English Literature Sex and Sexuality in Dracula and the Bloody Chamber

English Literature Sex and Sexuality in Dracula and the Bloody Chamber Introduction In spite of being fiction-based writings, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, among many other related stories, have been critically acclaimed as some of the best books that give a clear representation of sex and sexuality in the society- especially in the classical times like the Victorian era.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on English Literature: Sex and Sexuality in Dracula and the Bloody Chamber specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, different authors ascribe to different ideologies in regard to the intricacies of sex and sexuality among men and women. However, in most of the writings like Dracula and The Bloody Chamber, women are mostly represented as the weaker gender that is bound to obey the rules and regulations of a male chauvinist society. Any effort to break free into a balanced society where women are able to express their sexuality in a free way i s met with huge criticisms and occasional punishments. An explication of how these stories represent men and women in regard to sex and sexuality is expressively given in the discussions below. Representation of Sex and Sexuality in the Stories As was earlier mentioned, different authors represent sex and sexuality variably. In analyzing and exemplifying the representation of sex and sexuality in these stories, various subtopics will be used- as is typified below. Gender Balance (Masculinity Vs Femininity) In as much as the classical societies are reported to having stringent social expectation and standards for both genders (sexes), Stoker asserts that in the Victorian society, men were allowed to engage in more freedoms, pleasures and enjoyment endeavors than their female counterparts (Stoker, 2011). In addition, these patriarchal views of the Victorian era ensured that men enjoyed dominance over the women in terms of engaging in sexual endeavors (Waters, 1997). Resultantly, men w ere able to engage and satiate their sexual urges- even weird ones like homosexuality- without facing a lot of condemnation or punishment. On the flip side, women were not permitted to express their sexual desires openly- unless it was being done to please the men (Podonsky, 2010). A good example here is way Stoker portrays Lucy as a sexually aggressive lady and the criticisms and punishments she had to receive for her aggression.Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Mina, who is portrayed as the typical modest and moral woman in the Victorian era, ends up being spared of criticisms and punishments in spite of her involvement with the Dracula just in the same way as Lucy. It is worth mentioning that despite the portrayal of men as being the stronger of the two sexes; they are occasionally represented as being feminaphobic (afraid of being feminine) and gynephobic (afraid of women in general). Based on their flirtatious nature and the general sexual attraction of men to women, both Dracula and the Bloody Chambers tend to limit and oppose the strength of women. Even with their inferiority in the society, women like the three weird sisters in Dracula are able to seduce and convince men to almost do anything just to get sex from them (Podonsky, 2010). More power and freedom by these women would probably translate into more control over men no wander their strength, dominance and control is hugely opposed. Again, despite the fact that both women and men are equally depicted as engaging in unethical or irresponsible sexual behaviors, the stories largely show that women get more punished or face dire consequences than men. All these point to the argument that the classical era tended to favor masculinity (Stoker, 2011). Objectification of Women To a great extent, women in these classical stories are objectified as â€Å"instruments of male pleasure†. In fact, in most cases, the pleasure being referenced in these stories is the element of sex (Craft, 1997). Of course characteristics and traits of women such as obedience, submissiveness and modesty were considered important. However, most emphasis was made on aspects that had strong sexuality connotations such as beauty and voluptuousness (Carter, 1979). This objectification of women is, probably, the reason gender roles among women in Dracula were divided into two broad categories; those who were virginal and pure (the modest type who did everything in accordance to the rules and regulations of the Victorian era) and the sexually aggressive type who were otherwise regarded as whores (Podonsky, 2010). In Dracula, these two categories are represented by the key female characters Mina and Lucy. Despite both ladies being inexplicably feminine in terms of their naivety, purity and dependence on their husbands; Mina was more conserved to fulfilling a womanâ₠¬â„¢s duties to her husband while Lucy had three suitors- which is interpreted as her desire for attaining freedom through promiscuity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on English Literature: Sex and Sexuality in Dracula and the Bloody Chamber specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As the story of Lucy and Mina develops and the threat of these ladies being transformed by the Dracula; the men in the story are apparently more afraid these ladies losing their sexual innocence and turning into sexually aggressive women rather than the eminent threat of their vampiric and blood-thirsty tendencies. In the Bloody Chamber, the Marquis makes the heroine into a pornographic image by undressing her and always forcing her to wear her collar of rubies (Carter, 2009). Furthermore, the Marquis not only goes as far as killing his wives for his weird pleasures but he even goes ahead to make displays of their dead bodies as if they are some tr ophies or collectibles (Simpson, 2006). Even more blatantly, Carter objectifies Beauty when her father uses her as payment for the debt owed to the beast. Only in very rare occasions do we find men being objectified. A good example of men being objectified is in the Bloody Chamber through the character known as the Countess. In the Bloody Chamber, the countess can never be happy with men because she has an insatiable hunger for men which only makes her see them as in a lusty way rather than the fulfilling love that she craves for. Here, men are the typified as the objects and we get an insight of how objectification gets to harm the object as well as the person who does the objectification (Simpson, 2006). Violence, Sex and Love In many ways, the theme of violence and sexuality run concurrently in both the Bloody Chambers and Dracula. In the Bloody Chamber for instance, Marquis seduces the ladies into being with him then ends up killing them once they have become his wives. In other words, he seduces the ladies, tells them he loves them, then marries them so that he can satiate his sexual needs and once he is tired of his victims (wives); he kills them and moves to the next one. Here, ladies are depicted as being gullible and emotionally susceptible to men’s lies. As a result, they end up paying the ultimate price of being killed (Simpson, 2006). Contrastingly, Dracula also portrays the theme of violence but in this case, men are the ones who are depicted as being gullible to the seduction and flirtation from women like Lucy and the three weird sisters. Before Lucy became a vampire, Lucy was portrayed as having quiet sexual aggression in spite of occasionally complaining about the limited freedom of expression by women. However, once she is transformed by Dracula, her thirst for blood and sex is heightened and her human nature is corroded as we see her stalking and feeding on children- something which normal mothers would never engage in (Warner, 1995; and Wright, 1989).Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The powerlessness of the Victorian men, in terms of resisting sexual advancements from the ladies, is again exemplified when Harker becomes easily overpowered by the three sisters just by merely being seduced. In spite of wanting to fight the three weird sisters, his body is aroused as he craves with a â€Å"burning desire† that the ladies would kiss him with their red lips. In the end, not even Harker’s respect for his wife Mina is able to save him. The difficulty in resisting the three weird sisters is further explained by the number 3, which, according to ancient mythologies, signifies a strong bond. This is probably the reason witches in the Greek myth of Perseus as well as the witches in Shakespeare’s Macbeth or even the biblical trio (God the father, son and Holy Spirit) were three in numbers. Even Van Helsing, who is depicted as a strong-willed warrior fighting against the oppression brought by the Dracula and the vampires, is reported to have hesitated f rom killing the vampires when he saw that the radiant beauty of the vampires. It can thus be said that the high level of seduction and prowess in sex by women is a huge threat to men and their moral principles (Richards, 2008). For most believers in the Victorian era, unnatural sexual behaviors came by as a result of some evil or satanic forces. In order to fight these ills, religious and violent intervention were both necessary (Norton, 2000). This, essentially, explains the use of cross-shaped wood by Van Helsing and the vampire warriors in daggering the vampires. To this regard, the liberation of women’s sexuality can be seen as having been encouraged by Christian endeavors (Masters, 1972). Remarkably, topics like homosexuality and ritualistic practices like orgy sex were immensely controversial in the Victorian era (Day, 2002). According to the Dracula, people found guilty of engaging in homoerotic behaviors was punishable in court with up to two years in jail and hard la bor, among many other punishments. For this reason, great emphasis was put upon responsible and modest sexual behaviors (Roemer Bacchilega, 2001). However, as time went on and books like Dracula expressed these behaviors by curtailing them as being part of vampiric practices; the public became somewhat less concerned about them in entirety but rather in terms of inhibiting women from engaging from them (Dworkin, 1974). It is for this reason that, whereas men would go as far as being polygamous or having many women sexual partners in the Victorian era, females like Lucy thinking of polyandry such that women could marry more than one man at the same time, was considered as being promiscuous and whore-like. As a final note, it is worth stating that most of these stories view love as a means to an end. For majority of the men like Marquis (in The Bloody Chamber) and Harker (in Dracula); marriage and having women is mainly for the purpose of fulfilling sexual needs. This is the reason c haracters like Marquis easily seduces, has sex then kills his wives. Knowing that men have a weakness for their charm and sexual advances, the women also used sex and love as leverage to making men do whatever they want. This is the reason characters like Lucy (in Dracula) easily manipulates his three suitors. From these discussions, it can thus be said that violence, sex and love are, in one way or another, interrelated to each other. This, partially, explains the concurrent engagement in sex, love and violence (murder) inseparably by Marquis. Under the section of â€Å"Puss in Boots† in the Bloody Chamber, the violence against Signor Panteleone is viewed as a necessary action to secure the opportunity to engage in sex with the young woman. Many other instances such as in â€Å"the company of wolves† in the Bloody Chamber whereby the werewolf seduces the girl before eating her or when Puss’s master in â€Å"Puss in Boots† had sex with the young girl on the floor while a corpse lay in the bed which was just a few meters from them (Carter 2009). Conclusion In summary, these discussions underline the important influence of sex and sexuality in the classical times; just the same way it is today. In fact, the permissiveness in some of today’s societies in regard to practices such as homosexuality would have not come about had the idea not been proliferated by scholars such as Carter (Day, 2002). Also, the symbolism and projection of ancient mythologies in regard to creatures like vampires, Dracula and werewolves and their sexual mannerisms has contributed greatly to the world of horrors and horror movies, both in positive and negative ways. For instance, based on the need to prevent women from sexual aggressiveness, religions like Christianity were propagated. On the flipside, the liberation of women in terms of their freedom of expression not just in sexual ways, but a myriad of other arenas, contributed to some controversial s exual orientations such as lesbianism. In spite of all these, these literary works went a long way in serving the literary need at that regarding the balance of sexual occurrences at that time. For instance, the death of Lucy and the sparing of Mina symbolically signify the triumph in silencing of the aggressive lady and the continuity of the submissive Victorian woman- as required. List of References Carter, A 2009, The Bloody Chamber and other stories, Vintage: London. Carter, A 1979, The Sadeian woman, Virago: London. Craft, Christopher. â€Å"Gender and inversion in Dracula.† Dracula. Ed. Nina, A., and David, J. S 1997, Norton, New York. Day, W P 2002, Vampire legends in contemporary American culture: what becomes a legend most. University Press of Kentucky: Lexington. Dworkin, A 1974, Woman hating, Plume: New York. Masters, A 1972, Natural history of the vampire, Putnam: New York, NY. Norton, R 2000, Gothic readings: the first wave 1764-1840, Leicester University Press: London. Podonsky, A. M 2010, ‘Bram Stokers Dracula: a reflection and rebuke of Victorian society’. Web. Richards, C 2008, Forever young: essays on young adult fictions, Peter Lang: Grand Rapid. Roemer, D., and Bacchilega, C 2001, Angela Carter and the fairy tale, Wayne State University: Detroit. Simpson, H 2006, ‘Femme fatale’. Web. Stoker, B 2011, Dracula, Plain Label Books: Bel Air, CA. Warner, M 1995, From the beast to the blonde: on fairy tales and their tellers, Chatto Windus: London. Waters, K. V 1997, The perfect gentleman: masculine control in Victorian men’s fiction 1870-1901, Peter Lang Publishing: New York. Wright, D 1989, The Book of Vampires, Omnigraphics: Danbury.

Aftermath and Effects of the Hundred Years War

Aftermath and Effects of the Hundred Years War The Hundred Years War Between England and France lasted for more than a hundred years (1337–1453) of off and on conflict  before England appeared to have been defeated. Any conflict lasting this long would cause changes, and the aftermath of the wars affected both nations. The Uncertain End While we now recognize that a distinctive phase of Anglo-French conflict ended in 1453, there was no peace settlement in the Hundred Years War, and the French remained prepared for the English to return for some time. For their part, the English crown didn’t give up its claim on the French throne. Englands continued invasions werent so much an effort at recovering their lost territory, but because Henry VI had gone mad, and competing noble factions couldnt agree on past and future policy. This contributed greatly to England’s own struggle for power, known as the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York for control of Henry VI during his mental illness. The conflict was partly fought by battle-hardened veterans of the Hundred Years War. The Wars of the Roses tore at the elites of Britain  and killed many others as well. A watershed had been reached, however, and the French south was now permanently out of English hands. Calais remained under English control until 1558, and the claim on the French throne was only dropped in 1801.​ Effects on England and France France had been severely damaged during the fighting. This was partly caused by official armies conducting bloody raids designed to undermine the opposition ruler by killing civilians, burning buildings, and crops and stealing whatever riches they could find. It was also frequently caused by ‘routiers,’ brigands- frequently soldiers - serving no lord and just pillaging to survive and get richer. Areas became depleted, populations fled or were massacred, the economy was damaged and disrupted, and ever greater expenditure was sucked into the army, raising taxes. Historian Guy Blois called the effects of the 1430s and 1440s a ‘Hiroshima in Normandy. Of course, some people benefitted from the extra military expenditure. On the other hand, while tax in pre-war France had been occasional, in the post-war era it was regular and established. This extension of government was able to fund a standing army- which was built around the new technology of gunpowder- increasing both royal power and revenue, and the size of the armed forces they could field. France had begun the journey to an absolutist monarchy which would characterize  later centuries. In addition, the damaged economy soon began to recover. England, in contrast, had begun the war with more organized tax structures than France, and much greater accountability to a parliament, but royal revenues fell greatly over the war, including the substantial losses incurred by losing wealthy French regions such as Normandy and Aquitaine. For a while, however, some Englishmen got very rich from the plunder taken from France, building houses and churches back in England. The Sense of Identity Perhaps the most lasting impact of the war, especially in England, was the emergence of a much greater sense of patriotism and national identity. This was in part due to publicity spread to gather taxes for the fighting, and partly due to generations of people, both English and French, knowing no situation other than war in France. The French crown benefited from triumphing, not just over England, but over other dissident French nobles, binding France closer as a single body.

Zulu Culture and living Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Zulu Culture and living - Research Paper Example The Zulu people are full of character and celebrate their cultural distinctiveness through cultural festivals. Currently the Zulu tribe is divided; some people have moved into urban centers while others are still in their native habitat (Kwazulu-Natal province). Zulu community has a little population in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique. The Zulu people have exciting traditions and their daily lives incorporate both the traditional and modern practices in beliefs, music, rituals, arts and rites of passage. The Zulu tradition is rooted in the Nkulunkulu the creator. The Zulu people are agriculturalists practicing both farming and keeping of domesticated animals. The Zulu mode of subsistence played a critical role in shaping their economic organization. Division of labor was along gender lines and there was clear-cut distinction between male and female roles in the society. Men performed chores that were considered more cumbersome and required a lot of time out of the homestead. They inc lude land cultivation with oxen-driven sledges, carrying logs, constructing food storage barns and tending the cattle. On the other hand, women performed household chores like child rearing, cooking, fetching water, collecting firewood, spreading seeds in the farms and hoeing. Their religious beliefs and values were influenced by their mode of subsistence (Gatsha, 1992). This is because they represent the peoples needs incase of crop failure, infestation of the firms by crops destroying insects and crop harvest. Religion was also used to deal with uncertainties and explain things that could not be explained by culture. The Zulu people had a centralized form of government. The king was the central ruler and was accorded maximum respect. The king delegated power to chiefs who were in charge of the districts. The family heads were obligated to maintain law and order in their homesteads. Mode of Subsistence Traditionally, the Zulu people were agriculturalists; they practiced mixed farmi ng. A lot of significance was attached to cattle, goats and poultry. A man’s wealth was measured by the size of his cattle herd. Cattle were a source of meat and milk and hides. They were also used in paying bride price (lobola) and cattle sacrifice was the main way of appeasing the ancestors. Women took care of the agricultural activities and they grew crops like maize, pumpkins, sugar reeds and tubers. Economic organization In the 19th century, the Zulu people practiced mixed farming. They grew crops and raised livestock. Women collected grass that was used in thatching new and renewing thatches, making baskets, sitting mats, straws (beer sieves) and pot lids among other products. Women plastered and re-plastered houses belonging to their brothers, aunts, husbands and parents. Ploughing fields was a collective chore to both men and women. Men span the oxen and control the ploughs that were drawn by the oxen. Women and boys spread the seeds and finally, women did hoeing and harvesting. Men collected the harvest on sledges that were drawn by the oxen. Women were obligated to clean and polish the living huts. Men on the other hand carved wood utensils, walking sticks and milkpails. Men collected logs that were used in fencing, constructing and repairing kraals. They also built bans that were used for food storage and dug pits used for food storage in the kraals. Young men looked after cattle and slaughtered the animals for ceremonial festivals. Men also tanned the animal skin that was later used in making leather products (Zibani, 2002, p.138). The waves of change brought about by modernization have not spared the Zulu community. Division of labor is still gender based. Men are regarded as the

Accessing Healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accessing Healthcare - Assignment Example At the current rate of growth, by 2050, the Hispanic population would double to 30% and would be around 133 million individuals. Today, the Hispanics are found in all parts of the US, rather than the mere Southern States (CDC, 2011). Around 500,000 Hispanic are entering the US every year, legally and illegally, and when they enter they do not have proper facilities such as jobs, healthcare, education, etc. Hence they are force to live in poor conditions and make take up very low-end jobs (Moore, 2001). Due to various environmental, genetic, ethnic and situational problems existing in the US, the Hispanic population may find it very difficult to access healthcare facilities or be in a situation where they can control their health status. One of the major health issues that affect the African American population in the US is substance abuse, and within this population, there may be different variations noted, and often the Hispanic individuals get heavily criminalized for drug-related or alcohol-related crimes. Hence, they often end up facing huge drug offences and may be jailed. As per the NIDA 1991 study, the drug abuse rates may be lower in Hispanics compared to African-Americans or Caucasians, but comparatively it can be found that Hispanics misuse cocaine more frequently than any other population, and any offence related to cocaine usage is heavily criminalized. In other parts of the US such as New York, Heroin abuse is high amongst the Hispanics (Moore, 2001). There may be several reasons why the drug abuse problem is serious with the Hispanics. Firstly, there may be huge number of people in the Hispanic groups that indulge in serious drug abuse, compared to other populations, and in certain groups located, the rate of alcohol abuse may be similar to the Whites and the African-American, if not higher. Besides,

American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and the First 100 Days Essay Example for Free

American Politics in the Context of Obama’s Election and the First 100 Days Essay Though none opposes the fact that motivation is the real driving engine of every action, there is considerable differences among the theorists about its mechanism, especially when it comes to explore the possibility to bring out the best out in the employees of an organization, where one school of thought advocates for extrinsic motivation for instant solution and the other insists on capitalizing the long-term efficacy of intrinsic motivation. Under the present context of economic downturn, this issue is extremely important, as extrinsic motivation primarily involves money. Therefore, this paper explores the core elements of motivation and concepts of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards from relevant literature, before coming into its own conclusion. Core of Motivation The core of motivation contains three elements like Consciousness, Inverted Qualia and Absent Qualia. These three together create various mental states. Consciousness It has six major identifiable states like 1. State of awareness: When someone is aware of something (Rosenthal, 1986). 2. Qualitative states: Sensing something out of something like enjoying a meal or experiencing a pain. Such experiences are called qualia, and are regarded as intrinsic, private, ineffable and nomadic features of experience, (Dennet, 1990). 3. Phenomenal states: A state involving more than sensory qualia, covering spatial, temporal and conceptual organization of experiences about the world and the persons inference about it. 4. What-it-is-like states: Associating a sense of experience with another. 5. Access consciousness: Its like seeing a thing and ideating something and then deciding on something, where there may or may not be any relationship among the above-said three stages. 6. Narrative consciousness: This stream of consciousness contains a series of thoughts from the perspective of an actual or merely virtual self (Dennett, 1991). Inverted Qualia It refers to a personal package of intrinsic and intricate experiences, with which humans decipher various external signals and respond to them, where the nature of experience governs the nature of response. The difference in perception causes inverted qualia, as for example someone might like green tea and detest coffee for no unexplainable reasons. This trait has a strong connection with intrinsic motivation (Dennet, 1991) Absent Qualia The concept of absent qualia claims that functional duplicates of a creature would do the same. As for example, if Mr. X likes tea and dislikes coffee, then his absolute clone would also do the same, for which the clone would not need an intricate and intrinsic package of experiences (Dennet, 1991). This concept backs the idea of getting result through extrinsic reward – as for example, if Mr. X and Mr. Y do identical jobs under identical conditions, then if Mr. X feels satisfied with cash reward, Mr.  Y would too follow the suit without a second thought! This study thus highlights two sets of hidden relationships, one, between inverted qualia and intrinsic motivation/rewards, and two, between absent qualia and extrinsic motivation/rewards. In any case, humans (apparently) involuntary association with rewards too has its routes in their perceptions, which maintain a master list of individual desires, and accordingly propel them to fulfill such desires. Put into an imaginary diagram, the mechanism of human mind can look somewhat like below: Mechanism of Motivation Motivating Tools From the organizational perspective, the ways and means to motivate the employees can be many. However, the common ones among them are, 1. Rewards 2. Retention 3. Morale 5. Job-enrichment 6. Reinforcement 1. Rewards System: Rewards or recognition system has a great bearing on the emotional plane of humans. † Every behavior comes out of pain and gain principle, says Khera (2004, p. 110). There can be many types of tangible gains like money, vacations or gifts, or they can be intangible, like recognition, appreciation, sense of achievement, growth, responsibility, sense of fulfillment, self-worth, etc. 2. Retention: It highly motivates the employees, as Retention is critical to the long term health and success of the company (Heathfield, 2008). 3. Morale: The elements like praise, love and faith can charge up anyone under any circumstance. 4. Job Enrichment: It relates to the in-house grooming of the employees to become an expert in the related field. 5. Reinforcement. By all means, it is a tool to control the employee behavior (Positive, 2000), which binds the company activities together. Other Factors Related to Motivation There are three other factors that can be instrumental to keep employees motivated, and they are: Job Satisfaction, Goal-setting and Performance appraisals. They are considered to be the self-boosters of the employees, and according to Murphy (2001), belief is a thought that causes the power of subconscious to be distributed into all phases of life. Motivation and Reward System Reward systems are created to fuel the employee cooperation, effort and overall satisfaction of all members of the company Cacioppe (1999). Other researchers like Hackman (1997) Shea and Guzzo (1987) too have endorsed this view, and suggested to align rewards with group activities. The basic parameter of the formulating a reward structure, however, is expected to apply the common logic like optimizing the ability of the workforce as a whole, though in practice it might go down to an individual, especially where the work patterns are not interdependent. This situation commands a quick review of the nature of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic Rewards Deci (1975) says that intrinsic rewards evoke a sense of personal causation i. e.  , an inward mechanism serving as the guiding engine for the action, where its elements are usually intangible and working on the plane of ones perception, where the journey is being enjoyed over the outcome. Extrinsic Rewards Extrinsic rewards are supposed to generate perceptions of external causation (Deci, 1975) by being mostly tangible in nature – a hike in salary or status, or material gains in other forms. However, researchers like Guzzo, (1979) defies any division in the reward system and considers it a single, usable tools to tweak the frequency of desired response of the employees towards a desired direction. Researchers like Hull (1943) and Skinner (1953) placed extrinsic reward as a direct link between stimulus and response, and their views include punishment as a stimulus too, besides subscribing to the power of stimulus. Reaction No matter how much Hull (1943) and Skinner (1953) wanted to establish extrinsic motivation as the best motivating tool to earn competitive advantage, extrinsic motivation carries a hidden cost besides the cost involved in its implementation. Researchers like Deci and Ryan (1985) used attribution theory and suggested that humans constantly reassess the reasons for their behaviors besides others. Before that, Lepper et al. (1973) had observed that reinforcement generates two effects for the management, like gaining control over activity or fastening the process; two, the backlash effect in absence of reinforcement. The example below would explain it better: A group or an individual gets a reward of x amount of money for a period y, where x+y=m, m being the increased rate of production. Before that, the situation was y=z where production was z. Now in the absence of reinforcement and with the influence of attribution theory, the situation would stand like y-x = n, where n z. This clearly goes against the basic reason for motivating the employees, i. e. , to enhance the profit of the organization. Engagement occurs when an employee connects emotionally with his work, says Paul Glen (2007), and if one checks the mechanism of motivation, one gets convinced that extrinsic motivation cannot influence the employees to connect emotionally with their work, as it is guided by absent qualia, i. e. , a momentary and involuntary chase, where emotion has no role to play. On the other hand, the intrinsic motivation is guided by inverted qualia, i.  e. , conscious chase and that clearly takes along emotion in its journey and influence the human mind in no less than six ways. Conclusion The research and discussion above clearly shows that extrinsic motivation system can be a threat in disguise for the organizations especially under the present context of economic downturn, while intrinsic motivation can be the ideal solution under the same circumstance, where it can raise emotional attachment with the organization and inspire the employees to produce more for less. References Cacioppe, R. (1999). Using team-individual reward and recognition strategies to drive organizational success. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 20(6), pp. 322-331. Deci, E. and Ryan, R. (1985) Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behaviour. New York: Plenum Press. Deci, E. L. (1975). Intrinsic motivation. New York: Plenum. Denett, D. C. (1990). Quining qualia. In Mind and Cognition, W. Lycan (Ed. ), Oxford: Blackwell, 519-548. Dennett, D. C. (1991). Consciousness explained. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. Glen, P. (2007). You Cant Outsource Retention. Computerworld, July 16, 2007. Guzzo, R. A. (1979). Types of rewards, cognitions, and work motivation. Academy of Management Review, 4(1), pp. 75-86. Hackman, J. R. (1997). Why teams dont work. In R. S. Tindale, J. Edwards, E. J. Posavac (Eds. ) Applications of theory and research on groups to social issues. New York: Plenum.

Essay --

â€Å"If men were angels, no government would be necessary† (Madison, Federalist No. 51), said Madison in Federalist 51 In Federalist No. 51. This quote basically says everything about Madison’s political theory and how he felt the country should have been ran. In federalist No. 10, Madison stood for the republican government that was proposed by the constitution. He states that the only way to control factions within states is to make a representative form of government. Madison states â€Å"Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention†¦ as short in their lives as they have been violent in the deaths† (Madison, Federalist No. 10). Madison believes that with democracies come factions, these â€Å"special interest groups† as we call them now and with these groups comes unequal balances that they would make in society. Although in Federalist No. 10, Madison mainly argues against having a full democratic government, I believe as we see later that Madison believes in our now present form of government, a two-party system. I believe his true core values were to have the government keep a fair and balanced setting with the whole spectrum of society. In Federalist No. 51, Madison talks about the works of checks and balances and how important it is to the government. I believe Madison’s core values were the fairness and safety of the over all government as a whole. When upholding these standards, he wanted to make sure that the power of the government in future actions was safe and that it was a base to start building upon. Madison touches on the importance of ‘checks and balances’ and why they play such a huge role in distributing power among the branches. Checks and balances are meant to check the levels of government and to ens... ...uthors’ ideas about Logic of American Politics in that government now, you have to come to a common agreement. In Madison’s beliefs, he believed that equality and liberty were two of the most important things. In the textbook, they explain that congress most come to common ground before agreeing on anything so many things are hard to accomplish. In Madison’s ideas, I believe this is what he was truly encompassing; he didn’t want one side of an argument win and have those majorities rule. He wanted everyone to be heard not just those of the ruling party. As for Collective Action, the textbook relates to Madison by ways of coordination. Madison believed that it would be better to work as one huge group than a ton of tiny factions. He believed that all beliefs and ideas should be represented as a group rather than individually to minimize as much problems as possible.

It Is Important to Have a Realistic View of Life

People say that its important to have a realistic view of life. For most people, to not have a realistic view of life is to risk of failure to achieve ones goals and dreams. such people usually become more lonely or bitter. every so often, one person refuses to accept what others call a realistic view of life and instead insist on changing the world around them to fit the vision that they have in their head. People have the power to change the world for the better or worse, for good and evil. Bin Laden is a perfect example for this.Unfortunately he used violence and pain to try to force his view on others and not to convince them by superior thoughts. If people do not achieve their goals and dreams, they might be unhappy or unsatisfied for the rest of their lives. For example, a person who dreams of becoming a doctor, but never gets to medical school, she would probably be very disappointed. The same thing applies for any goals a person has in their life. For this reason, it is impor tant that people choose realistic goals that can be achieved.Some people in this world however, refuses to accept the idea that they cannot achieve ant dreams they have. A person like this may decide to be a doctor even when their teacher says that her grade are not good enough to pass. A person like this will study very hard and would also study to intensely that she will do whatever she needs to do to achieve good grades. People like this are sometimes the people who changes the world around them, Instead of letting the world tell them what they can and cannot do.These people pursue their dreams and try to make the world fit their dreams. So by doing this they can make their own reality. People who refuse to accept a limit to their dreams can have the power to change the world. Many famous inventors in history did not listen to people around them who said â€Å"give it up† or â€Å"it won't work†. The famous Wrights Brothers were one of the many to deny these people and follow their dreams. As a result, they helped changed the world and now many people fly around the world because of them. They made a huge impact in the world and has change history.Not all people refuse to listen to others and follow their dreams are good. Of course the Wright Brothers and world famous scientists like Albert Einstein can be seen as positive impact because of the inventions they have created to help the world, but there are many others such as Bin Laden who peruses his dreams to hurt the world. He was probably been told various of times that he will not be able to beat The United States of America and change the world. He has refused to listen to these people and has gone on to fight a war.In contrast, both Bin Laden and Einstein have unrealistic view of life and both have dreams that they want to pursue. The only difference is that one is positive while the other is negative. In conclusion for most people, it is important to have a realistic view of life since they risk unhappiness if they do not succeed. There are a few people for whom a realistic view of life is not needed since they believe they can change the world through their actions. Hopefully people will change the world for the better and not worse.

Big Corporations, Big Lawsuits Essay

Introduction The lawsuit over the defective design of Firestone tires put on Ford Explorers was perhaps the most publicised event when a company was sued for defective produce. This defect also resulted in a large number of accidents causing over 200 deaths and 700 injuries in the US alone, in addition to accidents in Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, the Arab Gulf Coast, and East Asia. The massive tire recall by Ford and Firestone on August 9, 2000, sent ripples through the American public and added fuel to the legal fire, causing both manufacturers and the public to rethink many issues. Summary of the Lawsuit On August 9, 2000, â€Å"Ford Motor Company and Bridgestone/Firestone jointly announced a recall in the United States of approximately 6.5 million ATX, ATXII and Wilderness AT tires made in Decatur, Illinois because of tread separation problems† (Eto, 2006). This recall came after the increased incidence of driver deaths in accidents in which Ford Exlorers rolled over triggered widespread public concern. At the time, the company was already faced with multimillion lawsuits. For instance, the lawyers for Edelio and Norma Herrera who died in May 2000 overturning in their Ford Explorer on the way from Disneyland demanded $1 billion from Firestone (BBC). The lawsuits filed, for instance, by the law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, were based on the claim that Firestone and Ford were guilty because it had failed to address the concerns in the testing process. Thus, on June 15, 1989, the auto maker’s engineers prepared a report to the company management in which they â€Å"recommended eight design changes to address the rollover problem and improve the safety of the Explorer† (Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, 2006). However, the management refused to make the major improvements recommended by engineers, willing to complete the design by the previously announced deadline. Impact on the Corporate World The lawsuit triggered a nation-wide discussion about the liability of auto manufacturers, business ethics, the need to produce quality products, and the regulation of the industry. The fact that Ford’s management had accelerated production at the expense of safety concerns only to face billions of dollars in lawsuits and a major blow to their reputation later on was a lesson to many managers. The way Firestone and Ford were heaping blame on each other was also an important lesson of how companies should not handle a scandal. To demonstrate commitment to improvement, Ford, for instance, â€Å"ended its relationship with the tyre-maker† (BBC, 2001). The scandal affected one of the largest US auto manufacturers, causing the resignation of its Chief Executive Officers, Jacques Nasser. Impact on Regulations The lawsuits have also alerted the American public and regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that new, tougher laws on safety standards have to be adopted. In 2000, US Congress adopted new legislature that aimed to raise safety standards. However, it was clear that such laws should have been adopted long ago when the danger of rollover crashes in SUVs became apparent. The law required tire makers to submit to the regulators far more information about their produce than before. Impact on the Companies The lawsuits that have been partially successful and partially settled out of court cost both companies, especially Firestone a lot. Thus, the tyre manufacturer found itself spending over â€Å"$1.6 billion in 2001 due to the recall and litigation costs† (Online Lawyer Source, 2004). The company spent $149 million to settle 30 class-action suits all over the US. In 2001, Ford warned its shareholders that â€Å"it could face up to $10bn in lawsuits arising from the Ford Explorer deaths† (BBC, 2001). The result was disastrous publicity for both companies. Firestone in particular took a long time to recover. As of 2004, it was spending several times more on recovering publicity than in the year before (Online Lawyer Source, 2004). Conclusion Thus, the scandal resulted in massive financial losses for the two companies involved and blows to their corporate images. It also made the public pay closer attention to manufacturers’ ethical decision-making. On the government level, safety standards had been strengthened resulting in increased requirements for manufacturers. References Eto, G.C. (2006). Firestone Tire Recall. Retrieved April, 1, 2006, from http://www.garyeto.com/firestone-tire-recall.shtml BBC. (2001, June 17). Firestone faces $1bn lawsuit. Retrieved April, 1, 2006, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1393055.stm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. (2006). Ford Explorer Rollover Danger – 2006 Update. Retrieved April, 1, 2006, from http://www.vehicle-injuries.com/ford-explorer-lawsuits.htm Online Lawyer Source. (2004). Firestone Recall Information. Retrieved April, 1, 2006, from http://www.onlinelawyersource.com/firestone/information.html   

Thylakoid Definition and Function

Thylakoid Definition and Function A thylakoid is a sheet-like membrane-bound structure that is the site of the light-dependent photosynthesis reactions in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. It is the site that contains the chlorophyll used to absorb light and use it for biochemical reactions. The word thylakoid is from the Green word thylakos, which means pouch or sac. With the -oid ending, thylakoid means pouch-like. Thylakoids may also be called lamellae, although this term may be used to refer to the portion of a thylakoid that connects  grana. Thylakoid Structure In chloroplasts, thylakoids are embedded in the stroma (interior portion of a chloroplast). The stroma contains ribosomes, enzymes, and chloroplast DNA. The thylakoid consists of the thylakoid membrane and the enclosed region called the thylakoid lumen. A stack of thylakoids forms a group of coin-like structures called a granum. A chloroplast contains several of these structures, collectively known as grana. Higher plants have specially organized thylakoids in which each chloroplast has 10–100 grana that are connected to each other by stroma thylakoids. The stroma thylakoids may be thought of as tunnels that connect the grana. The grana thylakoids and stroma thylakoids contain different proteins. Role of the Thylakoid in Photosynthesis Reactions performed in the thylakoid include water photolysis, the electron transport chain, and ATP synthesis. Photosynthetic pigments (e.g., chlorophyll) are embedded into the thylakoid membrane, making it the site of the light-dependent reactions in photosynthesis. The stacked coil shape of the grana gives the chloroplast a high surface area to volume ratio, aiding the efficiency of photosynthesis. The thylakoid lumen is used for photophosphorylation during photosynthesis. The light-dependent reactions in the membrane pump protons into the lumen, lowering its pH to 4. In contrast, the pH of the stroma is 8.   Water Photolysis The first step is water photolysis, which occurs on the lumen site of the thylakoid membrane. Energy from light is used to reduce or split water. This reaction produces electrons that are needed for the electron transport chains, protons that are pumped into the lumen to produce a proton gradient, and oxygen. Although oxygen is needed for cellular respiration, the gas produced by this reaction is returned to the atmosphere. Electron Transport Chain The electrons from photolysis go to the photosystems of the electron transport chains. The photosystems contain an antenna complex that uses chlorophyll and related pigments to collect light at various wavelengths. Photosystem I uses light to reduce NADP to produce NADPH and H. Photosystem II uses light to oxidize water to produce molecular oxygen (O2), electrons (e-), and protons (H). The electrons reduce NADP to NADPH in both systems. ATP Synthesis ATP is produced from both Photosystem I and Photosystem II. Thylakoids synthesize ATP using an  ATP synthase enzyme that is similar to mitochondrial ATPase. The enzyme is integrated into the thylakoid membrane. The CF1-portion of the synthase molecule extended into the stroma, where ATP supports the light-independent photosynthesis reactions. The lumen of the thylakoid contains proteins used for protein processing, photosynthesis, metabolism, redox reactions, and defense. The protein plastocyanin is an electron transport protein that transports electrons from the cytochrome proteins to Photosystem I. Cytochrome b6f complex is a portion of the electron transport chain that couples proton pumping into the thylakoid lumen with electron transfer. The cytochrome complex is located between Photosystem I and Photosystem II. Thylakoids in Algae and Cyanobacteria While thylakoids in plant cells form stacks of grana in plants, they may be unstacked in some types of algae. While algae and plants are eukaryotes, cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes. They do not contain chloroplasts. Instead, the entire cell acts as a sort of thylakoid. The cyanobacterium has an outer cell wall, cell membrane, and thylakoid membrane. Inside this membrane is the bacterial DNA, cytoplasm, and carboxysomes. The thylakoid membrane has functional electron transfer chains that support photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Cyanobacteria thylakoid membranes dont form grana and stroma. Instead, the membrane forms parallel sheets near the cytoplasmic membrane, with enough space between each sheet for phycobilisomes, the light harvesting structures.

Blombos Cave and the Creativity of Early Modern Humans

Blombos Cave and the Creativity of Early Modern Humans Blombos Cave (abbreviated in the scientific literature as BBC) contains one of the longest and richest sequences of early subsistence, and technological and cultural innovations of pressure-flaking of stone tools, non-functional engraving, shell bead production, and red ochre processing by early modern humans worldwide, from occupations dated to the Middle Stone Age (MSA), 74,000-100,000 years ago. The rock shelter is located in a steep wave-cut calcrete cliff, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Cape Town, South Africa. The cave is 34.5 meters (113 ft) above current sea level and 100 m (328 ft) from the Indian Ocean. Chronology The site deposits include 80 centimeters (31 inches) of a Later Stone Age deposit, an archaeologically sterile layer of aeolian (windblown) dune sand, called the Hiatus, and about 1.4 m (4.5 ft) comprising four Middle Stone Age levels. As of 2016, excavations have included an area of about 40 sqm (430 sq ft). Dates and thicknesses presented below are derived from Roberts et al. 2016: Late Stone Age, 2,000-300 years before the present (BP), ~80 cm in thicknessHiatus ~68 ka (thousand years BP), a culturally sterile sand dune which sealed the lower MSA, 5-10 cmM1 - Middle Stone Age Still Bay (64-73 ka, Marine Isotope Stage 5a/4), 6 strata, ~20 cmM2 Upper - Middle Stone Age Still Bay (77-82 ka, MIS 5b/a), 4 strata, ~20 cmM2 Lower - Middle Stone Age, 85-81 ka (MIS 5b), 5 strata, ~25 cmM3 - Middle Stone Age (94-101 ka, MIS 5c), 10 strata, 75 cm The Late Stone Age level contains a dense series of occupations within the rock shelter, characterized by ochre, bone tools, bone beads, shell pendants, and pottery. Middle Stone Age Occupations Together, the M1 and upper M2 levels at Blombos have been designated Still Bay phase, and paleoenvironmental reconstruction suggests the climate during this period fluctuated between arid and humid. Within an area of approximately 19 sqm have been found 65 hearths and 45 ash piles. The stone tools from the Still Bay occupations are primarily made from locally available silcrete, but also include quartzite and quartz. Nearly 400 Still Bay type points have been recovered so far, and about half of them were heat-treated and finished using sophisticated pressure flaking techniques: prior to the discoveries at BBC, pressure flaking was thought to have been invented in Upper Paleolithic Europe, only 20,000 years ago. Over 40 bone tools have been recovered, most of which are awls. A few were polished and may have been hafted as projectile points. Symbolic Behavior More than 2,000 pieces of ochre have been found so far from the Still Bay occupations, including two with deliberately engraved cross-hatched patterns from M1, and six more from M2 upper. A bone fragment was also marked, with 8 parallel lines. Over 65 beads have been discovered in the MSA levels, all of which are tick shells, Nassarius kraussianus, and most of them have been carefully perforated, polished, and in some cases deliberately heat-treated to a dark-grey to black coloration (dErrico and colleagues 2015). Vanhaeren et al. conducted experimental reproduction and close analysis of the usewear on the tick shell beads from M1. They determined that a cluster of 24 perforated shells were probably strung together in a ~10 cm long string in such a way so that they hung in alternate positions, creating a visual pattern of symmetrical pairs. A second later pattern was also identified, apparently created by knotting cords together to create floating pairs of dorsally joined shells. Each of these patterns of stringing was repeated on at least five different beadwork pieces. A discussion of the significance of shell beads may be found in Shell Beads and Behavioral Modernity. Before Still Bay The M2 level at BBC was a period of fewer and shorter occupations than either earlier or later periods. The cave contained a few basin hearths and one very large hearth at this point; the artifact assemblage includes small quantities of stone tools, consisting of blades, flakes, and cores of silcrete, quartz, and quartzite. Faunal material is limited to shellfish and ostrich eggshell. In sharp contrast, occupation debris within the M3 level at BBC is far denser. So far, M3 has produced abundant lithics but no bone tools; lots of modified ochre, including eight slabs with deliberate engravings in cross-hatching, y-shaped or crenulated designs. Stone tools include objects made of exotic fine-grained materials. The animal bone assemblage from M3 includes mostly small to medium mammals such as rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis), Cape dune mole-rat (Bathyergus suillus), steenbok/grysbok (Raphicerus sp), Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus), and eland (Tragelaphus oryx). Larger animals are also represented in fewer numbers, including equids, hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibius), rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae), elephant (Loxodonta africana), and giant buffalo (Sycerus antiquus). Paint Pots in M3 Within the M3 levels were also found two abalone (Haliotis midae) shells located within 6 cm of one another, and interpreted as an ochre processing workshop. The cavity of each shell was filled with a red compound of ochre, crushed bone, charcoal, and tiny stone flakes. A round flat stone with use-wear marks along the edge and face was likely used to crush and mix the pigment; it fits snugly into one of the shells and was stained with red ochre and encrusted with fragments of crushed bone. One of the shells had long scratches in its nacreous surface. Although no large painted objects or walls have been found in BBC, the resulting ochre pigment was likely used as paint to decorate a surface, object or person: while cave paintings are not known from Howiesons Poort/Still Bay occupations, ochre-painted objects have been identified within several sites of the Middle Stone Age along the South African coast. Excavations have been conducted at Blombos by Christopher S. Henshilwood and colleagues since 1991 and have continued intermittently ever since. Sources Badenhorst S, Van Niekerk KL, and Henshilwood CS. 2016. Large mammal remains from the 100 KA middle stone age layers of Blombos cave, South Africa. South African Archaeological Bulletin 71(203):46-52. Botha R. 2008. Prehistoric shell beads as a window on language evolution. Language Communication 28(3):197-212. dErrico F, Vanhaeren M, Van Niekerk K, Henshilwood CS, and Erasmus RM. 2015. Assessing the Accidental Versus Deliberate Colour Modification of Shell Beads: a Case Study on Perforated Nassarius. Archaeometry 57(1):51-76.kraussianus from Blombos Cave Middle Stone Age levels Discamps E, and Henshilwood CS. 2015. Intra-Site Variability in the Still Bay Fauna at Blombos Cave: Implications for Explanatory Models of the Middle Stone Age Cultural and Technological Evolution. PLOS 10(12):e0144866.ONE Henshilwood C, DErrico F, Van Niekerk K, Coquinot Y, Jacobs Z, Lauritzen S-E, Menu M, and Garcia-Moreno R. 2011. A 100,000-Year-Old Ochre-Processing Workshop at Blombos Cave, South Africa. Science 334:219-222. Jacobs Z, Hayes EH, Roberts RG, Galbraith RF, and Henshilwood CS. 2013. An improved OSL chronology for the Still Bay layers at Blombos Cave, South Africa: further tests of single-grain dating procedures and a re-evaluation of the timing of the Still Bay industry across southern Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(1):579-594. Mourre V, Villa P, and Henshilwood C. 2010. Early use of pressure flaking on lithic artifacts at Blombos Cave, South Africa. Science 330:659-662. Moyo S, Mphuthi D, Cukrowska E, Henshilwood CS, van Niekerk K, and Chimuka L. 2016. Blombos Cave: Middle Stone Age ochre differentiation through FTIR, ICP OES, ED XRF, and XRD. Quaternary International 404, Part B:20-29. Roberts P, Henshilwood CS, Van Niekerk KL, Keene P, Gledhill A, Reynard J, Badenhorst S, and Lee-Thorp J. 2016. Climate, Environment. PLoS ONE 11(7):e0157408.and Early Human Innovation: Stable Isotope and Faunal Proxy Evidence from Archaeological Sites (98-59ka) in the Southern Cape, South Africa Thompson JC, and Henshilwood CS. 2011. Taphonomic analysis of the Middle Stone Age larger mammal faunal assemblage from Blombos Cave, southern Cape, South Africa. Journal of Human Evolution 60(6):746-767. Vanhaeren M, dErrico F, van Niekerk KL, Henshilwood CS, and Erasmus RM. 2013. Thinking strings: Additional evidence for personal ornament use Journal of Human Evolution 64(6):500-517.in the Middle Stone Age at Blombos Cave, South Africa.

Accounting For Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Accounting For Decision Making - Essay Example To do this, we had to conduct research on the two companies’ performance over the years and analyzed the data using financial ratios and statistical graphs. From our findings we found out that fantastic holdings has good gross profit margins but has higher expenses rates which reduces the net profit margin (Whiteside 2007). It was also evident that fantastic holdings has good profits in comparison to the input as given by the investors and has also good use of its assets to make high sales. Fantastic holdings limited were also noted to have good debtors and creditors turnovers. This is a good indication that the company has good strategies of dealing with debtors and offsetting their debts to creditors. On the other hand, super retail group company shows high liquidity in terms of offsetting short term debts (Whiteside 2007). From the analysis, it is recommended to an investor to invest in fantastic holdings limited. Those in need of loans from the companies are advised to con sult super retail group company. These findings are discussed in details in the sections below. Table of contents 1.0 Executive Summary ....................................................................................2 2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 4 3.0 Profitability ................................................................................................ ..4 4.0 Efficiency .................................................................................................... 5 5.0 Financial Stability ....................................................................................... .7 5.1 Short Term .......................................................................................... 7 5.2 Long Term ........................................................................................... 7 6.0 Limitations .......................................................................... ..........................8 7.0 Recommendations .......................................................................................10 8.0 List of References .........................................................................................11 9.0 Appendices ...................................................................................................12 10.0 Assignment Planner ................................................................................ ..14 11.0 Mark Sheet ............................................................................ ...................16 2.0 Introduction This report analyzes two big companies; fantastic holdings limited and super retail group limited. Fantastic holdings limited is a big company dealing in manufacturing and sale of furniture. It manages over 125 retail stores running in five different chains of goods. The chains include; Le Cornu, original mattress factory, FHL, national retailers fantastic furniture and push and Dar e gallery. It is also a major manufacturer of mattresses and sofas (Plunkett & Plunkett Research 2008). On the other hand, super retail group is a leading company having eight groups. This includes; super cheap auto and super retail commercial, rebel, ray’s outdoors, FCO fishing camping outdoors, gold cross cycles, BCF boating camping fishing and Amart sports. The company has specialized in the retail of sporting, automotive goods and leisure equipment (Madaan 2009). This report tries to analyze the progress of the two companies financially in regard to profits gained over certain periods of time, sales returns and profitability of the two compan