The Significance of The Blue Dress in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watchin

The Significance of The Blue Dress in Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwanee Their Eyes Were Watching God: Janie (talking to Phoebe about Tea Cake): â€Å"He done taught me de maiden language all over. Wait till you see de new blue satin Tea Cake done picked out for me tuh stand up wid him in. High heel slippers, necklace, earrings, everything he wants tuh see me in. Some of dese mornin’s and it won’t be long, you gointuh wake up callin’ me and Ah’ll be gone.† (pp. 109-10) Seraph on the Suwanee: â€Å"Over her mother’s outraged protests, Arvay put on the blue mull dress the next day. She thought that it was very becoming to her looks. She was ready away ahead of time, but ate no dinner. She was excited and curious about this buggy ride, and besides her corset was laced very tight. She put on the new leghorn-intention hat with the big pink rose on the floppy brim and waited.† (pp. 47-8) Two impatient brides-to-be, puttin’ on the blue dress – but what different wedding nights and marriages await them. From the moment Janie and Tea Cake meet in Chapter 10, they delight in each other’s company and conversation. By Chapter 12, Janie joyfully acknowledges him as her partner and her teacher. His â€Å"lessons† consist not of imparting new information, but of reinstructing Janie â€Å"all over again† in something that she formerly possessed: â€Å"de maiden language.† This phrase recalls the biblical origins of the world (â€Å"In the beginning, there was the Word†), suggesting that through her relationship with Tea Cake, Janie’s own world and even her relation to the cosmos are being reordered. â€Å"Language† also refers to the verbal delight that Janie and Tea Cake take in each other. In contrast with Arvay and Jim, whose communi... ...e can, however, signal her virginal status by dressing in a way that represents its equivalent: as a southern belle. In addition to her low-cut blue dress, with its feminine, puffed sleeves, Arvay wears a floppy-brimmed â€Å"leghorn-intention† (straw hat), decorated with a â€Å"big pink rose† (suggestive of reproduction). Most tellingly, we are told that she is wearing a corset that is â€Å"laced very tight† – so tight that she cannot eat her dinner. Corsets hold in the flesh and nip in the waistline to an attractively small diameter. By narrowing the waist, they emphasize the swellings of the hips and breasts, a contrast intended to stimulate sexual arousal. Thus Arvay’s wedding/reception attire emphasizes her fragility and innocence while highlighting her desirability. The clothing signs her as an object for consumption, rather than celebrates her as a beautiful companion.

The Lost Thing Belonging by Shaun Tan

â€Å"More than anything else, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world. † Do you agree? Argue your point of view, referring to Shaun Tan’s â€Å"The Lost Thing†. Achieving a sense of place in the world, mentally and physically, allows an individual to feel an awareness of belonging – a feeling unobtainable through little else. Places where imagination and distinctiveness are condemned force those who adapt to live a dull reality that holds no challenges or freedom of thought. Minority groups are set apart from the majority, with the mainstream becoming blind to those who are excluded simply because they don’t fit society’s standards.Shaun Tan’s â€Å"The Lost Thing† explores a world that directly reflects society and its inability to accept indifferences. Through Tan’s use of film techniques such as tones, costuming, and camera shots, the audience is able to have an increased understanding of belonging an d the necessity of finding a sense of place in the world. Until an individual is able to find a place where they feel security and a sense of identity, they are unable to belong in the world. Conforming to a society that eradicates individuality and creativity results in a mundane existence without challenges and freethinking.The fundamental need to belong can consequently see many altering themselves in order to fit society and its perceptions. A monotone narrative voiceover introduces the premise of the film, as the young protagonist reveals his wavering ability to remember stories that use to humour and amaze. Amused by the irony of his reflection, â€Å"I used to know a whole lot of pretty interesting stories, some of them so funny you would laugh yourself unconscious†¦but I can’t remember any of those†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , the audience’s rapport with this character is immediately established.Sepia tones are juxtaposed with the bright colouration of the lost thing p ortraying a dichotomy between the industrialised world and the misplaced ‘Thing’. Curiosity and a sense of trepidation lure the protagonist and the audience simultaneously. A playful bell on the Lost Things tolls waking the creature, which is followed by an increased diegetic sound including a growl, further displaying Tan’s use of dichotomy to create a distinction between the mechanical aspects of the society that the ‘lost thing’ has found itself in and its own gentleness.Dull and uniformed costuming of the members in society highlights the suppression of individuality in a conformed society. Dirty off-white coloured prison-like uniforms with numbering imprinted on each uniform illuminates to the responder their imprisonment and insignificant existence. A mob of members of society is seen walking in one direction, together. This use of synchronized choreography exhibits their subconsciously controlled lives. Their robotic movement implies their los s of independent thought, forcing the responder to evaluate their own society.It becomes clear to the audience that more than anything, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world encouraged by the use of these film techniques. As conforming is blatantly the prominent theme throughout Shaun Tan’s â€Å"The Lost Thing†, Tan expresses that following a society where imagination is lost can lead to mere existence rather than having purpose, yet the protagonist conforms nonetheless. Tan stresses that although conforming might not be ideal it is by doing this that an individual is able to gain a sense of place in the world and consequently feel as though they belong.The majority of society is blinded to the ostracised minority, as they don’t follow the preordained path. The protagonist in this short film only finds the lost thing by chance, while no one else pays attention to ‘the thing’, as they have lack of sight for things they don’ t ideally fit into their lives. An engaging panning shot around the ‘thing’ when the protagonist finds the ‘lost thing’ emphasizes the singularity of the ‘thing’ he has found, reflecting specific groups that don’t adhere to society’s perceptions of normality.The responder, consequently, is influenced to feel sympathetic towards those in society who don’t inherently know where they belong. Subtle allusion utilised when the protagonist goes to pick up what he believes will be a bottle top for his collection, but unintentionally discovers the thing, introduces the concept that individuals who have molded to society are blinded to any of their surroundings that don’t coincide with society’s expectations. It is implied to the audience that unless those that are different manage to intrude on the activities of popular society they would go unnoticed due to the subconsciously encouraged blindness.The audience is humo ured by the idea that due to his lack of sight the protagonist was unable to see the huge object that is soon discovered as the ‘thing’, but instead took notice of the small bell buried in the sand next to it, for which he probably mistook as a bottle top. This literal sightlessness is further enforced by the repetition of a specific line in the dialogue of the narrative voiceover, â€Å"†¦too busy doing other stuff I guess† that is used when talking about how the ‘lost thing’ or ‘things’ go unnoticed.Specifically the very last lines, â€Å"I see that kind of thing less and less these days†¦maybe I just stopped noticing, too busy doing other stuff I guess† leads the responder to assume that the protagonist has been absorbed into society and so has inadvertently gained that blindness, allowing him to be able to simply ignore the presence of the minority. Through this line, the responder is now left feeling sorry for not o nly the ‘lost thing’ but for the protagonist as well.Symbolic representation, or the presence of the street-like arrow signs elucidate that society believes there is a path you must take, except that the chaos and disorder of these signs in many of the scenes suggests that following one particular path is difficult and that you shouldn’t have to just follow one path when there are so many to choose from. The responder is forced to question how a society can decide what particular path everyone is meant to take if there are ultimately hundreds of options.The ludicrousness of conformity in a collective group of people is highlighted due to the use of this technique. Suppression of minority groups makes it difficult for the excluded to feel as if they belong. Through demonstrating that not belonging comes from feeling as if they have no place in the world Shaun Tan successfully instills the belief in the responder that without a possibility of belonging in a physica l place it is not possible to belong in any sense.Through finding a location where one can feel a sense of acceptance an individual can achieve belonging, more than anything else. Conforming to society, although not necessary or ideal, can allow an individual to gain this feeling, even if it means adapting to dull surroundings that lead to nothing more than a mundane existence. Suppressed groups find it difficult to belong as they have no ability to feel ‘at home’ in a location, but through understanding this it is possible to apprehend that it truly is a sense of place that allows a genuine sense of belonging.Shaun Tan uses many film techniques to successfully display these concepts and ensure the responder is able to also grasp them. Tan’s â€Å"The Lost Thing† ultimately displays a metaphoric world that reflects our own society and encourages us to question our own behaviours. More than anything else, belonging is about finding a true sense of place in the world.

Imitation of Jonathan Swift’s Satire “Modest Proposal”

AP English 7 October 12, 2012 The solution(Imitation of Jonathan Swift's Modest Proposal) It is sad thing to see our learning environment; the place where we come to play sports, meet people, have a good time, learn many interesting things as a place where drugs are also associated. Furthermore, it is depressing to observe an intelligent kid become a person who just doesn’t care about school due to the substance that made them not.The fact that they started ads more to the big idea that it needs to end. It’s clear and apparent that by all parties that this prodigious problem has affected and continues to affect our lives and needs to come to an end by having to deal with the students that do not care no reason about school and I have formulated a great plan to reduce if not illuminate this problem and that is by hosting a assembly in our institute for the students to come and try out all the drugs!This would be a great solution for the reason that students try the drugs and experience their affects so they will not be curious about the drug. What I have concluded is that the curiosity of the student followed by the peer’s pressure will make the student more susceptible to potentially buying drugs from the dealer that could have in fact treated the substance to be more addictive. By eliminating the main factor of curiosity would abolish the first step of a student taking or buying the drug.Furthermore, by the school providing the drugs would make it the safest way to get the curiosity out of their system. For example, the school may provide safe items to use the drugs. I believe that every other way to tackle this problem is futile since everything that we try is not working as we hope it should, like using a dog to track down drugs is just plain dumb and threating the students with not being able to participate in school activities for a set amount of time if cot is unheard of.

Kudler fine foods and the relevant market research

Kovacic, et al (2003) wrote a paper about the research they made which details how the group relied on a market research study to see if the product that they would like to sell, kulen in particular, to their target market including European countries like Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Through the market research they were able to find sufficient reason to launch a market test and eventually a full scale export operation, largely because of the use of market research. Like Kovacic, Kudler Fine Food’s company is also engaged in the sale of organic food to a particular target market. And while Kovacic has not started with the business and Kudler Fine Food already has, it does not make market research any less significant for any of the two. Kudler Fine Foods was able to put together a very sound marketing strategy and tactics that it uses to further improve its performance in the business front because of its effective implementation of market research.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without the market research, Kudler Fine Food’s company is close to groping in the dark since the market research provided Kudler Fine Foods company several important information that it needs to know wherein marketing strategy and tactics greatly depend. Through the inclusion of the inputs of market research Kudler Fine Foods was able to detect not just the significant growth the company is experiencing, but as well as the capability and the viability of the company to finally expand the services. One of the many dilemmas faced by companies is the ability to know for sure when it is the right time to expand as well as to downsize just to ensure that sustainability as well as growth is possible and attainable. Through the input of the market research, the company was able to know that aside from starting on the correct marketing strategy that enabled the creation of a situation fit for starting company expansion, there are more and better marketing strategies that they can use to improve the performance of Kudler Fine Food in the business front. The market research also enabled the company to detect areas of development and improvement in operations. This is just as important because different aspects of the business drastically and quickly change. Sometimes, the reason and nature of such changes are reactionary and it is important for companies like Kudler Fine Foods to be able to detect facets of its operation which still needs a shot in the arm and still has a lot of room for improvement. Market research makes this data available through research and study methodologies that enables Kudler Fine Foods to get inside the minds of its customers, non-customers and even employees and using that opportunity to explore what one thinks is Kudler Fine Food’s weakest link so far that hinders them from operating in a level that is a notch higher. And finally, the market research also helped the company pinpoint exactly the frequency of the   improving consumer purchase which provided the necessary data to Kudler Fine Foods that the company’s current strategies are making it easier for increased loyalty of its consumers, which in turn results to improved profitability. Market research, after all, is geared in knowing, interpreting and digesting the pulse of the market and tactics and strategies in the future can be maximized if it is directed in the direction that market research points to. Additional market research is needed in the following areas that include the better profiling of competitors, internal marketing, knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services, the study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved, Market research should not always be focused on what a company wants to work on through self assessment; sometimes, it is also important that companies assess themselves by comparing itself as a company to other rival and competitor companies and see the differences as well as the advantages in favor of the rivals and the competitors and why such advantages exist in the first place. To be able to be consistent in the pursuit of staying ahead, a company must always understand the rival company’s next moves and thwart it or be a step ahead of it, and this can only be done by the integration of a more detailed profiling of rivals based on more market research. Know your enemy is the famous dogmas of every efficient fighter so that you have an improved judgment every time you decide and anticipates the rival’s next moves. While it may not always guarantee that the rival will become totally predictable, it will make your moves more calculated and not something which is loosely and randomly done like strategies done on impulse. Through the use of correct market research, the money a company spends for its marketing strategies and tactics (including promotions, advertisement, acquisitions, launching of new products, phasing out of old products, re-branding and brand re-positioning, etc) achieves expected goals. While most market research are generally capable of identifying whether or not a person likes a brand or not, or which particular brand he likes the most and the least; marketing strategy should never forget to cover its own base and make sure that it also knows what the employee wants and the extent of the company employees’ loyalty to the brand or the company’s products or services. Most market research efforts are focused too rigidly on knowing what customers want that what the employee wants are ignored, forgotten or removed from the equation, which should not be the case since employees, when outside the office, transforms not only into clients and customers but as well as first hand agents of product and service promotion that can ultimately translate into a highly probable long term client. Modern companies are already cognizant of the need for an effective internal marketing program and like external marketing; all a company needs is a market research. Knowing what both the patrons and non-patrons of Kudler Fine Foods expect from the company in the long and short term future including the introduction of new products or new services is an important (sub) topic of future market research because it can provide a glimpse of where Kudler Fine Foods should go in order for them to maintain the loyalty of its current patrons and to invite more individuals to become customers of the company as well. The study of viable partnership or alliances with other companies the partnership of which can provide better revenue and sales performance for both parties involved can be assessed better through the use of data from market research. This is a very tricky business and marketing move, but it is doable and can be a potential tool in improving sales, visibility and touching bases with the target market if the alliance is done with a viable partner in a set up that is as much as possible a win-win situation for both parties involved, or if not, with very minimal losses. Take for example the move of Starbucks and the bookstores and libraries. Starbucks' willingness to explore the possibility of setting foot on new grounds enabled such a new phenomena that â€Å"a growing number of the nation's 3,700 academic libraries — eager to lure students from wired coffee shops off campus — are following bookstores and public libraries in opening their doors to Starbucks† (Horovitz). The result was an improved brand recall and greater impact on its target market without the use of hard selling and traditional advertising, and its usual costs. It is important to mention that analyzing the significance of competitive intelligence possessed by Kudler Fine Foods in the development of the company’s marketing strategy and tactics was an important step towards the realization of the potency of such information and how it can help in the shaping and re-shaping of marketing policies so that it suits well with what the company wants to achieve regardless of the action and presence of its competitors. References: Horovitz, B. (2008). Something else to check out at library: Starbucks. USA Today. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-09-27-starbucks_N.htm Council of American Survey Research Organizations (2001). Importance of Marketing Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from http://www.casro.org/media/Importance%20of%20Research.pdf Kovacic, D., Radman, M., Kolega, A., Markovina J, and Karolyi, D. (2003). Export Marketing of Slavonian Kulen: the Results of Market Research. Retrieved January 12, 2008, from www.agr.hr/smotra/pdf_68/acs68_33.pdf ;

New Religious Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New Religious Movements - Essay Example Not only do these NRMs catch the attention of scholars, but they also caught also the interest of the general population. The most crucial moment for public awareness in cults or new religious movements occurred in November, 1978, when some 900 members of the The Peoples Temple in Jonestown, Guyana died by murder and suicide. Moreover, some movements have been accused of ongoing human rights abuses, child abuse, brainwashing, prostitution, financial fraud and swindling.3 Only a small number of the older cults such as the the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have garnered huge membership all throughout the world. Of those groups formed in the twentieth century, only a few, such as the American Muslim Mission (found in 1930), can count their membership in the tens of thousands.4 National polls report that 19 in 20 Americans affirm a belief in God, and 4 in 10 said to join Sunday services regularly. Nevertheless, these surveys do not show how and what the people really believe in. Therefore, a number of new religious movements develop to fill these gaps. ... Moreover, the rise of new religious movements and cults also reflects the tensions that exist in the society at large, usually evolve from pressures that increased public acceptance of ideas outside the established religious institutions. As an example, the cultural revolutions of the 1960's lessen the social taboos against religious testing. Furthermore, technological advancements, particularly the Internet and the access world travel, enable a lot of people to access wider beliefs and religious systems and making it easier for small religious groups to form.5 Additionally, new religious movements continue to grow due to: existence of man's spiritual needs, man's cultural identity search, filling a void in man's heart, man's seeking for answers to vital questions, cults cashing in on pastoral weakness of established religious institutions, a plot from the devil, existences of a charismatic leader/founder/guru, prevailing weaknesses of the members, and the doctrines uniqueness of the movement. Existence of spiritual needs.The evolution of cults or new religious movements often indicate that there are spiritual needs which have not been fulfilled or even identified, or which the Church and other established religious institutions have either not aware of or not able to provide.6 Cultural identity search.The new religious movements are able to attract huge number members because there are always people searching for meaning when they are feeling gone astray in a period of cultural revolution.7 Filling a void.Many Christians join the cults or new religious movements because their hunger

Compare Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compare Paper - Essay Example Operant conditioning describes positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction as reinforcement options for behavior. It considers the external factors those which can be viewed as the basis for human behavior. Resource allocation theory is a direct measure of the keenness and effort of an individual to accomplish the task effectively. It is based on certain expectations from the attainment of the tasks based on the success from the past experiences. It is the desire of the individual to contribute effort for the task accomplishment. For instance, as explained by John Whitmore (2009), self motivation can be considered as an inevitable ‘winning ingredient’ if individuals have the desire to attain self-worth and identity (p. 107). As the name suggests, goal orientation perspective refers to individuals’ response to proposed goals. It implies individuals’ attempt to accomplish their wishes set as personal goals. This perspective helps to identify individual preferences through motivation.

The Australian Government and Reserve Bank Assignment

The Australian Government and Reserve Bank - Assignment Example The main purpose behind the development of such type of an economy is to ensure the availability of opportunities for every Australian citizen for their future success (Key Achievements, n.d). The Reserve Bank of Australia started operating as the central bank of Australia on 14th January 1960. The main purpose of the Australian Reserve Bank is to â€Å"conduct monetary policy,† maintaining a strong economic system and issuing currency of the nation (Reserve Bank of Australia, 2011). The paper seeks to examine the performance of the Australian government and Reserve Bank of Australia in the past two with emphasis on their macroeconomic policies. How successful have the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia has been in running the Australian economy over the last two years? The time when most of the major powers like UK and USA were suffering due to the recession, the Australian economy was growing at a rate of 0.4pc in the first quarter of 2009 according to t he Australian Board of Statistics. There was even a rise in its GDP. Source: Keep Australian Government The only thing that might put the Australian economy at the backseat was the growing rate of unemployment and it needed immediate attention (Malkin, 2009). Thus when the Labor Party came into power it was expected from them to design their policies in such a way so as to bring more improvements for the economy and also reduce the rate of unemployment. In the department of health, the Gillard Government had signed a number of health reforms with all the States and Territories in order to secure the health of the Australians in the future. This agreement will be a boon for the economy as it will provide the funds required for the public hospitals, one can expect greater levels of â€Å"transparency and accountability† and less waiting for the patients. As a result of the above health reforms one can see that hospital funding has increased by over 50 percent. Around $ 1.5 bill ion have been injected in the emergency departments. Plans for the aged section of the population have increased by 10,000. In order to ensure availability of medical facilities in the rural areas incentives and bonuses are being given to the doctors (Health Reform, n.d). Though the health reforms were meant for the whole economy yet it lacked a â€Å"common architecture binding policy† attitude. Increasing health care costs have proved to be a factor responsible for lack of health care facilities among the indigenous Australians. Apart from that there has been the problem of lack coordination and content (Gillespie, 2011). The Gillard government has made efforts to make every school a great school because they believe that proper education is very important for increasing a person’s potential and also for increasing the wealth of the nation in future. Accordingly policies were designed in such a way so as to ensure uninterrupted flow of quality education. Funding for education continued, existing Education Tax Rebate was expanded; $3.1 million was to be spent in the next two years in order to establish National Trade Cadetships and many more (Schools Policy Analysis, 2010). As global warming as become an important issue all over the world, the Gillard Government has taken steps to ensure a safer environment for the Australians. The government’s Clean Energy Future Package is considered to be an important economic