Crevecoeur Letter What is an American Essay Example for Free

Crevecoeur Letter What is an American Essay Discussion question: What, to Crà ¨vecoeur, are  the differences between a European subject and an American citizen? I WISH I could be acquainted with the feelings and thoughts which must agitate the heart and present themselves to the mind of an enlightened Englishman, when he first lands on this continent. He must greatly rejoice that he lived at a time to see this fair country discovered and settled; he must necessarily feel a share of national pride, when he views the chain of settlements which embellishes these extended shores. When he says to himself, this is the work of my countrymen, who, when convulsed by factions, afflicted by a variety of miseries and wants, restless and impatient, took refuge here. They brought along with them their national genius, to which they principally owe what liberty they enjoy, and what substance they possess. Here he sees the industry of his native country displayed in a new manner, and traces in their works the embryos of all the arts, sciences, and ingenuity which flourish in Europe. Here he beholds fair cities, substantial villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses, good roads, orchards, meadows, and bridges, where an hundred years ago all was wild, woody and uncultivated!†¦. He is arrived on a new continent; a modern society offers itself to his contemplation, different from what he had hitherto seen. It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess every thing and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratic families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury. The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe. Some few towns excepted, we are all tillers of the earth, from Nova Scotia to West Florida. We are a people of cultivators, scattered over an immense territory communicating with each other by means of good roads and navigable rivers, united by the silken bands of mild government, all respecting the laws, without dreading their power, because they are equitable. We are all animated with the spirit of an industry which is unfettered and unrestrained, because each person works for himself. If he travels through our rural districts he views not the hostile castle, and the haughty mansion, contrasted with the clay-built hut and miserable cabin, where cattle and men help to keep each other warm, and dwell in meanness, smoke, and indigence. A pleasing uniformity of decent competence appears throughout our habitations. The meanest of our loghouses is a dry and comfortable habitation. Lawyer or merchant are the fairest titles our towns afford; that of a farmer is the only appellation of the rural inhabitants of our country. It must take some time here (before) he can reconcile himself to our dictionary, which is but short in words of dignity, and names of honour†¦.. We have no princes, for whom we toil, starve, and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the world. Here man is free; as he ought to be; nor is this pleasing equality so transitory as many others are. Many ages will not see the shores of our great lakes replenished with inland nations, nor the unknown bounds of North America  entirely peopled. Who can tell how far it extends? Who can tell the millions of men whom it will feed and contain? for no European foot has as yet traveled half the extent of this mighty continent! The next wish of this traveler will be to know whence came all these people? they are mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes. From this promiscuous breed, that race now called Americans have arisen. The eastern provinces must indeed be excepted, as being the unmixed descendants of Englishmen. I have heard many wish that they had been more intermixed also: for my part, I am no wisher, and think it much better as it has happened†¦.. I know it is fashionable to reflect on them, but I respect them for what they have done; for the accuracy and wisdom with which they have settled their territory; for the decency of their manners; for their  early love of letters; their ancient college, the first in this hemisphere; for their industry; which to me who am but a farmer, is the criterion of everything. There never was a people, situated as they are, who with so ungrateful a soil have done more in so short a time†¦.. In this great American asylum, the poor of Europe have by some means met together, and in consequence of various causes; to what purpose should they ask one another what countrymen they are? Alas, two thirds of them had no country. Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, whose life is a continual scene of sore affliction or pinching penury; can that man call England or any other kingdom his country? A country that had no bread for him, whose fields procured him no harvest, who met with nothing but the frowns of the rich, the severity of the laws, with jails and punishments; who owned not a single foot of the extensive surface of this planet? No! urged by a variety of motives, here they came. Every thing has tended to regenerate them; new laws, a new mode of living, a new social system; here they are become men: in Europe they were as so many useless plants, wanting vegitative mould, and refreshing showers; they withered, and were mowed down by want, hunger, and war; bu t now by the power of transplantation, like all other plants they have taken root and flourished! Formerly they were not numbered in any civil lists of their country, except in those of the poor; here they rank as citizens. By what invisible power has this surprising metamorphosis been performed? By that of the laws and that of their industry. The laws, the indulgent laws, protect them as they arrive, stamping on them the symbol of adoption; they receive ample rewards for their labours; these accumulated rewards procure them lands; those lands confer on them the title of freemen, and to that title every benefit is affixed which men can possibly require. This is the great operation daily performed by our laws. From whence proceed these laws? From our government. Whence the government? It is derived from the original genius and strong desire of the people ratified and confirmed by the crown. This is the great chain which links us all †¦.. What attachment can a poor European emigrant have for a country where he had nothing? The knowledge of the language, the love of a few kindred as poor as  himself, were the only cords that tied him: his country is now that which gives him land, bread, protection, and consequence†¦..What then is the American, this new man? He is either an European, or the descendant of an European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient  prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater. Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. Americans are the western pilgrims, who are carrying along with them that great mass of arts, sciences, vigour, and industry which began long since in the east; they will finish the great circle. The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared, and which will hereafter become distinct by the power of the different climates they inhabit. The American ought therefore to love this country much better than that wherein either he or his forefathers were born. Here the rewards of his industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labour; his labour is founded on the basis of nature, self-interest; can it want a stronger allurement? Wives and children, who before in vain demanded of him a morsel of bread, now, fat and frolicsome, gladly help their father to clear those fields whence exuberant crops are to arise to feed and to clothe them all; without any part being claimed, either by a despotic prince, a rich abbot, or a mighty lord. I lord religion demands but little of him; a small voluntary salary to the minister, and gratitude to God; can he refuse these? The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions†¦..This is an American.  (†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..)Men are like plants; the goodness and flavour of the fruit proceeds from the peculiar soil and exposition in which they grow. We are nothing but what we derive from the air we breathe, the climate we inhabit, the government we obey, the system of religion we profess, and the nature of our employment. Here you will find but few crimes; these have acquired as yet no root among us. I wish I were able to trace all my ideas; if my ignorance prevents me from describing them properly, I hope I shall be able to delineate a few of the outlines, which are all I propose. Those who live near the sea, feed more on fish than on flesh, and often encounter that boisterous element. This renders them more bold and enterprising; this leads them to neglect the confined occupations of the land. They see and converse with a variety of people; their intercourse with mankind becomes extensive. The sea inspires them with a love of traffic, a desire of transporting produce from one place to another; and leads them to a variety of resources which supply the place of labour. Those who inhabit the middle settlements, by far the most numerous, must be very different; the simple cultivation of the earth purifies them, but the indulgences of the government, the soft remonstrances of religion, the rank of independent freeholders, must necessarily inspire them with sentiments, very little known in Europe among people of the same class. What do I say? Europe has no such class of men; the early knowledge they acquire, the early bargains they make, give them a great degree of sagacity. As freemen they will be litigious; pride and obstinacy are often the cause of law suits; the nature of our laws and governments may be another. As citizens it is easy to imagine, that they will carefully read the newspapers, enter into every political disquisition, freely blame or censure governors and others. As farmers they will be careful and anxious to get as much as they can, because what they get is their own. As northern men they will love the cheerful cup. As Christians, religion curbs them not in their opinions; the general indulgence leaves every one to  think for themselves in spiritual matters; the laws inspect our actions, our  thoughts are left to God. Industry, good living, selfishness, litigiousness, country politics, the pride of freemen, religious indifference, are their characteristics. If you recede still farther from the sea, you will come into more modern settlements; they exhibit the same strong lineaments, in a ruder appearance. Religion seems to have still less influence, and their manners are less improved. Now we arrive near the great woods, near the last inhabited districts; there men seem to be placed still farther beyond the reach of government, which in some measure leaves them to themselves. How can it pervade every corner; as they were driven there by misfortunes, necessity of beginnings, desire of acquiring large tracks of land, idleness, frequent want of economy, ancient debts; the re-union of such people does not afford a very pleasing spectacle. When discord, want of unity and friendship; when either drunkenness or idleness prevail in such remote districts; contention, inactivity, and wretchedness must ensue. There are not the same remedies to these evils as in a long established community. The few magistrates they have, are in general little better than the rest; they are often in a perfect state of war; that of man against man, sometimes decided by blows, sometimes by means of the law; that of man against every wild inhabitant of these venerable woods, of which they are com e to dispossess them. There men appear to be no better than carnivorous animals of a superior rank, living on the flesh of wild animals when they can catch them, and when they are not able, they subsist on grain. He who wish to see America in its proper light, and have a true idea of its feeble beginnings barbarous rudiments, must visit our extended line of frontiers where the last settlers dwell, and where he may see the first labours of the mode of clearing the earth, in their different appearances; where men are wholly left dependent on their native tempers, and on the spur of uncertain industry, which often fails when not sanctified by the efficacy of a few moral rules. There, remote from the power of example, and check of shame, many families exhibit the most hideous parts of our society†¦..(But after ten or twelve years) prosperity will polish some, vice and the law will drive off the rest, who uniting again with others like themselves will recede still farther; making room for more industrious people, who will finish their improvements, convert the  loghouse into a convenient habitation, and rejoicing that the first heavy labours are finished, will change in a few years that hit herto barbarous country into a fine fertile, well regulated district. Such is our progress, such is the march of the Europeans toward the interior parts of this continent. In all societies there are off-casts; this impure part serves as our precursors or pioneers; my father himself was one of that class, but he came upon honest principles, and was therefore one of the few who held fast; by good conduct and temperance, he transmitted to me his fair inheritance, when not above one in fourteen of his contemporaries had the same good fortune†¦. Exclusive of those general characteristics, each province has its own, founded on the government, climate, mode of husbandry, customs, and peculiarity of circumstances. Europeans submit insensibly to these great powers, and become, in the course of a few generations, not only Americans in general, but either Pennsylvanians, Virginians, or provincials under some other name. Whoever traverses the continent must easily observe those strong differences, which will grow more evident in time. The inhabitants of Canada, Massachusetts, the middle provinces, the southern ones will be as different as their climates; thei r only points of unity will be those of religion and language.

Performance Appraisal System In Nokia

Performance Appraisal System In Nokia This report is aimed at critically analysing the performance appraisal and their strategic implications in contemporary firms operating in turbulent and changing business environment, requiring valuable, rare and inimitable business processes to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. In order to achieve the aim of this report, the researcher has chosen Nokia, the Finnish telecom giant that has been highlighted as the best telecommunication company to work for by Forbes International (Datamonitor, 2009). The company is also among one of the largest in terms of market capitalisation within Europe and therefore owes much to the Finnish national culture within its management, especially human resource management. Drawing upon Times (2005), the company has its modest roots as one of the many forestry firms a century ago in Finland; however it has evolved over the years through its effective human resource policies to employ more than 50,000 people across the globe with operations span ning all the developed, emerging and developing economies. It has been argued by Nokia (2009a) that people policies have played an important role in the rise of the firm within telecommunication sector that required high degree of creativity and innovation by its employees and workforce. The company is among the few firms within telecommunication industry that has profit margins in excess of 20% to 25% for more than a decade, which have not been effected by the fierce competition by other firms in contemporary firms (Nokia, 2009b). It can therefore be highlighted that intellectual capital has been one of the key source of achieving these efficiencies and effectiveness within the business that have been translated into sustainable competitive advantage. Nokia Organisational Background: Nokia has held the leadership position within the global mobile handset sector for more than a decade, which has however been challenged at different points in time by a range of other manufacturers but the company has evolved its business model to align itself with the changing business environment. Drawing upon Datamonitor (2009), the company has diversified into related business in the wake of stiff competition from value and luxury segments, therefore requiring both high degree of differentiation and cost leadership by the firm. The company is currently actively pursuing its position within telecommunication equipment, TV set-top boxes, and mobile telephony software and hardware development. In the light of Nokia (2009c), the company has its roots like many other traditional Finnish companies within forestry in 1865, however the company evolved over the decades and become one of the leading players in mobile technology in 1960s. It is argued by Pollitt (2004) that the key changes within strategy of the firm came in 1980s when senior management become focused on developing intellectual capital and retaining high performance of the company, which was coupled with public offerings of the firm. The company became part of the global corporations after starting trading in London (1987), Frankfurt (1988) and New York (1994). The company has acquired a number of firms during its evolution and has strategically accumulated the human resources from these firms, which has again benefited from its performance appraisals, pay-for-performance, and talent retention strategies, which have been critically analysed in this report. Human Resource Strategy: Nokia has been highlighted by both academic and commercial literature as one of the organisations that can be used for comparison and benchmarking due to the fact that it is flat structured and networked across its global operations (Christopher, 1995). This structure of the firm has led to the fact that it is agile and flexible to grab any window of opportunity that appears within the business environment of the firm. This structure has been aligned with the corporate strategy of the firm to achieve broad market competitive focus within the market that has underlying differentiation competitive advantage in terms of Porters Generic Strategies, which can be illustrated as follows: Cost Leadership Differentiation Focus Narrow Target Broad Target Lower Cost Differentiation Competitive Advantage Competitive Scope Nokias Position on Porters Generic Strategies Adapted from Porter (1985) Strategic Core Strategic Periphery * It can be argued that in order to achieve the strategic aim and objectives of the firm to become an agile and flexible entity that can achieve competitive advantage, the firm required a robust human resource strategy that is in line with these changes. Drawing upon Briscoe Schuler (2004), there has been radical change within the HRM strategy of the company after the appointment of Mr. Jorma Ollila as the CEO of the firm in 1992, who initiated the pay-for-performance concept within the company. The philosophy behind the refocus of the HRM strategy has been to create a compensation mechanism that in aligned with the performance and hard work of employees, therefore motivating employees to achieve the key performance indicators that are assigned to them. This was aligned with the Nokia Way, the values of the firm, which were defined to incorporate performance of employees as one of the key in achieving overall objectives of the firm. It has been argued by Nokia (2009d) that Nokia Way h as been seen as the common glue that has held the HRM strategy of the firm aligning it with the business environment. There has been significant discussion within literature highlighting the best fit approach of the company towards its retaining talent through appraisals and compensations that are effective and efficient. Performance Management and Nokia: The Nokia Way has been highlighted within the literature as one of the key documents consolidating the HRM strategy of Nokia and it is this document that has highlighted retention of high performers. Drawing upon Stanley et al (2000), it can be argued that the document is no different from HRM policies presented by many other organisations; however the way in which it is processed on day to day activities has been highlighted as the key advantage of the firm. Drawing upon Nokia (2009a), performance of individuals working within Nokia is undertaken from a range of dimensions, but three of them are considered very important, which include: (a) overall customer satisfaction added by the individual; (b) respect for others within the team; and (c) achievements of individuals and their continuous learning. The literature has highlighted that there has been number of issues within management of performance of individuals and their appraisals within companies. Drawing upon Rutter (2002), within Nokia managers and employees have been given high degree of independence in developing the dimensions into quantifiable goals, aims and objectives, which can therefore be related to the overall performance of their team, department and the organisation. This has been because of the initiative of the company to keep entrepreneurism alive within the firm, where the focus is on getting things done rather than follow prescriptive steps and procedures. According to Lynn (2002), these characteristics of performance appraisal have been achieved through a range of in-house programs, which include: listening to you, investing in you and pay-for-performance. The aim of these programs can be seen to be aligned with the overall business strategy of achieving high degree of efficiency and effectiveness of the business, which would therefore help create value for the stakeholders. Erik Jonathan (1995) have argued that all these programs are a means to an end i.e. to develop an integrated system of performance goals setting, development of strategies to achieve these goals, and quantification of the overall performance. It should be noted that in order for the seamless flow of performance management between these different programs, the culture of the company plays an important role. This is the reason that the company has developed a team orientated internally competitive culture, which deters negative implications of the competition, howe ver highlighting the positive aspects of it to achieve strategic goals and values. The performance management of the firm also has been expanded into other reigns of HRM, which can be highlighted from the diversity management within the firm. Drawing upon Briscoe Schuler (2004), it can be argued that the business environment of the company highlights that there is high number of diversity within the demands of the customers across the national markets. In order to fulfil these demands, the company should mimic the business environment in its internal business environment, making its resources and competencies aligned with it. This according to Nokia (2009d) can be achieved through the diversity management and planning of the firm that require performance appraisals to include features and quantification of diversity of thinking. There are number of characteristics that have been highlighted within the literature surrounding performance management in terms of diversity inclusion and management. However, Rutter (2002) has highlighted that it should be achieved at pr oduct, functional and cultural level, therefore providing the direction for companies to use and include in their performance management. The performance appraisals also have to include the achievement of individuals within corporate social responsibility (CSR) area, which has become one of the key criteria for performance at corporate level. Drawing upon Nokia (2009a), in 2009 the company has highlighted that reducing its carbon footprint and making employees to volunteer for educational sectors in developing countries would be included into the performance appraisals of the employees. This would help the firm in achieving high degree of strategic alignment with the current demands of firms to be responsible for the extended social and environmental issues within national and international economies, where they operate. It can therefore be argued that performance appraisals within Nokia are used as strategic tools, which can help achieve the extended aims and objectives of the firm. It has been argued that these appraisals has helped the firm in retaining intellectual capital that is aligned with the overall philosophy and Nokia Way, which have been at the heart of developing sustainable competitive advantage. It can be argued that performance appraisals undertaken by the firm are valuable, rare and inimitable competency of the firm, which contribute a lot in achieving the overall aim and objectives of the company. Pay for Performance and Motivation: The review of the commercial literature surrounding performance appraisals has highlighted that at Nokia performance, rewards and motivation management are all interlinked with each other, so that there is an integrated component that can be used to achieve the aim and objectives of the firm. It should be noted that the company uses pay-for-performance as the key tool which logically flows from effective and efficient performance appraisal techniques used by the firm. Harry (1999) has argued that one of the key vulnerability of per-for-performance management systems is that performance needs to be constantly monitored across the business and its functions so that the strategy can work in synch with realities on ground. The reward structure other than pay within Nokia has also been designed in a way that performance appraisals and motivation tendencies of individuals feed into the system to achieve optimal results. The key issue that has been faced by the management at Nokia is to analyse the performance appraisals of employees working in different economic and social conditions, therefore making their external environment an important driver in how the compensation is perceived. This is the reason there has been discussion surrounding the overall standardisation of the pay and reward structure in the company or localise it according to the national and regional economic conditions. Nokia being a truly global company has therefore been faced with this issue more so than any other organisation, which also stems into the overall reward management and bias of individuals in terms of intrinsic and extrinsic reward structures. Nokia has therefore taken performance appraisals very seriously, where there are segments within these appraisals, which have been linked with the overall pay and reward structure of the company. It is highlighted that company has included both hard and soft aspects of compensations and rewards in the light of the appraisals (Pfeffer Langton, 1993). Therefore, it can be argued that the appraisals are not only responsible for the development of overall pay of the individual, but also the type and mix of motivational tools that are applied to their particular performance regimes and trends over the months. The performance appraisal process adopted by Nokia has been seen very open, broad focused, yet inclusive of employees and their respective teams. The compensation of individuals within Nokia comprises on the results of these appraisals in the form of pay, bonuses, incentives, company stock options and other benefits. The company uses investing in people (IIP) as an annual meeting between managers and employees, where discussion surrounding their focused function along with broad company goals are discussed, which are then quantified into the key dimensions that are set out in the light of changing business objectives of the firm. It should be noted that Tahvanainen (1998) has conducted an empirical research on the link between performance appraisals and pay structures at Nokia. The research has highlighted that pay structure within Nokia is considered highly competitive in regards with the other competitors, which is based on 360 degree feedback called listening to you, which is an i nformal discussion between different teams, which leads to making them discuss their objectives and negotiate their access to resources and information, which can help them all in achieving their own respective goals and performance objectives. The company has also rolled out the electronic version of IIP, which uses companys intranet to discuss and appraise the performance of virtual teams that uses competencies of individuals across the globe to achieve high degree of efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the overall goals of the firm. Key Recommendations: The critical review of academic and commercial literature surrounding Nokias performance appraisals has been highlighted as a successful model within this report. The critics however argue that in recent developments the company has lost its leadership position within mobile handset sector, which has led to its shifting focus towards other sectors. The strategic development and deployment has both been suggested within the report as key performance indicators of the firm, which has been seen as resulting from open, clear and inclusive performance management and appraisal techniques. In order to further improvise the performance management and its appraisals, the researcher has discussed recommendations in the following discussion. There have been critics that have argued that although Nokia has strategically aligned its performance management with the aims and objectives of the organisation, however there are still key gaps with its alignment with the business environment, which require attention. It can be argued that although pay-for-performance have its motivating capabilities for the high performers, however for the average performing, which are the majority within any organisation, this can act as a demotivating factor. It can be suggested that Nokia, like any other company would have normal distribution of performance among its employees, suggesting that not more than 15% of the total employee population would be in the high or underperforming categories, while the rest of 85% of workforce would fall into the average performance. This, according to Pfeffer Langton (1993) has led to the vulnerability within the organisation to alienate these 85% of the workforce, which would add value into the products a nd services of the company. The performance appraisals should therefore be realistic and standardised across the organisation, where like-for-like comparisons are undertaken, which are abridged between functions to achieve high degree of effectiveness and efficiency. It can be suggested that the open criteria used within the firm, which boils down to the discussion between managers and employees suggest that each appraisal cannot be compared with the other appraisals, therefore making it hard to compare on like-to-like grounds, which can lead to distortion of performance results. It can also be argued that commercial segment of the company has been one of the high performing section across the firm, which can be due to the fact that sales, revenue and profit margins are quantifiable variables, while performance of employees in support functions is much harder to access through tangible performance indicators, which is also true about these functions. This, according to Storey (1992) can add insecurity among the intellectual capital of the firm regarding their job, pay and other benefits received from the firm. It can therefore be highlighted that the company has to provide the security of pay and then add bonus-per-performance on top of that to m ake it more plausible in contemporary uncertain times, with job losses and market failures. The internal competition between teams can lead to deterring forces that would affect the overall performance of the company, as team members would engage themselves in negative activities to undercut access to information and resources for other teams, making the organisation lack efficiency and effectiveness. Conclusive Remarks: In the light of the critical review of literature and practice of Nokia in the field of performance appraisals, it can be argued that this HRM strategy of the firm has become a source of competitive advantage for the firm. It has been found out that pay-for-performance has only been applicable within Nokia due to the effectiveness and efficiency of the performance appraisal systems, which are seen just, clear and inclusive by employees. The fact that the system is inclusive, the report suggests that it acts as an implicit form of motivation for employees to have a competitive internal business environment, where teams compete to achieve high degree of overall performance for the company. It can be argued that performance appraisal strategy of the firm is in line with its broad focused differentiation based corporate strategy, therefore leading to achieve the strategic goals and objectives.

The Surroundings of Man :: essays research papers

The Surroundings of Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is man really born with a evil persona or a persona that is worthy as an angel or is man born naked for a reason because he has nothing to bring to this world but himself? A person is not innately any characteristic, he was brought to the world from love and must choose to love or not. Mother Theresa explains this best by saying, â€Å"Everyone was created to be loved and to love.† The novel, Lord of the Flies, has characters that were not brought to the island good or evil, but has characters that changed because the atmosphere that they are in changed them. Because of the environment that you are in makes you become a certain person, you change with the circumstances of your environment, and interact with the condition of your environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major events affect your life in drastic ways. A marriage, for instance is a major occurrence and different kinds of marriages can drastically change your life. A marriage that is abusive emotionally and physically can make your life full of hatred, you could be depressed, you could see your self as less a person than you are, and you could also be a frightened person because of it. A marriage completely different is one full of love. A marriage like that can cause a person to act blissful, to go out and do more things on account of your support system, and you can show other people to have loving lives like yours. All the characters, as one, are in a kind of marriage together, they lived concurrently and supported each other. The marriage was abusive, they taunted each other, especially Piggy. They taunted him at first meeting by saying this, â€Å"He’s not Fatty... his real name’s Piggy†(21). On account of that Piggy felt not worthy to other characters in the novel and didn’t get to show his more intelligent side to everyone. Events are a primary device that causes people to act a certain way. If the characters didn’t live so close together and taunt Piggy, would he have acted the way he did through the course of the novel?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being brought into particular situations can alter your life. To cite an instance, a child being taken from his home, the only place he knew, and put into a foster home would be a particular situation that could alter one’s life. The other place he lived in may have been harmful to his well-being and it was a positive occurrence that he was brought out of his home. On the other hand, the foster home could affect his well-being in a more

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Teaching Philosophy Throughout life I think everyone has a certain calling. God creates special gifts in people to be used to help others. Some people know right away what their calling is. I am sorry to say that it has taken me a few more years to figure out my love for teaching. I was a dance instructor for over fourteen years. During that time I attended College of West Virginia earning an Associates Degree in Business Administration. What was I going to do with that? I really did not like business, but my thinking was it would help in running my own dance studio one day. My real love was the involvement, interaction, and teaching of all my dancers. It was so rewarding to see the children learn the different movements I was teaching that day. The scaffolding method used in constructivism is very similar to how I taught dancing. Each week we would review the dance steps from previous weeks and then add on new dance steps. The children were learning dances that I had choreographed. Being a happy wife and a proud mother of a beautiful boy, I wanted to contribute more to the family financially. Although teaching dance is what I loved, it was not a job that paid well. How could I still do what I love, teaching, and bring in a little more money? That is when my husband encouraged me to go back to Concord College and get my Bachelor of Science Degree in Teaching Physical Education and Health Education. Physical Education and Health Education are two fields I feel very passionate about. Always being active throughout my life, I did not realize how sedentary and unfit our nation is. West Virginia ranks one of the highest states in the nation when it comes to being unfit and obese. I think education could place a more positive influence on this growing epidemic. The purpose of education is to help students gain knowledge to be used in their career, social, and personal lives. Education is important in teaching students the past and helping them make knowledgeable decisions for the future. As a teacher, I hope to be able to touch student’s lives in a way that when it comes to making a choice, they think of what I have taught them, and make a positive decision.

Pakistan Cement Industry Analysis

LUCKY CEMENT This report studies LUCKY CEMENT as a target against other companies studied as a basis for comparable analysis in the industry. Lucky Cement is the largest cement manufacturer in Pakistan and its upcoming expansion in Karachi will take its capacity from 6. 5mntpa to 9mntpa, further cementing its spot as the market leader. Lucky Cement Limited was incorporated in Pakistan on September 18, 1993 under the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (the Ordinance). The shares of the company are quoted on all the three stock exchanges in Pakistan.The Company has also issued GDRs which are listed and traded on the Professional Securities Market of the London Stock Exchange. BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Lucky Cement aims at producing cement to suit every user. The following types of cement are available: ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT (OPC) Ordinary Portland cement is available in darker shade as well as in light shades in Lucky Star with different brand names to s uit the requirement of users. SULPHATE RESISTANT CEMENT (SRC)Sulphate resistant Cement’s best quality is to provide effective and long lasting strength against sulphate attacks and is very suitable for constructions near sea shores as well as for canals linings. It provides very effective protection against alkali attacks. The company currently  produces five brands: * Lucky Cement * Lucky Star * Lucky Gold * Chairman * Lucky  sulphate resistant cement(SRC) CUSTOMERS AND END MARKETS Lucky Cement aims at producing cement to suit every user.At present, it is producing Grey Portland Cement and also Sulphate Resistant cement. The customers are able to get Portland cement both in dark shade as well as in light shade with different brand names to suit the requirement of user. The Portland cement specifically made for prefabrication industry with a lower setting time is also available. In addition, the plant also produce Slag cement for specific users. DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS Deal ers, retailers and block makers are the integral part of Lucky Cement's sales strategy.This strong network of more than 200 dealers, located at strategic locations throughout the country, has enabled the company to create an impressive distribution system and access to markets at even the remote parts of the country. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| | | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | Restated| PKR| Reclassified| PKR| Gross Profit Margin| 25. 69%| 37. 26%| 32. 55%| 33. 48%| EBITDA Margin| 23. 91%| 31. 77%| 23. 07%| 25. 87%| EBIT Margin| 18. 14%| 27. 41%| 17. 31%| 19. 83%| Net Income Margin| 15. 79%| 17. 45%| 12. 08%| 15. 26%| Return on Invested Capital| 9. 06%| 19. 2%| 11. 17%| 12. 63%| Return On Equity| 14. 35%| 19. 77%| 12. 50%| 14. 29%| Return On Assets| 7. 82%| 11. 97%| 8. 18%| 9. 63%| Leverage Ratio| 3. 84%| 1. 82%| 2. 33%| 1. 99%| Debt to total capitalization| 45. 51%| 39. 43%| 34. 49%| 32. 60%| PROFITABILITY The profitability of the company is quite decent, a nd shows an upward trend, which can be seen by the financial ratios of the firm. There was a slight dip in the year 2010, but then increased considerably in year 2011. This was mainly due to the decrease in the cost of production for Lucky Cement (decrease in the cost of raw materials).The prospects of the company are bright, which are demonstrated by high net income margin and return on invested capital ratios. GROWTH PROFILE Lucky Cement is growing at a brisk pace, as the overall cement industry is facing a desirable scenario, which is also demonstrated by high return on equity and return on assets ratio. The company is also paying its creditors back shown by the decrease in leverage and debt to total capitalization ratios, which is a positive sign for the firm, and shows that it is growing at a considerable rate. RETURN ON INVESTMENTThe return on investment of Lucky Cement from years 2008-2011 is above 10% on average, which is quite a decent number, and shows the profitability of the firm’s investments. It is 12. 63% in year 2011, and displays a favorable scenario for Lucky Cement. CREDIT PROFILE The credit profile of the company shows a positive sign as the firm’s debt to total capitalization ratio declined from 45. 51% in year 2008, to 32. 60% in year 2011. Moreover, the leverage ratio of Lucky Cement has also seen a decline, which shows that the company is paying back its debts and is maintaining a decent credit profile among its lenders and suppliers.ATTOCK CEMENT Attock Cement Pakistan Limited (ACPL) is a public limited company, listed on KSE since 2002. Main business of the company is manufacturing and sales of cement. ACPL, is part of the Pharaon Group, which in addition to investment to cement industry has diversified stakes in Pakistan mainly in the oil and gas sector, power and real estate sector. The Attock Cement project was conceived and the company was incorporated in 1981, the plant finally commenced commercial production on Jun e 1, 1988. The project is a Pak Saudi joint venture and involved initial capital outlay of around Rs 1. billion with foreign exchange component of around US $ 45 million. This made it one of the largest enterprises in the private sector. Pharaon Commercial Investment Company Limited holds 84. 06% of total paid up share capital whereas the general public holds a total of 15. 94% shares. BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: The main product of the Company is ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT (OPC) but in addition to this ACPL also produces SULPHATE RESISTANT CEMENT (SRC) and PORTLAND BLAST FURNACE CEMENT (PBFC), which sells under the registered brand name of â€Å"FALCON CEMENT† in the market.DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS: At ACPL Sales and Marketing team focuses on delighting customers through making available quality products at the market place. ACPL has a network of dealers all around Pakistan. ACPL keep on recognizing the efforts of its dealers through periodic i ncentive plans based on their sales performance. Sales and marketing forces lead in taking initiatives ahead of the competitors. Few example of ACPL faster first include the export of clinker to the UAE and Qatar, along with cement exports to Iraq. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | Restated| PKR| Reclassified| PKR| Gross Profit Margin| 22. 27%| 31. 80%| 25. 53%| 20. 23%| EBITDA Margin| 24. 22%| 28. 56%| 20. 12%| 14. 69%| EBIT Margin| 16. 20%| 22. 99%| 16. 59%| 11. 52%| Net Income Margin| 8. 69%| 17. 54%| 13. 25%| 8%| Return on Invested Capital| 14. 06%| 32. 07%| 19. 23%| 13%| Return On Equity| 12. 31%| 31. 24%| 18. 84%| 11. 80%| Return On Assets| 7. 41%| 21. 41%| 14. 40%| 8. 83%| Leverage Ratio| 1. 93%| 0. 90%| 1. 08%| 1. 54%| Debt to total capitalization| 39. 84%| 31. 47%| 23. 56%| 25. 11%| PROFITABILITYThe profitability of Attock Cement is quite satisfactory too but not as good as Lucky Cement. The company’s gross profit mar gin was very low as compared to that of Lucky Cement, however, the firm’s net profit margin is at par. It can be seen that Attock Cement has more operating expenses as compared to Lucky Cement, which it needs to cut and achieve efficiency, to match with the profitability performance of Lucky Cement. GROWTH PROFILE Attock Cement has a very fluctuating, or rather, a very inconsistent growth rate, as can be seen by the return on equity and return on assets ratios.Both the ratios were fairly decent in the year 2008, but then both saw a decline in consecutive years 2009 and 2010, after which they came back to an acceptable level in year 2011. RETURN ON INVESTMENT The return on investment of Attock Cement was again very unpredictable, fluctuating drastically between years 2008-2011. It touched a very high 32. 07% in year 2009, but then declined to a level which was similar to that in year 2008. Overall, the return on invested capital was at a satisfactory level as compared to Lucky Cement, which shows the positive nature of the company’s investments. CREDIT PROFILEThe credit profile of Attock Cement is a fairly acceptable one, as can be seen by the decreasing leverage and debt to total capitalization ratios. This means that Attock Cement, like Lucky Cement, is also paying back its creditors and suppliers, which will mean that the lenders will be happy to lend money and raw materials to the company, as they’re able to meet their financial obligations effectively. D. G. KHAN CEMENT D. G. Khan Cement Company Limited (DGKCC), a unit of Nishat group, is the largest cement-manufacturing unit in Pakistan with a production capacity of 5,500 tons clinker per day.It has a countrywide distribution network and its products are preferred on projects of national repute both locally and internationally due to the unparallel and consistent quality. It is list on all the Stock Exchanges of Pakistan. BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: There are two types of cement products of D. G. Khan: * Ordinary Portland Cement * Sulphate Resistant Cement DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS: Two different products are produced at DGKCC namely Ordinary Portland Cement and Sulphate Resistant Cement.These products are marketed through two different brands: * DG brand ; Elephant brand Ordinary Portland Cement * DG brand Sulphate Resistant Cement DG Khan  Cement Company  supplies cement throughout Pakistan especially in the provinces of Punjab, Sind and Baluchistan. This extensive distribution is achieved through following regional sales offices: * Lahore Regional Sales Office * Multan Regional Sales Office * Rawalpindi Regional Sales Office * DG Khan Regional Sales Office * Karachi Regional Sales OfficeThese regional sales offices operate in assigned areas and have netweork of dealers in each area to achieve maximum sales in their territories. Moreover, direct sales are also make to institutional Clients for projects. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| 30-Jun| | | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| | | Restated| PKR| Reclassified| PKR| Gross Profit Margin| 15. 51%| 31. 61%| 17. 93%| 24. 00%| EBITDA Margin| 21. 25%| 28. 05%| 19. 24%| 17. 91%| EBIT Margin| 10. 25%| 20. 33%| 10. 74%| 10. 32%| Net Income Margin| 0. 24%| 2. 46%| 1. 61%| 0. 95%| Return on Invested Capital| 2. 9%| 8. 55%| 3. 77%| 3. 93%| Return On Equity| 0. 01%| 2. 12%| 1. 01%| 0. 60%| Return On Assets| 0. 06%| 1. 03%| 0. 56%| 0. 36%| Leverage Ratio| 8. 73%| 4. 17%| 6. 61%| 5. 91%| Debt to total capitalization| 43. 12%| 51. 54%| 44. 45%| 40. 16%| PROFITABILITY The profitability of DG Khan Cement is very low and unsatisfactory as compared to the other two companies in the cement industry, Lucky and Attock Cement Ltd. DG Khan Cement is paying a hefty amount as interest expense, which can be seen by the lower net income margin ratio of the firm, ranging from 0. 4-2. 46%. However, the EBIT and EBITDA margins of DG Khan Cement were quite satisfactory, and at pa r with the other two companies in the industry. GROWTH PROFILE DG Khan Cement has a very poor growth rate, evident by the very low return on equity and return on assets ratios. The growth of the company is badly hampered by the interest expense and the debt the firm has taken. Furthermore, the debt to total capitalization ratio of the company is also very high (higher than the other two companies in the industry), which was more than 50% in year 2009.These are negative implications for the company, and the investors must be unhappy with the performance of the firm. RETURN ON INVESTMENT: The return on invested capital for DG Khan Cement was also quite inadequate when comparing with that of Lucky and Attock Cement. It was 2. 39% in year 2008, increased to 8. 55% in year 2009, after which it settled on a level between 3-4% in years 2010-2011. This adversity was again due to the high debt ratio and hefty interest payments made by the company, because of which the return on investments w ere very low as compared to its competitors.CREDIT PROFILE: As opposed to its competitors, DG Khan Cement has a really horrific credit profile, as it is maintaining its debt to total capitalization and leverage ratios at a very high level and took up more loan in the year 2009, due to which its profitability is also getting affected adversely, and also its creditors and suppliers will be unwilling to lend DG Khan Cement more in the future, doubting the firm’s ability to pay them back, as it already has outstanding amounts to be received from the company. FECTO CEMENTEstablished at Sangjani, near Islamabad, the ISO 9001:2000 certified Fecto Cement Limited is Pakistan's first anti-pollution cement manufacturing plant and also the first of its kind in South Asia. As one of the most integrated manufacturing units in the country, it has a rated capacity to produce 600,000 tonnes of clinker per annum BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS: It supplies cement throughout Pakistan through a huge properly maintained distribution channel consisting of wholesalers, retailers and finally to the customers. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| Gross Profit Margin| | 8. 3%| 23. 21%| 5. 26%| 18. 33%| EBITDA Margin| | -2. 64%| 13. 88%| -7. 77%| 5. 42%| EBIT Margin| | -51. 03%| 11. 96%| -10. 04%| 2. 78%| Net Income Margin| | -3. 53%| 9. 49%| -7. 17%| 1. 98%| Return on Invested Capital| | -4. 67%| 13. 74%| -8. 02%| 2. 47%| Return On Equity| | -13. 80%| 33. 80%| -30. 20%| 8. 93%| Return On Assets| | -51. 50%| 15. 21%| -9. 33%| 2. 95%| Leverage Ratio| | -22. 30%| 3. 11%| -9. 56%| 11. 59%| Debt to total capitalization| | 61. 52%| 55%| 69. 10%| 67%| PROFITABILITY The company has increased its gross profit margin from last year as sales have improved more than the rise in cost of sales.The net profit margin has improved as compare to the last year as the company was incurring loss in 2010. However, it under performed in comparison to the indus try. GROWTH PROFILE The growth rate has considerably improved from last year but the overall industry growth is much more than Fecto. The company needs to increase its growth by retaining more than half of its earnings and re-investing it to increase its income in the coming years otherwise it will fall way behind the industry and would take a long time to recover. RETURN ON INVESTMENT The return on investment has improved from the prior year.This implies that company is capitalizing its assets in a more efficient manner with an increase in the accumulated profits. However, it is not at all satisfactory in comparison to its competitors. CREDIT PROFILE: The debt to capitalization and leverage ratio is very high which means Fecto has more debt as compare to its equity. It has declined from the preceding year but it is fairly high with regards to its competitors. This shows a weak financial position as compared to the industry and poses more default risk for the company. MAPLE CEMENT A t the time of privatization in 1992, the capacity of Maple Leaf to produceOrdinary Portland Cement (OPC) was 1000 tones per day (tpd). A second plant of 4000 tpd was commissioned in 1998 and a third plant of 6700 tpd came into production in 2006. It increased the total capacity to 11,700 tpd. The capacity of White Cement has also increased from 100 tpd to 500tpd with the addition of a new plant. This plant also has provisions for doubling the capacity to 1000tpd. Presently Maple Leaf cement has 9% of the market share of OPC and is a leading brand in Pakistan with a diverse customer base. It is also the largest producer of White Cement in the country with 80% of market share.BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES The two main products are: * Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with a capacity of 11700 tones per day. * White Cement, its present capacity is 500 tones per day which shall be doubled to 1000 tones per day in near future. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | | 2008| 20 09| 2010| 2011| Gross Profit Margin| | 16. 94%| 32. 49%| 21. 56%| 16. 64%| EBITDA Margin| | 16. 88%| 23. 19%| 3. 45%| 14. 14%| EBIT Margin| | 5. 73%| 16. 27%| -3. 74%| 4. 47%| Net Income Margin| | -8. 65%| -6. 45%| -18. 96%| -13. 53%| Return on Invested Capital| | 1. 72%| 9. 1%| 1. 69%| 1. 75%| Return On Equity| | -8. 08%| -14. 63%| -50. 32%| -20. 37%| Return On Assets| | -2. 58%| -3. 83%| -9. 90%| -5. 25%| Leverage Ratio| | 13. 47%| 5. 35%| 38. 80%| 13. 52%| Debt to total capitalization| | 68. 02%| 73. 80%| 80. 32%| 74. 23%| PROFITABILITY The net profit margin increased by 5. 43% and settled at 13. 53% as compare to the prior year which was in negative. This is a good sign as the company is moving towards profitability as compare to the last two years. However, the company needs to improve its asset management in order to compete with the industryGROWTH PROFILE The growth rate is improving as compare to the previous year which is surely a green sign for the company. From last year the earnings have fairly increased but Maple Leaf is still under performing as compared to the industry earning. A lot of efforts need to be put in for the company to be competing with the industry. RETURN ON INVESTMENT The return on investment is almost the same as compare to the last year. This means that the company needs to increase its sales in order to get a favorable outcome in the coming years. CREDIT PROFILEThe leverage ratio as well as the debt to equity ratio is fairly high as compare to the industry which refers to declining operational efficiency and ineffective asset management. Maple needs to decrease its reliance on debt to get a better ratio in the coming years. FAUJI CEMENT A longtime leader in the cement manufacturing industry, Fauji Cement Company, headquartered in Rawalpindi, operates a cement plant at Jhang Bahtar, Tehsil Fateh Jang, District Attock in the province of Punjab. The Company has a strong and longstanding tradition of service, reliability, and quali ty that reaches back more than 13 years.Sponsored by Fauji Foundation the Company was incorporated in Rawalpindi in 1992. BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: Ordinary Portland cement is the major product. CUSTOMERS: The Company has been set up with the primary objective of producing and selling ordinary portland cement. The finest quality of cement is available for all types of customers whether for dams, canals, industrial structures, highways, commercial or residential needs using latest state of the art dry process cement manufacturing process.FINANCIAL PROFILE | | | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| Gross Profit Margin| | 18. 56%| 31. 75%| 13. 54%| 17. 35%| EBITDA Margin| | 18. 56%| 17. 12%| 32. 61%| 21. 35%| EBIT Margin| | 16. 96%| 30. 98%| 9. 61%| 12. 48%| Net Income Margin| | 11. 66%| 18. 96%| 6. 57%| 8. 98%| Return on Invested Capital| | 3. 69%| 9. 90%| 1. 95%| 1. 71%| Return On Equity| | 4. 45%| 10. 39%| 2. 60%| 3. 86%| Return On Assets| | 3. 32%| 4. 70%| 0. 93%| 1. 32%| Leverage Ratio| | 4. 18%| 8. 29%| 25. 70%| 20. 40%| Debt to total capitalization| | 25. 0%| 67. 06%| 62. 60%| 55. 90%| PROFITABILITY: The profit margin has increased as compare to the previous year but if we match it with past performance of the company it is still at a declining rate. This decrease is also due to the overall decline in the cement industry GROWTH PROFILE: The growth rate has improved but it is not much satisfactory when compared with the industry. In order to compete with the dominant companies, Fauji needs to utilize its assets in a more efficient manner RETURN ON INVESTMENT:As compared with 2011 to 2010 it has been in the same position, Fauji needs to increase its growth by retaining more than half of its earnings and re-investing it to increase its income in the coming years otherwise it will fall way behind the industry and would take a long time to recover. CREDIT PROFILE: The credit profile of the company is fairly below the industry. However, the leverage ratio of Thatta Cement has seen a remarkable increase, which shows that the company is paying back its debts and is maintaining a decent credit profile among its lenders and suppliers.THATTA CEMENT Thatta Cement Company Limited was incorporated in 1980 as a public limited company. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of the State Cement Corporation of Pakistan (Pvt. ) Limited. The manufacturing facility was commissioned in 1982. The plant based on dry process technology, had a total installed capacity of 1,000 tons per day of clinker. The plant was supplied by M/s. Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan. In the year 2004 the consortium of Mr. Arif Habib and Al-Abbas Group acquired 100% shares of the Company from the Privatization Commission and took over its management control.BUSINESS PROFILE SECTOR: Cement Industry PRODUCTS AND SERVICES: * Ordinary Portland Cement * Sulphate Resistant Cement * Portland Blast Furnace Slag Cement * Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag CUSTOMERS AND END MARKETS: Some of the valued customers: * Lucky Paragon (Ready-Mix) * DGDP, FWO (Frontier Works Organization), Siam Group, CGGC, AJK,SAMBU Pakistan, Bahria Icon, Envicrete, Hubcrete and Atlas Ready Mix. FINANCIAL PROFILE | | | 2008| 2009| 2010| 2011| Gross Profit Margin| | 14. 69%| 27. 69%| 17. 96%| 12. 88%| EBITDA Margin| | 8. 95%| 21. 50%| 5. 96%| 0. 79%|EBIT Margin| | 5. 65%| 18. 96%| 2. 63%| -2. 04%| Net Income Margin| | 2. 79%| 11. 36%| 0. 06%| -4. 02%| Return on Invested Capital| | 39. 15%| 84. 50%| 36. 40%| 36. 28%| Return On Equity| | 6. 92%| 26. 45%| 0. 12%| -10. 64%| Return On Assets| | 2. 94%| 0. 07%| 14. 37%| 3. 75%| Leverage Ratio| | 6. 11%| 16. 77%| 7. 25%| 68. 25%| Debt to total capitalization| | 0. 57%| 4. 56%| 0. 46%| 0. 51%| PROFITABILITY The profitability has declined as compare to the previous year due to the performance of the plant was badly affected by frequent interruptions in power supply by HESCO.The substantial loss is also due to the increase in the pr oduction cost such as the purchase price of raw materials and huge increase in fuel and power cost. GROWTH PROFILE The growth rate is declining as compare to the last year mainly due to the increase in COGS and also the company has also invested in the long-term. There is also an increase in the distribution cost which is due to the increase of appreciation in exports related freight and other charges which increased by 11. 61% despite of decrease in sales volume of export by 18. 3%. RETURN ON INVESTMENT: The return on invested capital is same as the previous year which is fairly high as compare to the other companies. This means that return from investments is considerably more than the industry average. CREDIT PROFILE: The credit profile of the company is not much satisfactory. Moreover, the leverage ratio of Thatta Cement has also seen a decline, which shows that the company is paying back its debts and is maintaining a decent credit profile among its lenders and suppliers

Pygmalion: Transform and Eliza

Jackson Wise English 4 4A October 15 2012 Metamorphoses in Pygmalion Pygmalion is a play written by George Bernard Shaw that is based on a poem called Metamorphoses, written by Ovid. The play and the poem are very similar in the themes, but the actual stories are not alike. Ovid’s version of Pygmalion is about a sculpture and its creator who falls in love with a woman who he created and brings her to life. Shaw’s version of Pygmalion is about a low-class flower girl who is turned into a beautiful, polite lady. Although the play and the poem are fairly different, the theme is the same.The main theme for Pygmalion is that transformation is possible for anyone through hard work. Eliza, Higgins and Mr. Doolittle all go through different kinds of transformation (Yeates). Pygmalion is a Cinderella story about how Eliza Doolittle goes through a drastic transformation from a street person to appearing as a duchess. Eliza, as the main character, is described as a nasty looking p erson working on the streets as a flower girl. Her clothes are torn, her hair needs washing, and she is very dirty compared to other ladies.However, her distinguishing characteristic that draws Henry Higgins’ attention is her horrible accent while struggling to speak proper English. Eliza is a good girl; there is no discussion of lack of morals or criminal behavior in her. She wants to improve herself, she hopes to transform into a lady (Pygmalion). She meets a man named Henry Higgins who offers English speech lessons. She goes to Higgins with high hopes but is treated terribly. To Higgins, Eliza reminds him of trash; â€Å"Shall we ask this baggage to sit down or shall we throw her out of the window? (Shaw 59) Higgins thinks it over and makes a bet to a man named Pickering, saying that he could completely change this flower girl into a beautiful, polite lady. Their result is a metamorphosis. She has been transformed into a lady; she has manners, behavior, and diction. Higgi ns and Pickering want to show off their success with Eliza, so they all go to a ball. Eliza comes in looking like a princess. She dances the special waltz and many people guess that she is royal Hungarian blood. She even convinces Neppomuck, a European phonetics expert. Another transformation in this play is the changing of Mr.Higgins. Higgins is an arrogant, stubborn bachelor with no use for women, who transforms throughout the story. He claims that she was simply a challenge: â€Å"Never lose a chance: it doesn’t come every day. I shall make a duchess out of this drag tailed guttersnipe† (Shaw 62). Higgins does transform and slowly starts to like having her around. He becomes accustomed to her and grows fond of her, but will not swallow his pride to keep her. He is mean spirited and cruel to Liza throughout the play; he is probably cruelest to himself since his pride makes him lose her.The last transformation in this play is Eliza’s father. Mr. Doolittle also transforms along with Eliza and Higgins. He is originally a poor, low-class man who tries to sell his daughter to Higgins. Higgins gives him money for Liza, and in the end of the play, Mr. Doolittle comes back to Higgins upset. He is mad that he has forced himself into the middle class: â€Å"Done to me. Ruined Me. Destroyed my happiness. Tied me up and delivered me into the hands of middle class morality† (Shaw 190). So, two of the men were unintentionally transformed.Transformation is the significant theme of the play and myth, Pygmalion. In Ovid’s poem/myth, transformation is displayed by how in love the sculptor is with his woman statue that eventually is transformed into a real woman from the help of the mythical god Venus. A metamorphosis is expressed in more than three ways in Pygmalion and it is also displayed in the myth as well. The three characters discussed all experience transformation. Eliza worked so hard to become the proper flower shop lady she dreamed of being. Higgins changed in spite of his stubbornness.Mr. Doolittle developed a conscious and maybe â€Å"did a little†. These three types of metamorphosis show that anyone of any class can learn and work to change. Works Cited â€Å"Pygmalion†. Encyclop? dia Britannica. Encyclop? dia Britannica Online. Encyclop? dia Britannica Inc. , 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2012 . Shaw, Bernard. Pygmalion. New York: Brentano, 1916 Yeates, Amelia â€Å"Recent work on Pygmalion in Nineteenth-Century Literature† The Author. Journal Compilation Volume 7, Issue 7, pages 586–596, July 2010

The Buddha And Buddhism - 1754 Words

Xuanzang was impressed by India’s ability to stay together for so long and have very few problems. Also, that many people conformed to the social rankings of their culture with little arguement. The fact that you are more free to do what you want without the consequence of death hanging over your head. Also, you are not forced to believe in one religion, and you do not have to accept one person as a ruler. They illustrate the descriptions of chapters 3-5 because they show that India was more of a philosophical civilization than it was a constrictive civilization like the Han Dynasty and Legalism. However, this contradicts the descriptions of India because not everyone liked and conformed to their social rules. This document can contribute the place of the Buddha and other teachings that Buddhism believes in. Also, it tells us about teachings of the Buddha that might have gotten lost over the years. This document tells us about the way life used to be in India when he visited, and how he perceived people to feel about the whole social statuses. Marco Polo’s first impressions of the city was that they were the finest and they had the most nobility in the known world. He noticed that the merchants were very wealthy, and a lot of goods would pass by them. He was surprised at the fact that both men and women were equal and they clothed themselves in silk. Marco Polo described the city as â€Å"the finest and most noblest in the world,† because they had mansions everywhere thatShow MoreRelatedThe Teachings Of Buddhism And The Buddha Essay1418 Words   |  6 Pages Buddhism is a very prominent religion followed by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. It was founded Gautama Buddha, who is also known as the Buddha or Siddhartha Gautama. The Buddha has 3 names much like there are 3 types of Buddhism. The different types of Buddhism are Theravada, Mahayana, and Pure Land. 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At the time, Japanese find their country in lack of civilization like writing and cultural religion. By sending people to China to accept more doctrine from foreign countries, different Buddhism schools are developed later in time. During the end of Heian Period, one of the popular sect is dedicated to Shingon, which is established by a monk named â€Å"Kukai†. Buddha Vairocana is one of many BuddhasRead MoreBuddhism Is The Teaching Of Buddha1919 Words   |  8 Pagespractices Humanistic Buddhism. Humanistic Buddhism is the teaching of Buddha. It affirms that the Buddha was born into the human world, and was cultivated in this world. The difference is that Buddha was enlightened in this human world and he taught other huma n beings in this world how to reach Nirvana, the freedom from suffering, in this human world and not apart from it. Buddha taught others that it is through our humanity that Buddhahood, full enlightenment, will be attained. Buddhism says that â€Å"theRead MoreThe Buddha And The Founder Of Buddhism1237 Words   |  5 PagesI got all my information. I have read and completely understood the story of Siddhartha also known as the Buddha the founder of Buddhism. And one of the stories from a different religion that I can compare to the story of Siddhartha Gautama Is the story of Jesus Christ. The founder of Christianity and is the most famous myth in Christian religion. I can compare both because of the way Buddha and Jesus was born. They both came from a different country and womb but they do have the similarities ofRead MoreBuddha, Buddhism And The Buddhist Philosophy1527 Words   |  7 Pagesenough to see through the covering pulled over our head at birth, to the true explanation of why we’re here, the truth of our existence. Because of this, I have chosen to do my research paper on Buddha, Buddhism and the Buddhist philosophy. The first thing I would like to address is the history of Buddha. When Siddhartha Gautama was born, a wise man came to his father, the king, and told him that his son would either be a great king or a great holy man. The king was worried because he wanted hisRead MoreSummarise The Life Of Buddha And The History Of Buddhism937 Words   |  4 Pages1. Summarize the life of Buddha and the history of Buddhism. To summarize the life of Buddha I tried doing a little more research myself. There is not a complete biography on him. Not until centuries after his death and that is still very little. We know that he was born Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini near the present Indian-Nepal border. We know that he was the son of a ruler of a petty kingdom. He was raised a young prince who was raised in sheltered luxury. When he turned 29 he saw how emptyRead MoreAll Sects Of Buddhism By Sakayumi Buddha1841 Words   |  8 PagesLasao Professor Amanda Lucia RLST 12 9 March 2015 Title All sects of Buddhism agree that the truths of Buddhism where discovered by Sakayumi Buddha during his meditations under the Bodhi tree. In honor of its founder, meditation holds a vital role in Buddhism for indicating an individual’s ability to attain truth. It is through the process of meditation, that Buddhists can attempt to attain enlightenment in the same matter as the Buddha during the myth of Bodhi- the story of Buddha’s enlightenment. InRead MoreChristianity And Buddhism : The Teachings Of Life, Death, And The Resurrection Of The Buddha887 Words   |  4 PagesIsrael. Buddhism is a spiritually sought religion that focus on the teachings of the Buddha. The number of Buddhist world-wide has been estimated to be around three-hundred and fifty million, which is about six percent of the world’s population. This religion is concentrated on the teachings of the Buddha and the perceived enlightenment of life. Siddhartha Gautama, became the founder in present-day Nepal, India during the fifth century. b. Thesis Statement: i. Although Christianity and Buddhism areRead MoreSiddhartha Gautama The Buddha And His Journey, The Epoch Of Buddhism2442 Words   |  10 Pagesand nobility in order to cease his own suffering and upon achieving his own enlightenment, provided a path for others to follow. Following his enlightenment, Gautama came to be known as the Buddha and his journey, the epoch of Buddhism. Unaccepting of some social and cultural practices of the time, the Buddha was openly critical of the Hindu Brahman’s possessiveness and almost secretive knowledge of the Veda texts; sharing this knowledge only with their son’s, assuring their family’s position socially

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 A Research - 1511 Words

Bckground While modern lifestyles and medical care have certainly improved the longevity of humans in the developed world, and contributed to a greater quality of life scenario, those same lifestyles have engendered a number of issues that contribute to disease. Lack of proper diet, fast food, high fat and carbohydrate diets without adequate fruits and vegetables, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol contribute to an epidemic of obesity which, in turn, contributes to a serious metabolic disorder called Diabetes Mellitus Type 2. While not managed by insulin injections, it is nevertheless quite serious and has a number of progressing symptoms that, if not treated properly, can result in cardiovascular, renal and neurological problems, as well as amputation, ocular issues, and even cognitive dysfunction. Type II Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes or aadult onset diabetes. It is a medical disorder that, due to a number of factors codependent with the modern world, is characterized by higher than normal blood glucose levels that play havoc with insulin deficiency and resistance. Insulin resistance means that cells do not respond appropriately when there is free insulin in the blood system. Essentially, they body is reacting to an improper balance of sugars and insulin. Because obesity is often present, research suggests that even thought the mechanisms controling glucose and insulin are unclear, the adopose tissue likelyShow MoreRelatedType Ii Diabetes Mellitus. â€Å"In 2010, An Estimated 25.81470 Words   |  6 PagesType II Diabetes Mellitus â€Å"In 2010, an estimated 25.8 million people in the United States had diabetes mellitus, of which approximately 1 million have type 1 diabetes and most of the rest have type 2 diabetes † (Papadakis et al., 2014) That means that in 2010 about 24.8 million people suffered from type 2 diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is impaired insulin secretion and variable degrees or peripheral insulin resistance leading to hyperglycemia (Porter, Kaplan, 2011). Type II diabetes has become moreRead MoreDiabetes Mellitus : A Group Of Metabolic Diseases Characterized By Hyperglycemia Resulting From Defects1463 Words   |  6 PagesDiabetes Mellitus is â€Å"a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. It is a disease which is caused by the insufficient insulin secretion or decrease in the peripheral effects of insulin. It is a serious problem in terms of morbidity and mortality. The hyperglycemia is associated w ith long term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels. It’s associatedRead MoreHigh Incidence Of Early Onset Type 2 Diabetes1613 Words   |  7 PagesIncidence of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Introduction Diabetes is a metabolic body condition in which the pancreas is unable to secrete enough insulin, hence leading to increased levels of blood sugar. Age, genetics, weight and ethnicity are the four main risk factors of Type 2 diabetes. Common symptoms include frequent urination, persistent fatigue, slow healing process for cuts and wounds and blurred vision. Type 2 diabetes affects 1 out of 10 people in America, as research has concluded, and thereforeRead MoreWhat Factors Are Involved in the Increasing Prevalence of Type II Diabetes in Adolescents living in Sub-Saharan Africa?1279 Words   |  6 Pagesincreasing prevalence of type II diabetes mellitus in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. - Identify the risk factors for having the disease early in life. OBJECTIVES - Assessment of the extent of the problem posed by type II diabetes. - Estimating the prevalence of type II diabetes among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. - Identifying possible risk factors. - Making evidence based conclusions and recommendations for practice or further research. INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus is a deadly disease inRead MoreFactors Affecting Prevalence And Treatment Outcomes Of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus1005 Words   |  5 PagesFactors Affecting Prevalence and Treatment Outcomes of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rwanda Introduction Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic condition in which the pancreas no longer produces enough Insulin (impaired insulin secretion) or cells stop responding to the insulin that is produced (insulin resistance) resulting in increased blood glucose (â€Å"Endocrine System.† Internal Medicine Clinical Treatment Guidelines. Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Health, 2012 ). SymptomsRead MoreThe Hypothesis That Increased Glucagon Like Peptide1094 Words   |  5 PagesVII. Current Research A. Study by Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (Adrian Vella, M.D. Principal Investigator) 1. Studied the hypothesis that increased glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) secretion explains the improvement in insulin secretion after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) Surgery (therapeutic long-term treatment for patients with morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus) a) â€Å"The overall metagenomic RYGB-induced shift was characterized by a reduction of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and anRead MoreA Short Note On Diabetes Mellitus Type II1041 Words   |  5 Pageson research paper is Diabetes Mellitus Type II. Diabetes is one of the major chronic diseases caused by the insulin resistance that body generates within. It is a serious public health issue currently. There are different types of diabetes we encounter nowadays, but the three main types are Type I, Type II and gestational diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus,2005-2016). The type II diabetes is a non-controlled disease and it is the most common and also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes (Diabetes MellitusRead MoreA Study Aims Toidentify The Effectiveness Protein Management Education Essay1557 Words   |  7 Pagesmellitushas reached465billionUSD. Complicationsexperienced bypatients withtype 2 diabetes mellitusthatcauses the suffererto experiencedependencein regulatingdietary patterns. Keti dakmandirianpatientsin managingthe dietdue toa lack of knowledgeandlack ofmotivationin self-care. This study aims toidentify theeffectiveness ofDiabetesSelf-Management Education toindependenceyipe2diabetic patientsin managingthe diet. This research is anexperimentalPre. ResearchDesignOnegrouppre-post-test design. The samplingRead MoreType 1 Diabetes On Children Essay1011 Words   |  5 Pages Type 1 Diabetes In Children Kathy Miron Beckfield Mrs. Rebecca Barner December 2, 2016 Type 1 Diabetes In Children Helen Keller once said, â€Å"All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.† Throughout life each person will face obstacles, but will only be defined by how they overcome or fail. In today’s society health and wellness has become such a challenge. Many things in our environment, social status, financial position, and culture can affect what we eat and ourRead MoreDiabetes Mellitus : A Disease Of Civilization With Epidemiological Coverage Essay928 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract. [Purpose] Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a disease of civilization with epidemiological coverage. An integral component of a comprehensive process of type 2 diabetes mellitus prevention and treatment is reasonably proportioned exercise. The aim of the study was to evaluate the weekly physical activity of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and healthy subjects with respect to recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine and American Diabetes Association. [Subjects] The study