Tim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay - 1350 Words

There is no lack of interpretations or assumptions of what Americans believe about the war; stating their opinions about politics or the military is not something they are afraid of doing. Whichever way a person wants to perceive the war is entirely up to them, but the viewpoints of the soldiers’ who are fighting in said war, show perspectives that are often entirely opposite of the views of those Americans. Tim O’Brien’s The Thing They Carried offers insight on the Vietnam War as told by soldiers during that time. O’Brien blurs distinction of what the truth is and what is false when it involves the storytelling of war and how everyone else perceives it; the connection of the ‘normal’ Americans, or the average American opinion on war,†¦show more content†¦There are people who want war to happen to make a great change to better their country. There are interpretations that say soldiers are brave and they are doing heroic acts, the war will save them from the unrest within their own country, and additional territory increases. War seems to be the answer to many peoples’ questions. War plays an important role in America’s government and in their political standpoint. However, the soldiers who take part in the war voice differing opinions and thoughts of what war means. The onlookers and the ones involved have different perceptions. O’Brien’s The Things They Carried included gruesome images and stories that bring real-life examples of how soldiers encounter the war to life, which disrupts and challenges the common assumptions that people may have of war. The fact that the Americans who think war is great cannot listen to a true war story seems counterproductive in that the opposite of what they believe is the reality of these soldiers. It suggests that people do not want to hear a true war story for several reasons. No one wants to hear a true war story that could be too much for them to bear, or not to bear, since they are not the ones constantly in battle. No one wants to listen to the truth being told while they are too busy trying to â€Å"make America great† by sending these soldiers to war. The quote, â€Å"As a first rule of thumb, therefore, you can tell a true war story by its absoluteShow MoreRelatedTim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay1328 Words   |  6 Pagesof doing. Whichever way a person wants to perceive the war is entirely up to them, but the viewpoints of the soldiers’ who are fighting in said war, show perspectives that are often entirely opposite of the views of those Americans. Tim O’Brien’s The Thing They Carried offers insight on the Vietnam War as told by soldiers during that time. O’Brien blurs distinction of what the truth is and what is false when it involves the storytelling of war and how everyone else perceives it; the connection ofRead More What is Love? Tim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay2282 Words   |  10 Pagesstill people that can confuse it because of objects or even words. An example of this confusion can be shown in the novel â€Å"The Things They Carried†, by Tim O’ Brien. Jimmy Cross is fond of Martha and s hows strong emotions for her. Jimmy Cross shows his emotions towards Martha right at the beginning of the novel by sharing to us the following: First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a Junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. They were not love letters, but Lieutenant

The Civil War And Reconstruction Periods - 1118 Words

The Unfinished Revolution The Civil War and Reconstruction periods had many positive outcomes for America, such as the reunification of the Union, the expansion of the North and South’s economy, education for all, and much more. Although there were many positive results from these two periods, there was also an aftermath of much failure. The post Civil War, and Reconstruction period consisted of the formation of the Ku Klux Klan and the black code laws. Despite the fact that African American’s were no longer slaves, in many ways they were still not free. Furthermore, the creation of things such as the Ku Klux Klan and the black codes created high tension between the black and white races, a tension that can be argued is still present in modern day America. This essay will examine the aspects of how the post Civil War and Reconstruction period was a failure with regards to social, economic and political, and radical development for newly freed slaves. Social Development Once African American’s were freed they faced many social obstacles. Blacks wanted to immediately be given the same treatment to whites in the workforce, such as have one day off per week so they could have more free time with their families. Blacks had more than the right to request time off, but some whites in American thought that this request was unreasonable, mostly because white people now lacked the ability to exploit black labor (Ransom221). After slavery ended the South was in short supply forShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War And Reconstruction Period Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil War and Reconstruction period provided African American people with a legal definition of citizenship through three constitutional amendments. Beginning with the 13th Amendment slavery was abolished, then 14th Amendment provided equal protection under the law, and lastly the 15th Amendment allowed all men, including African Americans, the ability to vote. However , the transition from enslavement to freedom was a difficult and terrifying one for most black women as they had little or noRead MoreThe Civil War And The Reconstruction Period Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction: American Industrialization emerged from the ruins of the Civil War and the †¦ of the Reconstruction Period. Spurred by the new manufacturing technologies brought over from Great Britain, and the rest of Europe, factories and mills began emerging across the American landscape, slowly transforming the United States from an agrarian society to one increasingly industrialized and urbanized. From 1860-1900, the nation of rural towns, local crafts, family farms, and regional businessRead MoreAfrican American Civil War And The Period Of Reconstruction960 Words   |  4 PagesAfter the Civil War and the period of Reconstruction there were many political, social and economic changes which continued to affect the society. The role of African Americans in society changed after the abolishment of slavery. This new freedom and opportunities were not much greater than before when slavery existed. Despite reconstruction efforts, African Americans faced discrimination. Society as a whole was altered extensively at this time. After the civil war, political changes affected AfricanRead More The Failure of the Post Civil War Reconstruction Period in America674 Words   |  3 Pages After the North won the civil war, it was time to rebuild this nation. This period of reconstruction was supposed to have a profound change on society. Unfortunately this was not the case. Reconstruction did not fundamentally alter this nation. Not to say that nothing happened, but nothing that really made a change or difference happened. First, the control of the south was given right back to the planter elite. Also, even though slavery was abolished; blacks were not free. FinallyRead MoreOrigin Of And Role Played By Manifest Destiny1323 Words   |  6 PagesIndians. Task 2: Triumphs and Failures of the Reconstruction Era Reconstruction is the term used to refer to the period between 1862 and 1877, during which America attempted to bring sanity from the terrific socio-political and economic changes created by the breakaway calls and Civil War. Given the complexity of the post-Civil War issues it is understandable that the period is shrouded in controversy. While some historians typify the period as an absolute failure that proved harmful to allRead MoreThe Impact Of The Civil Rights Movement1018 Words   |  5 PagesThe issue of civil rights was a major one throughout the post-Civil War Reconstruction period and remained so throughout the period leading up to the Korean War in the 1960s. The civil rights struggle was caused largely by southern states’ treatment of African Americans. Slavery was a rampant practice in the pre-Civil War south, and even those African Americans who managed to obtain their freedom were not treated as equals to other citizens in the southern states. Free black men di d not have theRead MoreFederal Government During Civil War Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagesgovernment, the founders believed, that would retard any establishment of monarchial government that the American Revolution was fought upon. However the civil war, and more specifically the Reconstruction period following it tested these principles to the core. While it may be accurate to characterize governmental struggles that defined Reconstruction as ones that were inter-branch, a more detailed and nuanced survey reveals it was borne more so out of ideologies that were incumbent within each branchRead MoreCivil Rights and the Second Reconstruction1189 Words   |  5 PagesCivil Rights and the Second Reconstruction The Civil Rights era was one of the most tumultuous times in American history. The country appeared at once to be striving forward for social progress and, simultaneously, coming apart at the seams. It is exactly this contradiction which drives our discussion the period known as the Second Reconstruction. Named in reference to the original Reconstruction era which succeeded the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in the South, the Second ReconstructionRead MoreThe Legacy Of Lincoln And Andrew Johnson1017 Words   |  5 PagesI will be going through and telling you what happen through the time periods and the months. Through every time period I will tell you every event that goes on during that time period and how long is last. Basically I am giving you a research time lime from event to event. Lincoln and Andrew Johnson were out of sympathy with black suffrage, especially conferred by the federal government. Johnson s interpretations of Lincoln s policies prevailed the Congressional elections of 1866 in the NorthRead MoreHow Did The Radical Republican s Rise For The Failure Of The Post Civil War Reconstruction?1619 Words   |  7 Pagesfailure of the post-civil war reconstruction? The time between 1863, when Lincoln passed the ten percent act, until the year 1877, when reconstruction was officially ended, will be evaluated with information provided by the sources. The investigation will specifically look to how the Lincoln assassination allowed for the rise in the Radical Republican Party from 1866 to 1868 and the party’s effect on reconstruction acts leading to the failure of the post-civil war reconstruction era. Eric Foner’s

Law for Recover Damages

Question: Discuss about the Report of Law for Recover Damages. Answer: Issue: After going through the facts that have been given for this assignment, certain issues emerge. The first issue is related with remoteness of damages. Steve can be held liable for the loss suffered by Tom? The second issue is related with the enforceability of the gratuitous promise. In this case, Pamela had not provided any fresh consideration in return of the promise made by Steve gave her a car for the weekend. The third issue that has to be decided in this case is related with the effect of mistake on a contract. In this case, the car was already destroyed regarding which Danny and Steve had made a contract. The last issue in this case is related with promissory estoppel. Trisha had spent several thousand dollars for making customized components while Steve claims that he had signed the contract by mistake. Law: The test that can be used for deciding the remoteness of contractual damages was provided by the court in Hadley v Baxendale (1854). Recently, this is each commercial law was again decided by the court in The Achilleas (2008). In this way, during the recent years, the test provided in Hadley v Baxendale as defined by the courts. This is a leading case of English contract law. This case provides the basic rule that can be used for deciding consequential damages arising out of a breach of contract. According to this rule, a breaching party will be held liable regarding all the losses that have been suffered by the other party and should have been foreseen by the contracting parties. Therefore, such a party will not be held liable for the losses suffered by the other party which could not be seen by the breaching party on the basis of the information provided to such a party. For example in this case, Hedley had sued Baxendale for the profits that he had lost as a result of the late del ivery. The court declined to allow the recovery of lost profit and stated that the other party can only be held liable for the losses that were generally foreseeable by such a party or if the special circumstances should have been mentioned to the party in advance. Regarding the second issue, the law of contract provides that a past consideration is not changed by the law as a valid consideration. In Re McArdle (1951), Majorie McArdle had performed some improvements and repairs on a bungalow. The bungalow was a part of the estate of her husband's father who had left the property to her husband and four of his siblings. After the work was done, the brothers and sisters had signed the document according to which, in consideration of these repairs, the executors promised to pay 480 but the payment was not made. In this case, the court stated that the promised to pay 480 was made after the consideration has already been performed. As a result, the promise regarding the payment was not binding as past consideration is not valid. Regarding the third issue, the validity of the agreement between the parties can be affected if one or both of the parties are under a mistake. A unilateral mistake is a mistake on the part of one party to the contract. The mistake that is unknown to the other party generally does not impact the enforceability of the contract. Similarly, a unilateral mistake concerning a fact does not effect a validity of the contract. But in case both the parties to the contract under the same mistake regarding a defect, the agreement is considered to be void. Therefore, an example will be considered as void if both the parties to the contract RN mistake that the contract can be performed while in reality, it is not possible to perform the contract. In such a case, the agreement is void (Bell v Lever Brothers Ltd., 1931). According to the doctrine of promissory estoppel, damages can be recovered by a party if these damages have been caused as a result of the promise made by the promisor and such promise was difficult enough so that the promisee may act on it. The elements that should be present in this regard are that the promisor should have made a promise significant enough due to which the promisee had acted on it. The promisee had relied on such a promise and a significant detriment has been suffered by the promisee. Relief can be provided if the promisor fulfilled the promise. In such a case, the presence of a valid contract is not necessary. The court will see if there was detrimental reliance on changing position on part of the promisee. Application: Therefore an injured party is allowed by the law to recover damages that can be reasonably considered as being naturally arising as a result of a breach of contract or the damages that were within the reasonable contemplation of the parties when they entered into the contract. In the present case, Tom cannot be allowed to recover the damages of $5000 per day as his loss in profits because this loss cannot be reasonably contemplated by Steve that no information was given by Tom regarding this loss. Similarly in the second case, the consideration provided Pamela can be described as past consideration. In the eyes of law, a past consideration is not valid. Therefore an enforceable contract has not been created between Pamela and Steve. Regarding the issue between Danny and Steve, it can be said that both the party is rendered a mistake as the subject matter of the contract and already destroyed before the parties have entered into the contract. As a result in this case, the contract between Danny and Steve is void. Concerning the issue between Steve and Trisha, although Steve had signed the contract by mistake but Trisha had already acted on the promise made by Steve. She had spent several thousand dollars for making the customized components. As a result, in this case, Trisha can enforce the agreement against Steve. Conclusion: Tom cannot recover the damages of $5000 per day as his loss in profits because this loss cannot be reasonably contemplated by Steve that no information was given by Tom regarding this loss. Similarly, Pamela had not provided any consideration in return of the promise. The contract between Danny and Steve is void. Trisha can enforce the agreement against Steve. References Bell v Lever Brothers Ltd [1931] UKHL 2 Hadley v Baxendale [1854] EWHC J70 Re McArdle (1951) Ch 669 The Achilleas [2008] UKHL 48

Language and Culture Essay Example

Language and Culture Essay Many animal and even plant species communicate with each other. Humans are not unique in this capability. However, human language is unique in being a symbolic communication system that is learned instead of biologically inherited. Culture is the set of shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and affective understanding that are learned through a process of socialization. These shared patterns identify the members of a culture group while also distinguishing those of another group. Therefore, the binding tie between language and culture is secure and cannot be ignored. Language and culture are closely related and interactive. According to Sapir, culture is a set of beliefs and practices which govern the life of a society for which a particular language is the vehicle of expression (qtd in Damen 1964:61). As Kluckhohn claims, Human culture without language is unthinkable (qtd in Damen1944:26). In addition, Sapir claims that we may think of language as the symbolic guide to culture (qtd in Damen1964:70). Consequently, language is rooted in culture and culture is reflected and passed on by language from one generation to the next. Language is the principal means whereby we conduct our social lives, and therefore, it is bound up with culture in multiple and complex ways. Language and culture can be connected in terms of human systems of classification, cultural foci and world view. First of all, language reflects cultural emphases. In fact, there is a close relationship between folk categories in a given language and elements of the culture in which they are used. Hickerson claims: Points of cultural emphasis are usually directly reflected in language through the size, specialization, and differentiation of vocabulary. We will write a custom essay sample on Language and Culture specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Language and Culture specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Language and Culture specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer That is there are more separate terms, more synonyms, and more fine distinctions made in reference to features of environment or culture with which the speakers are the most concerned. There are fewer terms and they tend to be more generalized when they refer to features which are given less cultural emphasis. â€Å"Cultural emphasis† may indicate environmental or economic factors which are critical to subsistence; it can also comprehend esthetic, religious, or other kinds of values (1980:108). As Hickerson writes in the quotation above, lexicon growth in a language depends either on the focus or on the most important elements of a given culture. People utter words and sentences which refer to common experience. They express facts, ideas or events that are communicable because they refer to a stock of knowledge about the world that other people share. Words not only reflect their authors attitudes and beliefs but also their point of view, which is share by others too. The language we use relates to our identity as an individual and as a member of a cultural group. How we view the relationship between our language and our culture will increasingly determine the way we talk and write. As Samovar, Porter and Jain say, cultural similarity in perception makes the sharing of meaning possible (1981:36). In this sense, language is highly intertwined with culture, since language expresses culture reality. Second of all, language serves to facilitate classification and order. According to Damen, language enables those who use it to relate to their environments, to identify and classify natural and cultural objects, and to organize and coordinate their activities (121). These categories and classifications are used to refer to human experiences and are related semantically within given cultures. Therefore, language organizes the external world and each culture has its own way of grouping these categories. The screws that language and culture impose on nature correspond to various forms of socialization and acculturation. Etiquettes, expressions of politeness, social dos and don? ts shape people? s behavior. The use of written language is also shaped and socialized through culture. Not only what is proper to write to whom in what circumstances, but also which genres are appropriate, because they are sanctioned by cultural conventions. These ways with language, form part of the invisible ritual of imposed by culture on language users. This is culture? s way of bringing order and predictability into people? s use of language. Finally, languages are related to the world views of their speakers. According to Damen, language is also a powerful tool available to human beings in coping with reality. Different languages help form and express different means of dealing with the real world (124). The intertwining of language and culture starts at one? s birth. In fact, when a child is born, it is very similar to any other child. It is not until one is exposed to our context and surrounding that we become individuals of a particular cultural group. From the day a child is born, it? s whole life, opinions and especially language are modeled by what it comes in contact with. According to Brooks, physically and mentally everyone is the same, while the interactions between persons or groups vary widely from place to place. Patterns which emerge from these group behaviors and interactions will be approved or disapproved. 1968: 95). As Brooks claims, acceptable behaviors will vary from location to location, thus constructing the basis of distinct cultures. It is from these differences that one’s view of the world is formed. In conclusion, language and culture are intertwined and interactive, since cultural language organizes and classifies the external world, reflects cultural emphases and demonstrates a world view. In addition, culture is transmitted in great part through language, and cultural patterns in turn are reflected in language. Language and culture are so linked that Allwright and Bailey state that learning a new language involves the learning of a new culture (191). This means that when a person is learning a foreign language, he/she is not only bringing two languages into contact but also two cultures. Rosaldo argues that cultural models derive from the world in which people live and the reality that they construct. She emphasizes that culture shapes and binds one? s social and cognitive concepts (84). What Rosaldo means is that the cultural world serves as a background against which people? subjectivities are formed and expressed, generally through language. Language is the verbal expression of culture. A cultures language contains everything its speakers can think about and every way they have of thinking about things. Language is related to culture in that language not only frames our thoughts but also reflects events that a particular culture experiences.

How to Create Amazing Video Content With Meryl Ayres From Wistia

How to Create Amazing Video Content With Meryl Ayres From Wistia Are you using video content in your marketing strategy? With about 87 percent of marketers using video, you wouldn’t be alone. If you haven’t made the leap yet, you might be looking for tips on how to get started. Today we’re going to be talking to Meryl Ayres. She is the associate creative director at Wistia, a software company that helps businesses and marketers get results from their videos. She is going to share her best tips on how to leverage the power of video content to improve your marketing strategy. Some of the highlights of the show include: A bit about Wistia and what Meryl does there. The types of stories and situations that lend themselves well to video content. How Wistia plans and executes their videos, including how they handle off-the-cuff material. Why it’s so important to have a sense of humor, as well as why sometimes humor isn’t the right approach. Meryl’s best tips on creating video content that will resonate with its intended viewers. Which comes first, the video or the post, depending on the circumstances. Why you might not like the sound of your own voice in a video. Hints and tips for someone who is just dipping their toes in the world of video marketing. Powered by PodcastMotor Actionable Content Marketing powered by By AMP052: How To Create Amazing Video Content With Meryl Ayres From Wistia 00:00/00:00 1x 100 > Download file Subscribe on iTunes Leave Review Share Links: Wistia Using Humor in Branded Content Say What? Why Your Voice Sounds So Weird in VideosIf you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud,  Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes By Meryl: â€Å"Video is an amazing way to teach someone about a concept with a medium that’s dynamic and engaging.† â€Å"Look at what you’re trying to accomplish: Whatever your goals are in social media, can you use video to promote those goals?† â€Å"Consider the holistic content perspective rather than just looking at video in isolation.†

World War I - 1918 Overview

World War I - 1918 Overview By 1918, World War I had been underway for over three years. Despite the bloody stalemate that continued to ensue on the Western Front following the failures of British and French offensives at Ypres and Aisne, both sides had reason for hope due to two key events in 1917. For the Allies (Britain, France, and Italy), the United States had entered the war on April 6 and was bringing its industrial might and vast manpower to bear. To the east, Russia, torn by the Bolshevik Revolution and resulting civil war, had asked for an armistice with the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) on December 15, freeing large numbers of soldiers for service on other fronts. As a result, both alliances entered the new year with optimism that victory might finally be achieved. America Mobilizes Though the United States had joined the conflict in April 1917, it took time for the nation to mobilize manpower on a large scale and retool its industries for war. By March 1918, only 318,000 Americans had arrived in France. This number began to climb rapidly through the summer and by August 1.3 million men were deployed overseas. Upon their arrival, many senior British and French commanders wished to use the largely untrained American units as replacements within their own formations. Such a plan was adamantly opposed by the commander of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing, who insisted that American troops fight together. Despite conflicts like this, the arrival of the Americans bolstered the hopes of the battered British and French armies which had been fighting and dying for since August 1914. An Opportunity for Germany While the massive numbers of American troops that were forming in the United States would ultimately play a decisive role, the defeat of Russia provided Germany with an immediate advantage on the Western Front. Freed from fighting a two-front war, the Germans were able to transfer over thirty veteran divisions west while only leaving a skeleton force to ensure Russian compliance with the Treat of Brest-Litovsk. These troops provided the Germans with numerical superiority over their adversaries. Aware that growing numbers of American troops would soon negate the advantage Germany had gained, General Erich Ludendorff began planning a series of offensives to bring the war on the Western Front to a swift conclusion. Dubbed the Kaiserschlacht (Kaisers Battle), the 1918 Spring Offensives were to consist of four major assaults code-named Michael, Georgette, Blà ¼cher-Yorck, and Gneisenau. As German manpower was running short, it was imperative that the Kaiserschlacht succeed as losses could not be effectively replaced. Operation Michael The first and largest of these offensives, Operation Michael, was intended to strike the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) along the Somme with the goal of cutting it off from the French to the south. The assault plan called for four German armies to break through the BEFs lines then wheel northwest to drive toward the English Channel. Leading the attack would be special stormtrooper units whose orders called for them to drive deep into British positions, bypassing strong points, with the goal disrupting communications and reinforcements. Commencing on March 21, 1918, Michael saw German forces attack along a forty-mile front. Slamming into the British Third and Fifth Armies, the assault shattered the British lines. While Third Army largely held, the Fifth Army began a fighting retreat (Map). As the crisis developed, the commander of the BEF, Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, requested reinforcements from his French counterpart, General Philippe Pà ©tain. This request was refused as Pà ©tain was concerned about protecting Paris. Angered, Haig was able to force an Allied conference on March 26 at Doullens. This meeting resulted in the appointment of General Ferdinand Foch as the overall Allied commander. As the fighting continued, British and French resistance began to coalesce and Ludendorffs thrust began to slow. Desperate to renew the offensive, he ordered a series of new attacks on March 28, though they favored exploiting local successes rather than advancing the operations strategic goals. These attacks failed to make substantial gains and Operation Michael ground to a halt at Villers-Bretonneux on the outskirts of Amiens. Operation Georgette Despite the strategic failure of Michael, Ludendorff immediately launched Operation Georgette (Lys Offensive) in Flanders on April 9. Assaulting the British around Ypres, the Germans sought to capture the town and force the British back to the coast. In nearly three weeks of fighting, the Germans succeeded in reclaiming the territorial losses of Passchendaele and advanced south of Ypres. By April 29, the Germans had still failed to take Ypres and Ludendorff halted the offensive (Map). Operation Blcher-Yorck Shifting his attention south the French, Ludendorff commenced Operation Blà ¼cher-Yorck (Third Battle of the Aisne) on May 27. Concentrating their artillery, the Germans attacked down the valley of the Oise River towards Paris. Overrunning the Chemin de Dames ridge, Ludendorffs men swiftly advanced as the Allies began committing reserves to halt the offensive. American forces played a role in stopping the Germans during intense fighting at Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. On June 3, as fighting still raged, Ludendorff decided to suspend Blà ¼cher-Yorck due to supply problems and mounting losses. While both sides lost similar numbers of men, the Allies possessed an ability to replace them that Germany lacked (Map). Seeking to widen the gains of Blà ¼cher-Yorck, Ludendorff began Operation Gneisenau on June 9. Attacking on the northern edge of the Aisne salient along the Matz River, his troops made initial gains, but were halted within two days. Ludendorffs Last Gasp With the failure of the Spring Offensives, Ludendorff had lost much of the numerical superiority which he had counted on for achieving victory. With limited resources remaining he hoped to launch an attack against the French with the goal of drawing British troops south from Flanders. This would then allow another attack on that front. With the support of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Ludendorff opened the Second Battle of the Marne on July 15. Attacking on both sides of Rheims, the Germans made some progress. French intelligence had provided warning of the attack and Foch and Pà ©tain had prepared a counterstroke. Launched on July 18, the French counterattack, supported by American troops, was led by General Charles Mangins Tenth Army. Supported by other French troops, the effort soon threatened to encircle those German troops in the salient. Beaten, Ludendorff ordered a withdraw from the endangered area. The defeat on the Marne ended his plans for mounting another assault in Flanders. Austrian Failure In the wake of the disastrous Battle of Caporetto in fall 1917, the hated Italian Chief of Staff General Luigi Cadorna was sacked and replaced with General Armando Diaz. The Italian position behind the Piave River was further bolstered by the arrival of sizable formations of British and French troops. Across the lines, German forces had largely been recalled for use in the Spring Offensives, however they had been replaced by Austro-Hungarian troops that had been freed from the Eastern Front. Debate ensued among the Austrian high command regarding the best way to finish off the Italians. Finally the new Austrian Chief of Staff, Arthur Arz von Straussenburg, approved a plan to launch a two-pronged attack, with one moving south from the mountains and the other across the Piave River. Moving forward on June 15, the Austrian advance was quickly checked by the Italians and their allies with heavy losses (Map). Victory in Italy The defeat led Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary to begin seeking a political solution to the conflict. On October 2, he contacted US President Woodrow Wilson and expressed his willingness to enter into an armistice. Twelve days later he issued a manifesto to his peoples which effectively transformed the state into a federation of nationalities. These efforts proved too late as the multitude of ethnicities and nationalities that formed the empire had begun proclaiming their own states. With the empire collapsing, Austrian armies at the front began to weaken. In this environment, Diaz launched a major offensive across the Piave on October 24. Dubbed the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the fighting saw many of the Austrians mount a stiff defense, but their line collapsed after Italian troops broke through a gap near Sacile. Driving back the Austrians, Diazs campaign concluded a week later on Austrian territory. Seeking an end to the war, the Austrians asked for an armistice on November 3. Terms were arranged and the armistice with Austria-Hungary was signed near Padua that day, taking effect on November 4 at 3:00 PM. German Position After the Spring Offensives The failure of the Spring Offensives cost Germany nearly a million casualties. Though ground had been taken, the strategic breakthrough had failed to occur. As a result, Ludendorff found himself short on troops with a longer line to defend. To make good the losses sustained earlier in the year, the German high command estimated that 200,000 recruits per month would be needed. Unfortunately, even by drawing on the next conscription class, only 300,000 total were available. Though German Chief of Staff General Paul von Hindenburg remained beyond reproach, members of the General Staff began to criticize Ludendorff for his failures in the field and lack of originality in determining strategy. While some officers argued for a withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, others believed the time had come to open peace negotiations with the Allies. Ignoring these suggestions, Ludendorff remained wedded to the notion of deciding the war through military means despite the fact that the United States had already mobilized four million men. In addition, the British and French, though badly bled, had developed and expanded their tank forces to compensate for numbers. Germany, in a key military miscalculation, had failed match the Allies in development of this type of technology. Battle of Amiens Having halted the Germans, Foch and Haig began preparations for striking back. The beginning of the Allies Hundred Days Offensive, the initial blow was to fall east of Amiens to open the rail lines through the city and recover the old Somme battlefield. Overseen by Haig, the offensive was centered on the British Fourth Army. After discussions with Foch it was decided to include the First French Army to the south. Beginning on August 8, the offensive relied on surprise and the use of armor rather than the typical preliminary bombardment. Catching the enemy off guard, Australian and Canadian forces in the center broke through the German lines and advanced 7-8 miles. By the end of the first day, five German divisions had been shattered. Total German losses numbered over 30,000, leading Ludendorff to refer to August 8 as the Black Day of the German Army. Over the next three days, Allied forces continued their advance, but met increased resistance as the Germans rallied. Halting the offensive on August 11, Haig was chastised by Foch who wished it to continue. Rather than battle increasing German resistance, Haig opened the Second Battle of the Somme on August 21, with the Third Army attacking at Albert. Albert fell the following day and Haig widened the offensive with the Second Battle of Arras on August 26. The fighting saw the British advance as the Germans fell back to the fortifications of the Hindenburg Line, surrendering the gains of Operation Michael (Map). Pushing on to Victory With the Germans reeling, Foch planned a massive offensive which would see several lines of advance converging on Liege. Prior to launching his attack, Foch ordered the reduction of the salients at Havrincourt and Saint-Mihiel. Attacking on September 12, the British quickly reduced the former, while the latter was taken by Pershings US First Army in the first all-American offensive of the war. Shifting the Americans north, Foch used Pershings men to open his final campaign on September 26 when they began the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Map). As the Americans attacked north, King Albert I of Belgium led a combined Anglo-Belgian force forward near Ypres two days later. On September 29, the main British offensive commenced against the Hindenburg Line with the Battle of St. Quentin Canal. After several day of fighting, the British broke through the line on October 8 at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. The German Collapse As events on the battlefield unfolded, Ludendorff suffered a breakdown on September 28. Recovering his nerve, he went to Hindenburg that evening and stated that there was no alternative but to seek an armistice. The next day, the Kaiser and senior members of the government were advised of this at the headquarters in Spa, Belgium. In January 1918, President Wilson had produced Fourteen Points on which an honorable peace guaranteeing future world harmony could be made. It was on the basis of these points that the German government elected to approach the Allies. The German position was further complicated by a deteriorating situation in Germany as shortages and political unrest swept the country. Appointing the moderate Prince Max of Baden as his chancellor, the Kaiser understood that Germany would need to democratize as part of any peace process. Final Weeks At the front, Ludendorff began to recover his nerve and the army, though retreating, was contesting each bit of ground. Advancing, the Allies continued to drive towards the German frontier (Map). Unwilling to give up the fight, Ludendorff composed a proclamation which defied the Chancellor and renounced Wilsons peace proposals. Though retracted, a copy reached Berlin inciting the Reichstag against the army. Summoned to the capital, Ludendorff was compelled to resign on October 26. As the army conducted a fighting retreat, the German High Seas Fleet was ordered to sea for one final sortie on October 30. Rather than sail, the crews broke into mutiny and took to the streets of Wilhelmshaven. By November 3, the mutiny had reached Kiel as well. As revolution swept across Germany, Prince Max appointed moderate General Wilhelm Groener to replace Ludendorff and ensured that any armistice delegation would include civilian as well as military members. On November 7, Prince Max was advised by Friedrich Ebert, leader of the Majority Socialists, that the Kaiser would need to abdicate to prevent an all-out revolution. He passed this on to the Kaiser and on November 9, with Berlin in turmoil, turned the government over Ebert. Peace at Last At Spa, the Kaiser fantasized about turning the army against his own people, but was ultimately convinced to step down on November 9. Exiled to Holland, he formally abdicated on November 28. As events unfolded in Germany, the peace delegation, led by Matthias Erzberger crossed the lines. Meeting aboard a railroad car in the Forest of Compià ¨gne, the Germans were presented with Fochs terms for an armistice. These included the evacuation of occupied territory (including Alsace-Lorraine), military evacuation of the west bank of the Rhine, surrender of the High Seas Fleet, surrender of large quantities of military equipment, reparations for war damage, repudiation of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, as well as acceptance of continuation of the Allied blockade. Informed of the Kaisers departure and the fall of his government, Erzberger was unable to obtain instructions from Berlin. Finally reaching Hindenburg in Spa, he was told to sign at any cost as an armistice was absolutely necessary. Complying, the delegation agreed to Fochs terms after three days of talks and signed between 5:12 and 5:20 AM on November 11. At 11:00 AM the armistice went into effect ending over four years of bloody conflict. Test your knowledge of the battles of WWI.

Women, the Hammurabi Code Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women, the Hammurabi Code - Essay Example he following rules might broadly be challenged these days but their legitimacy in the distant past was considered as obvious (The Code of Hammurabi, 2010): (1) the sexuality of women should be given up to guarantee legality; (2) the assets of the family should be managed by the male members; and (3) women, particularly divorcees and widows needed the help of society (http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM). Most women were supposed to marry and raise a family. A reasonable set of love poems would indicate that women did enjoy some authority, but marriage, theoretically, was fixed by their brothers or fathers. As stated in the Hammurabi Code, an agreement was required to perform a marriage. According to the few that exist, the agreements stated primarily what would occur if the matrimony ended through abandonment or divorce, or death, but other passages might let off each from the prenuptial obligations of the other or even oblige the bride to work as a slave to her husband’s mother (Meyers, 1991). The major article to be discussed was the amount of the bride price: If a woman who lived in a man’s house made an agreement with her husband, that no creditor can arrest her, and has given a document therefore: if that man, before he married that woman, has a debt, the creditor cannot hold the woman for it. But if the woman, before she entered the man’s house, had contracted a debt, her creditor cannot arrest her husband therefore (151). It is well-known that unsophisticated societies made use of bride price to pay off the family of the bride for labor loss and Israelite culture limited it to a symbolic amount as a sign of engagement. The bride price in Babylonia constantly became piece of the dowry (Meyer, 1991). The bride price, depending on socioeconomic standing, could embody a considerable wealth transfer, possibly several hectares of land and house—however, at the lower socioeconomic hierarchy it might have been little more than a piece of home decoration

Management of Discretionary Costs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Management of Discretionary Costs - Essay Example If one is starting with MRP f the product, care should be taken that prices do not include sales tax, and are typically net f distribution expenses. In case f an FMCG product (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) unit realization f the company, which will appear as gross sales will be typically 65% f MRP price which the consumer pays. Many a times, companies give their volume figures under generic product category name. The volume figures include products f different sizes, types and prices. The analyst has to take care f expected changes in product mix while forecasting. Keep a broad picture f the competitive scenario and its impact on pricing. Also, understand key drivers f pricing, like for petrochemicals, India is a price taker, so global price trends have a bigger influence in determining Indian price trends. Material Costs Estimate material costs, which in most cases is the most significant cost item. Key variables - Raw material prices - Production efficiency, conversion norms and yield improvement have a significant bearing on cost estimation. The analyst has to understand the basic manufacturing process and get a fix on input output norms. Labour Costs For estimating labour costs, one can start with previous year's labour cost and adjust it for the following factors. Key variables - Additions/ adjustments for additional capacity/ new plant, - Reduction for retrenchment/ sale f a unit etc, - Salary increases on settlements with union etc. Many companies plan for settlement hikes and make provisions even if negotiations are delayed, - Bonus, profit linked incentives, - Salary increases. Fuel and power cost... Financial challenges faced by Kramer and Associates, and especially by the director of this investment consulting company deal with attempting to manage clients’ portfolios to suit each and everyone’s future financial needs. In summary, the simulation involves three clients with different risk profiles. Adrian O’Donnell has a high-risk growth profile, and wants to see returns as quick as one and a half to two years time. Tonya Davidson has a conservative-risk growth profile, and wants to see a steady growth of her investment over the span of 10 years. John Barrett has a moderate-risk growth profile, and wants to see steady returns over a period of five to six years. The challenge arises on how to allocate their investment funds to meet their desired risk and returns level. With treasury bills, the returns are almost exactly what was promised initially, therefore making them an almost risk-free investment. The returns on T-bills are on average about five percent. Stocks on the other hand, have returns of average 10 percent per year. In this case, companies may eventually experience bankruptcy, which means a depletion of one’s stocks in that company, or that company may experience enormous growth, meaning that the investor will experience enormous returns. Therefore, the simulation challenges the consultant to find the right mix of investment options to satisfy the goals of each client.

In-Licensing in Pharma Essay Example for Free

In-Licensing in Pharma Essay INTRODUCTION The process of bringing a new drug to market is an extremely expensive one, often costing above $200 million. This enormous cost can be explained by the fact that a very small fraction of molecules in research and development ultimately become pharmaceutical products. However, the rewards of a successful new product can be tremendous generating, depending on the therapeutic areas in which the product will be used and the disease it will directed to, from millions to billions of dollars of sales annually worldwide. Many pharmaceutical companies are facing a pipeline gap because of the increasing economic burden and uncertainty associated with internal research and development programs designed to develop new pharmaceutical products. The need for large pharmaceutical companies to constantly replenish the supply of potential blockbusters requires a consistent and dedicated approach to drug RD. However no longer is inhouse research expertise sufficient. To fill this pipeline gap, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly relying on in-licensing opportunities. Business development and licensing department identifies new pharmaceuticals that satisfy unmet needs and are a good strategic fit for the company, completes valuation models and forecasts, evaluates the ability of the company to develop and launch products, and pursues in-licensing agreements for pharmaceuticals that cannot be developed internally on a timely basis. The in-licensing process provides a source of new drugs to a given company to supplement internal laboratory research, to reach the company’s goal in term of present and future portfolio. As competition in the pharmaceutical market continues to grow, effective business development strategies become critical to maintain momentum and improve global market share for the leading pharma companies. An increasing proportion of revenues are expected to be generated from licensed products and as a result licensing will become an ever more important component of the overall business development mix (source: Wood Mackenzie’s Licensing insight Multi-Client study, April 2003) The in-licensing process might imply enormous effort by the company. It can be compared to the proverbial search for a needle in the haystack. First, the haystacks are large and require a massive amount of searching. Second, no one knows how many needs are in the haystack. There might be none, or multiple. Third, the search is conducted in public and multiple companies compete for innovative therapies, and resource allocation and financial aspect play a role in such competition. The key to pursing in-licensing opportunities is rapidly to identify individuals and companies with the intellectual property sought by the company. New business development teams maintain a business development customer relationship management information system. The information stored in this system has been gathered from personal networking contacts, industry available organization directories, membership directories, commercially PubMed, and online databases. The system contains the contact information, therapeutic interest areas, development stage information for products in development, and other relevant information needed to identify potential in-licensing partners, such as key clinical researchers, biotechnology companies, and small specialty pharmaceutical companies. A search of this system provides a list of potential inlicensing partners. To supplement this list, the new business development team begins a systematic marketing campaign in select industry trade publications and Web sites to promote the company’s desire for an in-licensing partner. The campaign highlights the company’s strengths in clinical development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing. Information regarding the type of product desired (therapeutic class, clinical development stage, and so forth) and the type of licensing agreement being sought is specified. From the list of potential in-licensing partners, the new business development team selects the most appropriate candidates and begins to evaluate the feasibility of in-licensing each potential partner’s product. Despite there is no standard formal process in in-licensing of pharmaceutical products, it is quite standard to utilize a stepwise approach, composed of go/no go gates, that can be summarised in the following stages: 1. evaluation of potential in-licensing opportunities 2. first pass review 3. product evaluation 4. due diligence 5. in-licensing contractual negotiation and deal closing. This stages are ordered following a timeline perspective, so to have a subsequent flow of actions. The approach includes examining opportunities from other pharmaceutical companies and from academic centers involved in research. Once the opportunity has been identified, the first pass review consist generally in the evaluation of information provided by the potential licenser, the medical and scientific literature, and specialised consultant if there is a in-house gap in specific knowledge. This initial step has often been based on a ‘’gut feeling’’ and the company overall strategy in term of therapeutic area focus. For those opportunities not rejected in the first pass review, a more detailed evaluation of the scientific, commercial and financial issues, are undertaken. Additional people with various area of expertise participate in this secondary evaluation. Only if the entire evaluation is positive the opportunity is taken to senior management, that finally approves the in-licensing after due diligence and a full negotiation on terms of the agreement. One aspect that is often underestimated in in-licensing opportunity is the in depth commercial assessment of the putative candidate, leaving the go/no-go decision mainly at strategic fit in terms of therapeutic area focus or financial aspect taken from capital budgeting calculations. In this regards, sales forecast plays a critical role in assessing the net present value of the in-licensing opportunity, but they need to be supported by a complete, although preliminary, full product evaluation. This evaluation has to include external analysis in the context of the future scenario, internal analysis of the given putative candidate, and a preliminary but clear product strategy. The scope of the development of a qualitative model for a full product evaluation in the context of an putative in-licensing opportunity is to define the key relevant steps within the full product evaluation related to commercial aspect that are critical for the precise and coherent definition of the sales potential of the product, that will used in the Capital Budgeting (e.g. Net Present Value) models to assess the financial aspect of the opportunity and set the basis for the full negotiation. Common financial analysis measures for valuation of an in-licensing opportunity Pay Back Period (PBP) Length of time required to recover the cost of an investment Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analyzes future free cash flow projections and discounts them using the after tax weighted average cost of capital to arrive at a present value (value in local currency at the time of analysis); DCF analysis estimates the money a company would receive from an investment and adjusts for the time value of money.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf as Epic Hero -- Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf as Epic Hero Epic heroes usually exemplify the character traits most admired in their societies, and Beowulf is no exception.   "Beowulf" is set in the Anglo-Saxon society, a time when war was rampant among the many peoples trying to take over the different kingdoms of England.   In this dangerous, violent time people lived in constant peril and jeopardy.   These conditions only allowed people of great bravery to survive and men of outstanding courage were admired the populous.   These warriors fought for their leader and tribe in return for treasure and protection.   This relationship between the lord and his men was the basis of the Anglo-Saxon society.   The epic poem "Beowulf" is a perfect example of how this system worked in these trying times. The warrior in the Anglo-Saxon civilization had many duties to fulfill.   He was obligated to respect and protect his lord as well as defend his lord's honor. The demonstration of personal valor was also very important in these times.   Beowulf is "Higlac's Follower" and works to please his lord.   He is afraid that   "My lord Higlac / Might think less of me" (l   191-192) if he uses weapons in battle.   Not only does Beowulf work to please his lord, but he also works to protect Hrothgar, the lord of the Danes.   As the poem shows, when In his far-off home Beowulf...(l 131) Heard how Grendel filled nights with horror And quickly commanded a boat fitted out, Proclaiming that he'd go to that famous king, Would sail across the sea to Hrothgar (l 134-137). Beowulf is going out of his way, "across the sea" to help a lord whom he is not obligated to.   He is doing so out of choice to show his respect for Hrothgar, and to help the poor people threatened by Grendel. G... ...s.   Both Hrothgar and Beowulf adequately filled their places as a ruler. As clearly indicated through the characters of Beowulf and Hrothgar, the ruler-warrior relationship during times of great danger was very important for the survival of the Anglo-Saxons.   As long as this relationship remained stable, both the ruler and warrior would remain protected, rewarded, and fairly happy.   Beowulf and Hrothgar both men of great valor, were praised by all.   This simple system set up between warrior and leader was the basis of society at the times, and destroying this structure would surely destroy a tribe's chances of survival in this time of peril.   Therefore, if Beowulf did not honor the Danes' lord and Grendel was allowed to live, Hrothgar and the Danes would surely see their demise.   This is perhaps why bravery was of such high necessity in the Anglo-Saxon society.

Sultry Days by Shobha de

SULTRY DAYS : A Tale of Struggle and Freedom Sultry Days is the fifth novel written by Shobha De published in the year 1994. With Sultry Days Shobha De has explored a different approach in her characters which had not been seen in her previous novels. Shobha writes in the front page of this novel; ‘For my children†¦ finally a book by me that they can read. ‘ L. Sonia Ningthoujam writes; ‘Sultry Days, takes us into the world of power, sex and guns, the shady side of Mumbai upper class society. [1] In this novel Shobha has realistically presented the lives of youth, their aspirations their attitudes, she mentions in her autobiography; ‘ The novel is littered with types from that mixed-up decade-the self-styled bohemians out to change the world but not their smelly underwear; the dirty old men of Mumbai, all gas and small turds; the corporate ladies with their ‘good life' hangs-ups; the intellectuals, pariahs and parasites who feed off the rich while s pitting on their ‘capitalist values'. It was a fun book to do.And for those of us who grew up in that era in Mumbai, there were a lot of familiar echoes and reference points that provided loads of amusement during the recounting. I consider ‘God' one of my better-etched characters†¦ I can only regret he wasn't for real. ‘ [2] Shobha De dazzles the reader with her frank and candid tales of the lives of males and females who are trying to carve a successful career in the field of literature and journalism in the city of Mumbai. Because of her own journalistic stint in Mumbai Shobha's Sultry Days emerges as a very realistic novel.Shobha says, ‘I rather liked doing this book with its simple tale of doomed love, simply because it took me back to my college days and to the edges of the pseudo-arty intellectual world I flirted with briefly before beating a hasty retreat. ‘ [3] The protagonist in this novel is also a female like other novels of Shobha De, but unlike her other novels Sultry Days also revolves around a male character. Nisha, the protagonist of the novel is a strong headed and career oriented female although the novel also deals very realistically with a male character who also becomes the central character as the novel unfolds.God or Deb is the central male character and Nisha is the narrator. It is through Deb that Nisha discovers herself. Nisha is a young college student who is sharp and focused towards studies, she comes from an upper middle class family. Nisha's parents do not have a very loving relationship. She always feels tense that father has no time for her mother and neglects his daughter. Nisha is a shy girl and she always hated the frown birthmark on her forehead which made her look tensed all the time. ‘ Was it my expression? Did I look troubled? In pain? Depressed? Maybe it was that birthmark of mine.It had to be that. I was born with worry lines between my brows. ‘ [4]——  page 2 Nisha thought that she may appear to Deb as a, ‘A prissy little good girl who carried far too may books around. Pretty enough, I suppose. But not special. ‘ [5]— page 2 From the beginning we become aware of Nisha's attraction for Deb who is also referred to as God by most of his college friends. Deb is the son of a communist and is also a communist himself, he often gets arrested while taking out Morchas. Nisha gets attracted to Deb because of his unusual personality.His appearance is shabby, wears days' old stubble, always scratches his ‘matted locks which were full of lice-nests,' smokes ‘beedies,' is a man of loose morals, ‘has had several girls by the time he reached college'. His attitude towards girls is also to – ‘use them and leave them. ‘ ‘ I learnt very quickly that I had to bury whatever little ego and pride I had if I wished to hang around God. His attitude towards girls was simple-use them and leave them†¦ As for me, I was plain moonstruck. And for once in my life I wasn't going to lose out by default. ‘ [6]— page 5Despite his shabby appearance, ‘God's hands and fingernails were surprisingly, neat and clean. ‘ He knows many languages such as German, French and Spanish. He had already read Chaucer and Karl Marx before leaving school. Deb fails to tolerate exploitation and hence revolts against injustice, tyranny and frivolities. In the beginning of the novel Deb asserts the importance of decent means and told Nisha that he was not interested in money as it is only ‘means to an end. ‘ Nisha is very impressed with his manners. Nisha is truly in love with Deb and tries hard to work their relationship.Deb however, is not very emotionally attached to Nisha or at least he pretends so. He mainly lives off Nisha's money. Nisha tells; ‘I loved buying things for God. It gave me a sense of belonging. Gifts were a bond-perhaps the only one. Gi fts-which he took entirely for granted. ‘ [7]— page 13 Nisha's parents disapproved of God as they felt that God is using their daughter for his own profit. But Nisha is totally smitten by Deb and tells them, ‘I'd like Deb to ruin my life. I want him to ruin it. I don't care if he wrecks it. I love him. [8]——– page 14 Nisha is very possessive about her mother and when Deb passes some nasty comments on her mother, Nisha screams at him in a fit of anger, ‘Oh, shut up! How dare you? ‘ I screamed, ‘You and your filthy mind. What would you know about the needs of ladies-you who have no background, no class, you filthy bastard. ‘ [9]– page 17 Nisha's father is a typical hypocrite husband. At home he had set rules for his wife and daughter to follow. He expected his wife to be dolled up in office parties according to his tastes. His wife had no choice.Nisha tells, ‘ My father's ideas of a well-dressed wife were pre tty fixed-she had to be draped in pastel-coloured chiffon worn with a sleeveless blouse†¦ Make-up, especially lipstick, was of vital importance since he firmly believed it was a sign of sophistication and no stylish woman should ever be seen without it. ‘ [10]— page 19 He expected his wife to look after the house and accompany him for occasional parties. She was never encouraged to do something worthwhile outside home. When Nisha's mother told her friends that she had no time for her personal interests her friend tells her; ‘That is your problem.But if I were in your place, I would just tell him that if he'd wanted to marry an ayah, he shouldn't have married you. We bring a lot of status to our husband and they should realize it. ‘ [11]—-page 24 Nisha's father did not approve of women going out of home for work. When Nisha's mother got an offer for work from her friend Pratimaben her husband denied it straightaway by saying; ‘In our company wives do not work†¦. They stay at home and organize dinner parties' [12]— page 147 For a large number of years after their marriage Nisha's mother use to give up without a fight with her husband.But when the artificial behavior of her husband started taking toll on her senses she told her husband in a fit of anger; ‘I have had enough of your bullying and hypocrisy. I have kept quiet for far too long. Go to hell with your corporate nonsense†¦. Why should you I? Why should I bother about you either? You can also go to hell with your pompous talk and empty boasts. I am sick, do you hear, sick of living this false life†¦ Well-it's my turn now. And you can listen to me for a change. I will go along with Pratimaben with anything I choose to do. She is my friend.She encourages me. She appreciates me†¦ Whether you like it or not, henceforth I will make the decisions about my life. And the first thing is that I'm taking a job. ‘ [13]——â⠂¬â€œ page 148 Shobha De satirizes the hypocritical couples who have extramarital relations and yet pretend to be faithful to each other. Deb broke the news to Nisha that her father is having an affair with a Sindhi woman. Even Nisha's mother confirms that her father has broken all ties with her. Inspite of their differences Nisha's parents throw an anniversary party for their friends.Nisha was tensed seeing all this and admits; ‘As for me, I was drwn into my mother's sad world, full of self-pity and doubt. I didn't know what to make of the bomb she ad dropped. My father continued to be ‘normal' and pretended nothing had happened. ‘ [14]——page 62 In this novel Shobha De throws light on the hollow life of film and modeling world. Deb gets no pocket money from his father, he does free lance reporting as well as proof-reading. After college Nisha joined an ad agency and she became a little busy in her life. Whenever she had time she met God and enjoyed h is company.As God became conscious of his creative powers, he started writing poems. Nisha felt delighted seeing God moving in the league of contemporary poets. God is also very proud of his poetic sensibilities. God started attending workshops in which amateur poets gathered and showcased their work. Shobha De gives a very realistic picture of this strata of upcoming talent. She refers to such workshops as; ‘The sessions were conducted I dingy halls where the organizers didn't have to pay any rent. Everybody sat around on uncomfortable folding chairs or on the floor†¦Others who were present regularly were a fairly motley lot of struggling writers, a Grande Dame of Verse, frustrated copy-writers and self-styled critics. ‘[15] – page 26 Nisha never felt at ease in the meetings of Anglo Indian Poets Association. There were some aspiring women members also in the group. Women like Chandni, Sujata, Pramila etc wanted to get name and fame in the field of journalis m. These women wanted to get away from the clutches of domesticity and wanted to breathe in the fresh air. One such character is that of Sujata. Sujata was also a member of God's poetry recitation group.She represents modern women who fulfills all her homely duties and also doesn't forget her own interests. Shobha writes; ‘All of them-her timid husband and four daughters, doted on her. However, she had made it plain that she had gone beyond them and that she'd stopped playing wife and mother long ago. ‘ After fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother, Sujata decided to live her life on her own terms. She told her family ; ‘ My duties are over. They are on their own now,' she would explain. ‘I have played the roles I was expected to at the appropriate times. Now†¦I'm on my own. And they are on their own. This is my life. I want to live it my way. ‘ [16]—- Page 31 God appreciated Sujata's behaviour, he tells Nisha; ‘What's wrong with h er behaviour? She is beautiful, man, just beautiful. She follows her instincts. She makes her own rules. She's not a coward. She cares two hoots for the so-called â€Å"society†. I admire her guts, yaar. ‘ [17]—page 31 Ultimately, God joined Plume magazine as sub-editor and felt delighted. The basic aim of Plume was to encourage young poets.Shobha de has very realistically portrayed women's protest against the prevalent system which limits the scope of a woman's life to mere day to day household chores. In this novel women like Sujata and Pratimaben do not accept their traditional roles in marriage. They detest being limited to the domestic chores. Extremely conscious of their changed role in family, they proclaim loudly, ‘We are not only housekeepers after all, ‘We are not mere housekeepers, after all. ‘ [18]—page 24 Some women are career conscious to the extent that they do not think in terms of a settled family.Manju, Vimla are the pro fessionals in marketing field and are career oriented females. They represent the ‘new age' females writes Shobha De; ‘ These were the no-nonsense women who had ‘take me seriously' written all over them†¦.. They took their jobs with an earnestness that was almost terrifying in its intensity. Even the married ones insisted on being addressed as ‘Ms' or stuck to their maiden names. Their male colleagues were not permitted to crack jokes or flirt lightly. ‘ She writes further, â€Å"Workaholism for women had become very fashionable. If men can pursue careers ruthlessly, so can we, women declared at seminars and workshops for senior managers†¦.. ‘ Postpone babies or ask your husband to share house work. ‘† [19]———–page 119 These characters in Sultry Days have an altogether different outlook towards family and social life. In this context, De's feminist concerns in her fiction come close to the ideas e xpressed by Veena Noble Dass, ‘Literature should show women in activities that are not traditionally ‘feminine' to speed the dissolution of rigid sex roles.It is not enough, however to simply place a female character in a new occupation, with no corresponding change in her personality and behaviour. ‘ [20] The modern woman aspire to exercise power and control the situation. Feroze and Kiki also fall in the category of the New Woman of the new era. Regarding Feroze Shobha De remarks; ‘Feroze was on her own in more ways than one. Enterprising manipulative and full of strange kind of charm, she got around to places most people only dreamt of†¦Feroze became a familiar and popular figure in filmdom in an incredibly short period†¦ She drove her own car-she smoked foreign cigarettes. She traveled by planes. ‘ [21]——page 150 Nisha met Anil Bhandari, a young marketing guy who'd just set up a hot-shop of his own after coming back from a l ong stint in America with one of the best marketing agencies. Anil was in his early thirties and mockingly referred to himself as a ‘first generation yuppie'. [22] —page 76 He was a fine example of a modern educated young man with refined international tastes.He smelt of Aramisor Drakkar and used Studio Line gel in his hair, wore Warren Beatty glasses. Soon Anil was going around with a supermodel model Shona. Shona and Anil perfectly complemented each other. Once they were engaged Anil emerged as a typical male from a hypocrite society. He told Nisha; ‘ In fact, I'm going to ask Shona to give up modelling once we're married. She won't need the money anyway. ‘ Nisha asked him; ‘Maybe there's more than money in it for her. Maybe she loves her career. She is right at the top now. Have you discussed it with her? ‘ ‘Not yet. I'm sure she'll agree. She's such an innocent docile girl. ‘ Anil said. What will she do with her time? ‘ Nish a asked him. Anil replied and asked Nisha; ‘What does any housewife do? There's so much to do around the house. ‘ [23] — page 109 As the novel progresses we see visible change in God's attitude. From a small time poem writer and proofreader Deb starts working for an art magazine Plume. Having tasted power and money during his association with Plume, God's sole interest is to acquire money and power. Although Nisha does not approve of God's new way of life. She explains her utter repulsiveness to God's new style of living which had begun sowing the seeds of discord and estrangement between them.She says; ‘No I didn't like what was happening to God at all. We were beginning to see less and less of each other now that he didn't need to touch me for cash that often†¦ God was behaving like a mortal, like all the other journalists in the town, a bum who shamelessly sold his pieces for a fews pegs of scotch and a five-star evening' [24] – page 100 Nisha always looked for a loyal partner in Deb which Deb ceased to be, not because of his alliance with other women but because of their varied interests. Deb and Nisha's relationship turned cold after the former starts caring less and less for his self-respect.He turned out to be a typical man from a male dominated society. Deb has moved to his own place and required somebody to cook for him and look after his house. Nisha suggested him to get a maid. Deb very casually told her; ‘These maids-shaids are a hassle, yaar. I need my own woman. If you want, I don't mind a shaadi-waadi-I know that will make you feel better. Theek hai-we can be burgeois and go through with that marriage rubbish. You can cook, can't you?†¦ Can you fry puris without burning your fingers? Can you make rice that isn't sticky?†¦ Better to get all this straight from the start, hai na?No lafda later on†¦ Give me my daal-roti, a warm bed, twice-a-week maalish and a daily screw. That's all I expect. ‘ Nisha was too stunned to respond to what she heard; ‘One part of me was laughing. The other, feeling sorry for this man. He was obviously deranged-or the world's biggest egotist. He actually expected me to jump at this offer. He looked so comic. So vulnerable, standing in the lobby, trying to look nonchalant and heroic. ‘ [25]—- page 160 God's sole interest in life was reduced to acquire money and power. Contrary to his attitude Nisha wants everything in life through sheer labor.Nisha had never expected this change in God and she failed to convince him as to he did not need to work for a political broker, he needed to trust the power of his pen, but all her efforts went in vain. As ill luck would have it, Deb became proud of his power and joins Yashwantbhai, a don. God's new life style began to sow seeds of discord and estrangement between them. Nisha realizes that God was no longer the same person she had fallen in love with. Nisha tried her best to refr ain Deb from associating with a criminal like Yashwantbhai but Deb had gone too far to come back.Nisha started exposing Yashwantbhai and his underworld connections in her write-ups. Nisha's bold action is supported by her mother and also by a social activist Pratimaben who unravels and brings to public notice Yashwantbahi's atrocities on his former mistress, Pramila. Pramila is a fine example of a new age woman. Pramila is a Nagpur woman, her husband is in a well paid job, they have three children. Pramila is a talented poetry writer and to pursue her career in writing she leaves her family and moves to Mumbai. She shots to fame as soon as her poems are published in English.She administers a shock to her husband when she divorces him and leaves the house along with her two daughters. She eventually meets Yashwantbhai and becomes her mistress. She becomes avictim of his lust. She becomes pregnant with his child, Yashwantbhai forces her to get a sex check done for the unborn baby as h e did not want a girl child. Knowing that the child is a girl Yashwantbhai abuses her and then it is God who helps her in going underground. Nisha, her mother, Pratimaben with Pramila's help expose Yashwant bhai.Ultimately, Deb has to pay for his association with Yashwant bhai, he is shot by Yashwantbhai's goons and God collapses after struggling for a couple of days in hospital. When Dev is shot and admitted in the hospital, Nisha analyzes the life of ignorant and uneducated women of Bombay who never think of higher issues of life such as- What are the fundamental rights of a citizen? What is the interpretation of women liberation movement? What is secularism? Will women be free from the drudgery of the kitchen? What is the meaning of democratic socialism? Is socialism going to help women in any way?What is the importance of L. I. C in the life of a family? Nisha thinks very realistically that these ignorant and simple-hearted women are not shot dead as they don't raise their voice against the underworld Dons. No threats are given to them as they don't interfere with the working of politicians. But the women in Shobha De's novels are strong and confident. These women know what they want from life and how to achieve it. Nisha's mother followed her husband's instructions through out her life but finally she raised her voice against his hypocrite nature and emerged a winner.Women in Sultry Days assert their free and autonomous existence, they struggle and fight against the established social order that threatens their existence. Bhaskar A Shukla observes; ‘It may be partly on account of her experience as a journalist that she is able to tell things interestingly and with a courage of conviction in a language uniquely her own. ‘ [26] Women in Sultry Days represent a modern, self-sufficient and financial independent woman. These women do not expect their male partners to provide them financial security.In fact, it is Nisha grants monetary favors to her boyfriend Deb for a long time. Sujata, Pramila, Pratimaben are women who do not wish to be enclosed in their homes, they wish to be free from the clutches of male dominated society. They show the courage to leave their houses and pursue their dreams and make a mark of their own. Binod Mishra remarks; ‘In De's novels women's desperate struggle for existence unfolds in their unconventional behaviour, their sexual escapades and their dream for a life free from male domination. ‘ [27] BIBLIOGRAPHY Sonia Ningthoujam, Image of the New Woman in the Novels of Shobha De. 2Shobha De, Selective Memory:Stories From My Life, page 336 3Shobha De, Selective Memory:Stories From My Life, page 336 4Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 2 5Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 2 6Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 5 7Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 13 8Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 14 9Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 17 10Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 19 11Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 24 12Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 1 47 13Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 148 14Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 62 5Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 26 16Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 31 17Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 31 18Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 24 19Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 119 20Veena Noble Dass, ed. , â€Å"Feminism and Literature†, Feminism and Literature (Delhi : Prestige Books, 1995), page 10 21 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 150 22 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 76 23 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 109 24 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 100 25 Shobha De, Sultry Days, page 160 26Bhaskar A Shukla, Shobha de : The Writer and Feminism, page 114 27 Binod Mishra, Critical Responses to Feminism

Class Project on San Diego Police Department

Police Departments of different cities are undergoing a transition. Police department and their operations, hierarchy design, and strategies are becoming increasingly similar to that of other commercial organizations. Police Departments today operate with a sense of direction, a mission that is broken down into objectives and achievable goals that must be met in order to rank the mission of the department as a success. Therefore, it will not be incorrect to compare police departments to business organizations functioning within the society About San Diego Police Department The police department of San Diego is one of the most efficient police departments from across the country. The department is also amongst the pioneers in implementing strategies that have won the country the edge in the fight against crime. These strategies include implementation of an Information Technology infrastructure and programs such as ‘Community Oriented Policing’. The San Diego Police Department has a strength of over two-thousand-six-hundred personnel. This strength consists of officers that are sworn, as well as other that are civilians. These personnel function conjointly towards accomplishing the mission of the police department. These personnel are further divided into eight divisions: Field Operations, Special Operations, Neighborhood Policing, Training and Development, Office of Administration, Personnel Services, Professional Responsibility, and Support Services. All these departments function under the assistant chief, except for the Personnel Services which functions under a civilian personnel director. (Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) The department has been a leader in trying new strategies for implementing effective criminal justice routines. The department works closely with the community and encourages the society to participate and coordinate with the fight to make the city free of crime. The ‘Community Oriented Policing’ and ‘Problem Oriented Policing’ are two such programs that bring the community and the department together in the fight against crime. Further, the department has also implemented Information Technology as a strategy for efficient crime reporting and monitoring The aforementioned strategies have yield promising results for the San Diego Police Department. The crime rate has considerably declined in the city and is continues to drop. The crime statistics of the year 1997 show that fewer homicides, murders, violent crimes, property crimes and burglaries have taken place that year as compared to 1978 (Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999). However, this existing crime rates are still quite high for the United States. The San Diego Police Department has therefore the responsibility to sustain the comparative low crime rates and try to reduce these statistics even further. This cannot be achieved without efficient strategy planning of department’s resources. Following is a study and analysis of the San Diego Police Department. The various aspects of the operations of the department are studied, analyzed, and based on these a strategy plan is devised for sustainability in operation of the department. San Diego Police Department’s Mission The department envisions cohesion of efforts of various entities in the society, aimed at improving the lives of the inhabitants of San Diego. The collaborative work is one of the most stresses attributes of the police department’s mission. This collaboration includes entities such as â€Å"communities, government agencies, private groups and individuals† (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2002) that share the same vision as the San Diego Police Department, i. e. fighting crime and improving the quality of life in San Diego. The attributes of the mission statement are the values that the San Diego Police Department tends to use to accomplish its mission. These values are representative of the spirit, and are the basis of the policies of the police department’s mission. San Diego’s Web Site (2002) lists some of the core values of their police department, rating protection of human beings as one of the highest priority values. This is significant for any police department as the primary reason for establishment of peace, law and order systems is protection of human life. The value deserves to be at top priority as a lack of value suggests taking for granted the objective of the department’s motif for existence. The implementation of ethical policing follows in the list of values. The reason for giving ethics a high importance is crucial for the acceptance of the police department by the people it is established for. There are many issues surrounding execution of duties of the police force and officers, ethics being one of them. It is not fiction but a fact that a police subculture has established itself within the officers which sometimes provides for officers to carry out unethical practices or misuse of authority. The public shows its concern for such unethical practices implemented by law enforcers themselves. Therefore, the implementation of ethics in particular and mention of it that high in the mission statement of the police department is strategically intended to ward off bad attention. Units in the San Diego Police Department The police department has been organized into several different units based on nature of function or crime. This helps organization of resources as well as represents the image of a well-organized/equipped police department. The different units operating in SDPD are: Air Support Unit, Armory – SWAT, Background Investigations, Canine Unit, Child Abuse, Communications, Crime Analysis, Criminal Intelligence, Crisis Intervention, Data Systems, Domestic Violence Unit, Elder Abuse, Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO), Field Training Officer Administration (FTO), Financial Crimes, Gang Detail, Harbor Patrol, Homicide, Internal Affairs, Juvenile Administration, Laboratory, Legal Advisors, Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST), Media Relations, Mounted Enforcement Unit, Narcotics, Neighborhood Policing, Permits & Licensing (Vice Administration), Personnel, Psychological Services, Records, Recruitment, Robbery, School Task Force, Sex Crimes, Special Investigations, SWAT/SRT (Special Response Team) and Vice Operations. The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003) Critical Success Factors of San Diego’s Department of Police The success of the Police Department in accomplishing and maintaining the mission objective in the community can be contributes to various factors. Some of these factors can be outline to be critical for the success of department, without which the SDPD could not have realized their mission objectives. These factors are summed up and briefly outlined here as the critical success factors for SDPD. Well-defined Strategy The reason why San Diego Police Department has been recognized as one of the leading police departments in controlling crime is that the department has well-defined strategic objectives. The objectives are responsible for focusing the resources of the organization in an organized manner, towards attaining the mission objectives of the department. Setting up a well-defined strategy for a criminal justice unit is rather a new concept in criminal justice administration as usually these departments just focus resources in an unpremeditated manner towards the customary objective of reducing crime. However, the strategy of the SDPD is different. The police department has laid down a definition of more than one goal and further strategically channelled their resources towards realizing these goals. An instance of such a strategy is the department’s awareness about different approaches towards criminal justice, such as the ‘problem-oriented policing’ strategy or integrating the community in the fight against crime in the neighborhood. Training of Human Resource  The shift away from the conventional means of operations brings forth the need to train the human resource of any organization to accustom it to the new strategy. Not only would a new strategy introduce new processes for conducting conventional operations, but it may also introduce new tools (such as Information Technology tools, including software and hardware) that are intended to enhance the efficiency of the human resource. San Diego Police Department faced the same circumstances where the introduction of a strategy enticed the need for human resource training. Eventually, the proper and trained use of strategies and tools led to efficient operations and increased productivity of the police department which was unprecedented. Besides the consideration of training with a changing information technology infrastructure, officers at the police department have to undergo extensive training from the police academy before they can start performing their duties in SDPD. A focus of ethical grooming is also maintained during this course of training. This helps realize and implement the value of the San Diego police department to use ethical policing when serving the community. The officers undergo comprehensive training in the police academy which prepares them not only to ‘serve and protect’ but to efficiently implement policing according to the strategy that is implemented at SDPD. Use of Information Technology The introduction of Information technology tools is one important development for crediting the success of the mission at SDPD. Conventional policing shows less use of high tech tool for attaining criminal justice objectives, but with the advancement in technology the role information technology tools play has become a crucial success factor of policing. San Diego Police Department has been one police departments that accredits it success to the use of Information technology tools, including software, hardware and processes. The department has segregated the use of Information technology in various units and systems. The New Technology Unit (NTU) is one such unit which is headed by a sergeant and staffed by patrol officers. Each individual involved in the integration of technology in policing is thoroughly trained, committed and knowledgeable about the use of this technology. The information technology infrastructure is used for a range of operations. This includes activities from installation of software of laptop machines to the use of Automated Field Reporting (AFR) devices. (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003; Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) Information Technology helps improve the efficiency of operations of the San Diego Police Department in various ways. For instance, the patrol officers can electronically transfer information from their remote locations to the central information system regarding criminal activity or general reports. Financial Situation Finances are the backbone of the any organization as refining the state of the community comes at a cost which must be met. Finances help any organization buy and employ resources towards a definite objective. Similarly San Diego Police Department has the primary objective of making the city a secure place by protecting them and further improving their quality of life. In order to realize these (and many other) objectives for the mission of the police department, the department needs finances. Once finances have been obtained, which is further required is the proper and efficient management of these finances in order to get the maximum out a limited finances. Budgeting is used by SDPD to plan its finances most effectively. The major part of the budget is used to cover personnel expenses. This shows the worth and its expected reliance on the human resource for the success of the mission of the department. Like any other organization, monetary benefits are used to keep the human resource motivated. When the major portion of the budgeted amount is spent on salaries, the remaining amount is still a hefty lot for the police department to plan investment in information technology and other nfrastructure – efforts aimed at improving the efficiency of SDPD. (The City of San Diego Web Site, 2003; Decker, Cordner, Ward, 1999) The primary sources for the finances made available to the San Diego Police Department are five, namely: Property Tax, Sales Tax, Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), Motor Vehicle License Fee (MVLF) and Franchise Fee. As the financial resource of SDPD depends on the City’s General Fund, they are generally sensitive to political and economic stimuli coming from either local, state or national levels. Organizational Design Strategy The organizational hierarchy is clearly listed at the San Diego Police Department Web Site (2003). The organizational hierarchy shows the structure of the police department and the chain of command can be conveniently analyzed. An analysis of the organizational chart reveals that the department is arranged in a way of a business organization with the Chief of Police as the CEO, and the managers take places lower in the hierarchy. So much so that the organizational chart is also labeled as â€Å"San Diego Police Business Center†. The organizational hierarchy is top down, however possesses horizontal attributes, which make communication between individuals working at the same level (horizontal communication) and also across departments. Vertical communication however is not favorable in the top-down hierarchy. Further analysis of the organizational chart of the San Diego Police Department reveals that the department intends to implement a central control over other departments / entities working lower in the hierarchy. This organizational design will be helpful in enforcing strict monitoring and accountability of entities lower in the hierarchy. Such an organizational design, therefore, is used to implement effective programs and reduce the relaxation/room for errors for entities as activities are reported to entities higher up in the hierarchy design. This is one strategy that is used to accomplish the mission of ethical policing at all levels within the department. It is safe to suggest that the organizational design of the San Diego Police Department compliments its ethical policing objective. Strategic Plan for San Diego Police Department The aforementioned analysis has laid the foundation to devise a strategic plan for the San Diego police department for the coming years. The analysis of the department’s mission, critical success factors, financial situation and organizational design strategy are the groundwork for a smart strategic plan for the department, which would otherwise not be feasible without these analyses. The following is a suggested strategic plan for the San Diego Police Department including justification for each strategy suggested. Strategic Design for SDPD The analysis of the organizational design reveals a hierarchy with strict and inflexible structure. This organizational design might be appropriate for implementation of ethical policing and complimenting strict measures of control within the department, however the organizational design conflicts with an important aspect within any organization, i. e. communication. The design strategy hinders communications within different departments at different levels of the hierarchy. The design strategy suggests to the community that officers and entities placed lower in the hierarchy will be the interface for dealing with the department, whereas entities higher in the hierarchy depict not much interaction with the public. It is important to mention here the expectancy of the public to have transparent execution of services as it is the public’s money which is the source for funding the police department. Therefore, what the San Diego Police Department needs is an organizational design that fosters communication with all the entities involved in policing, however one that also implements a strict control for implementing ethical policing without hindrance. This can be implemented with a new, lean organizational design. Contingent Strategy for SDPD As analyzed earlier, the financial strategy of the San Diego Police Department is susceptible to economic and political fluctuations on the local, state or national level. This susceptibility poses a threat to the sustainability of operations of the police department by exhibiting dependence on these factors. The department needs to device a financial management strategy to provide when in difficult times such as those that may not cause disruption of work. This means that an alternative source for generation of funds must be established or sought out by the San Diego Police Department that can cater to the financial needs of the department when other currently implemented sources are not available. Conclusion The San Diego Police Department has implemented quite a few strategies to minimize crime in the city. Nevertheless SDPD must implement further strategic measures for sustainability of its mission of fighting crime.

Why I became an independent book designer Reedsy

Why I became an independent book designer Reedsy The success story of an independent book designer: An interview with Mark Ecob Have you done much work with independent authors? If so, is there anything different about it?Loads. When I started my company, I made it my business to seek that kind of brief in an ever-changing publishing landscape. Now, a good proportion of my work is for independents, self-publishing platforms or ventures like Unbound who bring books to readers in new ways.It’s definitely simpler and you’re given greater freedom. The best independent authors are receptive to industry expertise, which still has a massive part to play.It’s also very rewarding to know that the work you do can bring someone’s book to life, and hopefully success. In a large publishing house, I felt disconnected from the authors. Now I work directly with them, I’ve realised why I do what I do.Thanks for your time Mark.Check out other #freelancerfriday interviews on our blog!Have a look at Mark Ecob’s profile on Reedsy, or even ask him for a quote!

The Monkeys Paw Discussion Questions

The Monkeys Paw Discussion Questions The Monkeys Paw, written by W.W. Jacobs in 1902, is a famous supernatural tale of choice and tragic consequences thats been adapted and imitated for both stage and screen. The story revolves around the White family- mother, father, and their son, Herbert- who receive a fateful visit from a friend, Sergeant-Major Morris. Morris, late of India, shows the Whites a monkeys paw fetish hes acquired as a souvenir of his travels. He tells the Whites that the paw is reputed to grant three wishes to any person who possesses it, but also cautions that the talisman is cursed and that those who accept the wishes it grants do so at great cost. When Morris tries to throw the monkeys paw into the fireplace, Mr. White quickly retrieves it, despite his guests earnest protests that the thing is not to be trifled with: It had a spell put on it by an old fakir, said the sergeant-major, a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled peoples lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.   Ignoring Morris warnings, Mr. White decides to keep the paw, and at Herberts suggestion, he wishes for  Ã‚ £200 to pay off the mortgage. As he makes the wish, White claims to feel the monkeys paw twisting in his grip, however, no money appears. Herbert teases his father for believing the paw might have magic properties. I dont see the money and I bet I never shall, he says, little knowing just how true his statement will turn out to be. A day later, Herbert is killed in an accident at work, mangled to death in the twisting grasp of a piece of machinery. The company disavows liability but does offer the Whites a payment of  £200 for their loss. More than a week after the funeral, a distraught Mrs. White begs her husband to wish their son back to life, to which he eventually agrees. Its only when the couple hears a knock at the door that they realize they dont know if Herbert, who has been dead and buried 10 for days, is going to return to them as he was prior to his accident- or in the form of a mangled, decomposing ghoul. In desperation, Mr. White uses his final wish...and when Mrs. White finally opens the door, theres no one there. Questions for Study and Discussion This is a very short story, and Jacobs has a lot to do in very little time to achieve his goals. How does he reveal which characters are trustworthy and reliable, and which ones may not be?  Why do you think Jacobs chose a monkeys paw as the talisman? Is there symbolism attached to a monkey that isnt associated with another animal?  Is the central theme of the story simply, Be careful what you wish for, or are there broader implications?This story has been compared to the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Is there a work of Poes this story closely relates to? What other works of fiction does The Monkeys Paw evoke?How does Jacobs use foreshadowing in this story? Was it effective in building a sense of dread, or did you find it melodramatic and predictable?Are the characters consistent in their actions? Are they fully developed?  How essential is setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?How would this story have been different if it were set in the present day ?The Monkeys Paw is considered a work of supernatural fiction. Do you agree with the classification? Why or why not? What do you think Herbert would have looked like if Mrs. White had opened the door before Mr. White used the final wish? Would it have been an undead Herbert standing on the threshold?Does the story end the way you expected? Do you think the reader is supposed to believe that everything that took place was just a series of coincidences, or that there really were metaphysical forces involved?