Saturday, August 31, 2019

The Color Purple

English 102 24 April 2007 Awakening of an Abused Woman â€Å"The Color Purple† is set in the rural south and told through a series of letters written by the protagonist, Celie, chronicling her journey from pain and humiliation to triumph and rebirth. Throughout most of her life she has been treated as a servant. Her only worth as a woman is for cooking, cleaning, taking care of the family and fulfilling men’s desires. She has never been taught how to love or be loved and throughout most of the novel Celie is abused and very unhappy but she thinks that this is the way women are supposed to live. It is not until she lets women into her life, which lead Celie to her epiphany, that she realizes that she deserves more out of her life and that she is worthy of respect. Through sharing relationships with them, Celie sees how women should be treated from another perspective than what she has been taught by her family. Celie’s life is one of struggle and despair. The first line of the story is what her step father told her when she was only fourteen years old, after raping and impregnating her. This statement is so profound that it explains why she is so scared of men her whole life and emotionless to the things that are done to her. The line states, â€Å"You better not never tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy. † (Walker, 1). It is then that she starts writing to God. She can not tell anybody what has happened to her, not even her sister, Nettie, whom she is closest to at the time. Nettie wouldn’t even understand, she thinks, because she is younger then Celie and Celie doesn’t even understand what is going on. Celie feels the only way to go through life is to remain silent and persevere. Her only outlet is through her letters to God. Celie’s stepfather, Fonso, then marries Celie off to a widower who needs a mother for his children and someone to do the housework. The widower, Mr. ___, originally came for Nettie’s hand in marriage but Fonzo refused. Fonso gives Celie to Mr. ____ instead, telling him â€Å"She ain’t fresh†¦She spoiled. Twice. †, then he goes on to say, â€Å"She ugly. But she ain’t no stranger to hard work. † (Walker, 8). This is where Celie’s self worth is really shown to her. She feels that all she is good for is the hard work she accomplishes inside the home. The way the people closest to her talk about her in combination with all the bad things that has happened to Celie makes her feel worthless. She has very little self-worth and self-esteem. She is a product of excessive physical and mental abuse. The oppressive brutality of her life continues when she marries Mr. ___, who beats her and subjects her to a life of domestic servitude. Nettie later decides to run away from Fonso’s house because of the constant abuse towards her and decides to move in with Celie and Mr. ___. Nettie sees that life is not that much better at Celie’s house and after Mr. ____ tries to rape her she decides that she must leave there, also. Consequently, Fonso tells Celie that he will make sure her and Nettie never speak again. For many years after Nettie left she writes Celie letters, but Fonzo hides them before Nettie gets them. Fonso tries to break the only bond Celie had that brought her any happiness. It is not until Celie lets women into her life, once again, that her thinking starts to change. The first woman she becomes close to is her daughter- in- law, Sofia. Sofia is very strong and fierce, the total opposite of Celie, and she was not to be ruled over by her husband or anyone else. Sofia fights back when her husband, Harpo (Mr. ’s Son), tries to rule her with an iron fist. Sofia refuses to be oppressed despite the prejudiced society of the 1930s south in which they all live. Sofia instills in Celie a newfound strength. â€Å"Celie is so immersed in oppression, she accepts the point of view of Mr. : she advises Harpo to beat Sofia. Thus, she agrees with her oppressor in the idea that a woman should only obey, work and be silent. After this moment of deep humiliation, Celie has the first serious conversation in the book. Sofia comes to see her, furious, and Celie has to explain her attitude. She discovers she is jealous of Sofia's capacity to fight. This conversation is a new beginning for Celie. Both women find a moment of community, they do something together. The pronoun [pic]us[pic] is finally used: [pic]I laugh. She laugh. Then us both laugh so hard us flop down on the step[pic]. †(Averbach). The woman who has the most profound effect on Celie is Shug Avery, Mr. ___’s mistress whom he has three children with. The reader would probably think that Celie would be deeply hateful of her husband’s mistress. However, she is excited to meet her because Celie feels as though she is everything that Celie could never be. Her first words to Celie though were â€Å"You sure is ugly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Walker, 46), which is probably the most dramatically reinforced proof that Celie has ever had of her own ugliness. Celie even notices that Shug calls Mr. ____ by his real name, Albert, which demonstrates to Celie that Shug is more than just a mere servant to Mr. ____ and that Mr. respects Shug unlike Celie. Mr. ____ goes out of his way to make Shug happy and shows her such respect. Celie doesn’t understand why Shug is worthy of respect but she is not. This reiterates to Celie that Mr. ___ feels like he is superior to her but not to Shug. Shug stays with Celie and Albert for a while when she is sick and Celie takes care of her until she gets better. This is when Celie and Shug bond as woman and friends. Celie is so magnetized to Shug’s independence and freedom that she loves spending this time with her. Shug is the only person, other than Nettie, who has ever treated Celie like a human being and enjoys her company. They share a romantic relationship later on, as well. The significance of Celie and Shug’s sexual relationship is that Celie learns how to be proud of her body and that she learns how to use it to enjoy sexual intercourse. Celie has never truly enjoyed intimacy with any other person. She did it simply because she felt she had to in order to make them happy. Celie becomes Shug's only true friend. Shug is a blues singer and everyone enjoys her while she is on stage or sleeping with them but when she was ill none of her so called â€Å"friends† visited her. Celie was the only one who took care of her and spent time with her when she couldn’t be the life of the party as she usually was. Shug, like Celie never had much affection in her life and never knew how to love or be loved. Shug wrote Celie a song to show her appreciation for Celie and sang it to Celie at one of her concerts. This made Celie feel so good because nobody had ever showed their appreciation for anything that she had ever done. Later on in the novel Shug finds the letters that Nettie had been writing Celie for years. Once Celie finds out that Mr. ___ hid all of Nettie’s letters from her she feels anger and betrayal towards Mr. ____ because she never felt that he would do something so hurtful to her. She was still fearful of him at this point, so she takes all the letters out of the envelopes and leaves the nvelopes, hoping that he wouldn’t find out that she had found Nettie’s letters. As she starts reading the letters she has an epiphany when she realizes that Mr. ____ tried to rape Nettie and that it was the real reason she left. She read of how Nettie was in Africa and how different it was compared to the small farm Celie has lived at most of her life. She finds out th at her sister has been taking care of her two children that she had with Fonso and that Fonso was not her real father. Now she feels she has something to live for and that she does not have to be trapped by Mr. __’s abuse anymore. She has a whole new family, that she thought before were dead. She wants to kill Mr. ____ for hiding all this from her but Shug tells her not to because if she did she would never be able to see her family. Celie eventually leaves town with Shug and Shug’s husband, Grady, to live in Tennessee. As time goes by Celie’s step father passes away and Celie finds out that her real father left her his house and a dry good business. She has found a new independence by running this store. She’s excited because now that she has a house Nettie will have a place to return to. Celie’s relationship with Shug suffers many ups and downs. Shug had moved in with Celie in her new home but left to pursue a younger man. Celie still prevails because of her newfound independence as a business woman. Shug eventually returns and lives with Celie. As Celie’s confidence is built she starts to understand and forgive Mr. _____. The strength of these women combined with their care for one another offer opportunities for all of them to continue growing, despite the racist and sexist world they live in. During the course of the book, they cry together, laugh together, affirm life together, and share one another’s joys. They respect one another. They live in a world that Celie could never have imagined when she was fourteen. Due to her experiences with Shug, Sofia, and Nettie, Celie is able to triumph over the sexual and racial oppression that smothered many of her female ancestors. Works Cited Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. New York: Harcourt, Inc. , 2003. Literature Resource Center. Averbach, Margara. 1998. Gale Group. 23 April 2007 Pifer, Lynn. Find Articles. Winter 1998. 19 April 2007 . The Color Purple

Friday, August 30, 2019

Bond Market Power

The reasons behind James Carville's quote stating that if he would want to be reincarnated as the Bond Market as appose to a political figure or religious leader (Ferguson, N, 2008) is clear, the Bond market since its inception over 800 years ago has been the most influential financial instrument throughout history. Its longevity and power far surpasses any leader. It affects the outcome of wars, the success and failures of even the largest economies and also touches the lives of individual people. The below paper will discuss the history and origins of such a Debt Instrument, its rise in America inspiring James Carville's quote. Also how the Bond Market works, its components and its power over economies throughout history using examples to support this. Concluding this analysis with the Bond Market in Ireland and how it has been greatly affected by the current economic climate. Origins and Early History of the Bond Market: Nations, races and religions have been at war since the dawn of time and has seen many wars; there have been countless debates as to what ultimately plays the most important role in winning a war. Many people would argue that it is the size of an army, some would say it is the General at the forefront of a battlefield, others would denote it to technological advances in weaponry. These arguments all have one factor in common, they all need to be funded by money; money to pay soldiers, to reward Generals and to pay for arms. The amount of money which a town, country or kingdom has to fund a war is what determines victory. Niall Ferguson outlines the historic origins of the Bond Market very informatively in †The Ascent of Money† tracing the use of Bonds, to as far back as the early 14th century in Italy. Throughout the 14th and 15th Century, Italian cities were at war with one and other. Florence, Pisa and Siena being the main cities at war with each other among others. As concluded above, it is money which is the most influential strategy or weapon to be victorious against the other cities and in the case of Florence we see that by funding their wars they landed their town into major debt. How could Florence pay back this debt? Imposing tax increases would lead to upheaval, they therefore came up with the revolutionary idea of a commonly coined term: â€Å"Government IOU's† (Ferguson, N 2008); the wealthier citizens would lend the Government money over an agreed period of time receiving regular interest payments on said loan. The ideal factor in this agreement is that these IOUS's could be sold to other citizens prior to their maturity making them a liquid asset. This debt instrument saw the birth of the Bond Market. By the early 14th Century, two thirds of households were the Florentine Governments prime lenders in financing their â€Å"Mountain of Debt†. (Ferguson, N 2008). While it seems like a win-win situation for both investors and the Government a critical point arose, if a Government kept going to war and kept issuing Bonds to pay for such wars, how could an investor be guaranteed the investment would be returned. It is this point which highlights the link between the Bond Market and is power over economies. Governments undertaking this idea grew throughout the 16th and 17th century, some using towns as intermediaries; France with Paris hotel de ville, Spain utilizing Genoas Casa di San Girgio and Antwerp's beurs. (Ferguson, N, 2008) But it is the 18th Century and the British consol which paints the most relevant picture as to the rise of the Bond Market and the extent of its power, both from the perspective of winning battles and to be capitalized as a rewarding investment; The Battle of Waterloo being the best example of this. Nathan Rothschild was the most prominent figure at that time in the UK financial world and due to this and his reputation of being a successful Gold smuggler, he was given the task by the British Government of using funds from the issuance of Bonds to purchase amounts of gold to finance the Duke of Wellingtons battles. Rothschild was commissioned to deliver  £600,000 worth of Gold but instead collected  £2 million worth of bullion reserves. It is when the war was announced over and won by the British in 1815 that Rothschild had a problem of having an overly excessive gold reserve from his gold piling mission. He then, in a clear way of capitalizing on the Bond Markets in such a historic way, made one of the best investment decisions of his life. Post being informed of the Duke of Wellingtons victory, Rothschild purchased the British Bonds before the market had an opportunity to react, expecting the price to rise with increased stability of the Government due to the victory at Waterloo. Rothschild purchased the British Consol initially on 20 July 1815 and then again in subsequent years until selling at a peak in late 1817 at an increase of 40%. It is this display of financial valour and a clear inter connection between Government economies and the Bond Market which saw its rise to power in the global financial world. (Ferguson, N 2008). Linking the above to America and ultimately James Carville's quote, we can begin with the oldest impact of the Bond Market on American History, the American Civil War. The South approached the Rothschilds to back them as they did Britain in Waterloo but the Rothschild decided to opt out, this resonated throughout the entire European quarter which led to the an ingenious idea by the Confederacy to offer â€Å"cotton backed bonds† to the Europeans which basically guaranteed the bonds with Cotton making them a less risky initiative. Because the south monopolised the global cotton supply, they could influence prices thus making the cotton backed bonds more expensive leading to the increase in Bond price and ultimately funding for the Civil War. This is why it is said that the fall of New Orleans (cotton producer of the south) in April 1862 was the true definitive moment in the American Civil War, as a result the Bond prices fell astronomically and hence the financial backing for the Confederacy, the end of the war being 1865 with the North claiming victory. (Ferguson, N 2008). Bond Market America 1900's – 1990's Clinton Administration: In terms of the US Treasury Bond Market, it began as part funding for World War I. The war was financed through a rise in taxes and through the sale of war bonds, called â€Å"Liberty Bonds†. Over $21 billion dollars of debt were raised in maturities that came due after the war. Budget surpluses were not enough to cover the debt and so converted into T-bills, notes and bonds. These amounts were paid down regularly until borrowings were increased during the Great Depression of 1929. Foreign governments became holders of United States debt as they began to have surpluses in the balance of trade. As the Government deficit rose during World War II and accelerated during the Vietnam war, the debt markets and the rise of debt related trading instruments has dominated financial markets. In the early 1980s, bond yields rose substantially due to increases in commodity prices, labor wage increases and expanding deficits. Bond prices anticipate rising amounts of future debt and thus yields rise. (www.ehow.com). U.S. interest rates beginning in 1900-2010: (observationsandnotes.blogspot.com) The graph above shows U.S. interest rates beginning in 1900. From 1953 onward, the rates are 10-year U.S. Treasury Note rates, plotted monthly; prior to 1953, they're the less granular. This can support the previous paragraph's historical perspective in the ascent of the US Bond Market, in that we see how the interest rates drop from the depression and how it slowly began to rise post the Vietnam War in the late 60's early 70's.( observationsandnotes.blogspot.com). Placing the James Carville quote into perspective and in line with the time at which it was stated, during the Clinton administration. We can see according to some the destruction of the Bond Market happen in the US in 1994 entirely caused by the policies of said Administration. In 1993 President Clinton began with a plan to kick push the economy. His view was that all he needed to push the economy was lower interest rates. Short-term interest rates can fall for many reasons; public expectations change, increased savings increase, the market or as Adam Smith coined the â€Å"Invisible Hand† drives down interest rates as a signal for more investment. (Smith, A 1991). The same can happen artificially as the central bank expands credit and intentionally causes increased money supply within the economy, the central bank creates distortions in the capital structure, including stocks and bonds, while an increase in private savings allows steady economic growth. The Clinton administration, pushed the Federal reserve to lower short-term interest rates. Making money cheap and plentiful to pump up spending. But there is a fine line between plenty of money and plenty of devalued money. One is higher prices or in other words Inflation, lowers the purchasing power of money, which forces the Fed, sooner or later, to raise the interest rates back to a higher level. The usual consequence is an economic slowdown or even recession. A by-product may be a lower exchange rate internationally. But the actual consequence in the time of the Clinton administration was the bond market collapse. (Pongracic, I, 1995) So far we have tracked the history of the Bond Market from its origins in Italy to its rise within the US economy, but what is the Bond Market technically and how can we analyze the Bond Market and break it down to see how it operates within the financial system in today's terms? The Bond Market and How it works: When dissecting the bond market and its relevance and importance in today's terms we do not associate it too much to the funding of wars or the financing of battles, as we did with Waterloo, The American Civil War and Vietnam, we view it like Nathan Rothschild did, as an investment tool. Stocks historically produce higher rates of return than other investments but at the same time carry with a substantial amount of risk, also noting that it is at the Board of Directors discretion to pay out dividends on common stocks. The alternative being Bonds on the other hand have a maturity date at which time the Bond is redeemed at the issuing price. US Treasury Bonds interest and redemption payments are backed by the U.S Treasury thus rendering them â€Å"risk free† . (Faerber, Esme, 1993) The word †BOND† means contract, agreement, or guarantee. An investor who purchases a bond is lending money to the issuer , and the bond represents the issuer's contractual promise to pay the interest and repay the principle according to specified terms. The issuers themselves can be the National Government, Lower Levels of Government , Corporations and Securitisation Vehicles. (Levinson, M, 2000). Bonds are traded on both the Primary and Secondary Capital Markets along with Stocks and Mortgages, they are first introduced as initial public offerings or IPO's on the primary market and then can be traded or sold on the secondary market before maturity. The Par, face or maturity value of the Bond is the amount the issuer must pay at maturity. The coupon rate is the rate of interest paid on the bond. If the repayment of Bond are not met, the holder can claim on the assets of the issuer, (in the above Civil War example, the South's cotton). Long term bonds traded in the capital market include long term government notes and bonds, municipal bonds and corporate bonds. When dealing in Corporate Bonds, Default risk is an important factor of Bonds, as it is the main factor which influences a Bonds Interest Rate. This can be explained to be the risk that the issuer will not be able to meet interest payments and pay the principle back to the investor. If the possibility of default increases because the corporation is suffering losses the default risk will increase and their expected return on these bonds will decrease. Due to this importance, it is the credit rating agencies which assess the risk of default of Companies and Governments alike and rate them according to likeliness of default. (Mishkin, F.S, 2006) When buying and selling bonds, investors can utilize brokerage firms as they do with other investments and in the case of U.S Treasury Bonds can purchase them directly, it is when successfully realising where its best to buy and sell bonds which leads the investor in gaining from both differences in bond pricing and in commission costs. The Irish Economy & its Bond Market a midst the crisis: As displayed above, the main way for countries to raise fund when required are theough the Bond Markets. They are also a a key indicator as to the economic position of that country. This is because the more concerns the markets have about a nations financial stability, the more expensive it is for that government to issue its Bonds and raise money. A midst the Irish Financial Crisis and the troubles of Irelands Banks, mainly due to the blanket guarantee annoiunced by the Irish Finance Minister John Lenihan, Ireland have found it so much more costly to attract interest in their bonds this year. This is due to the Government accepting responsibility for Commercial Bank’s risky Loan Books, considering these loans will more than likely be defaulted so is the risk that the Irish Government will default on their soveirgn debt. Due to the above, the market prices of Irish Bonds have fallen in recent months, pushing up the yields. The yield on a 10-year Irish bond reached about 9% at one point. That is very high. The UK government – in spite of all its financial difficulties – can borrow for 10 years at just over 3%. (bbc.co.uk).

Legalization of Marijuana Essay

The terms ‘weed’ or ‘grass’ strike meaning to many Americans. When thinking of these terms, they are commonly associated with having the ‘munchies’ also known as being extremely hungry due to the side affects of smoking marijuana. What most Americans don’t realize is the benefits that can come from legalizing marijuana because their minds are clouded by the stereotypes associated with the average ‘pot smoker’. Dismiss the corny jokes and stereotypes for a second and consider the truths that are unveiled. In Timothy Egan’s â€Å"Give Pot a Chance,† Egan looks beyond the stigma of smoking weed and points out the benefits that will come from legalization. Although the government is wrongfully hindering us from legalizing marijuana, it should be a national wide policy due to the large benefit of tax regulations that will and has already arise. Egan starts his opinion with three main arguments: marijuana related drug wars, hypocrisy, and the most important argument he points out is the tax revenue that will be generated. Drug related wars are extremely prevalent today. Egan states that there are over 853,000 arrest made for marijuana related offenses. 60,000 people have been killed because of drug wars and violent crimes regarding the distribution of marijuana. Many people are being affected by the violence of the underground markets. He briefly goes over statistical numbers and significant data to further emphasize his argument for legalization. He quickly delves into the hypocrisy of not legalizing marijuana. He explains how our sports industry would completely collapse without all the legal drugs provided by various companies. Popular products include five-hour energy, red bull, and other pills for other uses. He points out how there were thousands of illnesses and fatalities regarding Five Hour Energy. This is an over the shelf product that can be obtained by anyone. In retaliation, Egan brings up how there are little to no people dying from marijuana ingestion. This also brings attention to one of the most common argument as to why people oppose legalization: that it is  unhealthy for the human body when taken in large doses. Although not explained very well, Egan points out the hypocrisy in the rationale of people thinking this way. Any substance taken in large doses is harmful to any human. Even something as healthy as water is bad in large doses. Although this is not a big part of his argument and does not explicitly say why marijuana is good for one or for the nation, it leads up to and adds to his claim of legalizing marijuana. The main argument for legalization and data that Egan gives is the tax revenue that will come from it. Egan arrives at this data by carefully studying the states that already have legalized medical marijuana including the District of Columbia and 18 other states. Washington State officials estimate that licensed marijuana stores will generate 532 million dollars in revenue every year. On top of that, legalization will decrease all the billions of dollars currently wasted on prosecuting and investigating marijuana cases. Money is being wasted on investigating marijuana cases while in reality most do not even get prosecuted or even fined. Since it is legal in some states and not others, enforcement of marijuana laws are clouded making the United States lose more money. If all states had the same rules it would be easier to regulate and gain an abundance of tax revenue from. Legalization of marijuana will benefit the United States as a nation. Egan agrees that a â€Å"whiff of positive and even monumental change is in the air†. He claims that legalization will benefit us tremendously in many ways, but specifically with the generation of revenue from tax. An influx of money from marijuana taxation would greatly help the United States with financial debt. Egan explicitly links his data to his claim by openly asking his audience to consider his data and apply it to the whole nation and then stating that the taxation would help the United States. He explains that the success from the state of Washington proves that other states will strive as well, thus adding to the success of the nation as a whole. Because there are so many issues and contradicting conflicts surrounding the issue of marijuana, Egan has to state his warrant to further emphasize his reasons for legalization and make apparent the change that could happen. The rhetor, Egan, suggests that the change will most likely happen by stating that â€Å"Obama is uniquely suited to make the argument for change. On his issue, he’ll have support from the libertarian right and the humanitarian left.† Egan implies that since 19 states have  already legalized the use of medical marijuana, many states will follow in their footsteps so it is only a matter of time. Unfortunately Egan had a very powerful qualifier that was not adequately explained. Egan implicitly argues that we, as a nation, should not wait for other states to slowly make the change to legalize. Obama and his administration have the power and more importantly the support to change it now. The lack of explaining this weakened a crucial part of his argument for national legalization. Egan believes national legalization should is needed soon rather than legalization by individual states. At the end of his speech he starts delving into his opinion he quickly adds how the law system is not enforced enough. Egan argues that with legalization nation wide, everyone would be on the same page, which is completely true. With nation wide legalization, the issue of use and abuse can be properly discussed and determined. He uses the example of alcohol and how campaigns against drunk driving have saved countless of lives when alcohol is so easy to obtain. This could be the same way as marijuana. With proper laws, marijuana could be regulated efficiently and safely. Unfortunately he only briefly states this and does not fully explain it clearly. He is implying that marijuana is a problem because congress has chosen to make it a problem because they decided not to deal with it. I thought this did not necessarily weaken his argument but left his audience thinking. Egan was successful at proving his point because of his strong claim, data, and warrant. He chose an engaging and interesting claim that is relatable to many Americans. The sets of data he chose to support his argument was tacitful because all Americans can benefit from money therefore everyone is in some way going to benefit from legalization. Egan makes clear the clouded stereotypes and stigma of marijuana and illuminates the truths involved. No matter our opinion or feelings on the issue, the presentation of information for the audience makes a very convincing argument. Work Cited: Egan, Timothy. â€Å"Give Pot a Chance.† Opinionator Give Pot a Chance Comments. New York Times, 22 Nov. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. .

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Marketing on the web in terms of marketing for e-commerce business Term Paper

Marketing on the web in terms of marketing for e-commerce business initiatives - Term Paper Example This paper analyzes the term ‘marketing on the web’ in terms of marketing for e-commerce business initiatives. In this competitive business world, e-commerce and e-business are becoming an essential part of business strategy and a powerful catalyst for profitable business development. Additionally, the use of latest information and communications technology (ICT) based tools in business has changed the way businesses communicate with their employees and customers. In addition, the incorporation of information and communications technology into the business improves the business performance, encourages superior customer contribution, facilitates mass customization, and minimizes business expenditures (Schneider, 2006) and (Andam, 2003). In this scenario, internet marketing can be an important tool for the businesses. The marketing using internet is referred as internet or web based marketing. Normally, this term is used to explain the methods through which companies make use of WWW (World Wide Web) in an attempt to promote their businesses, their products or services (SRS Solutions, 2011). Additionally, with the emergence of latest internet supported tools and technologies, differences between customary marketplaces and the worldwide electronic markets such as business capital size, among others are slowly being lessened down. In this regard, business promotional strategic positioning is the other name of competition. Normally, it is the capacity of a business to make a decision regarding new opportunities as well as make use of the required human capital abilities (like that intellectual resources) to put together most of these openings in an e-business policy that is trouble-free, realistic and viable according to a worldwide information environment and recent economic situation (Andam, 2003) and (Schneider, 2006). In this scenario, internet presents unique benefits to the companies for their marketing arrangement; however its basic purpose is to distribute company’s information and media at a minimum price. Seeing that, what it offers to the businesses in scenario of communication demonstrates that now business communications are speedy as well as time-saving. Additionally, internet marketing incorporates both innovative aspects and technical features, consequently websites with great artistic merit and functionality are born (SRS Solutions, 2011). Objectives of Internet Marketing Currently, electronic marketing or web based marketing is turning into a large set of business components that can be used by an organization to increase its earning, despite the nature of the business, whether it works online, moderately online, or totally offline. In fact, it totally depends on a company whether it utilizes internet marketing as an element of a company’s marketing strategy or not, however in general, internet marketing is becoming a most significant fraction of almost every company's marketing mix. Additionally, ma jority of online businesses choose internet marketing for the marketing of their products and services. Fundamentally, internet marketing is used to perform one or more of the following tasks: (Duermyer, 2011) To distribute a company’s information regarding itself, its services, or its products online. To perform research to understand the nature (preferences, demographics and requirements) of old and prospective clients. To market and sell services, products, goods

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Financial Management - Essay Example Dividend relevance The relevance of dividends in the price movement of the shares will be very high in case there is a shift in the fundamental factors governing dividend policy. ‘Agency theory posits that dividend mechanism provides an incentive for managers to reduce the costs associated with the principal/agent relationship. Distributing resources in the form of cash dividends forces managers to seek outside capital, thus causing them to reduce agency costs as they subject themselves to the scrutiny of the capital marketplace’ (Moh’d et al., 2005, p.367) The fundamental factors in this regard are profitability of the companies, the investment opportunities available to the companies for plough back of profits for the growth and management policy. Therefore, any change in the continued practice or policy is reviewed critically by the investors. In could affect the value of the shares in the following ways. 1. The existing investors sell the stocks if the change in policy impacts future dividends and is inconsistent with their investment objectives. 2. The change in policy could attract new investors if it is consistent with their investment objectives. 3. The demand and supply of stocks due to change in dividend policy will influence the market prices. ... The process of price discovery in the market is greatly vitiated in general by the interplay of these factors. Though these factors do cause price movements, the impact is very unpredictable. This leads to speculation with regard to the motives of the management of a company relating to dividend decisions. The investor community would generally be affected by these dividend decisions due to lack of access to market information or inability to interpret the information and its impact on the stock prices. There would be violent fluctuations of the stock prices in the short run which are caused not due to information content in respect of dividends, but other considerations or perceptions. The fundamental factors influencing dividend policy Profitability of company, its growth over years, the opportunities available to company for investment within company and management policy are the important factors governing dividend policies of the companies. Earnings growth The consistency and gr owth in payment of dividends by a company over years are discounted in the stock prices under efficient market conditions. The companies with good track record in this respect command high price/earnings multiple in valuation of their companies’ stocks. Dividend policy is, therefore, relevant to the premium in price/earnings multiple attached to the stocks. But, the recurring dividend announcements in line with the expectation of the market are not the determinants of the value of the stocks. However, when the earnings beat the expectation of the market and company increases dividends substantially or the payout ratio is increased significantly, the investors expect that the increase in dividends will be maintained in the

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

ECA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

ECA - Essay Example Second, she is not entitled to tax credits because she has no child. A mother with a child is entitled to tax credit even if she is working part time. 1.3 The total tax credit would increase because the working tax grows as their income dropped. Even if Magdi is working less than 30 hours per week, he is entitled to working tax credit because his father needs care. 1.4 a. Option A will bring more income into the household because the loss of income will be recovered. Furthermore, caring for his father can be done by Sara. The household will still be entitled to a working tax credit thus increasing the source of income which would include the attendance allowance given for the father that is tax free. Also, when Magdi works until the age of 65, he will not incur losses in his pension. b. Option B might bring new source of income for the household because the Magdi would be entitled to Carer’s Allowance. The Carer’s allowance can be paid to both Magdi and Sara. Carer’s allowance is designed to replace earnings that are lost through being a full-time care giver. 2.1 a. Their insurance payout does not match the full amount of their income loss because of state benefits will produce only a well below average income, thus the payout is insufficient to sustain an existing standard of living. Also, the payout is subject to inflation rates. When insurance is a level type the value of the payout income is lesser because it is affected by the inflation rate during such pay out. 2.2 a. Asymmetric information is a situation where one party knows something that another party does not. It is used to refer to information on insurance. Insurers have the information about probabilities of adverse events occurring and base their pricing decisions on those probabilities which they have worked out from their years of claims experience. Individuals, on the other

Monday, August 26, 2019

Daimler Chrysler Merger Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Daimler Chrysler Merger - Case Study Example From its inception until 1978, the U.S. automotive industry showed a steady expansion, with the exception of the years during World War II when its plants were converted to the production of war materials. In 1978, motor vehicle production reached an all-time high of 12.9 million units, including about 9.2 million cars; since then production has fluctuated. In the early 1980s the industry was in a recession, producing fewer cars in 1982 than in any year since 1958. From 1990 to 1992 the industry experienced another recession. In 1996, U.S. motor vehicle production totaled 11.8 million, including 6.1 million cars and 5.7 million trucks; North American motor vehicle production, including all vehicles made by domestic and foreign companies in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, reached more than 15.4 million-8.2 million cars and 7.3 million trucks. In the mid-1990s, the U.S. auto industry showed signs of recovery (History.com). To try to improve their global positions in terms of output and market share almost all of the major firms in the industry embarked on a period of consolidation in the 1980s and continued this in the 1990s. Ford acquired Aston Martin, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. Volkswagen gained Skoda and Seat. General Motors took major interests Saab, Suzuki, Isuzu and Daewoo. Finally, Renault merged with Nissan, Dacia and Samsung. The most salient point arising for the purposes of this paper is the firms which bought firms in economies where they had little previous presence as part of their strategy of going global. Essentially then DaimlerChrysler was caught up in a general trend and found itself following others in the search for what seemed global security through scale and scope. Worker involvement in the full process began in the 1980s. Worker "circles," as developed by the Japanese, gained adherents in the U.S. auto industry as a means of taking some of the drudgery from repetitive, assembly-line tasks and simultaneously giving workers a larger interest in decision making. Profit sharing among auto workers began at the American Motors Corp. in the early 1960s. Chrysler Corp. approved the concept in bargaining with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in 1981, as did Ford in 1982. By the mid-1980s profit sharing had become standard in the industry. In 1990 the U.S. auto industry and related industries employed about one of every 13 workers in the nation. It is the largest single consumer of steel, plastics, glass, and rubber, to name four key supporting industries. The auto companies could not exist without outside suppliers, who typically supply 30 to 70 percent of the industry's requirements (History.com). To provide U.S. automakers time to catch up with the Japanese, during the 1980s the U.S. government pressed Japan to restrain motor vehicle exports to the U.S. to 2.1 million per year. This quota was lowered to 1.6 million as the Japanese began producing large volumes of vehicles in American plants. Under the National Competitiveness Act of 1984, the three U.S.-based automakers began forming consortia in 1989 under which they share in research and development to reduce costs and speed new

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Venezuela Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Venezuela Case Analysis - Essay Example Because of this reason, the casualties of the injustices who are mostly Afro Venezuelans and women, have ensued legal action and social unrest to push for and ensure equality for all (Karimi & Shoichet). The violations have led to human right movements and rise of activists who advocate and proclaim for the protection and observance of human rights in Venezuela. This paper analyses the different social and political struggles that the citizens of Venezuela have undergone in order to define the widening range of economic, political, social, and cultural rights they hope to enjoy today. In Venezuela, proclaiming and fighting for human rights began soon after the sentiments and Declaration of Rights. The people with African origin and women were never allowed to participate in the voting process and they faced discrimination from the majority. In the recent past women were not to vie or contest for any political positions or participate in the electoral process (BBC). This was the foundation of Venezuela’s women movement, and the women even now are still pushing for equality in the leadership positions. Most of the human rights movements and protests involve mass resistance and demonstrations. In other instances the struggle and fight for human rights is accompanied by unrest and violent rebellion and confrontation. The efforts over the years have led to the extension of human rights to all and reforms to the law for the sake of minorities leading to democracy and freedom some Venezuela citizens enjoy today. Liberal idealism is also being implemented by the Venezuelan leaders. It is the strong international belief of safeguarding and protecting the human society collectively. It is basically the coming together of nations with a main aim of advancing humanity. It involves states helping each other and ensuring peaceful co-existence between the citizens (Eisene). The

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Fight Against Discrimination and Violence Against the Indigenous Essay

The Fight Against Discrimination and Violence Against the Indigenous Women in Canada - Essay Example If we are to look at the glaring evidence of inequality and domination in any given society, then it is but imperative that we look at how the dominating group treats or for obvious instances, maltreats the so-called subordinate group. In this case, the extent by which the powerful non-natives abuse the natives in Canada is obviously seen in how it has perpetuated and imbibed the belief that indigenous women deserve to be abused and are rightful to be raped and murdered for the mere reason that they are natives. Discrimination is not limited to the actual individuals who kill, rape, or abuse indigenous women, but even to the social institutions like the police and courts that have miserably failed to protect the rights of these women to the point that the victims and their families are seen to have provoked and deserved such brutalities, while the suspects are treated as if they were the real victims! Amnesty International (www2.amnesty.se) has released these sentiments towards the p assivity of the Canadian government over such important concerns, and a call towards finally putting a stop and initiating a fight against the discrimination and abuse of indigenous women all over Canada: First, the marginalization of indigenous women in Canada in terms of social and economic aspects, as well as years of manipulative government policies tearing apart the families and communities of natives in Canada, have inevitably pushed a number of indigenous women into dangerous working conditions such as prostitution and sex trade and living conditions such as poverty and homelessness.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Human Thought Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Thought - Essay Example Reflective practice is a relative issue here, and there are basically two different dimensions to reflective practice, and two models in particular which are involved - the Johns' model of reflective practice, and the Schon's model of reflective practice. The aim of this paper is to discuss human thought in all of its complexity, in particular to address the matter of critical thinking and how it manifests itself in different areas of life. As well to be discussed here is the issue of reflective practice and the models that are most significant. By discussing all of this as well as any and all other key and related issues, we will be able to come to a much more informed and knowledgeable understanding on the subject of human thought as a whole, as well as on the matters of critical thinking and reflective practice and how these two subjects are related to the psychological aspect of human thought. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Human thought is a psychological issue which is incredibly complex, and to which many different subjects are contained within. In more recent years, a new discipline has arisen, which argues that human behavior can be understood in terms of evolutionary processes, and critical thinking is considered as being an incredibly intricate and significant part to human thought overall. In fact, critical thinking is something which is considered as having an on-going concern with the problems that are inherent in human thinking, and "It includes, but is not exhausted by the mental process of analyzing or evaluating information, particularly statements or propositions that people have offered as true. It includes, but is not limited to, a process of reflecting upon the meaning of statements, examining the offered evidence and reasoning, and forming judgments about the facts" (Wikipedia, 2007). The process of critical thinking, then, is one which involves acquiring information as well as evalu ating it in order to reach a well-justified conclusion or answer. As well, a large part of critical thinking really goes above and beyond that of informal logic and includes a certain assessment of beliefs an identification of prejudice, bias, propaganda, self-deception, distortion, misinformation, and so on. It is considered that "Critical thinking is very important, as it allows purposes, questions, information, inferences, concepts, assumptions, implications, points of view, beliefs, and situations to be analyzed, evaluated and restructured, decreasing the risk of acting on a false premise. The loss of this faculty through injury, intoxication, denial, narrow-mindedness or subversion can lead to a greater risk of one making a fatal error" (Cartwright, 2003). There are basically two major aspects in particular which are involved within the area of critical thinking, and they are: a set of cognitive skills, intellectual standards, and traits of mind; and the ability and intellectua l commitment to use those structures to improve thinking and guide behavior. It is incredibly important to realize the fact that critical

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Value added Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Value added - Case Study Example There are various ways that Nike adds value to its products. One of them is through the development of their products using high level of creativity thus making them unique from their competitors. They put the quality of their products into consideration while at the same time ensuring that they consider the preferences and the needs of the customers. As such, they are always all ears listening to the feedback of their consumers and ensuring that they put into consideration the criticisms given to them. They also add value to their products through advertisements to create awareness to as many individuals around the globe as possible. They also conduct celebrity endorsements to their products to ensure that as many individuals as possible associate with their products. Nike also conducts the value addition of their products through improvement and development of new product or series. One example is the KD series which has developed from KD I to KD III series. Each of the series has its own unique design and price. Nike also adds value to their products by involvement in community affairs including events and also fundraisers (Davis, 2010). This enables individuals to see the social responsibility part of the company thus creating a good reputation for the

Encountering Conflict Essay Example for Free

Encountering Conflict Essay When confronted with conflict, peoples moral centre can cause them to act in heroic ways. When we are exposed to war and devastation our reactions to this Thousands of Chinese students gathered in a peaceful protest for basic Democratic reform at Tiannaman Square 1984. Due to these actions they were senselessly and inhumanely killed in cold blood by the Chinese Military. The students were unarmed and in no way of a danger to anyone. This devastation shocked the world and erupted massive conflict. One thing that this devastation proved to the world that during times of conflict where ones moral compass is tested there true heroism is revealed. A small, unexceptional figure in pants and white shirt, looking tiny next to the hulking tanks, carrying what looks to be his shopping, positions himself before an approaching tank, with a line of 17 more tanks behind it. The tank swerves right, he moves in front again. The tank swerves left, he moved in front again. Then this anonymous bystander climbs up onto the vehicle of war and says something to its driver, Why are you here? My city is in chaos because of you. With a single act of defiance, a lone Chinese hero revived the worlds image of courage. He was the â€Å"unknown rebel† also know as the Tanks Man a man who was immensely courageous and a beacon of hope. The courage that it took to walk out against such massive machinery, knowing good and well that it could very well be your last day on this earth is inspiring. He took courage to a whole new level, becoming a world hero of sorts. This ordinary everyday man had stood up to one of largest of armies which was an undeniably, extraordinary act. Another man who stood up for what he believed in response to such brutal and callous acts was a man named Bradley Manning. A man who new his moral obligation was to show the world what the Government was hiding from them. Manning was an American soldier and as apart of his job he has witnessed such cruel and inhuman acts performed by the military that the world were unaware of. Manning new what was right, his response to this conflict was to present this information to the world. Manning fulfilled his legal duty which was to report war crimes. He complied with his legal duty to obey lawful orders but also his duty to disobey unlawful orders. An order not to reveal classified information that  contains evidence of war crimes would be an unlawful act. Manning had the legal duty to reveal the commission of war crime. Manning revealed to the world, the unjust detachment of Guantanamo Bay, he revealed the human cost of wars in Iraq through the â€Å"Collateral Murder† video which depicts U.S forces in a helicopter killing unarmed civilians. The video even showed men trying to rescue the wounded who then were shot down as well. Manning had sent this information to a website called Wiki Leaks; a website created by Julian Assange in order to reveal to the world the truth about our leaders and what they are not telling us. Manning has been held 19 months in military custody. Manning has been held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day. He is only allowed to walk one hour a day in shackles. When he sleeps he is not allowed to between 5AM and 8PM weekdays and 7AM and 8PM on weekends. If he tries to he was made to sit up or stand by guards. The goal was simple the Government want to make Manning an example to other potential whistleblowers and wanted to seek to, pressure Manning into an admission that wikileaks solicited material from him, making that organization and Julian Assange part of a criminal conspiracy. Manning was a hero. This ordinary man, a solider witnessed cruel and brutal acts that the Government were hiding and presented it rightfully to the world â€Å"I want people to see the truth†. For these extraordinary actions he has been humiliated and inhumanely tortured. When our moral center is tested, ordinary inadvertent individuals who act in miraculous and extraordinary ways are revealed. Manning was tested. His moral obligation and his legal duty was to present these war crimes to the world. Conflict can stir emotions, including emotions of hatred, fear and protection of ones self and loved ones at the expense of anyone or anything else. As a result, people may act in irrational ways causing them to abandon their moral values for something that is inhumane and amoral. In times of conflict often people are fighting for there ideologies. In these times people who can lose there touch with reality and who’s blind devotion to the belief causes them to act in ways they normally wouldn’t. However, people who don’t think of the morality of there actions and are blind to the suffering there actions cause, they perform the most extraordinary acts that are the most  dangerous. The ‘Quiet American‘ written by Graham Green explores how in times of conflict peoples moral obligation for what is wrong and right is truly tested. The character in the novel Alden Pyle is a man used to provide readers with an American who is strong commitment to democracy in Vietnam has caused him to have a false conception of the world. Pyle with the intentions of saving Vietnam from the grasp of Communism in the process killed many innocent civilians in the name of what he believed was right, democracy. Through the character Fowler, we can see through his reactions to the devastation to the human impact of the bombings that emphasizes the cruelness and naivety of Pyle. Fowler witnesses the Bombings at Place Garnier, in fowlers words â€Å"what I remembered was the torso in the square, the baby on its mothers lap. They had not been warned: they had not been sufficiently important†. The horrific scenes Fowler describes presents Pyle as inhuman. Fowlers reaction to the devastation emphasizes on Pyle’s reactions as callous and brutal. We see this when Pyle uses a dismissive tone, â€Å"they were just war casualties †, as he shows no remorse for those who he has killed. Pyle again dismisses the deaths in saying â€Å"we are looking after the relatives†. To Pyle the actions that have occurred are for the good of the majority, these deaths lost are necessary for everyone. Pyle is blinded by his ideology of democracy and he remains untouched by the human suffering around him. Its not necessarily the good extraordinary acts that people can respond to conflict with but we can make the wrong choices and we question our morals and beliefs. Times of turmoil can bring out the worst in people and they can make the wrong decisions. In Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Bob Ewell is fueled by his hatred for the African Americans and is only concerned about power. He uses his position as being above African Americans so that people believe him and his family are more than white trash. He does this by accusing Tom Robinson of raping his daughter. We see here how someone can respond negatively to conflict, this conflict being racism and lack of civil rights during the 1930‘s. Ewell during this conflict, doesnt look to his heart or conscience. He doesn’t care if an innocent man is executed, he is run by purely selfish motives. We see a different response in times of intense circumstances, how someone so evil and cruel can fakley accuse a man for his own benefits. A man who just as Pyle was, is oblivious to the suffering but in order to follow his beliefs  he must be immune to the suffering.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Attachment Theory Analysis Development And Application Psychology Essay

Attachment Theory Analysis Development And Application Psychology Essay This paper focuses on the concept of attachment theory. We begin with an analysis of what it is and its development and the founders and important people who have applied and developed it. We then present its applications in the modern psychology. Attachment can be defined as the emotional bond that connects one person with another. This theory was first advanced by psychologist John Bowl by and he described it as a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings (Bowlby, 1969). He believed that the initial bond that is formed by children with their parent or caregivers have very important impact upon their entire lives. According to him, the attachment is very fundamental in ensuring that the childs chances of survival are enhanced. The main theme in the theory of attachment revolves around the notion that mothers who are responsive and available to the needs of their children usually establish some sense of security. The infant are therefore ware of the fact that such a bond with a dependable parent or caregiver is important for their security and safety. This gives them a well secured platform to explore the world at large. The main characteristics of attachment Secure base This is when the caregiver or parent provides a dependable and secure base for the child to explore the world. Safe haven This is exhibited when the child feels afraid and threatened. They do therefore turn back to their caregiver to seek comfort Maintenance of proximity This is exhibited when the child makes efforts to be as close to the caregiver or parent as much as possible in order to keep themselves safe. Distress of separation The Ainsworths theory of Strange Situation Mary Ainsworth, a psychologist in 1970s carried out research that expounded immensely on the work of Bowlbys. Her famous theory of Strange Situation revealed that there is a notable effects of attachment on the human behavior. The study which she conducted entailed an observation of children aged between 12 and 18 months who were being watched as they responded to various situations in which they were left alone for a short period of time. The infants were then reunited with their mothers as pointed out by (Ainsworth, 1978). On the basis of the observed responses, Ainsworth came up with three main styles of attachment which were: Secure attachment Ambivalent-insecure attachment Avoidant-insecure attachment However, later on, the work of Main and Solomon (1986) saw the addition of an extra style of attachment referred to as disorganized-insecure attachment. Several other studies have shown that the various attachment styles have a profound influence on the behavior of humans in their later lives. Detailed characteristics of attachments Secure attachment Children who are securely attached do exhibit a lot of distress when they get separated from their caregivers. They do however become happy on the return of their caregiver. It is worth pointing out the fact that these children do feel secure and are able to depend entirely on their parents ar caregivers. Whenever the caregiver or parent leaves, they may feel upset but with the knowledge and hope that their caregiver would soon come back. In case they get frightened by anything, these securely attached children would seek the comfort and protection of their caregivers. They know their parents and caregivers and their ability to provide them with assurance and comfort. Ambivalent attachment The ambivalently attached children normally do become distressed whenever their caregivers leave them. This form of attachment is usually uncommon and is therefore observable in just a small percentage of American children. It has been shown through research that ambivalent children are a product of poor maternal availability. These children however, cannot rely on their parents availability for their needs to be met. Avoidant attachment This form of attachment is characterized with children who try at all costs to avoid their parents or primary caregivers. In case they get offered a chance, they would show no form of preference between their caregivers and new people who are considered total strangers. Research work has indicated that this form of attachment comes about as a result of a neglectful or abusive caregiver. This therefore means that children who get penalized or punished fpor their reliance on their caregivers would soon learn to avoid seeking their help in the future. The problems with attachment There are a myriad of problems that affects attachments. The questions that most people may ask are what happens to infant who do not form some form of secure attachment. Extant literature suggests that in case there is a failure to be part of a secure attachment during infancy, then there is bound to be negative impact on the behavior of the affected individual. This is notable in the early childhood as well as during adulthood. The children who are diagnosed with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or conduct disorder (CD) usually show signs of attachment related problems. This is possibly as a result of : Early abuse Neglect and Trauma. It has been suggested by clinicians that early attachments do have very serious effects on the future relationships .For example, people who are securely attached during their childhood do tend to have positive qualities such as: Good self esteem Strong romantic relationships Ability to disclose oneself to other people. It has been suggested by several theorists that the attachment theory is a special kind of psychological theory that gives a description as well as explanation to be used as a theoretical framework necessary for discussing the various types of affectionate relationships that do exist between individuals. This theory which got its origin from John Bowlby in 1969 has continued to be influential as a logical framework to be utilized in the explanation of interpersonal relationships as pointed out by (Hazan, Shaver, 1987). Bowlbys theory was heavily influenced by the work of Harry Harlow. Harlow is the one who made a discovery that infant monkeys that got separated from their caregivers (mothers) ended up clinging to objects that were as fluffy as their mothers as opposed to the wire-coated food sispensers.This was a strong indication that the infants had a strong need to be nurtured as poited out by Harlow Suomi (1970).It was the belief of Bowlby that the attachment style of an individual is developed in their childhood and gets heavy influence by the infants relationship with the primary caregiver. His other belief was that an individual style of attachment is durable and has a strong influence on the way the person would relate to others through our their life time (Bowlby, 1969).There are however some theorist who challenge this notion. Secure attachment style This is the very first attachment style. Individuals who are securely attached have very low self esteem coupled with low avoidance. They however have positive attitudes towards themselves and towards the rest of the people. In order to promote secure attachment in children, it is important for the primary caregivers to be dependable, supportive and provide a safe haven as pointed out by Bartholomew Horowitz (1991). Ainsworths strange situation study revealed that securely attached children are characterized by several behaviors such as protestation of their caregivers departure while having the ability to begin being in happy mood only to welcome the departed caregiver and be reassured once again of their comfort as outlined by Tracy Ainsworth (1981). There are other benefits that come with being securely attached. These include the ability to form very close and intimate relationships with very little ease while being comfortable with the autonomy. Secure adults usually feel like they are worthless and have expectations that other persons will be accepting while being responsive at the same time as outlined by (Hazan Shaver, 1987). The diminishing attachment style This form of attachment is characterized by individuals who have low anxiety coupled with a rather high avoidance. Therefore, they do have a positive attitude towards their existence. They however do have a high avoidance of others. This form of attachment is observable in children and is formed whenever an infants bid to gain comfort are rejected and their primary care givers are hesitant and generally reluctant to allow body contact between them. This makes them to pick up their young ones in very abrupt manner. There is also an element of controlling behavior with very limited emotional response as indicated by (Hazan Shaver, 1987). An observation by Ainsworth shown that children who are dismissing had a characteristic of not being distressed by the departure of their caregivers and they were also not too much bothered by their return. This observation was reported by (Tracy Ainsworth, 1981). In adults It is also a general fact that adults who belong to the category of the dismissing individuals do feel a certain sense of worthiness. They however possess a very negative disposition towards other individuals. They do have a self protection mechanism that involves the avoidance of very close relationships and the maintenance of a general sense of independence coupled with invulnerability. The preoccupied (Fearful avoidant attachment styles) This third attachment style is referred to as the preoccupied style. These persons do experience a very high level of anxiety coupled with low avoidance. Therefore they get preoccupied and do feel on a constant basis, a sense of unlovabililty along with that of unworthiness that is combined with an affirmative evaluation of others. The preoccupied style is usually formed whenever a primary care giver is inconsistent in their manner of parenting. This is marked with being loving while being responsive. This is however true only when they are able to manage but not in their response to the childs signals as pointed out by Cassidy (2000). In adults Several adults have been shown to be exhibiting this style and they are known to be in a constant quest to be accepted by others through the gaining of acceptance of other individuals in the community. Fearful avoidant style This is the last type of avoidance styles It comprises of highly negative individuals.They do have: High anxiety High avoidance They also feel the following: Unworthy Unlovable They view people negatively and regard them as either rejecting or untrustworthy. Due to this, they usually avoid very close relationship and try to avoid being rejected at all costs. This group is made up of individuals who have been abused and neglected as pointed out by (Bartholomew Horowitz, 1991). The durability of the attachment styles The durability in this case refers to the state of stability of the attachment styles. This has however been a subject of too much controversy and debate. The attachment theory postulates that after repeated experiences during an individuals childhood, they do while in infancy, develop a string of knowledge structures a concept that can also be referred to as an inner working model that acts as a representative of the various several interactions that the infant had while they were with their primary care giver. The infant then learns of the fact that whenever their primary caregivers get responsive then they have an opportunity of counting on them as well as others should need be. On the other hand, in case the primary care givers are cold, unresponsive and inconsistent, then the child would soon learn to ignore or rather neglect their role in his or her life in regards to gaining comfort. . This model has for a long time been thought of as being persistent throughout the life of an individual and can be considered to act for them as some sort of a guide as illustrated by Fraley, (2002). In order to support this model, we bring out the fact that adults generally do tend to be more attentive to situations that bring out their experiences and to information that is in congruence with their worldly expectations. This is called the confirmation bias In order to illustrate this, we look at the study that was conducted by Simpson, Rholes, Nelligan in 1992 that portrayed that people who have avoidant working models with a general view of others as being unreliable did also vies social scenarios as being ambiguous. A study conducted by Roisman, Collins, Sroufe, Egeland (2005) in order to explore if an infants style of attachment could be predictive of their adult hood indicated that: A secure mind state in regard to one;s romantic relationship and better of (high quality) romantic relationship is usually a result of a secured attachment relationship that took place in infancy. In yet another study by Torgersen, Grova, Sommerstand, (2007) whose research relied on the test results of hypothesis that purported that attachment in most adults is heavily influenced by certain genetic factors. This was done through a comparison of both monozygotic as well as dizygotic twins attachment styles. Their result is was that both the environment and the genes have a profound influence on attachment Recent theories Several recent theories dispute this notion. They do propose however that the durability of a certain style is a functions of the stability of an individuals environment. This can be illustrated with a consideration of the experiences of new relationships and formation of new attachments both of which can bring about positive influence on an individuals working model. It is worth noting that the attachment theory is very crucial in the explanation of an individuals interpersonal relationship in a lifetime. The four proposed attachments styles: Secure Preoccupied Dismissing and Fearful avoidant Are all crucial in the explanation of an individuals interpersonal relationship. It is important to note that the durability of attachment has been questioned and more research is going on this. Applications to social phenomena Attachment theory in raising children Attachment is the link that forms between the person taking care of an infant and the infant itself from when it is between eight to nine months of age, giving the child security emotionally. Bonding starts from when a child is being given food, and goes on to participating in pseudo-dialogue and then it is followed by the child taking part in more active roles of proto dialogue, as shown by Kaye (1982), other ideas such as inter-subjectivity and scaffolding have been looked into by psychologists. As an infant continues growing, their attention towards the person taking care of them increases. John Bowlby (1958, 1980) founder of the attachment theory was involved in extensive analysis on the emotional link between infants and adults and he had a strong belief that the early relationships greatly determined the emotional and behavioral growth of a child. An earlier study done by Bowlby in 1944 found out that children who had an unstable upbringing where more likely to become juvenile derelicts. His work is often free to criticism and has been improved on with further research. Other following research has measured different levels of security and insecurity in children from early times by use of the method known as Strange Situation Test. Other explorations have also shown different types of the difficult habits and how a child may relate with the person taking care of them actively. Bowlbys theory was founded on ideas from ethology studies and earlier works. The psychodynamic theory as put by Sigmund Freund was very pertinent during the 50s following the Second World War when women were taking up caring for households and playing motherhood roles as men were going back to employment post war. Sigmund believed that every child ought to have a relationship with one caregiver monotropism and that separating from this person would bring about the proximity promoting behaviors in the attachment order. The caregiver coming would cause the behaviors of, clinging, making noise and crying to come to an end. The protected grounds of the affectionate links present between the parent and infant representation becomes part and parcel of the inner working model. These therefore become the heart and the base of all close relationship during continuation of the childs life all through to adulthood. The interference of a mother and childs relationship through lack of emotion, se paration and bereavement to the bonding process. Bowlbys theory of maternal deprivation (1951, 1953) was supported by Konrad Lorenz imprinting study on the young ones of animals done in 1966. He believed that the childs caregiver should impress as a constant figure, and that lack of maternal links between mother and child could be dangerous to the childs health mentally and could cause delinquency. His opinions on long term organizational care were that if a child was placed in a foster home before reaching two years and six months social, emotional and cognitive development may not be delayed but his other works show there has been varying types of parting in youth with serious behavioral issues. Attachment behavior as looked into by Mary Ainsworth works (1985) Ainsworth Bell, (1974) Ainsworth et al (1978) becomes the base for all potential connections and this develops up to two years from the time the child is born. She also agreed with Bowlby on the opinion that the process of attachment bonding occurs at the age of two years. Roughly when the infant is about 7 months old when they get to be watchful of strangers and unknown environments. This continues until the child attains two years of age. The process Ainsworth (1969) investigated to determine if a child was securely or insecurely connected was the strange situation paradigm. This involved a series of short separations and reunions. The childs parent and a person unknown to the child took part in the study with a child aged one year, there were eight series in total and Ainsworths measurement on secure and insecure connection was founded on the reunion scene of how the child reacted in such a situation. Evaluation was carried out using four different variables. The results showed that there were three main varying styles of adjusting. Type A was the anxious and avoidant. The Type B secure while the Type C was the anxious and ambivalent. Most children showed secure attachment; one fifth of them showed anxious/avoidant and one tenth showed anxious/amb ivalent. Main and Solomon (1990) introduced yet another variable, D Type: which in recent times was disorganized to match the behaviors of children in risky environments. The strange situation paradigm, has been faulted by Judy Dunn (1982, 1983), she believed that children from varying backgrounds like institutional care and those living with their families may bring different meanings to the test and the childs environment. The method and results of the experiment are doubted even by Judy Dunn herself. In another study carried out by Richman in 1982 et al it showed that different dangerous factors of disturbed behavior can be evident from the time a child is three years old. Some of the factors known to influence a childs emotional development are the mothers mental state, marital stability and the parents attitudes to the child. The childs active part must also be taken into consideration when giving advice on bringing up children as is shown in Sameroffs 1991 transactional model, as children interact with their environments, while the caregiver develops the childs behavior and how they will relate in future. In Ainsworth and Bowlbys view in which they both agree relationships are universal it can said that different peoples and cultures have different degrees on to what degree or amount of time an infant should be left alone, Japanese, the Chinese and the Israeli results showed Type C in a research done across cultures by one Marinus van Ijzendoorn and Peter Kroonenberg in 1988. Problems could also be with the ethological view of drawing comparisons between children and the young ones of animals as they could be controlled by an instinct. Bowlby considered only the effect on the child by the caregiver yet other factors could affect this such as the child moods. A mother whose child has a thorny mood could prefer to work and leave their child in a day facility which in turn could have a negative effect on the mother being unable to leave the child behind with other people. The mothers patience and the look of the goodness of fit. Researchers Chess and Thomas (1984) suggested that attachme nt could impact on the behavior and a reflection on the attachment link between the child and the primary caregiver (mother). Bowbly and Ainsworth worked together in the development of secure links as per the sensitive mothering of a child in its first year but it could have an impact on the mother as argued by Woollet and Pheonix in 1991, where if she has to abandon all her earlier work and duties possibly leading to frustrations. A workable alternative is to share the responsibility of parenting but this notion would appear to be contrast to the opinion of Ainsworth and Bowlby. The showing of the movie A Two-Year-Old Goes to Hospital, by James Robertson in 1952 showed the stress and pains of a child separated from the mother during a long stay in hospital. During this period mothers were advised not to pay regular visits to their children while in hospital. According to Ainsworth and Bowlby ,the abrupt and premature separation of the child could have terribly affected its emotional wellbeing and the bonding process. Separation and providing alternative means for taking care of the child have been researched on more recently. Day care was among the topics researched into by Bowlby and his belief was that that if a child started nursery schooling before attaining three years of age, it would also cause irreparable damage to the child. However, recent studies done during the 70s and 80s have shown varying opinions and this was proved in a research carried out by Laurence Steinberg and Jan Belsky in 1978 and in yet another study done by Clarke-Stewart and Fein (1983). A much later study done by Belsky (1988), had different views as mothers who worked for more than 20 hours a week showed a higher level of insecure attachment as compared to his earlier study which found absolutely no problems with taking children for day care, Clarke-Stewart opposed this data. Other crucial factors that needed to be taken into consideration according to Belsky were the difference in the surroundings, the children in the day care facility, the staff at the day care and the quality of the day care. Appendix A: Figure 1: Attachment models source (http://www.personalityresearch.org/attachment.html)

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Employer Obligations Under The Equality Act 2010

Employer Obligations Under The Equality Act 2010 Gavin Moore PO4 Question 1 The employer’s main obligations under the Employment Equality Act are to: Provide a safe, healthy work environment with the required facilities. When hiring employees they must abide by the nine grounds and must not discriminate based on: Race The employer cannot say no to hiring someone based on the fact they are Chinese, Indian, African or even white. Gender An employer cannot base his decision on whether the candidate is a man or a woman when recruiting as this can be sexist and discrimination. Marital status Just because the person looking for work is married or not the employer can’t say no based on this status. Family status The employer can’t look at whether the person is a family man with a wife and kids or if he has no wife and kids and lives alone when hiring. Sexual orientation If the candidate is gay, bisexual or even a lesbian the employer can’t base his decision on this. Disability If a person has a disability they should not feel that they will not get the job because of this unless it involves something which requires skill that they don’t have, otherwise, the employer must treat them equal. Religion The employees should not be treated differently based on their religious beliefs. Age The position should be available for anyone who is between the age of 18 to 65 as long as they are well able to complete the tasks which have to be done. Member of the travelling community. If a member of the travelling community is looking for work and is fully qualified he should not be discriminated against just because of his background. The two main legal acts which underpin it are: The Employment Equality Act 1998 (amended 2004) This covers advertising, equal pay, access to employment, promotion or demotion and dismissal and other issues. This also promotes equality, prohibits discrimination and sexual harassment or harassment, and gives access to people with disabilities participation and training. The Act gives protection to employees in the public and private sector. The Equal Status Act 2000 (as amended by the equality act 2004) The Equal Status Act promotes equality, prohibits certain kinds of discrimination (with some exceptions), prohibits sexual harassment and harassment (on the discriminatory grounds). This covers people who buy goods, use services and facilities and attend educational establishments. The Act also prohibits victimisation and provides that clubs which discriminate may lose their licence to sell alcohol. (www.asti.ie) PO4 Question 2 The employee’s main obligations under the employment equality act are to: Be available for work and provide a good service. you must be willing to do the work given to you at any time and you must do it to the best of your ability. Obey orders from employers Whatever tasks your employer gives to you must be completed and you must do what they tell you to do without any negativity Maintain confidentiality regarding company information Any information given to you about clients or the business must not be shared outside the workplace as it is company policy that everything remains private. Be willing to compensate the employer for any damage caused or wrongful act committed. If you manage to break something or do something wrong you must confront the manager as soon as possible because if you don’t tell the manager you will come across as being unreliable and not honest which can give you a bad reputation within the workplace. The two main legal acts which underpin this is: The Employment Equality Act 1998 (amended 2004) This covers advertising, equal pay, access to employment, promotion or demotion and dismissal and other issues. This also promotes equality, prohibits discrimination and sexual harassment or harassment, and gives access to people with disabilities participation and training. The Act gives protection to employees in the public and private sector. The Equal Status Act 2000 (as amended by the equality act 2004). The Equal Status Act promotes equality, prohibits certain kinds of discrimination (with some exceptions), prohibits sexual harassment and harassment (on the discriminatory grounds). This covers people who buy goods, use services and facilities and attend educational establishments. The Act also prohibits victimisation and provides that clubs which discriminate may lose their licence to sell alcohol. (www.asti.ie) PO4 Question 3 An example of workplace discrimination would be racial discrimination. This can take place when an employee of a certain race is paid less than the other employees or if they receive unfavourable treatment within the workplace. The problem can be noticed through unfair policies and dismissal without a certain reason. The employer can take positive action by coming to the person who is being discriminated against and find the people responsible for this and fire them immediately. These acts should be discussed with candidates before hiring them and let them know that their company will not tolerate any discrimination of any kind. Another example would be if a woman was being harassed by the men within the workplace to a serious extent. The manager would be in the hot seat if he didn’t get to the bottom of it. He would have to arrange a meeting with the woman in being harassed and find out who is behind it and fire them immediately. This would be one of the major problems that t he employer would face within the workplace and if not dealt with immediately could result in them losing their job. PO4 Question 4 Five pieces of current legislation relating to employment to cover the following issues are: Health, safety and welfare at work (Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005) This Act clarifies and enhances the responsibilities of employer‘s, the self-employed, employees and various other parties in relation to safety and health at work. The Act also details the role and functions of the Health and Safety Authority, provides for a range of enforcement measures that may be applied and specifies penalties that may be applied for breach of occupational safety and health (www.hsa.ie) Equality (Equality Act 2004 and Employment Equality Act 1998) Their main aim is to promote equality by forbidding discrimination within employment. (www.ahead.ie) Union Representation (Industrial Relations Act 1990) The definition of trade dispute no longer includes worker v. worker disputes, disputes about an individuals employment must first go through statutory or collectively agreed resolution procedures, private residences can no longer be picketed, secondary action is restricted, and trade unions must have rules providing for secret ballots before industrial action is taken. On the other hand, the ability of employers to get labour injunctions is restricted where there has been a secret ballot and strike notice has been given. (www.eurofound.europa.eu) Regulations Relating to Pay: National Minimum Wage Act 2000 The National Minimum Wage Act, 2000 provides that the minimum wage rate for an experienced adult employee from 1 May, 2005 is 7.65 euro per hour. Before then, the minimum wage rate was 7 euro per hour. The national minimum wage is reviewed at regular intervals (www.disability.ie) And the Payment Of Wage Act 1991 The employer is obliged to provide a written statement of wages and deductions at the time of payment. It is worth noting that in the case of schools in Ireland for the purposes of the Payment of Wages act, 1991 the Department of Education and Skills is deemed to the employer. (www.employmentrightsinireland.com) References Online at http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Managing_Health_and_Safety/Safety,_Health_and_Welfare_at_Work_Act_2005/ (accessed 12/02/14) Online at  http://www.disability.ie/disability-ie-information-portal/site-sections/rights-legislation/183-legislation-bills-and-act-s-from-ireland-and-uk/534-national-minimum-wage-act (accessed 12/02/14) Online at  http://www.asti.ie/?id=281 (accessed 12/02/14) Online at  http://employmentrightsireland.com/payment-of-wages-act-1991-payment-of-wages-in-irish-employment-law/ (accessed 12/02/14) Online at  http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/IRELAND/INDUSTRIALRELATIONSACT1990-IR.htm (accessed 13/02/14) Online at  http://www.ahead.ie/inclusiveeducation_legislation_19982004acts (accessed 13/02/14)

Monday, August 19, 2019

Male Dominance in The Yellow Wallpaper :: Yellow Wallpaper essays

Male Dominance in The Yellow Wallpaper      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story of The Yellow Wallpaper reflects the period where men dominated women.   The real meaning of this story is written hidden behind it.   The author had used a writing style that is taking objects portraying men, women, and society.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The story first starts off a couple have moved to a house. A so- called haunted house, her wife describes it.   The wife, who is a patient of her husband, has moved here to cure her sickness.   She does not admit that she has a problem.   Everyday she keeps looking at the tore yellow wallpaper. She finds it really interesting observing it.   She likes writing personally.   And so she writes about the yellow wallpaper.   Everyday she would find something new to write about.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The wallpaper really represents the society.   Those bars, which she sees in front of the wallpaper, represent freedom.   It is the boundary that woman wants to break open of.   Women image behind the bars, tries to escaped from the control of men will eventually be twisted up.   The lights that shined through the window present the dominant of men.   The wife observes that patterns of the parts where lights shine right at it is the non-active parts.   It symbolizes women are more settle when men are watching over them.   Under their pressure, they don't dare to rebel against them.   Her wife sees images moving around on the dark side.   That brings up a big contradicting point comparing this to our present society.   Back then, woman does not have much freedom.   They are under man's hands.   Secretly they tired to struggle through this strangle. But they failed after all.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My favorite passage of this story is on page 163.  Ã‚   The detailed description that the wife describes really draws much attention to me.   It talks about some details that the wife finds looking at the wallpaper.   And one interesting point, that she sees John and Jennie put their eyes on the wallpaper too.   That she was surprise John and Jennie may see there is something going on about the wallpaper.   But I don't know if that is what the wife is determines or have a guess that's what they are doing also. Last sentence of the passage: "But I Know she was studying that pattern, and I am determined that nobody shall find it out but myself!"   She was very into examining the wallpaper, she is full of confidant that she shall be the one finding out what's behind the wallpaper.   It is quite freaky to hear that from her.   Because she is a patient, and now here she is

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Peaches Essay -- Literary Analysis, Reginald McKnight

In the story â€Å"Peaches†, Reginald McKnight introduces his main characters, one being Marcus. Marcus is a good guy, but he is described in different ways, due to his eagerness or insecurities. Throughout the work, author Reginald McKnight takes great care to illustrate situations and describe feelings and personalities that many men experience. This way, even though Marcus is having trouble controlling himself around other people and arrogant at times, he still tries to be a better person for Rita and for himself. He does this by going out of the country to experience other cultures and enhance his morals. On one level Marcus demonstrates that he is incredibly confident, but on the other level he shows signs of being insecure, manipulative, and overall an unstable man who may or may not be capable of achieving change. Marcus’ actions continually demonstrate how confident he is. Whether he is next door or across the country, Marcus always has his eyes set out for Rita. While, he claims â€Å"I have had relationships with Black women and Hispanic women, and Asian women† (75), thinking his experiences with other women instantly make him capable of understanding Rita. He is so eager to obtain her that he fails to see her as an individual. To Marcus, past experiences are enough to attain a healthy relationship. According to Marcus, he had â€Å"been through this before† (75) and told Rita she could tell him anything, thinking it had to do with a cultural gap. In fact, Marcus said to Rita, â€Å"You can tell me. I think I’d understand† (75). His confidence paired with his need for Rita’s recognition and approval makes it appear that his confidence may be only surface deep. Marcus himself is insecure, and like most guys he is constantly over thinkin... ... In creating a character so confident, insecure, manipulative, and unstable, Reginald McKnight also creates a character we can sympathize with. McKnight created a sense that Marcus was a confident individual, who set himself apart from society, but in doing so, he set himself up for failure. Where the one woman who could make all the difference began to fear him. Once that happened, everything went downhill as soon as Marcus began to dismiss Ritas response at any given point. Whether or not he was fully aware, Marcus built walls around him and avoided speaking about his personal life with any sort of depth. This, if anything, makes us aware that negative remarks and statements can lead to a very negative result. We are forced to form our own conclusion and conform to the fact that no matter how many miles away, one person may never change. Peaches Essay -- Literary Analysis, Reginald McKnight In the story â€Å"Peaches†, Reginald McKnight introduces his main characters, one being Marcus. Marcus is a good guy, but he is described in different ways, due to his eagerness or insecurities. Throughout the work, author Reginald McKnight takes great care to illustrate situations and describe feelings and personalities that many men experience. This way, even though Marcus is having trouble controlling himself around other people and arrogant at times, he still tries to be a better person for Rita and for himself. He does this by going out of the country to experience other cultures and enhance his morals. On one level Marcus demonstrates that he is incredibly confident, but on the other level he shows signs of being insecure, manipulative, and overall an unstable man who may or may not be capable of achieving change. Marcus’ actions continually demonstrate how confident he is. Whether he is next door or across the country, Marcus always has his eyes set out for Rita. While, he claims â€Å"I have had relationships with Black women and Hispanic women, and Asian women† (75), thinking his experiences with other women instantly make him capable of understanding Rita. He is so eager to obtain her that he fails to see her as an individual. To Marcus, past experiences are enough to attain a healthy relationship. According to Marcus, he had â€Å"been through this before† (75) and told Rita she could tell him anything, thinking it had to do with a cultural gap. In fact, Marcus said to Rita, â€Å"You can tell me. I think I’d understand† (75). His confidence paired with his need for Rita’s recognition and approval makes it appear that his confidence may be only surface deep. Marcus himself is insecure, and like most guys he is constantly over thinkin... ... In creating a character so confident, insecure, manipulative, and unstable, Reginald McKnight also creates a character we can sympathize with. McKnight created a sense that Marcus was a confident individual, who set himself apart from society, but in doing so, he set himself up for failure. Where the one woman who could make all the difference began to fear him. Once that happened, everything went downhill as soon as Marcus began to dismiss Ritas response at any given point. Whether or not he was fully aware, Marcus built walls around him and avoided speaking about his personal life with any sort of depth. This, if anything, makes us aware that negative remarks and statements can lead to a very negative result. We are forced to form our own conclusion and conform to the fact that no matter how many miles away, one person may never change. Peaches Essay -- Literary Analysis, Reginald McKnight In the story â€Å"Peaches†, Reginald McKnight introduces his main characters, one being Marcus. Marcus is a good guy, but he is described in different ways, due to his eagerness or insecurities. Throughout the work, author Reginald McKnight takes great care to illustrate situations and describe feelings and personalities that many men experience. This way, even though Marcus is having trouble controlling himself around other people and arrogant at times, he still tries to be a better person for Rita and for himself. He does this by going out of the country to experience other cultures and enhance his morals. On one level Marcus demonstrates that he is incredibly confident, but on the other level he shows signs of being insecure, manipulative, and overall an unstable man who may or may not be capable of achieving change. Marcus’ actions continually demonstrate how confident he is. Whether he is next door or across the country, Marcus always has his eyes set out for Rita. While, he claims â€Å"I have had relationships with Black women and Hispanic women, and Asian women† (75), thinking his experiences with other women instantly make him capable of understanding Rita. He is so eager to obtain her that he fails to see her as an individual. To Marcus, past experiences are enough to attain a healthy relationship. According to Marcus, he had â€Å"been through this before† (75) and told Rita she could tell him anything, thinking it had to do with a cultural gap. In fact, Marcus said to Rita, â€Å"You can tell me. I think I’d understand† (75). His confidence paired with his need for Rita’s recognition and approval makes it appear that his confidence may be only surface deep. Marcus himself is insecure, and like most guys he is constantly over thinkin... ... In creating a character so confident, insecure, manipulative, and unstable, Reginald McKnight also creates a character we can sympathize with. McKnight created a sense that Marcus was a confident individual, who set himself apart from society, but in doing so, he set himself up for failure. Where the one woman who could make all the difference began to fear him. Once that happened, everything went downhill as soon as Marcus began to dismiss Ritas response at any given point. Whether or not he was fully aware, Marcus built walls around him and avoided speaking about his personal life with any sort of depth. This, if anything, makes us aware that negative remarks and statements can lead to a very negative result. We are forced to form our own conclusion and conform to the fact that no matter how many miles away, one person may never change.