Cultural Rape in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Cultural Rape In Things Fall Apart In Things Fall Apart, Achebe shows the ruthlessness of the missionaries in pursuit of new converts. Domestic support for the missions depended in large measure upon the tangible success of their preaching, success being reflected in the numbers of conversions. This relentless focus on success caused the cultural rape of the people of Umuofia. Achebe even hints at their use of bribery and blackmail in their endeavours. He tells us, the white missionary had set up a school to teach young Christians to read and write (126). The inference is clearly that the unconverted heathens were not given this opportunity. Yet bearing in mind the orality of Nigerian culture,†¦show more content†¦This presents a clear picture of the sheer rapidity of the colonial project. It seems inevitable that much indigenous tradition and heritage will be swept away, resulting in feelings of profound cultural dislocation, and loss of identity. Yet despite these hardships, the reader cannot escape the feeling the Achebe is not as narrow-minded and bitter as he first appears. He clearly does not object to the discovery of and learning about new religions and cultures. He presents a strong argument in favour of discussion as a path towards understanding. In Things Fall Apart, the missionary Mr Brown and Akunna, one of the tribal elders, often spend long hours in discussion, and although Neither of them succeeded in converting the other ... they learnt more about their different beliefs (147). This demonstrates a mutual relationship, in which both parties are equally eager to learn when approached on equal terms. It is not Achebes intention to demonstrate any superiority an idealistic pre-colonial Nigerian existence might hold over life in Europe. What he seeks to achieve is an illumination of the complicated truth of African existence (and) a concrete insight into the reality of their existence( Conch 6. 1-2, 1974, p.19). As clearly demonstrated in Things Fall Apart, he is making neither excuses nor apologies for African existence.Show MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead More Missionaries Are to Blame in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart 842 Words   |  4 PagesMissionaries Are to Blame in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart      Ã‚   The burden and calling to reach out and help others, enfold many people in society throughout the world. Rich or poor, young or old, black, red or white, the motive is helping those with a need. As Chinua Achebe points out in his book, Things Fall Apart, though there is the aspiration to lend a hand, it can sometimes become deadly, and even fatal to the lives of people. Although the missionaries try help convert the Ibo villageRead More The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay3048 Words   |  13 Pagesand Kreiswirth 582). Reading colonial literature in dialogue with postcolonial literature engenders a more complete interpretation of the effects of imperialism by creating a point of reference from which to begin the revelation and the healing of cultural wounds resultant from European colonialism. Postcolonial literature reveals the lie of imperialism by suggesting that colonization was unsolicited by and unjustly administered to indigenous peoples; it seeks to assert that the â€Å"help† these culturesRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesglobalization, both of which can be seen as hallmarks of the opening decades of the twentieth century. This intermingling of the forces and processes that were arguably essential components 2 †¢ INTRODUCTION of two epochs we routinely set apart as centuries suggests the need for flexibility in demarcating phases of world history, and for determining beginnings and endings that accord with major shifts in political and socioeconomic circumstances and dynamics rather than standard but arbitrary

The Reconstruction Period from 1865 to 1877 Essay

From 1865 to 1877, the United States underwent an era of political complexity and social turbulence known as Reconstruction (Tindell). This period of American history generated extensive implications for life of Americans (Tindell). The main goal of the Reconstruction was to rebuild a devasted South after the abolition of slavery, disruptions of the economy due to the war, and the tremendous amounts of deaths left it in near ruins (Tindell). The first question at hand was to decide which governments would uphold authority in the South (Tindell). President Abraham Lincoln created a plan for regular governments in the states that were or might have been discharged from Confederate rule (Tindell). This plan was known as the Proclamation of†¦show more content†¦Those States have not gone out of the Union. Therefore reconstruction is not necessary† (Tindell). His plan was similar to Lincoln’s (Tindell). Johnson’s plan for readmitting the states called for each state to require a native Unionist as a provisional governer (Tindell). This governor would have the authority to call a convention of men who were elected by local voters (Tindell). These conventions were to abolish slavery, repudiate all debts caused by helping the Confederacy, and to nullify the secession regulations (Tindell). Johnson also issued a new Proclomation of Amnesty in May of 1865 that excluded everybody with taxable property w orth more that $20,000 along with those groups that Lincoln barred from pardon (Tindell). This new group was allowed to make special applications for pardon that were sent directly to the president which resulted in Johnson issuing approximately 13,000 pardons before the year ended (Tindell). The Radical Republicans, on the other hand, favored a different approach to the restoration. They believed in giving freed slaves full citizenship in hopes of completely transforming the southern society (Tindell). They hoped to dismantle the Democratic party and the planter elite (Tindell). They helped to pass the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864 that would have required a majority of white male citizens to declare their allegiance (Tindell). It also requiredShow MoreRelatedAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Reconstruction1486 Words   |  6 PagesDuring the period of reconstruction in the U.S., from 1865-1877, there were plans put in place by Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Congress in hopes of a brighter future. Reconstruction took place after the Civil War occurred in the U.S. from 1861-1865. Abraham Lincoln was the President during the Civil War, and he had plans prepared at the end of his presidency because he sensed that the nation would have to be rebuilt through a reconstruction p eriod. Once he was assassinated in 1865, his successorRead MoreReconstruction Era1650 Words   |  7 PagesReconstruction 1 The Reconstruction Era Jessica Onken American History Since 1865 Professor Tim Johnston August 2, 2010 Reconstruction 2 The Reconstruction Era The reconstruction era was a difficult time for the African American slaves from 1865 to 1877 because the slaves were freed and there were no jobs for them, had very little or no education, and had very limited opportunity in the south. Reconstruction was one of the most critical periods in American History. The CivilRead MoreReconstruction After Civil War Essay1503 Words   |  7 PagesReconstruction Reconstruction was a period of time between 1865 and 1877, which was very complex and controversial. It refers to the actual rebuilding of the south physically, economically and politically from the damage of the Civil War. It was an effort to rebuild southern states and also to restore the Union. During this time period, the federal government passed a series of laws, acts and amendments to bring change. Many of these amendments guaranteed the equal rights to African-AmericansRead MoreThe Reconstruction After The Civil War977 Words   |  4 Pagescoming to an end to start something new. One such movement was the Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period between 1865 and 1877 following the Civil War, during which people of the United States worked to put the country back together again, introducing a new set of significant challenges. Though, like all things in life, it did come to an end, the resulting outcome had been labeled both a success and a failure. The Reconstruction after the Civil War consisted of failures as well as successesRead MoreReconstruction Plan1116 Words   |  5 Pageswars in US History ended in 1865, and left the country in ruin. Abraham Lincoln, the president of the U.S at the time came up with the plan to re-build the country after the war. He called it Reconstruction Plan. The Reconstruction Plan was put to use right after the war in 1865 and ended in 1877. Within the Reconstruction Plan, Lincoln offered a model for reinstatement of Southern states called the 10 percent Reconstruction plan. And also, during reconstruction period, we witnessed the emerged ofRead MoreEssay On Reconstruction And Reconstruction1191 Words   |  5 PagesReconstruction was a period which took place after the Civil War between 1865-1877, and it was a process by which former states of the Confederacy were â€Å"reconstructed† into the United States. Reconstruction was also a controversial period as the Blacks were not receivi ng the rights that they were promised due to which the Southerners were against Republicans, also the president, and the Congress did not agree on the same plan for Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time in which America consistedRead MoreThe Reconstruction Era Was A Success1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe Reconstruction Era was a Success Shortly after the Civil War ended in 1867, President Abraham Lincoln’s new objective was to unify the union and the confederate states into what was formerly known as the United States of America. This time period is known as the Reconstruction Era, starting with the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in 1865 and ending with the implementation of the Compromise of 1877. The Reconstruction Era was a time period full of political, economicRead MoreThe Word Reconstruction Era984 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States history, the word Reconstruction Era has been considered in two intellects: the first comprises the comprehensive history of the whole country during the period of 1865 to 1877 subsequent to the Civil War; the second sense emphases on the alteration of the Southern United States, as engaged by Congress, from 1863 to 1877, with the rebuilding of society and state. Two men appeared as the foremost applicants in the 1876 election: Samuel J. Tilden who was a Democrat and RutherfordRead MoreEssay on Success of Reconstruction777 Words   |  4 PagesSuccess of Reconstruction Reconstruction was the time period following the Civil War, which lasted from 1865 to 1877, in which the United States began to rebuild. The term can also refer to the process the federal government used to readmit the defeated Confederate states to the Union. While all aspects of Reconstruction were not successful, the main goal of the time period was carried out, making Reconstruction over all successful. During this time, the Confederate states were readmittedRead MoreReconstruction Essay908 Words   |  4 PagesReconstruction was the time between 1863 and 1877 when the U.S. focused on abolishing slavery, destroying the Confederacy, and reconstructing the nation and the Constitution and is also the general history of the post-Civil War era in the U.S. between 1865 and 1877. Under Abraham Lincoln, presidential reconstruction began in each state as soon as federal troops controlled most of the state. The usual ending date is 1877, when the Compromise of 1877 saw the collapse of the last Republican state governments

Danity Kane free essay sample

The group created by Diddy on the reality show â€Å"Making the Band 3† has proven itself a force to be reckoned with. Their debut, â€Å"Danity Kane,† is an amazing display of musical ability. It is an even greater accomplishment because many believed they would fail after two unsuccessful seasons of the reality show. Thanks to Aundrea, Aubrey, Dawn, Shannon, and D. Woods, my generation now knows what a group should sound like. Danity Kanes appeal comes from its musical diversity. Unlike many female groups, Danity Kane does not have a lead singer. All five women are talented singers who have learned to create a unified, beautiful sound. It is also exciting to discover who is singing on each track. Every voice is completely different and it is cool to hear them harmonize. Due to the members diversity, the group can connect with a wide range of listeners. The CD matches this with songs that can be classified as hip-hop, RB, pop, and even Latin. We will write a custom essay sample on Danity Kane or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, the tracks spread from dance beats to power ballads to plain old feel-good music. With such creativity, it is hard to look at this CD as anything but a work of art. Not only does Danity Kane explore different and new styles of sound, they cover all types of topics. There is â€Å"Show Stopper,† about the girls night out; â€Å"Ride for You† about sticking with their man; and â€Å"Heartbreaker,† about the games the girls play with guys minds. The CD will stand in a high place in music history because of its pure musical perfection. The harmonies all fall into place to create a beautiful sound that intrigues not only the ear, but the mind. By mastering these essentials of music, Danity Kane sets itself apart from other groups. I encourage skeptics to take a night with friends and listen to this CD. After the first song, it is hard to turn off. The talent and creativity come together to create a joy that will last for quite a while.

International Market Gain Competitive Edge â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The International Market Gain Competitive Edge? Answer: Introduction This assignment is in alignment with the task 1 which included the strategies of Tesco Company to grow in the international market of Australia. The earlier report provided optimum information about the market analysis of the company and the environment in which the company is planning to expand. This task is further in adjoinment to the initial task provide the entry mode and the strategies with which the company will implement the expansion process. Tesco PLC is a British multinational company involved in a retail business. The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom having a huge human resource of around 460,000 employees. Tesco was originated by Jack Cohen in the year 1919; the company is already conducting their business activities worldwide by managing 6553 stores globally (Tesco, 2014). Further, with the purpose of growth and expansion the company initiates to introduce their supermarket activities in Australia. The report includes the activities of the company to expand their business internationally. Synopsis of Part-A From the market analysis of Australia conducted in Part A of the report, the following are the facts that came into consideration: The Australian economy for initiating the activities of the company is strong as the Australian government is very keen in implementing policies for the benefit of the localities of the country. Also, due to the existence of financially strong political system and presence of optimum workforce, the market environment would assist Tesco in initiating business development (Armstrong, et. al., 2015). Further, talking about the legal environment, the country charges a corporate tax of 30% on the outsider companies earning revenue in their geographical boundaries. Thus, this factor can act as a challenge for the company; as Tesco earned high profits resulting to which, they have to pay high taxes as well. There are many other laws which are to be complied with the companies entering in Australia, some laws are food safety law, employment law etc. Australia is regarded as the financial hub for the supermarket business, thus the company will earn ideal growth in the Australian environment. Along with growth, the fact shall be noted that there are already many supermarket companies prevailing in the market and all other competitor companies also have captured an adequate market share (Aydin, 2016). The cultural environment of the country implies that there is less diversity among people. The power distance implies that there is less inequality in the country, the individualism dimension of cultural analysis shows that people prefer concerning about their issues only, then do not involve in the matter of other people. Masculinity being a moderate show that the company gets an advantage to earn well, as the major products of the company includes items which are mainly used by women in household chores (Cavusgil, et. al., 2014). Entry mode for Tesco in Australian Market The best entry mode for the Company Tesco to expand in Australia would be Joint Venture. Joint Venture is an international strategy under which two businesses pool resources to accomplish a specific task; it helps a foreign company to capture the local market of other partner company. Tesco will earn well in the Australian market if they create a joint venture with any other Australia based company (Czinkota, Ronkainen, 2013). There are various benefits which a joint venture will provide to Tesco which are explained below: The process will share the risk of Tesco with the other company by coming in a joint venture. The fact is obvious that entrance in a business involves a huge degree of risk, with this process the risk will get shared with other company already existing in the Australian industry. It will get easy for Tesco to enter in the supermarket industry, as the other partner of the joint venture would already have its business holding in the Australian market (Meiners, Ringleb, Edwards, 2014). As the fact is seen as per the cultural analysis of the country, that people and market are less inclined to know new products coming in the market, due to which it gets difficult for new companies to survive in the Australian market. Thus with the joint venture, the company will face fewer difficulties in surviving. If Tesco choose the market entry of joint venture with other company of similar profile then the company can receive benefit of economies of scale, as they pool their resources and capabilities (Morschett, Schramm-Klein, Zentes, 2015). International Strategy for Tesco With the initiation of joint venture strategy the company Tesco can clearly focus on the industry in which the company has to enter. Choosing the right strategy for the company to expand is not easy but venture will definitely assist the company in their goal expansion. The company can further involve into cooperation with other Australian company for carrying its business activities (Nahavandi, 2016). Partnership with a local company will help Tesco to survive in the Australian market and eliminate competition. With this effect, the company will get ease in purchasing raw material and recruiting human resource within the country only. If the company aligns its activities with other company which equivalently famous in Australia, then marketing process of Tesco will initiate automatically. As Tesco has efficient employees in their outlets of UK, thus the company can transfer their employees to Australia on a temporary basis so that the company can easily manage the internal management activities and the new recruits are taught by the senior management of the company (Papadopoulos, Heslop, 2014). Motivation and Leadership in Cross-Cultural Teams In the process of expansion in another country, the company needs to employ local people. Further as discussed earlier they also need to transfer some experienced employees from their old outlet to new organization so that they can manage the business activities efficiently. Thus, they need to manage them by communicating efficiently with the workforce. Firstly the management needs to understand the cultural sensitivity present in people, coming from the different culture the expatriates feel left alone in the organizational culture. This results in degradation in the growth of organization. Thus, Tesco shall implement group activities so as to initiate efficient communication further in order to lead the management shall effectively monitor the activities of employees and they shall make them understands the vision of the organization so that they work accordingly (Samaha, Beck, Palmatier, 2014). An ideal leader is one who understands the vision and missions the organization and in itiates their workforce to work accordingly so that personal along with professional objective is fulfilled. Multinational structure of Tesco PLC (Source: Org Chart, 2017) Tesco being a multinational company already has an efficient multinational organizational structure. As the company is retail departmental business so the organizational structure of the company is simple and efficient and effective as well. Tesco follows the hierarchical structure of an organization, the structure s further segregated in divisions which ensure that the work is circulated properly. The decentralized system of management helps the organization work in an effective manner as they now receive authority along with responsibility. The group at the top of the management holds maximum responsibility and authority. All other people are accountable to the top level of management. The board of directors of Tesco includes 10 members which include non-executive as well as executive directors (Org Chart, 2017). The business scope of the company is overlooked with the organizational structure chart, and the chart of the companies signifies an optimum growth in the international ma rket. (Source: Org Chart, 2017) The above-mentioned chart is the organizational structure chart of the store. It shows that there are four levels of the management process, thus activities like bureaucracy and red tape are reduced. Managers of different stores are segregated resulting to which collaborative politics is not present in the organizational culture. HR Recommendation It is the duty of a human resource manager to initiate recruitment and selection process and then train the employees to achieve the organizational objective. They need to drive the focus of employees towards achievements of corporate goal. They shall take care of the interest of employees along with expatriates and motivate them so that their personal goal is also fulfilled. As they are settling in the international market, due to which the company shall take care of the culture of both the countries and then act accordingly (Samaha, Beck, Palmatier, 2014). Marketing Consideration In order to capture the market share, Tesco needs to advertise their product through innovative means so that people get attracted towards the brand and initiate to purchase the product. As there is cut-throat competition in the market due to which the company needs to create product differentiation so that the customer shift to buy their products. Further with the aid of joint venture, they shall aim to adopt the Australian culture and then work accordingly for better performance (Turnbull, Valla, 2013). Conclusion Thus, in the limelight of aforementioned events, the facts that shall be considered are the company Tesco can easily prevail and succeed in the Australian market. Furthermore, the supermarket industry of Australia has numerous competitors existing in the market, so in order to create a brand image, the company needs to initiate joint venture so that sustainable growth is implemented. References Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., Brennan, R. (2015). Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Education. Aydin, R. (2016). An integrated marketing and engineering approach to product line design with consideration of remanufactured products (Doctoral dissertation, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University). Cavusgil, S. T., Knight, G., Riesenberger, J. R., Rammal, H. G., Rose, E. L. (2014). International business. Pearson Australia. Czinkota, M. R., Ronkainen, I. A. (2013). International marketing. Cengage Learning. Meiners, R. E., Ringleb, A. H., Edwards, F. L. (2014). The legal environment of business. Cengage Learning. Morschett, D., Schramm-Klein, H., Zentes, J. (2015). Strategic international management. Springer. Nahavandi, A. (2016). The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson. Org Chart., (2017). tesco company organisational structure chart example. Viewed on September 13, 2017 from https://www.orgcharting.com/tesco-company-organisational-structure-chart-example/ Papadopoulos, N., Heslop, L. A. (2014). Product-country images: Impact and role in international marketing. Routledge. Samaha, S. A., Beck, J. T., Palmatier, R. W. (2014). The role of culture in international relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 78(5), 78-98. Tesco, P. L. C. (2014). Annual report and financial statements 2014. TESCO https://www. tescoplc. com/media/417/tesco_annual_report_2011. pdf. Turnbull, P. W., Valla, J. P. (Eds.). (2013). Strategies for international industrial marketing. Routledge.

Gun Control in United States

Before Freedom essays

Before Freedom essays The author of the book is Belinda Hurmence, she is well qualified to write a book such as this which she well demonstrates. She has done many long hours of research on slavery and the affects on the former individual slaves themselves. She has written many volumes on slavery and the opinion of many former American slaves on slavery. This book she wrote contains the oral histories of former North and South Carolina slaves. The setting of the book is the homes of former slaves. The introduction of the book is about a former slave from North Carolina whom was forbidden to talk about slavery. From the time the New Republic came into being America wrestled with the problem of slaves telling their stories of slavery. Their very existence mocked the validity of a government that guarenteed liberty and justice for the nations people. Slaves were forbidden to read and write. They could not buy and sell merchandise or have religious services or other meetings. Slavery was a bad thing for most slaves but not all slaves. Some slaves felt slavery was a good thing because it gave them the only shelter and food they had ever had. When freedom came hard times came for a lot of former slaves. Many no longer had shelter or food to eat. There sufferings after freedom multiplied and worsened. The authors main point was that slavery was bad for many slaves but it was also good for many slaves. There was many points of evidence supporting her main point of the book. There were oral histories told of how awful slavery was and how many times they were beaten for simply doing nothing. But there were also many former slaves in their oral histories telling how good their owners were to them and how they had never been beaten. Those former slaves felt slavery was a good thing because it gave them shelter and food to eat. The author concludes that people often have a bad one sided view of slavery but there is a good very real other side to ...

The Changes in the Economic Environment of Nokia Essay

The Changes in the Economic Environment of Nokia - Essay Example It is used in finding out how much the company is leveraged in debt, comparing what is owed to what is owned. This is a measure to find out the company’s ability to borrow and repay money.As shown, Nokia has 40% debt leverage in 2009. This figure is 29% higher than its D/E in 2009, and a significant departure from conservative borrowings from 2000 to 2007. Its long-term debt in 2009 amounted to 4.439B representing a 400% increase from 2008 of 861M.Nokia uses the international capital markets to finance investments. The company sells stock, issue bonds, and obtain loans from commercial banks. The Nokia is a public limited liability company listed on the Helsinki, Frankfurt, and New York stock exchanges. Recent share price is offered at 9.64 â‚ ¬ (Yahoo finance) Nokia has the same outstanding shares of 3.7bil for 2009 and 2008. This is a decline from its previous years’ outstanding shares which are above 4bil. from 2000 to 2007. (msn) Based on the figures derived from the company’s financial statements for 10 years, the company is still in a healthy financial position. Its short-term operations have been affected by the economic recession as shown by the decline of sales and revenue for 2009 and 2008. Yet, the company has remained financially strong to pay its obligations. In 2009, the company has changed its strategy in a capital structure using more debts in financing its resources. As it is, the company is 40% leveraged and 60%f equity. At 40%, debt leverage is still a good balance as it is not more than the total equity. The company tends to have additional benefits in this capital structure such as tax advantage. In conclusion, Nokia can be a safe investment because of its strength has been in business for many years. It operates worldwide and does not concentrate on US market alone. Its weakness lies in technology which is slow in responding to competition’s design. Opportunities remain strong for worldwide operations as communication is an important commodity for everybody. The threat is the fast-changing technology that has to be addressed by Nokia through continued research and development.

Steven Spielbergs Schindlers List A Legend Essay

Steven Spielbergs Schindlers List A Legend - Essay Example In the film of Steven Spielberg, the story of the Holocaust was made into action. It went further to include other real life testimonies from survivors and witnesses of the historical event. Spielberg went into deeper facts through interviews and actual visitation of the places where mass murder supposedly occurred. This three-hour movie is styled differently. Unlike any other hit movies in the Hollywood, Schindler’s List is being filmed in documentary form. The actual events were portrayed in patches of scenes that came from real life experiences of those who knew better- the survivors and witnesses. Series and factions of the whole genocide story were being reduced into scenes from various perspectives. This reduction or miniaturization of the specific events is as much as part of the cataclysm of the Jews extermination plan of the Nazis. Various scenes were made into action depicting the experiences of the Jews under the Nazi rule. There are scenes of Jews transported in trains and held in forced labor camps, and scenes of families broken as men, women, children and old people were separated from each other. There are also scenes of people going into gas chambers being killed at once as gas fumes are being released with Jews being imprisoned inside the chambers. This series of events add up to the horrific totality of the genocide plan of the Nazis. These murders and life-exterminating events to stamp out the Jews lineage in the face of humanity were being made into reality by the actors directed by Spielberg.teven Spielberg. It takes a lot of various perspective of the Holocau st event to totally capture what really happened in the history. Replicas and literal imitations of the events were acted by chosen actors quite effectively. Supporting props and scenic settings as backgrounds helped in the total output scene on cameras. As the film is being shown as a documentary, the events do not limit to the world of the life of the protagonist alone. Although most part of the movie progressively follow the events that happened with Oskar Schindler, but the events does not limit to his experiences alone. Stories of various Jews were portrayed one by one to provide different perspective. Black and White â€Å"Schindler’s List† is a uniquely fabricated film done by the hands of the expert. Unlike Spielberg’s usual movies that are full of stunning and spectacular effects, with

Poetry College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poetry College - Essay Example People were kidnapped or trapped in a manner to be tortured only to attain the money. Stealing, robbery, theft were increasing day by day. It was not only suffering in life but terror of slaughtering getting high to its peak. Blacks were suffering from the injustice of Whites, poor were suffering from the miseries country facing due to the colonizing, Children were killed, a totally a horrifying condition was being seen in the country which was only be settled down by changing the thoughts of mind and soul. Many of the authors and poets in addition with the politicians and government tried psychologically to eliminate the major crimes like, terrorism of slaughtering, racism, tortures and literate people from the sufferings and miseries faced by the country due to diasporas and colonized. Margret Atwood, one of the famous Canadian writer known for her novels, but is a good author and writer to brief poems, articles, short stories and few she worked for television and movies as well. She was born in Ottawa, Ontario on 18 November, 1939 and started her writings since she was young. She qualified herself in English literature and taught English for some time in University of British Columbia. She was near to nature and wrote many poems and novels about the environment, personalities, and natural world. Moreover, she was a fervent writer for the kids and though wrote many poems and short stories for them. She was a keen observer and wants to participate herself in the efforts to make the country hygienic to breath in freely. She enthusiastically wrote many short stories and poems to tell the world and the people of her country what they are suffering with and morally help them to eliminate the crimes. "Footnote to the Amnesty Report on Torture" was written in 1978. It wa s a poem compiled in simple English explaining the conditions of the torture chamber along with different shocking and horrifying images in the poem about the torture chamber showing the harsh features of politics. She from the very first stanza clarified the view of the torture chamber by resembling it with something very worst. She made the readers imagine that it neither resembles the dungeon with cob webs, nor it reminds you of opera sets which are being fully designed but by words the dangerous one. It actually looks a lot like to a dirty, grimy, smutty and unclean railway station. However, this railway station is being cleaned every time by a hooked man but still it smells stinky as if it's a hospital with the smell of antiseptics and spirits. These stinky smells are in cooperated with the smell of blood. Her simile for the smell of the blood is equivalent to the one rising from the butcher's shop. She in her following stanza of the poem mentions the briefs about the man working there as a sweeper, cleaning floors all the time. This man cleans all the remnants spread all over the chamber the previous night. The torture is so harsh that people who are brave they forgets their bravery, innocent people may die, their torn fingers, or may hacked tongue are thrown away. To this all that cleaning man is grateful that e has this job to clear vomit, covering the dead bodies or collecting fingers rather than breaking or killing somebody. The words, Margaret Atwood used in the poem "Footnote to the

Liquidity Gap Analysis And Schedule Finance Essay

Liquidity Gap Analysis And Schedule Finance Essay The main technique used to measure liquidity position is liquidity gap analysis. Liquidity gaps are differences between assets and liabilities at present time and in the future (Thomas Barnes 15 Jan 2010). Gaps generate liquidity risk; deficits will require funding and excess will result in interest rate risk. Gaps can either be static or dynamic. Static gaps will consider all assets and liabilities which are actually present in the balance sheet. In such case the analysis shows a reduction of the assets and liabilities as they mature. Dynamic gaps are simply the consideration of actual plus projected inflows and outflows; these depend on business uncertainties (Hampel et al 1999). A liquidity gap schedule provides an analytical framework for measuring future funding needs by comparing the amount of assets and liabilities maturing over specific time intervals (Thomas Barnes 15 Jan 2010). Table 3 presents a sample liquidity gap schedule. Table 3: Liquidity gap schedule Less than 10 days Over 10 days but less than 3 months Over 3 months but less 6 months Over 6 months less than one year 1 to 5 years Over 5 years and capital Total Assets 10 10 10 5 65 0 100 Liabilities and Equity 50 30 15 0 0 5 100 Net outflow(Assets minus Liabilities) (40) (20) (5) 5 65 (5) 0 Cumulative net outflow (40) (60) (65) (60) 5 0 0 Source: Office of Thrift Supervision Jan 15 (2010) Sec 530 page 29 In the liquidity gap schedule, the company ranges assets and liabilities into different time intervals taking into account their remaining time to maturity. Generally, the company ranges assets and liabilities according to their effective maturities rather than their contractual maturities. For instance, a company will treat non maturity deposits as long-term liabilities rather than short-term liabilities. Negative gapping at the shorter end of the schedule increases the risk that the company will be unable to rollover maturing liabilities as they come due. While such a position is in favour to liquidity, it tends to enhance profitability over the long-term, provided the company keeps the gaps within manageable limit. However, a limitation of the liquidity gap schedule is that it does not capture projected balance sheet changes such as future loan and deposit growth. While it is important to understand the liquidity of a companys existing balance sheet, it is also essential to forecast the growth of key balance sheet components, such as deposits and loans, over time. (Thomas Barnes 15 Jan 2010) 2.8.3 Risk Management Liquidity risk management should be vigorous with analysis and metrics that reflects a companys liquidity position and assess its options under different market conditions, such as economic stress, crisis, and collapse (Thomas Barnes 15 Jan 2010). Liquidity risk needs to be managed once it has been identified and measured. Risk is more integral to business for insurance that it is perhaps for any other industry (Capgemini 2006). Long-run profitability will suffer when companies hold too much low-earning liquidity assets. Holding too little liquidity can lead to severe financial problems. Managing liquidity risk is not only to eliminate the risk but rather find the equilibrium between return and risk (Decker, A, P 2000). Selling some assets rapidly seems to be an easy solution, but still insurers will have to face forced sales risk. For some insurers, their projects to improve risk management evolved into the establishment or expansion of their risk management department (Henry Essert march 2010). The aim in managing liquidity is to minimize cost. The cheapest approach is to try to restructure the balance sheet in such a way to reduce gap and that the appropriate level of risk is reached (Decker, A, P 2000). 2.8.3.1 Metrics used for liquidity risk management Most financial firms such as insurance companies use various metrics to control their liquidity risk. This consists of three basic approaches which can be categorized as: the liquid assets approach, the cash flow approach, and a combination of both. (Sharma paul et al 2006) Under the liquid assets approach, the company needs to maintain liquid instruments on their balance sheet which can be consulted whenever required. (Ratios are the relevant metrics in this approach) Under the cash flow matching approach, the company tries to match cash outflows against contractual cash inflows across a range of near-term maturity buckets. This approach is mostly used by insurance companies. The mixed approach is a combination of both cash flow approach and the liquid assets approach. The company attempts to match cash outflows each time bucket against a combination of contractual cash inflows. Insurance companies place more emphasis on the cash flow matching approach. When gaps in maturity buckets are unfavorable, insurance companies would utilize the mixed approach to help ensure that they will be able to meet their obligations to provide cash to counterparties. (Sharma et al 2006) 2.8.3.2 Assets Liability Management Assets Liability Management (ALM) can be termed as a risk management technique designed to earn an adequate return while maintaining a reasonable surplus of assets beyond liabilities. It considers interest rates, earning power and degree of willingness to take on debt and hence is also known as Surplus Management (Sayonton Roy 2010). Management of liquidity consists of raising fund and invests where excess of fund is available. The managers will buy, hold and sell assets and liabilities in order to maintain a predetermined level of liquidity (Matti Peltonen 2010). This technique forms part of the Asset liability Management and thus facilitates in Funding, Investing and Hedging issues to achieve predetermined strike between risk and return. The objective is to increase profitability, while monitoring risk, as well as complying with the constraints of companies (Arzu Tektas et al 2005). 2. 9 Study in the same field 2.9.1 Estimation of Liquidity Risk Patrick Tobin and Alan Brown 2003 designed a method to model liquidity using a bottom-up approach. They calculated average size of withdrawals as, Yt=ZtNt Where, Zt is the total withdrawals for time t Nt is the number of withdrawals for time t A period of 35 weeks was considered The average values were, N=t=1TNt, Y=t=1TYt, Z=t=1TZt Then they rescaled data as follows, Mt=NtN , Ct=YtY , Bt=ZtZ Where, Mt is the mob, Ct is the clip, Bt is the bag The basic model was found and applied to product p BLt=p=1KWpBpt, Where, BLt= Business Line at time t Bpt= Bag for each product p at time t Wp= Weight for product p This gives rise to a weekly factor. The dispersion of this weekly factor was the subject of further analysis. This model tries to estimate the weekly cash outflow. 2.9.2 Measuring liquidity risk in Insurance companies In an article namely Measuring Liquidity risk in Banking Management Framework Giampaolo Gabbi (2000, p.44-58) proposed a model to implement liquidity risk within the risk management mostly used, the Value at Risk (VaR). This model also applies for the Insurance sectors since they have similar operations such as fixed deposits, loan facilities and other banking activities. Value at Risk is the largest likely lost from market risk that an asset or portfolio will suffer over a time interval and with a degree of certainty selected by the decision maker Titus Lewis, 1997. In a general circumstance five factors are considered before calculating VaR, this are: volatility of prices, interest and exchange rates probability distribution of likely return time horizon confidence interval correlation among different positions Once these elements are known, risk manager can calculate VaR in the worst case scenario for the single position (pos) VaR pos= pos.n. Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  t where,  Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  t is volatility for frequency t n is the scaling factor needed to obtain the desired confidence level under the assumption of a normal distribution of market returns Modeling liquidity in a VaR framework is given by: VaR= n { Ã‚ ³Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ L)  Ã‚ 1â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¯2 + Æ’( Ã‚ ­  Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ©Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Ã†â€™.  Ã‚ ³Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ Lâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ã‚  +  Ã‚ ³Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ º log c â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¨Lâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ ½ Where n depends on the underlying distribution,  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨ L)  Ã‚  is the expected execution log in selling the L shares,  Ã‚ ­ is the mean quality discount,  Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  is the volatility of the discount and c â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¨Lâ‚ ¬Ã‚ © is the quantity discount Unfortunately all these information are difficult to access or calculate, so indicators were used to simplify the equation, leading to the following outcome COL = 12  Ã¢â‚¬ º Pt â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¨S +  Ã‚ ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  spreadâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ©Ã‚ Ã‚  Where COL is the cost of liquidity, Pt is todays mid price for the assets or instrument, S is the average relative defined as  Ã¢â‚¬ ºbid ask Ã‚ Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯ mid price,  Ã‚ ¡ is the scaling factor and  Ã‚ ³Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  spread is the volatility of relative spread. 2.10 Overview of liquidity Risk Management in Mauritius 2.10.1 Liquidity in the Insurance Act 2005 Insurance Companies in Mauritius are governed by the Insurance act 2005 which is regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC). The FSC has the responsibility to ensure that Insurance companies are taking appropriate measures to manage all the risks to protect the interest of the clients and the public at large. The consequences of liquidity risk on a countrys financial system make its management become a very important issue. Section 23 of the Insurance Act 2005 considers liquidity and solvency issues. It also lists the different assets which are to be considered as liquid assets, for example; cash balances, fixed interest, equities. According to Section 24 (1)(a) of the insurance act an insurer shall in respect of its insurance business at all times have and maintain its level of liquidity as may be prescribed. It imposes Insurance to maintain an adequate and appropriate form of liquidity. At any time the Financial services Commission may order an Insurer to increase its level of liquidity, depending on risks in the Insurance operation, maturing liabilities, quality of assets and other financial resources. Failure to comply with the above will result in that Insurance not been permitted to assume any new risks of any kind, or underwrite or renew any insurance policy; unless it increases its level of liquidity to the indicated amount. 2.10.2 Guideline on Liquidity The Financial Services Commission has issued a Guideline on Liquidity in February 2008. This Guide is issued under section7 (1) (a) of the Financial Services Act 2007 and Section 130 of the Insurance Act 2005. The Guideline on Liquidity gives an exact indication of what the Financial Services Commission is expecting from the Insurers in their management of liquidity. In order to help insurance companies to foster professional standards the Commission expects all insurers to have regard to these Guidelines. These guidelines also require insurers to provide reports on its liquidity position every three months for the first year and at the end of each year afterwards. Guideline on liquidity also concerns contingency planning. A good contingency plan should be realistic, unambiguous, designed to be flexible and should indicate the responsibility and priority of the Insurance and their management team. This will enable an insurance company to withstand a liquidity crisis. Stress test is another aspect of the Guidelines on liquidity. The stress test requirement is the minimum amount of assets that an insurer should hold in excess of its liabilities. The stress test requirement is important in managing liquidity risk. Special attention should be given to assets, liabilities and off balance sheet, consider maturity of policies and their future prospects. The guideline is not intended to be prescriptive on how insurance should measure and control its funding requirement, but however, certain approaches in the theoretical review are recommended. Finally an Insurance company should manage access to fund and consider its diversification. Concentrating in few types of assets, liabilities or market may be risky. Therefore, internal limits on maximum fund engage in one type of activity should be set. The guideline also encourage Insurance to look for new arrangement and developing financial assets and market to have access to fund while reducing liquidity risk. 2.10.3 Solvency II consideration of liquidity Since the introduction of the Solvency I in the early 1970s, there has been continuous development of sophisticated risk management systems leading to its replacement by Solvency II. Solvency II has introduced a wide framework for risk management which helps in implementing procedures to identify, measure, and manage levels of risk. It is the most recent set of regulatory requirements for insurance companies and is scheduled to start on 1 January 2013. New funding sources and liquidity management techniques have been brought forward by financial and technological advances. Therefore, Insurance companies are expected to understand the liquidity levels and the behavior of cash flows in different circumstances and thus enabling them to react accordingly. Solvency II identifies the principles for a proper liquidity management. Those principles fall under the following main headings; reducing the risk that an insurer cannot meet its claims; To reduce the losses encountered by policyholders ; To enable supervisors to act spontaneously if capital goes below the level required; Increase confidence in the financial stability of insurance sector. The Solvency II framework has three major parts for the insurance sector: Quantitative requirements. Governance and risk management requirements. Disclosure and transparency requirements The Guideline on Liquidity issued by the Financial Services Commission reflects mostly the following principles; to develop a structure for the management of liquidity, to measure and monitor net funding requirements, to manage market access, contingency planning, and internal controls for liquidity risk management in improving Liquidity.

Gullivers Travels †Innocent Nature Essay -- Gullivers Travels Essay

Gulliver's Travels – Innocent Nature I disagree that Gulliver is a naive narrator and therefore doesn't see a connection between knowledge and the acquisition of power. As R.Davis and R. Schleifer wrote, "Gulliver, gullibly suited like the rest of us, never quite understands the ... relationship between knowledge and power." There is a very close relationship between knowledge and power. With them being such important traits, each one seems to be included with the other. In Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, the use of satirical writing on both the island of Lilliput and Brobdingang serve to make the narrator a gullible character therefore excusing critiques of English government and politics. On the island of Lilliput, in Jonathan Swift's book, Gulliver's Travels, Gulliver's innocent nature satirize the story. Upon arriving mysteriously on Lilliput, Gulliver was tied down and his weapons taken away. To his surprise his captors were only six inches tall. Gulliver's pacifist attitude allowed him to befriend the Lilliputians,...

Is Love an Art? Essay

Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort. Or is love a pleasant sensation, which to experience is a matter of chance, something one â€Å"falls into† if one is lucky? This little book is based on the former premise, while undoubtedly the majority of people today believe in the latter. Not that people think that love is not important. They are starved for it; they watch endless numbers of films about happy and unhappy love stories, they listen to hundreds of trashy songs about love — yet hardly anyone thinks that there is anything that needs to be learned about love. This peculiar attitude is based on several premises which either singly or combined tend to uphold it. Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of â€Å"being loved,† rather than that of â€Å"loving,† of one’s capacity to love. Hence the problem to them is how to be loved, how to be lovable. In pursuit of this aim they follow several paths. One, which is especi ally used by men, is to be successful, to be as powerful and rich as the social margin of one’s position permits. Another, used especially by women, is to make oneself attractive, by cultivating one’s body, dress, etc. Other ways of making oneself attractive, used both by men and women, are to develop pleasant manners, interesting conversation, to be helpful, modest, inoffensive. Many of the ways to make oneself lovable are the same as those used to make oneself successful, â€Å"to win friends and influence people.† As a matter of fact, what most people in our culture mean by being lovable is essentially a mixture between being popular and having sex appeal. A second premise behind the attitude that there is nothing to be learned about love is the assumption that the problem of love is the problem of an â€Å"object,† not the problem of a â€Å"faculty.† People think that to â€Å"love† is simple, but that to find the right object to love — or to be loved by — is difficult. This attitude has several reasons rooted in the development of modern society. One reason is the great change which occurred in the twentieth century with respect to the choice of a â€Å"love object.† In the Victorian age, as in many traditional cultures, love was mostly not a spontaneous personal experience which then might lead to marriage. On the contrary, marriage was contracted by convention — either by the respective families, or by a marriage broker, or without the help of such intermediaries; it was concluded on the basis of social considerations, and love was supposed to develop once the marriage had been concluded. In the last few generations the concept of romantic love has become almost universal in the Western world. In the United States, while considerations of a conventional nature are not entirely absent, to a vast extent people are in search of â€Å"romantic love,† of the personal experience of love which then should lead to marriage. This new concept of freedom in love must have greatly enhanced the importance of the â⠂¬Å"object† as against the importance of the â€Å"function.† Closely related to this factor is another feature characteristic of contemporary culture. Our whole culture is based on the appetite for buying, on the idea of a mutually favorable exchange. Modern man’s happiness consists in the thrill of looking at the shop windows, and in buying all that he can afford to buy, either for cash or on installments. He(or she) looks at people in a similar way. For the man an attractive girl — and for the woman an attractive man — are the prizes they are after. â€Å"Attractive† usually means a nice package of qualities which are popular and sought after on the personality market. What specifically makes a person attractive depends on the fashion of the time, physically as well as mentally. During the twenties, a drinking and smoking girl, tough and sexy, was attractive; today the fashion demands more domesticity and coyness. At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of this century, a man had to be aggressive and ambitious — today he has to be social and tolerant — in order to be an attractive â€Å"package.† At any rate, the sense of falling in love develops usually only with regard to such human commodities as are within reach of one’s own possibilities for exchange. I am out for a bargain; the object should be desirable from the standpoint of its social value, and at the same time should want me, considering my overt and hidden assets and potentialities. Two persons thus fall in love when they feel they have found the best object available on the market, considering the limitations of their own exchange values. Often, as in buying real estate, the hidden potentialities which can be developed play a considerable role in this bargain. In a culture in which the marketing orientation prevails, and in which material success is the outstanding value, there is little reason to be surprised that human love relations follow the same pattern of exchange which governs the commodity and the labor market. The third error leading to the assumption that there is nothing to be learned about lov e lies in the confusion between the initial experience of â€Å"†falling†Ã¢â‚¬  in love, and the permanent state of â€Å"being† in love, or as we might better say, of â€Å"standing† in love. If two people who have been strangers, as all of us are, suddenly let the wall between them break down, and feel close, feel one, this moment of oneness is one of the most exhilarating, most exciting experiences in life. It is all the more wonderful and miraculous for persons who have been shut off, isolated, without love. This miracle of sudden intimacy is often facilitated if it is combined with, or initiated by, sexual attraction and consummation. However, this type of love is by its very nature not lasting. The two persons become well acquainted, their intimacy loses more and more its miraculous character, until their antagonism, their disappointments, their mutual boredom kill whatever is left of the initial excitement. Yet, in the beginning they do not know all this: in fact, they take the intensity of the infatuation, this being â€Å"crazy† about each other, for proof of the intensity of their love, while it may only prove the degree of their preceding loneliness. This attitude — that nothing is easier than to love — has continued to be the prevalent idea about love in spite of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. There is hardly any activity, any enterprise, which is started with such tremendous hopes and expectations, and yet, which fails so regularly, as love. If this were the case with any other activity, people would be eager to know the reasons for the failure, and to learn how one could do better — or they would give up the activity. Since the latter is impossible in the case of love, there seems to be onlyone adequate way to overcome the failure of love — to examine the reasons for this failure, and to proceed to study the meaning of love. The first step to take is to become aware that â€Å"love is an art,† just as living is an art; if we want to learn how to love we must proceed in the same way we have to proceed if we want to learn any other art, say music, painting, carpentry, or the art of medicine or engineering. What are the necessary steps in learning any art? The process of learning an art can be divided conveniently into two parts: one, the mastery of the theory; the other, the mastery of the practice. If I want to learn the art of medicine, I must first know the facts about the human body, and about various diseases. When I have all this theoretical knowledge, I am by no means competent in the art of medicine. I shall become a master in this art only after a great deal of practice, until eventually the results of my theoretical knowledge and the results of my practice are blended into one — my intuition, the essence of the mastery of any art. But, Synopsis: The Art of Loving has helped hundreds of thousands of men and women achieve rich, productive lives by developing their hidden capacities for love. An astonishing frank and candid book renowned psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, it explores the ways in which this extraordinary emotion can alter the course of one’s life. Most of us are unable to develop our ability to love on the only level that really counts-a love that is compounded of maturity, self-knowledge, and courage. Learning to love demands practice and concentration. Even more than any other art, it demands genuine insight and understanding. In this startling book, Fromm discusses love in all aspects: not only romantic love, so surrounded by false conceptions, but also love of parents for children, brotherly love, erotic.

The Oneota Culture - Last Prehistoric Culture of the American Midwest

The Oneota Culture - Last Prehistoric Culture of the American Midwest The Oneota (or western Upper Mississippian) is the name archaeologists have given to the last prehistoric culture (1150-1700 AD) of the American upper midwest. The Oneota lived in villages and camps along tributary streams and rivers of the upper reaches of the Mississippi River. The archaeological remains of Oneota villages are located in the modern states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. What Did They Know of Cahokias Complex Capital? The origin of the Oneota people is somewhat of a controversy. Some scholars argue that the Oneota were descendants of the pre-Mississippian Woodland groups who were immigrants from other as-yet unknown locations, perhaps the Cahokia area. Another group of scholars argue the Oneota were local Late Woodland groups who changed their society as a result of contact with Middle Mississippian technologies and ideologies. Although there are clear connections in Oneota symbolism to the Mississippian complex of Cahokia, the Oneota sociopolitical organization was widely divergent from that of the complex society at the capital in the American Bottom near St. Louis, Missouri. Oneota groups were mainly independent chiefly societies located on major rivers upstream and far away from Cahokia. Oneota Characteristics Over the nearly six hundred years of their (recognized) occupation of the Upper Mississippi region, Oneota people changed their style of living and subsistence patterns and as the Europeans moved into the region, they migrated far to the west. But their cultural identity maintained a continuity, based on the presence of a number of artifact types and icononography. The most commonly recognized artifact of Oneota culture is shell-tempered, globular-shaped ceramic vessels with purposefully smoothed, but not burnished, exteriors. Distinctive point types used by Oneota hunters are small unnotched triangular arrow points called either Fresno or Madison points. Other stone tools connected with Oneota populations include pipestone carved into tablets, pipes and pendants; stone scrapers for buffalo hides, and fishhooks. Bone and shell hoes are indicative of Oneota agriculture, as are the ridged fields found in the early and eastern villages of Wisconsin. Architecture included oval wigwams, multi-family longhouses and cemeteries organized in sprawling villages on terraces near main rivers. Some evidence of warfare and violence are seen in the archaeological record; and the evidence of movement west with a maintained connectedness to people back home in the east are indicated by trade goods, including pipestone and hides, and metasedimentary abrasive rocks called paralava (formerly mis-identified as volcanic pumice or scoria). Chronology cal AD 1700-present day. Historic and modern tribes thought to be descended from Oneota include Ioway, Oto, Ho-Chunk, Missouria, Ponca and othersProtohistoric Oneota (Classic) (cal AD 1600-1700). After direct and indirect contact with French trappers and traders, La Crosse was abandoned, and the people moved westward along the Iowa/Minnesota borders and west following bison herdsMiddle Oneota (Developmental) (cal AD 1300-1600), Apple River and Red Wing abandoned, expanded outward. Oneota settlements opened at La Crosse, Minnesota, and the central Des Moines River valley (Moingona Phase)Early Oneota (Emergent) cal AD 1150-1300. Apple River (northwest Illinois) and Red Wing (Minnesota) localities are started, decorative motifs derived from Mississippian Ramey Incised pots Initial or Emergent Phase Oneota The earliest villages recognized as Oneota arose about AD 1150, as diverse and scattered communities along the floodplains, terraces and bluffs of the rivers, communities that were occupied at least seasonally and perhaps year-round. They were horticulturalists rather than farmers, relying on digging-stick agriculture based on maize and squash, and supplemented by deer, elk, birds and large fish. Foods gathered by early Oneota people include several plants that would be eventually domesticated as part of the Eastern North American Neolithic, such as maygrass (Phalaris caroliniana), chenopodium (Chenopodium berlandieri), little barley (Hordeum pussilum) and erect knotweed (Polygonum erectum). They also collected various nutshickory, walnut, acornsand conducted localized hunting of elk and deer and communal longer-distance hunting of bison. There likely was a lot of variation in these early villages, especially with respect to how important maize was in their diets. Some of the largest villages have accretional burial mounds. At least some of the villages had a tribal level of social and political organization. Development and Classic Period Oneota Middle Oneota communities apparently intensified their farming efforts, moving into broader valleys and including the preparation of ridged fields, and the use of shell and bison scapula hoes. Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were added to the diet about 1300 AD: now Oneota people had the entire three sisters agricultural complex. Their communities shifted as well, to include larger houses, with multiple families sharing the same long house. Long houses at the Tremaine site in Wisconsin, for example, were 6-8.5 meters (20-27 feet) wide and varied in length between 26-65 m (85-213 ft). Mound building ceased entirely and mortuary patterns shifted to the use of cemeteries or burials beneath the floors of the longhouses. By the late period, many Oneota people migrated westward. These dispersed Oneota communities displaced the locals in Nebraska, Kansas and adjacent areas of Iowa and Missouri, and thrived on communal bison hunting supplemented with gardening. Bison hunting, assisted by dogs, allowed Oneota to obtain adequate meat, marrow and fat for food, and hides and bones for tools and exchange. Oneota Archaeological Sites Illinois: Gentlemen Farm, Material Service Quarry, Reeves, Zimmerman, Keeshin Farm, Dixon, Lima Lake, Hoxie Farm Nebraska: Leary site, Glen Elder Iowa: Wever, Flynn, Correctionville, Cherokee, Iowa Great Lakes, Bastian, Milford, Gillett Grove, Blood Run Kansas: Lovewell Reservoir, White Rock, Montana Creek Wisconsin: OT, Tremaine, La Crosse, Pammel Creek, Trempealeau Bay, Carcajou Point, Pipe, Mero Minnesota: Red Wing, Blue Earth Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Mississippian Culture, and the Dictionary of Archaeology. Several good locations on the web for Oneota information include Lance Fosters Ioway Cultural Institute, the Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist, and the Mississippi Valley Archaeological Center. Betts CM. 2006. Pots and Pox: The Identification of Protohistoric Epidemics in the Upper Mississippi Valley. American Antiquity 71(2):233-259. Boszhardt RF. 2008. Shell-tempered pottery from the upper Mississippi river valley. Southeastern Archaeology 27(2):193-201. Emerson TE, Hedman KM, and Simon ML. 2005. Marginal Horticulturalists or Maize Agriculturalists? Archaeobotanical, Paleopathological, and Isotopic Evidence Relating to Langford Tradition Maize Consumption. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 30(1):67-118. Estes MB, Ritterbush LW, and Nicolaysen K. 2010. Clinker, Pumice, Scoria, or Paralava? Vesicular Artifacts of the Lower Missouri Basin. Plains Anthropologist 55(213):67-81. Fishel RL, Wisseman SU, Hughes RE, and Emerson TE. 2010. Sourcing Red Pipestone Artifacts from Oneota Villages in the Little Sioux Valley of Northwest Iowa. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 35(2):167-198. Logan B. 2010. A Matter of Time: The Temporal Relationship of Oneota and Central Plains Traditions. Plains Anthropologist 55(216):277-292. OGorman JA. 2010. Exploring the Longhouse and Community in Tribal Society. American Antiquity 75(3):571-597. Padilla MJ, and Ritterbush LW. 2005. White Rock Oneota Chipped Stone Tools. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 30(2):259-297. Ritterbush LW, and Logan B. 2009. A Late Prehistoric Bison Processing Camp in the Central Plains: Montana Creek East (14JW46). Plains Anthropologist 54(211):217-236. Theler JL, and Boszhardt RF. 2006. Collapse of crucial resources and culture change: a model for the Woodland to Oneota transformation in the Upper Midwest. American Antiquity 71:433-472. Tubbs RM, and OGorman JA. 2005. Assessing Oneota Diet And Health: A Community And Lifeway Perspective. Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology 30(1):119-163.

Beyond The Dead Essays - American Film Directors, Free Essays

Beyond The Dead Essays - American Film Directors, Free Essays Beyond The Dead This play was the resounding voice of the dead. The direction of the play closely followed the original direction of the script. By that I mean that the unity of the play was contingent on the premise of the original writer. I believe that the director of this play was trying to uphold the message that Irwin Shaw first presented with this play. The play was directed very well. It seemed that it drove the intended message home well, which in this case I would consider an appreciative success. The view that I carried while watching this performance changed dramatically. Before the viewing, and during the first scenes, I was convinced that the plot was too dramatic. There has always been an enormous amount of sacrifice by soldiers during times of war. I thought this to be more of a degrading look at war, and it's atrocities. I believe in the sacrifices of war, or at least I thought I did. The play convinced me that not always is sacrifice necessary, and often times the sacrifice goes un noticed, or without proper revere for those giving up their lives. I would call the performance a sensitive, yet very real portrayal of the very large, yet mostly unseen, and unappreciated, losses of life. The actors did a pretty good job. On simple terms, they all remembered their lines, and the specific movements required of them. I guess that I don't know that for fact. If there was a mistake though, it was covered very well, which would indicate even better acting to me. The group of men that played the soldiers worked well together. They all seemed to be plagued by exactly the same symptoms. Of course they were all dead, but no one knows how to act dead-alive. Their individual acting of the symptoms was great, because in each we could see the same traits. They all swayed from side to side, or all kept a very somber, quiet look on their faces. Then they six were all further challenged by having to maintain these similarities, while at the same time displaying individual characteristics. The biggest part to all of the acting was the realness that all of the characters portrayed. The general is the best example of this. He was strong, and loud. The way he acted produced fear even in me. He was exactly the general I would picture or imagine if reading this performance to myself. The acting overall was strong. I don't know the scenery that was originally intended for this play, but I didn't like the set that was used. I however did agree with the structure being plat formed. The use of height to represent power or authority was an excellent choice. It is very easy to distinguish who they were, and what status they held because of the platform. One thing we discussed in class was the use of plain fatigues by the director. I believe that this choice was excellent. It made clear that the brutally and horror of war could be felt by anyone an any army. The lighting in the play was great as well. There were two particular parts that I noticed specifically. The first was the mood the lights cast. The back lights were blue and orange in color, and I believe that they helped set the mood. The second way I noticed the lighting was in more specific ways. The blinds on the wall in the press woman's office, or the leave cutout that were displayed through the larger covering lights to produce a leaf lik e effect on the floor and set. The spotlights on the individual soldiers when they were talking to their loved ones was also extremely creative. The way in which each soldier was totally lit, while the rest of the stage was dark had a profound effect. It gave more seriousness, or emphasis on their lines. The sound was vague. The gunshots sounded fake, and were difficult for the actors too act out correctly. Other than the gunshots though the sound seemed to fit in. I didn't notice any other problems, so I would assume that it was sufficient. The audience seemed to enjoy the

Our town Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Our town - Essay Example In the play, a man is actually showing the viewer around. Like a guide, he takes the viewers to different parts of the town and introduces them to different characters. As the story proceeds, the viewer is introduced to side characters, the milk man, the newspaper boy, the church people and the local doctor. These may be side characters but they play an important role in presenting the habits and life style of people in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The hero of the play, George is seventeen years old when he decides to become a farmer. The heroine, Emily is deeply in love with George and doesn’t want to part from him for three years even if it is for his farming education. They decide to get married. The marriage scene itself is very significant. In form of vocal self addresses, it portrays the feelings of the bride and groom, their parents and even the wedding priest regarding marriage. Sometime later, when the couple becomes pregnant and Emily is in anesthesia during the delivery, she has a dream, or more likely a vision, in which she sees her own funeral. The dream is important since it conveys an emotional message, therefore it is described below: Emily sees herself after death, standing among many dead relatives of her and George. She wants to go back to life and doesn’t want to die. She gets a last chance to view her past. She chooses a day of her life that was her sixteenth birthday. While viewing the happenings of that day, she realizes so many things that she had been ignoring in life. For instance she realizes that she never really noticed how young and beautiful her mother was, or how concerned her parents were for the children etc. she delivers the dialogue co ntaining this lesson aloud and then wakes up from the dream. The play ends with the guide taking the viewer to

Why Finland Education Model will not work for the United States Essay

Why Finland Education Model will not work for the United States Education System - Essay Example These include; institutional design, funding, and Teacher training- teacher retention. Critical analysis of these factors and their application between the two countries explains the variation in their education performance ranking. Unless united States initiate reforms on its institutional designs, it will lag behind Finland in terms of its overall education system performance. The Finland government has centralized education policy decisions under the ministry of education. This means that the curriculum structure is uniform and tests are homogeneous across the whole country. Such institutional design means that diverse teaching skills are applicable in different settings and learners abilities. This offers better opportunities for the children and teachers with unique differences to work towards a common goal. This explains the outstanding performance of the education system in Finland as seen from its high global ranking over United States. In-depth assessment of the institutional design of United States exposes significant flaws that make its education system relatively poor (Tiina and Markku, 2007). The curriculum development and implementation has been decentralized to individual states. This has placed significant accountability pressure on the teachers and placed much emphasis on passing tests. This design means that the socio-economic diversity in terms of learning ability, teaching skills among teachers and students is disregarded. This has been in force since the passing of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2002) by President George Bush administration. This has seen teachers concentrate on tests which fail to capture other important aspects of learning among students’ hence poor math and language skills mastery progress. It is therefore evident that while Education in Finland is managed from national platform, the United States has left education management in the

CAPM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CAPM - Essay Example The CAPM presents partial equilibrium model where agents consider the risk free returns and the probability distributions of the future returns on risky assets as being exogenous. In this paper, I seek to give an in-depth understanding of this model by delving into the logic behind it, exploring critiques levelled against it, and explaining why it is still the model of choice in financial analysis. Finally, I give practical examples of its practical application that show evidence of its usefulness and continued use to date. The CAPM is built on the portfolio model that Harry Markowitz (1959) developed. In the model, a portfolio is selected by an investor at time t-1 which at t produces a stochastic return. Investors are assumed to be risk averse and, in their choosing among portfolios, care is only taken on the mean and the variance of their single-period investment return. This results in investors choosing â€Å"mean-variance-efficient† portfolios, the portfolios in this case 1) given variance, maximizes returns and 2) given expected returns, minimize portfolio return variance. For this, the approach is referred to as mean-variance model. An algebraic condition is provided by the model on asset weights in portfolios that are mean-variant-efficient. This algebraic statement is turned by the CAPM into a prediction that is testable about the connection between expected returns and risk through identification of an efficient portfolio if asset prices should clear all the assets off the market. To identify a mean-variant-efficient portfolio, Sharpe and Lintner added two crucial assumptions. The first one is complete agreement: taking asset prices to clear the market at t-1, it is agreed by investors that asset joint distribution returns from t-1 to t. This distribution is taken to be the true distribution, i.e. it provides the distribution giving returns that we employ in testing the model. Secondly, there is risk-free rate

The society and community Essay Example for Free

The society and community Essay Once again, this reason leads the two characters to artificial creation and problems for society. The need for perfection shown by both Frankenstein and Swinton in the books is another reason that drives them to create artificial life. Frankenstein wants to rid the world of disease, and Swinton wishes to continue the illusion of a perfect world in order for his products to continue to sell. This need for perfection backfires considerably. For example, the creature in Frankenstein is far from physically perfect, therefore he gets shunned by society, which is one of the contributing factors to his murders: Am I to be thought the only criminal when all human kind sinned against me? Why do you not hate Felix who drove his friend from his door with contumely? Why do you not execrate the rustic who sought to destroy the saviour of his child? Nay, these are virtuous and immaculate beings! I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked and trampled on. Says the creature when considering his position. This shunning leads to the creature feeling jealous and angry, not to mention self-critical: accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours. Which in turn provokes him into the murders: when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification. Therefore, the need for perfection is a way in which science has negative affects on individuals in society. However, Frankensteins need for perfection is lost at some stages during the novel. For example, Frankensteins shunning of his creation is far from perfect. This is another way in which science has a negative effect on society. For example, the shunning of the creation leads the creation to the murders of Frankensteins nearest and dearest in order for retribution of his abandonment. For example: and what was I? Of my creation and creator I was absolutely ignorant; but I knew that I possessed no money, no friends, no kind of property. This point is also apparent in Supertoys by the rejection of malfunctioning units. For example, the butler in the Swinton household breaks down and David says Throw it away, and well get a new one. This shows the need for perfection in the world and the throwaway attitude that is apparent. This has consequences in that it takes away peoples bare humanity. For example, David is thrown to the reject world ultimately although he was a person who could have been loved. A contributing factor that provokes the characters into furthering science is the families behind the characters. Frankensteins family encourages him to further his knowledge of alchemy, which is linked to artificial creation. Frankenstein also creates the monster because he wants a companion: No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve theirs. which is linked into the loneliness of the world in Supertoys. In Supertoys, David, has no real family after his creation, this is another problem that is caused by science, and directly relevant to the creation of artificial intelligence that is not loved as though flesh and blood would be. This aspect is linked to the need for love shown by many characters in both stories. Frankenstein, his monster, David, Henry and certainly Monica all show how much they need love. For example: He loves you says Teddy regarding Davids affection for Monica. This need for love drives certain characters to create artificial life, to fill a void. This may be because of unfelt love from their families. For example, Frankenstein begins to feel disjointed from his family after moving to university. The consequence of the need for love is the creation of artificial life, which then in turn needs to be loved. However, in both novels, the artificial life form is not loved. This is what creates the negative affects on society. Another way in which science has a negative effect on individuals in society is the effect the creations have on the creators. For example, throughout Frankenstein, Frankenstein is afraid of his creation and what he might do. Frankenstein cannot care for his creation and spends his whole life in fear. For a large part of his life Frankenstein is forced to follow his creation, in a vain attempt to banish him from society due to the problems he is causing. This pursuit eventually kills him. This can be blamed on himself easily, for he is the one who used science irresponsibly and the consequences backfired upon him. However, this is still a negative effect on society caused by science. Similarly, Henry, eventually, labours to reacquaint himself with David. This comes about after his sense of guilt after abandoning his child. However, these psychological problems are not as important as the prejudices that the new technology brings forward, particularly in Supertoys. This can be explained further by saying that the humans in the artificial world are prejudiced towards the perfect world, and perfect people. What would happen if somebody came along who wasnt perfect? For example, David. David was imperfect in that he was an android and technically he was malfunctioning. Because of this, he was thrown on the scrap heap. This is a problem caused by technology, because it created the prejudices by creating a world where everything is perfect and seamless, nothing is real. Overall, the main scourges of the societies in both books are the artificial creatures and therefore, the creators of these monsters. The creation in Frankenstein shows how science can be used irresponsibly to have negative effects on individuals in society through tactical murder and destruction. The creations in Supertoys show how science can have a negative effect on society by creating social divides, a superficial, prejudiced, fake, lonely, ignorant, arrogant, selfish, inconsiderate, narrow-minded and insecure world in which nothing is solid. The books can be linked to Genesis and Paradise Lost in that they all involve creation, that was well intended but did not turn out as expected. In all four novels the creation was given a world, or habitat, but either they abused it, or inadvertently caused suffering for other members of the community. The authors use the characters of Frankensteins monster and David accompanied by the society and community by the two worlds of the two novels to show how science can be used irresponsibly to have negative effects on society and the individuals within it.

Exemplification Essay: Cruising Should be Banned -- Exemplification Ess

Most of us have enjoyed "cruising" sometime in our lives. For many, it was one of our favorite pastimes. If you lived in the "American Graffiti" era, it was the in thing of to do. I remember when cruising was a popular activity on Main Street in Mesa for many years, until it was banned a few years ago. Now the controversy is over whether to ban cruising on Central Avenue in Phoenix. City officials are trying to reroute the weekend riders to Washington and Jefferson streets. Although cruising may be enjoyable to quite a few teenagers, there is no positive purpose for it. The negative effects of cruising outweigh the reasons for it by far. Cruising should be banned altogether because cruisers have proven to be very loud, dangerous, and a contributor to our pollution problem. I have sympathy for those who live near Central Avenue. The weekends are very noisy in this vicinity. For example, some of the stereos blasting away could accommodate a rock concert. The base volume coming out of these speakers is felt in your heart as you drive along Central...

Snakes, Facts and Falsehoods :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hesson, 2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With its long slender body the snake is probably the funniest shaped creature you will ever encounter. There are many benefits regarding this wonderful reptile that make it a high asset to the world. It has been said that people are always afraid of what is different, afraid of what they do not know. Many of the rumored questions can be easily dispelled. From questions like what is a Thamnophis sirtalis, to where the extracting organs are located. First, let us dispel any of the rumors that are around about these guys. Despite popular belief, the snake does not swallow there young to protect them from harm; the stomach would immediately start to digest them. This myth came around from fear and adrenaline, but snakes cannot crawl faster than a human can run. The tongue of the snake is not a stinger, but actually a sensory organ. In addition, snakes are not slimy, because they do not secrete any kind of oil. Now that we have started uncovering the truth about these reptiles, we can start with some facts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the world today, there are about 2,500 known species of snakes belonging to more than ten families. In the U.S., there are about 127 species, with thirty-eight species found within the U.S. (including five venomous Hesson, 3 ones). Most people wonder what will happen to them if they do happen to encounter a snake. Will I get bitten, is it venomous, will I die, is someone going to have to suck the poison out of the wound, is it trying to kill me, should I try to kill him? A lot of things are happening at this point, more than likely the snake is just trying to defend itself. In addition, it has all the right to do so. First, you disrupted the snake, it did not disrupt you. How would you feel if A five to six foot thing with two legs and hair growing on it almost stepped on you and you were a only a half foot off the ground, you would be pretty shocked. More than likely, the snake is harmless. If by chance the snake is a venomous or dangerous snake just simply stop, and walk slowly away from it. Do not threaten it or try to kill it, just back away. With all this talk about confrontation and how to avoid the snake, it would make sense to mention what to stay on the look out for.

Advances in technology Essay

This world goes through a lot of changes as time goes on. Changes in technology can make a brighter future for individuals. Because of advances in technology, this world is becoming more efficient and saving us money in the long-run with fuel, electricity, communication, etc. The social lifestyle of an individual involves technology in some way. Technology has become a necessity in these modern days and it is going to become more advanced as time goes on. With these advances in technology, the social lifestyles of individuals can be simpler. Technology moves our world forward into a new and advanced era. Without technology, we would all be stuck in the same time as our ancestors. Technology is a very good thing for people anywhere and everywhere, no matter how old, it helps us in every aspect of our daily lives, and it is a thing that cannot be lived without. Technology has many branches and levels, from cell phones to the internet and even for medical purposes. However, cell phones and the internet have taken the main role in changing our society. I find it truly amazing that a person from China is able to talk to a person from the United States, all through the internet. Programs such as facebook make finding an old childhood friend extremely easy, all that is to be done is type in their name. The advantages of technology include better health facilities due to increased disease diagnosis using technology and faster as well as more accurate business results and solutions through technology. Technology has also enabled the automation of manual work thus saving time and money. It has boosted the entertainment through games and computer programs as well as increase in economy growth due to faster and easier business. Without technology in our lives, our world we be a very different place. Not only does technology provide us with a new and improved way to communicate, is gives us new and exciting ways to research and get ideas out to the world faster. Technology is only going to get better and better as each day progresses and with the appropriate efforts and integrating it into the classroom will enhance education forever. Our advance in technology has and always will be a good thing that will always benefit our world. People’s lives are becoming simpler.

A systematic process Essays

A systematic process Essays A systematic process Essay A systematic process Essay Definitions of research vary from person to person and hence almost every generalized definition has faced criticism from some or the other quarters. The exact definition does not have any consensus among the various theorists (Owojori, 2005). However, a basic definition of research can be as follows: â€Å"a systematic process of discovery and advancement of human knowledge† (Gratton, Jones, 2003, pp. 4). According to Leedy (1985) and Walliman (2001), there are many characteristics of research which help to make the term more clear, such as: it is generated by a specific hypothesis or question, it follows a specific plan or procedure, it requires arguments to support conclusions, it is reiterative etc (as cited in Gratton, Jones, 2003, pp. 5). This chapter describes the notions of the research methodology ensuring that the research is planned and executed systematically. The research philosophy, research design, data collection, sampling group selection and limitation and bias of the research method are pinpointed as the core issues. The chapter also details the research strategies used for ascertaining the research questions and served as a prelude to the analysis chapter of the research.

Deceitful Relationships in the Secret Agent Essay Example

Deceitful Relationships in the Secret Agent Essay Example Deceitful Relationships in the Secret Agent Paper Deceitful Relationships in the Secret Agent Paper The Secret Agent was written by Joseph Conrad and published in 1908. It’s a classic novel based on actual events: the attempt to blow up the Greenwich Observatory in 1984. This fictionalized tale revolves around Mr. Verloc, a spy for his home country of France while living and working in London, Mr. Verloc’s wife, Winnie, a devoted wife and lives her life caring for her young brother, and Stevie, Winnie’s simple-minded brother who manages to get involved with Mr. Verloc’s dangerous politics. The family relationships in this novel, particularly Winnies devotion to her brother Stevie, are quite strong and relevant to the events of the story. The novel seems to be mostly about Winnie, though she appears to only be a minor character throughout the majority of the story. Winnie is the injured party when the scheme to blow up the Greenwich Observatory goes disastrously wrong, though the plan was engineered to save Mr. Verloc from the possibility of death. In a way, Mr. Verloc and Winnie are almost paralleled to one another in the story, both living behind secrets. While reading the novel, Winnie and Mr. Verloc’s relationship seemed odd and unfamiliar. Chapter VIII in The Secret Agent reveals a passage that makes the reader consider Winnie and Mr. Verloc to be strangers to one another: [t]his head arranged for the night, those ample shoulders, had an aspect of familiar sacredness- the sacredness of domestic peace. She moved not, massive and shapeless like a recumbent statue in the rough; he remembered her wide-open eyes looking into the empty room. She was mysterious, with the mysteriousness of living beings. (Conrad 148) The imagery in the passage seems cold, and lacking the passion that a man would use to describe his wife laying in bed next to him. By calling Winnie sacred, Conrad does add a little warmth, because unlike Winnie, Mr. Verloc does love her, but she is also described as mysterious. Winnie and Mr. Verloc have been married for seven years and the fact that she can still be described as mysterious is unusual. Lying in bed together at night is a very intimate moment between two people, and the passage portrays Winnie as being a statue, not moving at all. When in a comfortable marriage, the husband and wife should be able to move freely and talk because it is their time to be alone with one another, but instead Winnie is compared to a statue that is lying down, the imagery in the passage compares Winnie to a figure made of stone. There are other images in the novel where Winnie is completely still, and maybe not directly being called a statue, she acts as one, â€Å"[s]he remained mysteriously still† (Conrad 215) or: a white-hot iron drawn across her eyes; at the same time her heart, hardened and chilled into a lump of ice, kept her body in an inward shudder, set her features into a frozen, contemplative immobility addressed to a whitewashed wall with no writing on it. (Conrad 199) The passage shows that Mr. Verloc and Winnie have not completely opened themselves up to one another, hiding behind secrets. Mr. Verloc hides from Winnie that he is a secret agent working for the French Embassy, and Winnie puts on a front for her husband as a devoted wife so she and her brother, Stevie, can live with financial security. The passage shows the reader just how little Winnie is emotionally invested in her marriage. Winnie appears to an outsider, such as Comrade Ossipon, to be a devoted wife to Mr. Verloc, but in reality she has devoted her entire life to her brother, first protecting the poor boy from his own abusive father, then caring for him when their mother became disabled, and finally marrying Mr. Verloc with the intention that Stevie would always be cared for and not have to work. Winnie has given up freedom and love for her brother and thrown all her trust on to this man, who has a secret life that he has refused to disclose to her. Winnie and Mr. Verloc each hide behind a big secret, which stands in the way of their marriage. They are parallel to one another through their deceit. Both characters are morally corrupt, Mr. Verloc is in many ways self-deceived, since he does not admit to himself how grimy his methods of making a living are, and it seems that he even wanted to be rid of the mentally deficient Stevie with his lack of sympathy for Winnie, and Winnie allows herself to be sexually exploited by marrying Mr. Verloc, whom she does not love, but does it for the sake of Stevie and her mother, and by so carelessly throwing herself at the feet of Comrade Ossipon near the end of the novel. The excerpt shows the reader that Mr. Verloc and Winnie are almost strangers in this story by calling her mysterious, but then the narrator takes it a step further by saying she is mysterious, â€Å"with the mysteriousness of living beings† (Conrad 148). The description of Winnie from Mr. Verloc’s point of view seems very general and vague, not a loving, meaningful, or even familiar depiction of Winnie. But it is not the only time that Winnie is thought of as being mysterious, â€Å"Mrs. Verloc sat still under her black veil, in her own house, like a masked and mysterious visitor of impenetrable intentions† (Conrad 211). Even in her own house, Winnie is somewhat of a mysterious visitor, and Mr. Verloc is not able to relate to his wife, especially after she finds out the truth of Stevie’s death. It is obvious Mr. Verloc does not know Winnie’s true self by the sheer fact that he thinks he’s doing Winnie a favor by sparing his own life and letting Stevie be in control of the bomb, and this shows through Mr. Verloc’s persistent defense of his actions to his wife Winnie, â€Å"‘[d]o be reasonable, Winnie. What would it have been if you had lost me? ’† (Conrad 193). When Mr. Verloc asks Winnie that question, he must be assuming that Winnie would be more sorrowful had he died instead of Stevie. Mr. Verloc is clearly unaware of Winnie’s intentions for their marriage and just how much she truly cared about Stevie. Mr. Verloc and Winnie’s deceit ultimately brought them to their deaths at the end of the novel. Both suffering from moral corruption and a loveless marriage, Mr. Verloc and Winnie were paralleled through their secrets from one another. Conrad, Joseph. The Secret Agent. New York: Signet Classics, 2007.