Thursday, October 3, 2019
Innocence in Catcher in the Rye Essay Example for Free
Innocence in Catcher in the Rye Essay In JD Salingerââ¬â¢s Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is a boy aimlessly traveling New York City after being expelled from a classy boarding school. Holden poses a great deal of trepidation when it comes to sexual relationships, especially those of Jane and Sunny. Furthermore, Holden tends to misjudge the maturity of his fellow characters. The combination of this misconception, the tension between sexual trepidation, and an adult life with adult relationships, results in confusion for him. In Holdenââ¬â¢s life, there have only been a few people heââ¬â¢s cherished more than his childhood neighbor, Jane Gallagher. They were close childhood friends, and when his roommate Stradlater brings her up years later in high school, all he can talk about is the innocent fun they used to have: playing checkers, watching her dance ballet in the summer heat, and how her Doberman always came into his yard. However, he also reminisces on how her ââ¬Å"boozehoundâ⬠stepfather would always ââ¬Å"run around the goddam house nakedâ⬠(42). He suspects that her stepfather had harassed Jane, who ââ¬Å"had [a] terrific figure, and [he] wouldnââ¬â¢tââ¬â¢ve put it past that bastardâ⬠(103). This really bothers Holden, as does when Stradlater insinuates that he made sexual advances onto Jane on their date. To Holden, sexual encounters mean an adulteration of innocence, and he hates that Stradlater or Janeââ¬â¢s stepfather may have corrupted Jane. Many times, Holden promises himself that he ââ¬Å"outa go down and say hello to herâ⬠(40), or that he should ââ¬Å"give old Jane a buzzâ⬠(195), but he never does. Subconsciously, he fears that Jane will have grown up, and calling her or seeing her will surely alter the young, innocent, checkers-playing version of Jane that he has in his mind. This is confusing for Holden because Jane has grown up, yet he still thinks of her as a little girl, not the grown woman that she is. Holden ââ¬Å"knew that she wouldnââ¬â¢t let [Stradlater] get to first base with her, but it drove [him] crazy anywayâ⬠(104). This shows Holdenââ¬â¢s potential misconception of Janeââ¬â¢s innocence. It is unlikely for a post-teenage young woman to be as sheltered and have as much innocence as she did when she was a little girl. However, this is something Holden cannot grasp. This dilemma is a direct result of Holdenââ¬â¢s irrational respect for innocence, influenced by sexual confrontations in Holdenââ¬â¢s past. When Holden agrees to have a prostitute come to his room in the hotel, he is soon greeted by Sunny at his door. Holden is immediately unimpressed with Sunnyââ¬â¢s maturity; how she was ââ¬Å"jiggling this one foot up and downâ⬠, she ââ¬Å"never said thank youâ⬠, and she ââ¬Å"had this tiny little wheeny-whiny voiceâ⬠(123). He also notices that she appears very young, and said things that were really childish. This ends up making him feel ââ¬Å"more depressed than sexyâ⬠(123), and he decides not to have sex with her after all. The depiction of this young girl making money as a prostitute seems to upset Holden, and he ultimately concludes that having sex with her would spoil her innocence. This is where Holden is again misguided. Just as it is unlikely for Jane to retain the same degree of innocence through the years, it is improbable that Sunny, being a prostitute, will have not had sex with many people in the past, therefore preserving her innocence. But all Holden can see in Sunny is the childish and immature, which results in a conflicted view of the world. The importance of innocence to Holden is something that results in nervousness towards othersââ¬â¢ sexual identity and activity. His perspective of Jane and Sunnyââ¬â¢s innocence is also misguided to the point where he sees innocence in them when there is none. Overall, the importance of innocence to Holden results in contention that is less than innocent.
Main Stages Involved In Capacity Management Tourism Essay
Main Stages Involved In Capacity Management Tourism Essay Capacity management in the tourism industry is measured by the available seat-miles per month. Capacity management is an important factor within hospitality operations as it tests activity for the manager and therefore gives them an indication of the maximum level of value-added over a period of time, so they can see what the operation could achieve in normal conditions. According to Armistead and Clark (1994, p6) Capacity management is the ability to balance demand from customers and the capability of the service delivery system to satisfy the demand. This places an emphasis on understanding first, the nature of demand by forecasting and second, the options for managing capacity to meet the expected demand. The process consists of forecasting and managing capacity, these are made up from smaller components which will be discussed in further details in this report. 2. Forecasting Forecasting is used to identify capacity gaps between product demand and the current capacity. It is an important process in all management decisions not just tourism management; although each situation is different you can apply the same procedures to make realistic capacity decisions within any business. Forecasting methods can be divided into qualitative and quantitative categories which are based on the availability of historical time series data. Establishing the level of demand when forecasting is of the upmost importance as failure to do so can cause over booking and overcrowding. Other eventualities from inaccuracy of forecasting can include incorrect numbers for staff and lack aircrafts which was one of the factors which effected American airlines development in 1990 (Krajewski and Ritzman, p275) . It helps to understand product life cycle as it will impact the capacity. It is also important for a manager to look at external factors such as trends as they will have an effect on the supply and demand of a product or service, these can include; Ageing population- this will affect the quantitative forecasting as our current population is living longer, so you cant use historical data to establish relationships as its continuously changing. Seasonal trends- They can depend social, economic and environmental impacts. This would be best measure by qualitative forecasting. Disposable income- Due to the recession people will have less disposable income. 2.1 Forecasting Techniques There are various different forecasting techniques that cover various timescales, the two most common techniques are: Long-term capacity management For large projects Usually planned over several years In tourism this will involve several departments Short-term capacity management Plan and order resources Usually a monthly, weekly or daily basis Tourism short term capacity management would involve the cleaning of an aircraft Long term planning requires demand forecasts for an extended period of time, the decisions made are often concerned with strategic decisions to ensure achievement of their desired objectives. Short-term capacity management focuses on relatively small time durations and specific processes; they are specifically for smaller levels of operation. Unfortunately, forecast accuracy declines as the forecasting time lengthens. Forecasts also dont allow for competitors actions however waiting line models and decision trees do. 3. Types of forecasting Forecasting methods can be divided into two broad approaches, these are; Qualitative Quantitative The majority of forecasting techniques use past or historical data in the form of time series. One single method is never used on its own as they are both usually interlinked. 3.1Qualitative Forecasting The Qualitative method generally uses the judgment of experts in the appropriate field to generate forecasts. An advantage of this is that experts can generate a forecast if there isnt any historical data available. The main challenge to qualitative data analysis is that there is no clear and accepted set of conventions for analysis corresponding to those observed with quantitative data (Robson, 1993, p.370). The most popular methods of qualitative forecasting are: Delphi technique Scenario writing Subject approach Expert opinion Life cycle analysis 3.2 Quantitative forecasting The Quantitative methods use historical data; the methods consist of analyzing historical data concerning the time series of the particular variable of interest and other time series if they interlink with the area concerned. There are two main methods used within quantitative forecasting, the first method bases the future forecast on a past trends, these are known as time series methods. The second method also uses historical data. But the forecaster examines the cause and effect relationships of the variable with other relevant variables such as; Disposable income Interest rate Unemployment rate The state of the economy e.g. the recession This type of forecasting uses past time series, forecasting techniques that are under this category are called casual methods. 4. Capacity management After deciding what products and services should be on offered, management should then plan the systems capacity. The first step in the Capacity Management process, forecasting, is the best way to judge attendance and understand product life cycle. Therefore Capacity Management itself is used to make sure the capacity, from a tourism managers point of view, meets the targets set. The capacity of an airline usually depends on the location and the available seats per miles, as well as staff, time and other resources which are used. 4.1 Measuring Capacity According to (Krajewski and Ritzman, p276) No single capacity measure is applicable to all types of situations Every manager will have to take other factors into consideration before they measure their capacity. If there is an insufficient capacity it wont be possible to meet all of the demand, therefore to much capacity is provided and this will result in resources not being used to their maximum capability. 4.2 Coping with Demand The need for accurate forecasts of tourism demand to assist managerial decision making is highly important as the tourism product is perishable and if it doesnt meet the demand they lose revenue as an aircraft still has to fly without the demand being met. There are several ways of coping with demand and these are; Keep the activities level of resources constant and ignore any fluctuations. Adjust capacity to match demand. Change the demand to fit the capacity. 4.3 Queuing Theory Queuing theory is important to an as its one of the important factors in meeting their attendees needs. Queues arise when a demand for a service has exceeded the capacity, the customer doesnt get the service straight away upon arrival so they must wait for the service to be ready. This is an important for an airport as they have a random system which customers can arrive at any time; it isnt difficult for an airport to experience queues, but it is important that they deal with them sufficiently. These queues will often build up, disappear in quieter periods and then reappear all the time as there are always flights departing and arriving. Airports offer departing guests waiting rooms and shops to deal with queues and when they arrive they must go through customs which is a slow but easy method for managing the mass amount of people. 4.4 Queue Discipline Most managers will employ a simple queuing method to ensure a positive experience for the customer. These can be; Priority system for certain customers FIFO First In First Out LIFO Last In First Out 5. Conclusion This report has looked at the three main stages involved in capacity management and the different methods available to any manager. Although forecasting isnt always accurate, there is a wide variety of techniques in the first stage which can be used for any method. It is highly important to consider past experience as well as modern trends for more of a refined forecast, failure to do so could lead into an inaccurate forecast. The capacity management stage can then deal with the demand if it is insufficient or too high, then the queuing theory may be taken into consideration. In an airport due to the nature of the business it is unpredictable to measure the amount of customers as people can come and go as they please. This means the queuing theory may or may not make the service time, however if the demand has been manipulated to help predict the expected demand then it will reduce the waiting time and overall give the customer a positive experience. All of the stages combined prepare a tourism manager for any unforeseen outcomes in a tourism service and will allow them to successfully manage any outcome.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Lord of the Flies by Golding Essays -- Papers
Lord of the Flies by Golding In "Lord of the Flies", Golding suggests that once man is freed from social conditioning and obligation, the intrinsic sense of evil will be revealed in him. He destroys the optimistic view of human nature by showing how even the most innocent of all - children can deteriorate into primitive savages once freed from the trappings of society. This view, that man is capable of gross wickedness, is central to the whole novel. It is revealed through Simon's conversation with the imaginary Lord of the Flies when he realises that the real beast is one that exists in all the boys. However, Golding also shows that if man is willing to recognise the evil potential in his nature, he will able to curb his own evil instincts. It is important to note how much the boys manage to achieve before their inner fears destroy their sense of responsibility and reason, that is, before the boys finally succumb to savagery and violence. They discover fire, they build shelters (albeit prone to collapsing!), they explore the island, they go on hunting trips, and they delegate social responsibilities. Initially, one would be inclined to think that Jack's leadership is a poor one as he relies on brute strength. However, Jack is shrewd enough to know that the boys' survival is as important as rescue. Food has to be hunted; emotional needs (which Ralph tries to deny) have to be satisfied. Also, Piggy, Ralph and Simon serve as reminders in the novel that there remains much to be admired in mankind. Each of them displays positive qualities of wisdom and goodness in their own way. For all his physical weaknesses like asthma, my... ... and remain virtuous. In some cases, like Simon, he is able to be uphold his moral values even without any pressure from society. For some others like Ralph and Piggy who represent the naÃÆ'Ã ¯ve, well-meaning, simple side of man, there is a tendency to slip into the region of 'badness' though most of the time they are able to be 'good'. Although Golding seems to present a bleak view of human nature, he does give the reader some hope for the future at the end of the book. This is shown in the new knowledge that Ralph has acquired. Unlike Simon and Piggy who have died, Ralph is given the chance to live on and to hopefully, use his new-found knowledge to influence the people around him. With his increased awareness of human nature and his experiences, Ralph will be able to live on the legacy of Simon and Piggy.
Internet Advertising for Cellular Phones Essay -- essays research pape
Internet advertising is one of the most popular methods of sales today. Advertising on the net has become so popular that some people have ad blockers or better known as pop up blockers installed on their computers to prevent them. Although these ads maybe annoying they still have an imperative purpose. The ad is advertising a free Motorola phone from verizon. There is no publication date and the fact that you must sign a contract makes this ad less creditable. Cell phones are an innovative trend today. You do not have to be on the web long before an ad pops up proclaiming that you have won a new cell phone. That is right a new cell phone, in fact the razor that every one craves for. The fist thing that snags the readers attention is the fact that it pop-ed up while they were in the midd... Internet Advertising for Cellular Phones Essay -- essays research pape Internet advertising is one of the most popular methods of sales today. Advertising on the net has become so popular that some people have ad blockers or better known as pop up blockers installed on their computers to prevent them. Although these ads maybe annoying they still have an imperative purpose. The ad is advertising a free Motorola phone from verizon. There is no publication date and the fact that you must sign a contract makes this ad less creditable. Cell phones are an innovative trend today. You do not have to be on the web long before an ad pops up proclaiming that you have won a new cell phone. That is right a new cell phone, in fact the razor that every one craves for. The fist thing that snags the readers attention is the fact that it pop-ed up while they were in the midd...
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Advance Directive Essay
The purpose of advance directives is so that you are making it your right to make decisions about your own medical care. This phrase applies to a wide range of instructions that one might make orally or written about actions that one would or would not want to be taken if one were somehow incapacitated and unable to join in making decisions (Corr et al, 2009). An advance directive is a topic that resonates strongly in my heart. Less than two weeks ago my husband and I had a family crisis and had to make some really difficult healthcare decisions regarding our family member. These decisions were less difficult for us because our loved one had previously given us power-of-attorney. So we knew her wishes prior to her illness and were able to make the correct decisions as a family. Unfortunately, most families donââ¬â¢t realize the importance of this legal document until an emergency occurs. Authors of _Death & Dying, Life & Living_ identify six goals of death education. It is the third goal that will be the focus of my paper. According to Corr et al the third goal of death education is to prepare individuals for their public roles as citizens. In this way, death education helps to clarify important social issues that face society and its representatives, such as advance directives in health care (Corr et al, 2009). We each have the right and responsibility to make healthcare decisions for ourselves. There may be a time, whether from accident or illness, when you are no longer able to make important and necessary medicalà decisions. This is an opportunity for you to express your wishes and direct your healthcare decisions in advance before they may be needed. Weââ¬â¢re living in an age of medical miracles. Tiny babies born months too early can often be saved. Hearts, lungs kidneys and lives can all e transplanted. There are life support machines and devices for almost every purpose. Ventilators to help people breath, cardiac assist devices to take over for the heart, feeding tubes to nourish patients who canââ¬â¢t eat, and dialysis to support people with failing kidneys. My husband and I know this all too well with the recent diagnosis of his mother. Medical advances have saved many lives. But with these advances have come questions about using machines to prolong the natural dying process. Kentucky laws recognize the right of individualââ¬â¢s to make choices about their medical care. We have the right to request or refuse treatment and to ask that life prolonging treatment be stopped. We also have the right to make out an advance directive. An advance directive is a legal paper which lets an individual to state their wishes about the use of life support machines and medical treatment. It can also be used to name someone else to make medical choices for them if they become unable to speak for themselves (ccky.org, 2010; Jasper 2007). According to David Kelly author of _Medical Care at the End of Life: A Catholic Perspective_ claims that treatment can be morally extraordinary only when the personââ¬â¢s death is imminent, regardless of whether the treatment is given, is to give biological life itself an absolute value that supersedes all other values.â⬠(Kelly, 2006).The decision to make an advance directive is personal one and should only be made after careful consideration. My mother-in-law is currently on full life support and the hospital social worker told us that because she is at a Catholic hospital their philosophy there is that withholding or withdrawing treatment does not cause death, but merely allows the natural process of dying to take place. They further stated that they will not do anything to intentionally cause her death. This was an impromptu interview, but I was able to ask the social worker a few questions regarding advance directives. HOSPITAL SOCIAL WORKER INTERVIEW: Q: What is an advance directive? A: Advance directive states in writing your choices about medical care or names someone to make medical choices for you if you become unable to speak for yourself. It is called an advance directive, because it is signed in advance to let your family and doctor know your wishes regarding medical treatment. Kentucky law recognizes many types of advances directives, including living wills, healthcare surrogate designations, and durable power of attorney for healthcare. Q: Do my mother-in-law or anyone else have to have an advance directive before treatment here at this hospital? (Keep in mind itââ¬â¢s a catholic hospital) A: No. You cannot be required to make any advance directives in orders to get medical treatment, and for that matter health insurance or any other reason. It s purely a matter of personal choice. Q: Can anyone in my mother-in-lawââ¬â¢s family make healthcare choices for her if she unable to do so and we do not have an advance directive or do you all go by the oldest child? A: If she cannot speak for herself and there is not an advance directive, then according to the state of Kentucky laws its first the court appointed guardian; her spouse; her adult child and if there is more than one then itââ¬â¢s the majority of the adult children available at the time; her parents; and then the nearest living relative and if there is more than one then itââ¬â¢s the majority of them (unnamed social worker, 2010). According to the state of Kentucky adults (ages 18 or older) who are mentally competent have the right to make healthcare decisions in advance. Advance directives state your choices for medical treatment, especially in regard toà life-sustaining procedures. You can also use advance directives to name a healthcare agent, who is any person you choose, to make your healthcare decisions if you are unable to do so. Advance Directives only apply if you are unable to make personal medical decisions, unless you indicate you want your healthcare agentââ¬â¢s authority to begin when the document is signed. You cannot be refused medical care because you do not have advance directives (Jasper, 2007). Any time you have a healthcare need; your doctor should discuss your situation with you and obtain your consent before giving you care. Patients have the right to refuse treatment or to choose among different kinds of treatment. Patients may further leave the hospital or seek treatment and opinions from other healthcare providers. Making a responsible choice does not always mean you accept your doctorââ¬â¢s advice, but it does mean you understand the consequences of your choice. This right to decide to say yes or no to treatment includes consenting to, or refusing treatments needed to sustain life (Shannon, 2006). I use to believe that once you signed the back of the driverââ¬â¢s license then you were giving consent for hospitals to not give you the true care that you deserved. This was a myth that I always believed until I became adult. I think that it was based on those old horror movies like COMA back in the 1970s. From a recent lecture on donation I learned the real value of signing the back of the driverââ¬â¢s licenses and giving consent to organ donation. Organ transplants are truly a miracle of modern medicine. Thousands of organ transplants occur in the United States each year, yet thousands of people also die each year while waiting for an organ. The generous gift of oneââ¬â¢s organs or tissues can allow other seriously ill individuals to live. During this lecture I learned that anyone could become an organ donor and age did not mean that you canââ¬â¢t necessary donate. Most importantly was that signing a donor card was not going to affect my care that I received from the hospital. Patients are given the same quality care, whether or not a donor card was signed and that donation proceedings only begin after all efforts to save my life had been done and my death had been declared. Now I feelà confident that signing my driverââ¬â¢s license will not enhance my death. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Servicesââ¬â¢ Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO), along with other national, state and community organizations, is leading an effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16th as the inaugural National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) (http://www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org, 2010). Despite the fact that the importance and benefits of advance directives have been proven repeatedly for many years, only a small minority of Americans have executed an advance directive, according to information on the National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) website. NHDD seeks to address this issue by focusing attention on advance healthcare planning from a variety of directions simultaneously across the United States. Any number of professionals such as healthcare providers, chaplains, attorneys, and long-term care ombudsmen can provide clear, concise, and consistent information and tools for executing written advance directives about healthcare power of attorney and/or living will in accordance with state laws (http://www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org, 2010). In closing, most people canââ¬â¢t read your mind when youââ¬â¢re healthy, let alone try to figure out your wishes during a major health crisis while under additional stress. Be kind to your loved ones; make those decisions in advance; and have them legally documented. NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DECISION DAY PRESS RELEASE DO YOU HAVE AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE? Do you know what healthcare treatments you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself? Do other people know what your wishes are? The 2nd Annual National Healthcare Decision Day will be held on Friday, Aprilà 16, 2010, a day for all people regardless of age or current health to be reminded of the importance of making their healthcare wishes known to loved ones and their care providers. Everyone is encouraged to voice their wishes and take steps to ensure that their choices are known and protected. An Advance Directive is a legal document that tells healthcare providers who it is that you wish to make medical decisions for you and what treatments you would want or not want, if you are ever not able to tell care providers what you would want in a medical emergency or life-limiting illness. The simple act of creating an Advance Directive can turn out to be an incredible gift for loved ones in the event of an accident or severe illness. Advance Directives are written instructions about your future medical care. They do not go into effect until you are no longer able to make decisions. Adults can benefit from thinking about what their healthcare choices would be if they were unable to speak for themselves. ADVANCE DIRECTIVES COME IN TWO MAIN FORMS: A _â⬠HEALTHCARE POWER OF ATTORNEYâ⬠_ (or ââ¬Å"proxyâ⬠or ââ¬Å"agentâ⬠or ââ¬Å"surrogateâ⬠) documents the person you select to be your voice for your healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself. Your ââ¬Å"healthcare power of attorneyâ⬠will make medical decisions based on your wishes identified in your Advance Directive. In states that recognize these documents, families and healthcare providers cannot override your living will or your agentââ¬â¢s decision. It is a good idea to discuss your wishes with your friends, family members, and your doctor, now, while you still can. YOUR HEALTHCARE AGENT HAS TO MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS: â⬠¢ Anyone over the age of 18 â⬠¢ Can be a family member, loved one, or close friend â⬠¢ Someone who: you trust, knows you well, will advocate on your behalf, and will honorà your wishes A _â⬠LIVING WILLâ⬠_ documents what kinds of medical treatments you would or would not want at the end of life. A living will is a type of advance directive called a healthcare treatment directive. A living will spells out the measures you do and do not wish to have taken to extend your life when you are clearly dying. You may decide whether or not you would want breathing machines, feeding tubes, oxygen, IV fluids, or medicines to be used. A living will needs to be signed in front of a witness. A witness cannot be a relative, creditors and heirs to your estate, or your doctor. It is important that a living will cover decisions about your healthcare only when you have a terminal illness. It is better to prepare a living will when you are healthy, not when you have been ill or in the hospital. Make sure your Advance Directive reflects your wishes. If you plan on moving to another state make sure you update your Advance Directive, because it may not be valid in the state that you move to. Some states do not recognize living wills that have been drafted in other states. Your Advance Directive does not expire and can be updated as needed. It is important for your family members to know your wishes in case of an emergency. Also, you should take a copy of your Advance Directive to the hospital whenever you are admitted so that it can become a permanent part of your medical record. REFERENCE LIST Catholic Conference of Kentucky. (2010). Catholic conference of Kentucky. Retrieved from http://ccky.org/ Corr, C. A., Nabe, C.M., & Corr, D. M. (2009). Death and Dying: Life and Living (6th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning Jasper, M. C. (2007). Health care directives. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications Kelly, D. F. (2006). Medical care at the end of life: A Catholic perspective. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press National Healthcare Decision Day. (2010). Fact Sheet retrieved November 29, 2010 from http://www.nationalhealthcaredecisionsday.org/ Shannon, J. B. (2006). Death and dying sourcebook: Basic consumer health information about end-of-life care and related perspectives and ethical issues, including end-of-life symptoms and treatments, pain management, quality-of-life concerns, the use of life support, patientsââ¬â¢ rights and privacy issues, advance directives, physician-assisted suicide, caregiving, organ and tissue donation, autopsies, funeral arrangements, and grief ; along with statistical data, information about the leading causes of death, a glossary, and directories of support groups and other resources. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics.
Monday, September 30, 2019
Heart of Darkness vs Things Fall Apart Essay
ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠show a variety of ways of depicting Africa in literature. In ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠, Joseph Conrad shows the continent of Africa through the stereotypical perspective of the European sailors, who had a tendency to depict the natives of the land as savages, and in response to that matter, Chinua Achebe wrote ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠through the non-stereotypical depicting perspective of the natives of the land to show Africans, not as savages or primitives, but as members of a traditional society. European prejudice is presented in a verifiable way in ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠. The main character of ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠or protagonist, Marlow, is a sailor who travels through Africa and describes the natives that he comes in contact with as savages. Marlow compares these different individuals to animals of some specific nature or just to the wilderness of the jungle, respectively. There was a point in this novel where Marlowââ¬â¢s vision came in contact with a pit in the ground. He noticed that it was a pit made for the natives to go and rest in peace or in other words die. Marlow describes those natives that were there stating, ââ¬Å"Black shapes crouched, lay, sat between the trees, leaning against the trunks, clinging to the earth in all attitudes of pain, abandonment, and despair they were nothing earthly now, nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation One of these creatures rose to his hands and knees and went off on all fours towards the river to drinkâ⬠(Conrad 17). This descriptive portrayal shows the natives as ââ¬Å"shadowsâ⬠and nothing more than mere ââ¬Å"black shapesâ⬠and not as individuals or men who are simply just dying. These men are no longer men, they have been stripped of all their characteristics which makes them human to dehumanizing characteristics where none can tell the difference of one dying man to another. None of the dying men are described by oneself, which makes it difficult for the reader to see where one man ends to where the individual begins. This creates an effect where these individuals look like eometric shapes and symbols of some sort. These depictions in which Marlow stated originates from a very stereotypical saying. The saying is that all Africans are made the same and one can not tell the difference between them even if much effort is applied. Similarly, there was an African man who was crawling to the river in order to quench his thirst. The way he was crawling in general is very dehumanizing. To make the matter worse and more dramatic, he crawled on his hands and knees which is animal-like and very degrading. The man is described to be on all fours just to get a drink, but when looking towards the European side, there is no way in Heaven that theyââ¬â¢d be described like that. None. On the other hand, the European people would drink from a tap or maybe boil water from a well of some sort in order to have a refreshing drink. The natives are compared to animals of the wild when Marlow begins describing one of the workers on the ship. Marlow states, ââ¬Å"to look at him was as edifying as seeing a dog in a parody of breeches and a feather hat walking on his hind legsâ⬠(Conrad 36). This worker simply shows that the savages who are the Africans have a possibility of being tamed because, ââ¬Å"He ought to have been clapping his hands and stamping his feet on the bankâ⬠(Conrad 37). One can see that this man has been stripped of being a human being. He is now an animal, a dog, maybe, who is being trained to do some type of trick. From Marlowââ¬â¢s point of view he is still an animal and none the less, this man is pretending to be a civilized being. Marlow doesnââ¬â¢t stop there though. He continues to downgrade this European man by describing him to be just like the natives on the land. All in all, this is stereotypical. Furthermore, Marlow keeps his ball rolling by depicting the African natives as ââ¬Å"prehistoricâ⬠and ââ¬Å"simpleâ⬠. He states, ââ¬Å"The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us who could tell?â⬠¦ we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would be before an enthusiastic outbreak in a mad houseâ⬠(Conrad 35). In the mind of Marlow, the natives are so primitive that they are in an aspect denied of having a language. Marlow sits there and begins to wonder ââ¬Å"who could tell? instead of making an effort to understand what the natives were saying out of their mouth. What can actually be inferred from this quote is that, the natives were probably jumping up and down like a bunch of kindergarten students at recess or something similar to that. One canââ¬â¢t really be sure, but in all Marlow didnââ¬â¢t even try to grasp what the native Africans were saying probably because he felt that they were savages, or maybe their intellectual mindset wasnââ¬â¢t as great and average to the Europeans, or the native Africans didnââ¬â¢t have anything reasonable to say. Joseph Conrad with respect and similarity to Marlow, may have chosen to not include a specific language probably because he was influenced by the European stereotypes of Africans. What can be inferred from this is that, the removal of a language suggests that the native Africans have nothing that is sophisticated enough to say that would be reasonable or important to add to the plot of the novel. In ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠, the native Africans are very underdeveloped, just like a third world country would be, in order to have a control of language. Though, there are moments in which there is language which supports the native savage (Africans) at which this is the time a reader might even hear an African speak. Joseph Conrad uses a specific technique when he writes. He uses a limited exposure to the native Africansââ¬â¢ voices which tries to ignore anything that might bring stereotype about. In response to Joseph Conrad and the Europeans and their use of stereotypical depiction of Africans, Chinua Achebe, the author of ââ¬Å"Things Fall apartâ⬠portrayed Africans in a humanizing and traditional society. The Igbo tribe goes against the European stereotype in ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠. The main character or protagonist Okonkwo does not agree nor does he disagree with the European belief that is shown in the novel. He is described in the novel to be, ââ¬Å"a man of action, a man of warâ⬠(Achebe 8). Okonkwo is a very honorable man in the Umofia village, even though he has a very displeasing streak which is of violent nature. With Okonkwoââ¬â¢s strength and inability to be feminine, he is afraid of anything that is of feminine nature. ââ¬Å"His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. Even as a little boy, he resented his fatherââ¬â¢s failure and weakness. And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idlenessâ⬠(Achebe 10). What can be inferred from this quote is that, this is probably why Okonkwo was always in need of something that was filled with action but he still didnââ¬â¢t fashion ââ¬Å"idlenessâ⬠. With the combination of these two aspects, Okonkwo can not handle the outcome. Instead when violence is applied to this equation, Okonkwo is as good as can be. With this being said, this further supports the European stereotype as savage-like. When looking deeply into the details that ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠display, one can notice the contrasting aspects between Umofia and Okonkwo. Okonkwo doesnââ¬â¢t have any respect for his wives. As an Igbo man, Okonkwo man-handles his wives and children without holding back. Noticing the tone at this point in the novel, one can see that it is very much common for Igbo men in general to beat the ripe bananas out of their wives and children, but at a certain time. Okonkwo man-handled his wife during Umofiaââ¬â¢s Week of Peace. Beating your wives and children in order for them to have respect for you is one thing, but when one disobeys the traditional setting of the clans week of peace then drastic problems do arise. ââ¬Å"Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess. It was unheard-of to beat somebody during the sacred weekâ⬠(Achebe 19). Since Okonkwo felt as if he was the man on top of all and that he could do as it pleased him so, problems arose between himself and Umofia. The feminine force is his wife. And with that being noted, Okonkwo could not remove himself from his violent streak for even a week. Just a weekâ⬠¦ but when comparing this to the perspective of ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠this form and lack of self-control goes to the Europeans motive that Africans are savages. Towards the end of the novel, Okonkwo commits suicide by hanging himself. When the District Commissioner look at Okonkwoââ¬â¢s lifeless body, he states ââ¬Å"In the book which he planned to write The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Nigerâ⬠(Achebe 117). What can be inferred from the title of the book is that the District Commissioner is prejudiced about the native Africans. In ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠, Africans are also described as ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠, which shows that the Europeanââ¬â¢s stereotype is so vast that it is able to be used in two very separate and different works. All in all, in ââ¬Å"Heart of Darknessâ⬠the Europeans notions was that all Africans are the same; they are primitive, savages, and inhuman. In contrast to that stereotype, ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠showed a traditional society, where the members are not inhuman. Unsatisfactorily, Okonkwo who is the protagonist of ââ¬Å"Things Fall Apartâ⬠was not an effective representation of a civilized individual of a traditional society. But, he was an exceptional member of the society. And even though the stereotype of Africans has not been destroyed, it empowers the European beliefs.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
A Person Who Has Made a Great Impact on My Life
Sometimes we come across a person who changes our whole perspective of life for better. Last summer I met Uncle Joe. My parents sent me to my uncle on holidays. I was supposed to spend my whole summer holidays with him and his family. That was the first time we have been introduced to each other. At first, I thought that it was going to be my worst holiday ever. I felt embarrassed of living with people I hardly knew and wanted to return home but days passed and I got to know my uncle better. Everyday, we used to wake up early in the morning and go for fishing.We packed our bags with provision and went to the river. He taught me how to fish and then we sat together for hours, fishing. While fishing, he used to tell a lot of interesting stories based on his own life experience. He told me stories about his student life, about his career, and about life in general. Once he asked me what I want to become and what I want to achieve in my life. I did not know what to answerà and never th ought about it before. He told me that I shouldà decide wiselyà so that in the end I would not regret about anything I have done. Ià told himà that I don't know what I want to do.Then he advised that I should do only whatà I am interested in. I remember his words, he said, ââ¬Å"Don't care about money or prestige of your occupation. Just do what you really love. â⬠I started to list down the things which I really love and began writing them in my diary. The whole summer I spent exploring myself and finally deciding that I want to connect my future with physics and architecture. Therefore, I came to conclusion that I should study civil engineering. But this is not all what my uncle has helped me with. He also told me that I should be determined and persistent in achieving my goals.He often said that resolute determination is the truest wisdom. However, I think the most important lesson I got from my uncle is to see only positive side in any occasion. One day, we did n ot catch any fish and went home with empty hands. I looked at my uncle and noticed that he was smiling. I wondered why he was smiling as I did not see any reason to be happy. Then he said exuberantly, ââ¬Å"We didn't catch any fish, but we had a great time. I don't see any reasons to be unhappy. â⬠I admire his attitude. He is always grateful to everything he has and is truly happy.Uncle Joe is the person who has made an impact on my life. After that holiday, I changed my lifestyle and attitude. I used to spend a lot of time in front of my computer, playing games and surfing the net. Now, I spend more time studying, playing basketball and going out with my friends. I learned a lot of things which were new to me. I became more serious, optimistic and mature. During the time I spent with him, I also learned that no matter how smart I am or how much I know, there is always more to learn or experience. I'm grateful to him that he has helped me to find out who I am and what I want.
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