Monday, December 30, 2019

William Shakespeare s Hamlet And Hamlet - 1442 Words

An author’s ability to express ideas, in a text, throughout a range of contexts preserves its enduring value. Hamlet’s ability to be portrayed in a variety of contexts is due to the multifaceted nature of revenge. Furthermore, the ability of a text to have different interpretations and discussions about these varying interpretations contributes to the textual integrity of a text. Madness and its portrayal throughout Hamlet and Hamlet’s ruminations endows audiences thoughts into the complex nature of revenge. The impacts of madness, introspection, uncertainty and honour on Hamlet’s ability to enact revenge contribute to the complex nature of revenge in Hamlet. Thus, the textual integrity of Hamlet is linked to the enduring debate over the†¦show more content†¦Hamlet’s revenge becomes more complex as his plans have to change as his original plans failed. Originally, Hamlet’s plan for revenge was â€Å"The play’s the thing wher ein I’ll catch the conscience of the king†, however, when Claudius did not announce that he was a murder, Hamlet plan for revenge had to change. Later, in Act 3, Scene 3 Hamlet catches Claudius alone praying, however, as revealed in his soliloquy â€Å"Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge† Hamlet does not think that killing Claudius whilst he is praying is proper reimbursement for the crime Claudius committed, â€Å"A villain kills my father, and for that, I his sole son do this villain send to heaven†. Act 5, Scene 5, is the end of the play where Hamlet finally takes his revenge, as he finally has trustworthy evidence that Claudius is a murderer, â€Å"Thy mother’s poisoned...the king, the king’s to blame†. Furthermore, witnesses to Claudius deed would support that Hamlet’s revenge was righteous. Therefore, Hamlet’s uncertainty in taking revenge leads to Hamlet being one of Shakespeare’s longest plays, thus s howing the complex nature of revenge. A text’s enduring nature is linked to the ability of the themes to reinforce each other. The deliberation by characters as to how their revenge will affect themselves and others, shows the complexity of revenge. Altruism is not Hamlet’s main motive in his revenge, he is more concerned withShow MoreRelatedHamlet : William Shakespeare s Hamlet1259 Words   |  6 PagesOmar Sancho Professor Christopher Cook English 201-0810 Hamlet Paper 23 May 2016 Hamlet Character Analysis â€Å"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.†(Act 2, Scene 2, 239-251) Hamlet by William Shakespeare is one of the most famous plays written that conveys a multitude theme. But most predominant is the presence of Hamlet s obsession with philosophy of life, throughout the play Hamlet philosophy reviles his point of view love, loyalty, the importance of family and friendsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Hamlet1160 Words   |  5 PagesPart 1: Hamlet Word Count: 1000 In what ways does Shakespeare s Hamlet explore the human mind? The play Hamlet written by William Shakespeare, is seen to be an exploration of the human mind and shows the consequences our actions have when they are acted in pure impulse and emotion instead of being thought about. The character Hamlet makes majority of his decision in the heat of the moment, but had trouble deciding which action to take after intense consideration. The actions that Hamlet doesRead MoreHamlet By William Shakespeare s Hamlet1936 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeare s, Hamlet, written in the seventeenth century and first performed in 1602, is still a complex and intriguing play that encompasses many Jungian archetypes in relation to the setting and characters. This play was approximately four centuries old before Shakespeare reworked it for the stage. Hamlet is based on events involving the death of the King of Denmark according to the Norse legends. This paper deals with a small portion of the entirety of the events in Hamlet. ScholarsRead MoreWilliam Shakesp eare s Hamlet - Hamlet And The Ghost Essay1550 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough written over 400 hundred years ago, Hamlet remains a puzzling and complex play, partially due to the ambiguous Queen Gertrude. The Queen is a puzzling character as her motives are unclear and readers question her intentions throughout the play. Townsend and Pace in The Many Faces Of Gertrude: Opening And Closing Possibilities In Classroom Talk view her â€Å"as a simple-minded, shallow woman...who has no self beyond a sexual one† while Harmonie Loberg in Queen Gertrude: Monarch, Mother, MurdererRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay902 Words   |  4 PagesTo be, or not to be; that s the question† (Act III, Scene 1, P.1127) is of the most widely circulated lines. As we all know, it is also the most important part of the drama, â€Å"Hamlet†, which is one of the most famous tragedy in the literature written by William Shakespeare between from 1599 to1602. The drama was written at the age of Renaissance that reflects the reality of the British society in sixteenth century to early seventeenth century. During that period, Britain was in the era of reverseRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1265 Words   |  6 PagesWe have all been guilty at some point in our lives of trying to act like a conflict we ve had has not existed or been a problem at all. In William Shakespeare s Hamlet we are bombarded with characters that are avoiding conflict by acting like they don t exist. Although majority of my classmates felt Hamlet was a play about revenge, I believe Shakespeare is addressing the issue of chaos and how it cannot be rectified by conjuring up a false reality; it only pushes the conflict into further disarrayRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1130 Words   |  5 PagesHoratio and Hamlet that demonstrate how he changes from the beginning to the end of the play. In the epic tragedy Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet is trapped in a world of evil that is not his fault. Hamlet’s demeanor and attitude fluctuate over the course of the play. While Hamlet means well and is portrayed to be very sensitive and moral, at times he can appear to be overruled by the madness and darkness from the tragedy of his father s murder. His dealings with his dad s ghostlyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1116 Words   |  5 PagesTeresa Fang Professor Moore Humanities 310 28 October 2015 To Seek Revenge or to Wait? Hamlet is a very enigmatic fellow. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is presented as a controversial one. Before the play was set, Prince Hamlet’s uncle and new stepfather, King Claudius, had taken part in the assassination of his brother, old King Hamlet. Old King Hamlet died without a chance to receive forgiveness for his sins. As a result, his spirit is condemned to walk the earthRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1077 Words   |  5 Pagessuch as William Shakespeare have 4dictated their works in a way that allows for them to integrate common occurrences of new psychological findings into a text, giving them an opportunity to sculpt characters that differentiate themselves from one another. Psychoanalytical Criticism is the application of psychological studies incorporated into the findings of contemporary literature, principles founded by Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan are most commonly referred to in these texts. Hamlet is an identityRe ad MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 2273 Words   |  10 Pages William Shakespeare was an English playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world s pre-eminent dramatist. Shakespeare is perhaps most famous for his tragedies. Most of his tragedies were written in a seven-year period between 1601 and 1608. One of these tragedies is his famous play Hamlet. The age of Shakespeare was a great time in English history. The reign of Queen Elizabeth saw England emerge as the leading naval and commercial power of the

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Organizational Culture Employee Growth Or Over Dependency

â€Å"Culture can be both an asset and a liability to an organization† Culture is the shared principles and traditions that influence the ways its member perform. Culture within a business organization can be the difference between a good and a great company, this essay will discuss both positives and negatives of a strong culture then make a final decision about each aspect. The topics that will be covered in this essay are; Consistency or Inertia?, Strong company or flexible company? Easier hiring practices or dangerous homogeneity? Employee growth or over dependency? In a nutshell, the most prominent asset of organizational culture is employee unity, this means the culture strongly influences how employees interact with each other and†¦show more content†¦Measures such as this has been an integral part of maintaining the cultural consistency of the company. (McFarland, K. 2012) Inversely, this consistency can act as a liability in times of necessary change due to the amount of work required to implement change in the short term. A rapidly evolving external environment means organisations have to adapt their cultural practices to keep up with socio-political reform, legislation, competitive innovation and new management best practices preferred by the labor market. Socio-political issues have become a major staple in society, heavily contributing to the public perception of an organization. This in turn, can have dire consequences on an organization’s recruitment prospect, customer base and partnerships. Socio-political reform translates into anti-discrimination legislation regarding cultural practices and protection for certain demographics in the job market. Cultural Adaptation regarding these factors mean a fundamental change in the way employees think and behave. A consistent culture usually means having key senior employees, these employees may b e resistant as it may threaten their position or beliefs. In some cases, change directly threatens the roles of key employees positions. The emphasis on flatter management structures mean middle managers are now seen as redundant because of the trend freely

Saturday, December 14, 2019

AIDS and Society The Growing Concern Free Essays

Over the past centuries, the field of sociology has primarily focused on looking into various problems faced by different societies not just to understand more about this.   More importantly, the study of sociology is to be able to provide the needed knowledge in order to find a solution for what has been considered as a social problem. While there are some social problems that are isolated and merely experienced by certain societies, there are some issues and concerns that have greatly affected societies found all over the world. We will write a custom essay sample on AIDS and Society: The Growing Concern or any similar topic only for you Order Now    The AIDS epidemic is one such problem. The fact that, to this day, there has yet to be an effective treatment that would successfully treat this disease has not just caused the number of individuals being infected to increase.   It has also greatly affected how other members within a particular society relate and associate with individuals infected with AIDS. This paper will discuss the different factors that have qualified the AIDS epidemic to become a social problem.   The paper would also provide relevant information regarding the background of AIDS as a disease and the various ways on how the AIDS epidemic has influenced society in general. The AIDS Epidemic In order to fully understand why the AIDS epidemic is considered as a social problem, information regarding the disease must first be established. The AIDS epidemic was the primary area of discussion in the United Nations Security Council in January 2000.   The huge priority with regards to the AIDS epidemic was in part to the alarming statistics the council received the year before. By 1999 alone, about 34 million individuals living all over the world have contracted the AIDS virus with another 18.8 million of these individuals dying from the disease in the same year. The statistics have also shown that while the AIDS epidemic is most prevalent in Africa, the United States has been ranked as the number one country in the Western world with the highest number of individuals infected and succumbing to the AIDS virus (Young, Schvaneveldt, Lindauer Schvaneveldt 2001). AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is a virus which, as the name suggests, attacks the immune system of the human body.   While the virus itself is not fatal to human beings, it is the fact that the immune system of an individual who has contracted AIDS is no longer able to ward off infections and other diseases brought about by bacteria and other kinds of virus that causes the death of an individual afflicted with the AIDS virus. The virus has been traced to originate from Africa.   It is believed that the virus, which thrives in the bodies of monkeys have been able to mutate and once entered into the human body, begins to damage the immune system (Langone 1991). AIDS and Its Impact to Society For an issue to be considered as a social problem, the problem must be seen as one that poses a severe and grave threat towards the members of a particular society (Drass, Gregware Musheno 1997).   There is no doubt that the AIDS epidemic has now been recognized as a social problem that continues to grow to this day. Once believed to be a disease that only infected homosexuals engaging in sexual intercourse with members of the same sex (Langone 1991), recent studies have made societies all over the world view the AIDS epidemic in a different light. Apart from the fact that there are now individuals being inflicted with the AIDS virus as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse involving partners from the opposite sex, the AIDS virus has also been known to also inflict children. In the report provided to the United Nations Security Council in the year 2000, out of the 34.3 million individuals all over the world who have been infected with the AIDS virus, 1.3 million of these were children below the age of 15 years (Altman 1995; Young, Schvaneveldt, Lindauer Schvaneveldt 2001). The general perception that the AIDS virus is a major social problem has greatly influenced other parts of society, primarily when it comes to equality and advocacy.   How the general public perceives a particular social problem would greatly affect the association and relations that they would eventually have to those that they perceive to be the instigators of the problem. In the case with the AIDS epidemic, individuals who have been discovered to carry the disease experience a number of various incidences for racism and prejudice to arise. The most profound example of this can be seen during case proceedings in litigation hearings conducted in the court houses of the United States. Studies with regards to the manner as to how legal decision making in the United State court houses are carried have determined that social influences, particularly those involving cultural dynamics and social dynamics have greatly influenced the outcomes of various court cases which involves at least one individual who has been diagnosed to be infected with the AIDS virus (Drass, Gregware Musheno 1997). One particular social dynamics that play a crucial role in decision making process done in court houses in the United States is social status.   Studies have shown that individuals that have a higher social status ranking would be likely to experience the ruling of a court proceeding to be in their favor as opposed to those who have been considered to have a low social status. Individuals who have been infected with the AIDS virus have long been regarded as individuals with a low social status ranking primarily due to the fact that those who surround them view them as carriers of something that would definitely cause adverse harm to the individuals living with them. In effect, individuals who have been infected with the AIDS virus have been viewed within the same ranking just as how members of a particular society would view and individual indicted for committing a heinous crime (Drass, Gregware Musheno 1997). The ideologies and beliefs upheld by a particular society is another dynamics that greatly influence legal proceedings involving an individual who has been inflicted by the AIDS virus.   The culture upheld by a particular society is based on the sharing of common beliefs, traditions and ideologies among each other. Discrimination based on the culture within a particular society normally occurs based on the gender, sexuality and ethnic background of an individual.   Recently, the status of an individual as to whether or not he or she is inflicted with the AIDS virus has also been included in the list. In fact, the culture within a society in the manner as to how they perceive individuals infected with the AIDS virus not only causes decisions made during court proceedings to rule against the individual who has been inflicted with the AIDS virus. An individual who has been diagnosed to be infected with the AIDS virus are often subjected to alienation, branding and other forms of oppression from other members within a particular society (Altman 1995; Drass, Gregware Musheno 1997). How to cite AIDS and Society: The Growing Concern, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

True Crypt Software

Question: Discuss about theTrue Crypt Software. Answer: This is a software which is based on the use of the on-the-fly encryption where there is a need to create the virtualised encrypted disks in the file. This is in the file for the encryption of the partition or the entire storage. These are for the different platforms which are both the open and the commercialised based sources. The operating systems have been the Windows and the OS x which is supportive. There have been different hidden volume deniability features which need not be compromised based on the third party software and store the information on the unencrypted disks which will have the deniability. The operating system works on the different running operations which make it localised for the unencrypted functions and filesystems. Reference [1]M. Rost and C. Krause, "Relativer Vertraulichkeitsschutz mit TrueCrypt",Datenschutz Datensich, vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 445-448, 2015. [2]S. Cohen-Hatton and R. Honey, "Goal-oriented training affects decision-making processes in virtual and simulated fire and rescue environments.",Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 395-406, 2015. [3]"LMK receives favourable ruling from US Patent and Trademark Office",Sealing Technology, vol. 2015, no. 11, p. 6, 2015. [4]S. Cohen-Hatton, P. Butler and R. Honey, "An Investigation of Operational Decision Making in Situ: Incident Command in the U.K. Fire and Rescue Service",Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 793-804, 2015. [5] Loginova, Natalia, Elena Trofimenko, Olexander Zadereyko, and Rashid Chanyshev. "Program-technical aspects of encryption protection of users' data." In2016 13th International Conference on Modern Problems of Radio Engineering, Telecommunications and Computer Science (TCSET), pp. 443-445. IEEE, 2016. [6] Kiok, Jeffrey. "Missing the Metaphor: Compulsory Decryption and the Fifth Amendment."BU Pub. Int. LJ24 (2015): 53.

Friday, November 29, 2019

To Father A City Essay Sample free essay sample

Congressman Bem is a adult male on a mission. His pursuit is to do a better development of Tacloban City. He seeks the public assistance of the metropolis merely like how he. as a male parent seeks the improvement of his household in his ain place. He is a good male parent to his ain household. but the inquiry is. will he be fit to beget the citizens of Tacloban? I say yes. Here’s why. Congressman Florencio â€Å"Bem† Noel. the Representative of the An Waray Party List. tallies for mayorship in Tacloban City. He started from a macroscopic country of duty and now Congressman Bem Noel narrows down to his place. Tacloban City. to augment the city’s growing. He had an option to travel up in the ranks of political relations ; but he chose to desire nil but the best for his ain place. Modeling him to go a Father â€Å"We were raised good. We will write a custom essay sample on To Father A City Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Comfortable but non well-off†¦ we were decently educated and values were taught the manner they should be†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cong. Bem Noel stated. Sing him in his place with a visible radiation and joyful temper with his boies and his manner is a clear indicant that Cong. Bem Noel so grew up in a well-developed household ( in footings of relationship. instruction and religion ) and decided to convey these values up now to his ain household. For college. he went to the University of Santo Tomas. Competence. Commitment and Compassion are three of UST’s Thomasian values that were instilled in Cong. Bem Noel’s personality. What a great manner to add up to the values taught by his household. â€Å"I was exposed and taken in by a fraternity brotherhood in 1998. I was exposed to the universe of politics†¦ it introduced me to non merely the universe but the people consisting it† the congresswoman verbalized. Another set of values was likely added to him the minute he joined the brotherhood. This is like acquiring new Lego pieces to add up to whatever construction you are constructing. This was where the flicker started. â€Å"It ( political calling ) started there ( brotherhood ) and opened a batch of avenues† he imparted. A Father in his ain Workplace Cong. Bem Noel is a male parent of three boies. But he is besides a male parent to his coworkers. â€Å"I put myself in their places. Sometimes I break the thin line† he spoke. This attitude promotes a healthy relationship amongst his staff. He besides mentioned â€Å"No work jobs. because whatever I ask from my staff I know how to make it. So if they don’t do it. I can† . From his statement. we can deduce that he shows duty for his occupation. He would ever be at that place to pick his staff up in instance his squad fails to make their occupation. The congresswoman shows a sense of leading and chumminess between him as the caput of the office and his components. A Father in his ain City I was in a Barangay Center detecting Cong. Bem Noel’s gift giving session in a chunky country near his place. He was giving out kgs of rice to the people. It was a show window of service to his fellow Taclobanons. Peoples are likely inquiring why a congresswoman is stepping down from a countrywide service to a city-centered proviso. This is because he wants alteration in his hometown. A good male parent wants a good hereafter for his kids. every bit much as how Cong. Bem Noel wants Tacloban to be well-brought-up. He saw jobs in his ain metropolis and aspires to do a difference. â€Å"Tacloban being the lone HUC here in Region 8 is the growing centre. Tacloban can be a beginning of employment and existent development† Cong. Noel articulated. The congresswoman has programs for the metropolis. He aims to non merely go a city manager but besides a male parent to the metropolis. All the values he earned is life is all coming down to his longing for a better Tacloban. Soon ballots will be cast and one time he wins and takes the phase. the citizens of Tacloban will be the Judgess of how he will be as city manager and male parent of the metropolis. I guess we all merely have to sit back and happen out how he fathers a metropolis. A Father in his ain Castle â€Å"Free clip? Here? No free clip. [ Laughs ] Actually. every bit much as I can I am with my childs but that’s really small clip. Even the avocations that we do are still connected with work. Free clip is so expensive in my line of work† Cong Bem Noel said. He is so a busy adult male. Flying to Manila and back to the part over and over once more certain does eats up his clip. He has small clip but does everything to pass it with his household. After the interview. he showed me how he normally spends his clip with his boies. He played hoops with them. Congressman Bem did demo some of his mad hoops accomplishments and hoop agitating shootings. For a congresswoman to ask for me ( person he neer met ) in his ain palace and play ball is a mark of cordial reception. This is a mark that shows that everyone is his friends and welcomed in his life.

Monday, November 25, 2019

History of Western Philosophy †Research Paper

History of Western Philosophy – Research Paper Free Online Research Papers History of Western Philosophy Research Paper Do you think that Descartes has satisfactorily solved the problem of mind-body dualism? The Cartesian Dualism has come across three main problems, first, whether Descartes had successfully proven the existence of the non-material thinking soul, second, whether the soul (thought) can interact with our body (extension), regardless of the truthfulness of dualism, third, and the mental-or-physical dilemma. However, we cannot find any satisfactory and adequate answer of those problems in Descartes’ dualistic philosophy 1. Descartes’ Mind-body Dualism In Cottingham J, â€Å"Cartesian man†, the author began discussing Descartes’ arguments with the comparison between animals, men and machines. Descartes held that there would still be differences even the machines are made â€Å"bore a resemblance to our bodies, and imitated our actions as closely as possible for all practical purposes (p.109).† For machines cannot â€Å"produce different arrangements of words so as to give an appropriately meaningful answer to whatever is said in its presence† and they cannot â€Å"act through understanding but only from the disposition of their organs (p.109).† That is to say, the difference is that every action or utterance of a machine is limited by environmental conditions; whereas a human can deal with everything in their life freely and creatively because he can â€Å"instantaneously interpret an indefinitely large of utterances [situation] (p.110).† Human being has a unique competence for language, which is distinguished from â€Å"utterances of animals† (p.110). Descartes claimed that â€Å"utterances of animals† are not regarded as genuine language in that their utterances are just expressions of their passion, such as hope of eating, fear and joy etc. One may ask why would human being possess such a peculiar ability that even the most sophisticated machine and a magpie (a bird can imitate people talk) would not have. To ask this question, for Descartes, is simply to ask what kind of substance that we human being exclusively own. And he would say it is our rational soul (anima rationalis) contributes to our thinking which allow us to cope with â€Å"the indefinitely diverse contingencies of life† (p.109) and be a â€Å"genuine language user† (p.109). Extension, for Descartes, is an underlying substance that contains different attributions an object has, namely weight, colour, hardness, temperature†¦and the like. Dualists maintain that a human is constituted not only of a bodily substance, but also of a thinking substance (that we have mentioned in above paragraphs). Descartes thought that the latter, which produce a thinking mind for human, should not be derived from extension. It is simply a non-material substance –that has no extension- â€Å"specially created† (p.111) and implanted in each of us by God. Nonetheless, is such a difference adequate for us to ascribe our â€Å"thinking feature† (the function of mind is to think) to a non-physical thinking soul? As we know for Descartes the words â€Å"mind† and â€Å"soul† are of no difference at all. Materialist may argue that the brain alone can produce rational thinking of human. Now let us go over the arguments offered by Descartes attempting to prove the existence of rational soul and examine their successfulness. 2. The Argument from Doubt To reach the â€Å"non-materiality of the mind† (p.112) Descartes had applied his â€Å"method of doubt† which is to find out â€Å"what cannot be doubted†. Descartes examined his own existence by doubting (imagining the disappearance of) the existence of his own body and the world he was in, until he found himself unable to doubt he was thinking (his mind existed), which assured his existence. Since one could doubt all material things, Descartes believed there were non-material substances distinct from the body giving rise to our thought. A Descartes’ critic Antoinc Arnauld reckoned that although one can imagine himself without a body, body is â€Å"indeed an essential part of him† (p.112), without which one could not even exist. Such a refutation seems to have presupposed a materialistic view, that human’s existence relies on physical substance; and it fails to falsify Cartesian’s argument because Descartes could resist by restating his mind-body dualism, saying the mind could exist alone even though the body is eliminated and immortality is a feature of soul. However, Descartes himself finally admitted that the argument could not sufficiently and deductively prove the immateriality of soul as the soul could be derived from â€Å"our undoubted existence†. 3. The Argument from Clear and Distinct Perception Descartes stated that if one could â€Å"clearly and distinctly understand† one thing apart from another, it was enough to assure him that they were two distinct things owing to their capability of being separated. Therefore, having a clear and distinct idea of myself, to the extent that â€Å"I† am simply a thinking, non-extended thing; is separated from having a distinct idea of body, in so far as this is simply and extended, non-thinking thing. In accordance with such distinction, â€Å"it is certain I am really distinct from my body and can exist without it (p.113).† Then he said that the mind and the body were complete ideas that he could conceive them alone respectively. What he wanted to point out was that if one knew that the mind (a complete idea) could exist without the body (another complete idea), then one could know that the body is no part of the mind’s essence (p.114). The problem here is that even one can clearly and distinctly discern thinking from body; it does not follow that the one who thinks must be non-corporeal. That is to say, although we can directly aware of our thinking, we cannot directly aware of â€Å"what (who) does the thinking† (p.115), which can be corporeal. 4. The Divisibility Argument This argument intended to prove that the mind and the body were two entirely different substances (non-material and material, as mentioned) by saying that mind was indivisible in nature but body was divisible. Moreover, Descartes held that if there was bodily division (e.g. cutting off a hand from a body), â€Å"nothing had thereby been taken away from the mind† (p.116). What he meant â€Å"nothing† here was simply what he called â€Å"pure thought† (to doubt, to understand, to affirm, to deny, to be willing and to be unwilling, p.122), which can â€Å"occur without physiological events taking place in the brain or anywhere else† (p.116). Critic of Descartes suggested that â€Å"our desires and our reason could pull us in opposite directions† (p.118) and such â€Å"directions† would make our consciousness not simple and indivisible. Dualist could reply that even if there were opposite directions occurring in a consciousness, that â€Å"thinking I† could just make one decision, so the mind could retain its unitariness. Again, the problem of the argument is that we cannot infer a non-corporeal soul from knowing that our consciousness is indivisible, as â€Å"what does the thinking† may still be physical. Hitherto we have not found the arguments above sufficient and satisfactory to prove the immateriality of soul. Now it is time we discovered the problems encountered by Cartesian dualism, suppose the dualistic account is true. 5. The Problem of Interaction between Mind and Body The most significant problem for dualism is the problem of interaction between mind and body. As we all know mental changes and physical changes can cause one another. Some kind of causal flow from mind to body and vice versa is necessary in order for such things to be possible. However, since mind and body are defined by Descartes in terms of â€Å"not just distinct but mutually incompatible attributes†, it is not easy to see how such causal flow is possible (p.119). That is to say, it is difficult to see how the soul can initiate bodily movement. In spite of this, we are also curious about where the soul is supposed to take place. Descartes thought that it was located in the innermost part of the brain, which is a certain very small gland situated in the middle of the brain’s substance. (p.121) In other words, the point of interaction between soul and body must be within the brain. He proceeded to say that there must be one place where the dual data from sense organs (eyes and ears etc.), were integrated, so as to enable the soul to have a single (visual or auditory) perception (p.121). Here, the soul was like a little man inside the brain viewing the images from the optic nerves converge. The fatal problem of the thesis was that the pineal gland is the ‘principal seat’ of the soul only postponed, and did not solve the problem of how psycho-physical interaction is possible.† 6. Sensation and Imagination There is another difficulty of Descartes mind-body theory namely the mental-or-physical dilemma. It implies that we, human beings, are also dealing with some psycho-physical phenomena which are not categorized as either purely mental or purely physical. Now it seems that the two categories, mind and body, created by Descartes cannot include all human experience. Let us look at how Descartes pondered on his nature: But what then am I? A thing that thinks. What is that? A thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, is willing, is unwilling and also imagines and has sensory perceptions. (p.122) We should have no question about the first four activities, they are what Descartes regarded as â€Å"pure actions of the soul†; whereas the last two ones, imaginare and sentire, he had a different account on them. Descartes assured that when one had sense-perception, some actually present external objects printed an idea or a figure of themselves on his senses. These images would then be imprinted on the pineal gland and perceived by the mind; furthermore, when one had imagination, his mind imprinted some images on the gland, fashioned and shaped them in the brain in the absence of external objects. (p.123) We know from the above that imaginare and sentire are not activities we can practise with our pure intellect (mind) alone. It requires physiological activity which also requires optic and auditory nerves and brain activity, movements in the pineal gland. That is to say, without sensory nerves, we cannot perceive; without pineal gland (brain), we cannot imagine. One may ask why sensory experience and imagination involve brain activity. Descartes’ answer was that imagination needed a ‘peculiar mental effort’ (p.125): suppose we were conceiving and imagining some geometrical figures, we could conceive a dodecagon rather easily but we would feel strange (confused) when imagining it. So there was always a ‘curious gap’ between our purely intellectual cognition of the figure being considered and our ability to imagine and visualize it (p.125). This sensation of having to wait until one finishes visualizing the figure is exactly the evidence of non-pure-intellectuality of imagination. On the other hand, sensory experiences, Descartes noted, like hunger and thirst, taught people that they (their souls) were very closely joined or even intermingled with their bodies, so that they and their bodies could form a unit. The soul here, is like â€Å"a sailor perceives by sight if anything in his ship is broken. (p.125)† Therefore when their bodies needed food or water, they should have explicit understanding of the fact, that is, they knew they are hungry and they knew they are thirsty. In addition, Descartes insisted, some sensations, like hunger, could not be clearly and distinctly conceived, they are inherently ‘confused’. So we can see the difference between, on the one hand, doubting, understanding, affirming, denying, is willing, unwilling; on the other hand, imagining and having sensory perception. For the last two ones have an inherently confused, indefinable, subjective quality which requires the hybrid of mind and body. The dualistic problem here is that both the faculties of imagination and sensation are not straightforwardly ‘mental’, and they are capable of being accommodated with Descartes’ official dualistic schema. Official dualistic schema seems impotent to explain the complex psycho-physical phenomena. 7. Conclusion Even Cartesian dualists can reply the question of how psycho-physical interaction is possible by saying the sensation (sense-perception and imagination) is exactly the evidence of the psycho-physical interaction. However it is still inadequate to answer how the mind initiates the bodily action. Conclusively, Descartes failed to, first, prove the existence of non-material soul; second, he failed handle of the problem of how mind and body interact, and, last but now least, his dualistic theory was unable give an account on the complexity of imagination and sensory perceptions (psycho-physical phenomena). 8. References Cottingham J, â€Å"Cartesian Man†, in Descartes, Oxford: Blackwell, 1986, Ch.5 Research Papers on History of Western Philosophy - Research PaperComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoGenetic EngineeringMind TravelBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresResearch Process Part OneThree Concepts of PsychodynamicThe Spring and AutumnAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementBringing Democracy to Africa

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Utube Video - Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Utube Video - Reflection - Essay Example Unlike Mr. Bennet though, I never bring myself to admit that in public. Rather, it is a distance that i allow to fester until it destroys the relationship I have with the family member. Now I realize that it is never a bad thing to admit guilt for it can help to build or rebuild relationships instead. I am happy that I heard his message. It has helped me to change my outlook in life. Jamaica Orsorio speaks of how the immigrants of America have forgotten their homeland roots so much that they no longer even recall their parents original names. She speaks of the pain of losing ones heritage forever as the immigrant becomes more Americanized in look and language. With their adaptation of the American way of life, their roots shall die because no one shall be left to remember how their race once lived. Immigrants are people who come to the United States for a better life. Unfortunately, the better life means having to let go of their past. Ignoring their heritage and adapting the new one for their benefit. As I listened to Ms. Orsorios words, I could not help but wonder about how her message did not apply merely to her race, but to all the immigrants living in the United States. Heritages die out because of the Americanization of immigrant families. It makes me wonder if their immersion into the American way of life is a bad or good thing. After all, culture and heritage are the ways by which civilizations continue to grow and evolve. Once people forget their roots, their culture and heritage dies. I am quite sad as I sit here imagining a world with with only culture and heritage which is what will happen to the United States as the immigrant families continue to adapt to the American way of life. However, maybe, just maybe, it is a necessary evil that in turn helps the American w ay of life

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Arranging Morning Tea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arranging Morning Tea - Research Paper Example I would like to serve at least two types of fruit juices (ten from each) to meet with the different likes and dislikes of the visitors. If caterer A is selected to provide mango and apple juices for 20 persons the cost will be USD 110 (10x6 + 10x5). If caterer B is selected to provide apple and lime juices for 20 persons (considering 200 ml as the serving size) the cost will be USD 80 (20x2 + 4x10). Cater A is a long established outlet which is well-known for the quality of its foods. Many people including our own staff members had dined there and are impressed by the quality, appearance, and taste of the foods and hygienic practices. Even though it is the most distanced place to our complex from the two outlets, they usually transport foods to the required venue free of charge and on time. Caterer B is new to the area and little is known about the quality of their foods. It is comparatively a small place and hygienic practices are not prominent. Although the prices are cheaper caterer B provides artificially flavored apple juice which may not be the best option to impress our valuable guest. Irrespective of the 1-2 dollar increase in the price, fresh juices are desirable to treat such important first-time visitors. Moreover provided prices (by caterer A) are very reasonable for this types of good quality fruit juices. Further caterer B provides juices in bottles and non-potable cups whereas caterer A provides juices in portable plastics cups. It is convenience for us to have in cups since we do not need to arrange them (pour them into cups) before serving. Also, visitors can watch the complex while sipping the juice.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Conflict paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Conflict paper - Essay Example e different forces or ideologies that there exists miss understanding between the individuals, groups, parties, or forces involved in the conflict (Raines, 2013). The two conflicting sides in a conflict are usually referred to as the protagonists and antagonists. There are various classifications of conflict, these include man against society: this is where man is in conflict with a social institution that is man-made. Conflicts that come under this classification, include the social conflicts, for example slavery, and bullying (Wandberg, 2001). The underlying principle here is that man is forced to make moral choices or is deeply forced by society’s moral values and rules that make him or her frustrated and desperately long for change. Man against man: this is wherepeople are usually against other people, it is also referred to as external conflict, and it may be in terms of direct opposition, for example, buy the use of weapons, for example, the Vietnam War, or World War II or reflect a subtle conflict of desires between two or more parties, for example, family disputes or a romance war (Dana, 2001). Man against nature: this is a type of conflict where man is in conflict with a particular force of nature, for example, animals; this has greatly been depicted in various parts of the world as man encroaches into territories that are usually in habited by animals (IrsÃŒÅ'icÃŒÅ', 2007). Additionally man could be experiencing weird forces of nature which include storms, tornedoes, snow storms as well as snow storms. Man against self: this is a classification of conflict where man tries too hard to overcome his or her own nature and follow a particular path that he or she deems desirable. It is also referred to as internal conflict and individuals apply the logic of good or evil, for example, a drug addict desperately trying to fight his addiction, a sinner desperately trying to avoid sin and embrace salvation (Hocker & Wilmot, 2013). In this particular piece of work,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Global Operations Strategy Of Hard Rock Cafe Tourism Essay

Global Operations Strategy Of Hard Rock Cafe Tourism Essay Among the four global operations strategy, Hard Rock Cafà © falls under a multidomestic strategy as all of its restaurants share the same type of themes while still maintaining certain differences towards different locations. All restaurants of this brand adopts the mission of promoting rock spirit, combining a cafà © environment with live music and rock n roll memorabilia museum. They are operated under united management styles and processes which favor flexibility, emphasize the Hard Rock values and apply precise administration with close planning and forecasting. However, Hard Rock Cafà © makes careful response to the differences in culture and interest in each specific location. For example, an average menu from Hard Rock Cafà © includes classic American food like burgers and chicken meat or lobster, however their restaurant in Hawaii locations also specialize  in fresh fish with delicious meals like fish tacos or ahi tuna sandwich. Hard Rock Cafà ©s retail shops provide l ocation-specific merchandise that cannot be purchased at anywhere else, not even online. In London, fans can acquire t-shirts with the name London printed on them while in Prague, Czech Republic, limited-edition Prague  signature pins with exclusive design quality  are sold. In order to success with this global operation strategy, Hard Rock Cafà © has made good response to the ten operation management decisions. First, their design of goods and services has brought their restaurants a unique, charming appearance that differentiates them well with other brands. Hard Rock Cafà © introduces the concept of experience to its operations. As customers dine at a Hard Rock Cafà ©s restaurant, what they can gain is not only a custom meal from the menu but also an unforgettable event with unique visual pleasure from various rock memorabilia and exciting sound experience from a variety of music activities. This kind of design has brought Hard Rock Cafà © a sharp edge to its competitiveness as theres nothing like an originator (Hard Rocks marketing director, Steve Glum, 2003). Other brands may find aspiration in its special concept; however it has something that cannot be easily copied, music and its $30 million-worth of historically priceless rock paraphernalia (Matt Haig, 2004, p. 233). Their retail merchandises, which take up to 48% of their sales, also carry heavy rock characteristics like Hard Ro ck Monopoly, Hard Rock Calendar, guitar case and other rock items. To follow the experience concept, Hard Rock Cafà © doesnt focus its quality managing effort on only some dishes or services but the experience that its customers get as a whole. Food quality is important, but more important is the quality of visuality and auditory. Hard Rock Cafe attaches much importance to customers opinions in valuating quality as in their experience concept, maximum value is what perceived by the customers. Hard Rock gives out surveys on a regular basis with the scores rating from 1 to 7, and to maintain the restaurants reputation of high quality, if the score is not 7, the service is considered a failure (Jay Heizer Barry Render, p. 56). About process and capacity design, Hard Rock Cafà © provides continuing training to its staff so that they remain highly competent, skillful and passionate about the main theme rock n roll. The restaurants are decorated by buying and displaying musical objects which are sometimes expensive and require much effort in preservation. Hard Rock also holds music events in which the number of fans participating may exceed 100,000 people. The locations of Hard Rocks restaurants are carefully chosen. According to Oliver Munday, Hard Rocks vice president, they have to look at political risk, currency and social normsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In general, most of these restaurants are located where tourism is developed and in places where each restaurant itself has a great rate of exposure. For example, the Hard Rock Cafà © in Atlanta separates from major hotels and downtown attractions like Georgia Aquarium, Centennial Olympic Parkà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ for only a small walking distance. This location can be called a gold position as tourists can easily find and choose Hard Rock Cafà © as their dining destination easily without much effort. Another example, Hard Rocks newest restaurant in Japan is open at Universal CityWalk Osaka. These entertainment and retail districts are a part of the huge Universal Studios Japan theme park, a famous tourism destination that had welcomed 11 million visitors in its first year of operation and thus b ecome one of the most successful theme parks in history (Universal Studios Japan Welcomes 11 Millionth Visitor, PR Newswire, 2002). The restaurant is also situated in a gold position, at the Konohana park site, only 10 minutes by rail away from JR Osaka station. Thanks to this location, hungry tourists getting out of the station will be eager to stop at Hard Rock Cafà © for a little exciting experience before continuing on their tours. The layouts of Hard Rocks restaurants cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Each colorful layout is like a museum of musical history in the shell of a restaurant. The walls of the restaurants are decorated with memorabilia. Here and there, large television screens bombard the senses of guests with scenes from rock videos. There is quite a lot of space as a Hard Rock restaurant is usually large enough to hold a great number of seats and support live concerts and shows. All of these create a unique Hard Rock atmosphere that no other restaurant can possess. Not only that there are some differences between each location. In Florida, the lavish exterior features an old car driven through the building and the decorations make one think of an ancient ruin. In Prague, a 5-meter crystal guitar is hanging down from the ceiling, creating a rock n roll atmosphere attractive to all rock fans. These differences in design allow Hard Rocks customers to have truly unique visual experience as th ey visit its restaurants at many locations around the world. Up to 2010, Hard Rocks staff has reached 20,000 employees (http://www.hardrock.com). These employees play an indispensable part in keeping the experience economy concept alive. Hard Rocks restaurants have beautiful layouts, exciting music and unique memorabilia; however, what has truly close the bridge between these lifeless items and the customers is the staffs passionate attitude. Hard Rocks employees are not only skillful in their jobs but also quite knowledgeable about rock n roll. In Hard Rock Cafà ©, waiters and waitress pride themselves on being able to recognize every piece of musical paraphernalia, and the staff will enthusiastically engage in conversations with the guests to introduce the objects to them or encourage them to go around and find out the excitement by themselves. In order to ensure their staff to meet the above standard, Hard Rock Cafà © pays much attention to their human resource strategy. They have created a dynamic working culture that gives much ground t o personal development and individuality. Beside incentives like high pay rates and promotion opportunities, Hard Rock gives its staff continuing specific training and encourages them to be positive and self-motivated around the core Hard Rock Value. To minimize the input cost and to ensure the fresh state of its ingredients, Hard Rock Cafà © takes advantages of local supply whenever it can. For example, the restaurant in Honolulu purchases fresh fish from the fish auction near Honolulu Harbor. This action allows the restaurant to have a fresh, always available food source, and also help them to serve their special dish: fresh catch of the day (http://www.hawaiimagazine.com). Hard Rock Cafà ©s inventory consists of over 60,000 unique objects that once belonged to famous rock legends like Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ They range from lyric sheets and gold discs to even worn clothes and guitars. Packed with these items, each restaurant becomes a living museum of rock n roll history. In Hard Rock Cafà ©s restaurants, there are also many large flat screen televisions continuously play rock videos and concert footages. This type of inventory becomes one of the brands strength. Theyve got something people can connect to, music and memorabilia (Hard Rocks marketing director, Steve Glum, 2003). As Hard Rock Cafà © constantly grows all over the world with numerous rock concerts and events, its schedules are tightly managed both in long term and short term, large scale and individual scale. For a large event, a plan is made several months before the event day. The closer it gets to the event day, the tighter the schedule is managed. For example, the scheduling for the Rockfest event is done within a tight 9-month horizon, where it is updated monthly in the first 3 months, weekly in the next 6 months and twice a week in the last month (Jay Heizer Barry Render, p. 128). In order to pull off such a tight schedule, Hard Rock Cafà ©s managers must have good project management skills and good supportive software. The schedule of a staff is more flexible. Since 70% of its guests are tourists (Jay Heizer Barry Render, p. 82), Hard Rock Cafà © must have flexible schedules in their restaurant to answer the demands of tourism. For example, in Orlando, a famous tourist location, caf à © staff has schedule of 15-minute intervals to adapt to the seasonal and daily changes of this tourist environment (Jay Heizer Barry Render, p. 56). The special rock-theme of Hard Rock Cafà © requires it to make huge maintenance efforts. The collection of musical items are shared and rotated among restaurants from time to time (Matt Haig, 2004, p. 233). This type of maintenance is quite costly as moving these priceless musical items require not only transportation fee but also special protection and preservation. However, in doing so, the visual experience of a returning customer can remain unique as there are always new pieces of memorabilia to display. As of 2010, Hard Rock Cafà © has already opened a restaurant in Vietnam. This restaurant located at 39 Le Duan street, District 1,   Ho Chi Minh City. Hard Rock Cafà © still doesnt have any restaurant in Hanoi though. The opening of such restaurant will create both operations management opportunities and challenges for Hard Rock. In general view, Hanoi is a potential market in Vietnam. Even though she doesnt have as many entertainment site as Ho Chi Minh City, her cultural buildings, beautiful parks and traditional festivals can usually attract quite a few tourists. According to the statistics of Vietnam General Statistics Office, in the first 8 month of 2010, Hanoi has received about 6 625 000 tourism visits and expected to have a population of over 6 610 000 people. With these statistics, Hanoi will be a good choice for Hard Rock Cafà © to open a new restaurant here. The first challenge Hard Rock Cafà © will meet in opening a new restaurant in Hanoi might be how to find a good location. There may be many cultural sightseeing places all over the old city; however, both tourism activities and local entertainment activities are busiest in Hoan Kiem district, especially around Hoan Kiem Lake and the old quarters. This district has seen the appearance of many large restaurant brands. KFC has a restaurant at the most beautiful position available, beside Hoan Kiem Lake. BBQ has found a good location in the busy Trang Tien Street. Lotteria has a so-so but still good enough location right on the side of Hanoi Train Station. With Hard Rock Cafà ©s tradition of placing its restaurants in tourist locations with high exposure rate, the gold position is undoubtedly here. It will not be easy to find a place large enough to hold a Hard Rock restaurant here though, as this area has a high density of buildings where all business are packed together in a small sp ace. A lot negotiation will have to be made and quite a large amount of money will have to be invested as the price of land in this area is unfortunately highest in the country. There is of course the option of renting a large part or event a whole floor in a building like Highland Cafà © has done with Hanoi tower. However, with its noisy characteristic of rock music culture, this will not be very realistic. Choosing a location in more remote areas of Hanoi will be easier, but the forfeit of tourism attraction must be made up with lots of advertisement and promotion methods. For a Hard Rock Cafà © in Hanoi, there wont be the need to put too much effort in creating a specialized menu. Hard Rocks menu is often heavily affected by the local ingredients. Hanoi doesnt really have any special ingredients while her inhabitants are eager to have Western food as a change, and so its menu can safely stay with its traditional dishes of burgers and chickens. Local supply is plentiful with cheap prices because Hanoi has many satellite towns and provinces as her source of supply for chicken, pork and beef meats. However, this OM opportunity also comes with a challenge. The above source of supply may be cheap and easy to access, but it is also notorious for bad food hygiene and safety. Even though Hanoi government has issued a lot of food safety standards, administration and inspection activities are weak, which results in ingredients with bad quality floating on the market. In order to protect its high quality standards, Hard Rock Cafà © will have to explore the loc al environment to search for trustable suppliers for long-term partnership. Vietnams strength in attracting investment also lies in cheap labor forces. In Hanoi, Hard Rock Cafà © can find all kinds of labor with all kinds of education background. There are people with only high school education level eager to find jobs. There are also university students seeking for part time jobs to earn some money to support their own studying and living. This kind of labor force is cheap and easy to replace. These employees usually dont have much need and can agree easily to low incentives. As a side aspect, a little bonus may be enough to boost their morale hugely. Because of this, Hard Rock Cafà © will not have a hard time in hiring staff and maintaining them. However, the true hardship in human resource management is how to keep this type of staff true to the Hard Rock Cafà © value. In Vietnam, the education style is quite different from that of Eastern countries. Vietnamese students are taught in a passive environment where individuality doesnt have much important while the collective consciousness is highly encouraged. And in Hanoi, this passive characteristic is still very heavy. People in Ho Chi Minh City tend to be more dynamic and flexible with more open-minded thinking method. But because of its delicate but slow culture, Hanois townsmen tend to be more passive and rigid with more close-minded thinking method. The concept of self-motivated, individualistic and creative attitude may be quite unfamiliar to the employees that Hard Rock Cafà © can hire in Hanoi. As a consequence, even though the cost of labor may be low, the cost of training will be relatively high. In Hanoi, the maintenance efforts should not be only for Hard Rocks special collections of musical items but also for the staff itself. To maintain a high quality standard, the staff must also be maintained carefully. The quality of a Vietnamese staff in the restaurant field tends to deteriorate slowly if the managers dont pay enough attention. One of the most important reasons is that except cooks, not many people will consider a position in a restaurant to be the solid foundation of their careers. The case of Mega Star can be taken to view this matter more clearly. Even though Mega Star is a cinema brand, its cinema groups often come with large fast food stalls, and Hard Rock may as well pull one or two lessons from this brand in dealing with a Vietnamese staff. In their first months of operations, Mega Star quickly won over the heart of their customers with five-star services. Their employees were highly professional with positive attitudes, always ready to answer every question f rom customers. However as time go by, because of many reasons, the lack of adequate continuously training, the low incentives, the insufficient number of staff, the come-and-go nature of the labor force,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the quality of their staff falls, and in my opinion, falls terribly. Just a little surfing around the internet, we can find quite a lot of complaints from Mega Star customers. Many people, including me myself, miss the old days when we were greeted with smiles from the first steps into the cinema group and not being driven crazy with the attitude I-dont-know-but-somebody-may-know almost every time we sought for help. In Hard Rock Cafà ©s case, Hard Rock places a great deal of importance in their human resource strategy and their employees also play an indispensable role in applying the experience economy concept in reality. Extra efforts like more training, better bonusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ will not be unnecessary in order to maintain the high quality of the staff. In fact, according to the official website of Hard Rock Cafà ©, beside the restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City another Vietnam-based restaurant is planned to open in 2011 in Hanoi. Im looking forward to this new opening and cant wait to see how much successful will Hard Rock Cafà © be in Hanoi.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Romanticism, Reason, and Puritanism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarle

Romanticism, Reason, and Puritanism in The Scarlet Letter The novel, The Scarlet Letter, is about the struggle three people face while trying to live their lives and find happiness in a Puritan society. In the early 1640s, Hester has come to the small town of Boston, Massachusetts, from Great Britain, while her husband, Chillingworth, ties up all of the loose ends back in Great Britain. Hester and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, the town's priest, engage in the act of adultery and produce a baby girl named Pearl; though, only Hester knows that Dimmesdale is the father. She has promised Dimmesdale not to reveal his identity. Hester is put on display in front of the entire town to punish her, and to also serve as an example in hopes that it will deter others from sinning. She is then put in jail with her young child for a few months and is forever made to wear a scarlet letter "A," which stands for "Adultery." Hester's husband, Roger Chillingworth, who had been captured by native American Indians on his way to New England and he ld in captivity for two years, escapes and enters the town of Boston. After learning of what Hester had done, Chillingworth poses as a doctor and vows to discover the identity of Hester's partner in sin. Hester agrees to keep his true identity a secret, too. Each character in the novel represents one or more philosophies including Romanticism, Reason, and Puritanism that one could adhere to in life. Romanticism focuses on the individual and preaches finding truth, Reason, involves the belief that one can use logic to solve anything and a perfect society will create perfect men, and Puritanism, where all t... ...d the sinful act of adultery with his wife. His logic and reason guide him to his answer but his drive to know eventually weakens and kills him. Reverend Dimmesdale strayed from his Puritan beliefs when he committed adultery. His struggle is not with Reason or Romanticism but with his steadfast adherence to the Puritan beliefs. Dimmesdale does not find reason within himself for his relationship with Hester nor does he reveal the truth about his sinful relationship until he realizes he is dying. Nevertheless, this last attempt to clear his conscience results in his death. True happiness escapes all three characters except one and that is Hester. Hester blended the philosophies of Reason, Romanticism, and Puritanism and was able to live life comfortably. Philosophies, a person can't have just one.

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Dirty Job Chapter 24

24 AUDREY AND THE SQUIRREL PEOPLE Charlie could hear things scurrying under the porch as he walked to the front door of the Buddhist center, but the weight of the enormous pistol he'd stuck down the back of his belt reassured him, even if it was pulling his pants down a little. The front door was nearly twelve feet tall, red, with reeded glass running the length, and there were arrays of colorful Tibetan prayer wheels, like spools, on either side of the door. Charlie knew what they were because he'd once had a thief try to sell him some hot ones stolen from a temple. Charlie knew he should kick down the door, but then, it was a really big door, and although he had watched a lot of cop shows and movies where door kicking had been done, he was inexperienced himself. Another option was to pull his pistol and blast the lock off the door, but he didn't know any more about lock blasting than he did door kicking, so he decided to ring the doorbell. The scurrying noises increased and he could hear heavier footsteps inside. The door swung open and the pretty brunette he knew as Elizabeth Sarkoff – Esther Johnson's fake niece – stood in the doorway. â€Å"Why, Mr. Asher, what a pleasant surprise.† It won't be for long, sister, said his inner tough guy. â€Å"Mrs. Sarkoff, nice to see you. What are you doing here?† â€Å"I'm the receptionist. Come in, come in.† Charlie stepped into the foyer, which opened up to a staircase and had sliding double doors on either side. He could see that straight back the foyer led to a dining room with a long table, and beyond that a kitchen. The house had been restored nicely, and didn't really have the appearance of a public building. The inner tough guy said, Don't try to run your game on me, floozy. I've never hit a dame before, but if I don't get some straight talk quick, I'm willing to give it a try, see. Charlie said, â€Å"I had no idea you were a Buddhist. That's fascinating. How's your Aunt Esther, by the way?† He had her now, didn't even have to slap her around. â€Å"Still dead. Thanks for asking, though. What can I do for you, Mr. Asher?† The sliding door to the left of them opened an inch and someone, a young man's voice, said, â€Å"Master, we need you.† â€Å"I'll be right there,† said the alleged Mrs. Sarkoff. â€Å"Master?† Charlie raised an eyebrow. â€Å"We hold receptionists in very high regard in the Buddhist tradition.† She grinned, really big and goofy, like she didn't even believe it herself. Charlie was totally charmed by the laughter and open surrender in her eyes. Trust there, with no reason for it. â€Å"Good God, you're a bad liar,† he said. â€Å"Guess you could see right through my moo-poo, huh?† Big grin. â€Å"So, you are?† Charlie offered his hand to shake. â€Å"I am the Venerable Amitabha Audrey Rinpoche.† She bowed. â€Å"Or just Audrey, if you're in a hurry.† She took two of Charlie's fingers and shook them. â€Å"Charlie Asher,† Charlie said. â€Å"So you're not really Mrs. Johnson's niece.† â€Å"And you're not really a used-clothing dealer?† â€Å"Well, actually – â€Å" That's all Charlie got out. There was a crashing sound from straight ahead, glass and splintering wood. Then he saw the table go over in the next room and Minty Fresh screamed â€Å"Freeze!† as he leapt over the fallen table and headed toward them, gun in hand, oblivious, evidently, to the fact that he was seven feet tall and that the doorway, built in 1908, was only six feet eight inches high. â€Å"Stop,† Charlie shouted, about a half second too late, as Minty Fresh drove four inches of forehead into some very nicely finished oak trim above the door with a thud that shook the whole house. His feet continued on, his body swinging after, and at one point he was parallel to the floor, about six feet off the ground, when gravity decided to manifest itself. The chrome Desert Eagle clattered all the way through the foyer and hit the front door. Minty Fresh landed flat and quite unconscious on the floor between Charlie and Audrey. â€Å"And this is my friend Minty Fresh,† Charlie said. â€Å"He doesn't do this a lot.† â€Å"Boy, you don't see that every day,† said Audrey, looking down at the sleeping giant. â€Å"Yeah,† Charlie said. â€Å"I don't know where he found raw silk in moss green.† â€Å"That's not linen?† Audrey asked. â€Å"No, it's silk.† â€Å"Hmm, it's so wrinkled, I thought it must be linen, or a blend.† â€Å"Well, I think maybe all the activity – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, I guess so.† Audrey nodded, then looked at Charlie. â€Å"So – â€Å" â€Å"Mr. Asher.† A woman's voice to his right. The doors on Charlie's right slid open, and an older woman stood there: Irena Posokovanovich. The last time he'd seen her he was sitting in the back of Rivera's cruiser, in handcuffs. â€Å"Mrs. Posokov†¦Mrs. Posokovano – Irena! How are you?† â€Å"You weren't so concerned about that yesterday.† â€Å"No, I was. I really was. Sorry about that.† Charlie smiled, thinking it was his most charming smile. â€Å"I hope you don't have that pepper spray with you.† â€Å"I don't,† Irena said. Charlie looked at Audrey. â€Å"We had a little misunderstanding – â€Å" â€Å"I have this,† Irena said, producing a stun gun from behind her back, pressing it to Charlie's chest and sending a hundred and twenty-five thousand volts surging through his body. He could see animals, or animal-like creatures, dressed in period finery, approaching him as he convulsed in pain on the floor. â€Å"Get them both tied up, guys,† Audrey said. â€Å"I'll make tea.† Tea?† Audrey said. So, for the second time in his life, Charlie Asher found himself tied to a chair and being served a hot beverage. Audrey was bent over before him, holding a teacup, and regardless of the awkwardness or danger of the situation, Charlie found himself staring down the front of her shirt. â€Å"What kind of tea?† Charlie asked, buying time, noticing the cluster of tiny silk roses that perched happily at the front clasp of her bra. â€Å"I like my tea like I like my men,† Audrey said with a grin. â€Å"Weak and green.† Now Charlie looked into her eyes, which were smiling. â€Å"Your right hand is free,† she said. â€Å"But we had to take your gun and your sword-cane, because those things are frowned upon.† â€Å"You're the nicest captor I've ever had,† Charlie said, taking the teacup from her. â€Å"What are you trying to say?† said Minty Fresh. Charlie looked to his right, where Minty Fresh was tied to a chair that made him look as if he'd been taken hostage at a child's tea party – his knees were up near his chin and one of his wrists was taped near the floor. Someone had put a large ice pack on his head, which looked vaguely like a tam-o'-shanter. â€Å"Nothing,† Charlie said. â€Å"You were a great captor, too, don't get me wrong.† â€Å"Tea, Mr. Fresh?† Audrey said. â€Å"Do you have coffee?† â€Å"Back in a second,† Audrey said. She left the room. They'd been moved to one of the rooms off the foyer, Charlie couldn't tell which. It must have been a parlor for entertaining during its day, but it had been converted into a combination office and reception room: metal desks, a computer, some filing cabinets, and an array of older oak office chairs for working and waiting. â€Å"I think she likes me,† Charlie said. â€Å"She has you taped to a chair,† Minty Fresh said, pulling at the tape around his ankles with his free hand. The ice pack fell off his head and hit the floor with a loud thump. â€Å"I didn't notice how attractive she was when I met her before.† â€Å"Would you help me get free, please?† Minty said. â€Å"Can't,† Charlie said. â€Å"Tea.† He held up his cup. Clicking noises by the door. They looked up as four little bipeds in silk and satin scampered into the room. One, who had the face of an iguana, the hands of a raccoon, and was dressed like a musketeer, big-feathered hat and all, drew a sword and poked Minty Fresh in the hand he was using to pull at the duct tape. â€Å"Ow, dammit. Thing!† â€Å"I don't think he wants you to try to get loose,† Charlie said. The iguana guy saluted Charlie with a flourish of his sword and pointed to the end of his snout with his free hand, as if to say, On the nose, buddy. â€Å"So,† Audrey said, entering the room carrying a tray with Minty's coffee, â€Å"I see you've met the squirrel people.† â€Å"Squirrel people?† Charlie asked. A little lady with a duck's face and reptilian hands wearing a purple satin evening gown curtsied to Charlie, who nodded back. â€Å"That's what we call them,† Audrey said. â€Å"Because the first few I made had squirrel faces and hands, but then I ran out of squirrel parts and they got more baroque.† â€Å"They're not creatures of the Underworld?† Charlie said. â€Å"You made them?† â€Å"Sort of,† Audrey said. â€Å"Cream and sugar, Mr. Fresh?† â€Å"Please,† Minty said. â€Å"You make these monsters?† All four of the little creatures turned to him at once and leaned back, as if to say, Hey, pal, who are you calling monsters. â€Å"They're not monsters, Mr. Fresh. The squirrel people are as human as you are.† â€Å"Yeah, except they have better fashion sense,† Charlie said. â€Å"I'm not always going to be taped to this chair, Asher,† Minty said. â€Å"Woman, who or what the hell are you?† â€Å"Be nice,† Charlie said. â€Å"I suppose I should explain,† Audrey said. â€Å"Ya think?† Minty said. Audrey sat down on the floor, cross-legged, and the squirrel people gathered around her, to listen. â€Å"Well, it's a little embarrassing, but I guess it started when I was a kid. I sort of had this affinity for dead things.† â€Å"Like you liked to touch dead things?† asked Minty Fresh. â€Å"Get naked with them?† â€Å"Would you please let the lady talk,† Charlie said. â€Å"Bitch is a freak,† Minty said. Audrey smiled. â€Å"Why, yes; yes, I am, Mr. Fresh, and you are tied up in my dining room, at the mercy of any freaky thing that might occur to me.† She tapped a silver demitasse spoon she'd used to stir her tea on her front tooth and rolled her eyes as if imagining something delicious. â€Å"Please go on,† said Minty Fresh with a shudder. â€Å"Sorry to interrupt.† â€Å"It wasn't a freaky thing,† Audrey said, glancing at Minty, daring him to speak up. â€Å"It was just that I had an overdeveloped sense of empathy with the dying, mostly animals, but when my grandmother passed, I could feel it, from miles away. Anyway, it didn't overwhelm me or anything, but when I got to college, to see if I could get a handle on it, I decided to study Eastern philosophy – oh yeah, and fashion design.† â€Å"I think it's important to look good when you're doing the work of the dead,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well – uh – okay,† Audrey said. â€Å"And I was a good seamstress. I really liked making costumes. Anyway, I met and fell in love with a guy.† â€Å"A dead guy?† Minty asked. â€Å"Soon enough, Mr. Fresh. He was dead soon enough.† Audrey looked down at the carpet. â€Å"See, you insensitive fuck,† Charlie said. â€Å"You hurt her feelings.† â€Å"Hello, tied to a chair here,† Minty said. â€Å"Surrounded by little monsters, Asher. Not the insensitive one.† â€Å"Sorry,† Charlie said. â€Å"It's okay,† Audrey said. â€Å"His name was William – Billy, and we were together for two years before he got sick. We'd only been engaged a month when he was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. They gave him a couple of months to live. I dropped out of school and stayed with him every moment. One of the nurses from hospice knew about my Eastern studies course and recommended we talk with Dorje Rinpoche, a monk from the Tibetan Buddhist Center in Berkeley. He talked to us about Bardo Thodrol, what you know as the Tibetan Book of the Dead. He helped prepare Billy to transfer his consciousness into the next world – into his next life. It took our focus off of the darkness and made death a natural, hopeful thing. I was with Billy when he died, and I could feel his consciousness move on – really feel it – Dorje Rinpoche said that I had some special talent. He thought I should study under a high lama.† â€Å"So you became a monk?† Charlie asked. â€Å"I thought a lama was just a tall sheep,† said Minty Fresh. Audrey ignored him. â€Å"I was heartbroken and I needed direction, so I went to Tibet and was accepted at a monastery where I studied Bardo Thodrol for twelve years under Lama Karmapa Rinpoche, the seventeenth reincarnation of the bodhisattva who had founded our school of Buddhism a thousand years ago. He taught me the art of p'howa – the transference of the consciousness at the moment of death.† â€Å"So you could do what the monk had done for your fianc† Charlie asked. â€Å"Yes. I performed p'howa for many of the mountain villagers. It was a sort of a specialty with me – along with making the robes for everyone in the monastery. Lama Karmapa told me that he felt I was a very old soul, the reincarnation of a superenlightened being from many generations before. I thought perhaps he was just trying to test me, to get me to succumb to ego, but when his own death was near and he called me to perform the p'howa for him, I realized that this was the test, and he was trusting the transference of his own soul to me.† â€Å"Just so we're clear,† said Minty Fresh. â€Å"I would not trust you with my car keys.† The iguana musketeer poked Minty in the calf with his little sword and the big man yelped. â€Å"See,† Charlie said. â€Å"When you're rude it comes back on you – like karma.† Audrey smiled at Charlie, put her tea on the floor, and folded her legs into the lotus position, settling in. â€Å"When the Lama passed, I saw his consciousness leave his body. Then I felt my own consciousness leave my body, and I followed the Lama into the mountains, where he showed me a small cave, buried deep beneath the snow. And in that cave was a stone box, sealed with wax and sinew. He told me that I must find the box, and then he was gone, ascended, and I found myself back in my body.† â€Å"Were you superenlightened then?† Charlie asked. â€Å"I don't even know what that is,† Audrey said. â€Å"The Lama was wrong about that, but something had changed me while performing the p'howa for him. When I came out of the room with his body, I could see a red spot glowing in people, right at their heart chakra. It was the same thing I had followed into the mountains, the undying consciousness – I could see people's souls. But what was more disturbing to me, I could see that the glow was absent in some people, or I couldn't see it in them, or in myself. I didn't know why, but I did know that I had to find that stone box. By following the exact path into the mountains that the Lama had shown me, I did. Inside was a scroll that most Buddhists thought – still think – was a myth: the lost chapter of the Tibetan Book of the Dead†¦It outlined two long-lost arts, the p'howa of forceful projection, and one I hadn't even heard of, the p'howa of undying. The first allows you to force a soul from one bein g to another, and the second allows the practitioner to prolong the transition, the bardo, between life and death indefinitely.† â€Å"Does that mean you could make people live forever?† Charlie asked. â€Å"Sort of – more like they just stop dying. I meditated on the amazing gift I'd been given for months, afraid to try to perform the rituals. But one day when I was attending the bardo of an old man who was dying of a painful stomach cancer, I could watch the suffering no longer, and I tried the p'howa of forceful projection. I guided his soul into the body of his newborn grandson, who I could see had no glow at his heart chakra. I could actually see the glow move across the room and the soul enter the baby. The man died in peace only seconds later. â€Å"A few weeks later I was called to attend the bardo of a young boy who had taken ill and was showing all the signs of imminent death. I couldn't bear to let it happen, knowing that there might be something I might be able to do, so I performed the p'howa of undying on him, and he didn't die. In fact, he got better. I succumbed to the ego of it, then, and I started to perform the ritual on other villagers, instead of helping them on to their next life. I did five in as many months, but there was a problem. The parents of the little boy summoned me. He wasn't growing – not even his hair and nails. He was stuck at age nine. But by then the villagers were all coming to me with the dying, and word spread throughout the mountains to other villages. They lined up outside of our monastery, demanding I come see them. But I had refused to perform the ritual, realizing that I was not helping these people, but in fact freezing them in their spiritual progression, plus, you know, kin d of freaking them out.† â€Å"Understandably,† Charlie said. â€Å"I couldn't explain to my fellow monks what was happening. So I ran away in the night. I presented myself to be of service to a Buddhist center in Berkeley, and I was accepted as a monk. It was during that time that I saw, for the first time, a human soul contained in an inanimate object, when I went into a music store in the Castro. It was your music store, Mr. Fresh.† â€Å"I knew that was you,† said Minty. â€Å"I told Asher about you.† â€Å"He did,† Charlie said. â€Å"He said you were very attractive.† â€Å"I did not,† Minty said. â€Å"He did. ‘Nice eyes,' he said,† Charlie said. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"There was no mistaking it, though – the glow in the CD – it was exactly the same presence that I could sense in people who had a soul. Needless to say, I was freaked out.† â€Å"Needless to say,† Charlie said. â€Å"I had a similar experience.† Audrey nodded. â€Å"I was going to discuss all of this with my master at the center, you know, come clean about what I had learned in Tibet – turn the scrolls over to someone who perhaps understood what was going on with the souls inside of objects, but after only a few months, word came from Tibet that I had left under suspicious circumstances. I don't know what details they gave, but I was asked to leave the center.† â€Å"So you formed a posse of spooky animal things and moved to the Mission,† said Minty Fresh. â€Å"That's nice. You can let me loose from this chair now and I'll be on my way.† â€Å"Fresh, will you please let Audrey finish telling her story. I'm sure there's a perfectly innocent reason that she hangs out with a posse of spooky animal things.† Audrey pressed on. â€Å"I was able to get a job as costumer for a local theater group, and being around theater people, basically a bunch of born show-offs, can put you back into the swing of a life. I tried to forget about my practice in Tibet, and I focused on my work, trying to let my creativity drive me. I couldn't afford to make full-sized costumes, so I began to create smaller versions. I bought a collection of stuffed squirrels from a secondhand store in the Mission, and used those as my first models. Later I made my models out of other taxi-dermied animal parts – mixing and matching them, but I'd already started calling them my squirrel people. A lot of them have bird feet, chicken and duck, because I could purchase them in Chinatown, along with things like turtle heads and – well, you can buy a lot of dead-animal parts in Chinatown.† â€Å"Tell me about it,† Charlie said. â€Å"I live a block from the shark parts store. Never actually tried to build a shark from spare parts, though. Bet that would be fun.† â€Å"Y'all are twisted,† Minty said. â€Å"Both of you – you know that, right? Messin' with dead things and all.† Charlie and Audrey each raised an eyebrow at him. A creature in a blue kimono with the face of a dog skull gave Minty the critical eye socket and would have raised an eyebrow at him if she'd had one. â€Å"All right, go on,† Minty said, waving Audrey on with his free hand. â€Å"You made your point.† Audrey sighed. â€Å"So I started to hit all of the secondhand stores in the City, looking for everything from buttons to hands. And at at least eight stores, I found the soul objects – all grouped together at each store. I realized that I wasn't the only one who could see them glowing red. Someone was imprisoning these souls in the objects. That's how I came to know about you gentlemen, whatever you are. I had to get these souls out of your hands. So I bought them. I wanted them to move on to their next rebirth, but I didn't know how. I thought about using the p'howa of forceful projection, forcing a soul into someone who I could see was soulless, but that process takes time. What would I do, tie them up? And I didn't even know if it would work. After all, that method was used to force a soul from one person to another, not from an inanimate object.† Charlie said, â€Å"So you tried this forceful-projection thing with one of your squirrel people?† â€Å"Yeah, and it worked. But what I didn't count on is that they became animated. She started walking around, doing things, intelligent things. Which is how they came to be these little guys you've seen today. â€Å"More tea, Mr. Asher?† Audrey smiled and held the teapot out to Charlie. â€Å"Those things have human souls?† Charlie asked. â€Å"That's heinous.† â€Å"Oh yeah, and it's better that you have the soul imprisoned in an old pair of sneakers in your shop. They're only in the squirrel people until I can figure how to put their souls into a person. I wanted them saved from you and your kind.† â€Å"We're not the bad guys. Tell her, Fresh, we're not the bad guys.† â€Å"We're not the bad guys,† Minty said. â€Å"Can I get some more coffee?† â€Å"We're Death Merchants,† Charlie said, but it came out much less cheerful-sounding than he'd hoped. He was very desperate for Audrey not to think of him as a bad guy. Like most Beta Males, he didn't realize that being a good guy was not necessarily an attraction to women. â€Å"That's what I'm saying,† Audrey said, â€Å"I couldn't just let you guys sell the souls like so much secondhand junk.† â€Å"That's how they find their next rebirth,† Minty said. â€Å"What?† Audrey looked at Charlie for confirmation. Charlie nodded. â€Å"He's right. We get the souls when someone dies, and then someone buys them and they get to their next life. I've seen it happen.† â€Å"No way,† Audrey said, overpouring Minty's coffee. â€Å"Yep,† Charlie said. â€Å"We can see the red glow, but not in people's bodies like you. Only in the objects. When someone who needs a soul comes in contact with the object, the glow goes out. The soul moves into them.† â€Å"I thought you'd trapped the souls between lives. You're not holding these souls prisoner?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"It wasn't us after all,† Minty Fresh said to Charlie. â€Å"She was the one that brought all of this on.† â€Å"What on? What?† Audrey said. â€Å"There are Forces of Darkness – we don't know what they are,† Charlie said. â€Å"What we've seen are giant ravens, and these demon-like women, we call them sewer harpies because they've come out of the storm sewers. They gain strength when they get hold of a soul vessel – and they're getting really strong. The prophecy says they are going to rise in San Francisco and darkness will cover the world.† â€Å"And they are in the sewers?† Audrey said. Both Death Merchants nodded. â€Å"Oh no, that's how the squirrel people get around town without being seen. I've sent them to the different stores in the City to get the souls. I must have been sending them right to these creatures. And a lot of them haven't come home. I thought they just might be lost, or wandering around. They do that. They have the potential of full human consciousness, but something is lost with time out of the body. Sometimes they can get a little goofy.† â€Å"No kidding,† said Charlie. â€Å"So is that why iguana boy over there is gnawing on the light cord?† â€Å"Ignatius, get off there! If you electrocute yourself the only place I have to put your soul is that Cornish hen I got at the Safeway. It's still frozen and I don't have any pants that will fit it.† She turned to Charlie with an embarrassed smile. â€Å"The things you never think you'll hear yourself say.† â€Å"Yeah, kids, what are you gonna do?† Charlie said, trying to sound easygoing. â€Å"You know, one of your squirrel people shot me with a crossbow.† Audrey looked distraught now. Charlie wanted to comfort her. Give her a hug. Kiss her on the top of the head and tell her that everything was all right. Maybe even get her to untie him. â€Å"They did? Crossbow, oh, that would be Mr. Shelly. He was a spy or something in a former life – had a habit of going off on his own little missions. I sent him to keep an eye on you and report back so I could figure out what you were doing. No one was supposed to get hurt. He never came home. I'm really sorry.† â€Å"Report back?† Charlie said. â€Å"They can talk?† â€Å"Well, they don't talk,† Audrey said. â€Å"But some of them can read and write. Mr. Shelly could actually type. I've been working on that. I need to get them a voice box that works. I tried one out of a talking doll, but I just ended up with a ferret in a samurai outfit that cried and kept asking if it could go play in the sandbox, it was unnerving. It's a strange process, as long as there's organic parts, stuff that was once living, they knit together, they work. Muscles and tendons make their own connections. I've been using hams for the torsos, because it gives them a lot of muscle to work with, and they smell better until the process is finished. You know, smoky. But some things are a mystery. They don't grow voice boxes.† â€Å"They don't appear to grow eyes, either,† Charlie said, gesturing with his teacup at a creature whose head was an eyeless cat skull. â€Å"How do they see?† â€Å"Got me.† Audrey shrugged. â€Å"It wasn't in the book.† â€Å"Man, I know that feeling,† said Minty Fresh. â€Å"So I've been experimenting with a voice box made out of catgut and cuttlebone. We'll see if the one who has it learns to talk.† â€Å"Why don't you put the souls back in human bodies?† asked Minty. â€Å"I mean, you can, right?† â€Å"I suppose,† Audrey said. â€Å"But to be honest, I didn't have any human corpses lying around the house. But there does have to be a piece of human being in them – I learned that from experimenting – a finger bone, blood, something. I got a great deal on a backbone in a junk store in the Haight and I've been using one vertebra for each of them.† â€Å"So you're like some monstrous reanimator,† Charlie said. Then he quickly added, â€Å"And I mean that in the nicest way.† â€Å"Thanks, Mr. Death Merchant.† Audrey smiled back and went to the nearby desk for some scissors. â€Å"But it looks like I need to cut you loose and hear how you guys got into your line of work. Mr. Greenstreet, could you bring us some more tea and coffee?† A creature with a beaver's skull for a head, wearing a fez and a red satin smoking jacket, bowed and scampered by Charlie, headed toward the kitchen. â€Å"Nice jacket,† Charlie said. The beaver guy gave him a thumbs-up as he passed. Lizard thumbs.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essays

Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essays Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essay Process of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Essay Procedure of Meeting New People in a Small Group Experience Meeting new people will arouse assorted responses. The scope of possible responses can be predicted by or explained utilizing a figure of sociological theories. This paper explains the procedure of run intoing new people in little group point from the positions of the undermentioned theoretical constructs: ( a ) Tamotsu Shibutani’s symbolic interaction theory, Scheff’s theory of emotional distancing, Marshall Rosenburg and Abraham Maslow’s constructs of basic demands and Erving Goffman’s feeling direction theories. Given the alone focal point of each of the theories above, the survey explores them in bend.Tamotsu Shibutani’s Symbolic Interaction Theory Symbolic interaction theory holds that worlds will be given to move towards things that bear some significances to them. The significance or significance of such things are derived from one’s societal experiences and societal interaction with others, as modified by one’s readings and perceptual experience ( Becker A ; McCall, 2009 ) . In the context of a little group, an person will be more inclined to fall in the group if members of the group have some significance or engage in the activity of significance to the person. In this instance, there will be an urge to portion individuality or prosecute in affairs of common involvements ( Becker A ; McCall, 2009 ) . If the single members of the group present themselves as conveying together members of common religion, so the expectedness of religion will ensue into a positive perceptual experience that the group is of high value, provided the mention group of the connection member are those who claim to be spiritual. The g roup s members will necessitate to exhibit conformity with the norms acceptable to the faith-based group, because it is the values of the faith in inquiry that will bond ( consummate ) the person to the group. The individuals’ positions will every bit count, as it shapes the reading the single gives to the Acts of the Apostless of single group members. Tom Scheff: Theory of Emotional Distancing The theory of emotional distancing suggests that the basic emotions that one exhibits towards a relationship spouse will find the behavior of the spouse and find the relationship distance with the spouse ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Where one meets new people in a little group, the person will be given to pull closer ( maintain near relationship distance ) with the persons who exhibits emotions that build the single public assistance. Such emotions include felicity, friendliness, joy among others. The emotions are likely to trip fond regard to the specific persons and the group. On the other manus, the person will be given to maintain off from the group members who exhibit to the single emotions that potentially amendss the single public assistance. Such emotions include fright, choler, hatred, shame, disapproval among others ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Hatred, shame, disapproval and choler, for case, endanger one’s individuality and would do the single perceive as being bastard and unwelcomed.As a defense mechanism mechanism, an person may be detached or rebel from the persons exhibiting the baleful emotions. The distance between the person and the group as a whole is besides capable to the same form of fond regard and withdrawal. That is, where the group shows emotion that Fosters one’s public assistance, the person will be more affiliated to the group. However, emotions damaging a group member’s behavior will arouse withdrawal and rebellion from the group ( Scheff et al. , 2002 ) . Marshall Rosenburg and Abraham Maslow Theory of Needs Basic demand theories, like those postulated by Rosenburg and Maslow, suggest that human demands are the indispensable motive for all behaviors. As such, persons are likely to keep on to a relationship if such a relationship promotes meeting of their demands. Maslow identifies the love and sense of belonging as critical constituents of human demands, which persons are likely to prosecute ( Boeree, 2006 ) . Persons are hence expected to be more affiliated to the group if members of the groups show the single love and a sense of belonging. However, isolation or favoritism an person from the group is likely to trip a feeling that one does non belong to the group, therefore arousing withdrawal. Alternatively, the person may try to look for an alternate group that would run into the individual’s needs for love, attending and sense of belonging. Other interpersonal demands, which if achieved will do an single satisfied and hence more affiliated to the group include credence, grasp, love, honestness, regard, support, trust apprehension, consideration, community among others ( Marshall, 2001 ) . When the group fail to run into these demands, person will experience disgruntled with the group and finally detach oneself from the group. Alternatively, they may place with a subdivision of the group that meet the demands. Erving Goffman’s Impression Management Harmonizing to Erving Goffman’s feeling direction ( IM ) theory, persons or groups may pull strings the perceptual experience of others by picturing an feeling that will arouse the coveted end ( Solomon, Solomon, Joseph, A ; Norton, 2013 ) . The feeling will so look to the mark audience as the world and will last until such a clip that the person or group win in or fails to vibrate with the group. When a lazy and chesty member joins a little group, the person may dress neatly and talk with courtesy to make an feeling that the individual is good organized and mannered. Sometimes, they may suggest at how good connected they are, to give an feeling of how resourceful they are. These will represent look behavior that earns them admittance to the group on history of the feeling created ( Solomon et al. , 2013 ) . Once an insider and have got used to the members, or is non welcomed wholly, the same individual may now speak impolitely or non care much about their garbs. This constit utes offstage behavior. The audience here are the group members, and the histrion is single. Decision To reason, assorted theoretical point of views have a different anticipation of how single will react in a little group puting. Overall, interpersonal relationship among the group members and the group every bit good as feelings created are some of the chief forecasters of behaviors in a little group puting. Mentions Aksan, N. , KAÂ ±sac, B. , AydAÂ ±n, M. , A ; Demirbuken, S. ( 2009 ) . Symbolic interaction theory.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,1( 1 ) , 902-904.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042809001633 Becker, H. S. , A ; McCall, M. M. ( Eds. ) . ( 2009 ) .Symbolic interaction A ; cultural surveies. Chicag. University of Chicago Press.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.co.ke/books? hl=en A ; lr= A ; id=EgDM_zn7EZYC A ; oi=fnd A ; pg=PP2 A ; ots=lkrdUPLJp1 A ; sig=mI-PrBO7U-jVr9lwnzrskgos2c0 A ; redir_esc=y # v=onepage A ; q A ; f=false Boeree, C. G. ( 2006 ) .Abraham Maslow. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.lake.k12.fl.us/cms/lib05/FL01000799/Centricity/Domain/3306/Abraham_Maslow.pdf Marshall, S. K. ( 2001 ) . Do I affair! Construct proof striplings perceived mattering parents and friends.Journal of adolescence,24( 4 ) , 473-490. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.researchgate.net/profile/Sheila_Marshall/publication/222855213_Do_I_Matter_Construct_validation_of_adolescents_perceived_mattering_to_parents_and_friends/links/00b7d51b63539337a5000000.pdf Scheff, T. , Stanko, E. A. , Wouters, C. , A ; Katz, J. ( 2002 ) . How Emotions Work.Theoretical Criminology,6( 3 ) , 361-380.Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //tcr.sagepub.com/content/6/3/361.short Solomon, J. Solomon, , Joseph, N. L. , A ; Norton, S. D. ( 2013 ) . Impression direction, creative activity and fiction in societal and environmental coverage: Penetrations from Erving Goffman.Accounting, organisations society,38( 3 ) , 195-213. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //wrap.warwick.ac.uk/2681/1/WRAP_Spencer_oatey_073125-cal-290110-spencer-oatey_jop07.pdf .