A Character’s Role Essay

In a world focused on elevators one wonders, what would it mean if one were to take the stairs? The Intuitionist, by Colson Whitehead, deals with the exploration of Lila Mae Watson, a black female intuitionist, who undergoes a quest to reveal what Intuitionism is all about. As a result of her quest, the connection between James Fulton, the creator of Intuitionism and Lila Mae Watson’s role as character is revealed. Lila M. Watson, the protagonist of this novel, endures a number of experiences as the first black elevator intuitionist. An accident occurs with an elevator which she was in charge of. From then on the story introduces Lila Mae’s quest for answers. Lila Mae’s life goes into detail about how fragments of her life have been shattered with grief, and racism above all. During her exam about elevators in college, she was answering flawlessly with details and precisions at the professor’s questions. The last question had nothing to do with elevators, just a reckoning to her; so that she knows that there are only twelve colored inspectors and they most of them are not even working, by making her know that even though she answered swiftly she didn’t know everything: â€Å"So you don’t know everything; that will be all Miss Watson. † (p 53) Within the story she goes into a subtle exploration of her own identity, race, and duty as a person in her position. This leads into the elusive quest for â€Å"the black box† and ultimately James’s Watson’s â€Å"Perfect elevator† But this quest of hers intertwines with the experiences of James Fulton. This intricate character deals with the many hardships that Lila Mae dealt with during her youth, only with the slight fact that he dealt with these issues with his inner self. Fulton’s secretive and deceiving nature is the actual cause of all the events that take place. James is actually a black man with light skin, who does not feel comfortable letting the world know that he is black because of his status. â€Å"Fulton’s hatred of himself and his lie of whiteness†(p 239). Although he’s not to blame because in the world they live in it is not as easy being a person of color. â€Å"There was no hope for him as a colored man because the white world will not let a colored man rise. â€Å"(p 240) For this very reason he decides to play the role of a white man. At early age he knew he would be confused for a white person, so he used this trait to achieve his greatness in life. Overtime Fulton became godly to people, because of his knowledge about elevators and what he had to write about them. â€Å"Every Tuesday James Fulton†¦. stood in the downstairs drawing room and lectured on the intricacies of his science† (p 54). One does not realize that this intuitionism is created as a joke. A joke that is taken seriously and soon evolves into the world itself. Both Fulton and Watson are two figures who struggle for one cause only. To achieve their goal in life, for Watson it is to find and reveal the perfect elevator into the world, and for Fulton it is to create and implement this perfect elevator into the world. As two black figures in a white-ruled society it is their socialistic duty to fulfill their goals and be aware that this achievement is critical for their community. Lila M. Watson is forced to go on a journey that is composed of events that will prove her innocence about the incident, discover the perfect elevator, and like Fulton, take an important position in society. She sees herself as a person who has a duty to fill Fulton’s shoes. In the other hand Fulton’s lies and secrets are what form the entire story. After having developed intuitionism for that long, he realized he needs a successor, who will deal with society. But it is Intuitionism that must be kept important until the world is ready for the perfect elevator. Fulton does not publish his work for this very reason. Like Lila Mae’s duty of finding his perfect elevator, it is his to create it. But little do we know that this perfect elevator is nothing more then what he has created as a mockery of the world he lives in. It consist of a perfect world where there exists no racial constrains. Fulton is a man who creates a perfect society in his mind and puts it in paper, but never reveals it. Lila Mae discovers this but she knows that even though she’s been living in a world of lies, it is her duty to preserve this knowledge until the world becomes a place like Fulton metaphorically described in his books. This the story that deals with one’s accomplishment to fool the world and in the meantime while everyone is fascinated by his accomplishments and fake works, he devotes his life to creating a blueprint to a better world for existence.

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 24. Blood

There were distant sounds of a fight, the loud noise of a vampire being torn apart, but my eyes were only able to see one thing ?C Bella. She was lying on the ground, crumpled, broken, while the pool of blood continued to grow wider underneath her. The red fluid, spilling, wasting, on the floor, the scent pulsing through the air. The amount was cataclysmic, as each second passed a distinctive, yet intangible, spice of the most delicious aroma left burning lacerations in my aching throat. My knee was placed resolutely in the middle of the puddle, soaking me in her blood†¦her life. I took a deep breath and ignored my longing, my lust, my ravenous desire – I focused on the angel. â€Å"Bella,† I soothed her. â€Å"You're going to be fine.† Unresponsive, detached. A plea entered my voice. â€Å"Can you hear me, Bella? I love you.† I sent a reverent petition to which ever god would answer a creature like me. â€Å"Edward,† she croaked, answering my silent request. â€Å"Yes, I'm here,† I declared earnestly. Slow, small, and irregular quantity of tears trickled down her cheeks. â€Å"It hurts,† she uttered many inarticulate lamentations of grief as her eyes closed tightly. Her words plagued and tormented me. I lightly brushed her hair from her face. â€Å"I know, Bella, I know.† I shifted my posture to Carlisle. â€Å"Can't you do anything?† I asked him urgently, peremptorily. This doesn't look good. I need you to prepare yourself for the worst. â€Å"My bag please,† Carlisle reached his hand out. The scent†¦Alice's eyes were wild when she passed the bag to him. â€Å"Hold your breath, Alice, it will help,† Carlisle declared while grabbing his bag. â€Å"Alice?† Bella questioned in a sustained mournful cry. Alice continued to hold her breath, unable to answer her. Bella, she lamented a sigh silently. â€Å"She's here,† I assured her. â€Å"She knew where to find you,† I silently thanked Alice as our eyes met for a fraction of a second. Alice made a slight and quick bend of her head. Not soon enough, her eyes were deep with sorrow. A quick glance around the room brought the total devastation and destruction back into focus. The mirror was cracked and shiny blood was smeared across the floor and mirrors. â€Å"My hand hurts,† Bella mumbled in an almost unintelligible extent, bringing me back from my distraction. â€Å"I know, Bella.† Another scorch mark broke down my throat as I took in another breath to answer the angel who was lying in front of me. I'm about to administer some morphine into her system. Her pain should go away fairly quick after that. â€Å"Carlisle will give you something, it will stop.† All the noise, the fighting, the sound of cracking wood, it was all drowned out when a sharp and piercing cry echoed through the Ballet Studio. â€Å"My hand is burning,† Bella shouted, her eyes fluttering, trying to open but were restricted because of the blood. â€Å"Bella?† I cried out, frightened. I felt a great mental suffering, as her screams were slowly torturing me. The morphine should be working. Another loud wail. â€Å"The fire! Someone stop the fire!† she screamed and moaned in paroxysms of grief. I looked over my shoulder as Emmett was starting a fire to burn James ?C but it was nowhere near us. I turned back to her, going to the source of her first cries. There were perfect teeth imprints on her wrist where a vampire, I growled in rage, had bit her. â€Å"Carlisle! Her hand!† I yelled in disgust, hoping he might have a remedy or that I was wrong all together. An icy surge of terror filled my lungs. I watched as his eyes looked over the outline of the mark. â€Å"He bit her.† Carlisle stated in revulsion. A deep breath entered my lungs as her scent rippled down my flaming throat, the horror entering my body. My view was obliterated by anger ?C I was seeing red. I can't do it. â€Å"Edward, you have to do it,† Alice commanded while wiping the blood out of Bella's eyes. Her stare was so intent you would think she was trying to force Bella to mend just by looking at her. â€Å"No,† I roared, looking at Carlisle, hoping he would tell me something different. â€Å"Alice,† Bella cried in a low, mournful sound. Edward, if you want her to stay human†¦ â€Å"There may be a chance,† Carlisle persisted. â€Å"What?† I begged, not understanding why they wanted me to do it. â€Å"See if you can suck the venom back out. The wound is fairly clean,† Carlisle explained as he stitched Bella's head wound. The shock from this statement was so huge it rooted me to the spot for several seconds. â€Å"Will that work?† Alice's throat was obstructed by the fear of losing her friend. I assume it would work the same as a snake bite. â€Å"I don't know,† he admitted. â€Å"But we have to hurry.† You have to do this, Edward; I can't do this for you. The thought of consuming her blood, even if it was saving her life sent pleasure and pain flooding into my body. To taste her would be wrong†¦fallacious. I felt utterly disgusted with myself but the temptation was growing. My veins felt like they were being filled with acid as I contemplated putting her life in more danger†¦the liability†¦to place her in mortal peril, where she may never come back to me†¦ I felt like I was choking. â€Å"Carlisle†¦I,† I faltered. The thoughts tilted back and forth in my mind like a see saw. â€Å"I don't know if I can do that,† the words were laced with the agony that was consuming me, I felt like I was being strangled, desperate for air. Carlisle was working quickly over Bella's head, pulling a needle through her skin over and over, sewing her up. He looked at my face. â€Å"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you. I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand.† Bella jerked a quick sharp pull of her body. Another thrust and a suddenly arrested motion as she thrashed against the burning pain in her hand as my mind was racing for alternatives. â€Å"Edward!† she shouted spasmodically. Her eyes flew open and her dark brown eyes darted around in every direction until they landed on me. Watching her writhing in burning pain, pain that I remember well, burnt me, like I could feel it too. I could take the pain away ?C I could make it all stop ?C but would I take her life in the process? â€Å"Alice, get me something to brace her leg!† Carlisle shouted as he was finishing up the stitches on Bella's head. Maybe he should let her become a vampire; it would make things a whole lot easier. â€Å"Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late.† At his thoughts ?C to think of Bella as a vampire ?C death would be better than this†¦this†¦life. Bella was beginning to jerk in violent spasmodic muscular movements, the abrupt motions making her leg flail limply around. Carlisle caught her leg to hold it still. Now, Carlisle ordered in his head. I shot him a furtive look. My fingers wrapped around her tiny and delicate wrist, preventing her involuntary reflexes, like she was pulling her hand away from a flame. The desire to taste, the agony of the bite†¦every second I bent closer to her my mind tittered on an unstable line of right and wrong. My mind was traveling between two different worlds. Reason, truth, maybe some standard or principle ?C this had to be the solution; the right answer. Not proper, awry, not appropriate. The thoughts scattered across my already stressed mind as I bent down further. She thrust against my hold making the prolonged pain of my intense mental suffering grow exponentially. Her breathing was harsh and ragged as her wild yells filled the studio, reverberating off the mirrors and walls. My lips touched her skin, the fresh blood soaking into my lips. Hunger. Completely ravenous. I pulled her blood from the bite wound and it rushed into my mouth. The blood was hot and wet in my mouth. Sensations I'd never felt before tingled my tongue, sending a pleasurable warmth down my frozen and dry aching throat. Each second the monster was threatening to take over as he reared his head in appreciation. She screamed and lashed, struggling to get away from my grip. I knew it was hurting her, but my instincts had taken over, I held her tighter, intensely eager to devour the palatable, savory†¦delectable†¦I tried not to moan in pleasure. The luxuriant fullness that had consumed me brought intense satisfaction. I was ultimately determined to seize her, to have all of her, as I sucked down the blood in large gluttonous amounts. I could feel her becoming limp in my strong grasp as I continued my consumption of her gratifyingly warm, red†¦crimson blood. â€Å"Edward,† Bella mumbled incoherently, bringing me from my frenzy ?C like a soft voice had just whispered in my ear. Edward! Please†¦please don't kill her. Stop! Alice cried in her mind, not wanting to scare Bella. â€Å"He's right here, Bella.† Her voice trembled slightly, her visions showing her an unsure course. Bella's eyes rolled in her head like marbles on an unstable surface. She was dying. With a stupendous effort I let go, placing her hand down gently, forcibly reminding myself of her delicate nature. The dazzling sunlight of the day bathed the studio with a natural light, making the pool of blood glitter. Bella was silent and limp, her heart barely pumping the little amount of blood that was left in her body. Did I kill her? I felt like someone had just stabbed me in my heart. Would this be her brutal ending? I felt a horrible compression in my chest at my thoughts. They placed an inexcusable trust in me! I looked at her intently, waiting for another reaction with increasing desperation. She took an unsteady breath ?C the small cry of pain still present. I was devoutly thankful to whatever god had been watching over her this morning. â€Å"Stay, Edward, stay with me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She barely breathed. I sighed heavily at the beautiful angel voice. â€Å"I will,† I promised, the stress of the situation still evident in my triumphant voice. I put her words on repeat in my mind, realizing even though I put her in this danger and almost sucked her dry of life, she still loved me†¦still wanted me to stay with her. I brushed my hand lightly against her cheek. A small sigh escaped her lips, her pain obviously dulling as her eyes closed lightly. You didn't kill her, Carlisle thought proudly. â€Å"Is it all out?† he checked. I didn't kill her. The relief was so exquisite it was nearly pain. The ache†¦anxiety, my oppression was slowly dissipating. â€Å"Her blood tastes clean,† I breathed a sigh of relief. â€Å"I can taste the morphine.† Let's make sure before we take her to the hospital. The morphine might be covering up the pain. â€Å"Bella?† Carlisle called out, bringing Bella from an almost slumber. Bella didn't bother to open her eyes, her body lying limp on the ground. â€Å"Mmmmm?† â€Å"Is the fire gone?† Carlisle stared at me, waiting for the answer. Bella's voice was slow and sluggish. â€Å"Yes,† she sighed. â€Å"Thank you, Edward.† I felt a profound feeling of warmth radiate from my body. â€Å"I love you,† I breathed in deep affection. To taste something so sensational and be able to stop†¦ I sighed, the benevolent reverence I had for her grew suddenly, like she was divine in nature. â€Å"I know,† she breathed once more, her words becoming incoherent with sleep. At her words ?C her almost sarcastic words, a low chuckle escaped my lips. The sound was doused in relief. Did you see her mother? Is she dead? Carlisle's face looked grave. We both listened for a moment, trying to hear a heart beat†¦someone breathing, but there was nothing. I shook my head. â€Å"Bella?† Her lips twitched into a frown. â€Å"What?† she mumbled. â€Å"Where is your mother?† he asked. â€Å"In Florida,† she sighed. Then her face barely distorted in anger. â€Å"He tricked me, Edward. He watched our videos.† I gritted my teeth in anger, the reminder of James came to the forefront of my mind as I looked over my shoulder at the rapidly growing flames that were licking up the walls of the studio. â€Å"Alice.† Bella's eyes fluttered and failed to open. â€Å"Alice,† she called again. â€Å"The video ?C he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from,† her voice drifted off weakly. â€Å"I smell gasoline,† she added quietly. This building is going to be up in flames shortly, we need to leave. â€Å"It's time to move her,† Carlisle looked at me. Can you carry her? You must be careful not to hold her too tightly. We don't want her ribs protruding into her organs. I nodded my head. â€Å"I want to sleep,† Bella protested. â€Å"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you,† I tried to soothe her as I brought her gently into my arms, like she was a delicate soap bubble. She's more fragile than a soap bubble, I laughed internally, the first real signs of the ending danger.†Sleep now, Bella,† I kissed her lightly on the forehead, the blood unaffecting me in this most relief filled moments. She fell limp in my arms, her eyes shut lightly, like she was in a deep slumber. I emerged from the flames of the studio as Alice opened the car door of the Cadillac for me. I slowly laid her down in the backseat. I sat beside her, pulling her into my lap. I wanted to keep her as close to me as possible. I looked up through the shining sunlight, where Alice was glittering like millions of tiny facets were embedded in her skin, and noticed the relief on her face also. â€Å"Where's Emmett and Jasper?† I wondered, catching a glimpse of the Mercedes still parked out front. â€Å"They've gone back to the hotel. I'm not riding with you, I'm going to meet them there. We are going to set up a†¦scenario.† I saw in her mind the plan ?C they were going to break the glass wall of one of the stair wells ?C saying Bella had fallen down the stairs and through the window, causing her injuries. â€Å"Will that work?† I asked. â€Å"Yes.† She stated while shutting the door and sprinting off in the dark shadows around the buildings. Carlisle was already in the driver's seat, the car starting. I didn't speak, and neither did he during our ride to the hospital, though I could always hear his thoughts. I guess the glass from the window and falling down stairs could account for her injuries. Hum†¦ Alice is truly clever. I can't believe Edward was able to stop when Bella's blood calls to him so absolutely. Two lefts and a right†¦ We pulled into the emergency room lane, Carlisle helped Bella out of the car and handed her back to me. I carried her through the large glass doors as they slid open for me automatically. The nurse at the front desk stood immediately, gasped at the sight of the blood, her thoughts becoming panicky, and ran to get help. Soon there were doctors and more nurses running through the halls, all ready to help her. It pained me to see the slowness that they moved, though their pace was particularly fast considering they were just mere humans. I brushed her face lightly as I placed her on the gurney. â€Å"My name's Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I would like to help in any way that I can. She is like family to me,† Carlisle spoke quickly to the doctor on duty. I knew he was beginning to feel this away about her, but he had never thought or said that statement out loud. She was family, though. To see all of the Cullen's, even Rosalie, ban together to protect the one fragile human that I loved so deeply made me realize that maybe she was my destiny†¦that even after tasting her blood, I was able to keep her alive. I shook my head. It was idiotic to think that way. I would have never tasted her blood if it weren't for me putting her in danger in the first place. This was entirely my fault. She was being rushed to surgery because of me. Her bones are broken†¦she was bit by a vampire! Each thought was a struggle, I saved her, but she wouldn't have needed saving had I never invited her into my secret life. Another thought. When I left Forks†¦if I never returned†¦she would be dead now. I saved her! The battle between right and wrong was taking over my body as I sunk down into the nearest chair and waited for some news. A couple of very long minutes later Alice came prancing through the doors, exultant at her prized display of a fake accident, her eyes were reminiscent. Carlisle came bursting through the big white emergency doors. â€Å"We need permission from her mother or father before she can have surgery.† â€Å"Already done,† Alice trilled. â€Å"She should be calling the hospital in three seconds.† Suddenly the phone rang and the nurses' station picked up. â€Å"Hold on just one minute, Mrs. Dwyer,† the nurse pressed the hold button and then another button to send the call back to the doctor on duty. â€Å"That's my cue,† Carlisle said. â€Å"I'll keep you informed.† He turned on his heal and walked smoothly and gracefully through the doors sending an everything will be all right, thought my way. I sighed and sank down into a chair. I sat still for an hour. A very long hour. I still hadn't recovered from the shock of seeing Bella in such a broken state as I sat there frozen and unmoving. Hate and revulsion were there, squarely in my chest, reminding me of the monster I am. I sat there, silent and unmoving ?C rigid as a wax work while the battle raged inside me. I kept turning cold thinking about what would have happened if I hadn't shown up. I shuddered. Another hour passed, and this one was longer than the first. I begged the earth to crack open and swallow me whole. Alice didn't say anything, just sitting quietly next to me, realizing it wasn't a good time to talk. I hoped to deflect any invitation to join into a conversation with her. Alice continued to gaze dreamily out the window. I heard feet racing down the hall way and I looked to my right as Carlisle busted through the big white emergency doors to report on how Bella was doing. â€Å"She's going to be fine. She will be out of surgery shortly. There was a lot of damage to her leg, but they were able to fix it. She should have no permanent damage,† Carlisle informed me, placing his hand on my shoulder, speaking bracing words of comfort. â€Å"Relax. I'll show you where her room will be.† I leapt to my feet. We walked slowly through the hallways of the hospital; the walls were bland and off white. There was a sickening smell in the air†¦the smell of iodine and death. We reached big metal doors to an elevator. Alice pressed the button to go up, already knowing which room we were going to be in. I waited impatiently for the doors to open. Ding. The elevator doors opened to admit us and we all three stepped through them, Alice once again pressing the button, one that said four. I felt a shifting under me as my stone like body was slowing ascending the many floors of the building. Ding. The doors opened to admit us onto the fourth floor, which was just as boring as the first. â€Å"This way,† Alice said. I followed her until we reached room four-oh-eight. I stepped through the threshold. No Bella. I sank down in the chair next to the bed, waiting once again impatiently. I leaned over and put my head in my hands, trying to dislodge the thoughts and feelings that were consuming my body, setting it aflame and then dousing it with cold water. The scent was still strongly present on my hands. I pulled them away to examine the damage. There was no white space, my hands were covered in scarlet blood. A stubby nurse walked into the room. â€Å"Oh,† she gasped. â€Å"I didn't realize anyone was in here.† I looked up at her and she jumped back several feet. His eyes! I looked away quickly. â€Å"I'll just come back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she bustled out of the room quickly. â€Å"That's right! I almost forgot,† Alice chimed in. â€Å"What is it, Alice?† I groaned. She tossed me a small white box. I flipped it over in my hands. Contacts. Crap, another reminder, I thought angrily. I went into the bathroom to place the contacts over my bright red eyes†¦bright red because of Bella's blood. All of this because of my†¦need. It was true, I needed Bella. Would I ever be able to leave her and stop bringing danger to her door step? I fluttered my eye as an obstruction fell over my vision. I could see every line and contour of the wretched thing. I pulled the other contact out to place in my other eye. I brought my face close to the mirror, studying it. I was oddly flushed and more pink than normal; my eye was scarlet red because I was full of human blood. The gleaming red eye reminded me of the monster that I am. I sighed and placed the contact in my eye as my vision became obstructed again. I washed my hands thoroughly, watching the water turn red and run down the drain. I walked out of the bathroom. â€Å"Much better,† Alice said. I heard a squeal of wheels being pushed down the lament floor. Be prepared, Carlisle warned. Worry and anxiety filled my stomach like acid as I stood to open the door, realizing I had less resolution than ever.

Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle

The article reports that U.S. retail stores have posted only a modest increase in sales of 2.5 per cent for May, which might be a sign that consumers are taking a break from shopping.This figure was 3.3 per cent for January, 4 per cent for February, and 4.8 per cent for March and April combined. High-end retailers (such as Saks, Nordstrom, TJX Companies and Ross Stores) and apparel stores did well, and discount chains (such as Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, Fred and Target) reported the strongest sales growth of any sector with a 5.3 per cent increase.Shops selling teenager clothing (such as Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle) suffered a decline. Reasons behind the slowdown are believed to be bad weather at the beginning of the month and the late Memorial Day, since some companies choose to include Memorial Day weekend sales into their June reports.Analysts believe that lackluster sales might be a sign that recoveries come in waves. Stronger growth is expected during the summer m onth, due to pent-up demand and start of the school year.The importance of the article is associated with the fact that retail sales are a good indicator of the pace of economic recovery. Sharp contraction of consumer spending has exacerbated the recent financial downturn, and it took a long time for spending to rebound. Consumer spending is used as an indicator of economy’s health because it is first of all related to consumer expectations and confidence levels.Furthermore, it indicates whether economic resources flow freely among various economic agents: companies need sales revenues to expand their production, which in turn leads to job creations, and decreasing unemployment levels mean that more people have disposable income to spend at stores. Coming back to the issue of consumer confidence, if citizens are optimistic about prospects of the economy, they tend to spend even more, propping up the production-consumption cycle.Works citedHauser, Christine. â€Å"U.S. Retail ers Report Lackluster Sales Gains.† 3 Jun. 2010. New York Times. 5 Jun. 2010. Web.

Marketing 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing 3 - Essay Example , the product characteristics such as country of ownership and manufacturer of the parts, country of assembly and design, and the impact of brand name will be analyzed and discussed. Hyundai has a reputation of having cheap and unreliable back in 1998. (Bingham, 2001) As part of the Hyundai’s success in U.S. market ten years after, the company has started to remove its image of offering cheap cars. For this reason, the company has recently changed its company slogan from â€Å"Value for the Money† to â€Å"Think about it.† (Kwok, 2007) Among Hyundai’s product line includes: Tucson, Veracruz, and Santa Fe – a small SUV; and 4-door cars like Accent, Azera, Elantra, Genesis, Sonata, and Tiburon; including the large-size SUV called Mohaves. (Hyundai, 2008d; Jin, 2008) Aiming to penetrate the market of luxury cars, Hyundai recently introduced a new sedan called the Genesis – a rear-wheel drive with V8 engine. (Buss, 2008) vehicles by strengthening its partnership with its dealers and investing millions of dollars in the improvements of its developmental facilities. Aiming to increase its target consumers’ confidence on Hyundai cars, the company offered a 5-year / 60,000 mile warranty and a 10-year / 100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty. (Bingham, 2008b) Aside from using the traditional promotion approach like the American car showrooms and other promotional activities such as sponsoring the several sports activities worldwide (Jin, 2008) and ‘Drivers Wanted’ ad campaign (BusinessWeek, 2007), Hyundai has invested on electronic promotion by signing a contract with CCG.XM back in 2000 (Busines Wire, 2000). Hyundai professionally manufacture its own original equipment parts which are designed for safety and resale value. (Hyundai, 2008c) For this reason, the company could easily provide a manufacturer warranty to ensure the quality and customers’ satisfaction over Hyundai cars. Hyundai automobiles in America are assembled in U.S. assembly plants

Merchants of Cool-Movie Review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Merchants of Cool- - Movie Review Example This is indeed a very conservative approach. Quite often, the product being promoted is not in the best interest of the children or the society at large, but Merchants of Cool indicates, â€Å"in order to remain cool, you have to keep ahead of the curve† (Sine, 2008, p. 85). The Merchants of Cool portrays both media and corporations negatively. This is so because it reveals a disturbing scenario, depicting how many corporations see teenagers, not as persons with real life, issues and problems, but as talking and walking dollar signs and as possible marketers of their products. There are many other tormenting issues in the movie if not somewhat unreasonable ideas. For example, the idea that individuals are made to look trendy are just ‘plants’ by corporations to influence peers to have a sensation that they should buy something for them to look like the person is extremely disturbing. This is because they can be found anywhere. This aspect does not perpetuate a sen se of unity among the youth who should feel with each other rather a very strong sense of jealousy and suspicion. It is undoubtedly evident from the documentary film that it is attempting to portray corporations and media negatively so as to reveal the truths (Sine, 2008). However, the most disturbing question that one may ask is, â€Å"How truthful is this?† Just like the anthropologists, the cool hunters search for teenage cultures and employ the early teen trendsetters to design new products and develop new marketing strategies, to hook the teenagers (Sine, 2008). These teenage cultural studies are seen through interviews held with some marking gurus drawn from big corporations, and MTV. The first encounter is with Todd Cunningham of MTV who narrates how MTV engages in research so as to be able to understand teens, including their sources of Gold studies and Ethnography. The other is Sharon Lee and Dee Dee Gordon, the co-founders of Look-Look, which is a research corporati on that specializes in youth culture. They outline how their company is searching out teen trendsetters searching for what is cool, how the corporations use the information they gather and challenges in their guest. Sine (2008) notes that increasingly, the merchants of cool find new stealth technique to persuade and encircle the teenagers. He notes that they use acquaintances, friends, buzz, sleepovers, and at times youth groups to show example of the latest glam fashions, technologies and cosmetics. It is then that they pay cool teenagers to persuade their friends to become cool insiders by buying the cool products. The documentary reveals that marketers at times resort to using rebellion and anarchy to sell their products. By watching the ad, one can clearly notice that the merchants of cool not only market the opportunity to be an insider, but they also communicate that the youths can find their sense of self-worth, identity, life purpose and spirituality by living in the fiction al stories that the company storytellers of cool create for them (Sine, 2008). The movie also depicts the popular media culture of trying to use issues that they feel the audience like most to sell their agenda. For instance, marketers know very well that â€Å"sex sells.†

Future Trends in HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Future Trends in HR - Essay Example The digital age enables part-time, remote work along with new paradigms that reward creativity. Motivation cohesive teams capitalize upon new systems of applying human intellect. Certain advances in HRM have helped meet these challenges. Holistic management helps leaders see people within an organizational framework where these process networks are emerging (Chiavenato 2001). Some of the traditional roles of HRM have become domain of middle management, and strategic planning has become a task for HRM. Joint decisions and communication augment this emerging corporate culture.Helping employees develop their full potential as well as developing alternatives to traditional conflict management are just some of the new trends toward more effective HRM. As globalization continues to consolidate many of the previously disparate systems in business, HRM is changing to meet these new challenges. It is becoming more and more dynamic and is emerging as a synergistic force in this global economy. Nevertheless, as nuances in organizations appear, HRM must adapt to dynamically meet these demands. Chiavenato, I. (2001). Advances and challenges in human resource management in the new millennium.

Wireless Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Wireless - Research Paper Example The commonly media used in computer communication are categorized into bounded and unbounded media. Bounded media are the physical connections that make up a network system. These physical media are the most reliable for message sending, and they do provide faster data communication through high speed transfer of signals over long distances. Examples include coaxial cable, twisted pair cable and the fiber optic. The unbound media literally use the wireless connections and the transmission done via electronic waves (Odom W., Healy R., and Donohue D., 2010). Data Communication Protocols are a combination of both hardware and software standards that are established to effectively govern data transmission between computers. I.e., TCP/IP is a collection of different communication protocols based on IP and TCP. The TCP (Transmission Control Protocols) is applied in the transmission of data from an application to the network systems after breaking down data into IP packets before the transmission and assembling of the packets immediately they are received on the destination end. IP (Internet Protocol), however, protects the communication with other computer devices by sending and receiving the data packets over the internet (Clark A. P.,

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE - Essay Example Nurse Rachett is an experienced intensive care nurse, therefore any decision she makes concerning the treatment offered in the intensive care unit is justified. However, Nurse Rachett is not a surgeon and could not make any decision concerning the operation and the breathing device without consultation from Dr. Kildare was not appropriate. The attempt to clear the breathing device while she was supposed to summon Dr. Kildare as directed is a medical negligence because Rameez ended up dead. Therefore there is a medical negligence on the part of Nurse Rachett. Rameez was forced through emergency to have surgery performed by Dr. Kildare; however, Rameez could expect the specialist surgeon’s degree of skill because Dr. Kildare was a specialist. In the intensive care, Nurse Rachett is mentioned as an experienced intensive care nurse; therefore Rameez expected and deserved an expert service. Rameez died out of the negligence of Nurse Rachett because she failed to summon Dr. Kildare, may be Rameez would have recovered if Dr. Kildare was summoned to clear the breathing device. Just like the motorists owe a duty of reasonable care to other road users, Lister N.H.S. hospital and its medical staff also owe to Rameez duty to care for his well being and safety. Breach of such duty may result into claims for succeeding damages. However, a difference exists between these two parties is that while majority of people, as a matter of common sense can decide on circumstances where motorists ride carelessly, most of medical treatments entail highly technical and specialized skills. For instance, the insertion of breathing device and decision to carry out an operation on Rameez required specialized and technical skills. If executors of Rameez decide to file a suit, then according to Tom (2005), a court of law will have to get more evidence from other medical specialists on the usual safeguards and correct procedures observed in specific medical treatments before making any d ecision on the damage caused as a result of negligence. Lister N.H.S. hospital was responsible for protecting Rameez from harm and to offer acceptable level of care. As Rameez’s executors, they are entitled to file a complaint if Rameez never received reasonable care and standards as this amounts to breach of duty of care owed to Rameez. Whenever there is breach to this duty of care, a medical negligence is usually committed by health professional. Doctors are responsible for ensuring that patient understands all risks associated with treatments so as they can provide an informed consent. Failure of which there is claim for medical negligence can be pursued. The case of Rameez amounts to medical negligence because Nurse Rachett failed to summon Dr. Kildare and hence did not provide reasonable care to Rameez which resulted into his death. According to Tom (2005), in order to claim this negligence in the part of a health professional (Dr. Kildare and Nurse Rachett), the plainti ff (Rameez) and his executors must prove the following: That duty to care was owed to the patient: legal duty for care exists any time health care provider or hospital takes care of the patient’s treatment. That duty to care was breached: the health professional failed to conform to and/ or provide acceptable standards of care That breach of duty for care caused harm or injury to the patient: the breach of duty for care is the proximate cause of injury or harm suffered by the patient That patient actually suffered a loss or damage: without

America's Infrastructure Failing Research Paper

America's Infrastructure Failing - Research Paper Example It is both an actual and metaphorical foundation of society. This has been an issue needing a solution for at least 25 years. An effort was made in the 1990’s but fell short of what was necessary even then. Today the situation is dire according to a study recently completed by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Though a slow economy is often blamed for not having the ability to fund massive projects nationwide, it is that very funding which would immediately improve the economy. A faction in Congress believes strict austerity measures are the answer to the National Debt problem and that the nation cannot afford a stimulus package to supply jobs, repair infrastructure and give the economy a boost. This is the same faction that caused the government to shut down for no reason and don’t acknowledge the failed austerity experiment Europe has been experiencing. It won’t likely be this historically inept Congress that pulls the economy out its slow growth period while building for the future but maybe the public persuade them if the problem is framed correctly, a task President Obama is attempting, again. What’s the cost of an aging infrastructure as opposed to repairing and replacing it? America’s answer has been to patch it as it breaks while other countries are preparing for the future while creating jobs. Following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy along the east coast last year the electrical infrastructure was not worth salvaging. Instead of replacing it with a high tech ‘smart grid’ the same old system was rebuilt. A tragedy brought opportunity but it was an opportunity lost. The Chinese are replacing their electric lines, not because it was something they had to do, it is the smart thing to do. China’s new power lines lose seven percent of its energy after traveling1200 miles. U.S. power lines lose 80 percent over the same distance. Energy loss is expensive. A 2013 infrastructure report complied by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) predict that by 2020 business could be burdened with an additional $1.2 trillion in the cost of doing business such as problems associated with water main breaks, electric blackouts and shoddy roads which slows traffic and causes vehicle damage. â€Å"If we look at New Orleans alone,† said Assistant Legislative Director for the United Steelworkers Roxanne Brown, â€Å"it was ultimately a failure of infrastructure, the levees that devastated a commanding share of the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.† Many businesses will never recover. It’s a ‘pay me now or pay me later’ proposition. It’s anybody’s guess how climate change will exacerbate an already critical situation. It’s certain though that the dilapidated, antique infrastructure cannot endure through climate extremes because it’s already been falling apart for decades. The ASCE predicts the total cost to do not hing is prohibitively high, again, 1.2 trillion for businesses and $610 billion for taxpayers. (Justuan, 2013). The nation’s infrastructure report card is in, graded according to facts obtained by ASCE. America’s bridges are narrow and old, many well past their projected lifespan. About one-quarter are deemed â€Å"structurally deficient.† Bridges built during and for another time, the 1950’s and 1960’s, cause traffic congestion because the bridge too often have fewer lanes that

Importance of Family Essay Example for Free

Importance of Family Essay THE FAMILY AS THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY The family unit – principally a man and a woman living together in harmony and peace – is and always will be the basic social organization or unit of any society. This relationship alone provides stability in a sexual, emotional, intellectual and social way as no other can. This statement may seem prejudiced or biased against other forms of social organization, but it has proven true over hundreds and even thousands of years. Other forms of societal organization include most people remaining single or unattached, homosexuality, or various forms of collective living arrangements that are called free love societies, communes, kibbutz living in some cases, and others. To the best of my knowledge, none of these have worked out on a large scale nearly as well as what is called a monogamous man-woman relationship in terms of stability and happiness for the couple, and for the society as a whole. When the families are strong, society is strong, as a rule. When families are weak, societies begin to break down. This is the important concept of this article. EXACTLY WHAT IS MEANT BY A FAMILY? A family is a unit of two dedicated to healing, even if they do not enunciate it or even understand it fully. It means two who are happy to be together, who want to be together, and who deeply love one another, even though it can just be friends, for example, or a parent and a child. This is what is meant by a family in this article. Stated differently, the definition of family is two living in a close personal relationship. Close relationships most often exist between family members, but not always by any means. Couples may live together for years and not be that close, for example. In fact, close relationships often develop among friends of either sex, work colleagues, and perhaps in other situations such as members of a sports team who work and play together constantly, for example. This is important to understand. They don’t even need to live in the same town or know each other personally, as long as they love each other enough. Also, those living under the same roof must be in a close relationship. Just because two are roommates, for example, or even sexual partners living together, married, church-going, or just â€Å"shacking up†, as they call it, does not mean they are a family because they must be in a close, loving relationship with each other. One in relationship with the other, if it is not returned, is not good enough. They both must feel the same way about each other, and this is the key. The rest of this article deals with various topics related to those living in families, or in close relationships, as explained in the preceding paragraphs. HEALING WITHIN FAMILIES – EMPATHIC BLENDING IN FAMILIES An interesting phenomenon that can be used for healing, but which can also have negative effects, is called empathic blending. It occurs in all close relationships, including, of course, within many families. It is a slight blending of the aura or energy fields of individuals who live together or even those who just work together or recreate together. However, it is much stronger in those who are in intimate relationships and having sex together. This interesting phenomenon has been known for thousands of years, but is rarely discussed. It can help bind a family or relationship together and help heal all members of a family. Unfortunately, it sometimes also causes problems in families if the man and woman are not that compatible. What  this means is that at times, two in a relationship have issues that do not blend well. Each can bring out the worst aspects of another, for example, instead of the best. For more on this topic, read Empathic Blending on this website. MALE-FEMALE BLENDING IN FAMILIES This is a subset or type of empathic blending that occurs only between members of the opposite sex. It does not occur in homosexual relationships, and it is one reason these relationships are always inferior to a good man-woman relationship. Two of the same sex may blend empathically, and often do. But only a man and a woman can blend in a very special way. For the same reason, it will not occur in members of an all-male or all-female sports team, work team, etc. This type of blending is similar to other empathic blending, but much stronger and much more able to cause healing in both parties. It is a powerful advantage to having friends of the opposite sex, a wife or husband, and even having children, at times. Children and parents. Interestingly, this type of blending can be done between a male parent and a female child, and conversely, between a female parent and a male child. It can even occur between siblings of the opposite sex, too, although this is not nearly as common. To read more about this very exciting method of healing, read Male-Female Blending on this website. OTHER TYPES OF UNUSUAL HEALING IN FAMILIES AND IN OTHER CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS A phenomenon we observe within families, and within all close relationships, is that when one person begins to heal, particularly a parent, often the partner and the children also experience a degree of healing. This occurs even when the others are not following a nutritional balancing program at all. I call it healing by osmosis, because I don’t know what else to name it. This phenomenon may be due to empathic blending, described in a paragraph above. However, it may be also be due to other factors, such as less stress in the home, better food in the home, more of a healing atmosphere in the home, or something else. In addition to these reasons, other reasons help explain unusual healing in those who in close relationships such as in families. For example, as one heals, he or she serves as an example to the other and perhaps as an inspiration to the other. As one heals, the body becomes more capable of love, and this felt by the other As one heals, some nutrients are actually transferred to the other in sexual fluids, for example, or in saliva in kissing. This may sound odd, but these are factors in healing within families or close relationships only. THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY UNDER ATTACK EVERYWHERE For the past 100 years of so, the family unit in America and Europe, in particular, has been under constant attack. The attack has been coming from work outside of the home, two parents having to work, the school system that takes away authority of parents, and a much more intrusive government that also takes away the rights and powers of parents to control their children and even their homes. Unemployment is very hard on families, and there is plenty of that in Europe, particularly. Pressure from Anti-Christian groups such as gay rights advocates and even some women’s advocate groups has also forced the passage of laws that discourage marriage. The growth of the welfare system is another anti-family factor. These systems often contain incentives to have children out of wedlock, for example, in order to collect more money from the government. Asia has much less of these pressures, but they are growing on a daily basis. Communism, for example, practiced still today in Russia, China, and other large nations, has a devastating effect on the family. Also, Asia has other problems, such as a traditional hierarchical male-dominated culture that may  seem to support the family, but really is very hard on women, and impedes the development of deep love between men and women among the population. Other nations, such as those in the Middle East, insist on rules and regulations that are so rigid and strict that they may hold society together, but they stop love from developing because the roles of man and wife are too rigidly defined. The Muslim world has some serious family problems. Here the family unit is strong, but in some homes the male dominates and the women are treated so badly that they cannot love their husbands and children correctly. I hope someday soon this will stop. Some of the best family units are found among the Jewish families and some of the Asian cultures, such as the Chinese and Koreans. Even here, however, divorce rates are rising and the traditional family is under attack. THE NEED TO RESTORE THE INTEGRITY OF THE FAMILY The above leads us to the need to clarify, correct and realize the importance of the traditional family unit and restore it legally, culturally, socially, and in every other way as well. This is also a goal of nutritional balancing science. It must begin with each person understanding the need for very high-quality relationships, and then acting at all levels of society to push for a more family-friendly society. The kind of reforms needed in society include: 1. Legislative action and tax reform to encourage marriage. This means that married couples should have tax advantages, which is not true today. Often it is the opposite. Also laws must clearly define marriage as the relationship between one many and one woman. All other arrangements of living and sexuality must not be given equal recognition or equal treatment under the law. This means no gay marriage, no homosexual or gay rights laws, and no gay-friendly legislation at all. This sounds harsh, but gay rights laws are the worst thing for the traditional family today. It also means that polygamy must be banned altogether. It does not matter if all members of a polygamous community like the arrangement. It does not work well and it is usually a cult. For more on this topic, read Cults and Terror Societies on this site. Tax credits should be given for having children, but only if a couple is married and filing jointly. Society should not be giving tax credits to single parent households of the same magnitude, as it encourages promiscuity and single-parent households. I know this is a difficult area, but it is important to strengthen and protect traditional marriage. 2. Legislative action and tax reform to strengthen families. Here are examples of laws and tax arrangements that favor the family unit in society: Smaller government favors families. This is because power in society is always shared between individuals and their families, and the government. The more power and scope of the government, the less power and scope the family will have. Laws that should be abolished to assist the family are all laws that allow schools to give out condoms and birth control pills without parental consent, and all laws that allow minor children to obtain abortions and even driver’s licenses without parental consent. Some states claim they can vaccinate children without parental consent, and some allow medical treatment without parental consent. All these laws destroy the integrity and strength of the family unit and ought to be repealed. I realize that repealing these laws will permit some abuse by uncaring or unthinking parents. However, this is better than an across-the-board rule that damages the family, which is still the best hope for children in the entire world. Government welfare agencies do not do a good job, overall, and I would not expect them to do so. They are too distant and too â€Å"professional† to care deeply enough about the children. Similarly, judges and juries should not have the right to remove minor children from the home unless the abuse is obvious and severe. Low taxes strongly favor the family unit and family integrity. Much higher taxes for everyone today is forcing two parents to work outside of the home and to send children to government or private daycare centers and pre-schools. This is horrendous for families. While in some nations, the poor and even middle classes do not pay income taxes, they pay for taxes that are hidden in every product and service that they buy. This is the case especially in America and Europe where corporate taxes are high. These are hidden taxes on all products that can account for up to half the cost of the product such as a car, food, clothing, building materials and other necessities. This is why corporate tax rates should be zero. Tax income, tax consumption, or tax imports and exports, but do not tax in hidden ways such as corporate taxes that no one can see and that are regressive, meaning they harm the poor much more than they harm the wealthy because the poor must spend a lot more of their income on necessities, while the rich can easily afford the taxes on goods and services such as electricity, etc. Laws that permit, encourage and even pay one parent to stay at home with children and teach them favor the family strongly. Parents should be discouraged from both working outside the home, and young children should be at home. If a parent does not want to raise a child at home, he or she should not become a parent. It is that simple. Home schooling favors the family unit. In the same vein, home schooling must be encouraged, not attacked, as it is in many nations, including the United States of America. Home schooling is the ideal, and should not be considered a deviant or religious or unusual concept. It is far better, according to statistics, than any school situation. Home schooling parents should not have to pay school taxes, for example, and perhaps should be compensated so that a parent can stay home and teach rather than have to take a job outside the home and send the child to public or private schools. No death taxes favor the family. Death taxes are also called estate taxes. They do not allow some families to pass on their wealth to their children,  or anyone else. Instead, the government takes a large portion of their money, even though they have already paid taxes on that income. Families should be permitted to pass on their wealth, as it is theirs and they often worked hard for it. The government has no right to it, having already taxed it once or perhaps twice. Tort reform strongly favors families and employment. It is important that if one is truly injured, that one can sue for damages. However, the situation in America, in particular, but also in Europe in which attorneys are able to sue basically innocent people for all sorts of frivolous reasons places great strain and a huge financial burden on everyone. It raises the price of all goods and services, frightens away many businesses and keeps good products off the market. It also supports a class of parasitic attorneys who make good money often by ruining other people’s lives. There are simple answers for this problem, but the trial lawyers lobby, and their political allies the Democratic party has so far prevented them from being implemented, especially in the United States. The solutions include: 1. Simplify legal proceedings so that people do not need attorneys to represent them and can handle simple cases themselves. This is certainly possible, but judges and attorneys don’t like the idea. It is similar to learning how to take care of your health, which the doctor’s don’t like. Court proceedings, rules of evidence, rules of discovery, motions, and so on can be made simpler. 2. The loser in a suit should pay all court and attorney fees. This is the system in Great Britain and some other nations. It can stop some frivolous lawsuits, especially in the health care area, but also in product safety. 3. Attorneys must not be allowed to disqualify jurors at their whim. The only reason to disqualify a juror should be a direct conflict of interest, perhaps. The current system today allows sharp attorneys to get rid of potential jurors whom they sense they cannot manipulate or influence. This  should not be the way the jury system works and it makes a mockery of the jury system. 4. It may be necessary to place a cap on damages. This is more complex, especially in a class action lawsuit but sometimes juries are talked into awarding far too much money for damages because attorneys take a percentage for themselves. A capitalist economic system, with controls to prevent corporate raiding and cheating, tends to favor families, while socialism is usually even more corrupt and it destroys families. It does this because the government gains so much power that the family becomes secondary to government, which becomes the nanny, the provider, the police force and everything else. This must be taught and the reasons for it thoroughly understood in society. The basic reason is that a large, powerful government always competes for power with the family, so it is inherently inimical to the family. In contrast, a weak government allows the family unit to have more power over itself and over society. It is not an accident that the weakest families occur in communist and socialist nations, while the strongest are found in the capitalist nations. Private and not socialized, nationalized or â€Å"universal† health care helps the family unit. Caring for one’s health and that of the children are extremely important issues that are best handled within families. This is because they have to do with diet, lifestyle, thinking patterns and other personal habits that are learned and practiced in families. In general, when people are forced into a governmental system, the family loses a lot of power and control over this important area of life. If the government system were perfect, it would not be so bad. However, all governmental systems are more costly, the dietary recommendations are often poor, bureaucrats are distant and don’t care as much for people as private doctoring arrangements, and waste and corruption are worse. Also, just turning over control of this vital area of life is a bad idea. Even the HMO or PPO system in the USA, which is based on private insurance but herds people into groups with little choice in health care, is not good for family integrity and strength. This is just one reason why Obamacare, for example, in the USA, will not work and must be repealed at once before it further bankrupts the USA, which it is doing and with no good results. It is just socialism, and that is harmful for families, as explained above. Freedom, in general, is wonderful for the family. Repression in society works against families. Freedoms of religion, of speech, of assembly, the right to bear arms and all the freedoms that some nations permit are helpful for the family as they weaken governmental power and encourage responsibility and power to be centered in the family. Denying the people freedom weakens the family in all cases. Traditional religions and, in general, religious freedom tend to favor the family unit. However, too much repression in the religion harms families by several means. Repressing women, for example, leads to anger and hatred of women for men and for the religious leaders. Also, if the family roles are so rigidly defined, some will rebel and avoid families altogether. They also, of course, may just leave the religion, but this is not always possible, as with Islam. As these legal and other changes occur, and only when they occur, we can expect to see great improvements and restoration of our societies. They will be safer, more sane, healthier, with far more emphasis on spiritual values and the dignity of each individual soul. All will be happier and life will be far more worthwhile and enjoyable for women, in particular, for our children, and for everyone. Easy divorce laws have mixed effects upon families. On one hand, they make it easy for a selfish parent to basically abandon their children or â€Å"steal† them from a partner. They may also leave a former partner stranded without financial support at all, or very little. On the other hand, very strict divorce laws that existed in the past kept families together where there was physical or emotional abuse, or just terrible unhappiness. This is not ideal for families, either. Many people say that the traditional family is dead, as evidenced by the high divorce rates in the Western world, in particular. However, they forget that although the divorce rate is high, the remarriage rate is also very high. In other words, many people do not want to be single. They just want to be with the right type of person. If they are not, then they are more likely today than in the past to split up and move on to what is often, though not always, a better marriage the second time around. When children are involved, the situation is more complex. Children need a stable home and they need love – plenty of it. So it is more complicated. Here one must use good judgment and try to avoid selfishness. Selfishness is often the problem and the reason that a couple does not blend and heal one another. Laws favoring easy abortions probably harm families. This is an ongoing debate in the USA, though not much in Europe. ALL abortions terminate a life, and some women suffer psychological damage from abortions, even if they are not fully aware of it. I particularly dislike the Planned Parenthood approach, often, in which young women are just told they can get their abortion right away, no one needs to know about it, and that is all there is to it. However, those who favor abortions rightly point out that women perhaps should have more control over their reproductive abilities, especially in case of rape, incest, and all conditions in which the health and well-being of the mother or even the father is at stake. So I suspect this issue will be debated for many years. I believe anti-abortion laws are there to protect women in many cases, and this is how they should be â€Å"sold† or promoted. They help women avoid psychological damage that comes with abortions, they help prevent infections and other problems of abortions, and they help the family in many cases, which helps women the most. If the family does not want another child, then put it up for adoption. Encouraging monogamous man-woman relationships is by far best for the family. Sadly, this is not what is taught in schools today. Politically correct teachers often stress that homosexuality, communal living, open marriage and other â€Å"alternatives† are just as good as the traditional one man-one woman relationship. I believe this is a lie in most cases, due to the nature and construction of human beings. I believe there exist certain differences between men and women that are often subtle, but very real. Living together, they tend to balance one another, help one another, heal one another, and love one another better than any other type of arrangement. This does not mean that in a few cases a different type of relationship is best, but I am speaking in general terms of what seems to work best for the great majority of people in our world. I strongly believe that if this were not so, we would see around the world plenty of societies in which marriage is not supported or practiced much, and instead we would see much more of other living arrangements such as homosexuality or just staying single and living alone or in one’s family of origin during one’s entire lifespan. But we do not see this very much among the thousands of human societies of every race and religion. This is not an indictment of other ways to live socially, just an observation. For this reason, I want to suggest that laws should protect, proclaim, educate and demand that the young are taught this truth, and nothing else.

Mental Health Issues among University Students

Mental Health Issues among University Students Introduction Mental health issue among university students is a major growing health concern. Research conducted in recent years has established that cases of students diagnosed with mental health issues are on the rise. A study conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found out that one in four students in the US suffers from a mental-related health issue. In the UK, university counselors have reported increased cases of students dealing with mental-related issues. A survey conducted by NUS in 2014 established that 75% of the students suffered from a mental health issues (Winrow, 2017).   There are also increased cases of university students dropping out of school because of being overwhelmed by mental health issues. Mental health status of a university student is of uttermost importance because it plays a critical role in shaping the education life. In the UK, about 15,000 first year students reported dealing with mental health issues (Burns, 2017). The figures are a sharp contrast to about 3000 students in 2006 that were diagnosed with mental health issues. Surveys conducted by different companies have also established that females are more likely to report a mental health issue than males. Mental health issues affecting university students There are numerous mental health issues that affect university students. Depression is among the prevalent mental health issues among students. A survey conducted by YouGov found that 77% of students with mental health issue had depression (Aronin and Smith, 2016). Anxiety is another mental health issue facing university students. Anxiety is largely caused by divergent issues like exam fear and experiencing difficulties while studying. University education is quite demanding and may prove a high-energy consuming activity for some students. Students are also expected to attain a certain score to guarantee them a pass in a certain class. Resultantly, some students may become anxious about their performance, which may affect their mental status. Stress among university students is another major mental health issue. Stress among university students is influenced by different factors. The highly demanding university studies are a leading cause of stress among the university students. Othe r causes of stress include examinations, deadlines, managing debts and demand coursework. Other mental health issues facing university students in the UK include self-harm, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and addiction. Causes of mental health issues There are numerous and divergent students pressures that may cause mental health issues. They include; Living independently for the first time Some university students are compelled to live independently depending on the location of the university they study. Living away from their homes may result to loneliness. Students living alone may feel overwhelmed by responsibilities, which they are expected to do on their own. At times, they may also feel scared. Such situations may lead to mental health issues. Managing an increased workload Students are expected to go through a large amount of workload during their university education. Students are expected to bear the amount of workload expected in a university. However, some students find it a tall order, which may make them uncomfortable and unhappy. Failing to manage increased workload can result in poor performance. Such students may fail to complete assignment and fail to meet deadlines set for different academic activities. As a result, such students may develop stress, which affects their mental health status. Additional work responsibilities Some students may be in engaged in other responsibilities like working on a part-time basis. They may engage in such activities to raise income that will help them to sustain their university education. Balancing between education and part-time job is at times a challenge that may bring health mental issues. Culture shock, language barriers, and homesickness International students studying in different UK universities suffer from culture shock, language barrier, and homesickness. These students are compelled to leave their families and countries and embark on education in the UK.   They are compelled to go through a difficult period of learning a new culture feel like strangers. Cultural differences may at times feel strange and difficult to adopt. International students also experience language barrier, which may make it difficult for them to comprehend what the professors are saying. Language barrier may also make it difficult for such students to interact with local students. International students experience homesickness because they are separated from their family and loved ones. Such issues lead to substantial levels of stress, which affect their mental health status. Increased study costs The cost of funding university education is on the rise. Resultantly, students are increasing a difficult situation of dealing with the soaring expenses to fund their education. A research conducted among 2000 students by NUS established that a third of them report of having mental health issues because of financial problems (Minsky, 2016). The students stated credit cards and payday loans as some of the financial problems that contributed to mental health issues. Maintenance loans given to students results in increased stress because students are worried about their debts. Increasingly competitive job market The job market is getting increasingly competitive, which results in increased pressure among university students. New grads looking for jobs are compelled to cope with increased competition. Employers have increased the competitiveness of the job market because they are looking for grads that possess hard and STEM skills. Universities are churning out students, who do not have employability skills that can match the fast-changing skills that characterize the competitive job market. Curbing health mental issues Besides relying on health authorities to monitor mental health issues among students, universities need to increase support services that should look after their own students to help them deal with mental health issues. The already established support services that deal with mental health issues are overwhelmed by the increasing number of students affected. A study conducted by IPPR found out that one in four students is using or waiting to use counseling services. In Leeds University, the study found out that there was a 50% increase in demand of mental health services, while the University of Birmingham there has been an annual increase of 5-6% for the past 10 years in need of the services (Burns, 2017).   Universities need to prioritize mental health issues and channel more resources and effort towards curbing the issues. Additionally, universities need to improve students’ access to National Health Service (NHS) In summary, it is evident from the above discussion that mental health issues among university is a major concern that should be taken more seriously given the rising cases of the affected students. Mental health issues stem from different student pressures like living independently for the first time, managing an increased workload, additional work responsibilities, and soaring university cost. Students may experience different mental health issues like depression, stress, anxiety, and eating disorders. Universities need to increase their efforts towards establishing the right support services to handle increasing cases of students experiencing mental health issues. References Aronin, S. and Smith, M. (2016). YouGov | One in four students suffer from mental health problems. [online] YouGov: What the world thinks. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/08/09/quarter-britains-students-are-afflicted-mental-hea/ [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Burns, J. (2017). Sharp rise in student mental illness. [online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-41148704 [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Minsky, C. (2016). UK students’ mental health affected by financial worries. [online] Times Higher Education (THE). Available at: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/uk-students-mental-health-affected-financial-worries [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018]. Winrow, L. (2017). More students are dropping out of university because of mental health. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/more-students-are-dropping-out-of-university-because-of-mental-health-problems-a7788901.html [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018].

Macys Department Store Repositioning Marketing Essay

Macys Department Store Repositioning Marketing Essay In 2005, Federated Department Stores (Federated) decided to pursue the repositioning and consolidation strategy of its 15 regional stores chains under just one national brandMacys. Federateds decision was in response to the decline in sales and profits of the traditional department store industry. Just three years later, U.S. was hit with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression that threatened the existence of many successful retail giants, including Macys. In addition, in 2008, the loss in profits during Christmas of that year was just the tip of the iceberg for department stores that traditionally were used seeing the highest yearly profits during the holiday season. Other factors such as rise of gas prices that increased delivery costs to the stores along with rise of cotton prices due to issues with the crop that increased the prices of clothes made out of cotton further exacerbated the already fragile retail industry. In addition, Macys was positioned in the upper m iddle segment of the market and had no choice but to increase the prices of certain goods to its customers, thus leading to reduction in sales volume and profits. Moreover, Macys was faced with another challenge. The department store industry was divided into 5 market segment based on price of items. The segmented consisted of high-end luxury, high-end general, upper-middle, lower-middle, and the low-end areas. Additionally, since Macys was already in the upper middle segment of the market, the company could not immediately launch into the other four segments without spending time developing a workable strategy that will not negatively affect its revenue generation, brand image, market share and not to mention the continue availability of the jobs of many of its employees in different locations, and the retention of the loyalty of customers and suppliers. Furthermore, the traditional department store industry was in a declining stage and consumers were scare, which made competition for the existing companies to be aggressive for sliver of the limited profits that were still available. Yet competition within existing companies was not the only threat, discount stores like Walmart and Marshalls were beginning to build momentum in the market, gaining more sales. Of course, with the popularity of the Internet, online shopping was also rising in popularity, once again adding more retailers to the already heavily competitive environment. Thus, these factors propelled Macys to begin in repositioning and consolidating efforts to restore its vitality. Consolidation and repositioning tactics, from internal perspective, provided Macys an avenue in creating a national brand and reducing the unit cost of Macys advertising and promotional budgets considerably due to having one central hub for all administrative functions and bulk purchasing. The success of the consolidation strategy is attributed to several factors. For instance, Macys brand already had nationwide recognition as Americas department store through aggressive national advertising activities, Fourth of July Celebrations and Thanksgiving Day Parade. Additionally, when Federated had consolidated its regionally established department stores, these stores had a well-established customer base, were regionally well known, and were in prime locations close to business districts or large shopping centers, which meant that Macys did not have to put any efforts into developing business for those stores but rather maintain and increase business with them. Moreover, both Federated and Macys had solid leadership teams with strong retail and department store experiences. In fact, Federated management team was already well aware of the issues involving brand conversion since Federated had converted some of its regional stores to Macys brand prior to the official 2005 consolidation. The management team also had a well established relationship with major supply chain and distribution networks that were now selected to serve the Macys stores. Thus, once again Macys did not have to put any efforts into establishing new relationships but would simply have to maintaining the existing ones. Thus, the offshoot of the consolidation tactic enabled Macys to provide moderately priced goods to its consumers thereby maintaining high levels of competitiveness by remaining at the middle of a bell shaped curve and identifying it positioning as affordable luxury. Yet, offering affordable prices was not the only repositioning tactic used by Macys, the company also changed its brand from specific demographics to fashion conscious consumers as well as the younger female audience. Macys created a bridal registry and offered fashions made by younger designers to further differentiate its brand from the traditional department stores that had failed in their past attempt to attract consumers between ages of 18-25. In addition, Macys launched Everyday Value strategy program that promoted value pricing such that customers would be able to purchase products without having to wait for sales day and the availability of coupons to get the most bang for their buck. These tactics would enable Macys to broaden its consumer base, minimize the entrance of new competitors as well as the emergence of substitutes into its market segment. Despite the benefits of consolidation and repositioning efforts, there are some negative factors to consider. Change is often very difficult as most individuals are creatures of habit. Thus, consolidation of department stores to one brand (in this case Macys) meant that existing consumers who had regularly shopped at their favorite department stores (such as the conversion of Marshall Fields to Macys in Chicago) would now have to adjust to new products, prices and services. In fact, the perception of some loyal consumers post consolidation was negative, complaining that Macys store had lower quality products and services. Therefore, consumers were reluctant to shop at Macys. Unfortunately, Macys decision to standardize its products and pricing nationwide to lower purchasing cost actually backfired. In fact, standardization resulted in higher prices of products offered at Macys compared to the former regional department stores chains, thus consumers were apprehensive to shop at the ne w Macys. However, post consolidation challenges that Macys had encountered did not deter the company from pursuing its long repositioning and branding objectives. Macys continued to aggressively promote its brand nationwide through celebrity advertisement. The company forged ahead as an exponential revenue generating entity by focusing on fashion, adding Martha Stewart, Tommy Hilfiger and Beyonce product lines while still embracing the concept of affordable luxury and participating in Fourth of July Fireworks as well as the annual Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. At the same time, Macys did not ignore the unfavorable results of its post consolidation and repositioning hiccups that threatened its brand and image. Instead, Macys made some necessary adjustments in order to accommodate its consumers. For instance, in response to negative consumer reception of the product and price standardization decision, Macys abandoned the strategy and instead tailored the product selection based on consumers ne eds. In this way, customers would have a pleasant shopping experience and begin to trust in Macys brand, which would increase the frequencies in which they visit Macys stores and make purchases. Additionally, as a result of the financial crisis in 2008, many department and retail stores offered promotional discounts such as percent off to sell overstocked inventory and attract consumers, Macys followed suit and discontinued its Everyday Value program to sustain itself during recession. Indeed, individually all of the above tactics are cash cows themselves therefore in combining them Macys was able to create a unique and valuable marketing position on the national landscape that would be difficult for its competitors to replicate. For Macys, the consumer became the basis for its strategies in terms of the market segments generated, the objectives of the national promotions and advertisings created, the remodeling of the stores for a better shopping experience, the focus on fashion rather than demographics, understanding differences in consumers needs and tastes and setting the price point at a moderate level. It was because of these tactics and strategies that the company began to increase its relevance and uniqueness among its targeted audience. Thus, Macys definitely found a way to be less conservative than the traditional department store as a results of its well developed and thought out and timely executed strategies, which should continue reaping the success f or several years to come.

Truths Exposed in John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men Essay -- Steinbeck

Truths Exposed in Of Mice and Men  Ã‚        Ã‚   John Steinbeck's timeless novel Of Mice and Men is a somewhat controversial story of the hardships of life. To illustrate these hardships, Steinbeck takes the reader back to an era of bankruptcies, migrant workers, and drifters. Today, this time, the 1930's, is branded the Great Depression. The quest of George and Lennie, two migrant workers, is an example of the dilemma of thousands of homeless and unemployed men in America during the Great Depression era (Ito 39). The harsh circumstances presented by the Great Depression reveal a darker side of human nature. In order to survive, a man's priority had to be himself. Through his characters, Steinbeck exposes truths about people and life in general.    Through the character of Curley, Steinbeck mocks the insecurity that can develop in a person. This primary flaw in Curley displays a basic flaw of humanity. Howard Levant reiterates this point in saying, "The central theme is stated and restated - the good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" (Owens 146). Candy, an old swamper, tells George, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy" (Steinbeck 26). This insecurity is articulated through Curley's abhorrence for men bigger than he, or often men in general. Curley also relentlessly worries about the activities of his wife, which reemphasizes his apparent lack of self-confidence. He further demonstrates his diffidence by his frequent ganging up on Lennie. Curley shows this when he picks a fight with Lennie. Curley asks, "What the hell you laughin' at?" (Steinbeck 62). Not only was Lennie an immense man, but he ... ...s novel causes the characters to act to some extent selfishly, looking out for their own good. It would be wrong to blame them though. In the Depression Era world that Steinbeck recreates, this live and let die attitude was often the only way to endure. The point of the novel, however, is not who is right or wrong. The point is that, by the conclusion of the novel, everyone loses. Though it is often easier to fulfill one's basic needs on his or her own, in the long run, interaction with others is an essential part of human nature.    Works Cited Ito, Tom. The Importance of John Steinbeck. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1994. Owens, Louis. "Of Mice and Men: The Dream of Commitment." Modern Critical Views on John Steinbeck. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 145 - 149. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1993. Truths Exposed in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men Essay -- Steinbeck Truths Exposed in Of Mice and Men  Ã‚        Ã‚   John Steinbeck's timeless novel Of Mice and Men is a somewhat controversial story of the hardships of life. To illustrate these hardships, Steinbeck takes the reader back to an era of bankruptcies, migrant workers, and drifters. Today, this time, the 1930's, is branded the Great Depression. The quest of George and Lennie, two migrant workers, is an example of the dilemma of thousands of homeless and unemployed men in America during the Great Depression era (Ito 39). The harsh circumstances presented by the Great Depression reveal a darker side of human nature. In order to survive, a man's priority had to be himself. Through his characters, Steinbeck exposes truths about people and life in general.    Through the character of Curley, Steinbeck mocks the insecurity that can develop in a person. This primary flaw in Curley displays a basic flaw of humanity. Howard Levant reiterates this point in saying, "The central theme is stated and restated - the good life is impossible because humanity is flawed" (Owens 146). Candy, an old swamper, tells George, "Curley's like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He's alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he's mad at 'em because he ain't a big guy" (Steinbeck 26). This insecurity is articulated through Curley's abhorrence for men bigger than he, or often men in general. Curley also relentlessly worries about the activities of his wife, which reemphasizes his apparent lack of self-confidence. He further demonstrates his diffidence by his frequent ganging up on Lennie. Curley shows this when he picks a fight with Lennie. Curley asks, "What the hell you laughin' at?" (Steinbeck 62). Not only was Lennie an immense man, but he ... ...s novel causes the characters to act to some extent selfishly, looking out for their own good. It would be wrong to blame them though. In the Depression Era world that Steinbeck recreates, this live and let die attitude was often the only way to endure. The point of the novel, however, is not who is right or wrong. The point is that, by the conclusion of the novel, everyone loses. Though it is often easier to fulfill one's basic needs on his or her own, in the long run, interaction with others is an essential part of human nature.    Works Cited Ito, Tom. The Importance of John Steinbeck. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1994. Owens, Louis. "Of Mice and Men: The Dream of Commitment." Modern Critical Views on John Steinbeck. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 145 - 149. Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Group, 1993.

Comparison of Mr. Collins Proposal to Elizabeth with Mr. Darcys Essay

Comparison of Mr. Collins' Proposal to Elizabeth with Mr. Darcy's Jane Austen does not use the word love very often in 'Pride and Prejudice', marriage is mentioned frequently throughout the novel, but love may have been considered too strong a word. During her lifetime Jane Austen was exposed to fashionable society and she learnt to gather inspiration, and then write it down in her witty, poignant way. She lived in a time when reputation was everything and women wanted no more than to settle down with a husband, whom preferably should exceed their own income. Austen received no such husband, but did fall in love, only to be heartbroken when he died before they were even engaged. Though love is a theme in 'Pride and Prejudice' Austen didn't use the word too recklessly but was sure to use it when a relationship was worthy of such a title. The Bennet family consists of Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five daughters Jane, Lizzie, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Unlike most families of the time all five of the daughters were out in society at the same time. Mrs Bennet wanted no more than to see at least one of her daughters married within the year and strived greatly to do so. Jane, the eldest is admired wherever she goes so Mrs Bennet is quick to do her best to try and marry her off to Mr Bingly, the very eligible bachelor (whom, by the way has five thousand a year!) Once Mrs Bennet feels that Jane would soon be engaged she is happy to oblige Mr Collins, Mr Bennet's somewhat 'silly' cousin, in his quest to find a wife. As most men do, Mr Collins first sets his sights on Jane but is by no mean discouraged when he is told of her expected engagement. Of course the next obvious choice is Lizzie, the pretty, sensible g... ...'s happiness is not mentioned for who could doubt that Lizzie would be happy? Married to a clergyman whom is associated with Lady Catherine de Bourgh? Mr Collins couldn't imagine why she would not be happy so the subject does not arise. The third reason (which he adds should maybe have been mentioned to begin with), that it is 'the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling my patroness'. Clearly Mr Collins had listened attentively to Lady Catherine de Bourgh for she specifically asked 'chuse a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own let her be an active, useful sort of person.' Whether or not it was Lizzie whom Mr Collins was proposing to, have it be Mary or even Kitty, they would suit this criteria from Mr Collins' point of view, he is not a perceptive type and sees people how he desires them to be. Comparison of Mr. Collins' Proposal to Elizabeth with Mr. Darcy's Essay Comparison of Mr. Collins' Proposal to Elizabeth with Mr. Darcy's Jane Austen does not use the word love very often in 'Pride and Prejudice', marriage is mentioned frequently throughout the novel, but love may have been considered too strong a word. During her lifetime Jane Austen was exposed to fashionable society and she learnt to gather inspiration, and then write it down in her witty, poignant way. She lived in a time when reputation was everything and women wanted no more than to settle down with a husband, whom preferably should exceed their own income. Austen received no such husband, but did fall in love, only to be heartbroken when he died before they were even engaged. Though love is a theme in 'Pride and Prejudice' Austen didn't use the word too recklessly but was sure to use it when a relationship was worthy of such a title. The Bennet family consists of Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five daughters Jane, Lizzie, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Unlike most families of the time all five of the daughters were out in society at the same time. Mrs Bennet wanted no more than to see at least one of her daughters married within the year and strived greatly to do so. Jane, the eldest is admired wherever she goes so Mrs Bennet is quick to do her best to try and marry her off to Mr Bingly, the very eligible bachelor (whom, by the way has five thousand a year!) Once Mrs Bennet feels that Jane would soon be engaged she is happy to oblige Mr Collins, Mr Bennet's somewhat 'silly' cousin, in his quest to find a wife. As most men do, Mr Collins first sets his sights on Jane but is by no mean discouraged when he is told of her expected engagement. Of course the next obvious choice is Lizzie, the pretty, sensible g... ...'s happiness is not mentioned for who could doubt that Lizzie would be happy? Married to a clergyman whom is associated with Lady Catherine de Bourgh? Mr Collins couldn't imagine why she would not be happy so the subject does not arise. The third reason (which he adds should maybe have been mentioned to begin with), that it is 'the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling my patroness'. Clearly Mr Collins had listened attentively to Lady Catherine de Bourgh for she specifically asked 'chuse a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own let her be an active, useful sort of person.' Whether or not it was Lizzie whom Mr Collins was proposing to, have it be Mary or even Kitty, they would suit this criteria from Mr Collins' point of view, he is not a perceptive type and sees people how he desires them to be.

Guilt vs Acceptance Essay

The power and impact that guilt can have on one’s life can be a positive and negative experience depending on how the individual deals with their situation and whether or not they learn a lesson from their mistake. The novels A Separate Peace by John Knowles and Fifth Business by Robertson Davies share the theme of guilt in their storylines through events and relationships but differ as to how to the characters cope with their reactions through reflection and confrontation. A Separate Peace tells the story of a young boy by the name of Gene Forrester who in an act of jealousy and competitiveness pushes his friend Phineas out of a tree. Fifth Business surrounds the character Dunstan Ramsay, who as a child, ducks a snowball with a rock hidden within thrown at him by his friend Guy. The snowball hits Mary Dempster at the back of the head, causing her brain damage and the premature birth of her baby Paul Dempster. Both plots surround two men who look back at their lives and how a single negative event affects their childhood. What would appear to be an insignificant moment of the past evolves into a lifelong mental scar that poisons the characters with guilt and the desire for acceptance. The novels’ protagonists share encounters in childhood fueled by competitive friendships; however, Gene Forrester accepts responsibility for his actions and is able to move on while Dunstan Ramsay does not and lets his memories and guilt plague his life. The two novels are similar in the aspect that both Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay are involved in childhood incidents that curse them with guilt. In the novel A Separate Peace, Gene Forrester subconsciously moves the branch he and his physically and socially superior friend Finny are standing on. Finny falls and is heavily injured and the casualties lead to his early death later on. â€Å"†¦and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. Finny, his balance gone, swung his head around to look at me for an instant with extreme interest, and then he tumbled sideways, broke through the little branches below and hit the bank with a sickening, unnatural thud† (Knowles 60). Gene Forrester feels solely responsible for this terrible accident and feels extremely guilty. â€Å"If Phineas had been sitting here in this pool of guilt, how would he have felt, what would he have done? (Knowles 66). In the novel Fifth Business, a rich and jealous enraged friend Percy Boyd Staunton pursues Dunstan Ramsay. When Percy throws a rock concealed in a snowball at Dunstan’s head he ducks and lets it strike the pregnant Mary Dempster. This accident is the cause of the premature birth of Paul Dempster and the destruction of Mr. and Mrs. Dempster’s marriage and family. â€Å"I stepped briskly†¦in front of the Dempsters just as Percy threw, and the snowball hit Mrs. Dempster on the back of the head† (Davies 2). Dunstan feels responsible for Mrs. Dempster’s mental health, Paul Dempster’s physical health, and their ruin as a family. â€Å"I was contrite and guilty, for I knew the snowball had been meant for me, but the Dempster’s did not seem to think that† (Davies 3). Both characters suffer from these self-inflicted negative occurrences and struggle with the realization of what they have done and how it affects those involved. Another similarity between A Separate Peace and Fifth Business is that both Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay have intimate friendships infused with jealousy and competition. These poisoned relationships both ignite the impactful events that occur in their childhoods. Gene feels in constant competition with Finny, who appears to be good at everything. â€Å"That way he, the great athlete, would be way ahead of me. It was all cold trickery, it was all calculated, it was all enmity† (Knowles 53). He is superior in appearance, physical capability, personal stamina and respect gained from popularity amongst the other boys at the school. â€Å"I couldn’t help envy him that a little, which was perfectly normal. There was no harm in envying even your best friend a little† (Knowles 25). Dunstan knows that Boy Staunton wishes to be the best in everything. He aspires to be the most handsome, most successful in a romantic relationship, most successful in a career and most popular. â€Å"Percy Boyd Staunton†¦the only man who accepted his watch with an air†¦it was a fine effect, and as I grinned and clapped, my stomach burned with jealousy† (Davies 97). He feels aggressive resentment for Boy as he lives the life that Dunstan secretly wishes he could himself. â€Å"Boy wore a gorgeous pullover of brownish-red†¦and his demeanor was that of the lords of creation. A pretty girl with shingled hair and rolled stockings that allowed you to see delightful flashes of her bare knees was with him, and they were taking alternate pulls on a flask that contained, I am sure, something intoxicating†¦I was filled with a sour scorn that I now know was nothing but envy†¦I didn’t really want the clothes, I didn’t really want the girl or the booze, but it scalded me to see him enjoying them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Davies 113). The two novels capture the intensity of the character’s conflicted relationships with their closest friends as their constant struggle for a balance between hatred and respect fails to cease. The novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business differ from each other within the main character’s thoughts and reflections on their memories. Gene Forrester accepts jostling the tree limb so Finny would fall, but understands the particular incident as a fragment of the past with no lasting effect on his life. Dunstan Ramsay however, remains attached to his guilt and responsibility for letting the snowball hit Mrs. Dempster and his actions haunt him for the remainder of his days. Gene Forrester revisits his old school and although experiences memories of fear from the past, it is only an echo not a current emotion. â€Å"Looking back now across fifteen years, I could see with great clarity the fear that I have lived in, which must mean that in the interval I had succeeded in a very important undertaking: I must have made my escape from it† (Knowles 10). He has not severed his feelings of regret towards the incident nor does he see Finny’s untimely death as unimportant but instead is able to appreciate his strong connection with this part of his past and can learn from his childhood errors. He understands that the experience matured him and was a crucial step in the climb of growing up. Gene visits the site where Finny fell with confidence and seeks the gratification of knowing that those years trapped at Devon school with an injured friend are behind him. â€Å"This was the tree, and it seemed to me standing there to resemble those men, the giants of your childhood, whom you encounter years later and find that they are not merely smaller in relation to your growth, but that they are absolutely smaller, shrunken by age† (Knowles 14). Dunstan Ramsay on the other hand, does not revisit sites from his past every 15 years but instead dedicates his entire life to the study of Saints and Mary Dempster’s impact on his life. He does not permit himself assessment of his child-self’s mentality during the accident and therefore, is never able to gain the satisfaction of learning from his mistakes. â€Å"Ramsey†¦You have paid such a price, and you look like a man full of secrets-grim-mouthed and buttoned-up and hard-eyed and cruel, because you are cruel to yourself. It has done you good to tell what you know; you look much more human already† (Davies 220). Instead of visiting places of his past or confronting those involved with his childhood, he sees his memories through a haze of anger and anxiety. An event that should have seemed insignificant and even negligible after so many years, is still important to him in his daily life and the emotions he felt 40 years ago have not changed but intensified. The fear and guilt he felt as a child is still fresh in his mind. â€Å"Cursing what seemed to be a life sentence†¦my association with Mrs. Dempster†¦It was as though I were visiting a part of my own soul that was condemned to live in hell† (Davies 182). The two characters, although faced with similar situations, choose different paths for their lives, which separate them from each other. A final contrast between the characters Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay in the novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business is the difference in their reaction to the event in their past. Both Gene and Dunstan suffer guilt about a single action in their childhood. Gene confronts his emotions and immediately tells Finny what happened, while Dunstan keeps the truth of the event a secret. While Finny is still recovering from his fall, Gene immediately visits Phineas after the accident and tells him the truth. Although he feels he makes things worse, it gives him a peace of mind and helps him to move on. â€Å"Finny, I’ve got something to tell you. You’re going to hate it, but there’s something I’ve got to tell you†¦This is the worst thing in the world† (Knowles 66-67). Gene is able to move past his guilty conscience of causing Finny’s fall and is able to focus his attention to mentally recovering and pushing forward in life. †¦in spite of everything, I welcomed each new day as though it were a new life, where all past failures and problems were erased, and all future possibilities and joys open and available, to be achieved probably before night fell again† (Knowles 105). Dunstan however, bottles up his thoughts and emotions concerning the events that occurred on the night Mrs. Dempster was hit on the back of t he head with a snowball. He does not tell anyone about the stone in the snow until the later years of his life. â€Å"Nevertheless this conversation reheated my strong sense of guilt and esponsibility about Paul, the war and my adult life had banked down that fire but not quenched it† (Davies 136). Dunstan keeps everything to himself and seeks out no help for his troubled mind and the stories and truths that are trapped within it. â€Å"The snow-in-the-snowball has been characteristic of too much you’ve done for you to forget it forever! † (Davies 270). The two outcomes of the two character’s lives is a reflection of how they handle the injury of the innocent and how they come to face the consequences of what they have done. The novels A Separate Peace and Fifth Business both display the lives of men who suffer a great deal in their childhood from unhealthy friendships and a singular bad event. Gene Forrester and Dunstan Ramsay share similarities in the occurrences of their lives but differentiate from each other in how they dealt with it. Gene faces his victim Finny with the truth of the accident, being that he deliberately jounced the limb so his superior friend would fall, and is therefore granted elation from his confession and a peace of mind. Gene matures free of guilt and the residue of the horrific event is but a memory he can briefly recall in his mind but not linger on. Dunstan Ramsey takes a different route, and on a downwards-spiraling path of shame, he lives a solitary life, left to face his childhood troubles every day, making ancient memories a constant reality. He matures with many emotional scars and does not feel any release from his inner torments. In conclusion, the two novels depict contrasting scenarios of self-reproach, one displays a character’s positive liberation of guilt and one shows a character’s negative manifestation of guilt.