Islam Is It Like Other Religions - 2020 Words

Running head: ISLAMIC RELIGION Islam Is It like Other Religions? Samantha Reitz DeVry University Out of the 6.974 billion people that live in the work about 2.1 billion practice Christianity, 1.5 billion practice Islam and lastly 14 million practice Judaism. Islam is an Abrahamic religion that is articulated by the Qur’an a book consider by its followers to be the word of God. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world s largest Muslim community is in†¦show more content†¦Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one s capital. The fast is the fourth pillar and refers the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations (Islamic bulletin, 2009). Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nu rsing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, Muslims must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast and to observe the prayer from puberty, although many may start earlier. However, the fast is most beneficial to their health, and it is considered as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one s spiritual life (Islamic Bulletin, 2009). The last pillar pilgrimage is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj, which is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it (Islamic Bulletin, 2009). The annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year. Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class andShow MoreRelatedIslam, Like Christianity, Judaism And Other World Religions,1076 Words   |  5 Pages Islam, like Christianity, Judaism and other world religions, varies in its interpretations, rituals and practices. It is true that Muslims share certain fundamental beliefs, such as those expressed in the shahadah, the profession of faith: there is only one God and that Muhammad is His Prophet to whom was revealed in the Qur’an (The University of Texas, Muslim Histories and Cultures, 2009). These writings to Islamist believers are their most sacred writings. Islamic culture inherited an ArabRead MoreChristianity, Islam, And Judaism1636 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity, Islam, and Judaism All three religions believe and worship the same God but they do it in different ways. Judaism happens to be the oldest religion today but they don’t have an official creed. They aim to teach you about God, the Messiah, human beings, and the universe which makes Jewish beliefs very important to them. But it is important to understand that being Jewish is more of a race and culture than it is a religion. Some Jewish people may have no interest in Judaism. Judaism hasRead MoreThe Religion Of Islam And Islam1544 Words   |  7 Pagesand Islam are not exclusive and need not to be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings† (Barack Obama). For many decades, in most cultures, religious practice has been a controversial issue, because each religion competes demonstrating that their practices are the true path to God. Religious tolerance is very important because followers should be f ree to choose their own religion. Some religions areRead MoreIslamic Reform Since 9/111184 Words   |  5 Pages The religion of Islam garners large amounts attention. Many believe it is a violent and backwards religion. Since 9/11, Islamic reform has become an all-purpose phrase: equally a western impulse to protect itself from Muslim violence and a humanist notion aimed at assisting voiceless Muslims (Eteraz1). Extreme displays of Islamic faith such as the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11 have generated negative stereotypes about Islam as a religion. These stereotypes of violence and backwardsRead MoreDoes the Media Correctly Portray Islam? Essay861 Words   |  4 Pagesrecent survey, a television network randomly asked people what came to mind when they heard the word Islam (Boston Globe 2005). The majority of the responses were 9/11, terrorists, suicide bombers, Saddam Hussein, and other things along those lines. This may have reinstated the opinions of those who thou ght poorly of Islam, and already believed it to be a United States hating terrorist religion. Now I see these fallacies even more clearly because I too had similar beliefs; but after taking a courseRead MoreUnderstanding Islam1309 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Understanding Islam† by Kenneth Jost, pg. 172 – 176 Islam is an ill-perceived religion throughout most of the Western world. Once known as a quiet and peaceful religion, the general perception of people from other religions and most of the world upon Islam is quite distorted. Ever since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, an influx of discrimination and prejudice towards Islam and Muslims has spread throughout the world. In â€Å"Understanding Islam,† by Kenneth Jost, an article aboutRead MoreCulture Within The Islamic Religion1290 Words   |  6 Pages Culture within the Islamic Religion Culture is the common uniting factors that a community shares. It includes values, customs, habits, thoughts that guide members of the society. Culture can also be defined as practices and knowledge that is transmitted to the generation by social interactions between members of a social community (Pohlong 1). It differs from community to community. The purpose of the essay is to relate and differentiate culture from religion, especially the Islamism andRead MoreJudaism, Christianity, And Islam1052 Words   |  5 PagesAubrey Fletcher 3/9/15 Humanities Professor Michaud 417868 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam There are roughly 4,200 different religions in the world today, among them the largest are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions are more similar then one would think. Christianity is the largest religion in the world with 2 billion followers and are called Christians. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with 1.3 billion followers. They are called Muslims, which means â€Å"one whoRead MoreChristianity And Its Impact On Society1653 Words   |  7 PagesReligion has been present in our society since the beginning of civilization. There’re many different religions across the world today, all of which consist of different belief systems and ideals. Some focus more on behavior and good deeds, while others focus more on the cultivation of spiritual and moral character. In particular, Christianity and Buddhism seem to focus more on the good behavior of the believers. Although they have different views on Gods and the creation events, the foundation Read MoreReligion Beliefs And Religious Beliefs868 Words   |  4 PagesReligion beliefs There are a lot of beliefs and religious thoughts that everyone believes in according to their religion. So, the world includes a lot of religions such as Catholic, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Buddha but the most popular two religions are Islam and Catholic. Religion is a basic thing in a person life. Anyone in the world should follow what his family is following with religion, like my family they are Muslim, So, I should follow what my family is following but I have a friend his

The Sirens Of Titan By Kurt Vonnegut - 1940 Words

The Sirens of Titan The book I chose for my third book report is â€Å"The Sirens of Titan, a 326 page novel by Kurt Vonnegut. I chose this book because initially the synopsis caught my interest and I had heard a great deal about the writing of Vonnegut although, I had never actually read any of his works. I thought, based on the theme of the story, that it would be an interesting read; despite my tendency to read books outside of the science fiction genre, I figured I would try something new and give this book a chance. The title is a peculiar one to me seeing as the story hardly addresses the â€Å"sirens† in full, let alone gives enough significance to them to be worthy of the title. The sirens are only brought up on occasion and do not add anything too vital to the story. I only have the vaguest of ideas as to why Vonnegut would select this as his title. All I can interpret from it is that it s a reflection on how the protagonist cares for only insignificant and petty things like wealth and attraction rather than any imperative and genuine world issues. The story takes place in the 22nd century on the planets of Earth, Mars, briefly on Mercury, and on Titan, the moon of Saturn. The story centers around Malachi Constant, a rich, egocentric, young man with twisted morals who has had everything in his life handed to him. He cares little for the welfare of others and this is exemplified throughout the duration of the entire novel. The other main character is the antagonist,Show MoreRelatedThe Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut1147 Words   |  5 PagesOver the course of Kurt Vonnegut’s career, an unorthodox handling of time became one of many signature features in his fictional works (Allen 37). Despite The Sirens of Titan (1959) being only his second novel, this trademark is still prevalent. When delving into science fiction, it is often helpful to incorporate ideas from other works within the genre. This concept is exemplified by the â€Å"megatext,† an aspect of science fiction that involves the application of a reade r’s own knowledge of theRead More True Happiness in The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut and Hans Weingartners The Eduakators2266 Words   |  10 PagesTrue Happiness in The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut and Hans Weingartners The Eduakators A large parcel of the population has as their ultimate goal in life achieving well-being. Unfortunately many try to achieve it through the wrong means. For instance, in The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut, Malachi Constant thinks he is truly happy, but what he really does is fulfill his hedonism, satisfy his shallow needs, without truly searching for a higher form of well-being. Not only does aRead MoreThe Role of Religion and Morality in Cats Cradle Essay959 Words   |  4 PagesCradle As an author, Kurt Vonnegut has received just about every kind of praise an author can receive: his works held the same sway over American philosophy as did those of Jack Kerouac or J.R.R. Tolkein; his writing has received acclaim from academics and the masses alike; and three of his books have been made into feature films. Society has permanently and noticeably been altered by his writing. Through accessible language and easily-understood themes, Vonnegut has created works subtle,Read More Kurt Vonnegut Essay2033 Words   |  9 PagesKurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is a contemporary American author whose works have been described by Richard Giannone as comic masks covering the tragic farce that is our contemporary life (Draper, 3784). Vonneguts life has had a number of significant influences on his works. Influences from his personal philosophy, his life and experiences, and his family are evident elements in his works. Among his comic masks are three novels: Cats Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, and God Bless You, MrRead MoreEssay about Uniformity and Deformity in Harrison Bergeron946 Words   |  4 Pagesthis essay, I will attempt to explore what Kurt Vonnegut illustrated in his short story Harrison Bergeron--the fact that uniformity (of any kind) leads to the loss of individuality, and therefore to absolute deformity of humanness. The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal, the story begins. They werent only equal before God and the law. They were equal in every which way. (Vonnegut 1968:7) In this haunting story, Vonnegut probably wanted to warn our society of similarRead MoreKurt Vonneguts Tragic Path to Success1128 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Vonnegut, was born on November 11, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana, to American-German parents Kurt Vonnegut (Sr.), and Edith Vonnegut. Vonnegut had an older brother, Bernard and an older sister, Alice. Vonnegut graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis in 1940 and went to Cornell University later that fall. Though he majored in chemistry, he was Assistant Managing Editor and Associate Editor of the Cornell newspaper. While at Cornell, Vonnegut enlisted in the United States Army. TheRead More Kurt Vonnegut as Social Critic Essay2383 Words   |  10 PagesKurt Vonnegut as Social Critic   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Those who write on the human condition are often philosophers who write with convoluted language that few can understand. Kurt Vonnegut, however, focuses on the same questions, and provides his own personal answers with as much depth as that of the must educated philosopher. He avoids stilted language typical of philosophers, using shorter sentences, less complex vocabulary, humorous tangents, and outrageous stories to get his point across. With thisRead MoreDeath and Time in Slaughterhouse-Five823 Words   |  4 PagesDeath and Time in Slaughterhouse-Five We all wish we could travel through time, going back to correct our stupid mistakes or zooming ahead to see the future. In Kurt Vonneguts novel Slaughterhouse-Five, however, time travel does not seem so helpful. Billy Pilgrim, Vonneguts main character, has come unstuck in time. He bounces back and forth between his past, present, and future lives in a roller coaster time trip that proves both senseless and numbing. Examining Billys time travelingRead MoreKurt Vonnegut : First Generation German American Parents1213 Words   |  5 Pages1, 2017 Rough Draft Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 11, 1922. His parents, Edith and Kurt Sr. were third-generation German-American parents. Vonnegut was raised without any knowledge of the German Language. Edith the daughter of Albert Lieber, a millionaire and Indianapolis brewer while Kurt Sr. an architect. The only profound name on Kurt Sr, side was his great-grandfather Clemens Vonnegut, founder of Vonnegut s Hardware Store. Kurt Vonnegut graduated from ShortridgeRead More The Thought-experiments in Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five or the Childrens Crusade: A Duty Da3375 Words   |  14 PagesThought-experiments in Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five or the Childrens Crusade: A Duty Dance With Death In 1945 Kurt Vonnegut witnessed a horrific series of bombings that led to the destruction of the German city of Dresden, where he was taken as a prisoner of war. The controversial fire-storm raid, carried out by bombers of the Royal Air Force and US Air Force, took casualties of up to a quarter million people (Klinkowitz x-xi). As a prisoner of war, Vonnegut was forced to participate

Succubus Revealed Chapter 19 Free Essays

And so began my day in court. Despite Hannibal’s call for order, it was obvious that everyone was still fixated on Roman’s presence. I’d known nephilim were despised among greater immortals, but it wasn’t until today that the full scope of it hit me. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Revealed Chapter 19 or any similar topic only for you Order Now It shed new light on why Roman and his kind were often so obsessed with getting back at the powers that be. I wondered if it was good to have some of the attention taken off me or if I’d just doomed myself further by association. â€Å"So,† said Judge Hannibal. â€Å"You’ve got some kind of gripe with your contract. Join the club.† Low chuckles from the demonic spectators rumbled around the room. Roman cleared his throat, silencing the chuckles. â€Å"Your honor, we have more than a ‘gripe.’ We have evidence that Hell not only violated her contract but also drew up another under false pretenses.† â€Å"That’s absurd,† said Marcel. â€Å"We can’t examine everyone in the world’s contract. If someone else has a problem, they can have their own trial.† â€Å"The other contract is for a human who’s still alive,† said Roman. â€Å"He’s in no position to file a claim, and his was tied in to the paperwork that brought hers to court.† Hannibal waved his hands dismissively. â€Å"Well, we haven’t even proved there’s anything wrong with hers, so let’s settle that before we start doing favors for others.† â€Å"Can we see her contract?† asked Roman. â€Å"Doris?† Hannibal glanced over at the woman with the laptop. She produced a heavy, metal box from underneath her desk with what appeared to be a numeric lock. After first consulting her laptop, she punched in a long series of digits. Smoke seeped out of the edges of the box. A moment later, she opened it up and produced a long, ornate scroll. She glanced at the judge. â€Å"Copies?† â€Å"Yes, please,† he told her. Doris repeated the procedure a couple more times, and I leaned toward Roman. â€Å"How does this work?† I whispered. â€Å"Isn’t there some kind of order? Doesn’t the prosecution go first?† â€Å"Maybe in an American court of law,† he whispered back. â€Å"Here? Everyone just gets out their argument when they can, and it’s up to the judge to keep order.† It surprised me. Considering the obsession with details around here, I would’ve expected a certain amount of painstaking procedure. Then again, a survival-of-the-fittest method of pushing your case wasn’t that out of line with Hell’s ideologies either. Scrolls were obtained for the judge and lawyers. Even though it was a copy, I was still a bit daunted when Roman spread the scroll out before us on the table. This was it, the contract that had bound my immortal soul. One small decision with centuries of consequences. It was written in English, and I supposed Doris’s magic scroll copy box must have the powers of translation since the original had been in Greek. â€Å"May I direct your attention to section 3A,† said Roman loudly. In a softer voice, he added to me, â€Å"The rest is pretty much standard Hell legalese.† It was true. The scroll was so big, we couldn’t open it in its entirety. From what I could see, most of it was a painfully detailed description of what it meant to serve as a succubus and give Hell the lease on your soul. In their defense, there wasn’t much they’d left out. I hadn’t read the full contract at the time. Niphon had summarized the high points for me, but it was impossible to say they didn’t let you know what you were in for. Fortunately, those technicalities weren’t our concern today. Roman read aloud: â€Å"In exchange for ownership of the aforementioned soul (see sections 1B, 4A, 4B, 5B part 1, 5B part 2, and appendix 574.3) and services detailed below (see sections 3A, 3B, 6A-F, 12C) as performed by the contractee (henceforth called ‘the Damned’), the almighty Kingdom of Hell and its representatives do agree to the following: 1. Granting to the Damned of succubus powers described in sections 7.1A and 7.3A. 2. All mortals who were acquainted with the Damned in her human life shall have all knowledge of her erased from their memories, never to be regained, in accordance with standard memory loss procedures (see appendix 23).† Roman looked up at the judge when he finished reading. â€Å"Now,† said Roman. â€Å"I can read appendix 23 if you want, but the point is that Hell did not honor part of their agreement. Someone she knew when she was human – a mortal – remembered her.† â€Å"Why wasn’t this raised back then?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"Because it happened a couple months ago,† said Roman. â€Å"The person in question is someone with a reincarnation contract who was alive then and today.† â€Å"If this person was reincarnated, then the point’s irrelevant,† said Marcel. â€Å"It’s not technically the same person anymore. Therefore, the contract stands.† â€Å"Not according to addendum 764 of the Treatise on Humanity ,† said Roman. â€Å"According to it, all individuals – humans and lesser immortals – are defined by their souls. No matter what shape that being takes, the soul remains constant, as does the individual’s identity. I’m sure Doris can produce a copy if we need it.† Doris looked at Hannibal expectantly. â€Å"Don’t bother,† he said. â€Å"I’m familiar with the Treatise. Okay. Operating under the assumption that souls are constant and individuals are defined by their souls, what proof do you have that this reincarnated individual remembered the petitioner here?† I expected Roman to say something and then realized he was waiting on me. It was still hard to wrap my head around the idea of everyone just jumping forward and speaking. â€Å"He called me by my name, your honor,† I said. â€Å"My first human name from the fifth century. The one he knew me as back then.† â€Å"Had he ever heard it before – in this lifetime?† prompted Roman. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Did anyone witness this?† asked Marcel. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I see,† he said, managing to make me feel very small with those two words. His tone implied that it was a miracle we’d even made it this far on such flimsy evidence. â€Å"It’s okay,† said Roman. â€Å"Because we have more. This same reincarnated subject revealed under hypnosis remembering her in several other lives.† â€Å"Are there witnesses to that?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"We both witnessed it,† said Roman. â€Å"As well as an imp employed in Seattle. Hugh Mitchell. He was the one who actually performed the hypnosis, if you wanted to summon him.† I tensed. Hugh was certainly an airtight witness – seeing as he wasn’t the petitioner in this case or a creature despised by both Heaven and Hell – but my earlier apprehension for him returned. I didn’t know if he could get in trouble for providing key evidence. â€Å"We don’t need him,† said Marcel. â€Å"You and he witnessed the same thing?† I nodded. Marcel glanced over at the jury. â€Å"You can tell if she’s lying. Is she telling the truth?† Six heads nodded. I was surprised I hadn’t thought of this earlier. Angels could tell if mortals and lesser immortals were telling the truth. That was handy in a trial like this. I was also surprised Marcel was helping me out like this. â€Å"There you have it,† he said. â€Å"She thinks she heard the subject remembering her under hypnosis. We can assume this imp would believe it as well.† â€Å"Hey,† I argued. â€Å"There’s no ‘thinks’ about it. He did remember me.† Marcel shrugged. â€Å"If you say so. We can only take your word for it and what you think you heard. There’s no objective evidence to show that he remembered, therefore calling our part of the bargain into dispute.† â€Å"Oh, we can find the evidence,† said Roman. â€Å"The subject in question is also under contract. And the very nature of his contract contradicts hers. Can you bring it up, Doris?† Hannibal nodded his consent, and she turned to her laptop. â€Å"Name?† â€Å"Kyriakos,† I said, trying not to stumble over the word. â€Å"That’s what it was in the fifth century, at least. In Cyprus. Today he’s Seth Mortensen.† The judge arched an eyebrow. â€Å"I like his books. Didn’t realize he was one of ours.† â€Å"Well, he’s not yet,† I muttered. Doris meanwhile was typing away on her laptop, putting in the appropriate criteria. She must have found the right case number because she soon turned to the smoking metal box and produced three more scrolls. The copies were distributed, and a strange feeling crept over my skin as Roman opened this one, stranger even than when we’d viewed my own. Here it was. Seth’s contract. Kyriakos’s contract. It had existed unbeknownst to me all these years, subtly influencing my life. It had been made because of me. Roman again jumped to section 2, which was apparently consistent across contracts as far as what â€Å"the Damned† received. † ‘The Damned shall be granted a total of ten human lives, of which one has already taken place. The subsequent nine reincarnations shall occur in such times and places that he may be in proximity to the lover he believes is missing from his first life, in the hopes of reconciliation. Upon completion of the tenth life, the Damned’s soul will become the property of Hell, in accordance with sections 8D, 9A, and 9B.’ â€Å" Roman fell silent, a frown on his face. I too felt dismayed but didn’t think we shared the same reasons. Without Seth confirming anything, we’d been unsure if his soul was damned or not, regardless of his success in finding me. I’d half hoped that Hell had given him some fairy-tale challenge, that if he could find and reunite with me, his soul would be restored to him. That apparently wasn’t true. Hell had only offered him the chance to be with me. They’d given him no more than that. If we made amends, his soul belonged to them, the same as if we didn’t. Our romantic outcome made no difference. I wondered if he had bargained for more or had been so desperate and grateful for the chance to simply be with me again that he hadn’t even asked for more. Marcel smiled. â€Å"I see Letha mentioned nowhere in here. There was no violation of the terms of her contract.† â€Å"But obviously someone knew,† said Roman. â€Å"You must have a record of all of his lives. He’s encountered her in each one of them. So someone, somewhere made sure that part of the contract was fulfilled – his reunion with the missing ‘lover’ from his first life. Her. Whom he was supposed to forget, per the terms of her contract. They contradict each other.† Roman spoke confidently, laying his points out reasonably, but I could sense the uneasiness within him. I knew what the hanging point was – the same point Marcel had promptly jumped on. I wasn’t cited by name here. Somewhere, there had to be a record of it if Hell had managed to let Seth be reborn near me each time, but we didn’t know what that was. Hell certainly wasn’t going to help us find it. â€Å"It could be a coincidence,† said Marcel. â€Å"Maybe he met someone else in his first life whom he fell in love with, someone whom he lost young and continued to seek in the following centuries.† â€Å"Someone else who was immortal and would be alive for the next fifteen hundred years?† asked Roman. â€Å"That’s an awfully big coincidence.† Marcel looked smug. â€Å"Be that as it may, Letha is not mentioned anywhere in his contract. Everything’s circumstantial at best, with no proof that Hell entered into this under false pretenses.† A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I began attempting to unroll the scroll, seeking a very specific piece of information. There were so many sections, subsections, articles, and clauses, however, that I couldn’t make any sense of it. â€Å"Who drafted this?† I asked Roman. â€Å"Shouldn’t whoever brokered the deal be listed?† â€Å"Section 27E,† said Roman automatically. I paused to give him an incredulous glance. â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"What do you think I’ve been doing for the last week?† he asked, by way of answer. He helped me find the appropriate section, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the name I’d been hoping for. Just to be sure, I found the matching section in my own contract. Roman, spying what I had, immediately ran with it. â€Å"Your honor, these contracts were brokered by the same imp. Niphon. He had to have known they conflicted with each other. He had to have known that Letha was the lover Kyriakos was seeking.† â€Å"He didn’t ‘have to have known’ anything,† countered Marcel. â€Å"It could be a coincidence.† â€Å"Well, let’s get him in here and find out,† said Roman. Hannibal considered this for several seconds. I got the distinct impression that he most definitely did not want to summon Niphon, but some of the angels in the jury were regarding him expectantly. If this were truly a fair trial, with evidence laid neatly out, then there was no reason not to bring in a key witness like Niphon. â€Å"Very well,† said Hannibal. He looked over to the guy in the nice suit, the one who’d opened proceedings. I’d taken him for some kind of classy bailiff. â€Å"Go get him. We’ll call a ten-minute recess while you do.† Hannibal banged his gavel, and conversation buzzed as the bailiff hurried out of the room. I leaned toward Roman. â€Å"Niphon knows. He has to know. Did I ever tell you the full story of when he came to visit last year?† Roman had heard some of it but was very eager for a recap as I told the tale again. Niphon had shown up, ostensibly to deliver Tawny as our newest succubus. During his stay, however, he’d caused no end of trouble for me and Seth. He’d tried to drive a wedge between us, and indeed, some of his actions were what had led Seth to believe a breakup was better for us in the long run. Niphon had also tried to broker a contract with Seth in order for us to be together without the harmful succubus effects that occurred during sex. The cost would have been Seth’s soul, of course. I paused, thinking that over. â€Å"I understand the rest . . . him wanting to keep us apart. Hugh had said it was the sign of an imp trying to cover for some mistake – and this is a pretty big one. It makes sense he’d want to split us up and avoid discovery of the conflict. But why bother to make another deal if Seth’s soul was already under contract?† Roman’s eyes were alight with thought. â€Å"Because he could’ve done an amendment to the old contract and cleaned up the contradiction. Seth’s soul would have been resecured.† We had no time to analyze it further because the recess soon ended. Hannibal brought things to order and the bailiff returned – with Niphon. My stomach twisted at the sight of him, just as it had last time. Niphon always put me in mind of a weasel. He wore a gray suit, looking business-ready like all imps did, but had heavily pomade-slicked hair that took away some of his credibility. He had thin lips, small eyes, and an olive complexion. He also looked like he’d bolt if given half the chance. The screwup he’d tried to conceal was now being laid out. His escort led him to a witness stand near the bench. Niphon gingerly sat down, sweating visibly. I’d worried about Hugh being dragged into this, fearful of the consequences he’d face. Niphon was probably afraid of the same thing: being punished for helping my case. The difference was that Hugh would at least take some satisfaction out of assisting me. Niphon had no gain in any of this. â€Å"State your name please,† said Hannibal. The imp licked his lips. â€Å"Niphon, your honor. At your service.† â€Å"You brokered these two contracts?† asked Hannibal, indicating the scrolls Doris had just placed on the witness stand. Niphon made a great show of studying them. â€Å"I suppose so, your honor. My name’s on them, but it’s been such a long time. Makes it easy to forget.† I scoffed. â€Å"You seemed to remember last year when you were scrambling to cover your ass.† â€Å"Let’s keep this civilized and fair,† said Hannibal mildly. Really? I was the one being chastised for civility and fairness? â€Å"Did you know when you drew up Kyriakos’s contract that Letha was the one he was seeking?† asked Roman. Seeing Niphon squirm, Roman added, â€Å"And be careful about saying you ‘don’t remember.’ The angels in the esteemed jury will know you’re lying.† Niphon swallowed and cast an anxious look at the jury box before returning his gaze to Roman. â€Å"I . . . yes. I knew.† â€Å"And since you’d drawn up Letha’s contract, you knew that her terms required all those who knew her as a human to forget her. The fact that he was seeking her at all was a sign her contract had been broken. You weren’t able to keep him in a state of forgetfulness.† Niphon made a face. â€Å"He didn’t mention her by name. He only remembered that she was gone.† Roman smacked my contract hard. â€Å"The contract doesn’t specify to what degree she can be forgotten, just that she is. Period.† Sweat was practically pouring off Niphon in buckets now. He jerked one of the scrolls toward him and scanned it with his twitchy eyes. † ‘All mortals who were acquainted with the Damned in her human life shall have all knowledge of her erased from their memories. . . .’ † He glanced up. â€Å"This is a translation. I think the original Greek makes it clearer that only those from her human life forget her. Therefore, if he remembered her afterward, there would be no violation. Can we get a Greek copy in here?† â€Å"It wouldn’t matter,† said Roman. â€Å"Even if it does say that. We’ve already established that a soul defines a person’s identity across lives. Even now, he’s still technically someone from her human life, and he remembered. You were unable to uphold the contract.† â€Å"That’s hardly my fault!† Niphon exclaimed. It was unclear now if he was speaking to Roman and me or to superiors in the audience. â€Å"I made the arrangements for standard memory loss with her contract. I don’t know why it didn’t work. Yes, I knew he was her husband when I set up his contract, but I didn’t think of this in terms of contract violation. I was just securing another soul.† Marcel addressed the jury. â€Å"Is he telling the truth? He made the second contract out of ignorance and not malicious intent? By which I mean, no more malicious intent than is normally called for in these situations.† Some of the angels nodded, looking reluctant to do so. â€Å"It doesn’t matter if it was in ignorance,† said Roman. â€Å"That’s never an excuse for breaking the law. You messed up, and in doing so, you’ve invalidated both contracts.† â€Å"Come now,† said Marcel. â€Å"It’s not as though either of the Damned were that wronged. This technicality aside, she really was wiped from the memories of all she knew. And he got nine more lives. Nine more lives! We all know how rare reincarnation deals are. He got exactly what he asked for. He was even reunited with her. Hell has fulfilled these contracts as nobly as possible, and you can’t hold everyone responsible for one underling’s mishap that no one else even knew about.† â€Å"Oh,† said Roman, a predatory note in his voice. â€Å"I think others knew about the glitch. Others in much higher positions. Your honor, may I call another witness?† â€Å"Who?† asked Hannibal. â€Å"My father,† said Roman. â€Å"Jerome, Archdemon of Seattle.† There was a collective gasp among some, but whether that was from Roman acknowledging Jerome as his father or simply the summoning of such a high-ranking witness, I couldn’t say. Hannibal nodded. â€Å"Granted. Niphon, you may step down. Jerome, please join us up here.† Niphon couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He practically barreled into Jerome when they passed in the aisle. For his part, Jerome was sauntering along casually, as though all of this were beneath him and it was a great concession on his part to even show. He sat down, crossing his hands neatly in front of him and affecting a bored look. â€Å"Jerome,† said Roman. â€Å"Isn’t it true you knew about the connection between Seth and Georgina? Er, Kyriakos and Letha?† Jerome shrugged one shoulder. â€Å"I knew they were both contracted souls.† It was an answer worthy of an angel. Some of the truth, but not all of the truth. I half hoped some angel would call him on it until an unfortunate fact hit me. Demons could lie without detection. There was no way to prove he was telling the truth or not. â€Å"Did you know the terms of her contract?† asked Roman. â€Å"Of course,† said Jerome. â€Å"I do for all my employees.† â€Å"So you knew that the contract allowed her to be wiped from the minds of all those who knew her when she was human.† â€Å"Yes,† said Jerome. â€Å"And you knew that Seth was once her husband, with a contract that involved her.† â€Å"No,† said Jerome flatly. â€Å"I most certainly did not.† A lie, a lie, I thought. But there was no way to prove it. â€Å"If that’s so,† said Roman, â€Å"then why did you use Seth Mortensen to help retrieve Georgina when she was captured by Oneroi last year?† â€Å"I don’t remember the specifics of that incident,† said Jerome delicately. â€Å"Well,† said Roman, â€Å"if you need your memory refreshed, there’s an angel here who witnessed it all who can give us a recap. One I’m sure the jury won’t question.† Jerome’s features went perfectly still as Roman’s trap sprang open around him. Jerome might be immune to angelic truth detection, but anything Carter swore to seeing Jerome do or know would be held as gospel. Carter couldn’t lie. If he said Jerome had used Seth to rescue me, then everyone would believe it, regardless if Jerome continued to deny it. Seeing the futility of more cover-up, Jerome came clean. â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Those Oneroi.† â€Å"You used a human psychic to help retrieve her,† said Roman. â€Å"He had the power and the ritual but no way to actually find her in the void where the Oneroi were holding her. You suggested using Seth as a way to find her soul, and it worked. Why? How did you know that?† Jerome shrugged. â€Å"They were always mooning over each other. I figured if ever there was any merit in that true love nonsense, then we could use it to help us.† â€Å"That’s not what Mei said.† I took advantage of the conversational nature of the proceedings, my mind spinning with a long-lost memory. â€Å"Mei said it defied the odds and that no matter how in love we were, it shouldn’t have worked.† Jerome’s dark gaze flicked to something behind me, and I was guessing Mei was now enjoying the full force of his glare. â€Å"Georgina was trapped in the vastness of the dream world,† added in Roman. â€Å"One soul lost among dreams. For someone else to reach her and call her back required a staggering connection, two souls with a tie that’s bound them through time.† â€Å"Please don’t get sentimental,† said Jerome. â€Å"It’s nauseating.† Roman shook his head. â€Å"I’m stating facts. Everyone here knows it’s true. Their souls had to have been bound for him to get to her, and you knew it, which is why you suggested using Seth. You knew about the contracts and their history. This wasn’t one small error confined to a bumbling inferior. You knew about it. And you knew there was a problem.† â€Å"Which is why you had Erik killed and initiated a transfer for me!† I exclaimed. Seeing Jerome sitting there so coolly, so uncaring . . . it drove home the truth. He had known all along what was transpiring with Seth and me, and what it meant. I’d never thought Jerome and I were friends, but it was startling to really accept just how much he’d been working against me in order to further Hell’s goals. â€Å"Oh, Georgie,† he said. â€Å"Always you and the melodrama.† â€Å"It’s not! We can get proof – â€Å" Roman put his hand on mine. â€Å"Not easily,† he murmured. â€Å"There’ll be no paper trail, I guarantee it. And it’s not relevant to this case right now.† I thought about kind, generous Erik, bleeding to death before my eyes. â€Å"It’s relevant to me.† Jerome let out a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"Is there anything else? Can I return to my seat, please?† The judge glanced between Roman and Marcel. Both men shook their heads. When Jerome was gone, Roman pushed the case. â€Å"Your honor, esteemed jury . . . we’ve provided more than enough evidence to show that her contract was not fulfilled. Through whatever mishaps, those from her human life did not stop remembering her. Per article 7.51.2 of the Soul Chronicles, Georgina’s contract is invalidated. She’s entitled to her soul back and the remainder of this life, free of Hell’s employment, per the section on damages and reparations in article 8.2.0. Likewise, Seth Mortensen’s contract is also invalidated because it was made under false pretenses. The imp who drew it up knew that it violated hers and knew that the very conditions of Seth’s – finding her and making amends – included a degree of remembering. It’s impossible for his to exist without contradicting hers. He too is entitled to the restoration of his soul.† â€Å"Your honor – † began Marcel. Judge Hannibal held up his hand. â€Å"Silence. I’ll make you a deal.† There was a restless shifting in the courtroom, an undercurrent of excitement. Demons loved deals and bargains. â€Å"Go on,† said Roman. â€Å"I’m willing to dismiss the case without a jury vote and grant that Letha’s contract wasn’t honored. I’m willing to give her all of the restorations outlined in article 8.2.0.† Gasps surrounded us. My eyes widened, and I turned to Roman questioningly. Was it as easy as that? I didn’t know all the details of 8.2.0, but by my understanding, if the contract was invalidated, I could return to Earth and live out the rest of my days as a human. In possession of my soul. It seemed too good to be true. â€Å"However,† continued Hannibal, â€Å"I don’t see enough evidence to support the releasing of this second soul. Your argument for it will be thrown out for being groundless.† â€Å"But it isn’t!† I cried. â€Å"If we don’t accept, then what?† asked Roman. Hannibal shrugged. â€Å"Then the jury can vote on the question of both contracts.† Roman nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"Can I have a moment to confer with my, um, client?† â€Å"Sure.† Hannibal banged the gavel. â€Å"Five-minute recess.† The spectators didn’t need to be told twice. This was huge. A soul getting released was not something that happened every day, nor was a deal like we were being offered. â€Å"What’s the catch here?† I asked Roman softly. He narrowed his eyes. â€Å"Well, I think Hannibal thinks he’s in danger of losing two souls and is trying cut his losses. Your evidence is pretty solid. Seth’s is too, though not quite as good – especially without Seth actually here. Still, Hannibal would rather let you go easily and ensure that he still keeps one soul in this mess.† â€Å"But if the evidence is there, then we should let it go to the jury. You just said it’s solid for Seth too.† â€Å"It is,† agreed Roman. â€Å"But here’s the thing that Hugh told me about these juries. All contract disputes are judged by half angels and half demons – for the sake of fairness. The angels will honestly vote with what they feel to be right. If the evidence was flimsy, they’d vote against you. It’s not worth it to them to get a soul free if the conditions aren’t honorable. The demons have no such morals. Jerome and Niphon could both openly confess to a conspiracy of conflicting contracts, and every demon on that jury would still vote against you.† â€Å"That’s not fair,† I said. â€Å"Georgina,† he said simply. â€Å"We’re in Hell.† â€Å"So what happens if it’s split? Do they go by the same hung jury procedures we know?† â€Å"A tie-breaking vote is produced. A thirteenth angel or demon is called at random, who then casts the deciding vote. If it comes down to that, then your chances simply fall to a 50-50 luck of the draw.† â€Å"Hence the bargain,† I murmured. â€Å"If I abandon Seth’s soul, I’m guaranteed my freedom.† Roman nodded. â€Å"And if you don’t, you may be consigning both of you to Hell.† How to cite Succubus Revealed Chapter 19, Essay examples

I. Critical Biography Essay Example For Students

?I. Critical Biography Essay J.D. Salinger is an American author who wrote thefamous novel The Catcher in the Rye. It was written in1951, (encyclopedia, Pg. 60). It ranks as a minorclassic. This story is popular among American highschool and college students. Salinger was born in NewYork City in 1919. His full name is Jarome DavidSalinger. Salinger has written several other books inhis life. Salinger wrote some later fiction thatcentered on the Glass Family. These books includedFranny and Zooey, Rise High the Roof Beam, and Carpenterson Seymore. He writes extremely comical books. II. SynopsisThe book The Catcher in the Rye, was aninteresting novel. It includes a teenage boy namedHolden. Holden just got kicked out of a prep schoolnamed Pensey, because he did not keep his grades up. Heknew he was going home that next week. One night a fewdays before he was getting sent home he left the school. He really had no idea where he was going. He couldnt gohome because he wasnt sure whether his parents knew hewas kicked out of Pensey or not. First off he goes to ahotel to stay. He had many experiences that night. Oneexample was when he had a prostitute in his room at oneminute and was getting beat up the next. Needless to sayhe had some bad experiences that night. He was in searchof self-understanding and the meaning of life. Holden istrying to decide what to do with his life and where togo. He finally goes home to see his sister, with whom hefeels close to. He thinks of going west and being adeaf-mute. When he is all packed up to go, he leaves anote with his sister at the school. She meets him andtells him that she is going with him. He tells her no. Then he realizes that the idea of this trip wasunrealistic. He goes home and sees his parents. Hisparents enrolled into another school.III Analysis of the ThemeThis story teaches a good lesson on how to deal withsituations in life the right way. In this story Holdenruns from his problems to make them better. I saw allthe trouble that it got him into. First he should havestayed in school or at least gone home to face hisparents after he was kicked out. Holden was in search ofhimself. He wanted to see what he could do or be. Hewent about it all the wrong way. He should have appliedhimself at the first school that he went to and preventso many problems. Then he would go further quicker. Ilearned not to run from your problems because they willalways catch up with you. IV. CharacterThe main character in this story is Holden. He isa teenage boy that is having a hard time staying inschool. He is not the conceited type or the really shytype. He was really confused and had no idea whatdirection his life should follow when he went to PenceyPrep. He had to find out who he was on his littleadventure when he left Pencey. It seemed like everythingdepressed him. He really learns fast. In about two dayshe went from wondering where he was going to get it allback together. He realized who and what was important tohim. He is a pretty smart and level headed guy. Helearned quite a bunch on this little adventure. He hada different way of looking at things than most people. Everything is really depressing to him. The mostimportant person in his life is his sister. He had afew girlfriends along the way, but he did not know how toget along with them very well. .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .postImageUrl , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:hover , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:visited , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:active { border:0!important; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:active , .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u05904a27cd22b2412ca1b744e931d4fc:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Metamorphosis: Shape and Form EssayV. ConclusionThis was a really good novel. It is the type ofbook that once you pick it up you cannot put it down. Ithas many good characters in this book. The values inthis book are great. It has valuable lessons in it. Itrelates to many teenagers. That is probably why it ispopular among high school and college students. I wasreally impressed by and enjoyed this book. I definitelysee why it is on the list. I would recommend this bookto all my friends. This is one of the best books that Ihave read. This has many life lessons in this book thatI can relate to. The lessons in this book will reallyhelp me later in life.I really enjoyed The Catcher inthe Rye.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Essay Example

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Paper Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a powerful figure in nineteenth century America. He is considered to be one of the most influential writers of this time. There are many reasons for the popularity and significance of Longfellows poetry. The most evident is the manner in which he uses the gift of effortless rhyme. He writes poetry with a natural grace, read or heard once, his rhyme and meters cling to the mind long after the initial sense may be forgotten. No other American poet has so penetrated the general consciousness of the entire English speaking world as is apparent through the way that he uses common themes which appeal to all kinds of people. To first understand the unique genius of Longfellow and the way he created his writings one must learn a little about his life. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland Maine; he grew up of modest means and was exposed to the conditions of everyday life. His first major achievement in his litaray career was his accepentce to Bowidian College at the age of 14; he stayed there for a few years and graduated in 1825. We will write a custom essay sample on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow an American Writing Icon specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer After his graduation he went to further his study in Europe and then came back to America and accepted a position at Bowidian College teaching as a professor of modern language. After teaching for five years he once again returned to Europe to study and stayed for a year but once he returned he accepted a position at Harvard University and taught there for eighteen years. Many people who have been aquatints with Longfellow agree that he was â€Å"such a thoroughbred gentleman, in his everyday life that even the most timid were at ease in his company† (Moulton 386). While Longfellow was at college he became good friends with a man named Nathaniel Hawthorne. Longfellow was not only a gentleman in his social life but was a devoted husband to his two wives, both which ended in tragedy due to their untimely deaths. Longfellow grew up as your average child of the early nineteenth century with nature surrounding him. He saw the things that happened in everyday life people working and the changing of the seasons. His boyhood was spent mostly in his native town, which he never ceased to love, and whose beautiful surroundings quaint and pure, found its way into some of the main theme of his poems. Even though they varied a little they had the same overtone one of simplicity that any individual that picked up his writings could connect with and understand them. Many of his poems were derived from nature some of them consisted of â€Å"The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls†, â€Å"A Gleam of Sunshine† and â€Å"Autumn†. The next major influence in his poems was the integration of American history, including Indians, the ride of Paul Revere and the life of slaves. The last selection was that of everyday life the lessons, like â€Å"Something Left Undone† and â€Å"The Reaper and the Flowers†. The idea to incorporate common themes, of nature, American history and everyday life was a first and truly appealed to the readers. The subjects of Longfellow’s poetry are, for the most part, aspects of nature as influencing human feeling, either directly or through historical association, the tender or pathetic sides and incidents of life, or heroic deeds preserved in legend or history. He had a special fondness for records of human devotion and self-sacrifice, whether they were monkish legends, Indian tales or bits of American History. The reason for his choice of such familiar topics was to reach the general public and connect with them. All of the topics which he chose were easy to understand and were common occurrences in people’s lives at this time. The choice of topics such as waves in the ocean, a man working and the life of a slave were topics that the people related to and up until this time most poets wrote about European ideas, things that had no relation ship with the people who lived in America. He brought about the topics of Native Americans and their way of life, in the many poems of â€Å"Hiawatha†. The concept of these poems was to take the reader back into early America and show them what the life of an Indian was like, this captured the reader â€Å"With the Song of Hiawatha Mr. Longfellow has broken the silence compelled us to listen once again restored the legends by giving them zest† (Harris 447). When Longfellow used the topics of Nature in his poems, he connected with the reader and held on to him. He talked about the waves crashing on a beach and the sun shining through the sky in the poem â€Å"Milton†, when he wrote of these topics he knew that the people would connect for numerous reasons, the most evident are the commonness of the poems and the fact that many people in the world have already seen these events take place, sequentially the readers can relate. Readers response to his new way of writing were astonishing and it made him one of the most revolutionary poets of his time, some called him the father of modern day poetry. By writing poems that soothed and encouraged readers, Longfellow became the first American to reach such a wide range and create an interest in poetry. Many people agree that â€Å"The same gentle spirit which characterized his writings showed itself also in the manners of man† (Moulton 384). Longfellow on many accounts can be credited with the advance of poetry through commonality. The central thing that set Longfellow apart with his poems was that they â€Å"appeal to the sympathies, and falls within the comprehension of every reader† (Harris 479). The impact from his first poem collection â€Å"Voices of the Night†, achieved him almost immediate popularity among American and soon the whole English speaking world. With poems like â€Å"A Psalm of Life† and â€Å"The Light of Stars† he connected with the reader and they could not wait for more. â€Å"So when storms of wild emotion/ Strike the ocean† (Longfellow 1). The vivid picture that this sentence embodies shows the manner of which Longfellow would write his poems. He wanted the reader to see and feel the poems not just sit and listen. Throughout his poems Longfellow’s use of imagery is always evident weather talking about the Native Americans or describing nature. â€Å"The poetry or Mr. Longfellow is marked by a very vivid imagination, great susceptibility to the impressions of natural scenery†¦. and the feelings of the human heart† (Harris 471). This use of imagery allows him to connect with the reader and show him the world. The setting for his poems were simple, they were of a common place like a work place a house or a forest. This idea for a common place to set his poetry was so that all his readers could relate to the poems. Even though his choice of setting was not extravagant his poems still captivated the world through his vivid description. In the poem â€Å"Milton† Longfellow describes the scene of him walking on the beach â€Å"I pace the sounding sea-beach and behold / How the voluminous billows roll and run / Upheaving and subsiding, while the sun / Shines through their sheeted emerald far unrolled† (Longfellow 1). With this description most of the people were able to relate and for this reason, his poems became started a sensation. The subjects in his poems have a deep connection with the story; through this the reader feels an attachment to the story. His way of writing makes it feel as if the story is taking place right in front of your eyes. â€Å"In his lodge beside a river, / Close beside a frozen river, / Sat an old man, sad and lonely. /White his hair was as a snow-drift; /Dull and low his fire was burning, / And the old man shook and trembled† (Longfellow 1). Through way Longfellow describes a scene makes it life like and in turn captures the reader. Longfellow uses many key literary elements in his poems to evoke the reader’s response it is said that â€Å"He had a knack for expressing commonplace thoughts very memorably† (Derbyshire 3). The most obvious tool that he used was his natural, masterful gift of rhyme; his poems flowed with ease and made a lasting impression on the reader. One of his most famous poems to use this gift was â€Å"The Song and the Arrow† â€Å"Long, long afterward, in an oak/I found the arrow, still unbroke; / And the song, from beginning to end, /I found again in the heart of a friend† (Longfellow 1). This use of rhyme so simply captivates the reader and makes him read on. The second most evident implement that Longfellow uses is meter. Longfellow was famous for using meters that had never, or hardly ever, been used in English poetry before. In the introduction to The Song of Hiawatha is one of his most famous examples, using the same metre,Should you ask me,/ whence these stories (Longfellow 1) for many lines, and all going to prove that there is a reason for this to capture an audience through a new way of writing. Through Longfellow’s unique approach to writing that captured the whole English speaking world, it is said that he is one of the most influential writers of the nineteenth century. He was the first to use native topics about our heritage and things that people of the time can relate to. Not only did his writings captivate the reader’s when they first came out, they still do to this day Through the themes which his poems imbed that evokes the feelings of the many readers of his poems it is evident that, no other American poet has so penetrated the general consciousness of the entire English speaking world as apparent through the way he uses common themes which appeal to all kinds of people. Works Cited Derbyshire, John. â€Å"In the Bivouac of Life: Longfellow and the Fate of Poetry† Literary Criticism by John Derbyshire. December 2000. ;http://www. olimu. com/journ alism/Texts/Criticism/Longfellow. htm ; Harris, Laurie Lazen . (1982). â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. Nineteenth- Century Literary Criticism Vol. 2. (468-492) Moulton, Charles Wells. â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. Moultons Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors through the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Vol. IV. Abridged, revised and with editions by Tucker, Martin. New York, F. Ungar Pub. Co. 1966 4 v. (27-45) Moulton, Charles Wells. â€Å"Henry Wadsworth Longfellow†. The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors Vol. VII. Buffalo New York, The Moulton Publishing Company. Longfellow, Henry. All poems of the poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Poem Hunter 4/23/2007. http://www. poemhunter. com/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/.

The Five Major Battles.

The Five Major Battles. Ypres-Canadian soldiers were sent to help protect the Western Front after training inEngland-They reached the Western Front in February 1915-They joined French-Algerian troops in the trenches near the town of Ypres-April 22, two months after arriving, Germany choose Ypres for the first gasattack ever-They set off 5730 cylinders of chlorine gas-The gas killed 6037 Canadian soldiers-The soldiers still stood their ground-Little land was gained by the GermansPasschendaele-Douglas haig (British general) determind to break through the german front-Launched a disastrous drive across Belgium (1917)-Canadian Corps prepare for capture of Passchendaele-4 million shells destroyed dams and drainage systems-German on high ground above the battlefield-Canada lower ground-Barely any germans get hit (Canada had bad aim)-Fighting stopped on Nov. 15-Brits gained 6km-Canadian casualties stood at 15, 654-9 soldiers were awarded the Victoria CrossCanada's Hundred Days-Allied troops try to get back the Fre nch and Belgian land, which was taken byGermany-They started August 8th, 1918-Canada gained 130km of land-By that time Germany's army was about to collapse and ready to talk terms ofpeace-That same day the armistice ended the war-World War 1 ended November 11th, 1918, which was the end what is known asCanada's Hundred DaysThe Battle of the Somme-(1916) German army began pressing the French troops hard at VerdunDouglas Haig-decided to go on the offensive and smash through the German lines (known asthe battle of the somme)-was slow to adjust to the new demand of trench welfare (countless allied liveswere lost in series of badly planned and poorly excuted battles alone the soome)-over estimatedthe effectiveness of the artillery barrage-Brit/French bombared German lines with 1.5...English: German prisoners of war on the march to c...

Social Learning Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Social Learning Theory - Essay Example This is the focus of Bandura's social learning theory. It is already noted that Bandura was responsible for the bobo doll studies, where an egg-shape balloon with a weight in the bottom was used, which bobbed up once knocked down (Rosenstock, et al., 1988). The experiment suggests that children imitated what was done on the doll (hitting, punching, and shouting at it) without waiting for any reward. This is where social learning theory is based, an observational learning or modeling (ibid). It suggests that both the environment and psychological factors create a kind of behavior that an individual acts upon. It states that individuals, especially children, learn and act according to what they see in the environment, which are based on imitation. They become socialized within such environment, pursuing a modeled behavior. It is then significant to point out that since children imitate values, actions, and social behavior modeled to them, it is thus, better that these actions and values are good and correct in order for them to act as val uable social beings. The social learning theory has a continuous reciprocal interaction among behavioral, cognitive, and environmental influences. It points to us the relevance of observing and modeling in order for an individual to imitate a perceived appropriate social behavior. It has extensively been applied to understanding aggressive behaviors and how an individual may be influenced to trail the path of aggression. The two teens who have shot and killed a tourist at an interstate rest area are said to have modeled a behavior on their environment, which is aggressive and geared toward taking the act lightly. Hence, the two teens have certainly seen this action as "cool" and "not a big deal," which likely emphasizes the same environment in which they function. It was not an overnight behavioral learning, but did require certain forms of modeling, which they perhaps acquired from watching violent television shows, playing violent computer games, being engaged in gang riots, reinforced by frequent liquor intake and prohibited drugs. Their environment signifies that such action may be committed and gotten over with quickly, in which they are unconscious of the consequences. The two youngsters themselves are representations of their own environment in which they model violent and decadent behaviors. Just like the bobo doll experiment in which the children who participated did the same unlikely acts d emonstrated to them on the doll without thinking if the act is correct or otherwise, the two teens did the act out of a modeled behavior. This modeled behavior was not just simply acquired from a pigment of imagination, or out of a queer idea, but from the same modeling, which they have been seeing around and in which they were frequently exposed to. Moreover, they are active players in this environment. The imitated behavior may in fact did not allow the teens to analyze if the act of killing the tourist was right or wrong, having internalized the behavior in their own confederates and even the mass media - which support the behavior and which they perceive as normal (if not bad) and "cool" among adventurous people. Television commercials and computer games are few of the most pervasive examples of social learning situations nowadays.

How well trained teachers are in educational technology Research Paper

How well trained teachers are in educational technology - Research Paper Example nd and properly utilized with the use of technological devices such as laptops, projectors, iPads, slideshows, and various softwares amongst thousands of other devices and programs. Moreover, it is vital for students to be aware of how to properly utilize these devices to improve their educational learning and to enhance their understanding. This makes it further essential for teachers to be fully trained in using such devices and educational technology in order to facilitate the learning process (Mumtaz, 2000). As some teachers belong to older generations or some are technology-aversive, a large proportion of teachers have usually been found to be unable to properly use programs such as Microsoft Office, statistical software, and technological devices such as computers and projectors in general. Therefore, while it is important to judge how well teachers are able to communicate with students, nowadays, it is also just as important to judge whether they can use information technology effectively (Mumtaz, 2000). This study aims to analyze and determine whether teachers belonging to higher education institutes are able to properly use educational technology (computers, projectors, microphones, and software) to facilitate the learning process and how well-equipped these teachers are in the use of this technology. The study will focus on the teachers of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) in the local area and determine how these teachers are in the use of information technology and educational technology. The study will then aim to analyze the data on local teachers’ technology competence reasons and will aim to compare and it with previous literature regarding teachers’ competence in information technology. The participants of the study will include male and female teachers between the ages of 21 to 60 employed at BISD. Five teachers will be chosen from each school through random stratified sampling. A total of six teachers will be analyzed for

A Career in Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Career in Accounting - Assignment Example The stockholders suffered in untold misery because the Enron executives acted maliciously in cohorts with the auditors while the swindled investors of Madoff trusted overly in the financial statements which were twisted and distorted by the accountants of the alleged fraudster. In the international landscape, the recession started in the United States of America. First, it was the banking system. Then, the credit in housing mortgages crumbled and collapsed. The auto industry followed in the imbroglio. And well, if America sneezes, the world catches cold. All those could have been avoided by proper accounting and sound auditing. Accounting as a career plays a significant role in the world order because it embodies the most useful information system in any undertaking in all jurisdictions and in every kind of business.1 While accounting focuses on financial transactions which are micro, the collection of all data under it represents the ins and outs of economics which are macro. Owing to all these dynamics, accounting will continue to lead in the professional field and accountants will remain in demand in the job market. In the United States, what has led to the need for accountants and auditors is the federally legislated Sarbanes-Oxley law which has outlined stern rules on financial statements after the notorious corporate scandals that included Enron. 2 Where the demand is Aside from the new Sarbanes-Oxley statute repercussion, accountants continue to be in demand in the United States because of the increasing workload of the top audit firms.3 Educational and other requirements including the need for hard and soft skills The requirements for the credentials of an accountant depend on the position that has to be filled up. Generally, the average job requires an accounting course at the bachelor level. One of the best supplements to the normal college accomplishment is a master's degree or a special certification on knowledge of accounting and auditing software. A passer of a licensure examination for Certified Public Accountants will be a great advantage. Sufficient experience will also be a big plus.4 Skills in accounting and auditing are highly checked in the pertinent applications. Among these are: designing of internal control measures and analysis of financial information and computer programming, budget analysis and cost estimation, proficiency in loans examinations, tax verifications, collection, and general bookkeeping. Special skills in computer accounting programming, computer accounting software management and design, and systems administration are likewise highly sought. Pay range for accountants and auditors Average annual or yearly salaries for accountants and auditors as of May, 2006, vary according to the list sourced from the same report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics cited above, thus: accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services $57,020; management of companies and enterprises $55,560; local government $50,120; depository credit intermediation $49,380; and state government $47,200. In a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the usual initial remuneration that is offered for bachelor degree holders is $46,700.00 annually. For those with a master's degree, it is $49,200.00 per year. Basically, these pay rates are over and above the salaries for other professionals. Bright job outlook for the profession As earlier discussed briefly, there have been new developments which created impact and implications in accounting and finance. These things have re-shaped trends in the accounting career and the growing demand for accountants a

Laws of Concentration and Centralization: A Modern Review

Laws of Concentration and Centralization: A Modern Review Sourish Dutta Abstract Though the basic (late 1860s) Marxian model, under capitalist mode of production, assumes (more or less) perfectly competitive markets with a large number of small firms in each industry, Marx was cognizant of the growing size of firms, the consequent weakening of competition, and the growth of monopolistic power. Hence, capital has the inclination for concentration and centralization in the hands of richest capitalists. Actually, the concentration and centralization of capital are two capital accumulation techniques. Such concentration and centralization of capital can be clearly detected at this modern time—especially in the USA—in the massive occurrences of the mergers, acquisitions and conglomerates. In this assignment, henceforth, I will be trying to cultivate an analytical discussion about these two interlinked concepts and their implications and repercussions in this modern world of capitalism. Prologue The contemporary financial catastrophe of 2008 brings back the Marxian laws of concentration and centralization of capital in the modern form. They are often confused but must be clearly distinguished. Marx explained it most famously in chapter 25 of volume 1 of Capital. Though his dynamic intellectual exploration engrossed in the industrial capital, the same tendency holds with respect to financial capital in present scenario. With the increasing mass of wealth which functions as capital, accumulation increases the concentration of that wealth in the hands of individual capitalists, and thereby widens the basis of production on a large scale and of the specific methods of capitalist production†¦ It is concentration of capitals already formed, destruction of their individual independence, expropriation of capitalist by capitalist, transformation of many small into few large capitals. This process differs from the former in this, that it only presupposes a change in the distribution of capital already to hand, and functioning†¦ Capital grows in one place to a huge mass in a single hand, because it has in another place been lost by many. This is centralisation proper, as distinct from accumulation and concentration. In brief, by concentration we make out the upsurge of capital that is due to the capitalisation of the surplus value originated through accumulation of surplus value of labour. Indeed, increasing concentration of capital occurs as individual capitalists accumulate more and more capital, thereby increasing the absolute amount of capital under their control. The size of the firm or economic unit of production is increased correspondingly, and the degree of competition in the market tends to be diminished; under centralisation we understand the joining together of various individual capital units which thus form a new larger unit. Actually, more important reason for the reduction of competition is the centralization of capital. Centralization occurs through a redistribution of already existing capital in a manner that places its ownership and control in fewer and fewer hands. Marx maintained that larger firms would be able to achieve economies of scale and thus produce at lower average costs than would smaller firms. However, concentration and centralisation, influence one another. A great concentration of capital accelerates the absorption of small-scale enterprises by large-scale ones; conversely, centralisation aids the increase of individual capital units and so accelerates the process of concentration[1],[2]. Beside this, recent experience of financial crisis also conveys a new phenomenal dimension in the context of Marxian crisis in capitalist mode of production. This phenomenon gives rise to the doctrine of Too Big to Fail (TBTF)[3]. Rationale behind these laws The main logic behind these two laws of capitalism is the force of capital accumulation or the self-expansion of capital. Here we have to note two distinct concepts, namely, individual capital and social capital. Marx observes: The fact that the social capital is equal to the sum of the individual capitals (including the joint-stock capital or the state capital, so far as governments employ productive wage-labour in mines, railways etc., perform the function of industrial capitalists), and that the aggregate movement of social capital is equal to the algebraic sum of the movements of the individual capitals, does not in any way preclude the possibility that this movement as the movement of a single individual capital, may present other phenomena than the same movement does when considered from the point of view of a part of the aggregate movement of social capital, hence in its interconnection with the movements of its other parts. †¦Every individual capital forms, however, but an individualised fraction, a fraction endowed with individual life, as it were, of the aggregate social capital, just as every individual capitalist is but an individual element of the capitalist class. The movement of the soci al capital consists of the totality of the movements of its individualised fractional parts, the turnovers of the individual capitals. The self-expansion of individual capital is accomplished through the appropriation of surplus value by maximizing the rate of profit, while the movement of the social capital leads to the equalisation of rates of profit. Individual capital is a thing as well as a relation, and so is the social capital; moreover, the social capital denotes another dimension of social relation, namely, the relation between industrial, financial and commercial branches, and also between branches, sectors and departments of the productive system. Nevertheless, it is also to be noted that in a capitalist economy, state capital is an integral part of social capital. In juridical form, state capital is indeed different from private joint-stock capital, but its movements determine, and are determined by, the movements of social capital. Concentration The other name of self-expansion of individual capital is concentration of capital, according to Marx. It has nothing to do with the statistical concept of concentration ratio on the pattern of Gini, Lorenz or Atkinson. The concentration of capital in the Marxian sense is measured in absolute terms with reference to a single individual capital, without regard to the rest of the individual capitals; in other words, it is not a ratio of any two magnitudes. At one place Marx says that simple concentration of the means of production and of the command over labour is identical with accumulation, and at another he equates the rate of self-expansion of the total capital with the rate of profit. Every individual capital is a larger or smaller concentration of the means of production, with a corresponding command over a larger or smaller labour-army, says Marx. Every accumulation becomes the means of new accumulation. Clearly, by concentration Marx does not mean anything like the Gini coefficient or the Lorenz ratio. Now, accumulation is the prime mover of capitalism, and concentration increases with accumulation. Since the rate of profit is uniform throughout the economy, should every capitalist accumulate the entire profits (or equal pro- portion of profit) then each individual capital would grow at the same rate. In that event, there would be a continuous rise in the concentration of capital in the Marxian sense, but not so in the usual statistical sense. To put it differently, a constancy in the statistical concentration ratio does not imply a cessation of the Marxian concentration of capital. Movements of social capital tend to bring about equalisation of profit rate throughout the economy, but in fact profit rates do vary from one branch of production to another at any given period. Besides, as we know, one portion (of the surplus value) if employed as capital, is accumulated 13 and the portion of this plough-back may not be the same for every individual capita- list. A bigger capitalist accumulates a larger percentage of the surplus value appropriated by him. Hence, the rates of self- expansion of various individual capitals-that is to say, their rates of concentration-differ. If the bigger capital effects a higher rate of self-expansion, then the statistical concentration ratio would rise with the Marxian concentration of capital. With the rising concentration of capital a qualitative change takes place-the organic composition of capital goes up, and hence the rate of profit declines bringing in its trail a crisis which we shall take up for discussion below. [1] http://www.economictheories.org/2008/07/karl-marx-concentration-and.html [2]N.I. Bukharin: Imperialism and World Economy [3] According to some economists, when banks and finance corporations become too big, their failure has systemic implications, inflicting collateral damage on individuals who may have nothing directly to do with those banks or corporations. Governments then feel compelled to rescue these large entities in order to minimize the collateral damage, and the anticipation of such bailout promotes reckless behaviour.

The Influence of Self-Assessed Body Image on Confidence and Self-Esteem

Research in psychology today seems to be drawn towards particular fields of interest especially when it comes to understanding human behavior. One of the most common research topics for social psychology is body image and the perceptions that are related to age groups, genders, and ethnicities. Young people today are pressured by society to make physical appearance a dominant factor in their everyday lives, and the pressure is found not only through media influence but friends and family as well (Pavica, 2010). These pressures can affect many different aspects of a person’s life and significantly influence their actions. The aspects affected by body image can include popularity among peers, social comfort, and the attitudes an individual comes to commit to behavior (Lewis & Rosenblum, 1999). Studies of body image in the past have gained varying results as to the groups that are affected, as well as the amount of impact body image has with these groups. There has also been much debate over the validity of methods used to judge body image, and how well the measurements used actually correlate participants’ actual views of body image (Cash, Morrow, Hrabosky, & Perry 2004). Some factors that have led to this discrepancy in answers are questions that were framed to be more suitable to attain the attitudes of one gender over another. The initial studies of body image focused upon simply body shape which seemed to be more important to women, whereas body image affects were seen for men when questions of muscle definition were included into the questionnaire process (Ridgeway, & Tylka, 2005). This study hopes to gain a more in depth view of a demographic that is believed to put a great amount of focus on body image in the way the... ...ipong, Paul, and Heidi Burkey. "Body mass Index and Body Size Perception: A normalizing of overweight and obesity among diverse college students." Californian Journal of Health Promotion 9.1 (2011): 18-24. Retrieved from http://cjhp.org/Volume9-2011/issue1/18-24ratanasiripong.pdf Ridgeway, R., & Tylka, T. (2005). College men's perceptions of ideal body composition and shape. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 6(3), 209-220. Retrieved from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com Rosenblum, G. and Lewis, M. "The relations among body image, physical attractiveness, and body mass in adolescence." Child Development 70.1 (1999): 50-64. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00005 Seidah, Amelie, and Therese Bouffard. "Being proud of oneself as a person or being proud of one's physical appearance: What matters for feeling will in adolescense?." Social Behavior and Personality 35.2 (2007): 255-268.

Chemistry 1 Lab Report

Experiment 12: Calorimetry and Hess’s Law Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to determine the enthalpy of reaction for the burning of one mole of magnesium in oxygen. Although the reaction is exothermic, the ? HRXN will be determined by using calorimetry and then using Hess’s Law to manipulate the data collected to yield the answer needed. Procedures: Dillon, Stephanie. â€Å" Calorimetry and Hess’s Law. † Laboratory Manual. Pearson Publishing, 2012, pp. 168-177. Data and Results Part A Volume of cold water| 49. 9 mL| Temperature of cold water (in cup)| 23. 50 C| Volume of hot water| 49. 9 mL| Temperature of hot water(in cup)| 550 C|Part A Calculations Mass of cold water| 49. 9 g| Tf from graph by extrapolation| 34. 90 C| ?THW for hot water| -20. 1| ?TCW for cold water| 11. 4| qHW for hot water| -4196. 5 J| qcw for cold water| 2380. 1 J| qCal for the cup| 1816. 4 J| Ccup for the cup| 159. 3 J| Part B Description of sample| Metal fizzed when dissolved in H Cl| Volume of HCl| 100 mL| Initial Temperature| 220 C| Mass of Mg| 0. 1485 g| Part B Calculations Tf from graph| 50 C| Mass of HCl| 100 g| ?TCW for HCl| -2092 J| qHCl for solution| -204. 4 J| qCal for cup| -2296. 4 J| qRXN | -47594 J| ?HRXN for Mg| | NET REACTION: 2HCl(aq) + Mg(s)>MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)Part C Description of sample| | Volume of HCl| 100 mL| Temperature of HCl| 220 C| Mass of MgO| 0. 5052 g| Part C Calculations Tf from graph| 240 C| ?TCW for HCl| 1. 50 C| qHCl for HCl| 627. 6 J| qCal for cup| 61. 32 J| qRXN| 608. 92 J| ?HRXN for Mgo| 55469 J/mol| Net Equation: 2HCl(aq) + MgO(s)>MgCl2(aq) + H2O(l) Calculations: Conclusion: In this experiment we had to find the heat capacity of the calorimeter cup using two trials of hot and cold water. When we obtained the data after 10 minutes of recording 30 second intervals of the calorimeter cup temperature, we created a line graph to show the trend line. Read this Practice Test Chem 105With the trend line, we could figure out the final temperature and delta H in the process. With the equation we could find the heat of reation for hot water q HW = m c DTHW and using qCW = m c DTCW we could find the heat of reaction for cold water. By using |qHW| = |qCW |+ qCal, we can find the heat of reaction of the cup and multiply that by the change in temperature to find the heat capacity. After placing Mg into HCl and then the same thing with MgO, we could find the heat of solution of HCl with q CW = m c DTHCl.When we found the values of DHRxn for B and C we can use Hess's Law, which is shown in the calculations section. All the data is in the data section of the report. The percent error of Mg was about 30%. The actual value of Mg was 601200 J/mol and the experiment we obtained was 420611 J/mol. There could have been human error in order to obtain the results that could have accounted for the 30% error, although this is not so high. Also, the he at of formation we used was MgO(s) for the actual value, although in the experiment it was a gas. This could have also accounted for some error.

Canada is the Best Place to be essays

Canada is the Best Place to be essays Canada Is One Of The Best Places To Be To me, Canada is the best country in the world. There are plenty of opportunities to succeed here and have a great life. After many years of hardships and frustrations, my husband, my daughter, and I immigrated to Canada in 1996. We came here to escape the tyranny of the Romanian corrupt and vicious government and to build a better life in Canada. Some people think that the grass is always greener on the other side, and I agree. I had to go away in order to achieve my dreams. For me Canada is unique because I will be able to fulfill my dreams and build a better life for my family. My decision to move to Canada was largely due to the opportunities that this country has to offer. This is a great place to build a new career and gain valuable skills. Here are some of the reasons why Canada is the best place to be and work: it has a strong commitment to education, an enviable health system and a high standard of living. Education has two main goals: to give individuals the opportunity to develop themselves, and to provide society with the skills it needs to evolve in its best interests. Canada ranks among the worlds leaders for per capita spending on public education. Canada maintains this level of investment because it continues to generate healthy returns. Comprehensive diversified and available to everyone, Canadas educational system reflects the Canadian belief in the importance of education. Canadas health care system is the best in the world. The aim of the national health insurance program is to ensure that all residents of Canada have reasonable access to medically necessary insured services without direct charges. Life expectancy at birth in Canada is among the highest in the world. Canadas approach to multiculturalism was cited as a model for other countries. The country is often described as a cultural mosaic that encourages citiz ...

Evaluation of China as a business destination The WritePass Journal

Evaluation of China as a business destination Introduction Evaluation of China as a business destination IntroductionPolitical Factors:Factors influencing Business procedures:A few advantages:Weakness of the market for business:Economic factors:Taxes:Social and cultural factors: Cultural factors affecting business procedures:Technological Factors:BibliographyRelated Introduction China also known as PRC (People’s Republic of China) is the third largest country in the world. The country stands first with its population estimating to a 1,330,141,295 (1.3 billion) as of July 2010. China is also predicted to consume 29% of the world’s luxury goods by 2015 which precisely signifies the consumers spending ability. China has a high spending middle class even after the financial instability which makes it a prospective business destination. Beijing is the capital of China and Shanghai also known as the financial capital of the country is the largest city in China. Beijing, Shanghai, Guang Zhou, Shen Zhen is China foremost cities for business and commercial activities. Although China is one country by itself, due to the history and differences in culture in every province, this makes every province akin to small little countries that has different needs and wants. For example, there are different policies in certain provinces; also, due to the difference s in geographical area that is spreading horizontally throughout the globe and difference in weather, consumers from different provinces have different needs and wants. Thus, any firms that wants to enter into different provinces in China has to do a thorough research before entering and not taking granted by using the same entry strategies, knowledge and marketing efforts to enter into different provinces in China. Even though, new market entry is likely to boost a company’s revenue, productivity and profit, Market entry without proper analysis will be a costly experience for the company but a hasty decision to not enter may lead to loss of extensive profits and market shares (Hollensen, 2004). However, in our project, we will only be looking into Shanghai as it is the financial capital of the country and has the most robust commercial activities as compared to the rest of the china. Shanghai has been growing exponentially since the past few years and is expected to grow eve n more (BBC News, 2011). As Takeomega 3 is looking for international market, especially in China, we are here to explore the feasibility and attractiveness of Shanghai market using PEST analysis. Political Factors: China acts like a single unit where the Chinese communist party (CCP) governs all the political powers. The above map shows the different administrative zones of the country. According to Euromonitor International (2005a) there are three areas which threaten the political stability of the country. 1] Differences in the rich and poor areas in China: The tensions are growing between these two areas and also the government has to handle the separatist movements in Tibet, Xinjiang. (Euromonitor International, 2005a) 2] Unstable Pension system: The pension system in the country is on the verge of a breakdown. As of now only 6 out of 31 regional pension funds are solvent. (Euromonitor International, 2005a) 3] International issues with neighboring countries: There are issues with the neighboring countries like Taiwan on the basis of political belongings, and also issues with Hong Kong with pro democracy activists and with Japan on the topic of exploitation of natural resources (Euromonitor International, 2005a). These factors can lead to political instability which can hamper the market entry for our firm. Other factors that can be linked with issues relating to our market entry are issues like corruption in the country and the business entry procedures. Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index indicates China with a 3.2 index compared to 8.2 of Europe and 3.9 of Asia, corruption index being 1 as highly corrupt and 10 being the lowest. Factors influencing Business procedures: Some of the upcoming business destinations can be middle-east and emerging markets. It is important to consider the time taken to complete business procedures. The business procedures to enter the Chinese market are however a bit problematic. On an average it takes 12 separate procedures and 41 days to start a business compared to 9 procedures and 61 days to start a business in Middle East. Moreover the system is also strict in closing down the business. It approximately takes 2.6 years to close down compared to 1.8 years compared to OECD countries. To enforce a contract, 20 separate procedures and 180 days are required compared to 18 procedures and 213 days in OECD countries (Business monitor international, 2006a).Thus it can be seen, compared to other emerging business destinations China has a monotonous approach for business procedures. A few advantages: When it comes to do business overseas, it is essential to know the global reputation of the country or its market. There are institutions and governing bodies which help international trade. China being a member of the IMF (International monetary Fund), World Bank, Asian development Bank, General Agreements on Trade and tariffs and most importantly WTO (World trade organization) promote orderly and stable foreign exchange markets, maintain free convertibility among the currencies of member nations as well as reduce international barriers to trade and provide liquidity to counteract temporary imbalances in international finances.   This can be an advantage for our firm since it makes our target country reliable to carry out business (Jeannet Hennessey, 2004). Weakness of the market for business: In spite of these advantages China has been known for its weak IPR (Intellectual property rights) and has also been blamed by its previous trading partners for inducing price dumping strategies to overcome its competitors (Business monitor international, 2006a).There have been developments to protect IPR   since it became a member of the WTO however these laws have not been implemented that efficiently with fines still being imposed (Business monitor international, 2006a). This in turn can be hazardous for the business hence maintaining control on these things is of utmost importance to enjoy profits as well as keep the brand name established. To overcome these negative impacts on the firm and avoid counterfeiting the following steps can be taken: 1] To register the product and the logo in China, doing so will overcome the issue of counterfeiting the product by local manufacturers. 2] The next step is to get the product certified by the SFDA (State food and drug administration). Economic factors: China is undoubtedly playing as a primary engine of growth considering the role played by United States of America since mid 2003. Despite the financial crisis the global growth in emerging countries remain favorable. With China’s rapid start in 2010 economic growth is likely to slow down because of the partial normalization of the macro policy stance and some property measures. The GDP growth for 2010 as a whole is expected to be around 9.5% and 8.5% for 2011.But the advantage here is that the growth will be less investment driven and more because of external or foreign trade (World Bank group, 2010). The GDP of the Shanghai region individually is $450bn ( £225bn). Furthermore the Shanghai region along with the two neighboring provinces contributes to 30% of Chinas foreign exports and attracts 25% of all foreign investment into China (Schifferes, 2007).This makes it favorable for a firm to export Shanghai with increasing potential for profit margins. Shanghai has high numbe r of FDI’s rather than foreign loans moreover FDI are less risky compared to any other financing source. The country itself is still the largest receiver of FDI’s in the world (Business monitor international, 2006a). Inflation would remain in limit this year due to nonexistence of price pressures. Inflation is increasing but core inflation remains low (World Bank group, 2010).Active labor force comprises of approximately 737 million and unemployment rate is 3.6 %and is also expected to increase due to internal migration and urbanization (Business monitor international, 2006a). Moreover Shanghai is known for its sophisticated and affluent consumers and highly educated skilled labor force. By 2020, shanghai is expected to expand greater than New York in 1997 which was the richest city in the world (Schifferes, 2007). This is the reason why choosing Shanghai over any other cities in China is preferred. Taxes: China has decreased its import tariffs by 40 % since 1990.China has dual tax regime imposing different for Domestic and foreign firms more importantly the same in Shanghai.   Although the state tax rate for foreign companies can be reduced by 15% if the firms are located in special administrative zones (Business monitor international, 2006a). The standard rate of VAT is 17%. This is generally applicable on sale and import of goods. There is a reduced rate of 13% which is applicable for books and certain types of oils. Small sized businesses with a turnover of less than the legally defined limit pay 3% VAT (www.worldwide-tax.com, 2011). Social and cultural factors: The society in China and till a certain extent across the globe has come to a stage of â€Å"mistrust† due to the exaggerate claims in advertisement made by the merchants.   Consumers have lost confidence in nutritional products and find it difficult and confusing in believing and judging in one. At the initial stage, merchants advertise to create awareness amongst consumer about the quality of their products. The more advertisement it has, higher will be the sales they would be able to attain. However, too much advertisement brings about a question of quantity Vs quality. As many a times those claims made by the advertisement concluded to be false. Eventually consumers came to a stage where their mindset has changed. They have started to believe that consuming natural food itself is better than consuming processed food supplements. Furthermore natural food gives better results than the fake and over exaggerated food supplements â€Å"è  ¯Ã¨ ¡ ¥Ã¤ ¸ Ã¥ ¦â€šÃ© £Å¸Ã¨ ¡ ¥Ã ¢â‚¬ . This has led the Chinese government to impose strict laws in China especially Beijing and Shanghai in order to deal with the trust level in China’s market. Shanghai being the most crucial city for new businesses it is essential to deal with this matter in a thoughtful way in order to be able to sell your product and achieve brand recognition. Shanghai’s life expectancy has increased to that of the economically developed economies and figuratively is 75.18 and 79.21 for women (shme, 2011).   The average age is 25-59 years and is dominated by male population (Euromonitor International, 2005a). As of 2009, the per capita income was $6500 which has increased compared to previous years and is the highest in Asia (Datamonitor, 2010). The average per capita savings deposit among local residents had skyrocketed from 166 yuan in 1978 to 20,909 yuan in 1997 and has been still increasing (shme, 2011). This indicates decline in poverty which means increase in purchasing power of the consumer. This signifies a potential market. Statistics have shown that there is a growing market for health products (supplements) and demand mainly comes from 2 groups of people white collar consumer who face pressure and work in high risk profile companies and also employees that involve lots of entertaining work and consume very high cholesterol and carbohydrate enriched food like seafood and high protein food like eggs and also animals organs (which is highly popular amongst the Chinese). With development of Shanghai’s   economy, consumer now has higher income to pay and care about their health by purchasing these health supplement products and this precisely explained why the increasing growing trend of these products in the country. Increasingly, Chinese consumers are behaving like their counterparts in the developed world. They are more demanding and pragmatic than ever as their horizons expand beyond basic concerns about product features. Also, they are willing to pay for better value and quality and are spen ding more time researching and are exploring product nuances. Yet McKinsey’s 2010 survey of China’s consumers also found that they are blazing a uniquely Chinese trail. The country obviously offers some of the world’s biggest growth opportunities- but only for consumer product companies that understand and respond to this rapidly evolving marketplace. The floating population which means internal migrated population was recorded at 140 million in 2005. Due to urbanization a lot of population keeps migrating to the major cities like Shanghai and Beijing, which provide cheap labour but puts stress on the city infrastructure and most of the people remaining unemployed (Datamonitor, 2010).Adult literacy rate of Shanghai is 91.6% which signifies knowledgeable customers and more potential target market (Datamonitor, 2010).Although because of the one child policy there have been issues with ageing population. As a result it is expected to increase in forthcoming years and decrease in productive output and target consumers for the future (Datamonitor, 2010). Moreover Shanghai population has one of the highest savings rate in the world where people prefer to save more than invest due to cultural risk. This issue needs to be given a thought and dealt in productive manner since people don’t invest which indicates more liquidity in cash flows. Cultural factors affecting business procedures: Chinese consumers remain brand conscious but, unlike shoppers elsewhere, they focus on value so intensely that brand loyalty is often secondary. Since there are so many brands in Shanghai itself it becomes difficult for a consumer to choose and hence they opt for a product defining high value or comparatively low cost. The needs or interests of their families have greater importance for them than for their counterparts in the developed world. Word of mouth has become a more significant source of product information than it is elsewhere, thanks largely to fast-growing use of the Internet, which Chinese consumers see as a credible information source. Most intriguingly, though, Shanghai’s consumers prioritize purchases across different product categories by trading off among them: the Consumers maximize their buying power by spending more in the categories they care about most and less in others. Also, the trends in the target market keep changing depending on the local circumstances.   Chinese have a high context culture hence it is crucial to know the cultural background of the partner (Johansson, 2003). People from Shanghai mix emotions with business hence they value individualism and work towards economic welfare (Chen, 2004). People in Shanghai treat foreigners equally and laws are more stringent than any other parts of China (Chen, 2004). People in China more importantly in Shanghai are influenced by the packaging. Especially colors play an important role for example: red exemplifying happiness. Many companies that have struggled to find a niche in China may therefore now find a market for their products and attract partners. Conversely, companies that have relied on low-cost, low-quality business models may end up on the losing end of trade-off decisions and could require a shift to value Technological Factors: In recent years, American and Europe supplement products have taken a different and more innovative route by developing new design, new function, new way of consuming, new style supplement products. This knowledge has also been transferred to China through its financial capital Shanghai. This better and more advanced technology brings about better purity and quality and enhances the absorption capability in the body to take place. These occur in capsule, tablets and recently into liquid and concentrate products. These supplements are also offered in candy form, biscuit, can, vinegar and Mi Jian- dry preservatives fruits. Products that are targeting at low cholesterol, low fats and carbohydrates market are proven to be the most popular amongst all nutritional products. Products that are offered in herbal type like tea, protein, herbal plants, has the highest sales relatively. Thus the technical knowhow of manufacturing, packaging and other functions is well advanced in Shanghai (China ) and hence it can get difficult for a foreign company to keep up with the competition. Moreover RD spent in China is 2% in 2010 and is aiming to increase it to 2.5% by 2020 (Business week, 2006). Transportation network has improved immensely through the expressways. The length is 74000 km as of 2010. Moreover Shanghai is building the world’s largest container port at an island connecting with a six lane bridge to the city (Schifferes, 2007). This will provide assurance for safe and faster transportation of the products and prove beneficial not only for TakeOmega3 but its competitors as well. Bibliography BBC News. (2011, February 22). China Country Profile. 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