipus after much pressure that Oedipus is the one who has brought the great plague down upon Thebes and that he is the murderer he has sent the residents of the city to find and cast away. Although Tiresias is visually impaired, he can still see the truth of the contingency. However, Oedipus is blind to the truth and immediately begins accusing Tiresias of being involved in a conspiracy with Creon to overthrow him as king. Oedipus casts insults at Tiresias about his blindness saying â€Å"You have no strength, blind in your ears, your reason and your eyes.† (374-375). Tiresias responds by saying that the insults Oedipus has hurled will before long come back upon him. He also tells Oedipus that what has brought him greatness is the very luck that will ruin him. Tiresias says â€Å"Blind who could see, a beggar who was rich, through foreign lands he’ll go and point before him with a stick,† (460) implying that although Oedipus can see now, the truth will eventually blind him and cause him to loose all he has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus remains blind to the truth until he can deny it no longer. After hearing the testimony of the herdsman it is perfectly clear to Oedipus that he has fulfilled the prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother, in turn bringing the great misfortune about the city of Thebes. Upon discovering this, along with discovering Jocasta’s dead body, Oedipus blinds himself with the pins on her dress and shouts that his eyes â€Å"would no longer see the evils he had suffered or had done, see in the dark those he should not have seen.

Moral Standards in the 1960s-1970s Essay

The English social activist Constance Mary Whitehouse was often renowned for her opposition to social liberalism and mainstream media, which she often claimed to be root cause of a more permissive society in Britain. Although, the extent to which we can deem this view valid is debatable. There is evidence leaning on both sides of the argument; but of course it is unquestionable that Britain did see a sudden uprising of permissiveness and overt moral decline to which Whitehouse responded briskly, founding and setting up the ‘National Viewers’ and Listeners’ Association’ via which she campaigned against the BBC n the 60’s. The question is; was she justified in going to these lengths to essentially try and censor media? Surely, if she injected such a vast amount of effort into doing so, then she must have some sort of validity in her view? Or perhaps, there were other factors which she did not take into account. The notion of Television being the main medium of influence of this period is irrefutable, with 95% of British households owning one by the end of the 1960s. Although the fact that the government set up the Committee of Inquiry on Broadcasting could in itself suggest that media had partial censorship (thus disallowing any real explicit broadcasts which could lead to a moral decline), they did little to stop, and actually welcomed the hard-hitting ‘social realist’ plays such as ‘up the junction (1965)’ and ‘Come Home Cathy (1966)’, as they were a replacement for the supposedly ‘vulgar’ American style programmes on ITV such as ‘Take Your Pick (1958-66)’ and the Westerns/Crime Dramas which they feared would erode British culture and make people more violent. Though, these plays did could be argued to have ‘worsened’ the situation as, for example, ‘Up the Junction’ depicted quite a graphic and powe rful home abortion scene, and it is suggested that this may have been one of the causes of the 1967 Abortion Act to be passed; which of course consequently lead to relaxation in attitudes towards sex as there was now an passage, or a ‘life-line’ a woman could use if any accidental impregnation occurred, thus increasing levels of promiscuity. Furthermore, in ‘a taste of honey’ (also part of this social realism movement that swept through theatres in the 60’s), as well as abortion again being key factor in it, there is also an occurrence of a ‘one night stand’, not an ordinary one night stand however, an interracial one night stand. Although this was a very extreme case of moral rebellion, critically it could have lead to the British public to perceiving promiscuity as well as interracial relationships (seen as immoral, abnormal at this time) to be more acceptable, a norm. In other words, the British public would in theory be bellowing â€Å"if she can do it, why can’t I?!† . The Press also have a part to play in this; they contributed largely to a new permissive air in the media when they initiated their launch of colour supplements, sexualised adverts and scandalous news stories and significantly the first female nipple was published by media tycoon Rupert Murdoch who believed this would help the circulation of his paper, The Sun. This conveys the extent to which media was now overtly promoting permissiveness, and could suggest that this directly influenced a more permissive society as the public were fully exposed to these new developments which eased them into a new, more open and bold mind set. Conversely, there is evidence to suggest that Media was not only responsible for the ‘decline in moral standards’, as quoted by Whitehouse. Touching back onto the subject of ‘press’, although it did absolutely encourage some air permissiveness, the Obscene Publications Acts of 1959 and 1964 to an extent conflict that view. These acts were designed to ‘strengthen’ law around public obscenity, in particular the publication of obscene articles and materials used in them. This could thus suggest that there were in fact some restrictions on media, and that they couldn’t possibly fully hold the blame for arousal of permissiveness and decline in moral standards in this period. Additionally, although the ‘powerful’ scene in ‘Up the Junction’ could be blamed for the passing of the Abortion Act in 1967,it is commonly known that it only eased the passage of it, and it was primarily David Steel’s campaign that led the way to this debatably radical change. Prior to the Abortion Act, there were approximately 106,000 illegal abortions a year, and many were sceptical about the idea that the number of abortions would increase when the act was passed as they believed although people had the freedom, it wouldn’t necessarily mean they would exercise it. They were wrong, after a year in 1968 the number of abortions per annum rose by 35,000 to 141,000 a year. This strongly suggests that the Abortion Act itself influenced a more permissive and unmoral society as it offered more freedom to the public in regards to sex and promiscuity. Prior to the passing of the Divorce Act of 1969, divorce was only permitted when there was sufficient evidence exhibiting that one party of the relationship had committed adultery, and statistics show that there were few than two divorces per 1000 married couples. The Divorce Reform Act allowed couples to divorce if they had lived apart for two years and both wanted it or if they had lived apart for five years and one partner wanted it. Following the reform there was a huge increase in the number of divorces, by the mid-1970s nearly one in every two marriages ended in divorce. Although it could be argued that this was due to the growing independence of women, it’s hard to deny that the act had a large effect on this. This thus indicates to us that media was not entirely responsible for the lack or decline of moral standards as legislation such as this, did essentially promote more promiscuity as it gave married couples the freedom to split up and do as they please. In analysing the range of factors, we can conclude that Mary Whitehouse’s view that the media was responsible for the morale decline of the 60’s and 70’s was somewhat valid, as there are a spectrum of sources and pieces of evidence that intrinsically link together and in turn paint a picture where the British society are heavily influenced by media. This was perhaps due to fact that the public at this time, and still to this day, are heavily consumed by the media and are enthralled in its controversy, and although it may not have so much of a profound effect on us today it is obvious people of that period were more vulnerable to it as just coming out of a period of Austerity and slight deprivation, more likely than not they were seeking for something new something fresh, something that kept up with the social norms of other major influences such as America- and perhaps unfortunately, these new trends often entailed social rebellion and permissiveness. And althoug h legislation had a part to play in it, this only ensured de jure change, not always de facto, where as media more times out of 10 had de facto and more profound effect on the British society of the 1960s/70s.

buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay

buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay Introduction Barclays is a major financial service provider across the globe with experience in offering services in retail banking, credits cards, corporate and investment banking to its customers. The bank also offers wealth management services and has expanded its business tenets in Europe, America and Asia. The bank has 300 years of constant expertise in the banking sector and currently operates in 50 countries with a human resource capacity of close to 150, 500 people (Acrill Hannah, 2001). The external and remote business environment of Barclays Bank offers opportunities and challenges alike. This paper is an assessment of the external, remote and industry environment of Barclays Bank, the UK. The External Environment of Barclays Bank An assessment of the external environment of Barclays Bank, the UK reveals its opportunities and threats in relation to the political, economic, competition, social, technological and legal realities of its area of operation (Acrill Hannah, 2001). The UK financial market generally presents Barclays with great opportunity for growth. The Bank still enjoys dominance in the financial market. Being the first financial institution in the market, Barclays has established its business base and roots and is mostly relied upon by other financial institutions for bailouts during financial crises. This is an opportunity that Barclays has ably exploited to champion its business course and remain dominant in the UK financial market. Besides, most of the UK government/public financial transactions are made through the Bank. This enables Barclays to have a pool of customers and potential consumers for its various services. The technological advancement and infrastructural development that the UK enjoys is a great opportunity for Barclays Bank. While most of the competitors in the financial market like Lloyds Group have not exhaustively utilized this opportunity because of shortage of business technology and networking personnel, Barclays has been able to contract these services. Therefore through outsourcing, Barclays has been able to enhance efficiency, conveniencefor all its subscribers. The use of swift cards, credits cards, ATM and wireless money transfer are well advanced in Barclays Bank transactions (Acrill Hannah, 2001). Although the UK market has offered Barclays great potential business opportunities, the volatility of the financial market is a great threat to the Bank. For example, during the 2007-2009 financial crises, the Bank suffered great loss resulting from the financial tremors that affected most of the financial institutions that looked up to Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland for bailout (Singh, 2007). Worst still is the fact that most of the government financial transactions, investment loans are processed through Barclays. The housing finance, mortgage and stock markets are all integrated within Barclays banking system. When these institutions face financial stress, the weight affects the performance and profit margins of Barclays Bank. In the annual report of financial year ending 2010, Barclays registered allegations of political interference within the operations of the Bank. This illustrates that the Banks policies and laws are still weak and can be very vulnerable to political manipulation and interference. This is risky for any financial institution that has a large operation base like Barclays Bank, the UK. Barclays Bank Remote Environment Remote environment assessment entails analysis of the business elements that are beyond its control. These may be economical, social, political or even technological. As a financial institution operating in a technologically advanced business environment, Barclays Bank is faced with the challenge of turning this environment into a viable business opportunity (Capon, 2009). For example, the recent policy of the government that financial institutions such Barclays must remit a monthly tax return of 23% has had implications on the profit margins of the bank. The Chief executives had to strategize and raise the interest rates of some of its lending services to be able to cope with the tax requirement. Besides, the requirements by the UKs Central Bank that the interest rates on all mortgage loans must factor in the fluctuating inflation rates in the country have sseverely halted the ability of the Barclays Bank to operate independently and follow the forces of demand and supply in the mon ey market (Mercer, 1998). The financial markets in the UK are very elastic. This has greatly affected the strategic management approaches of most financial institutions with many closing down or relocating to other countries. Barclays Bank must thus develop a proactive and strategic approach to be able to cope with the tremors of the Euro in the Euro zone and the U.S dollar (Campbell Craig, 2005). The slump of these currencies has often led to crises in the money markets and investment prospects. Barclays registered a negative profit margin during the global financial crisis in most of its mortgage business and survived the wave only because of the loans that were paid up. This environment is thus a potential threat to the bank (Saleem, 2010). The industry environment of Barclays Bank The UK banking sector is generally declining in terms of performance relative to the global banking sectors (Capon, 2009). This is contrary to what the situation was four years ago. The banking sector in the UK where Barclays operates is now ranked position five according the survey of the world banking sector. The profit margins of Barclays Bank and other financial institutions such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds still stand at 58% (McTavish, 2005). The government owns most of the dominant financial institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Lloyds Banking Group. The government owns a sheer 84% of the shares of these institutions. This implies that the financial markets and the banking sector in particular are dominated by the government (Kew Stredwick, 2005). In the aftermath of the global financial crunch, the economy of the UK was dilapidated as most the UK lenders and banks sought financial bailout from the government due to the freezing of the global markets . In conclusion, Barclays Banks operating environment is ripe with opportunities and challenges that require strategic management principles that would transform the challenges into opportunities for its survival in this environment. Buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay

Free Essays on Self Report

As a graduate student in the field of psychology I think it is very important to reflect on the course of my own development. Now that I am 24 years old I’m steadily climbing up the early adulthood ladder. When I give thought to all my different experiences while getting to this point I feel a sense of amazement, triumph, and optimism. I will examine my psychosocial development during a certain stages of my life with Erickson’s and Feud’s stage theories and some cognitive development using Piaget’s theory. I will also look at the development of my moral reasoning using Kohlberg’s stage theory. I was born the first child of my mother at 23 but not of my father at his age of 34. From what I can remember and what I know about my environment we were a average middle class Black family in a small city of Southeast Georgia, Savannah. My mother never moved away from home because she was an only child so, based on that I believe my first year of life in th e Trust vs. Mistrust stage my basic biologically needs where met and I feel I formed a sound attachment with my grandmother more so than my mother or father. I think the fact that my grandmother lived with me added lots of structure to my environment that would not have been there. Based on the psychosexual stage’s the first year is the Oral stage I think I may have been fixated at this stage due to a few factors, I was not breast feed and also I think as an over compensation for that I might have wanted the bottle more and was deprived, but I don’t think it was severely impacting. During my early childhood I was placed in preschool at age 4 and begin to learn new social skills and expand cognitively. In addition to that my home environment consisted of learning toys and they exposed me to colors, numbers and the alphabet. So according to Piaget’s theory my sensorimotor period was fine with good transition into the preoperational period. As for the second st age conflicts a... Free Essays on Self Report Free Essays on Self Report As a graduate student in the field of psychology I think it is very important to reflect on the course of my own development. Now that I am 24 years old I’m steadily climbing up the early adulthood ladder. When I give thought to all my different experiences while getting to this point I feel a sense of amazement, triumph, and optimism. I will examine my psychosocial development during a certain stages of my life with Erickson’s and Feud’s stage theories and some cognitive development using Piaget’s theory. I will also look at the development of my moral reasoning using Kohlberg’s stage theory. I was born the first child of my mother at 23 but not of my father at his age of 34. From what I can remember and what I know about my environment we were a average middle class Black family in a small city of Southeast Georgia, Savannah. My mother never moved away from home because she was an only child so, based on that I believe my first year of life in th e Trust vs. Mistrust stage my basic biologically needs where met and I feel I formed a sound attachment with my grandmother more so than my mother or father. I think the fact that my grandmother lived with me added lots of structure to my environment that would not have been there. Based on the psychosexual stage’s the first year is the Oral stage I think I may have been fixated at this stage due to a few factors, I was not breast feed and also I think as an over compensation for that I might have wanted the bottle more and was deprived, but I don’t think it was severely impacting. During my early childhood I was placed in preschool at age 4 and begin to learn new social skills and expand cognitively. In addition to that my home environment consisted of learning toys and they exposed me to colors, numbers and the alphabet. So according to Piaget’s theory my sensorimotor period was fine with good transition into the preoperational period. As for the second st age conflicts a...

Economic Analysis Of The Energy Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economic Analysis Of The Energy Sector - Essay Example I will use articles, journals and books relating to the energy sector business to write this essay. Section One Self Employment Opportunities in the Energy Sector are indicators of growth and prosperity of a nation. Fossil fuels are diminishing at an increasing rate and have become scarce (Steger, 2005). Due to the scarcity, conservation and efficient utilization of various forms of energy have been of concern. Conservation of energy and efficient utilization of energy has tremendous potential, self-employment opportunities (Taylor and Parish, 2008). There are various nonbanking financial institutions, which have developed as a result of promoting energy conservation. In addition, individuals can get self-employment in the energy sector through setting up energy auditing firms that are accredited or becoming an individual consultant in the line of energy auditing (Peterson’s, 2010). Methodology In writing this research, primary and secondary materials will be used. Primary sou rces include interviewing self-employed people in the energy sector and talking to people in the energy business. Secondary sources used include books, articles and various reports provided by institutions and companies in the energy sector. General Trends in the Energy Sector World energy production has undergone a pivotal transformation in energy and resource management. Due to the growing world population currently standing at seven billion, there is a need in the development of the entire energy sector to ensure sustainability in the sector (Chung, 2005). This development requires people who are skilled in taking over investments in the energy sector. A research conducted by Karen Ward reveals that there is an adequate supply of oil for the next fifty years, and that of gas for the next 100-200 years (UNEP, 2009), but due to the growing demand for oil and gas, extraction cost and environment preservation, the industry faces a future with challenges and focuses on renewable energ y sources in securing a sustainable future. Some global organizations are promoting investments in the renewable sources in order to achieve sustainability. The world’s investments in the renewable sources of energy have increased by around 30% from 2009-2010, attaining a level of $ 243 billion (UNEP, 2010). This can be attributed to the utility companies seeking the reduction of carbon emissions and organizations seeking investments in the energy sector to achieve sustainable levels. According to Allen and York (2010), they see the growth of renewable energy within the portfolio and corporate, business plans of modern companies. Hence, the number corporations seeking renewable energy investments are on the increase. The European job market in the wind targets to increase renewable energy by 20% by 2020 and is positively responding to the set targets (EWEA, 2009). According to RenewableUK (2011), strong growth in the wind energy sector is expected over the next decade, creati ng over 250,000 new employment opportunities. There is a growing demand for energy professionals in the UK due to the rise in wind energy firms (EWEA, 2009). This has created self-employment job opportunities for those individuals willing to invest in the sector (Deitche, 2010). From the recent developments in the renewable energy investments, there is an increasing demand for project managers, connection engineers, environment assessors, energy auditors, and project developers to undertake the investment business.

State Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

State Development - Assignment Example State can be and has been the key agent in development The concept of development has been used in different contexts over the course of time. It is often used for positive expressions pertaining to ‘good change’ or ‘progress’. However these two terms in themselves are intricate and need to be thoroughly understood. Refining it further, development may also be availed in the context of being a vision, a historical process of change in society and finally as an intentional process influenced by agencies and government. The aspect of change deliberates that development is a process. Development is a broad terminology and encompasses various subjects and may be used in diverse contexts but here we concentrate our meaning more towards the development of societies and individuals within societies. This process of development is influenced by an amalgamation of both social and political factors. What is more important to understand is that this process of change e ntails a wholesome approach, pertaining to a desirable change that occurs at all levels and is not confined to improvement in one aspect alone. It also goes a step further in that this process is continuous in nature and sustains by regular evaluations and a self-building practice. The smallest unit of this web starts at the level of an individual, while encompassing the society at large, simultaneously. It is individuals that ultimately make up a society. Therefore, change at a large scale is the reflection of change taking place at the smallest of levels. Hence, change in the thought process of an individual, their means of interaction; strategies that they use for making livelihood and their perception of themselves are what form the fundamentals of this change. This brings the fact that development entails both negative as well as positive features. Altogether, what one can at least decipher from this is that development is a product of multiple raw materials and hence can be sp oken of in multiple contexts. When speaking of development and capitalism working together two forms of development must be stressed upon namely; immanent and intentional development. The former states that development is inherently a process of self-building and growth occurring from within, without the influence of any extrinsic factors like policies. The latter, on the other hand involves the influence of policies and state agencies in giving rise to development. If we look at the start of the 19th century we realize that by its beginning capitalism had advanced into being a market society finally culminating into a global process. While when talking of development in the view of state the concept changes into being one that can be measured and analyzed statistically, hence more objectively. Therefore a developed society in this context is one that is modern and industrialized and not just rich in wealth but also one that is becoming economically stronger and striving towards gro wth and improvisation. This entails that GNP per capita is not only high but is always on the rise. This entails a set of characteristics which are mentioned as follows; the use of scientific knowledge, and its application rather than using traditional techniques. Another way of gauging the industrial development is by transition from olden subsistence farming to the commercial production of goods. Third is the evolution from the use of animal and plant power to the application of machines and last is the migration of individuals from villages to urban centers (Smelser 1968, pg126). Hence when we reflect upon the western industrialized countries what we realize is that they have undergone a process of development in their economy coupled with growth. The former includes an improved and augmented capacity and output while the latter implies an increasing GNP or GDP. This results in a higher income per capita. This modernization influences aspects relating to the quality of life by