Scarlet Letter Final Exam: Expressions of the Transcendentalists

Victoria Clark Scarlet Letter Final Exam: Expressions of the Transcendentalists â€Å"Nobody knows this little Rose† by Emily Dickinson expresses how important a rose actually is to its environment and without the rose being of existence will affect the objects that are close to it. Dickinson goes onto say what is affected by the loss of the rose. Also in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne he emphasizes how when a situation alters that there is a different way of life that comes with it.Emily Dickinson and Hawthorne use change within an entity to utilize how it can affect the things closest to it. Dickinson uses a rose to express herself,†Nobody knows this little Rose†, to convey how important the rose is be to its environment when it dies. Dickinson says,7 ‘â€Å"Only a bee will miss it†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Dickinson line 5), this means that when the rose should die that the bee will not have somewhere to land to reap the pollen from the rose. Hawthorne u ses a black flower to emphasize what is growing upon Chillingworth’s heart. Hawthorne writes,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Let the black flower blossom as it may†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (119).The† black flower blossoming† is used to also indicate the evil growing upon Chillingworth’s heart and how it has an affect on the way Chillingworth’s deformity. The authors both use the colors red and black to create an image in the readers mind so that they understand what the colors red and black mean. The image that the red rose puts an image of love in some minds or how miserable the bee might be after the departure of the rose. The word usage that Hawthorne uses to describe the black rose gives the image of death, and the black flower that that was growing over Chillingworth’s heart would be the one that kills him.Dickinson goes on to say â€Å"’ Only a Bird will wonder’†(Dickinson line 9), this line represents how if the bird uses the rose to indicat e where food is, it will not be able to get food, and will wonder where the rose is and will have to find a new place to gather food. Hawthorne writes â€Å"’I will keep my secret, as I have this†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (53). As Hester and Chillingworth are talking to each other about who her child, Pearl’s father actually is, Chillingworth tells her to keep their connection a secret, along with the secret his true identity.Along with the other secrets, Hester makes a vow to herself that she will never tell anyone who Pearl’s father is. In addition, Hester keeping this secret throughout the book brings a burden upon her heart, as well as Dimmsdale’s. This colossal secret has makes Dimmsdale start to fast and beat himself with a scourge that is hidden in his closet. This change within Hester and Dimmsdale’s minds is affecting Pearl, Dimmsdale, Chillingworth and Hester’s lives. Dickinson and Hawthorne demonstrate how one minute secret or objectâ€℠¢s can change from the life of something or someone that is very close to it.Hawthorne says,†Ã¢â‚¬ËœSo speaking she undid the clasp that fastened the scarlet letter, and taking it from her bosom threw to a distance among the withered leaves’†(Hawthorne 138). As Pearl has gone off to play she dress herself up in leaves and makes a scarlet letter of her own and has placed it upon her bosom. While Dimmsdale and Hester discuss their lives, Hester has a sudden outburst of self-assurance and wants to give up the scarlet letter to be free from the bondage it has brought upon her and her relationship with her child, Pearl. Hawthorne goes on to say,†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Pearl’, look down at thy feet!There! – Before thee! – on the hither side of the brook! ’†¦ Bring it hither! †¦ Swallow it up for ever! †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(144). With the scarlet letter being off of Hester’s bosom Pearl does not recognize who Hester is, she sees her as if s he is a stranger because Hester has had the scarlet letter on her bosom since Pearl can remember. Pearl also thinks that the scarlet letter is a good thing and that it is beautiful- Pearl wants a scarlet letter of her own. With the Scarlet letter being off of heater’s Bosom Pearl cannot accept the change that her mother has made.Dickinson says,†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOnly a Breeze will sigh†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Dickinson line 10) along with the other vital thing that the rose needs to survive the rose is also having an affect on the breeze. The breeze does not have anything to bump against anymore since the rose is not in the spot it was in before when it blew by. Hawthorne and Dickinson use these examples to show that when something or someone is use to seeing or feeling something a certain way; that when it changes they may or may not recognize the difference that has occurred with , in this case, the rose being missing from the breeze’s path and the scarlet letter being gone from H ester’s bosom. Nobody knows this little Rose†, Emily Dickinson concludes her poem by saying, â€Å" Ah Little Rose—how easy/ For such as thee to die! † she understands that the rose meant a lot to the butterfly, bee, breeze ,and bird. She emphasized on how each and every thing was affected by the loss of something that was very dear to them. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the Scarlet Letter to call attention to how the Puritan society actually is.He explains how hard it is for a woman who has committed adultery with a secret that she cant reveal until the right time, a reverend who also committed adultery who has to keep the secret of adultery on his heart and sees his adulteress get punished for something that he participated in, and a man who was the seed to the tree that grew within The Scarlet Letter see what it was like to, in actuality, get a taste of his own medicine. Hawthorne began this story with a deep, dark picture of a jail entra nce.He gave the reader a image of a gloomy, gray place and he saw it fit to put a rosebush into the story. Later on in the chapter you begin to understand the amazing significance of the rosebush next to the jail. He also dwells on how narrow-minded the puritans were, how they had different religious views. Public Punishment was also put into perspective when it came down to the crookedness of the Puritan society. Lastly, Hawthorne symbolized death and secrets to utilize spiritual breakthrough and mental freedom.Nathaniel Hawthorne has taken me on a emotional and theatrical rollercoaster. Emily Dickinson took a simple rose and highlighted on how natures creatures are affected by an absence of a friend. At the beginning she used the tone of a person who is taking a stroll and picks up a rose and is admiring how beautiful the rose is. As Dickinson goes on she say that she took it from its ways. Which means that after picking the rose she begins to see how the environment around it sto p in their tracks and in a sense mourn over the loss of the rose.She also sees how the bee will miss it because of its sweet pollen that it needs to feed its family. Without the bee taking the pollen from the flower the bee cannot help produce for its family and new flowers when it goes to another flower. The Butterfly hastening from its far journey would usually lie down on the rose to rest but now the butterfly will have to lie itself upon another flower that it is not use to.Finally, Dickinson used the breeze to give imagery and a sense of smell; to paint a picture on how the breeze would look brushing up against the rose if it were in its regular spot. Also gives off the sweet smell of the rose. In â€Å"Nobody knows this little Rose†, Emily Dickinson creates a beautiful story in a twelve line poem. From the beginning to end , she creates a full-course dinner with one recipe. Emily Dickinson started off by gathering the ingredients, to slicing and dicing, to mixing all th e ingredients together and smelling the beautiful aroma , to finally serving p a stunning creation of a poem. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Emily Dickinson have many similarities in their technique of writing. By reading a piece of their work; I have come to realize that they are two very dynamic authors that bring so many things into prospective about life, death, self-awareness, love and hate, and they put all of their thoughts into one small novel or poem. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1986. Print. Brooks, Kevin. The Road of the Dead. New York: Push, 2007. Print.

Littering in malaysia

Other than that, the SSE who living in urban area produce 1. Keg of solid waste a day. This led to an estimated 30, 000 to 33,000 tones of waste being produced a day last year, compared to 22,000 tones o f solid waste produced daily in 2012. From the data, we can see that littering in Malaysia is getting from bad to www rise now. It may cause a lot of problems to our country. Thus, what are the problems our count try can face as a result of littering? Litter can affect local economy, especially in tourist location s.When the aorist come to our country, it will give a bad impression for them. Indirectly, t hey and people in their country won't come to our country again. Elf they don't come to our coo entry, how can we can earn money from them a lot of shop will close because there are nobody come and buy things in our country, economic depression will happen soon! Now, why a person don't want to throw rubbish into a rubbish bin and choose e to litter? Most of the people are lazy to wa lk to the rubbish bin to throw rubbish into it!They are very selfish ND don't know the government have to use the taxes that you pay to clean the e rubbish. Government will collect more taxes from people and everybody will only loss I instead of get any benefits. Not only that, our country can't be develop because most of the money will be used to clean the rubbish. In Malaysia everywhere is full of rubbish bin but I r ally don't know why they are lazy to throw the rubbish into the rubbish bin. Because of lazy, s o many bad things will happen in our country. Lastly, what we can do to overcome this problem?We should keep a litter baa in our car and hang on to litter until we find a garbage receptacle. Besides, we must make s ere your trash cans have tightening lids. Len our workplace, provide plenty of containers for GA ravage and recyclables. What can government do to overcome this problem? The govern meet can create a Law to protect places from littering. For those who caught by th e authorities must be fined heavily so that they will scared and behave themselves. I hope that this problem will be overcome as soon as possible. Why Singapore e can do it but Malaysia can't do it?

Asses whether it is accurate to label the american revolution as a Essay

Asses whether it is accurate to label the american revolution as a political revolution and the french revolution as a social revolution - Essay Example in rebelling against despotic structures and systems were witnessed in Europe and beyond; citizens rose up together to overthrow unpopular tyrannical regimes leading to a complete transformation. U.S and France are among the countries that witnessed remarkable revolutions. As indicated, revolutions can be generated and developed based on social or political grounds or both. The question that has puzzled many is the nature of the revolutions that occurred in America and France; whether they were social or political revolutions. The question is, was the American Revolution a political revolution? What about the French revolution, was it a social revolution? This paper aims at assessing evidence to prove that indeed the American Revolution was a political one while France, on the other hand, experienced social revolution. While there are many similarities in the two revolutions, what stands out is that American upheaval was politically driven unlike the French one that saw an uprising in response to inadequate social order and stability (Editorial Notes, 1959). One thing that distinctly justifies the American Revolution as politically instigated was government instability at that time. The gravity with which demonstrations were organized to overthrow the British regime justifiably attributes this revolution to political causes. The American colonialist sought to scrap the British oppressive systems that levied high taxes from the citizenry. 1776 was the year when Americans said enough was enough for political oppression leading to the transformation of political structures in the country. The French Revolution, however, was primarily based on the poor social structures and systems. Although it had shreds of political motives, the prime reason for effecting change was to revolutionize the existing social order (Cogliano, 2010). The France’s social stratification in three distinct estates brought up feuds. The larger estates that comprised of a large population

Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Journalism - Essay Example Internet has helped develop the speed with which reports get fed in the news channels and newspapers. It has eased up work as well as made the element of giving quick reports possible. The aspect of live reporting has also been made possible with the advent of Internet and more so in the field of journalism alone. It has been proven by recent studies that the masses have stood up and taken due notice of the role of technology within journalism and have generally appreciated the very fact which brings upon a positive influence towards their respective lives (Berger, 1998). This paper specifically discusses the role of Internet and the newer forms of online communication under the domains of journalism and discerns the relation between these newer media and journalism within the broader contexts. The notion of technology working for the benefit of journalism is a very important one in the time of age of today. This is because technology has manifested growth and development for the people who are related with the field of journalism in the last 2 decades or so. The Internet has helped shape up the way the work gets done. The reporting has become much easier. News stories are prepared at the end of the reporters and producers and then transmitted to the channels where these get encrypted and thus read out or printed over the local medium (TV, radio or newspaper). The use of expressive vocabulary has in essence built a much needed bridge between the provider and the receiver of this information, which has actually made the journalistic viewpoint more liable to creating a solid impact on the minds of the viewers, listeners and readers. The audience is thus getting the message fast and they now do not have to rely on the traditional media vehicles for confirming a particular pie ce of news and/or reporting which had been done the earlier day. Things have started to change with the advent of the Internet and one can deduce from this fact that this

Rview of Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rview of Financial Statements - Essay Example Accountants keep track of the financial activity of a company by recording journal entries. The eight steps of the accounting cycle are: record transactions in journal, post transactions to ledger, prepare adjusting entries, prepare summary of account balances, prepare income statement and revenue and expense accounts, close revenue and expense accounts to retained earnings, prepare post closing summary of account balances, prepare balance sheet and statement of cash flow. Once the accountants of Lowe’s and Home Depot complete the accounting cycle the financial statements are ready. The income statement is a statement that states the profitability of a company. At the top of the statement the revenues of the company are expressed. The costs of goods sold are subtracted to arrive at the gross profits. Then the operating expenses and taxes are subtracted to obtain the net income of the firm. The revenues and net income of Lowe’s in fiscal year 2009 were $47.22 billion and $1.783 billion (Annual Report: Lowes, 2009). In 2009 Home Depot’s performance was better. Home Depot in 2009 had revenues of $66.18 billion and net income of $2.66 billion (Annual Report: Home Depot, 2009). The balance sheet is a financial statement that reflects the financial position of a company at a specific point in time. The basic elements of the balance sheet are the assets, liabilities, and stockholder’s equity.

The United States has several laws that are intended to further fair, Research Paper

The United States has several laws that are intended to further fair, balanced, and competitive business practices. Do you think that such laws are effective If so, why If not, why not - Research Paper Example Numerous attempts have been made by the United States to make sure that regulatory systems exist to control monopolistic entities and aggressively enterprising organizations. This control is geared towards not only protecting consumers, but also smaller business trying to grow. Numerous laws have been enacted over the years, for example, the Clayton Act to work towards preventing monopolies. Collectively the laws are referred to as antitrust legislation. This paper investigates the effectiveness of such laws within the United States. The courts have a tendency of being vague when it comes to antitrust regulations. According to the legal systems, thee antitrust laws are intended for the promotion and preservation of competition and enterprise system that is free (Blaisdell, 2008). This vague definition does not do much to enlighten one who wants to know about the laws or is doing business and wants to abide by them. There is no clear layman explanation of these laws and their application. The only way one can have a better understanding of the antitrust laws is by looking at the ruling of cases heard before. The reality of the matter is that interpreting these laws whether in theory or practically can lead to wrong conclusions. The interpretation of the laws by the legal infrastructure make one assumption that the independence of buyers and sellers in the business decision making process encourages completion. The decisions can be made by competitors who will agree on market shares, product restrictions among other things. If these decisions are made independent of the consumer, they might end up suffering as they are not involved in the decision making process. The exclusion of the customer needs within the decisions made by companies may end up limiting choice. The decisions made by the companies may be legally sound but logically, they are hindering the intent of the competition. There is a necessity to set up robust infrastructure to ensure that antitrust

Digital Marketing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Digital Marketing - Coursework Example In email digital marketing, the organization in question reaches out to the target market through email communication which are meant to provide particulars of the product and the benefits to the consumers. In video marketing such as YouTube, a video description of the product just like in traditional marketing is uploaded for the entire online users. Social media marketing involves the use of Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn to reach out to the digital population and introduce the products to them. LinkedIn acts as a professional networking site that not only provides an opportunity for employer and employee to interact but also to the buyers and sellers. Search engine optimization is a marketing approach adopted by organizations with online presence to improve their rating within different search engines. Properly optimized sites are highly visible in the internet and this makes it easy for visitors to access such sites and acquire the information intended by the organization (Changhyun 265). A site that is ranked highly based on the search engine results is frequently visited and this influenced by the level of the contents in the site and the stream of visitors. With the development of internet marketing, the adoption of SEO as a technique has allowed marketers to act based on the behavior of internet users and designing their information in line with such behaviors. As a result, the keywords that are regularly typed into the search engines by internet users are optimized in the information presented on the website and this increases the rating of the same (Panda 60). Different approaches exist that have been adopted for the process of optimizing websites and this influences the success of the site and the frequency of the visitors. For example, most SEO professionals edit the content of the website by adding keyword and catchy phrases that are frequently searched by internet users. Other sites can

Diversity and Curriculum Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diversity and Curriculum Development - Essay Example This case happens due to the different ethnic groups that the students come from. Since the students can easily communicate well with the friends, this results in the students who share a common language to form different groups in the school basing on these language groups. To bring this case into control, I will introduce a common language that every student is well conversant with. I make it mandatory that every student communicates using this language. For example, English is an international language and no any high school student who will understand the language. The other issue is to introduce a course that interpolates the different cultures and which teach students of the importance of being together in a mixed diverse cultures. The benefits of the diverse culture curriculum is that the students will be able to learn others cultures and beliefs. It will enhance unity among the different ethnic communities since they will get to understand each other while in school, and upon getting home, they will tell their colleagues. For example, a particular community may be having a negative perception against another, where these colleagues will tell them that what they think is not the case. Another benefit is that accrues a community practicing in diverse cultural practices, is the issue of efficiency and effectiveness in performing tax. This is because different people from different parts of the world have different talents. For example, people from Brazil are magnificent in football, those from Chicago, perfect in basketball. In the context involving the diversity of male and female students, of late this issue is overshadowed by time,... In the context involving the diversity of male and female students, of late this issue is overshadowed by time, and bringing the cases of male-female students’ interaction will not be much hectic. However, there are still other communities which are still being held in the cocoon of male chauvinism. The main challenge will be to make these individuals to value the female students as same as they value the male ones. In order to deal with issue fully, I will argue my fellow committee members to pass the issue that any student caught discriminating his/her colleague just because of gender differences to be dealt with appropriately. This will be a lesson to him/her and to his/her friends with the same mentality. Another challenge is the issue of how the male and female students will have different resources. These resources will include the toilets, bathrooms and other activities like the queuing. Some of these issues will add on more expenses to the school. There are benefits, w hich accrue from the male, female interaction. These will include the enhanced cooperation among the two genders. With regard that the curriculum is based on cultural diversity, this may lead to students from different communities to mingle which will lead to intermarriages in the future date. It also makes the students learn with efficiency the differences between the genders since they can do it practically. For example, the differences between the physical characteristics of male and female can be demonstrated practically.

Barney's Entanglements with Various Aspects of Property Law Essay

Barney's Entanglements with Various Aspects of Property Law - Essay Example First his son Opie had used the property as collateral for a loan, and with a payment default the property was being pursued for foreclosure by the lending party. Next Barney finds out that Ernest had been squatting on that property for about two decades, and claimed ownership for that reason. First Barney’s ownership claim on the property is legitimate, under the principle of law called â€Å"joint tenancy with right of survivorship†. The case’s citing this principle is valid, and that Barney had legal right to the mountain property as alleged. The interesting aspect of this principle of law is that when a partner co-owner dies, the law’s operation automatically grants full rights of ownership to the remaining co-owner, with no regard to the power of a will to subvert that operation (Farlex, 2012; James T. Blazek & Associates, 2000). Opie was able to use the land, meanwhile, as collateral on the strength of his stake on this property, from a will by Barne y. There is some legal opening for Barney to explore this aspect of joint tenancy law in order to contest the legality of Opie’s use of the land as collateral for the failed loan. Meanwhile, Barney’s larger problem seems to be that Ernest had usurped the land, and may have legal ground to stake the claim to that land and retain ownership. As the case states, Ernest’s possession of the land is uninterrupted for two decades, is notorious, and for that long period of time uncontested. Under adverse possession law, where usual limitation statutes for contesting ownership is seven or twenty years, Ernest may have a case for claiming legal ownership of the land (Cornell University Law School, 2010). As a lawyer my advice would be for Barney to weigh how much the property means to him versus how much his relationship with Opie means. He can pursue a case contesting the legality of the use of the land as collateral, but there is the matter of Ernest having probable vali d claim to the land that complicates things. Barney here is stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one end he is being pursued by the lender who wants to foreclose. On the other Ernest had laid claim to the land. There seems to be no easy way out of this. The mountain property maybe a lost cause (Cornell University Law School, 2010; Farlex, 2012; James T. Blazek & Associates, 2000). II. The Beach Property The town authorities cited eminent domain as the primary law principle that justified their appropriating Barney’s property for use to develop the beach front into the Nickelodeon facility that Barney thought so little off. Now eminent domain is a power of the state and of the governments, in this case of the county government, to do such appropriating of private property for particular purposes, but it is not clear in the case that the town itself was the acting developer, or whether the town was citing eminent domain in order to profit a private developer who may be the real owner of the resort. There is the element of eminent domain that the land appropriated must be for the use of the public. In this case, while the resort is supposed to be for the general public, it might be a privately owned enterprise, in which case the use of eminent domain may not be applicable, or valid. There is a case to be made for contesting the right of the town to take away Barney’s beach property, on the basis of the use of eminent domain as the primary excuse is an invalid interpretation of the eminent domain doctrine. In fact, the literature lists exactly

Definition of Theme Park Essay Example for Free

Definition of Theme Park Essay A theme park is a group of attractions, rides, or events in an area made for the amusement of people. It is an amusement park where the rides and attractions are based on a central theme, for example, Disney World, Hershey Park, and Universal Studios. A theme park must have many different types of attractions for visitors for them to travel far from their homes such as parks/gardens, wildlife, ancient monuments, museums, or special events. The main type of visitor attraction as of recent are man-made structures for the purpose of gathering visitors, or roller-coasters. Attractions are only one part of theme park, what sets theme parks away from other events of attractions such as ski resorts, beaches, etc. , is single-pay admission, majority of the area is man-made, an atmosphere of a dominant theme, and the requirement of high capital investors. Although beaches and ski resorts also require investment, it is nothing compared to the amount of investments in top theme parks such as Disney. As stated before, theme parks have a central concept or atmosphere which they base their park, merchandise, rides, food, and entertainment. A theme park must also be able to accommodate any amount of visitors, there must always be enough room. A theme park usually will always be built to hold more people than it normally has, in comparison, on a busy day at a beach people will be unable to find a spot. My favorite attribute for a theme park is its infrastructure. A theme park must have elements such as water supply, electricity, waste disposal, security, and communications. I find it amazing at the amount of investment into the infrastructure, to the point where some of the top theme parks could become their own country. A theme park must have all these elements and attributes not to keep it running, but for it to attract visitors and guests to their park. A theme park is not a theme park without guests.

The Ever Changing Market Place Of Oman Marketing Essay

The Ever Changing Market Place Of Oman Marketing Essay Oman Retail Industry is characterized by a strong consumer demand, robust economic growth, distinct demographic factors and high end technology system that ensure the better customer service and efficient customer checks. The sultanate is one of the developing countries that has succeeded in achieving, within a short span of time, a high level of economic growth. Out of the total GDP 57.1% is from the service industry. As in any other country Retail Sector in Oman is having both the sectors organized and unorganized retail sector. The paper is focused on the organized retail sector of Oman. Even in the organized sector, there is a stiff competition amongst large number of hypermarkets, convenience stores, warehouses and gas-station chain stores. Everyday new entrants are coming in the business with their new competitive strategies and niches. Oman has good organized retail markets in GCC. Omans Per Capita retailing space is highest in GCC. Major development happenings in the area of retail space in Oman are hypermarkets and malls. Oman is witnessing an exponential growth in the space occupied by organized retailers. The paper presents a comprehensive view of the organized retail industry across Muscat. Keywords : Retail Industry, Hypermarkets, Competition, Developing Countries Introduction Oman is the second largest country in GCC after Saudi Arabia with total land area of 212,960 square kilometers and over 80% of its current population of 3 million is Omani nationals. Oman is a middle income economy in the Middle East with notable oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus and low inflation. Oman Economic development has seen three phases. A phase of rapid expansion then economic retrenchment and rationalization because of oil prices collapse and the last phase a period of standardized growth since 1990. Economic growth and structural change have proceeded rapidly in Oman during the rule of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Ibn Said. When HM Sultan Qabus Ibn Said assumed power in 1970s, he immediately implemented an economic development and modernization programs .Priority was given to expanding the countries nonexistent infrastructure. Economic Growth was accompanied by increase in contribution of the service sector from 18% in 1970 to 57% today. The GDP Average annual Growth exceeded the world as well as middle east growth rate by 3%( 6% in 1991- 2000 in Oman 3% in the middle east and Africa and world) Retailing consists of the sale of goods/ merchandise for personal or household consumption either from a fixed location such as a department store or away from a fixed location and related subordinated services. In commerce, a retailer buys goods or products in large quantities from manufacturers or importers, either directly or through a wholesaler, and then sells individual items or small quantities to the general public or end user customers, usually in a shop, also called store. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain. Marketers see retailing as part of their overall distribution strategy. Retailing is not just buying and selling necessities, it is now more of a lifestyle staement, one whose foundation is based on choice, convenience and brand value. Shopping is buying things, sometimes as a recreational activity.Retailing is worlds largest private industry. It is estimated to have US $ 6.6 Trillion sales annually. Retail outlets can be divided into categories according to the amount of square feet of floor space, the level of services offered and width and depth of product offering. In practice stores may have different names in different countries and definitions based on selling area may also vary. Clarence Saunders, invented Keydoozle in 1930s in which shoppers stuck keys in glass display case to choose specific products which were taken via conveyer to check out line. This perhaps was the basis for todays Supermarkets and Hypermarkets. A variety of terms are used to large stores Hypermarkets, mass merchandisers, supermarkets, superstores, shopping malls and shopping centres etc. France, Belgium, Spain Colombia are the countries in which supermarket industry is very well developed. Retailing is a two way street. There exist potential advantages and disadvantages to this retailing venture. A retailer has following things to offer consumers: 1. One price Policy : No Place for Negotiations 2. Selection of goods at a lower price 3. One Stop shopping 4. Large Assortments 5. Centalization of the nonselling functions 6. Amenities (Beauty Parlour, Free Decorations, Nursery) 7. Overall manner in which the goods are offered in store setting, including store site, parking facilitiies, instore setting and customer services. 8. More Personal Services than discounts Retailing and Oman Till late 70s and 80s the country was having unorganized retail market. Traditionally the retail business was run by small souks. The traditional Arabic market place is called the souk and these are still found in many of the towns throughout Oman. More than 90% of retailers function in less than 500 Sq ft of area. Most of the items were bought by the liking of the souk owner and pricing was done on adhoc basis or on seeing the face of the customer. Selling prices were largely controlled by manufacturer.Weekly Juma Bazaars were very popular and almost all commodities were sold there including livestock. Juma bazaars are still an important weekly bazaar in Oman but now the main attraction now is second hand goods. Bargaining was common. Retailer to customer ratio was low. Most of the buying by mass population was need oriented. Impulsive buying or consumption was restricted to food or vegetables etc. Household items as well as traditional handcrafts are on sale in the souks. In some s ouks like Nizwa and Sinaw livestock are auctioned and bartered. Beside its obvious economic purpose, the souk has long been the fulcrum of social interaction. Some of the Important Traditional Souks of Oman are Muttrah Souq Muttrah Souq is the oldest market place in the Capital Area and is located behind the Corniche of Muttrah, rumbling over a large area. Entering the Souq. A cornucopia of exotic sounds, smells and flavours assail in the senses in bewildering yet exciting chaos. The Souq of Muttrah is a maze of pathways leading in and out of each other. The important thing while shopping in a souq is bargaining. Nizwa Souq This traditional souq hosts a lively cattle market early each Friday morning where cows, goats and sheep are auctioned. The obstinate behaviour of the animals often provides great amusement for the spectators. There is an abundance of local handicrafts and produce in the new covered souq. Silversmiths can be seen hammering patterns into the hilts of Khanjars and women sell the burqa à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬a glittering, embroidered facemask worn by local ladies. Sinaw Souq It has similar ware to Nizwa souq, including a cattle market. Some of the silver shops sell the old silver Bedouin jewellery, Ibra Souq This one is unique: it is open to all, as long as you are female! It is a fairly recent innovation, opened in 1990 and is held on Wednesday mornings. It is the only souq in Oman which lends itself totally to the needs of women. Lotions, cosmetics, powders, textiles, perfumes and henna are amongst some of the items on sale. Retailing in Oman: The New Dimension Omani capitals mallspace is changing. Some of the indicators that the retailing has come out of age are fashionable store facades, daring displays an everchanging numbers of international brands, loyalty cards, cineplexes, foodcourts kids zone in malls etc. The mall and shopping centres in Oman not match Dubai in size and style but have their own character and ambience . Dubai depends upon a floating population of visitors, but Oman caters mainly citizens, residents and a small number of visitors. The Omani Capital Muscat has come a long way from the simple old souk to the ultramodern hypermarkets. The concept of the friendly neighborhood store, by all indications, appears to be on its way to becoming history. It is the malls with their better ambience, wider choice, better facilities and the convenience of having all that you need under one roof that are attracting more and more customers . Retailers, realizing the potential have been quick to set both expansion and re-branding plans in motion. For retailers in Oman, the accent has been on acceleration. We can observe it if only we take a look at the number of malls and hypermarkets in the sultanate to see how quickly growth has taken place. The capital has number of shopping malls and hypermarkets. Customers are driven toward the hypermarket due to several alliance shops and international brands. Customers nowadays want a total shopping experience under one roof. The shift to hypermarkets as a natural progression along the retail evolution path. Customer perceives that as compared to small souks, hypermarkets, offer better variety at lower prices and the quality of products is guaranteed as well. Customers in Oman become more educated aw are and demand choice . Choice, it would seem, translates into convenience. Customers are the main beneficiaries in this shift from small shops to large hypermarkets. The move from micro to macro also owes itself to the strength of the economy. With the Omani economy growing at a very rapid pace, there is tremendous interest among retail sector investors in the region. One of the reasons for the growing interest of Omani nationals is the increased income and spending power .The sultanate has seen in the past, a rapid increase in the income due to omanisation. Omanisation has created many job opportunities for the nationals who in turn have increased the spending power of the nationals which is driving them more and more towards the shopping malls. Oman is witnessing a retail sector boom in the past six years with a number of big-format hypermarkets slated to open and expand their retail chains in the country including the big names such as Carrefour, Sultan Center and Spinneys. Moreover, Muscat has total area of 190,000 sq. meters in major malls in the capital area most of which was built in the 90s. This means that the Omani per capita area for these shopping malls. Retail sector is making headway with number of hypermarkets opening up in Muscat the foreign direct investment is maximum in the commerce, wholesale and retail trade represented 20.75% services. The expansion in retail sector as such has increased the levels of self awareness in the retail sector It is forcing the hypermarkets to constantly monitor the market in which they operate. The market includes a major price sensitive customer segment also. Backward integration, to further streamline operations, is another route that certain retailers in Oman are favoring. They are launching its own private label across its outlets as a measure to counter escalating prices. The other major strategy used by these hypermarkets is of collaboration. For Example the car small within a shopping mall it is this basis, in novelty as well as practicality that promises to improve existing levels of customer convenience. Another strategy of Just Ask programme, where worldwide products are directly makes their way to the homes of consumers in Oman. The retailers understand that survival is not just about being fit. Hard work has to be combined with smart ideas that foresee the future. Considering the competition, everyone is improving their operations if they dont, they will lose their market position and share. Efficiency is not really a relative parameter. It is important that first time customers should become permanent customers and stay that way. Considering the competition, it is no surprise that all the players in the retail market are raising the stakes. Competition is healthy, and it is needed to improve the services and operations of the hypermarkets. With more competitions the hypermarkets will come out with innovative ideas to improve upon their quality and services. With this the customer is gaining and slowly the market is moving towards customers market. The markets are trying to differentiate themselves on the basis of factors like customer orientation, Number of retail outlets, low price, wide range, competent management, more space etc. The customer wants premium on good price, convenience and good customer service. Some of the major hypermarkets in Oman are as follows: Sabco Commercial Centre, Qurum Sabco Commercial Centre, Qurum, is one of the first shopping malls to open in Oman in 1985. The two-level centre has multiple retail outlets and a traditional souk. The souk has 27 walk-in shops that sell silver jewellery, handicrafts and clothes. The store targeted the wealthy market segment. As more and more oil fields were discovered in Oman, the store prospered. The store brought Godiva-a specialist gourmet and Belgian chocolate to Oman. Sultan Centre Sultan centre made several contributions to the development of the retail trade. It served not wealthy but upper income segment. A popular meeting place and great find for the latest in European and International fashion and accessories. Lulu Hypermarket The concept of hypermarket shopping has clearly caught on with shopper communities across the region. Emke Group recognized changing market trends and responded to them promptly, offering its customers bigger and better designed shopping environments by way of LULU shopping malls and hypermarkets. The group, has major interests in wholesale and retail distribution of food and non-foodstuff, manufacturing, export-import, frozen and processed food industry and IT has operation bases in all major cities of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. As part of their groups policy they have laid special emphasis on recruiting Omani nationals . They acknowledged the significance of training the local youth and have been conducting on-the job training for these national recruits. Noted authorities in retail training were hired to develop and implement employee training. The group felt the pulse and strategically designed store facilities and imported the latest state-of-the-art equipment and technology The extensive network of branch offices and sourcing centers was a big advantage in providing quality products at the most affordable prices. (Times of Oman). Khimjis Mart Supermarkets KR Groups Retailing Division manages the popular Khimjis Mart supermarkets and a chain of Welfare Markets for the Royal Oman Police. With 4 strategically located retail outlets in the Capital area and two large supermarkets in the interior, Khimjis Mart LLC is a key player in its category in Oman. Fully owned and operated by the Khimji Ramdas Group, Khimjis Mart caters to a mix of customers of diverse nationalities and varied shopping preference s by giving them unlimited options to buy the best international and regional brands in the food commodities, lifestyle and consumer non-durables segments. Khimjis Mart outlets have taken the lead in training young Omani nationals and integrating them into key positions. They are located at Ruwi High Street, Darsait, Wadi Kabir, Al Khuwair, Nizwa Sur. Markaz Al Bahja Markaz Al Bahja Shopping Mall was developed to give Oman a mall of truly International standards, so as to offer the people an alternative to Dubai as a shopping destination. The 350,000 sqft Markaz Al Bahja mall, located not very far from MCC, was opened in mid 2002. The three-level mall, easily accessible from the Capital as well as its growing suburbs, is another popular shopping destination .The mall also has a big parking facility, which can accommodate 1200 cars. Three floors of shopping and is a dream come true for most Omanis. Markaz Al Bahja has established itself as the premier shopping Mall in the Sultanate of Oman. Al Harthy complex Location : Qurm Easily recognizable by its unique design which features a star filled dome, the Al Harthy Complex has spacious floors of shopping with over 100 retail shops. From textiles, antiques, perfumes, childrens toys and games, fashion and beauty products, computer accessories, and watches to books, greeting cards and flowers, everything is available at the complex. With a video and amusement arcade, the laser game Q-zar and Sindbads play city, the complex is a hot favourite with children. For lunch or a snack one can step into Kargeen Coffee Shop, or stop by for a bite at Burger King. Muscat City Centre (MCC) Carrefour opened its first supermarket in Annecy, Haute- Savoie, France, in 1960. The opening of Majid Al Futtaim Investments (MAFI) Muscat City Centre (MCC) in 2001, ushered a new era for Omans retail sector. The MCC, covering a total GLA of 540,000 sq. ft. and 1,500 parking spaces, claims a weekly footfall of 155,000. Its main anchors include Carrefour and Magic Planet. This year, the MCC is poised for a further expansion, which is expected to add another 300,000sqft of retail space to its existing strength. MAFI is planning to open a Carrefour outlet in the Qurum area of Muscat later this year. Major Shopping Malls of Oman, Sponsors, Number of outlets and year of start With so much of competition and options available to the customers, all the hypermarkets are thinking in terms of the loyalty programs to keep customers with them. Some of the loyalty programs like privilege cards, vouchers, special discounts. But what loyalty program is to be used at a specific place is the matter of great creativity. The key ingredients for any successful retailer: brand experience, convenience, customer service, social responsibility, todays true differentiators. l Earning points toward rewards or free or discounted merchandise. Using third-party partner currencies, such as airline miles for retail purchases. Offering rebates or discounts for using a store-branded credit card. Providing information that is relevant, valuable and exclusive. Allowing members access to products, services and experience otherwise unavailable to the public. Recognizing best customers with elite status. Inviting customer involvement in opportunities such as beta testing, first access to new products, participating in an advisory board, creating and submitting advertising ideas, even inviting best customers to parties and special events. Challenges faced by the Retailers in Oman Price war: Competition can lead to the price wars l Discount is expected by the gulf customer in case of bulk purchase. l Sale is one of the important factor which pulls the customers towards the malls and only two promotions a year are allowed which are too less to sustain the customer for 12 months l More and more companies with international brands and structure are coming in the competition l Once upon a time, retailers knew all their customers personally. They knew their preferences and what was happening in their lives. With this knowledge, retailers were able to react quickly and market to each customer individually. Along the way of growing chains and building malls and promoting self-service, many retailers lost touch with their customers. l E-commerce is again coming as a new challenge to the hypermarkets. l Less size of the population is another challenge in front of the retail sector as with more competition and less number of customers the market is moving more and more towards becoming the buyers market. l Dubai again is a threat to the retail sector with its competitive prices and easy approachability. l Tourism is growing but the growth is not fast enough to catch with the tourism in UAE. Suggestions More initiative from the government in the form of more commercial activities. Connecting tourism with shopping: need to improve tourism to trap the enormous potential present in this sector, which will enhance the retail sector further. Duties on certain items should be reduced to encourage the retailers Discouraging customers to buy from Dubai by creating an awareness program those items are much cheaper here than in Duabi International Service standards should be provided by the hypermarkets Since the beginning of the 1970s, with Kilters pioneering work, the topic of atmospherics effects on consumer behavior has gained popularity Managers of retail and service outlets have understood the importance of the built environment in enhancing product evaluations, consumer satisfaction with the shopping experience and sales. There is a need for the ongoing training programs in Retail Management for the all managerial and non managerial staff members. There is a need to give more boost up the Tourism Industry in the country. Conclusions The challenge in retail sector in Oman is perpetual. It was the same in the past and it will remain the same in the future: understanding the retail consumer. In Oman consumers have higher expectations for lower prices. They are not prepared to compromise their desires and ethical values for simply more expensive products or basic low cost items. Shopping is becoming increasingly individualistic, driven by the growing diversity of the consumer marketplace, technology enablers and consumers desire for greater influence and control. The retail power structure has permanently shifted from sellers to buyers with more and more shopping malls in Oman .Retailers have to use the problem solving approach. It means understanding what the consumer is trying to accomplish by looking at his ultimate goal. The hypermarkets in Oman are constantly monitoring the feedbacks given by the customers and are very quick to respond to the problematic areas and suggestions. The hypermarkets as long as will keep their fingers on the pulse of the gulf customers will have a long way to go. The retailers need to understand that Retailers dont own customers, they own retailers. There is an increasing population switching from loyalists to non preference. Consumers need to be connected. It means getting away from a transaction mentality and focusing on customer relationships, bonds of trust that create innovative opportunities to extend the relationship further. Live rich but act poor. Wealth levels and purchasing power are increasing, people overspend and retail has never been so good but there is a great consideration to shop where prices seems to be more justified. Shopping should be not only convenient but easy, done in the consumers way and speed. Innovative process, service and design solutions that are simple, intuitive and in tune with shoppers needs. Consumers value what is scarcer and time is at the top of the first for many. They want it fast, thy want it now (immediate gratification), they want it first (latest and greatest). Innovative retailers are networking with companies in other business sectors to offer new products or services outside their skills. The global trends are set in more mature and yet still very dynamic markets, Similar trend with Oman Rapidly they spread across the globe carried by the increasing presence of worldwide known brands. The task is to understand the trends to anticipate the mood of the customers and as before and more then ever, there is a need to think global and act local.

The Purpose of Sati in Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyre Essays

The general image of Sati and the reasoning that surrounded it filled the Western imagination with repulsion as well as admiration. In the nineteenth century, Westerners publishing diaries of their travels always included their experiences when viewing Sati. Although these travelers, usually men, watched with horror, they also admired the courage and the dignity of the women involved (Hawley 3). What was known in England of Sati was from the accounts of the colonial officials and travelers who witnessed it (Courtright 28). It would not surprise one to assume that Charlotte Bronte, in her drive for knowledge and her stand on women's freedom, would have taken an interest in such an act; and indeed she incorporates it in Jane Eyre. In 1829, the British government prohibited the act of Sati. Twenty years later, Charlotte Bronte presents a text in which she presents the "topos of feminism in imperialism" (Perera 80). With the use of the custom of Sati, Charlotte Bronte writes a novel whic h coveys the contrast between the east and the west, the old and the new, revealed sexuality and repressed sexuality. The two characters, Jane and Bertha, each represent a different region; while Bertha represents the East and the ancient, Jane represents the new and the modern. Dorothy K. Stein finds that Sati was a motif used for feminist discussions in Victorian England: [Sati] did not occur in England, but many manifestations of the attitudes and anxieties underlying the practice did. Nineteenth-century respectability in both England and India divided women into exalted and degraded classes, not only on basis of actual or imputed sexual behavior, but also on the basis of whether that behavior was at all times controlled and supervised, pref... ... the anger that she had expressed as a young girl, due to the fact that her society does not accept it. This anger that she once held inside is prevelant in Bertha's act. It is in the Red Room that Jane "became increasingly alive with bristling energy, feelings, and sensations, and with all sorts of terrifying amorphous matter and invisible phantoms" (Knapp 146). This igniting energy and flow of feelings, are very similar to those that Bertha realises at Thornfield. With the death of Bertha, Jane is now able to live with the man she loves. Bertha's death precedes a successful union between Rochester and Jane. When they are finally reunited, they are equal (Showalter 122). When Rochester and Jane finally get together, their relationship succeeds due to the fact that he has learned how it feels to be helpless and how to accept the help of a woman (Showalter 122). The Purpose of Sati in Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Eyre Essays The general image of Sati and the reasoning that surrounded it filled the Western imagination with repulsion as well as admiration. In the nineteenth century, Westerners publishing diaries of their travels always included their experiences when viewing Sati. Although these travelers, usually men, watched with horror, they also admired the courage and the dignity of the women involved (Hawley 3). What was known in England of Sati was from the accounts of the colonial officials and travelers who witnessed it (Courtright 28). It would not surprise one to assume that Charlotte Bronte, in her drive for knowledge and her stand on women's freedom, would have taken an interest in such an act; and indeed she incorporates it in Jane Eyre. In 1829, the British government prohibited the act of Sati. Twenty years later, Charlotte Bronte presents a text in which she presents the "topos of feminism in imperialism" (Perera 80). With the use of the custom of Sati, Charlotte Bronte writes a novel whic h coveys the contrast between the east and the west, the old and the new, revealed sexuality and repressed sexuality. The two characters, Jane and Bertha, each represent a different region; while Bertha represents the East and the ancient, Jane represents the new and the modern. Dorothy K. Stein finds that Sati was a motif used for feminist discussions in Victorian England: [Sati] did not occur in England, but many manifestations of the attitudes and anxieties underlying the practice did. Nineteenth-century respectability in both England and India divided women into exalted and degraded classes, not only on basis of actual or imputed sexual behavior, but also on the basis of whether that behavior was at all times controlled and supervised, pref... ... the anger that she had expressed as a young girl, due to the fact that her society does not accept it. This anger that she once held inside is prevelant in Bertha's act. It is in the Red Room that Jane "became increasingly alive with bristling energy, feelings, and sensations, and with all sorts of terrifying amorphous matter and invisible phantoms" (Knapp 146). This igniting energy and flow of feelings, are very similar to those that Bertha realises at Thornfield. With the death of Bertha, Jane is now able to live with the man she loves. Bertha's death precedes a successful union between Rochester and Jane. When they are finally reunited, they are equal (Showalter 122). When Rochester and Jane finally get together, their relationship succeeds due to the fact that he has learned how it feels to be helpless and how to accept the help of a woman (Showalter 122).

Capital Punishment, Death Penalty - What Are We Waiting For? :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Capital Punishment Essays – What Are We Waiting For? "execution prevents eighteen murders per year."(Hirsch, 122) Opponents argue that capital punishment is immoral. But if you follow the Old Testament, it is moral. In one passage from Genesis, â€Å"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.† Another from Exodus, â€Å"Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe† (Samaha, 440). It was not very moral of the prisoner to commit a murder in the first place. Why should it be immoral to execute a prisoner, but moral to kill an innocent person. â€Å"It is as morally right to punish criminals for their wicked deeds as it is to praise heroes for their heroic deeds. If it is noble for soldiers to give their lives for their country in wartime, then it is morally right to claim the lives of murderers for killing innocent people in peaceable society(Samaha, 441).† According to Professor Ernest van den Haag: â€Å"The life of each man should be sacred to each other man... it is not enough to proclaim the sacredness and inviolability of human life. It must be secured as well, by threatening with the loss of their own life those who violate what has been proclaimed as inviolable-the right of innocents to live† (Haag, 67). Other opponents argue that there is the chance of executing an innocent prisoner. Hugo Adam Bedu and Michael L. Radelet collected evidence of every capital punishment case after the 1930's. They concluded that 23 innocent people, out of several thousand cases in the twentieth century, were convicted and executed, but all of these mistakes were made because there was a â€Å"forced confession, suppression of evidence, and perjury† (Samaha 442). That means not one of these persons was actually innocent they just had bad lawyers, or no lawyers when they had their trial. The last time a truly innocent person was executed was before the 1930's. The biggest argument for capital punishment is retribution. The victims family often feels relieved when the prisoner has been executed. â€Å"Retribution satisfies the demand for justice. It channels public outrage into the acceptable form of the criminal sentence. If criminal sentences do not satisfy this demand for justice, angry citizens may lose respect for law and even, on occasion, take it into their own hands (Samaha, 414).† The punishment handed out should fit the crime committed, if a murder is committed then he or she deserves to be executed. The best solution to the problem is to execute the prisoner right

Coert Voorhees Bio

Coert Voorhees Biography Coert Voorhees is an author and I am going to talk about his life, his philosophy and his hobbies. Voorhees was born and raised in New Mexico, where he developed a weakness for Hatch green chile. He still lives with his family in Huston. A former Fulbright Scholar, Coert has lived all over the world and now resides with his family in Houston, Texas, where he received an MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston.Coert made a web site called www. grammaropolis. com were parents can help their children learn faster and better at English. Next, Coert philosophy is an author. He graduated in Middlebury College and a former Fulbright in Chilean theatre. His screenplays goes on different competition, and went in the semi-finalist in final drafts 2008 big break, and his a 2009 new American voice nominee. Coert has currently received his MFA in fiction at the University in Huston.He is has written two books his first novel is â€Å"The Brothers Torres† and â€Å"Lucky Fools† a second book he made in 2012 it is also book I just read. Voorhees was a smart adult in college he was always trying to get in to collage since he was little. This relates to a book he wrote called â€Å"Lucky Fools†, a quote from the book stated â€Å"it turns out the an act of defiance such as the one I perpetrated makes for the subject of a spectacular college essay, so long as one’s narrative coach is able to frame it the right way. (Coert Voorhees pg. 290). Then, come his hobbies Coert Voorhees that are quite interesting his favorite NFL team is the DENVER BRONCOS, baseball team is ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOES. Favorite things about Coert, first his favorite movie the REAL GENIUS, native dwelling HOGAN, government agency NASA, role model OPTIMUS PRIME, burger BEACK PRIME, Latin America country is Chile, mexican food is stuffed sopaipilla, operating system he uses is OSX, singer/songwriter RICH PRINCE.Authors that Coert has always liked Denis Joh nson, George Saunders, Don Delillo, Antonya Nelson, Tim O’Brien, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Marion Downs, David Wolman, Sara Voorhees, Will Clarke, and finally David Yoo are his best author and book writers. Second Voorhees went to PINEWOOD high school in California. To conclude, after reading about Coert Voorhees I realized that it takes hard work to get to where you want to be.

Reflection Paper on Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st Century

A Reflection Paper on Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st Century This is a reflection paper on the recommendations proposed in the Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st century report by the National Commission on the Public Service (Volcker Commission). The Volcker commission, comprised of members from the three major political parties, recognizes the importance of disciplined policy direction, operational flexibility, and clear and high performance standards as guiding objectives (The National Commission on the Public Service [NCPS], 2003) for an organizational restructuring within the federal government to meet the challenges of the 21st century. This author agrees with the commission in that no such undertaken has occurred since the Hoover Commission some 50 years ago. It articulates in my view a comprehensive plan to reclaim the dignity once associated with public service, and if effectively utilized could re-establish trust between the American public and its government. The decline in confidence shared by many Americans in the capability of federal personnel to carry out the tasks of public service must be addressed. The National Commission on the Public Service (Volcker Commission) recognized this need and published a 2003 report on the public service sector titled Urgent Business for America: Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st Century. The report, a collective collaboration between veteran government employees, drew upon their knowledge and the expertise of outside sources from every political affiliation to address challenges that plague the civil service sector in the 21st century. The members of the commission focused on seven key areas which are: the relationship between the government and the American public, organizational disorder, one size fits all management, vanishing talent, personnel systems, and labor-management conflict (NCPS, 2003). This author considers trust as the main component of any relationship and agrees with the commission that the distrust between the American people and the government is contributing to the decay of public service. The commission realized that that the policy changes need to combat the problems associated with public service in the 21st century will take a collaborative effort between the citizens of American and government. I agree with the commission that there is no â€Å"quick fix† that the government shares the blame for the negative perception, and must make every effort possible to regain that trust by sufficiently improving its performance. The organizational structure within the civil service sector was another focal point in the commissions’ report. The members recommended that â€Å"the federal government should be reorganized into a limited number of mission-related executive departments† (NCPS, 2003, p. 14). The commission points out that most public servants are perplexed as to the application and significance of their agency’s undertaking and more often than not departments share responsibilities that could be combined to form one cohesive unit. For example, I found it very disturbing that as many as 12 different agencies share the responsibility of administering over 35 food safety laws (NCPS, 2003). The disarray with organizational structure also presents the problem of effectively managing the mission of these individual agencies. The commission notes that nine agencies operate 27 teen pregnancy programs come back to. It is my opinion that the solution given by the commission to group related missions under the same organizational structure would enhance employees’ sense of purpose and loyalty, provide opportunities for advancement and reduce waste of limited resources (NCPS, 2003). One size doe not fit all; this entire â€Å"cookie cutter† approach to agency structure and management practices is no longer viable. The needs of the American public are far more complex and vary significantly than those confronted by civil service reformers of the past. Because the tasks performed by public servants range so greatly it is no longer feasible to assume that a single approach to management will be effective in every instance. The commission members make a valid point in that â€Å"excellent performance requires organizational leadership and culture that fit the mission, not just a single theory of administration† (NCPS, 2003, p. 8). The future of attracting and retaining highly qualified workers in the public service profession appears bleak. The prestige and sense of accomplishment once considered attributes or incentives of public sector employment is on a sharp decline amongst American citizens. This can be attributed to many factors such as inadequate work conditions, differential in public versus private sector salaries, personal safety, and the opportunity for advancement. The two I found most interesting were the requirements for disclosure of personal information and the application process. Ethics regulations are enacted by Congress to ensure the integrity of federal employees. It is a given than more that 250,000 federal employees must make yearly disclosure of the full details of their personal finances (NCPS, 2003). While I agree that such laws are necessary; I also think the process can be modified as not to encompass so many employees. As the commission states Congress needs â€Å"to make federal ethics rules cleaner, simpler, and more directly related to the goals they are intended to achieve† (NCPS, 2003, p. 22). The application process within the civil service sector is another deterrent that I agree with the commission on could be streamlined to expedite the procedure. Those applying for public sector employment find this process tedious and much more complicated than that of the private sector and typically get faster responses private employers. Personnel management systems in public service were originally designed to promote equity among the workforce. The truth of the matter is â€Å"equal pay for equal work† is no longer realistic. This concept is antiquated because of the sophisticated high level tasks performed by some government agencies. The recommendation of the commission is to eradicate the General Schedule classification system. This system has become too cumbersome to administer; to guarantee equity in compensation this system will always require constant tinkering to define â€Å"equal work† so that it can ensure â€Å"equal pay† (NCPS, 2003). What the commission has suggested, and what I agree with, is a broadband system under which the current 15 pay grades are consolidate into six to eight broad bands with wider salary ranges (NCPS, 2003). This would give managers the flexibility to compensate based on capability and performance, and design personnel systems that best sustains the mission of the organization. The Commission notes that there are three very distinct factors that determine pay for the overwhelming majority of federal workers: how an individual job fits into the General Schedule classification system, geographical location of the job, and the employee’s time in service (NCPS, 2003). I was disturbed by the fact that the quality of the work performed was frequently disregarded as a standard. It has to frustrating for workers who provide a high quality of service to be judged on the same merits as those of poor performers. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 was enacted to reward bonuses, merit pay and performance commendations to high performing civil servants (NCPS, 2003). This is rarely the case because of insufficient funds or an evaluation system that acts more as a rubber stamp than an effective means of evaluation. Managers routinely were allocating funds as a means to compensate equitably across the board, and not as inducements or rewards for top achievers. This is an area of reform which much attention should be given. It is irrational to believe that high performing employees do not â€Å"pick up the slack† for poor performers. It has been my experience that management comes to rely on this (as long as the work is getting done) instead of dealing with poor performers appropriately. This attitude does nothing but destroy the morale of the unit as a whole. The last area of concentration by the Volcker Commission was the conflict between labor and management. The commission believes, as do I, that it is entirely possible to modernize the public sector without jeopardizing the fundamentals of the merit system (NCPS, 2003). I agree that political affiliation should not be a factor for determining employment within the civil service sector, and that individuals employed by this sector should not be subject to arbitrary discipline or dismissal based on political affliction. I also agree that labor- management collaboration can coexist within the federal government. Numerous recommendations made to the president and Congress. What I found surprising about the report is that the commission instead of focusing exclusively on changes to the public service sector; devoted much attention to a restructuring of the executive branch of government. Moreover, it calls for â€Å"The House and Senate to realign their committee oversight to match the mission driven reorganization of the executive branch† (NCPS, 2003, p. 17); which is no small feat given the current political climate. The commission also made several other controversial proposals, for example, the President and Congress should work together to drastically decrease the number of executive branch positions (NCPS, 2003). In calling for an â€Å"immediate and significant† increase in judicial, executive, and legislative salaries, the commission also recognizes the long-standing reluctance of members of Congress to vote for a pay increase for themselves (NCPS, 2003). The report calls upon Congress to break the statutory link between their salaries and those of judges and senior political appointees (NCPS, 2003). While I found the report be very cohesive and comprehensive, a nd a blueprint for a more efficient government and better quality of civil service employees; I also felt several issues were not adequately addressed. Although, the repot does present sufficient advice as to restructuring organizational and management systems within the federal government â€Å"it fails to address the core problems affecting the delivery of public services. Primarily too often federal agencies simply don't have the resources they need to meet mission requirements; an emphasis on pay compression for top ranking government positions overlooks the impact of pay disparities on front-line workers; and much more needs to be done to address the negative impact of contracting out (Palguta, 2003). While the commission's report appropriately focuses on â€Å"leadership in government† as a primary area of concern, it tends to define leadership too narrowly as those individuals at the top of the organization. First-line supervisors and mid-level managers are a vital component of the leadership team. Finally, while agreeing that greater management flexibility is needed, there must also be balanced with reasonable safeguards to ensure the basic merit principles are maintained (Palguta, 2003). References The National Commission on the Public Service. (2003). Urgent business for America: evitalizing the federal government for the 21st century. Retrieved from http://docs. google. com/viewer? a=v&q=cache:KSnwxENfsmQJ:www. brookings. e du/gs/cps/volcker/reportfinal. pdf+urgent+business+for+america:+revitalizing+the +federal+government+for+the+21st+century Palguta, John M. â€Å"Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st Century: Presenting differing perspectives on the rep ort of the National Commission on the Public Service (Volcker II). (Opinion Roundtable: Volcker II). † The Public Manager 32. 1 (2003): 7+. Academic OneFile. Web. 6 Feb. 2011.

Thailand Culture

FULBRIGHTER’S INTRODUCTION TO THAILAND: ? ADVICE AND COMMENTARY Text: Scott McNabb, College of Education, The University of Iowa ? Commentary: Porntip Kanjananiyot, Executive Director,? Thailand-U. S. Educational Foundation (Fulbright) The following essay has been written to provide orientation thoughts for American scholars who are embarking on a Fulbright assignment in Thailand. I hope that it will provide insights that will help Fulbrighters to understand, appreciate, and engage fully with their academic colleagues and other Thais they will encounter.It is not meant only as a â€Å"survival† guide; our hopes are far greater than that. It is written to help individuals maximize the cross-cultural gift that they have been given—to live and work among the Thai people for a significant period of time. This essay is based on my 19 trips to Thailand which span the period 1968 to 2011, from Peace Corps teaching at Thammasat University through two Fulbrights and multi ple other teaching, evaluation and research trips.I have taught International Education and qualitative research classes at The University of Iowa since 1979. In this essay, I will indulge in the kind of generalizations I never allow my students to make. In my classes, I encourage my students to think tentatively and carefully about cross-cultural issues, and make few if any broad conclusions. Here, in the interests of encouraging discussion and giving usable advice, I will risk making general comments about Thai culture. This essay, then, is written less as an academic piece than as a kind of user’s manual. I have asked my colleague and friend Porntip Kanjananiyot to provide commentary from her perspective of being deeply engaged in Thai-American educational exchange work for a number of years. Porntip is currently the Executive Director of the Fulbright program in Thailand. We hope that our discussion back and forth will provide additional insights. ?This article includes a dvice on language learning, behavior to help you engage in Thai culture, and some responses to issues that you may well encounter with your Thai colleagues and other Thais whom you get to know. ?Opening Advice and Questions?In general, the more â€Å"out there† you can be—learning the language, trying all kinds of food, engaging with all kinds of people (monks, market people, academics, and so on), learning to joke Thai-style (including making jokes about yourself), taking unwarranted compliments without resisting them too much, and so on—the more you will learn about and appreciate various aspects of the â€Å"Thai view of the world. † The â€Å"authentic† Thailand is surprisingly close physically to the â€Å"tourist† Thailand—it’s just under a bridge or around a corner or down an alley where tourists typically don’ venture. . . r it’s on full display before most tourists typically wake up, like watching the mon ks make their early morning rounds. Within a relatively short walk from Khaosan Road, the backpacker mecca in Bangkok, there are amulet markets near Thammasat University that are rarely visited by foreigners, where one can venture deeply into the spiritual beliefs of the Thai people. Don’t be afraid to wander (within reason) wherever your curiosity takes you. If you are actively searching for something, cultivating the â€Å"treasure hunt mind,† you may well find what you are searching for, or something equally interesting.Or your quest may bring additional questions about the initial â€Å"treasure† you were seeking. For example, if you go to the amulet market in search of a small statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman, you will certainly find many other intriguing deities along the way—all of whom demonstrate incorporation of the Hindu religious figures, and Mahayana Buddhism, in Thai Buddhism. Why is Ganesh so popular in Thailand? Or Kwan Yin (Yao Mae Kuan Im)? With whom are the various deities popular? In many ways, Fulbrighters can benefit from the outlook and skills that qualitative researchers develop; that of the participant observer. You are taking part in the culture that you are trying to understand. PORNTIP COMMENTS: Go out to meet people and you will find that Thai people generally welcome foreigners. Smile with them and show your interest in what they are doing, they will be even friendlier! Learning Thai ?Learn certain basic Thai phrases. Now! Your colleagues may well speak excellent English, but once you are out in the markets, you will need to speak some Thai.Plus, it’s fun. Develop a specific working vocabulary in Thai. Figure out what phrases you will need on a daily basis and ask a Thai friend to drill you on the pronunciation and tones until they are second nature. This vocabulary should include greetings, directions, numbers, and foods, among other things. ?Yes, clear pronunciation and tones are important. But they can be overemphasized. Speak with conviction. If you speak tentatively, your phrases will tend to go up at the end, like the inflection we use in English, which will confuse your Thai listener.Speak with your limited vocabulary with an air of confidence and the receiver will have a far better chance of understanding you. They will think that you know more than you actually do, but that’s O. K. You can learn to accept their over-the-top compliments gracefully. Also, your Thai need not be perfect to be understood. We have much to learn from the Thais as â€Å"reviewers† of our mispronunciations and tonal goof-ups, patience we could use in similar interactions at home. The Thais go way past half-way to try to figure out what you are trying to communicate.The fact that you are trying to speak their language is also a clear indication of your cross-cultural sincerity. Thais will often be impressed with your progress because they spend years studying English in scho ol without a great deal of success. Acting things out helps, too. This also works on the cultural level of â€Å"sanuk†Ã¢â‚¬â€you are having fun (and the joke is sort of on you) trying to communicate a specific idea. And when you succeed, it is a cause for joint celebration! Learn these phrases right now:? Kaw bia song kuat (Please bring me two beers) Kaw cowpot moo jon nung (Please bring me a plate of fried rice with pork)? Kaw cowneo maamuang song jon (Please bring me two plates of mango with sticky rice) Some basic food to order: guy young (friend chicken) cowpat moo (fried rice with pork) tom ka guy (coconut soup with chicken) pat thai guy (fried noodles with bean sprouts and chicken) kwitdeo sen yai nua sot (beef noodle soup) kow naa bed (duck with sauce over rice) ky jiow (Thai-style omelet) kao moo dang (pork with red sauce over rice) dom young gung (spicy shrimp soup). PORNTIP COMMENTS: One way to learn the Thai language could be through food as Thai people love to o ffer food. When observing that their foreign guests enjoy it, the Thais could feel even more comfortable to talk with them†¦ and naturally, urge the foreigners to have more food! ?Thais also enjoy listening to foreigners speaking Thai†¦. even just a few words because they think the Thai language is very difficult so they feel really impressed. Don't feel embarrassed if you make mistakes and your Thai friends start laughing. They know the challenges you have to face with the tones.Their laughs simply mean your pronunciation is ‘narak' (cute). Thai people have patience to listen and try to understand Americans when speaking Thai. American Fulbrighters being in Thailand will be more aware how difficult it is for Thais when they are in the US as quite a number of Americans may not have similar patience. Engaging Thais ?If you want to get below the surface with your Thai friends, engage them on their own terms; choose topics where they can teach you about aspects of Thai culture. Pursue whatever aspects of Thai culture, religion, history (spirit houses?The Sukhothai period? Some aspects of Buddhism like meditation? ). The point is that you will be in their cultural ballpark. They will appreciate your genuine interest, and this will give you an entree into the Thais’ enormous cultural generosity. They will help you meet interesting people, plan field trips, and so on. Just give them the chance. On one of my Fulbright assignments, I was teaching in Nakorn Prathom. I mentioned to a teacher that I would like to visit Praviharn—the controversial Cambodian wat located on the Thai-Cambodian border—on my last weekend with them.My Thai friend had never been there before, either. Despite the initial negative reactions from some of the other faculty (It’s too far—the trip will take too long; it’s too hot. . . ), she organized what was a memorable venture to the famous temple. It was a wonderful culminating event for m y time with my Thai colleagues—many of whom wound up going and enjoying the trip despite their initial protestations. PORNTIP COMMENTS: ?Thai people are really hospitable so they could go out of their way to please you. Ask to see their reaction first and wait to see their next move.If they are quiet, it could mean they can't accommodate your request. Inconsistencies in Thai Culture ?When you are operating in someone else’s culture, inconsistencies seem to abound. This is partly due to the fact that in our own culture, we are too close to things to see what â€Å"don’t make sense,† and our initial observations are relatively superficial in Thailand (you know the most during your first two weeks here; then it starts getting much more complicated), and that, at least in my view, there ARE things that don’t seem consistent here. But of course, that is true in all cultures. Take Thai Massage ?Thai culture in general steers around confrontations; in the ir view the key in human relations is harmony. The focus is on working things out without anger and keeping a cool heart† (Jai Yen) in all social situations. Thais are raised to make others feel welcome, relaxed, and â€Å"sanuk† (happy). In the West, of course, our fundamental goal is to make OURSELVES satisfied. Simply put, we are more individually oriented, the Thais more communally oriented. So you might think that when it came to massage, the Thais would offer massage that is soothing, relaxing, comforting. Ha!Thai massage aggressively confronts the muscles that are stiff or bunched up with elbows and knuckles and knees—boring in on them until they give up their tightness and relax. Sometimes it hurts. O. K. , often it hurts. Where is all this Thai non-confrontation, avoidance of pain and making the other guy feel good? It goes out the window, as far as I can tell. This feels more like American no pain-no gain to me. Of course, it works. But along the way, t he attacks on muscle bundles and the stretches are not all that sanuk (fun, in this context). Of course, the pain is meted out with typical Thai humor and grace. Jep Mai? † (they ask with a chortle). â€Å"Jep Maack† (It hurts a lot) I respond, to more chortles. Yes, no pain no gain. ?The Case of Luang Paw Koon? In general, Thai Buddhist monks live a highly disciplined life. They must live by a total of 224 precepts, which provide strict behavioral rules. Like religious groups in all cultures, a few stray in terms of relationships with women and other sins and are tossed out of their temples. But for the most part scandals are rare and monks are respected for their discipline, dignity and wisdom.? Luang Paw Koon is one of the most popular monks in the country.You often see his picture in the northeast part of Thailand, and frequently in the taxis in Bangkok, many of whose drivers are from the northeast. ?What the pictures show is a smiling monk deliberately flaunting Bu ddhist conventions, puffing on a cheroot or overtly handling money. He is seated in a squatting position like a northeastern farmer, not cross-legged like a monk. He speaks in the common language of farmers, not in â€Å"proper† Thai.? Why is he so popular? Some Thais respect his rebellion, while still demonstrating the key Buddhist tenets of poverty, integrity, honesty and generosity.Funds given to him are known to go directly to the projects they are given for, most often schools and hospitals. No middlemen. No corruption. I think that is the message of the picture with Luang Paw Koon handling money—â€Å"Your donations are safe with me. I will get your donations to their proper destinations. † Consistency with the principals of a monk’s life? Yes and no. Unconventional? Absolutely. Effective in terms of charity work? This certainly seems to be the case. And a great case for bending the social rules to serve a higher cause. Maybe we all love rebels.PORN TIP COMMENTS:? Treat the inconsistencies as surprises and enjoy the learning experiences! Short Takes– ? Watch Thai TV Watch the soap operas, the variety shows, the shows on the monarchy. Ask lots of questions. Before you criticize, think about The Bachelor and Fox News and Two and a Half Men and other stellar representations of our own culture. Thai soap operas present cultural melodramas where actors confront each other and act in ways one would never see in polite Thai society with its emphasis on decorum and harmony. Is it just entertainment?Cultural wish fulfillment? Ask your friends. ?In general, when things don’t seem to make sense, ask. Find good friends who are absolutely â€Å"culturally-insult proof,† who know that your questions may be clumsy and politically incorrect but that your intentions—to understand things a bit better—are pure. These are the people to ask potentially sensitive questions about the â€Å"Red Shirts† and the â€Å"Yellow Shirts†, and about the monarchy. PORNTIP COMMENTS: ?Soap operas could better your Thai while helping you understand that many times, they don't reflect the ‘real' Thai culture.It could be misleading if viewers take it literally to think that Thai women always go after guys, love screaming and yelling plus slapping others' faces. The way they dress to work is far from being professional either†¦.. as if they went to an evening party even. It may be good to understand that the Thais value ‘riab roi' and being very proper (far too formal at times). Perhaps Thai soap is something Thais quietly think the society could loosen up a bit. Be discreet when discussing or asking questions about Monarchy as there are lese majeste charges which could be complicated for you to understand fully.The conflicts that seem to separate ‘yellow shirts' and ‘red shirts' are not easy to understand either. The suggestion to find a ‘culturally-insult pro of' friend sounds great to get to know more about the monarchy and political conflicts. Small Bits of Advice? Take a zillion showers and guzzle water by the gallon. Keep your body temperature down and your internal system happy. When you feel culture shock coming on, retreat. Take some down time. Listen to your iPod. Watch a favorite movie (it is undoubtedly pirated here). No one should try to tackle a foreign culture 24/7.You will burn out. It’s hot here. And humid. Incredibly humid. And you are constantly on stage. I can’t do one more impromptu speech, explaining who I am and why I am here. It can be exhausting. O. K. , it will be exhausting. Every moment you spend working on your Thai is a move in the right direction culturally. Even the process of learning Thai with your Thai friends has all kinds of cultural learning possibilities.? Take notes of your observations—not for Facebook or to Tweet about so much as for your own record of cultural discovery.Youâ €™ll be able to see how far you have come by the end of your Thai adventure.? Remember that part of your job as a Fulbrighter is to play the role of cultural ambassador, representing your country with integrity here and portraying Thailand with fairness and accuracy to your friends back home. ?Learn to bargain. Again, it’s not so much about the result, which is pretty much predetermined, as it is about your participation in the process, and HOW you participate (with a smile and acting out things—â€Å"Oh, man, you’re killing me here! †). Be a good sport Accept the Thais’ overwhelming generosity.They are happy to have you here. We are conditioned to be suspicious of others’ generosity, and it’s a tough assumption to get over.? Sometimes conversations are just exercises in enjoyable social banter, without a â€Å"punch line. † You talk about the weather, family, where you are going. . . just for the sake of the pleasant conve rsation. In our culture, we are used to seeking the â€Å"point. † ? Develop a short introduction in Thai that explains who you are and why you are here in Thailand. Saying that you are an â€Å"achjan† (a teacher/professor) explains a lot.This will be very helpful, so that people know who you are, how long you will be here, and so on. It puts everyone at ease. ?Never divide up the bill at the restaurant. The most senior person will â€Å"liang. † It’s the Thai cultural law. Hierarchies define the nature of power in relationships in Thailand; royalty over commoners, men over women (women cannot be ordained as monks in Thailand), and age over youth. By the way, the best way to reciprocate in terms of food is to buy candy or fruit to share with your Thai colleagues on your trips together. This is perfectly acceptable, and appreciated.Never assume that your English is being understood by your students. Slow down. Ask them lots of questions. Be patient; Thai students are used to lecture-style classrooms. Tell stories. Keep them with you (on topic). Try to relate your topics to Thailand, Thai applications of things, even if it is a stretch. Joke around a bit. Show that you can â€Å"take† a joke—tell one on yourself. Lighten up and the Thais will appreciate it and your communication will be far better. Over-serious classrooms are over-rated. Always share what you are eating. (That can’t be over-emphasized. Wherever you are living, establish your own little village; people you see and fuss over every day, like the noodle folks, the flower lady, the 7-11 folks, and your favorite night market vendors. The substance of the conversation is not the issue, it’s the attention. Simply remarking on the sweetness of the oranges (waan maach! ) or commenting on the heat (always safe) is fine. With just a bit of friendly banter it becomes â€Å"your neighborhood,† a little like Norm walking into â€Å"Cheers. † I have found these simple, smiling conversations are a source of â€Å"friendly energy† I can enjoy every day.Banter begets banter which makes you feel more at home. Get in shape! Many Thai temples are located on the top of hills. And just maintaining your energy levels in this heat takes some oomph. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to appreciate and learn from various aspects of this religion. Remember, the Buddha said that you should only apply the aspects of Buddhism to your life until after you have experimented with them and they seem to make sense to you personally. There is no pressure to believe in an overarching philosophy; just a big, broad display of spiritual and practical ideas to experiment with and learn from.Sort of like the experience of living in Thailand itself. PORNTIP COMMENTS:? Even though the more senior Thais will buy you meals almost every time, you may wish to offer to do it in return once in a while. It might not work but that generous offer will be appreciated. Buying some kanoms or some little gifts to give to the more senior and friends would be a nice gesture to show your thoughtfulness. Thai students love learning by listening so storytelling is the good way to attract their attention and it's fun while keeping them focused and remember what they've heard.It could be difficult to have some deep discussions with quite a number of Thais but don't lose hope. Sometimes, it's just because of the language. Other times it could be because Thai people aren't used to expressing their ideas extensively unless they feel very close to the persons. Having discussions with Thais regularly will also help Thais think and interact faster too. Enjoy learning about Buddhism in a practical way†¦.. by understanding ‘the middle path’, it helps you ponder upon ways to balance your life. Learning how to meditate would simply lead you to have some peaceful moments.

The Life and Literature of F Scott Fitzgerald

ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Life and Literature of F. Scott Fitzgerald By Jillian Thompson May 16, 2012. English newspaper, The Guardian, once asked Jonathan Franzen, the Pulitzer Prize nominated author of The Corrections, to contribute what he believed were the greatest rules to abide by for aspiring fiction writers. His response was â€Å"Fiction that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn't worth writing for anything but money† (Franzen). The novels of Francis Scott Fitzgerald suggest that he would agree wholeheartedly with Franzen.In his Notebooks, Fitzgerald wrote, â€Å"There never was a good biography of a good novelist. There couldn’t be. He’s too many people if he’s any good† (Fitzgerald 61). Fictionalizing emotions and backgrounds are an unparalleled resource to writers, and some of the greatest stories in literature have grown from the personal lives of novelists. Dickens’ David Copperfield, Hemingway ’s A Farewell To Arms, and Kerouac’s On the Road are famed illustrations of autofiction techniques, featuring a protagonist that has been modeled after the author, and a central plotline that mirrors the events of their lives.A close examination of the known facts of Scott Fitzgerald’s life is enough to establish that there is a profound relationship between his personal dispositions and the subject matter of his novels. It is also fair to conclude that he was deeply concerned with class, wealth, and their effect on the corruption of â€Å"The American Dream. † The novels and short stories of Scott Fitzgerald are documents that illustrate the hazy and glamorous Jazz Age, and had Fitzgerald’s own life been any less hazy and glamorous, some of America’s greatest literature may not have come to pass. THE LIFE OF SCOTT FITZGERALDFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born September 24th, 1896 in St Paul, Minnesota, the only son to middle class parents , Edward and Mary Fitzgerald. His parents instilled him with a fear of failure, and an obsession with wealth that would haunt his life’s ambitions. At an early age, he proved himself an imaginative and talented writer, and despite some academic struggles, he was accepted to Princeton in 1913. Intent on following his family’s advice, Fitzgerald dedicated himself to the pursuit of social and intellectual attainments, the path he believed would lead him to fame and fortune.He joined any extracurricular activity that he believed would increase his social standing on campus, but the beginning of WWI put an end to any possible fruition of his efforts. He left Princeton for the army in 1917, and was stationed at Camp Sheridan in Montgomery, Alabama, where he began work on a novella called The Romantic Egotist. It was also there that he met the woman who would change the course of his life forever. Her name was Zelda Sayre, the â€Å"golden girl†, and in her, Fitzgerald met his match in both ambition and extravagance.They had a whirlwind romance, but in the summer of 1919, Zelda grew tired of waiting for his success, and ended their relationship. Devastated by her rejection, he moved back to St. Paul, more determined than ever to become rich enough to win Zelda back. He rewrote The Romantic Egotist and in a letter to his publisher wrote, â€Å"I have so many things dependent on its success—including of course a girl† (Bryer and Barks 149). In 1920 This Side of Paradise was published. The novel was an overnight sensation with postwar youth, and two weeks later Fitzgerald and Zelda were married.They became the icons of success and youth, the first â€Å"it† couple if there ever was one, but the tumultuous beginning of their relationship never quite faded away. He and Zelda lived far outside their means, and Fitzgerald continually sunk into debt. Zelda’s impulsiveness, once interpreted as charming, had become erratic, and emotionally draining for Fitzgerald and his writing suffered. While living in Europe, Zelda overdosed on sleeping pills, and flung herself down a flight of stairs in a jealous fit. Fitzgerald had Zelda institutionalized, and she was diagnosed with schizophrenia.Fitzgerald’s dream of his muse had become a nightmare, and he worked through his emotions the way he always had, through writing, and Tender is the Night was the result. Fitzgerald died of a heart attack in 1940, while writing his final novel, The Last Tycoon. Zelda died not long after, locked in a room awaiting treatment as the sanitarium set fire. They are buried together, with a shared headstone that quotes the final words of Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby. â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past† (172). FITZGERALD AND THE JAZZ AGEPerhaps the most vivid and poetic character of any Fitzgerald novel is â€Å"The Jazz Age† itself. The histori cal backdrop of the glamorous world of Flappers and speakeasies that’s envisioned when one thinks of the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, make the perfect canvas for Fitzgerald to place his characters, who share Fitzgerald’s own conflicted feelings on Jazz Age morals. The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise both center on the theme of love warped by status seeking. They can be read as harsh criticisms of 1920s America, and its disintegration during an era defined by material excess.With the end of WWI the American economy soared and brought about an era, from 1920-1931, which was marked by unprecedented national wealth and prosperity. The rise of the stock market and the shock of the war left America with a generation that compensated for the chaos by creating a society centered on materialism. People began to spend and consume like never before. The conservatism and modest values of Victorian society that marked the previous generation were too suffocating for the y outh who grew up fast during the â€Å"Great Crusade. A person from any background now had the opportunity to earn a fortune, especially if they were helping to supply the demand for bootleg liquor, such as Jay Gatsby was. But this giddiness was short lived, and after the stock market crash, those that had enjoyed the rapid succession from penniless to millionaire as a bootlegger, quickly lost everything as the economy crumbled. Even before the stock market crash, Fitzgerald portrayed the decay of the Jazz Age as the self-consuming society of excess that couldn’t possibly be sustained through its greed and cynicism. Fitzgerald always idolized the luxurious lifestyle of the rich.As the Fitzgerald’s fame rose in the early 1920s, he found himself slowly being seduced by the opulence of his newfound life. But despite the excitement of his new life, Fitzgerald struggled with the mixed feelings of hypocrisy associated with falling in love with a girl who was everything heâ €™d ever dreamed of, but who led him toward the materialism he had once despised. Fitzgerald developed his characters as representations of these inner conflicts. Arthur Mizener, Fitzgerald’s most noted biographer, wrote that Fitzgerald’s work so perfectly defined the Jazz Age because Fitzgerald nfused both sides of himself into what Mizener called â€Å"the middle-western Trimalchio and the spoiled priest† (297). The symbol of the green light on Daisy Buchanan’s dock in The Great Gatsby represents Fitzgerald’s hope for the future, but also the awareness that it may never be realized. Writing The Great Gatsby allowed Fitzgerald to confront his feelings on the superficiality of his world and its inhabitants. Even the title The Great Gatsby is a reflection on the Jazz Age as a masterful illusion. THE AUTHOR AND THE HERO The heart of any study on Scott Fitzgerald is of course his work.However, Fitzgerald wrote only about himself and the people and places with which he was familiar, therefore his life and his work are inextricably bound together. â€Å"There were four or five Zeldas and at least eight Scotts,† as James Thurber once put it in his book Credos and Curios, â€Å"so that their living room was forever tense with the presence of a dozen desperate personalities, even when they were alone in it. Some of these Fitzgeralds’ were characters out of a play or a novel, which made the lives of the multiple pair always theatrical, sometimes unreal, and often badly overacted† (63).In fact, reading This Side of Paradise is like reading a biography of Fitzgerald. A young man from the Midwest serves in the army, falls in love with a rich socialite, and they break up, leading him to search for success by any means available. Jay Gatsby and Amory Blaine, the young dandy protagonists of The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise, pursue and glorify wealth to win the affections of the woman they love, much like F itzgerald himself did to win Zelda Sayre.Gatsby and Blaine are perpetually romantic adolescents whose lives are based on the mistaken idea that enough money and fame can keep the love and beauty of the past crystallized forever. The romanticism of Gatsby and Blaine, which at first rises above the frivolity Fitzgerald associated with Jazz Age society, eventually disintegrates to unveil the corruption wealth causes. The Great Gatsby’s narrator, Nick Carraway, is a young man from the Midwest with an Ivy League education, exactly like Fitzgerald.Nick’s background makes him an ideal narrator because he is able to see past Gatsby’s superficialities to the man underneath. Fitzgerald uses Nick to express his opinion that an ideal based on a materialistic foundation is a self-defeating and ultimately destructive goal. Then lastly, there’s the girl. The object of all-consuming affection. Fitzgerald’s muse for his female protagonist was of course his wife, Ze lda. In fact, she was more than just a muse. After sharing her personal diaries with Fitzgerald, he used verbatim quotes to write the character of Rosalind Connage in This Side of Paradise.He wrote, â€Å"all criticism of Rosalind ends in her beauty† (Bryer and Barks 201) and told Zelda â€Å"the heroine does resemble you in more ways than four† (230). Like Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Zelda never took to motherhood and was never particularly domestic. According to Fitzgerald’s Notebooks, the famous line from The Great Gatsby, â€Å"I hope she'll be a fool–that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool† (Fitzgerald 22), is based on what Zelda said after her daughter, Scottie, was born. The most accurate portrayal of Zelda is most likely in Tender is the Night, Fitzgerald’s last completed novel.This is a story of a man of almost limitless potential who makes the fatal decision to marry a beautiful but mental ly ill woman, and who ultimately sinks into despair and alcoholism when their doomed marriage fails. He wrote it about their time in Europe, and the Lost Generation community of writers, a term coined by Fitzgerald’s close friend Ernest Hemmingway to describe those who came of age during World War 1, including Gertrude Stein, T. S Eliot and Waldo Peirce. In the novel, he chronicled the decline of Zelda’s mental health, and his discovery that she would never return to the way she was.The Zelda in this novel not was the glorified beauty of This Side of Paradise or The Great Gatsby, and she a wrote a semi-autobiographical account of her own as a form of revenge against Fitzgerald after their marriage dissolved. After she was committed, Fitzgerald wrote in his Notebook, â€Å"In an odd way, perhaps incredible to you, she was always my child (it was not reciprocal as it often is in marriages) †¦ I was her great reality, often the only liaison agent who could make the world tangible to her† (478). â€Å"SO WE BEAT ON†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fitzgerald, 172)The beginning of The Great Gatsby is prefaced by a poem written by a fictional character from This Side of Paradise. It reads, Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry ‘Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you! (6) If the words of Jonathan Franzen are true, then it can be assumed that Fitzgerald’s greatest adventure into the unknown was his relationship with Zelda. Their relationship became the basis of his life’s work, which made him one of the greatest storytellers American literature has known to date.