Jane Eyre and Much Ado about Nothing Essay

Charlotte Bronte’s novel, â€Å"Jane Eyre† and William Shakespeare’s play, â€Å"Much Ado about Nothing†, both focus on the themes of love; â€Å"Jane Eyre† was written in 1851, the Victorian era whereas â€Å"Much Ado about Nothing† was written in 1599, the Elizabethan era. Although there may be over hundreds of years between them, both texts exhibit the ways the difficulties of love can be explored. Both texts imply that there will be difficulties as the relationships are established. Charlotte Bronte presents a flourishing relationship between Jane and Mr Rochester; this is evident when Mr Rochester says ‘â€Å"My cherished preserver good night! Strange energy was in his voice. Strange fire in his look. ’ Charlotte Bronte uses passionate language to display the development of love between Jane and Mr Rochester. The word â€Å"cherished† underlines Mr Rochester genuine and tender feelings towards her. Charlotte Bronte has also used the word â€Å"fire† to describe the look in Mr Rochester’s eyes, Bronte has deliberately used this metaphor to symbolise the growing passion, developing between Jane and him. By this point, readers begin to feel and see the developing passion between Mr Rochester and Jane. Bronte gradually establishes the growing passion between the two, as within the ideologies of the Victorian era, Mr Rochester would have been expected to marry someone of his own social class; due to this Bronte challenges the Victorian reader to consider marriage outside a particular social class. Although, Bronte also uses actions instead of dialogue between Jane and Mr Rochester to portray their love and trust developing as well as highlighting the barrier of their opposing social classes, Bronte writes â€Å"But he still retained my hand and I could not free it†. By having Mr Rochester retain Jane’s hand in a simple manner, Charlotte Bronte creates a gradual tension between Jane and Mr Rochester to emphasise Mr Rochester accepting Jane as an equal, regardless of their social barrier. Bronte’s use of language and her short sentence in this quote allows readers to engage in the moment. Bronte achieves this by writing in first person to convey Jane’s internal monologue to the readers in order to allow them to feel pity and sympathy towards Jane later on in the novel. Bronte has also used tender language to portray the simplicity of the hand shake, the word â€Å"retained† highlights the use of Bronte’s use of tender language as the word does not imply force or hurt in anyway, instead the action portrays Mr Rochester’s affection towards Jane. Bronte has disguised Mr Rochester’s respect towards Jane in the form of a handshake to allow the intensity to grow within the two characters; through this Bronte illustrates the trust between Mr Rochester and Jane as well as emphasising on the growing passion between them being confined into a simple handshake. Charlotte Bronte conveys the difficulties of love at the beginning of Mr Rochester and Jane’s relationship by emphasising on their social barrier. However, unlike â€Å"Jane Eyre† William Shakespeare has illustrated a contrasting relationship with very little development between Hero and Claudio that has been merely based upon aesthetics and lust instead of love and trust. When Claudio first notices Hero in Act 1, Scene 1, he says â€Å"Can the world buy such a jewel†. William Shakespeare used metaphorical language in order to present Claudio’s attraction towards Hero. William Shakespeare has compared Hero to a jewel, something that is precious and aesthetically pleasing to the eye to highlight the contrast between the extreme lack of development in their relationship as it’s based on lust rather than love, in comparison to the relationship of Jane and Mr Rochester’s. For readers, it is evident that there is very little experience in Hero and Claudio’s relationship as they are both extreme youthful characters. However, a jewel is also an object, which foreshadows Claudio’s treatment towards Hero further on in the play. In contrast to â€Å"Jane Eyre†, William Shakespeare develops Hero and Claudio’s relationship on nothing but attraction and lust, which highlights the trouble ahead. â€Å"In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady ever I looked on. † Again this really highlights the attraction Claudio has for Hero is purely the result of, first, physical beauty and, second, the desire to marry a noble and virtuous woman. While Claudio can’t be faulted for desiring such qualities in a wife, it is telling that he is ready to marry her after only this first meeting and that he goes to Leonato, not Hero herself, to purpose marriage. This makes the audience doubt the relationship between Claudio and Hero as it’s based only on attraction. Similarly between both texts they both introduce antagonistic characters that pose problems and difficulties to the development of the relationships. Charlotte Bronte develops Jane and Mr Rochester’s relationship slowly, which may make readers doubt the relationship, foreshadowing the trouble ahead. Bronte uses the technique of pathetic fallacy to highlight trouble unravelling further on in the novel. â€Å"The great horse-chestnut at the bottom of the orchard had been struck by lightning in the night, and half of it split away†. This quote ends the chapter of Jane and Mr Rochester’s proposal. Bronte used nature several times in the novel to underline the approval or disapproval of a situation. In this scene, as soon as Jane accepts Mr Rochester’s proposal, a bolt of lightning strikes the chestnut tree causing it to split in half, representing the trouble that lies ahead for Jane and Mr Rochester; as well as symbolising their hearts metaphorically â€Å"splitting† into two. Charlotte Bronte uses a series of events to foreshadow the upcoming chaos within the novel. Bronte uses the tearing of Jane’s veil to symbolise the upcoming heart break that soon tears her heart in two. Bronte uses Bertha to present clues to Jane by the events in the novel such as the fire and the tearing of the veil. The tension builds as the novel draws closer to the wedding of Jane and Mr Rochester, this allows readers to adapt to the conspiracy that is about to up rise following the wedding, the quote â€Å"I rose. There were no groomsmen, no bridesmaids, no relatives to wait for or marshal; none but Mr Rochester and I. Mrs Fairfax stood in the hall as we passed. I would fain have spoken to her, but my hand was held by a grasp of iron. † Charlotte Bronte presents a tense atmosphere across to readers to exhibit on the darkness of the novel. For a wedding day, there’s an extreme distinction in emotion compared to a normal wedding. Bronte gets across an emotion of numbness from Jane, as it’s supposed to be the happiest day of her life but there was no one present as the wedding apart from Mr Rochester and herself. Bronte uses a range of language techniques to intensify the tension and peculiar atmosphere around Jane’s wedding, Bronte uses semi colons to create shorter and sharper sentences to exhibit Jane’s feelings when she notices the lack of a turn out, although this ends up leading to a bigamy wedding. Bronte has introduced Bertha as an antagonistic character in order to feature the horror within the story to have a big impact on Victorian readers, as Bertha’s existence is unknown to Jane and the audience. This leads to a bigamy wedding between Mr Rochester and Jane; this affects the Victorian reader because during the Victorian era this matter would have been extremely controversial. During the Victorian era, Jane would have been seen as a â€Å"fallen women† if she were to go ahead with the marriage between Mr Rochester and herself, this was seen as being sinful and illegal. However, today Jane would not have been penalised over a decision like this. This allows readers to have a range of opinions on the decision that Jane is left with. Bronte uses contrast to highlight the distinction between Jane and Bertha in order to allow readers to accept Mr Rochester’s justification into why he allowed this event to happen. Bronte writes, â€Å"This young girl who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon. I wanted her just as a change after that fierce ragout†, Bronte underlines the very obvious distinctions between Jane and Bertha by having Mr Rochester compare them. Charlotte Bronte uses words such as â€Å"grave and quiet† to describe Jane in order to portray her as an innocent young girl who has had the mis-fortune to have been caught up in a bigamy wedding. Against Bronte’s use of innocent language to portray Jane she then presents Bertha by using a strong descriptive language to emphasise on the idea that Bertha is the complete opposite of Jane. Bronte uses the words â€Å"hell†, â€Å"demon† and â€Å"fierce† to describe Bertha in order to allow readers to understand that Bertha is almost a monster. This has a big impact on Mr Rochester as he is left with a decision to make. Although readers have lost respect for Mr Rochester’s character by this point, from the quote we almost feel pity for him as the revelation of Bertha is not only a big shock to Jane but it’s also a big shock to Mr Rochester. Unlike Bronte, Shakespeare presents Don Johns plans through more of a comedic purpose whereas Bronte presents her antagonistic character through a theme of horror. Shakespeare presents Don John’s plans by using the theme of deception and technique of dramatic irony to tear Claudio and Hero apart. In which the audience are put in a powerful position over the characters, as we are made aware of the events that are about to up rise. Don John presents himself as a pure villain throughout the play; Shakespeare deliberately had Don John to admit to his evil nature when he is introduced to the play, â€Å"I am a plain dealing villain, I cannot hide what I am† Shakespeare presents Don John like this to allow the audience to accept his evil nature, in a way this quote clarifies Don John as the meddling character. However, unlike Jane Eyre, Shakespeare uses the technique of dramatic irony to alert the audience of Don Johns plans to interfere between Hero and Claudio’s inexperienced relationship before either Claudio or Hero are aware. Through the deception that Don John is about to cause, Shakespeare creates tension and dread for the audience as we are aware that Hero is the innocent victim amongst all of this. However, when Don John’s plans fail the comedic side of the play is revealed as it portrays him as a foolish character. The difficulties of love can lead to victims of love in which both texts result in awful weddings. Jane and Mr Rochester’s wedding ends with the revelation of Bertha, Mrs Rochester, at this point of the novel the theme of deception is revealed which tears Mr Rochester and Jane apart, this was symbolised earlier on in the novel as the tearing of Jane’s veil. Charlotte Bronte uses Bertha as the impediment of Mr Rochester’s and Jane’s relationship throughout the novel. Bronte writes â€Å"It simply consists in the existence of a previous marriage. Mr Rochester has a wife now living. † Charlotte Bronte’s use of short sentences in this quote emphasises the harshness the reality of Bertha’s revelation had on Mr Rochester and Jane. The short sentences have a shocking effect on readers as it’s simple and severe. The Victorian readers may feel relieved in the sense that it means Jane would not be marrying Mr Rochester. However, the modern day reader would feel pity for Jane as her wedding day should be the happiest day of her life but instead her wedding has turned into a bigamy wedding. However, in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ the shaming of Hero and the theme of deception is seen as Claudio’s lack of trust, jealousy and male pride. Shakespeare writes â€Å"Not to be married, Not to knit my soul to an approved wanton† similarly this quote has a shocking effect on readers as the use of punctuation highlights the clarification of Claudio not wanting to marry Hero which relates back to the very weak foundation on which their relationship was based on. Both texts show that, although there are lesson to be learned, the difficulties of love can be overcome. Jane runs away from Mr Rochester in result of her relationship falling apart due to her bigamy wedding. She fights a constant battle between her heart and head. However, she attempts to fight her natural instinct and nearly ends up marrying St. John but soon accepts that she has to be true to herself in the end. Charlotte Bronte writes â€Å"The waters came into my soul; I sank in deep mire: I felt no standing; I came into deep waters; the floods overflowed me†. Bronte creates imagery through this quote to portray Jane drowning in her sadness and confusion. Readers feel great pity for Jane. However, readers are satisfied as Mr Rochester does get punished for his brutal actions further on in the novel.

Jd Wetherspoon

Business Culture & Strategy 1. External environment EXTERNAL MACRO POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT â€Å"Tied House’ system had been broken – the number of pubs which a brewer could operate has been limited† – Companies have been forced to choose between brewing and retailing, which resulted in selling brewing operations or chains of public houses and hotels. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT â€Å"Supermarkets began selling drinks at loss-leader prices† -Supermarkets become competitors to other pubs by selling drinks, particularly premium larger, at cheaper prices and encouraging customers to buy them. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Government concern about binge drinking and anti-social behaviour† -Pubs have bad publicity by binge drinking and the consequent anti-social behaviour of customers, especially in city centres, the busiest places. TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT â€Å"Installed TV and sound systems in pubs† -Majority of pubs have installed TV screens and sound syst ems, especially to show football matches. EXTERNAL MICRO CUSTOMERS â€Å"Customers with families want to dine out together† – Pubs now have a dedicated family area, which is restricted and limited to meal times only. Children are not allowed in the bar areas, which work good with the rest of customers. LOCAL GOVERNMENT â€Å"Change in smoking law† -Smoking inside the buildings has been banned in whole industry. All pubs have to comply with law and they cannot have smoking areas inside their pubs. All smoking areas have to be outside the buildings. INTERNAL AUDIT HUMAN RESOURCE AUDIT â€Å"Involvement and communication with managers and staff† – JD Wetherspoon places great importance on listening to, acting on and receiving feedback from members of staff on all aspects of the business. All companies trying to motivate their staff to work by offering different benefits, providing training and meetings. PHYSICAL RESOURCES AUDIT Size and location of premises† – Majority of JD Wetherspoon pubs are located in city centre in high streets, where are visible and easy to find. All organisations try to be fairly large in order to provide the atmosphere and facilities for customers. FINANCIAL RESOURCE AUDIT â€Å"Slowed down in sales and profit growth† -Companies figures shows that sales and profit slowed down in last years. There is a risk of sales and profit falling down in the next years. OPPORTUNITY EXTERNAL MACRO – POLITICAL â€Å"Tied House’ system had been broken – the number of pubs which a brewer could operate has been limited† Why is it opportunity? The company as a new retailer can bring new customers to pubs. THREAT EXTERNAL MACRO – ECONOMIC â€Å"Supermarkets began selling drinks at loss-leader prices† Why is it threat? – The company might lose many customers, who will prefer to buy cheaper drinks and drink them at home instead of buying them in the pub. THREAT EXTERNAL MACRO – SOCIAL â€Å"Binge drinking and anti-social behaviour†Ã¢â‚¬  Why is it threat? – The company might lose money for repairing damages and good customers who will be scared to come again to the pub after seeing anti-social behaviour. OPPORTUNITY EXTERNAL MACRO – TECHNOLOGICAL â€Å"Installed TV and sound systems in pubs† Why is it opportunity? – Customers prefer sitting in pubs during football matches with other people, which increase sales and make nice atmosphere in the pub. OPPORTUNITY EXTERNAL MICRO – CUSTOMERS â€Å"Customers with families want to dine out together† Why is it opportunity? – By nice atmosphere and place to seat with children, families will go dine out more often, which will make bigger profit for organisation. THREAT EXTERNAL MICRO – LOCAL GOVERNMENT â€Å"Change in smoking law† Why is it threat? – J D Wheterspoon might lose its customers. If the organisation will not prepare a smoking areas, customers, who are smoking might go to other pubs. STRENGTH INTERNAL – HUMAN RESOURCES AUDIT â€Å"Involvement and communication with managers and staff† Why is it strength? – The organisation has better communication with staff and managers and also they gain knowledge about staff needs for development and training. It leads to better morale and lower staff turnover. STRENGTH INTERNAL – PHYSICAL RESOURCE AUDIT â€Å"Size and location of premises† Why is it strength? – Good location and bigger size of premises will bring more customers into the pub. They can more often come in for a dinner or for a drink in the town. It is also easier to meet with friends in the city centre. WEAKNESS FINANCIAL RESOURCE AUDIT â€Å"Slowed down in sales and profit growth† Why is it weakness? –The J D Wheterspoon cannot open as many new pubs as they have planned, which will bring less profit than it was planned. LIST OF INSTRUCTION FOR DEVELOPING A SWOT: 1. TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS YOU NEED TO ANALYSE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT BY USING â€Å"PEST FACTORS† 2. TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES BASED ON FIRM’S PAST OPERATIONS, ANALYSE INTERNAL AUDIT 3. STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS CAN CHANGE AT DEPENDENCE OF TIME 4. SWOT HAS SOME SUBJECTIVITY, THEREFORE WHEN YOU ARE INTERPRETING A DATA, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL 5. REMEMBER: SWOT ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTS THOSE FACTORS, WHICH HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED! IT IS NOT A PART OF ORGANISATION'S STRATEGY 6. ORGANISATION DOES NOT HAVE TO FOCUS ONLY ON WEAKNESSES OR THREATS WHEN ANALYSING SWOT. THEY CAN TAKE ACTION ON ANY OF THEM OR MORE IF THEY NEED IT. 2. Organisational Culture CORPORATE CULTURE It is the feel of the organisation, the way people act and behave towards each other and the way things get done.

Cantebury Tales

Cantebury Tales Essay Canterbury Tales In discussing Chaucers collection of stories called The Canterbury Tales, an interesting picture or illustration of the Medieval Christian Church is presented. However, while people demanded more voice in the affairs of government, the church became corrupt this corruption also led to a more crooked society. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as just church history; This is because the church can never be studied in isolation, simply because it has always related to the social, economic and political context of the day. In history then, there is a two way process where the church has an influence on the rest of society and of course, society influences the church. This is naturally because it is the people from a society who make up the church. and those same people became the personalities that created these tales of a pilgrimage to Canterbury. The Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England was to take place in a relatively short period of time, but this was not because of the success of the Augustinian effort. Indeed, the early years of this mission had an ambivalence which shows in the number of people who hedged their bets by practicing both Christian and Pagan rites at the same time, and in the number of people who promptly apostatized when a Christian king died. There is certainly no evidence for a large-scale conversion of the common people to Christianity at this time. Augustine was not the most diplomatic of men, and managed to antagonize many people of power and influence in Britain, not least among them the native British churchmen, who had never been particularly eager to save the souls of the Anglo-Saxons who had brought such bitter times to their people. In their isolation, the British Church had maintained older ways of celebrated the major festivals of Christianity, and Augustines effort to compel them to conform to modern Roman usage only angered them. When Augustine died (some time between 604 and 609 AD), then, Christianity had only a precarious hold on Anglo-Saxon England, a hold which was limited largely to a few in the aristocracy. Christianity was to become firmly established only as a result of Irish efforts, who from centers in Scotland and Northumbria made the common people Christian, and established on a firm basis the English Church. At all levels of society, belief in a god or gods was not a matter of choice, it was a matter of fact. Atheism was an alien concept (and one dating from the eighteenth century). Living in the middle ages, one would come into contact with the Church in a number of ways. First, there were the routine church services, held daily and attended at least once a week, and the special festivals of Christmas, Easter, baptisms, marriages, etc.. In that respect the medieval Church was no different to the modern one. Second, there were the tithes that the Church collected, usually once a year. Tithes were used to feed the parish priest, maintain the fabric of the church, and to help the poor. Third, the Church fulfilled the functions of a civil service and an education system. Schools did not exist (and were unnecessary to a largely peasant society), but the Church and the government needed men who could read and write in English and Latin. The Church trained its own men, and these went to help in the government: writing letters, keeping accounts and so on. The words cleric and clerk have the same origin, and every nobleman would have at least one priest to act as a secretary. The power of the Church is often over-emphasized. Certainly, the later medieval Church was rich and powerful, and that power was often misused especially in Europe. Bishops and archbishops were appointed without any training or clerical background, church offices changed hands for cash, and so on. The authority of the early medieval Church in England was no different to that of any other landowner. So, the question that haunted medieval man was that of his own salvation. The existence of God was never questioned and the heart-cry of medieval society was a desire to know God and achieve intimacy with the divine. Leading a life pleasing to God was the uppermost concern, and the wide diversity of medieval piety is simply because people answered the question, How can I best lead a holy life? in so many different ways. Beginning with The Pardoners Tale, the theme of salvation is truly paramount. Chaucer, being one of the most important medieval authors, uses this prologue and tale to make a statement about buying salvation. The character of the pardoner is one of the most despicable pilgrims, seemingly along for the ride to his next gig as the seller of relics. For myn entente is nat but for to winne,/ And no thing for correccion of sinne, admits the pardoner in his prologue. As a matter of fact, the pardoner is only in it for the money, as evident from this passage:I wol none of the Apostles countrefete: I wold have moneye, wolle, cheese, and whete, Al were it yiven of the pooreste page, Or of the pooreste widwe in a village Al sholde hir children sterve for famine. Nay, I drinke licour of the vine And have a joly wenche in every town. In his tale, the Pardoner slips into his role as the holiest of holies and speaks of the dire consequences of gluttony, gambling, and lechery. He cites Attila the Hun with, Looke Attila, the grete conquerour,/ Deide in his sleep with shame and dishonour,/ Bleeding at his nose in dronkenesse. The personification of the deadly sins, along with his story of the three greedy men that eventually perish at the hands of their sin is a distinct medieval device. The comic twist that Chaucer adds to the device, though, is that the Pardoner in himself is as the personification of sin, as is evident from the passages of his prologue. At the conclusion of his tale, the Pardoner asks, Allas, mankinde, how may it bitide/ That to thy Creatour which that thee wroughte,/ And with his precious herte blood boughte,/ Thou art so fals and unkinde, allas?. He then goes on to offer each pilgrim a place READ: Robotics Essayfor a price, of course. The Pardoners place in Chaucers idea of redemption becomes evident in the epilogue of the tale. After offering the host the first pardon (For he is most envoluped in sinne and, supposedly, the equivalent of Chaucer), the host berates the pardoner, saying, I wolde I hadde thy coilons in myn hond,/ In stede of relikes or of saintuarye./ Lat cutte him of. By this, the idea of the pardoner as the most important man on the pilgrimage is brought to fruition and Chaucer makes the main point of this tale: Salvation is not for sale. Another example of the medieval obsession with redemption. However, some did not accept this and questioned the church It was what they wanted other than a holy life with a Old-Testament God; That style of thinking evenually lead to a more gentle, mother-figure as a goddess The Cult of the Virgin. The eminent question then becomes, Why would people change from a long-lasting, Old-Testament God to a mother-like goddess ? The answer is simply because they thought their new found Goddess would never be as harsh on people as the often criticized male like aspect of God. In both current Catholicism and that of the medieval period, Mary is worshipped with more fervor than even God or Jesus. Church after church was (and still is) erected in her name. Her likeness graced statues and stained glass with as much frequency as Jesus bloody head. The worship of Mary is fervent, institutionalized, and approved of by the Christian church. Is she not a goddess? Mary simply took the place of the female aspects of the spirit that were once worshipped as Roman or Anglo-Saxon goddesses. The medieval period, stretching approximately from the late seventh century to the early sixteenth, was bound together under one constantRoman Catholic Christianity. But beneath this curtain of Christianity many legends were being formed and passed down, as old pagan traditions became assimilated into a newly Christian society. The two religious forms were becoming intertwined. They seemed at this time to be tolerant of each other, not entirely distinct. A peoples habits and thought processes are not easily changed, and being that the Anglo-Saxons of Britain were not Christians until the mid-600s, a period of transition can be expected . At least, a fascination with their pagan ancestors existed, at most, the practice of the old ways. Examples of a fascination with magic, worshipping more than one god-like figure, and a continuing love for worshipping goddesses, exist in many texts written in this period. Yet, this does not mean that every village had a sorceress in their midst, but literature usually reflects the society within which it emerges. At the time of The Canterbury Tales, many of a people who were Christians officially, politically, and in most cases at heart, saw that there were elements of paganism and sorcery which is tolerated and respected. The society in which Chaucer writes these stories is Christian as well, politically and spirituallycould it be that they tolerated and respected paganism and magic? Perhaps the separation of the two is not necessary and was not complete at this point in time. Not only was magic a pagan tradition that persisted throughout the Middle Ages. .another tradition, changing at the time, reflected the transition from worshipping the unseen forces in the world as many gods, to one, omnipotent God. Although the people were Christians, they took the separation of spiritual powers far beyond the creation the Trinity. The specific powers or emphasis given to each saint carries on even into todays Catholic tradition. The medieval period may have had some of this (although many of the saints were not even born yet) but in their literature, many immortal and powerful creatures are found. This form of Paganism existed in Britain of the Middle ages, full of spiritual beings, full of magic, alive with heavenly power existing on Earth. It has been the nature of the Christian men in power through the ages to, for fear, deny their people the knowledge of the un-Christian richness in their ancestry, and so the traditions that were not masked as Christian are lost to students of Christian history and literature. But it seems this period had not seen such extensive discrimination. The two ways of the world were not quite so separate then, and matters of the occult were not yet labeled as evil. This again implies that perhaps the two forms of religious thought do not have to be completely separate. There are strong similarities for them to coincide and complement each other, and for an entire people trying to make the Christian transition, maybe this complementing was necessary. However, the age of forceful patriarchy and witch-burning would not come about for several hundred years. Each new way of leading a holy life was thought to be progressively more acceptable to God by its proponents than the ones that had gone before. Such new ways were normally inspired by a desire to break away from the corruption and worldliness which was perceived in the older or more established forms of Godly living. These new ways often became corrupt themselves and over time breakaways from them were hailed as a newer and more perfect way of following God. This roller-coaster ride of corruption and reform is basically the story of popular medieval religion as man battled to define and discover what it really meant to be a Christian. In an effort to escape persecution, but to also flee the evil, prevalent in the world and to seek God free from many worldly distractions, monks began to assemble as communities of Christians . These communities, although they had little organization, were regarded as possessing the best Christian life by having a solitary, ascetic, celibate existence where the world had been totally renounced and had been entirely replaced with heavenly contemplation. These new martyrs were usually just called monks: theirs was a life of daily martyrdom as they constantly died to self and lived totally for God. The monks paid particular veneration to the physical remains of the martyrs (relics) and were therefore connected to the martyrs who they replaced. The rise of ascetic monasticism and relic worship however was quite controversial Both the worship of relics and ascetic monasticism however became mainstays of this Medieval religion, and the idea that monks were a new form of martyr persisted over time. READ: Moral and Ethical Dilemmas Essay Both monks as well as martyrs were looked upon as holy men. In relating this solitary world to readers, there is also a monk in Chaucers work He is someone who combined godliness and worldliness into a profitable and comfortable living. He was the outrider or the person in charge of the outlying property.. ..which lead him to enjoy hunting, fine foods, and owning several horses. Monks renounced all their worldly belongings and by taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, joined a community of monks. Their lives were spent in communal worship, devotional reading, prayer and manual labor all under the authority of the abbot of the monastic house. Particular monks often had particular jobs- the cellarer or the infirmarer for example, and these like every aspect of monastic life were laid down in the Rule. Monks were nearly always of noble extraction (one had to have wealth in order to give it up) but could also be given to the monastery as children (called oblates) to be brought up as monks. Hindsight has blurred our vision of the Medieval monk and the result is that the modern Christian mindset has condemned him for his selfish escapism from the world and for his apparent neglect of those who needed Christ outside of the cloister. The Medieval mindset was very different. The monastery was an integral part of the local community it probably owned most of the farming land in the area- and the fortunes of the people in any area were bound up with the spirituality of its monastic house. The monks were on the front line of the spiritual battle-it was they who did battle in prayer for their community, who warded off devils and demons and who prayed tirelessly for the salvation of the souls of those in their community. Rather than being the cowards of Christianity unable to take the strain of living a Christian life in the real world, the monks were like spiritual stormtroopers interceding for an area against its supernatural enemies in mudh the same way as a local lord in his castle protected an area against its physical enemies. The people gave gifts to both lord and abbot in return for a service. The Pardoner also represents the tradition of faith in respect to the church of his time. The Pardoner is representative of the seamy side of the corrupt church and a broken or twisted (if you will) faith. The faith of a bureaucracy, which is what the church had become. The Pardoner was a church official who had the authority to forgive those who had sinned by selling pardons and indulgences to them. Although, the Pardoner was a church official, he was clearly in the church business for economic reasons. The Pardoner, a devious and somewhat dubious individual had one goal: Get the most money for pardons by almost any means of coercion necessary. A twisted and ironic mind, has basically defined himself through his work for a similarly corrupt church. In contrast, the Plowman has nothing but a seemingly uncomplicated and untwisted faith. The Plowman has the faith of a poor farmer, uncomplicated by the bureaucracy of the church. The Pardoner is probably on this journey because he is being required to go by the church or he sees some sort of economic gain from this voyage, most likely from selling forgiveness to the other pilgrims. The Plowman on the other hand is probably on this voyage because of his sincerity and faith in its purpose. While this was the story of religion at grass-roots level, at the organizational and hierarchical level, the church developed along a different line. It became more organized, more bureaucratic, more legal, more centralized and basically more powerful on a European scale. This process was spearheaded by the papacy and reached its pinnacle under Pope Innocent III in the early 13th Century. He embodied what became known as the papal monarchy a situation where the popes literally were kings in their own world. The relative importance of spiritual and secular power in the world was a constant question in the middle ages with both secular emperors and kings, and the popes asserting their claims to rule by divine authority with Gods commands for Gods people proceeding out of their mouths. The power of the church is hard to exaggerate: its economic and political influence was huge, as its wealth, movements like the crusades, and even the number of churches that exist from this period truly show its greatness. By the early 10th century, a strange malaise seems to have entered the English church. There are comments from this time of a decline in learning among churchmen and an increase in a love for things of this earthly world. Even more of these lax standards had begun a decline in the power structure of the church which included a decrease in acceptable behavior amongst churchmen and a growing use of church institutions by lay people as a means of evading taxes. Christianity affected all men in Europe at every level and in every way. Such distances however, led to much diversity and the shaping of Medieval religion into a land of contrasts. One can also see how mans feelings of extreme sinfulness and desire for God are quite evident in these tales. Still, we are told that history repeats itself because nobody listens to it, but more realistically history repeats itself because man is essentially the same from one generation to the next. He has the same aspirations, fears and flaws; yet the way that these are expressed differs from age to age. This is why each period of history is different. The fact that man is the same yet different is what makes the study of the people who formed the medieval church directly applicable to Christians lives and experiences today. Book Reports

LGBT Lifestyle and the Issuses Faced Today Research Paper

LGBT Lifestyle and the Issuses Faced Today - Research Paper Example In today’s world, fornication is not a crime and one can live the way they want without any judgment. This brings major questions as to why it been easier for the people to change in other matters that affect our lives such as stoning people to death yet it is so hard for us to accept that some people are born different to love the people of the same sex. Do the LGBT have the same rights as other people? Or are there some rights that are not given to the LGBT? Characterized by a lot of disguise and dangerous activities, the LGBT lifestyle is one of the major challenges that the gay community face today. Being accepted by the society is a major challenge; it is very hard for gay people to openly introduce themselves to the members of the society due to the prejudice that is associated with their lifestyle. It is a well known fact that many parents have publicly disowned their children due to their sexual orientation. It is therefore hard for the gay people to public express the ir love life as they risk sabotaging their life. It is for this reason that they usually hide themselves so that no one can know about them. Acceptance is therefore a major issue. In the movie rent, Maureen and her lover Joanne as well as Collins and Angel are both HIV positive and live a very difficult and dangerous lifestyle. As one watches the movie, the first impression that they get is that people who are gay are associated with drugs and diseases (Rent, 2005). This is very discriminatory since there are various respectable members of the society who are gay and whose sexual orientations do not stop them from performing their duties. This movie is therefore discriminatory on the gay people. Most of the people in our world today believe that being gay is associated with dirt, discrimination and drugs. It is for this reason that many people do not want to come out and say that they are gay. However if we are able to create a society that is non discriminatory of one’s sexu al orientation, and that can judge people not based on their sexual preference rather by the content of their brains then we would have done a lot of justice to the gay community (Rent, 2005). Marriage and child adoption by gay parent is another major challenge in the lives of the LGBT. Whereas it is common and legal for the heterosexual to marry and have children of their own, for centuries it has always been illegal for people of the same sex to get married and share their lives together. There is no natural law that dictates that only people of the opposite sex can marry; rather each and everyone can marry whoever they want. It is a well known fact that in some countries declaring that one is gay can be fatal in some instances. For example, the South African public burnt gay couples in early 2006 saying that they were a disgrace to the society. In the Middle East, it is also a well known fact that declaration that one is gay can be a life sentence (Alsenas, 2008). What do we have to do as a society to ensure that even the gay people have justice and that they are able to practice their fundamental human rights? Since gay couples are not able to have their own children, adoption is the only alternative left for them to have children. However, most states do not give these couples the right to adopt as other couples do. It is therefore hard for these parents to express their love to a child or even extend a helping hand to a child in need. There are lots of orphaned children as well as

Source Evaluation and Analysis Assignment Essay

Source Evaluation and Analysis Assignment - Essay Example The article â€Å"Sustainable agriculture-The Basics†, is written by the Grace Communications Foundation. The GCF is involved with the development of innovative strategies such sustainable agriculture that are related to environmental conservation and bringing them into public awareness (GRACE Communications Foundation Retrieved from http://www.sustainabletable.org/246/sustainable-agriculture-the-basics). The main audience for this article is the general public, the government, and agriculture centered organizations. To arrive at this article, I searched the topic â€Å"sustainable agriculture† and began looking at the different options that the web provided. I choose this article since it is published by an organization, and hence the information in it is credible. The article defines sustainable agriculture as production of food or animal products using farming techniques that protect the environment, people, and animals. According to GCF, practicing sustainable agriculture leads to the production of food that sustains the demands of the current generation without limiting those of future generations. The article outlines the various benefits of sustainable agriculture and explains each in detail. Sustainable agriculture contributes to environmental preservation since crops and animals are raised without using toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers that degrade the natural resources. According to the article, sustainable practices protect biodiversity and foster healthy ecosystems (GRACE Communications Foundation Retrieved from http://www.sustainabletable.org/246/sustainable-agriculture-the-basics). Sustainable agriculture mind the health of the public since it recommends farm inputs that do not interfere with the health of the farmers and the consumers. It also supports proper waste management practices that reduce exposure of human to pathogens, toxins, and pollutants. The article says that sustainable agriculture benefits the

Personal reflective paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal reflective paper - Essay Example They stated that I was not audible and I was not convincing. Since then, I have put a lot of attention on my communication. Despite achieving some improvements, I am yet to learn how to use non-verbal communication skills. However, in order to lead other subordinates in the organization, I need to learn how to use these skills. Currently, the market keeps on changing. Therefore, the organization are employing employees who emanates diverse culture, religion, race, and gender. This is meant to enable the organizations to deal with varying challenges. However, diverse groups are facing various challenges because such people have different ways of dealing with issues. Therefore, conflicts are rampant in such groups. As a leader, I will be faced with a challenge of ensuring that these groups work as a single unit. Therefore, I need to learn on how to work with diverse groups. One of my worst leadership experience occurred during my high school years. As a leader, I was delegating responsibilities to the other team members. Therefore, I was not participating in the task. However, during the presentation of the assignment, the panel announced that the leaders of the groups were the ones to present the assignments. I was not prepared and I had no idea on what the team member had drafted. Therefore, we failed as a group and we were forced to repeat the whole unit. My best leadership experience came during my internship. I was assigned a number of international students who came from different counties and placed in the organization. I was informed that I had to train them how to work as a single unit. In order to achieve this role, I made it mandatory for them to communicate each day. In addition, I emphasized that they were supposed to appreciate the diverse views of each other. Furthermore, they were to use their diverse skills towards achieving the overall objective

Sustainable Communites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sustainable Communites - Essay Example â€Å"Perma-culture  is a sustainable method of edible landscaping that minimizes energy and water usage, while  cohousing  is the sharing of common resources by a group of people.† (Horton, 2011) Sustainable communities help in promoting sustainable living, which refers to a lifestyle that leads to reduction in usage of natural resources. The concept generated because it has been believed and is often believed even now, that only manufacturing companies are contributing to the ill health of earth. The truth is, however, otherwise. Individuals on their own cause a lot of pollution and reduce earth’s life. Sustainable communities help individuals learn how they can improve their lives and the lives of their future generation. That is, they are taught how as individuals they can help in sustainable development. For example, Toyota has been working on reducing its carbon foot print. Accodrding to Toyota, 2011, â€Å"Toyota’s culture of shared environmental responsibility has enabled the company’s manufacturing facility to implement 1,700 energy-saving measures over the past five years—resulting in a CO2—emission reduction result of 120,00 0 tons—that’s roughly equivalent to planting 45,000 trees.† I thought to myself what my carbon footprint is. I calculated it and I read different articles that helped me learn how I can reduce my own carbon foot print and help in making earth’s environment better in my own capacity. Moreover, sustainable communities also help in making others aware about sustainable development plus they give a platform for organizations to form partnerships and coalitions and work for the betterment of the environment and people. â€Å"The Stern Review (2006) concluded that climate change presents very serious global risks, and it demands an urgent global response.† (INFED). This means that companies need to work together for a better cause. Some companies like Coco-Cola have been

Ancient maya economics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ancient maya economics - Assignment Example The subsistence economy means the goods used for daily use by all the other classes of the society. Although two systems of economy existed, the economy was based on trade and agriculture. The trade system was extensive with the Mesoamerica that included trading of obsidian, jade, serpentine, ceramic vases, and feathers of Quetzalcoatl birds (Hirst, n.d). The trade network was expanded with the cities of Olmec, Zapotec, and Teotihuacan as well as other Caribbean islands and different groups in gulf coast of Mexico (Demarest, 2004). The trade relations were facilitated with efficient allocation of resources and specialization in different areas of crafts and skills (Demarest, 2004). Scholars have often used the economic laws of demand and supply to assess the ancient Mayan trade because of the vast availability of resources used by the Maya (Hirst, n.d). Given the growing population of the Maya, specialized exploitation of resources began giving the Maya specialization in trade (Hirst, n.d). This specialization combined with the availability of resources that each trade party had to offer was the key in the Maya commerce (Demarest, 2004). Many scholars believe that the long distance trade of the ancient Maya was accompanied by exchange of mathematical and writing knowledge along with other cultural manifestations (Demarest, 2004). This extensive trade network is the prime mechanism for the ancient Maya’s economic growth. The agriculture of Maya consisted of maize, beans, cucurbits, chili peppers, amaranth, palms, cocoa, vanilla, avocado, agave, ramon, and manioc (Hirst, n.d). Irrigation canals and terraces were constructed in the Maya highlands in order to take advantage of the environment there while crops were grown on raised platforms in the Maya lowlands. The household economy of the ancient Maya was related to the subsistence economy. Each household had their farmland where they planted corns, squash, beans and other

Market Model Patterns of Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Model Patterns of Change - Essay Example This paper aptly examines the patterns of change in the Wal-Mart market model. Wal-Mart is a perfect example of a business operating in an oligopolistic market structure. This is because they have low prices in the market enabling them compete healthily with other businesses dealing in similar products/services. Secondly, Wal-Mart operates with fewer sellers in the market giving them mutual interdependence over the other firms in the business. The long term effect of Wal-Mart operating an oligopoly will result to rise of economies of scale.This is because they will take advantage of having been in the markets to put barriers to other business wishing to join the business. Secondly, Operating under oligopoly market structure, Wal-Mart may collude to form a monopoly form of market structure, therefore, dictating their terms in the market. As a short term effect, Wal-Mart will be forced to renew their strategies of working because they will be facing different competitors in the market (Roberts & Berg, 2012). Secondly, Wal-Mart will enjoy controlling its market share for short period of time, but because the market is free for other to join, they will soon lose their popularity in the market as new firm producing same products will be cropping up to share the market it enjoyed. An example is that today, Wal-Mart may holds a substantial share in the market by its products but the case will be different in a year or two because there will be other new companies providing same products and at even better quality. There are various factors affecting the degree of competiveness of Wal-Mart. They involve both internal, external and delegations and functions of the management. The productive measures affecting Wal-Mart competitiveness is their capability in retailing. The business has various stores situated in various strategic places. These stores seek their profits by retailing their products through high volumes and using low mark-ups to give them a competitive advan tage over other business dealing in the same line of products. Secondly, Wal-Mart achieves their competitiveness owing to their standardized pallets, tight delivery schedules and computerized tracking. This has given them an edge over many businesses dealing in the same line since they are not in a position to raise enough capital to ensure efficiency in the systems. They are also able to use their technology as a source of marketing, therefore, minimize on their revenue spending. Thirdly, Wal-Mart prices play a significant role in influencing their activities and encouraging their competitiveness to other businesses. This is because it is an economy of scale, therefore, they purchase raw materials at a much cheaper price compared to other businesses that are not yet economies of scale. They also distribute their stock to a large numbers of stalls located strategically hence minimizing cost related to transport and other related activities. Being an economy of scale, Wal-Mart is off ering prices for its products that cannot rejected by the customers and in the process enjoys a large customer base for their products/services (Dunne, 2011). An accurate price determination of Wal-Mart’s competitors will significantly influence pricing decisions in Wal-Mart. The two chief competitors of Wal-Mart include

Sources of Resource Risks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sources of Resource Risks - Assignment Example People as a source of risk may be defined as the risk of not meeting project requirements due to improper human resource management, motivational issues and fraud. It involves the project management having concerns about the availability of enough people to complete the project, availability from the staff of the necessary skills and experience and the belief in the project success by the staff.Some of the underlying concerns related to people as a source of risk include conflict among staff members and lack of or scarcity of certain required skill from the staff and the lack of essential collaboration due to unforeseen events such as job change by project-critical personnel, or lack of project-critical expertise.However, in order to avoid resource risks related to human resource, there is the need for proper planning and credible scheduling of the work well in advance. A histogram analysis of resource requirements will also prove to be of importance in identifying possible staffing. Outsourcing or supplier risks result from the use of people and services outside the project team. It accounts for more than a quarter of the resource risks. It includes delays such as when a supplier fails to complete an outsourced task on schedule.Some common resource assumptions which might eventually result to risks includes assuming that the supplier will provide correct materials when needed, assuming that resources will not be overburdened and that the sole-source resource will be available when needed.

In The Heart of Darkness Essay Example for Free

In The Heart of Darkness Essay In The Heart of Darkness, Marlow learns firsthand the consequences, cruelty, commerce, and corruption of color consciousness in European colonialism. The mercantilism and capitalism which were gaining currency in Europe officially spread throughout the world by the colonialism. This focus on wealth acquisition drives the Europeans to loot African territories of the precious ivory, ignites the vicious cycle of violence and cruelty, dehumanizes the Natives of Africa, and takes modern racism to a whole new level under the pretext of civilizing and pacifying the African peoples. Marlow, who is the protagonist in this book along with Kurtz, bears testimony of his voyage to Africa that: â€Å"I have seen the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire† (Conrad 34). These explanation sums up what Marlow encounters in Africa and gives a hint as to crimes of colonialism which existed in the name of trade and conquest. The Heart of Darkness explores the darkest motivations of colonialism and highlights its pillaging agenda by commercialization of a culture, the denuding and exploitation of great wealth. In the Scramble for Africa, European countries unanimously agreed on sacking and claiming portions of it. The agreement legitimized the groups of pirates posed as traders to exchange with and enslave the native peoples in a second round of Neo-Slavery. The significance of the title, Heart of Darkness, flows in tandem with the love of money which is the root of all evil. This imperialist greed is what exposes â€Å"the criminality of inefficiency and pure selfishness when tackling the civilizing work of Africa† (Hawkins 286). The heart is wholly given over to the selfish pursuit of wealth and encumbers the masses by enslavement and deception. Kurtz is the embodiment of European colonialism â€Å"for mostly his expeditions had been for ivory† (Conrad 92). The price of ivory is invaluable. As testament to the presence of the extraction of Ivory in colonial times, we have the Ivory Coast. The natives would hunt the elephant for the ivory and then would trade it for shells, strings, rum etc with the European ‘explorers.’ Just as Kurtz’ life revolves around the hunt and gain for ivory (wealth), the central purpose of the Scramble for Africa which instigated the European colonialism is commerce, which was only exploitation of an ignorant people. Kurtz is introduced to Marlow as a man â€Å"grubbing for ivory† (Conrad 72). Marlow/Conrad uses a skilful literary technique in dehumanizing the Europeans for only animals grub for food. Ivory becomes not only the food which feeds their insatiable desires for self-aggrandizement, but also holds an enshrined position as a god, to whom their veneration ascends. As a newcomer on the expedition, Marlow heard â€Å"the word ivory rang in the air, was whispered and sighed. You would think they were praying to it. A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all† (Conrad 44). These men sell their souls for a natural resource in the name of commercialization and prosperity. Under the aegis of a company, plans were made to undermine the rights of the people and to acquire more territory. Marlow frequently alludes to â€Å"the Company† for whom he works. It is the East Indian Company which established trading posts and for whom Marlow, Kurtz, and several other British men render service. Conrad states that â€Å"the Company had the right to every bit of information about its territories† (Conrad175). Here is a bold statement which demonstrates the company authorizing decrees, setting up surveillance, annexing territory, and claiming rights to ownership and governance. The embryonic signs are already being made manifest that Neo-colonialism is going to rear its head to prominence. As if to emphasize the financial nature of their purpose and intercourse with the people, Conrad underlines that the team of the Company were like those of El Dorado, â€Å"hunters for gold or pursuers of fame† (Conrad 17). Conrad makes a pertinent connection with the conquistadores and Spanish explorers of the ‘New World’ who searched and hunted for gold due to the mythological tale of hidden treasures in the jungles. The motives and the techniques have not changed. The goal of the men to Africa is specifically to conduct trade although there is full-blown cartography going on along the book similar to the early Spanish explorers. Describing the manager of one of the Company’s stations, Marlow describes him as one whose â€Å"eyes glittered like mica discs† (Conrad 45). This comparison of his eyes to mica tells of his mercenary vision and objective. Mica is a silvery precious stone which gleams like diamond-like crystals which a hexagonal shape. It was considered a jewel since it was rarefied in Europe thus highly costly. The cruelty of European colonialism is plain to the sight in Heart of Darkness, and is a by-product of a darkened heart. The presence of rifles, guns, and bayonets of the Europeans versus the spears, bows, arrows, and clubs of the Native makes this novel very bloody, dehumanizing, violent, and brutal. The paragon of cruelty is of course, Kurtz who embodies the Machiavellian ethic of colonizers who do whatever is necessary to achieve their own ends. As Marlow enters Kurtz’ dwelling, Marlow is greeted by the heads which stand on stakes and adorn his home like medals (Conrad 94). What barbarous man would have dead cadavers of beheaded victims constantly surrounding him! The reeking of death in Heart of Darkness is â€Å"the scent of the lies’ taint as it emanates from the symbolic corpses and metaphoric decay that litters the course of the story† (Steward 319). Moral decay and decadence are what corrupts Kurtz and which becomes materialized in the cadavers around which he surrounds himself. Whatever the colonizers could not obtain by deception, they take by force. Cruelty comes naturally to Kurtz to the point that it overtakes him. Even Kurtz threatens to kill Marlow on one occasion in demand for some of the latter’s ivory. Often intertribal war would erupt because of hunting conflict and robberies-it was a bloody, cruel affair. Marlow depicts the hunting as â€Å"just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale† (Conrad 69). In one instance Marlow witness to the merciless beating of an African by one of the European traders as punishment (Conrad 23). Cruelty is a tactic employed to subject and to intimidate people. A startling case of this is the beating of the African which Marlow records earlier in the book. The castigation occurs in front of several of his own people who stand around doing nothing to help the beaten victim. Marlow sees the strong Africans around him and knows that they can overpower the white men, however, the mind is already enslaved and terrorized therefore the Europeans have free rein over Africa. Whipping is a punitive method which recalls the times of slavery where slaves had to be lashed as incentive to toil harder or as an example of warning to others. Sometimes cruelty is the means and sometimes it is the end. Violence breeds violence. As the Europeans continue to assume rights and invade territory, the people of Africa rise up in rebellion. A few men of their team are killed by the African artillery. Marlow attests to the ammunition where he observes â€Å"a heavy rifle, and a light revolver carbine – the thunderbolts of that pitiable Jupiter† (Conrad 98). Moreover, Africans negotiated the ivory trade provided that they could acquire the high caliber weapons of the Europeans so that in their local wars, they could have a greater advantage. The proliferation of arms serves the Europeans’ purpose to divide and rule so that cruelty against the Africans advances the ruin of the Africans when they kill one another. The consequences of colonialism are too many to be enumerated; however the primary ones are dehumanization, exploitation, poverty, and the death of a culture. The European colonizers place a negative construction on Africans which Marlow himself has done. Although he only narrates the story based on his Eurocentric perspective, it is still colored with bias, prejudice, dehumanization, and condescension toward the Africans. Viewing a people as inferior justifies their slaughtering and the plundering of their goods. Marlow says that he sees â€Å"twenty cannibals splashing around and pushing† (Conrad 61) in a river. This epithet ‘cannibal’ represents the less than flattering aspect of the African upon which the European fixates thus debasing them and their culture as subhuman. Cannibalism existed in some areas of Africa; however, for all the time that Marlow remains in Africa he is not eaten. Calling Africans cannibals was a normal act however which was in vogue among the Europeans. The Africans are never considered human in the novel. They are named â€Å"black figures† (Conrad 48), â€Å"savages† (Conrad 98), barbarian â€Å"naked human beings† (Conrad 97), â€Å"nigger† (Conrad 23), â€Å"shadows† (Conrad 100). Matched up against animals, Marlow compares their sounds to â€Å"a violent babble of uncouth sounds† (Conrad 38). No African speaks intelligibly in the novel seeing that their foreign tongue has a cacophonous, guttural, and animalistic note. As a result the power of discourse solely belongs the white man. â€Å"Edward Said suggests that colonial power and discourse is possessed entirely by the colonizer† (JanMohamed 59). The dehumanization of the African serves to yoke them with The White Man’s Burden masterfully expounded by Rudyard Kipling. â€Å"Marlow feels that colonialism can be redeemed by embracing an idea unselfishly. That idea can be compared to Rudyard Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden† (Farn 16). Broaching more in depth the theme of European colonialism, Marlow comments that â€Å"all Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz†¦the International Society for the Suppression of the Savage† (Conrad 83). Here he admits Kurtz’ collusion with Britain and other members of Europe in oppressing African peoples. The beating of the Africans like little children or animals also contributes to the debasement of this people from whose lands they were benefitting. A savage is semi-human if he is at all, and since to the colonizers he has nothing to say, nor are they interested in deciphering his tongue, they take greater liberty at enchaining him in a web of incomprehensible deceit. Dehumanization is crucial in the process of colonialism for enslavement of the mind comes first and then the enslavement of the body and person. The colonized individuals will must be broken, set at nought value and then the colonial is at liberty to dominate, exploit and commodify the human being. â€Å"The colonial legacy in Africanist ethnography can never be negated, but must be acknowledged under the sign of its erasure† (Apter 577). Commodification converts the sacred into the profane (Marx 1848). The English explorers were the colonists of their day and once they constructed the Africans as inferior, or below their culture, dehumanization becomes easy and an almost natural step. The bitterest servitude was imposed and cruel aggressions executed and perpetrated against the Africans. Brutality, demonization and savagery are justified for the indigenous peoples are not fully human; consequently the Indians are wholly in their power through gratuitous cruelty and carnage. European colonizers profited from servility and subjugation. Through force, coercion and duress the European colonizers manipulate for ivory or exact ivory, while treating the natives like excrement. The role of color in European colonialism is easy to fathom in The Heart of Darkness. The depth of the color of darkness has several connotations which Marlow picks up along the way. First of all, the association of black has both positive and negative meanings. Blackness exemplifies richness, depth, and unity; on the other hand, black also is equated with evil, corruption, colonialism, and the devil. By the book’s name, one can see that there is a colored system which Marlow has to see for himself to believe. Views about the human nature and the human heart are also studied as one sees its enormous capacity to perform beastly, monstrous acts and these are the traits which color and taint his heart. Heart of Darkness conveys the â€Å"timeless myth about the exploration of the human soul and the metaphysical power of evil† (Raskin 113).Colonialism is all about color and thrives on, the color line, the division of the races. The European whites are distinguished about the African blacks; the color on the maps is a legendary key indicating the colonized areas of Africa. Marlow realizes that Kurtz’ heart is black as hell toward the end of the novel. The ignorance and primitiveness of the Africans are contrasted with men who lived in the light of civilization. Hence, the reader gains a broad and deep insight in understanding the color codes as Marlow himself comes to grasp, as he represents the vicarious witness through whose eyes, the reader observes the process of colonization in Africa. In sum, Conrad effectively critiques colonialism and places before the reader the darkened heart: the commerce, cruelty, corruption, and color consciousness in European colonialism in Heart of Darkness. These elements plunge both the colonist and the colonizer in an abyss of ruin where both become dehumanized, financially or morally bankrupt, and violent. The period of Neo-colonialism in Africa accomplishes great havoc in the name of progress, commercialization, and prosperity.

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay Example for Free

Document Analysis of John Browns Address to the Virginia Court Essay The address given by John Brown to the Virginia court was his final words before execution on charges of treason. The charges were given because of a raid that he directed with the intent to take federal weapons which is an act of treason. On October 16th-18th, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of white and black men, including two of his sons, on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown’s goal was to seize the federal arsenal, arm the local slaves, and fight a way into the North as described in this primary source in court. This raid was not surprising because of his abolitionist background and insanity as described by the Robert E. Lee who led the Union Army that suppressed the revolt. The group held up in a fire department and was attacked by Lee’s soldiers. The failed attempt resulted in Brown’s capture, trial, and execution on December 2nd. This episode of slave resistance was the last major rebellion contributing to the secession of the South and, eventually, the Civil War. Purpose: John Brown had a a few purpose for delivering this address. Obviously, it was given in response to charges accumulated from the raid, and the address also makes several points explaining his defense. Brown stated that he did not intend to fire a single gun but wanted simply to take slaves from plantations and lead them to northern states or Canada. Brown also stated that he did not induce the others involved in the raid to join him which lessened his crime in his mind. To the charges he addressed, â€Å"I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection. Though he denied the charges, one can infer that Brown really did want a slave uprising to occur in the South due to his strong abolitionist morals and beliefs. If the raid were to be successful, Brown would not stop with those slaves, but rather continue his forced manumission of the South. Brown’s impression of the trial was one of satisfaction, but he argued that â€Å"it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty [of death]. † He made this argument because his intent was not to start this uprising but, instead, to be an act of defiance that he knew would indirectly cause a mass insurrection in the South. Value: John Brown’s address is not a historical landmark and was a less significant historical document that had minimal aftermath; however, it provides a specific example of responses in court giving insight into how acts of slave resistance are dealt with legally. Brown gives this document a unique texture because of his eloquence in court compared with his savagery in the raid. Overall, he is given the status of a martyr with his words: â€Å"I submit [to death]: so let it be done! † Brown reveals a very different side of his personality in which he is a dignified martyr. He predicts that slavery will never end peacefully in the country whose â€Å"rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments†. Historians can use this document today to show people strong in their beliefs who act upon them, and although some failed in their efforts, their cause was strengthened. Limitations: The address made by John Brown contains several limitations that affect its credit as a historical source. A significant limiting factor is that there is only one opinion to explain the raid. Brown had a biased opinion mainly because of his childhood having been greatly influenced with abolitionist morals and beliefs. One would think that Brown’s address would be biased in spite of his numerous accusations, but he speaks as if he had nothing to lose. The aiding and abetting criminals in the raid would not have delivered a speech as dignified and passionate as Brown’s but would obviously be similar in their renditions of the event. To fully understand Brown’s raid, historians would need to consult Robert E. Lee’s notes. After viewing both sides of the story, a historian can either choose a side or make an inference that incorporates both.

Internal and external analysis of Walkers crisps

Internal and external analysis of Walkers crisps The first section of paper will introduce the background information of PepsiCo Inc. and then followed the company mission and vision. Then PepsiCo UK Ireland division is focused and further narrowed down to Walkers Crisp, the snack food product line of the division. The next section is the market situation analyses which identify the market size and growth in UK snack food industry followed by the external analysis conducted in the form of PESTLE. Subsequently, the internal analysis of Walkers Crisps and its competitor which consist of McCoys Crisps and Pringles is conducted to highlight the competitive advantage of Walkers Crisps. Last section covers the market segmentation; targeting and positioning of Walkers Crisps in UK with the recommendation on Walkers Crisps marketing strategy as well as its implications on the division illustrated in forecast budget. Table of content 1.0 Company Background 2 1.1Management Overview 2-3 1.2 Financial Situation 3 2.0 Mission Statement 4 2.1 Mission 4 2.2 Vision 4 2.3 Value 4 2.4 Goal 4 3.0 Market Situation 5 3.1 Market Size and Growth 5 3.2 Market Trends 5-6 3.3 External Environment Analysis 7-9 3.31 Political Environment 7 3.32 Economic Environment 7 3.32 Social Environment 7 3.34Technological Environment 7-8 3.35 Legal and Regulatory Environment 8 3.36 Natural Environment 9 3.4 SWOT Analysis of Walkers Crisps 10-11 3.5Competitors Situation (SWOT Analysis) 12-13 4.0 Marketing Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning 14-16 5.0 Marketing Objectives 17 6.0 Marketing Strategy 6.1 Product 18-19 6.2 Promotion 19-20 6.3 Price 20 6.4 Place 20 7.0 Assumptions 21 8.0 Forecast and Implication 22-23 Appendix 24-26 Bibliography 27-29 Company Background PepsiCo, Inc. is the world leader in convenient snacks, foods and beverages. The corporation is founded in 1995 by Donald M. Kendall, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pepsi-Cola and Herman W. Lay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Frito-Lay, through the merger of the two companies (PepsiCo Inc., 2010). Over the years, PepsiCo, Inc. continues to make effort to increase company portfolio by expanding market in different countries which resulted nearly 200 countries are selling products under the corporation. PepsiCo is now a listed company on the Dow Jones North America Sustainability Index and Dow Jones World Sustainability Index (PepsiCo Inc, 2010). 1.1 Management Overview Figure Business Units of PepsiCo As illustrated in Figure 1, the four main divisions of PepsiCo are PAF, PAB, PepsiCo Europe and PepsiCo Asia, Middle East Africa (AMEA). PepsiCo UK and Ireland (PUK) is classified as PepsiCo Europe division. Under the leadership of Richard Evans, President of PepsiCo UK Ireland, Walkers achieved its highest-ever market share and the brand was re-established as a British icon (PepsiCo UK Ireland). Walkers has been core brand of PUK and mainly manufactured in United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Walkers is also the UKs favourite crisps brand which owned by Frito-Lay which its current logo a derivative of the North American Lays logo. Currently, Walkers Crisps hold 47% share of the UK crisps market (Net Resources International, 2010). 1.2 Financial Situation In overall, PepsiCo grew 5 % in net revenue on a constant currency basis as compared to 2008 which was upset by the unfavourable economy condition. PepsiCo American Foods dominant 48% group net revenue. PepsiCo American Beverages and PepsiCo Europe fell 7.5% and 2.4% respectively. However, PepsiCo Asia, Middle East Africa (AMEA) grew 9% which increase the total net revenue of the group (PepsiCo, 2009). According to the annual report, PepsiCo Europe snack food volume in last year declined 1% as compared to 2008 with 6% growth. Walkers in the United Kingdom declined at a low-single-digit rate which is caused by macroeconomic challenges. Source: Annual Report 2009 2.0 Mission Statement 2.1 Mission The mission of PepsiCo is to be the worlds premier consumers product company focused on convenient foods and beverages. We seek to produce financial rewards to investors as we provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to our employees, our business partners and the communities in which we operate. And in everything we do, we strive for honesty, fairness and integrity (PepsiCo Inc., 2010). 2.2 Vision PepsiCos vision is put into action through programs and a focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company (PepsiCo Inc., 2010). 2.3 Value PepsiCo stressed on the commitment of delivering sustained growth through empowered people acting responsibly and building trust (PepsiCo Inc, 2010). 2.4 Goals Non financial Goals 1. To reduce water consumption in global by 20 percent per unit of production by 2015. 2. To grow savoury snack and liquid refreshment beverage market share in the top 20 markets. 3. To develop a group of leaders who better understand how to work more cohesively at the global level in multidiscipline teams. Financial Goals 1. To improve brand equity scores for PepsiCos 19 billion-dollar brands in top 10 markets. 2. To grow savoury snack and liquid refreshment beverage market share in the top 20 markets. 3. To grow the companys nutrition businesses from $10 billion to $30 billion in the next decade. 3.0 Market Situation 3.1 Market Size and Growth According to Key Note, the UK snack foods market in terms of retail sales has a strong of 8.4% was seen between 2008 and 2009 as manufacturers passed on steep rises in commodity costs for items such as potatoes, sunflower oil and nuts. The total value of the market has increased by 12% between 2005 and 2009 to reach  £2.39bn. Potato snack gained 85% of UK snack foods market followed by other savoury snacks and snack nuts (MyCompanyPR, 2010). 3.2 Market Trend High demand in safety and healthy foods Consumers demand in safe and healthy snack food is an emerging trend. According to Report, there been a high proportion of consumers interested in natural and healthful food and drinks increases, so will sales of products with naturally nutritionally rich and quality calorie content. Manufacturers of snack foods reducing salt and fat content in their foods through the introduction of light and low-fat variants to respond to health issues. Emphasis has been placed on the use of more natural ingredients, as well as on baked, rather than fried goods (MyCompanyPR, 2010). The trend is more distinct when UK government has imposed restrictive food and drink nutritional labelling regulations as to control the obesity population in the country. Global media influence consumers choice Consumers buying behaviour change in a way of becoming active information seeker on the food nutritional and calorie content before purchase decision is made. The availability of Internet allows consumers have greater access to products information around the world. Thus, more and more snack manufacturers share their product nutritional label in their official websites for consumers references. Consumers embraced ethical product On the other hand, more people are inspired to buy food that has minimal impact on the environment. This shows that consumers product evaluation work more than just the tastiness or quality but take consideration of the food products packaging and manufacturing process. Therefore major marketers and retailers are increasingly tapping into this trend by offering more ethical products, upping their corporate responsibility efforts through energy-efficient green facilities and sustainable business practices, and increasing their associated cause-related marketing efforts (Packaged Facts, 2010). According to Mintels Global New Products Database (GNPD), in between 2005 and 2010 to date, there have been 17,208 food and drink products launched in Europe that make some claim towards being ethical. Between 2005 and 2009, Mintel identified a 963 per cent increase in product launches in the category, from 445 products in 2005 to 4,732 last year (Decision News Media SAS, 2010). Mintel comments that  the key shift in the focus of ethical products: from animal-friendly to  environment-friendly  products is a sustainable factor for many snack manufacturer in rebuilding brands. 3.3 External Environment Analysis 3.31 Political Environment UK practices the integration of three government departments on food labelling policy which are Food Standards Agency (FSA), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Department of Health. FSA has the responsibility for food safety aspect in nutritional labelling in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, Department of Health responsible for nutritional policy and Defra become responsible for country of origin labelling and various other types of food labelling not related to food safety, and food composition policies in England. 3.32 Economic Environment The economy of United Kingdom is in the recovery stage after having a severe recession in 2009. The GDP growth of UK in 2010 quarter two remain unrevised from the increase of 1.2% published last month (Office for National Statistics, 2010). Consumer disposable income is medium low as the household consumption expenditure rose slightly rose by 0.7% in latest quarter. A rise in world commodity prices for grocery product have indirectly increase food price. PepsiCo UK Walkers is in the disadvantage position due to an increase in operation cost and engage in price war to attract more market share. 3.33 Social Environment Obesity is the major health problem of the UK nations and healthy eating is one of the trends in food and drink sectors in UK. Consumers actively scrutinize the ingredients and nutritional labelling as a way to choose the right snack foods. PUK Walkers Brands respond to the change of consumer preference toward healthy snack by using Sun Seed oils to cook their crisps in order to reduce saturated fat content of the crisps. Walkers also provide a front-of-pack Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) label to inform consumers about the amount of energy and key nutrients provided in a portion of the product, and the contribution they make to the GDA for that nutrient (PepsiCo UK Ireland, 2010). 3.34 Technological Environment According to ITU, 82.5% of the population in UK are Internet user. Most popular sites visit overall among UK Web user are Google, YouTube and social network visits have climbed from about 10% of all UK site visits to 11.88% of the total (eMarketer Inc., 2009). PUK Walkers Crisps has adapted to the surfing trends and connect consumers through social network. Last year, Walkers Crisps launched a Do us a Flavour, Pick us a winner campaign which uses electronic vote via mobile,  Facebook  or email was successful to capture the heart of the nation inviting the public to create the next great flavour of Walkers Crisps (Enzo Annunziata, 2009). Year Users Population % Pop. Usage Source 2000 15,400,000 58,789,194 26.2 % ITU 2005 35,807,929 59,889,407 59.8 % Nielsen Net//Ratings 2007 38,512,837 60,363,602 63.8 % Nielsen//NR 2009 48,755,000 61,113,205 79.8 % Nielsen Online 2010 51,442,100 62,348,477 82.5 % ITU Source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/eu/uk.htm Besides snack manufacturers start to embrace green technology on their production. PUK adapted to the change by upgrading Walkers brands with eco- friendly packaging by using starch derived from potato peelings to make chips bag, thus helping save on costs by recycling potato by-products (TFTS Technology, 2010). 3.35 Legal Regulatory Environment UK government has been imposing restrictive regulatory pressure on food safety. The Food Safety Act 1990 is one of the main food laws in UK by preventing food business from rendering food injurious to healthy (Section 7) and selling to the purchasers prejudice any food which is not of the nature or substance or quality demanded by the purchaser (Section 14). Food companies that offence the Section 7 or 14 will be penalized with fine up to  £5,000 per offence or a prison sentence of up to six months (Food Standard Agency, 2010). The Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 is the food hygiene rules for all food businesses, applying effective and proportionate controls throughout the food chain, from primary production to sale or supply to the food consumer (Food Standard Agency, 2010). 3.36 Natural Environment According to Report of Department of Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), UK environment is improving as the serious incidents affecting water, air and land are dropping from year 2002 to 2008. However, climate change like drought has a huge impact in food production. PepsiCo UK Ireland has taken initiative on reducing the carbon footprint in their manufacturing, distribution and packaging processes, and those of their suppliers. They switching to 100% British potatoes to lower food miles, reusing waste oil in biodiesel in their trucks as well as practice light-weighting of packaging. As a result they achieved a 7% reduction of Walkers carbon footprint between 2007 and 2009 (CIB, 2010). Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/inlwater/kf/iwkf11.htm 3.4 SWOT Analysis of PepsiCo UK (Walkers Brand) Strength UK market leader in crisps Experienced management teams and board of directors. Strong manufacturing and distribution system Provide a variety of crisps flavours using familiar and natural ingredients Strong financial support from PepsiCo Inc. Launch the first Carbon Reduction Label Weaknesses Walkers brands sales declined Inaccuracy in product nutritional labelling Commodity price is inconsistent. Opportunity Increasing consumption of snack Eating healthy snack is a trend High demand in environmental friendly processed food as in packaging Threat Snack viewed as unhealthy product Intense Competition Water stress and crop failure in region Volatile in foreign exchange rate Strength PepsiCo UKs (PUK) favour internally are its strengths of an experienced managements team and board of directors which give a clear direction of the selling strategy of Walkers Crisps. Besides, PUK and Walkers actively engage with carbon emissions reduction from its supply chain to packaging has scored the company a good reputation in the effort of preserving environments. Walkers brand uses healthy oil to fry or baked the crisps which suit consumers demand of healthy snack food. Walkers brand also gain competitive advantage of being the first product that launched Carbon Reduction label which other competitors could have takes time to imitate in future. Weakness The weakness of PUK is the sales volume of Walkers crisps is decreasing attribute to the consumers negative perception of snack food. Walkers brand crisps have been engage with a number of problem and complaint about inaccuracy in nutritional label. In particularly, Walkers claimed their flavour is suitable for Coeliacs but not entirely gluten free (contains barley malt). Once consumers find the product labelling is misleading, they would not repurchase the item as it indicated the product is unsafe to consume. Nevertheless, the increase in commodity prices due to the disruption of unfavourable climate imposes high production cost to the company. Opportunity and Threat Favourable external factors include the rising demands of snack, food processing technological breakthrough in packaging which addressing the consumers demand of environmental friendly product which start practising by competitors. Main threat of PUK is disruption of production due to adverse climate such as water stress will increase the crop failure. PUK Walkers crisps face intense competition from both direct and indirect competitors which would adversely affect its current market share in UK snack food industry. United Biscuit Ltd and Procter Gamble Company are the direct competitors of PUK whereas the indirect product competitors are Kraft Food, Nestle and Kellogg. 3.5 Competitors Brand Situation (SWOT Analysis) The main competitors of Walkers Crisps are McCoys Crisps and Pringles. The table below shows the SWOT analysis of these companies. Competitors Brands McCoys Crisps Pringles Manufacturer United Biscuit Ltd  [1]   The Procter Gamble Company Country of Origin United Kingdom United States Market Shares 29% 21% Strength Dominance the young male market e.g. Slogan: the original and best crisp designed specifically for men and their distinctive tastes.  [2]   Special flavours as compared to other e.g. curry flavours Consumers can control the proportion of salt and addictives in their snack Strong financial support from the group Wide manufacturing facilities Approach different group of consumers from children to adults Slogan: Once You Pop, The Fun Doesnt Stop! Unique canister packaging  [3]  and sealable lid Differentiation on crisps shape: a hyperbolic parabolic saddle shape Strong financial support form group Weakness Salty and Fattening Fail to approach female and children market Organisation less focus on the brand Inconsistency in campaign effort especially in social network. Higher price as compared to other normal potato product Opportunity Increasing consumption of snack High demand in environmental friendly processed food as in packaging  [4]   Demands for exotic flavours snack is still high Able to approach different group of consumers Produce new flavours Threat Market share widen by other non-potato snack product Market share widen by other non-potato snack Competitive snack market climate Addiction of product Engage in negative food issues: HVP Salmonella recalls  [5]   *the calculation of market share has included potato crisps, snack, and nuts. 4.0 Marketing Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Segment base Children Youth Adults Demographic Age Income Occupation Family life cycle Below 12 Parents allowance Student Kids 13-24 Below 2000 Students, Part-timers Single, couples 25 44 Above 2000 Self-employed, Full-timers, Professional Single, couples, married Geographic Country Regions United Kingdom Scotland, North Ireland, Midlands Psychographic Social class Lifestyle Middle, High Leisure Middle, High Leisure, Fast-moving Low, Middle, High Fast-moving, convenient, less constraint Behavioural Usage rate User status Medium Regular Heavy Regular Medium Regular Crisps and savoury snack consumption by age group and gender Gender Age Group 2-10 11-18 19-34 35-49 50-64 Males Mean 19 22 18 19 16 Median 18 18 13 13 13 % consumers 79 87 56 37 22 Females Mean 20 23 17 13 13 Median 18 19 12 9 11 % consumers 86 84 53 45 26 Modified source: Low income diet and nutrition survey by food standard agency Percentage of crisps and savoury snack consumption according to country / region Gender Country / region England Scotland Wales North Central /Midlands South All England Men (%) 30 45 28 33 41 32 Females (%) 32 42 36 36 40 29 Modified source: Low income diet and nutrition survey by food standard agency Targeted groups The primary targeted is the youth which is from 13 year old to 24 year old. Low income diet and nutrition survey by Food Standard Agency reveal that 79% male and 86% female of this group consumed crisps and savoury snack. Older children and teens can be manipulated by the strong emotive messages in advertisements. The secondary targeted group is adult between the ages of 25 and 44. This group are medium snack consumers which has less budget constraints as compared to youth group. The frequent user of snack is working adult living in a fast moving lifestyle. Convenient snack become the instant meals for working adult who has less time on cooking their own meals. MarVariety of flavours Fatty Homogenous flavours Healthy Walker Crisps Pringles Chips McCoys Crisps Kettle Chips Doritos ket Positioning of Walkers Crisps Figure Perceptual map of Walker Crisps Walkers Crisps is benefited in the sense that positioned itself to be a healthy crisps which provides variety of flavours. Figure 2 shows that Walkers Crisps closest competitor is in house brand Doritos, and other competitors brands like Pringles Chips and Kettle Chips are far below its because consumers perceive them as fattening and homogenous in term of flavours. In term of crisps flavour, McCoys Crisps is the closest competitor of Walkers attributed to its uniqueness of crisps flavours which keep most innovative consumers buying on it. 5.0 Marketing Objectives (SMART) To increase the market share of Walkers Crisps in UK market. To increase the sales volume of Walker Baked by 30% from 2010 to 2012. Walkers to remove all artificial flavour enhancers, colours and preservatives, by 2012 (PUK Health Report). 50% of savoury snacks to be baked, or include positive nutrition*, by 2015. Increase availability of Walkers Baked by 25% by 2012 for consumers on-the-go. Trial marketing campaigns to transition consumers who have high per-capita consumption of savoury snacks to healthier alternatives, from 2010 (PUK Health Report). 6.0 Marketing Strategy 6.1 Product Strategy As discussed earlier in market situation analysis, consumers healthy eating demands are the key focus of PepsiCo UK in snack foods industry. PUK is recommended to remain focus its competitive advantage on producing healthful snack with healthy oil with eco-friendly packaging. Out of the five product extension under Walkers brands as shown in Table 1, PUK should undertake brand building of Walkers Baked because its contain less than 70% fat content which believe to meet consumers demand of healthy snack food. Table Walkers Brands Crisps Product Product Description Flavours Walkers Crisps Source: http://walkers.co.uk/?redirect=null#/our-range Potato crisps that cooked in Sun seed Oil which contained lower saturated fat. Ready salted, Cheese Onion, Prawn Cocktail, Salt Vinegar, Roast Chicken, Smoky Bacon, BBQ Rib, Steak Onion, Marmite, Tomato Ketchup, Pickled Onion, Worcester Sauce Walkers Light Source: http://walkers.co.uk/?redirect=null#/our-range/walkers-lights Potato crisps that is deliciously light, 33% less fat than ordinary crisps and under 115 calories. Cheese Onion, Sea Salt Cracked Black Pepper, Simply Salted, Sour Cream Chive Walkers Max Source: http://walkers.co.uk/?redirect=null#/our-range/walkers-max Deep ridge potato crisp, which gives more crunch and fuller flavour. Chargrilled Steak, Cheese Onion, Paprika, Cheeseburger Walkers Baked Source: http://www.walkers-baked.co.uk/ Crunchy potato crisp that oven baked twice and contained 70% less fat than other Walkers crisp. Mango Chilli, Cheese Onion, Bacon Cheddar, Sour Cream Chive, Ready Salted, Salt Vinegar Walkers Extra Crunchy Source: http://walkers.co.uk/?redirect=null#/our-range/walkers-extra-crunchy Potato crisp that sliced thicker, cooked little longer and crunchier than regular Walkers. Simply Salted, Salt Malt Vinegar, Cheddar Sour Cream, Sweet Chilli Chicken, Flame Grilled Steak http://www.scholieren.com/werkstukken/24548 6.2 Promotion Strategy Key promotion programs that PepsiCo UK is recommended is featuring in sponsorship of home event (treasure hunt), collaborative promotion with cinemas and social network advertising. Sponsorship of Walkers Baked Treasure Hunts PepsiCo UK will be sponsoring a charity event named Walkers Baked Treasure Hunt which participants are encouraged to have minimum purchase of two packages of Walkers Baked. The group will also donate 1% of the revenue in each purchases of Walkers Baked to the Carbon Trust Fund. The event is intended to promote the significant of human role on preserving the Earth by reducing the carbon emission. Besides, it could facilitate sales of Walkers Bakes and re-emphasize the environmental friendly brand image of Walkers. Collaborative promotion with cinema People tend to associated snack food with entertainments like watching movie. Therefore, PepsiCo UK should made strategic partnership with local cinemas like Cineplex, to enable the cinema to sells the Walkers brand crisps to the ongoing audiences. In addition, Cineplex can work closely with Walker Crisps through screening the brands commercial and collaborate with movies freebies giving away promotion. Social Network Advertising Walkers Baked Fan Page will be set up as an arena to connect fans about the product. By recruiting fan can increase the popularity of Walkers Baked and fans will be constantly updated with the incoming events like Walkers Baked Treasure Hunt and other seasonal promotions. Past events images will be uploaded to reconnect the existing fans. 6.3 Price Strategy Pricing of Walkers Baked vary according to place and size of the product. Pricing in petrol station and convenience store are fixed whereas the pricing of retail is varying depending on the special occasion (e.g. Easter Day) and competitors brand pricing. The price strategy of undertaken by Walker Baked includes psychological pricing which priced at  £1.99 instead of  £2 and competitors based pricing. 6.4 Place Strategy Walkers Baked crisps will be mass distributed in most of the shops in petrol kiosk such as Shell and BP. Walkers brands snack vending machine in entertainment parks such as bowling centre and cinema as a way to increase consumers exposure to the product. Besides, Walkers Baked crisps will be placed at the middle condola or shelve in hypermarket like Asda, Tesco and other convenient shops because consumers can pay more attention to products put at middle shelves as it is reach on hand easily. 7.0 Assumptions There will be no large fluctuation are made in the market. The company mitigates the exchange rate fluctuation through buying and selling forward in principal currencies of activity and aligning currency of cost with the currency of sales. The financial data of PepsiCo UK and Ireland is assumed to be included in operation review of PepsiCo Europe in PepsiCo Annual Report 2009. Sales and operating profit PepsiCo UK Ireland is assumed to be the net revenue and operating profit of PepsiCo Europe Division respectively. Operating expenses in year 2009 is assumed to be 7% of the total sales. 8.0 Forecast and Implication Forecast Budget of PepsiCo Europe Division from 2009 -2012 Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 $m $m $m $m Forecast Sales 6727 7000 7700 8470 Cost of Sales 5795 5950 6468 7030 Percent 86% 85% 84% 83% Operating Profit 932 1050 1232 1440 Percent 14% 15% 16% 17% Operating expenses 471 420 385 339 Percent 7% 6% 5% 4% Profit 461 630 847 1101 Percent 7% 9% 11% 13% With the stimulation of mar

The Monk and the Parson of The Canterbury Tales :: Canterbury Tales Essays

The Monk and the Parson of The Canterbury Tales In the prologue, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer is about the pilgrimage of many different characters to Canterbury. Chaucer writes about the characters' personalities and their place on the social ladder. The Monk and the Parson are examples of how Chaucer covered the spectrum of personalities. The Monk is self-centered, while the Parson cares for the sick and poor. In The Canterbury Tales, the Monk acts like he is part of the upper class of society. He is very tan, he likes to hunt, and he has horses. All of these traits are symbols of wealth and prestige. "His palfrey was as brown as is a berry." (P 120 line 211) This shows that the Monk spends a lot of time outside, only men who are wealthy can afford to relax or hunt outside. Hunters are not considered holy men because they kill for entertainment and pleasure. The common man spends his day working for what little wages he can earn. The Monk also had horses, which is another sign of wealth. "This Monk was therefore a good man to horse;" (p 120 line 193) Very few men in that period had enough time to learn and ride horses. All of these extravagancies are against the oath the Monk took for the Church. The Monk was also lazy and disliked working. Monks, in general, are hard working and are willing to help the less fortunate. The Monk also ignored the monastic rules set up by St. Benedict. The Rule of good St. Benet or St. Maur As old and strict he tended to ignore; P 120, lines 177-178 This shows that the Monk is interested in the pleasures of life, and not his duty as a monk. He is worthless in the eyes of Chaucer and he dislikes the Monk very much. The Parson was a poor man who gave what little he could to the other poor people of his town. He knew the teachings of the Bible and Christ, and preached to whoever was willing to listen. He followed the Bible in life and he believed that a priest must be trustworthy.