P&G Japan Essay Example for Free

PG Japan Essay Slow, conformist and risk averse – stretch, innovation and speed Leadership Innovation Team implemented a global rollout of Dryel and Swiffer Impact – 18 months after entering the first test market they were on sales in US, Europe, Latin America and Asia Processes Performance-based component of compensation increased from traditional range of 20% to 80%. Extended the reach of stock options to virtually all employees Integrated business planning process where all budget elements of the operating plan could be reviewed and approved together Structure Primary profit responsibility shifted from PGs four regional organisation to seven GBUs that would now manage product development, manufacturing and marketing of their respective categories worldwide Charged with standardising manufacturing processes, simplifying brand portfolios and coordinating marketing activities Eliminate bureaucracy and increase accountability Committee responsibilities were transferred to individuals Activities such as accounting, human resources, payroll and much of IT were coordinated through a global business service unit Progression form Ethnocentric/Polycentric- Regiocentric – Geocentric SK-II – within PG this high-end product had little visibility outside Japan Because Japanese women had by far the highest use of beauty care products in the world, it was natural that the global beauty care category management started to regard Max Factor Japan as a potential source of innovation Working with RD labs in Cincinatti and the UK, several Japanese technologists participated on a global team that developed a new product involving a durable color base and renewable moisturising second coat – Lipfinity Japanese innovations were than transferred worldwide, as Lipfinity rolled out in Europe and the US within six months of the Japanese launch Implementation of O2005 in July 1999 – half the top 30 managers and a third of the top 3000 were new to their jobs – capabilities do not reside in management Global product development process Technology team assembled at an RD facility in Cincinnati, drawing the most qualified technologists from its PG labs worldwide US-based marketing team and Japanese team had the same task – Japanese team came up with SK-II In the end, each market ended up with a distinct product built on a common technology platform. Marketing expertise was also shared, allowing the organisation to exploit local learning Decisions Japanese Opportunity Tapping into PGs extensive technological resources – extend the SK-II line beyond its traditional product offerings Although would take a considerable amount of time and effort, it would exploit internal capabilities and external brand image Product innovation and superior in-store service – competitive advantage in Japan China Operating since 1988 only Entrepreneurial beauty care manager in China Some were worried that SK-II would be a distraction to PGs strategy of becoming a mainstream Chinese company and to its competitive goal of entering 600 Chinese cities ahead of competitors Targeting an elite consumer group with a niche product was not in keeping with the objective of reaching the 1. 2 billion population with laundry, hair care, oral care, diapers and other basics Europe De Cesare – new the European market well Without any real brand awareness or heritage, would SK-II’s mystique transfer to a Western market Organisational constraint De Cesare recognised that his decision needed to comply with the organisational reality in which it would be implemented Jager – openly questioned how well some of the products in the beauty care business fit in the PG portfolio – the fashion-linked and promotion-driven sales models neither played well to PG’s â€Å"stack it high, sell it cheap† marketing skills nor exploited its superior technologies From a local to a global focus

Crisis Intervention From A Biblical Perspective

Crisis Intervention From A Biblical Perspective A crisis is a situation which is unstable and of extreme difficulty or danger. According to mental health, a crisis is the reaction of a person towards an event. Different people react differently to events. One person can be affected deeply by a certain event while another may have little or no ill effects towards the same event. This is dependent on peoples behavior or skills, levels of maturity, personalities and the ability to cope. For some people, reaction to crisis may be coupled with behavior change such as over eating or insomnia. For other people reactions such as disbelief, inability to cope or denial may be evident. Others still may experience physiological changes such that they may start to sweat, faint or their heart rate may increase. Many people perceive crisis to be an unexpected sudden calamity such as a natural disaster or a car accident. However, crises range in how severe it is and also in type. Sometimes, crisis can be a predictable part of our lives, For instance, the mid life crisis. Some crises are situational and are abrupt and unexpected such as accidents. Other crises are existential which are conflicts within and are related to things as spirituality, direction and life purpose. It is very crucial to give victims of a crisis some counseling. This is to help the person experiencing it be able to confront the reality of the current happenings. Chronic crises can lead to trauma or stress which leads to mental illness. It is therefore, crucial that the counselors dealing with the crisis be very skilled and knowledgeable on how to handle these victims. Crisis counseling is an intervention on short term basis which is intended to offer assistance to the victims, give them support and resources and to make them stable and go beyond emotional trauma and pain towards opportunities for change and growth and to be strong. In this research paper we look at the Biblical perspective of crisis intervention. This is a very unique but effective way of dealing with crisis aftermath and especially when we compare it to the secular approaches. In order for the counselors to understand the spiritual needs of their clients, they have to understand and differentiate the characteristics that define the bible based therapy. When the Bible is relied upon for counseling and a crisis intervention, a client is likely to be returned to functioning safely and into coping levels, at the same time the client reestablishes a relationship with God. Crisis intervention and counseling in a Biblical manner should be accustomed by all who follow God. There is need to remind those suffering of the ever guidance and love of Jesus. Numerous crises occur every day and especially in the secular world that we are living in today and with the rise in technology hence Bible based guidance is much more needed. It is important to understand the benefits emanating from biblical crisis intervention. The crisis intervention and counseling through Bible helps an individual to go through a difficult state by relying on the bible and God. According to Phil Monroe, counseling from the Bible focuses on how to live in a faithful manner, to love mercy, to act in justly, and to walk in a humble manner in circumstances that we find ourselves in (MCP, 2007). There are two main needs in most of the clients: first, for one to be able to open up and speak of the unresolved pain. Second, for one to be given a surety that they are children of Gods love. These are apparent needs and which a counselor must attended. For a client who believes in God, it is paramount to be reminded of Gods love. It is very important for the faith of the client to be reestablished. If the client is not a believer, or no longer has faith in God, it would be a good opportunity to bring back the client to God when the crisis has been resolved. At the same time, it is important for the counselors not to take advantage of the individuals sufferings. The intervention and counseling for a crisis can as well be hectic and sporadic. As much as one has to understand the ground rules, it is always important to understand that when a situation heats up, it is a priority for the situation to be stabilized. The person doing the intervention must always be armed with scriptures or any spiritual and pastoral gifts in order to help the individual through the crisis (Read Mallet, 2003). The view of mankind as a sinner is also very important to consider in the biblical crisis counseling and intervention. We were all created in the likeness of God but we have fallen short of His glory hence making us all sinners in Gods eyes. This puts all clients and their counselors on the same ground in that none are righteous in the eyes of God since we have all sinned (Read Mallet, 2003). In giving out the counseling Biblically, it is important to note that one cannot minimize the crisis but can cope with the crisis. Many people experience the reality of suffering. According to Biblical counseling, suffering is an opportunity to explore our response to suffering and sickness and also gives us an opportunity to faithfully suffer. It is an honour to suffer in the name of Jesus. In second Corinthians chapter four, Apostle Paul speaks of suffering but he reminds believers not ever lose faith for our suffering has a purpose (crisis Intervention 2008). Why Biblical Crisis Intervention The Biblical crisis intervention is much needed in our world. We are a world of sin, which have fallen from the paradise and plan of God. Sin is rampant in the world but the Holy Spirit brings under control the full effects of sin. This is a reality that ensures that all people, those who believe and those who do not, suffer so as to experience the need for biblical crisis intervention (crisis Intervention 2008). Even if suffering is a reality, believers have hope of an eternity that is perfect after this life. The biblical counselor must know how to guide others as people live in a world of crisis. The counselor must know how to guide individuals in such a way that they return them to their original coping position before the crisis. The counselor then needs to guide the individual to a state of renewal or first conversion to Christianity. To save a persons soul should never be an afterthought, it is an important aspect in the biblical crisis intervention. When a person is reoriented back to Jesus, his or her faith is saved as well as attending to the worldly crisis (crisis Intervention 2008). Recent developments and defining characteristics The biblical crisis intervention is not static. Secular movements such as scientific psychology and postmodernism have been a big influence hence it would not make sense to ignore their influences. New techniques are continuously being developed thus the counselors add their perspectives which are unique hence it is important for counselors to be up to date with the disciplines recent developments (crisis Intervention 2008). Methodologies and sub disciplines for the biblical counseling intervention are being developed. It is a likely that a pastoral counselor will have to render help to the non believers in a post modern view point. It will often require the counselors to combine the science psychology with the postmodern view of the world (Schwartz Nicholas, 2007). Also therapy that is community based has grown significantly. This is a good realization that people do not cope or grow in vacuum instead they involve helpful interested parties. Since therapists in postmodern have given up their expert status, they have an interest to expand participants in therapy. They want to involve anyone undergoing therapy that has coalesced around a problem. Although this is a postmodern technique, it has as well been embraced by biblical counseling (Springerlink, 2005). Although these recent developments seem to merge the views of the postmodern, the secular science and the biblical therapy, it is still very obvious of the distinctive characters that will set apart biblical crisis intervention. One of the distinctive features of biblical intervention from the rest is that the counselors must relate with their clients as equal. This is because the counselor understands that the person whom he or she is relating with is created in Gods image hence worthy of respect and likable. At the same time, the client must also understand that mutual respect exists as well as a relationship between him or her and the counselor. Another distinctive feature in biblical counseling is that God is involved in every conversation or session. The pastoral counselors must help their clients enter into a conversation with God. With this unity the clients spiritual aspects are nurtured as well as addressed. Also when a client returns to God, he or she is in a better position to comprehend the meaning behind the suffering and to cope with it well. Benefits of pastoral therapy in comparison with secular therapy To a believer, biblical counseling has more benefits to him or her than the secular counseling. This is because of the spiritual experience. There is a high possibility of therapy succeeding when the counselor considers the clients cultural background. It is also important to evaluate the impact of the clients religion on the crisis at hand. This will facilitate total counseling of the client. This is a concept that is in contrast with the secular counseling. It had been assumed that there existed a universal scientific psychiatry that could address effectively all of the peoples emotional illnesses regardless of their cultural or social backgrounds. In the recent research, ethnic and cultural groups conceptualize mental illnesses variously based on their unique conceptualizations of both the cures and causes. Biblical counseling is better placed in helping out the client in many situations as it focuses on these unique cultural viewpoints. There is a high possibility that many people would not seek psychological help because of their personal religious views. Consequently, attitudes towards psychological disorders among religious groups will impact on a persons admission of a problem, and behavior to seek help. The writer of Hebrews explains that, we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:13) when we approach God with our problems. Thus, these individuals must be made to understand that the pastoral counselors could be the vessels that God uses to help them approach Him. The pastoral counselors need to understand that human beings are either in a relationship or out of fellowship with God. If the client is out of fellowship it is up to the counselor to bring them back to and if the client is in a relationship with God, then it is the counselors responsibility to help the client understand on how to seek guidance and strength from God (Crisis Intervention, 2008). As much as the biblical crisis interventions have more benefits than those of secular, it does not mean that they should be mutually exclusive. Human beings have many dimensions and since there is a connection between emotional and spiritual dysfunction and health, both psychological and pastoral resources must be integrated in order for a holistic healing to be achieved. Human beings have been provided by God the understanding ability of the external natural world and the psychological world which is internal. Counseling is more likely to succeed when there is a combination of the counseling lessons with those of the biblical teachings. Secular theologists find this concept very difficult. They have acknowledged the religious aspect of man just recently although it has been the cornerstone of biblical crisis intervention from the beginning (crisis Intervention 2008). In most cases, early childhood occurrences can have a lasting effect which can easily distort our perception of love of God. These misconceptions of the love of God may have lasting effects on the coping capabilities of a person. The childhood events can imprison us in beliefs which are distorted and which may misshape our perception of self, others and God. The foundation of cognitive counseling is that the dysfunction in psychology emanates from false beliefs and to be healed emotionally, one requires replacing lies with the truth. However, thoughts which are faulty cannot occur at the cognitive level of logical knowledge. We may have the precise information about ourselves and God in our heads. Instead, the faulty beliefs that misshape us normally transpire at the effective level of knowledge experience. Only biblical orientation can break free of these distortions hence the secular crisis intervention is unable to reinstate an individuals coping abilities since they are unable to restore a persons relationship with God. Another benefit that the biblical crisis intervention has over the secular is that biblical counseling acknowledges the significance of religious application to a rapid event. This benefit helps the client to understand who they are and ways of functioning within their society (crisis Intervention 2008). Focus on the event and the solution The Biblical crisis intervention uses two approaches. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive and focus on two aspects that are different. The first approach focuses on the event and challenges to alter the views of the client on the original event. This approach is also called the traditional therapy. The other approach focuses on the solution and tries to use the client, God and the precipitating event as a change catalyst. It is also called the Brief therapy (ITHACA, 2010). No matter the approach, identification of the crisis cause is very important and the main goal for the counseling is to make the client return to a coping level before the crisis. At the same time the pastoral therapist may attempt to return the client to his or her original comfort zone or may even stretch their zones of comfort to existing conditions (crisis Intervention 2008). The main reason for the biblical crisis intervention in counseling is the impact that the crisis can have on an individual. Our perception of reality or what is not real can be distorted by our worries. The worries that are often the source of the crisis or relate to a possible future crisis do not help the biblical counseling process. In fact, thoughts full of fear are normally exaggerated and can even make the problem to worsen (Popovich, S. 2010). The most important thing is to restore the copying abilities of the individual because when they are not restored the results would be disastrous. When a person is unable to cope with a certain crisis, the impending dangers would be depression, taking out anger on others in insults or violence, abuse of substance or even suicide. This affects the persons future coping as he or she will be left with feelings of failure and guilt and this affects his or her future coping mechanisms. This renders the client to have a downward spiral which moves from one crisis to another which then accumulates future crises resulting to a degraded lifestyle of the client (MCP, 2007). There are many factors that increase crisis effects. Some of the factors are expectations that are unrealistic, personality traits which are negative, a sense of identity which is faulty, a belief system which is faulty, and isolation. This could lead also to an advanced isolation and a loss of support from the loved ones. The main goal, therefore, of biblical crisis intervention and counseling is to try reduce the impact of the original crisis and hence to reestablish the mechanisms for copying (CCEF, 2010). The first approach (the traditional therapy) for the pastoral counselor is to establish a rapport and a relationship with the client while determining the perceived impact of the precipitating event. Some of the precipitating events may be intensely dehumanizing hence it is important to first reestablish the individuals humanness. The interventionist will have the need to confront the realities of shame and sin when helping the client. It helps to remind the client that we are all sinners and we all have fallen short of Gods glory (Roman 3:23). When the crisis intervention undertaking focuses on the solution, it becomes more complicated. This is because some individuals have a rough time overcoming the event even if they are well reestablished with God. The same way when Peter the Apostle denied Jesus the night of His arrest, even after the event, he lived with the shame and guilt of his sin (Mark 14: 66- 72). On the other hand, some clients are able to confront the situation but still need to be reminded of Gods love. They need to be reminded that according to the writer of Hebrews, God says I will never leave you, never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5). At the same time, believers are encouraged to say, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can human beings do to me? (Hebrews 13: 16). The second approach (the brief therapy) that the counselor will focus on is the possible solutions to the crisis. The main goal is to help the client in the least period of time as possible. This approach does not minimize the precipitating event rather it focuses on the future. The crisis may have been caused by many and complicated causes, hence the therapy focuses on what can be done in order to change the situation in the present and in future rather spending a lot of time focusing on an event that may or may not be able to be changed (ITHACA, 2010). The distinguishing feature between the traditional therapy and the brief therapy is that they focus on a treatment that is specific, with measurable and short term goals. The client and the interventionist work hand in hand to set up measurable objectives that they record after every session. This use of smaller shorter objectives make the clients feel like they are accomplishing something and also feel in control of their lives. The counselor is also there to help the client if they go astray (ITHACA, 2010). There is a major difference between the roles played by both the traditional therapist and the brief therapist. In traditional therapy, the counselor is seen as an expert hence a bit distant with the client, whereas in brief therapy, the counselor works in collaboration with the client to understand and to solve the problem. In brief therapy, the counselor is seen as a sister or a brother in Christ whereas in traditional therapy, the relationship is that of an expert and a subordinate. The relationship in the brief therapy allows for a position to evangelize when one is needed or desired (ITHACA, 2010). Biblical counseling controversies There are disagreements and movements that occur in Biblical counseling and crisis intervention. There are two known main movements within biblical counseling. The first movement is to discard all the secular techniques and counsel with only the Bible. The second movement is a movement that seeks to reduce the Bible usage within the Biblical counseling. Some denominational seminaries are the ones who discussed the first movement that biblical counseling should move away completely from counseling using secular theories to use of biblical teachings only. They contend that scripture is enough to address psychological problems. This movement believes that by incorporating secular counseling in pastoral counseling, the biblical counseling has lost its way and focus on God (Goliath, 2008). To defend their position, they quote the Bible in Pauls words that, all Scripture is God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that all Gods people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). The implication that pastoral counseling is not biblically based is either totally ignorant or totally arrogant. Pastoral counseling and care which is not based on the Bible or theological integrity is deficient. Again, Biblical counseling that does not include awareness of psychotherapy has a danger to be abusive. This danger is that those with problems that cannot be wholly solved through scripture may not seek the help they need and probably will never recover. According to David Winfrey, when biblical counseling rejects the behavioral sciences, its discarding an important source of information which has been made available by God (Koenig, 2005). According to Phillip Monroe, the Bible is not a text book in counseling yet it is more than a pointer to God. It does not provide an all-inclusive methodologies or theories for counseling. However, it is not just a book that discusses God. It also points out truths about the human nature and life hence should be used together with counseling methodologies that are not in the scripture (MCP, 2007). Biblical counseling is based on the notion that each and every believer performs like a counselor to other believers. Secret knowledge, professional credentials, or guild are not needed. Even if some people may have wisdom and Christian maturity that enables them to deal effectively with complex people and issues, we will all be treated the same. Seek the face of God, love God and others in the moment, trust God for things you cannot change and when things seem dark and dismal, repent and trust God all over again each day (HOLY Bible). The pastoral counselor hopes to help the person being counseled to respond in faith when in fear, when angry, when confused or grieving. When this happens, person being counseled may have the experience of peace and joy also the confusion within will be minimal (MCP, 2007). The opposing movement has minimized the use of the Bible and uses at a larger extent secular approaches and only supplements religious thoughts when necessary. This movement poses the problem of minimizing the personal responsibility to God. Instead of being responsible to God and living His will, these secular techniques allow people to only be accountable to no one else other than themselves. The best and the approved biblical counseling and crisis intervention methodology incorporate techniques from both the Bible and the secular disciplines. This will help in giving the counseling service to both the believers and the non believers and the pastoral counselors can even evangelize to the non believers (Koenig, 2005). It is important to understand that its not by simply talking about God whether in a professional or an academic manner that will reorient individuals back to Jesus. When we combine reintegration to the church community with psychological therapy it provides both the long term support and the immediate guidance an individual will require to cope with the crisis at hand (Koenig, 2005). Conclusion The challenge for biblical intervention methodology is providing a valuable crisis assistance and support within the earliest time possible following victimization, and to make the resources and services available in order to meet the victims needs by providing a direct assistance or referring to other agencies (crisis Intervention 2008). The Biblical crisis intervention and counseling does not imply the end of the required therapy. When an individual has been established in a church community, much support is thereafter needed. When the crisis counseling is over, many church ministries continue to offer the long term help that is much needed by their clients. Since there is a unique relationship between the client and the counselor, it should be very possible for the life counseling and guidance sessions to continue. Biblical guidance is a beautiful way since it is a demonstration of the love of God for His people. The love and affection that the pastoral counselor displays is just a small token in comparison with the love God gives to those who believe in Him. This is a reality that guides the pastoral counselors in getting their clients back to God. At the same time, when we rely on Gods word, it reminds us of Jesus importance in our lives. As the Hebrew writer explains, the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews, 4:12). Again, in the Gospel of John, Jesus tells all those who believe in Him that Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free (John, 8: 32). Biblical therapy is counseling is not only focused on sin. It sees suffering as a given opportunity to suffer in faith as we discover how we respond to pains and sicknesses whether self inflicted or God oriented. How we respond to the difficulties that befall us reveals what we worship and seek in life whether its God, pleasure, comfort, perfection, and escape, to be safe or to be significant. The biblical crisis intervention and counseling is not focused on ending human suffering or teaching skills to end suffering, rather, it works with the broken and sinful people who live in sinful world and helps them live in a faithful manner and to trust in God the creator of all things. Biblical therapy strives to help people combine the worship of God and enjoy the blessings of being the chosen people of God. It also helps to reorient people in discipleship, mercy ministry and help them in sanctifying themselves. Biblical counseling works on the principle that the Bible has all the information we need to help us deal with our day to day problems. Most people believe that emotional and mental problems should only be dealt with the professional psychologists but this has been proved wrong since bible therapy has seen many people be able to cope to cope with their problems and even face others in future. Again, it has been proven that bible therapy is the best as it deals with the souls of human beings and pastoral counselors are well exposed to the wisdom of God.

Marc Chagall Essay -- History

Marc Chagall Marc Chagall as an artist and as a person cannot be categorized. He was born in Vitebsk, Russia, learned to paint in St. Petersburg and lived in Paris, Berlin, and the United States. His career is influenced by many different factors. His Hasidic Jewish upbringing reflected in the content of his paintings greatly. The lyrical fairy tales of Jewish mysticism, the stories of the Bible, and the Rabbis and scholars who surrounded him in his childhood come out onto his work. When he went to art school in St. Petersburg it was the period when he became exposed to the avant-garde movement in art. With Leon Bakst he saw the reproductions of Fauve canvases, the sketches of Van Gogh and of Cezzanne his ambition to go to Paris was born. At the time that he moves to Paris for the first time (1910- 1914) Fauvism and Cubism were the prevailing modern art movements. It can be seen in Chagall’s composition the application of these movements principles of arbitrary colour and reorganization of the visual field, but he incorporates these principles with a dream like scape to create his own personal style. The term Surrealism applies to Chagall, that is the term that was coined when Appolinaire when visiting his studio in 1913 murmured â€Å"Supernatural!†. This is not to say that Chagall was part of any Surrealist movement on the contrary he is against any style or movement. It used as a term where the artist has drawn upon consciously or unconsciously from the dream experience. It is clear in his works that he does not want any movement to restrict his expression and mobility. He is wholly against empathetic realism, of the Courbet, Impressionist or Cubist sort, yet he still uses Cubist devices and comes close to Impressionism. Chagall depicts a more dreamlike, story like content filled with symbolism (much of it traditional) in his paintings. He admired Manet, and drew great inspiration from Gauguin in his early years. He creates a style that was more universalistic and one that did not have any idealistic underpinnings. Chagall’s painting The Fiddler (1912) is the largest and richest work in the series of figure pictures in which Chagall was bringing to life the typical characters he remembered from his childhood. In this composition the use of arbitrary colour is clearly seen, for example the fiddler's green face, the blue roof top etc. He does not ... ...his pictures as illogical and non-realist. The images were not of this earth therefore different from things or geometrical figures. Also the way he uses colour is like no one else. In the conversations Chagall makes many references to poetry, but that is not surprising for to him his art is poetry. His concern was never with a movement but with the purpose of bringing to people the love and gaiety of his paintings. Chagall is known to use much more than a canvas as a showcase for his work. He is world famous for stained glass and mosaics from Jerusalem to the United Nations. For him a stained glass â€Å"is a transparent partition between my heart and the heart of the world.† In his paintings we see his childhood and homeland and for Marc Chagall his paintings are his memory. Chagall left a lasting impression on the art world. He evoked things in his paintings that were close to him and put them together in a poetic sense. He offered a dreamlike scene and influenced the Neo- Surrealists . Chagall being part of the first two phases of Surrealism (1911-1914) (1914-1918) laid a fundamental base for artist like Salvador Dali who would also rely heavily on their dreams and their images.

Innocence Lost by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay -- Nathaniel Hawthorne Inn

Innocence Lost by Nathaniel Hawthorne My Kinsman, Major Molineux and Young Goodman Brown present Nathaniel Hawthorne’s belief in the universality of sin. These works provide numerous perspectives into the nature of the human condition and the individual’s role within it. Hawthorne fictionalizes a world where communion with man is essential for spiritual satisfaction. The main characters of these stories face moral dilemmas through their pursuit of human communion. Whether the problems are moral, psychological, or both, Hawthorne insists that the individual must come to affirm a tie with the procession of life, must come to achieve some sense of brotherhood of man. In order to commune with mankind, one has to give up a secure, ordered and innocent world. The individual becomes liable to a fearsome array of complex emotions. One feels alienated by a community that forces himself to corruption while his isolation creates an ambiguity. The newly initiated into the rites of man appears no more moral than th ose who he disdains. Hawthorne presents a world where communion with mankind leads to corruption while isolation from humans is an unpardonable sin. Nathaniel Hawthorne presents an interesting predicament in man's search for communion with his fellow man. Coming of age in Hawthorne's time requires an affirmation of sin, communion with sinners and celebration of life through sin. Hawthorne creates this environment by grounding the consequences on earth. To feel the universal throb of brotherhood, one must recognize sin, participate in and celebrate it. Hawthorne affirms, recognizes and revels in the depravity of the human condition. The first fatal step of understanding human nature is a self-conscious probing that ends in confusion. The story of My Kinsmen, Major Molineux presents the youthful character of Robin on his way from the country to the town of Boston. He wishes to succeed within the community, and figures that it will not be difficult because of his connection through Major Molineux, a prominent figure of the community. Hawthorne erodes innocence slowly through the harsh experience of urban realities. Robin’s initial contact with the residents of this community jostles his confidence. He does not yet understand the harshness of adults and happily continues on his way. But Hawthorne underscores the cost of his yearning. Robin has t... ... later. Camus insists Sisyphus is happy or there is no joy or redemption for life on earth. The profundity of Hawthorne is apparent in his notions of the human condition. Nathaniel Hawthorne concludes his discovery of sin in the human condition at the point of universal appeal. The key for Hawthorne’s understanding of the human condition is the recognition of the universality of sin. So take this work for its imperfections, instead of tormenting these ideas with the harsh meter stick of faithless standards. Nathaniel Hawthorne believes that understanding man is understanding its moral condition of imperfection. Works Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Ethan Brand†. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Tales. Ed. James McIntosh. Norton Critical Edition. New York: Norton, 1987. 231-244. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"My Kinsman, Major Molineux†. Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994. 1173-1186. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994. 1198-1207. Stubbs, John C. The Pursuit of Form: a study of Hawthorne and the romance. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1970.

Isadora Duncan Essay -- essays research papers

Isadora Duncan 	Isadora Duncan was a famous dancer who brought a new kind of dance to the world. She danced out the feelings from deep in her heart. Unlike other dancers in the late nineteenth century, Isadora Duncan danced with flowing motion. She was not a ballerina, and did not like to watch ballet dancers, with their stiff bodies and unnatural pointe shoes. At first she was not liked, but as time went on, Isadora Duncan became a dance revolutionist people all over the world will never forget. 	Angela Isadora Duncan was born, one of four, on May 26,1877 in San Francisco, California. Her mother, Dora Duncan, was a piano teacher, and her father, Joseph Duncan was a banker, journalist, and poet. Her parents were both well educated, charming, and an altogether happy couple. However, their marriage fell apart soon after Isadora's birth. 	After the divorce, Dora was left with little money to support her four children; Augastin, Raymond, Elizabeth, and Isadora. She gave her music lessons, but still was not bringing in enough money to keep living in the same house. The family began moving from one apartment to another, learning to leave each one a day before the bills came around. 	Isadora started school at the age of five. In the late nineteenth century, students were expected to sit still during school, memorizing and reciting their lessons. To Isadora this was "irritating and meaningless." She hated school. She said later in her autobiography that her real education came on the nights when Isadora and her siblings would dance to her mother's music and learn about what they were interested in -- literature and music. 	Isadora was told as a child that she would have to learn to depend on herself to get what she needed in life. So as Isadora grew older, she began to understand her family's financial condition and was eager to help. She and her sister Elizabeth began baby-sitting to help the family. To keep their charges busy, they taught them how to dance. The dance lessons were mostly just telling them to wave their arms in the air, but it kept them busy and raised money for the family. 	In those days, when dancing was first popular, "nice" women wore clothing from chin to toe, not showing any skin. However, new kinds of dance were surfacing that allowed the "nicest" women to tak... ...hat trip to Paris, for she died on September 14, 1927 after having dinner with her life-long friend, Mary Desti. After dinner, she hopped into a Bugatti sports car with the agent from the car company. She was wearing a long, elegant, red scarf, and as Mary Desti looked on in horror, that scarf got caught in the axis of the spinning wheel and strangled Isadora Duncan to death. 	More than ten thousand people gathered at the cemetery to watch Isadora Duncan's ashes be place next to her children's in their memorial. Even people who had watched her dance decades before came to the solemn service. To all these people Isadora Duncan meant something. She brought into the world the idea of teaching young children how to dance. Even though she knew they would not all become professional dancers, she felt that a feeling of rhythm and freedom of movement were important for one to have. She was the first to ever express her personal emotions in her public dancing. She always wore revealing clothes, often whatever she could find around her house. If you ever see a young child on a stage twirling and leaping to the words of her own feelings, they are there because Isadora Duncan danced.

Stylistic Means

All stylistic means of the English languages can be divided into expressive means (EM) and stylistic devices (SD). â€Å"The expressive means of a language are those phonetic, morphological, word building, lexical, preseological or syntactical forms which exist in language as-a-system for the purpose of logical and various dictionaries. Among lexical EM we must mention words with emotive meanings, interjections, polysemantic words, vulgar words, slang etc. The fact that polysemantic words retain their primary and secondary meanings is of great importance for stylistics. It is quite easy to understand the meaning of the following phrases; He grasped the main idea; a burning question; pity melted her heart. The italicized words are used in their secondary transferred dictionary meanings. But the primary and secondary meanings are realized simultaneously. The expressiveness of these words becomes obvious when compared with neutral equivalents; He understood the main idea; an important question; pity softened her heart. According to Prof I. R. Galperin`s definition Stylistic Devise is a conscious and intentional intensification of some type structural or semantic property of a language unit promoted to a generalized status and thus becoming a generative model. SD must always have some function in the text, besides they bring some additional information. The conception that words possess several meanings gives rise to such SDS as metaphor, metonymy, irony, epithet and others. Thus, a metaphor is a conscious and intentional intensification of typical sema ntic properties of a word: â€Å"Oh, Rain†-said Mor. He enveloped her in a great embrace. (I. Murdoch). The dictionary meaning of the verb â€Å"envelope† is â€Å"to wrap up, coer on all sides†. The contextual meaning is â€Å"to embrace† The typical features of proverbs and sayings serve as the foundation for an SD which is called epigram, i. e. brevity, rhythm and other properties of proverbs constitute a generative mo0del into which new content is poured A thing of beauty is a joy for ever. (J. Keats) Sweet is pleasure after pain (J. Dryden) What the eye does not see, the stomach doesn’t get upset (J. K. Jerome). These phrases are not proverbs; they are the creations of individual writers and poets. When such phrases are used in the text they accumulate great emotive force and function. They acquire a generalized status and thus easily become an SD while proverbs remain EM of the language. The some may be said about syntax. The typical structural features of oral speech (violation of word order, omission of some parts of the sentence, repetition of certain words etc) may be intensified and promoted to a generalized status. Such SDs as inversion, parallel constructions, chiasmus is the result of these stylistic transformations. It is important to know that the stylistic use of EM must not necessarily lead to the formation of an SD. For example, repetition is widely used in folk song and poetry and in oral speech to make our speech emotional and expressive, but we can’t say that in such cases we use a SD. When the weather is wet We must not fret,- When the weather is cold We must not scold When the weather is warm We must not storm. Thus we may draw the conclusion that EM are the facts of the language, while SDs are the property of the speech. They are the creation of individuals (writers and poets) and are based on the peculiarities of existing EM of the language. This is in short the difference between EM and SD. While speaking about SD we must always remember: the force of one and the same SD may be different. In some cases the emotive charge may be very strong, in others it may be weak. It depends on the use of a SD in one and the same function. Due to the overuse of the SD it may become hackneyed, trite and looses its freshness and brightness; 1. The best pens of the world A sweet smile 2. with his mousing walk Speaking about SDs we must mention the cases when two or more EM or SD meet at one point, it one utterance. Such clusters of SDs are called convergence. â€Å"Together each SD adds its expressivity to that of the others. In general, the effects of these SDs converge into one especially striking emphasis† (M. Riffaterre) For example: When everyone had recovered George said; â€Å"She put in her thumb and pulled out a plum†. Then away we were into our merciless hacking-hecking laughter again. (S. M. Maugham). In English examples we find the convergence of several SDs: decomposition of a proverb (to put one’s thumb into smth), a bring case of an onomatopoeia in the function of an epithet (Hacking-hecking), inversion (adverbial modifier stand before the subject). â€Å" †¦ and heaved and heaved still unrestingly heaved the black sea as if its vast tides were a conscience. Here the convergence comprises repetition, inversion and simile†. [1]

Angela’s Ashes: a Memoir

Lankford 1 Michelle Lankford Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir 10/06/2012 Antagonists in Angela’s Ashes Philomena Flynn was Angela’s cousin. Philomena was one of the people who pressured Malachy McCourt Sr. to marry Angela Sheehan after their mishap when Angela first came to the United States resulting in a pregnancy out of wedlock. Instead of Philomena helping her cousin she tracked down Malachy to make the pregnancy Malachy’s problem. Philomena tracked down Malachy McCourt at a bar. Philomena stated to Frank McCourt,† Our cousin no sooner gets off the boat than you are at her.We have morals in Limerick, you know, morals. We’re not like jackrabbits from Antrim, a place crawling with Presbyterians,† (McCourt 16). Philomena also commented on how Malachy had an odd manner (McCourt 16). After the birth of Angela and Malachy’s first son, a party was given at Philomena’s house. Philomena made a statement to Angela, â€Å"I’d make sure there’s no more children. He don’t have a job, so he don’t, an’ never will the way he drinks. So†¦ no more children,† (McCourt 19). Philomena had her fill with her cousin after Angela gave birth to another child.Philomena and her family made it clear, â€Å"they wanted nothing to do with Angela until she came to her senses,† (McCourt 19). Years later Philomena intervenes in Angela’s life again. Philomena gets in contact with Angela’s mother, Margaret Sheehan, asking for money to send Angela and her family back to Ireland (McCourt 45). Philomena even goes as far as buying a steamer trunk and hiring a van to take the family to Lankford 2 the pier (McCourt 46). As Francis McCourt states,† It was good-bye and good riddance,† (McCourt 46).Angela McCourt, mother of the seven McCourt children, enabled her husband Malachy McCourt Sr. to be a drunk. No where throughout this memoir does she put her foot down, encour aging Malachy Sr. to quit drinking. Throughout the memoir, Angela rants and raves about Malchy Sr. , not providing food and money for his family. Angela states many times though out the story,† They’re gone to bed half hungry because you have to fill your belly with whiskey,† (McCourt 25). Angela goes as far as taking her children down the streets of Brooklyn and Limerick, going from pub to pub seeking her husband.When the family returns to Ireland, Angela spends more time in bed due to illness and or own depression over the loss of 3 of her children instead of taking care of the ones who are alive. Angela takes to her oldest children down a road in search of coal to light a fire (McCourt 69) instead of demanding Malachy Sr. find gainful employment. Angela allows her eldest son, Francis McCourt to be the one who provides the care to his younger siblings. When Malachy McCourt Sr. , goes away to England to work, Angela shacks up with one of her cousins, Laman Griffi n, and has an extramarital affair while her children are in another room.The children hear them â€Å"talking, grunting and moaning,† (McCourt 291). Angela also has no problem allowing her eldest son to find gainful employment to help support the household while Malachy McCourt Sr. is in England sending no money. Angela receives welfare and charity most of the story instead of finding employment herself to support her family. Angela spent most of her time fixating on her losses rather than trying to figure out keeping her family together. Lankford 3 Malachy McCourt Sr. , from Toome, County Antrim (McCourt 12) was an Irish drunk. Malachy Sr. pent most of his years in a bar or pub spending whatever money he earned. Even after he married Angela and had seven children, he couldn’t resist the alcohol. The eldest child, Francis,† knew his father was always out looking for work, came home with smell of whiskey on his breath, and sang songs about Ireland suffering,†(McCourt 22). Angela always has hopes that Malachy Sr. could resist the pub and bring home his pay to support his family (McCourt 95). There comes a time in the story when the McCourt’s have their last child and Malachy’s Sr. ‘s father sends five pounds. Malachy Sr. cashes the money order and spends the money at the pub,† (McCourt 183). Even though Malachy Sr. is a chronic alcoholic his children and Angela love him. It is stated by Francis McCourt,† I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland,† (McCourt 210). Malachy Sr. , has a hard time finding working in Limerick, Ireland because he as a northern Irish accent.Northern Irish people aren’t accepted in Limerick due to their non-catholic religion and affiliation with t he English. Malachy Sr. eventually leaves his family and heads to England for work. Malachy Sr. seldom sends his pay, causing his family to have to beg from charities. It was said by Mr. Downes, â€Å"Malachy McCourt is gone pure mad with the drink, that he squanders his wages in pubs all over the Coventry,† (McCourt 230). Towards the end of the novel, Francis McCourt makes the statement,† He’s not coming, Mam. He doesn’t care about us. He’s just a drunk over there in England,† (McCourt 269). Malachy Sr. s many years of frequenting the pub have caused his family to starve, move to one room shacks, and to rely on others to help support his family. Lankford 4 The McCourt family belonged to low social class. They were poor. They lived in poverty. The McCourt family was rejected on many things because of their social class. Angela McCourt was nearly denied assistance from St. Vincent De Paul Society because they are â€Å"Yankees and thereâ€℠¢s barely enough charity for the poor people of Limerick,† (McCourt 63). Francis McCourt is denied being an altar boy, as Angela states,† I’ll tell you what it is, she says. Tis class distinction. They don’t want boys from the lanes on the altar,† (McCourt 149). The McCourt boys are constantly made fun of because of the rags they wear for clothes, shoes that have holes in them fixed with rubber tires by Malachy Sr. McCourt (McCourt 105) and even as far as having to eat a pig’s head for Christmas and carrying it through the lanes while other kids point and laugh and make jokes (McCourt 98). Poverty is the biggest antagonist in this memoir. The McCourt’s lived in one-room shacks that contained a fireplace, table, 3 chairs and 1 bed which had to accommodate six people. McCourt 59). Most of the McCourt’s meals consisted of tea and bread (McCourt 24) while Malachy McCourt spent his earnings in a pub. The McCourt’s were so poor t hat they filled the infant’s bottles with sugar and water (McCourt 36). While in the United States, many of the McCourt’s neighbors would bring extra food over to support the McCourt household (McCourt 41). In Ireland, Malachy McCourt Sr. goes to the Labour Exchange for the dole to provide some type of income for his family (McCourt 63). Angela McCourt proceeds to go to St. Vincent de Paul to get assistance.Angela is given a docket for a weeks worth of groceries (McCourt 66). The McCourts have to search down roads in order to find coal to have a fire and warmth (McCourt 69). In one of the dwellings the McCourt’s reside at, they must share a lavatory with the whole lane (McCourt 103). Angela McCourt is ashamed of how her family looks â€Å"with the Lankford 5 dirty old torn shirts, raggedy ganseys, broken shoes, and holes in their stockings,† (McCourt 231). Angela McCourt is forced also to be a beggar, as stated by Francis McCourt,† This is worse tha n the dole, The St.Vincent de Paul Society, and the Dispensary. It’s the worst kind of Shame,† (McCourt 250). Many times throughout the memoir Francis McCourt himself has stolen food such as stealing bananas from the Italians in Brooklyn (McCourt 32), stealing fish and chips from a drunken man (McCourt 184), acquiring lemonade from pubs for his mother (McCourt 236), and stealing food off people’s front doors (McCourt 238) to provide food for his family while his father is away in England not supporting his family. The poverty the McCourt’s faced caused illnesses and deaths in this family.It caused hospitalizations for Angela and Francis. This family was near starvation most of Francis McCourts childhood to teenage years. Francis McCourt is what held the family together. Francis McCourt’s life began in the United States and in the end of this memoir he ended up back in the U. S. Francis McCourt had many struggles while growing up. Francis had to deal with poverty, deaths of his younger siblings as well as friends, typhoid and conjunctivitis, his alcoholic father, religion and its hypocrisy.Francis learned that the only he was going to get anywhere was to be a hard worker and he waited year after year until he was finally able to work at 14 yrs old. The story told by Francis McCourt and his upbringing shows that if you work hard enough to achieve your dreams you will accomplish them regardless of what obstacles or mountains you have to climb. Look what Mr. Francis McCourt had to endure to make his dreams come true. He had a dream to return to the United States; A dream that he fulfilled at last. Lankford 6 Works Cited McCourt, Frank. Angela’s Ashes. 1st ed. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print