A Cultural Interpretation of Achebes Things Fall Apart essays

A Cultural Interpretation of Achebes 'Things Fall Apart' essays It has been said that our era will see the beginning of a new period in world history, the Age of the Indigenous Peoples, a reassertion of the third worlds identity in reaction to the imperial and colonial expansion which dominated international relations of the past few centuries. With few exceptions, colonialism has wreaked havoc on native peoples, killing or displacing large populations, exploiting resources, demarcating arbitrary national boundaries, and leaving regions economically and politically dependent on former imperial powers. Yet this multicultural contact has also fostered a new global consciousness and facilitated the rise of international institutions that have given political substance to the belief in universal human rights. Already one can see civil wars and popular uprisings throughout the developing world sparked by the unstable mixture of foreign-sponsored despots and democratic or socialist ideas. Meanwhile, historians today are being forced to reexamine funda mental assumptions regarding the European incursion on the rest of the world. To speak of civilizing the primitives or saving the souls of the heathens is not only intellectually naive, such euphemisms are repugnant to the modern sense of morality. Western society faces a critical point in history. Disillusioned with past conquests and faced with unprecedented possibilities for future catastrophe, we must strive for a new understanding of the indigenous cultures so alienated and embittered by our predecessors misconceptions (Achebe vii). Fortunately, real positive change is already in motion. Conscientious individuals are joining together in voicing opposition to state actions, allying themselves with unfamiliar ethnic and religious groups in exotic regions. Out of this cultural ferment, great artists emerge to reveal new truths and new values, and to reaffirm that which is most universal in t...

What Is At The Interest Of The Strong Or Ruler Example

What Is At The Interest Of The Strong Or Ruler Example What Is At The Interest Of The Strong Or Ruler – Coursework Example Socrates View of Justice Lecturer: Justice is closely linked with being fair to other people. Socrates was mostly concerned that injustices were carried out with impunity by the leadership. Specifically, he was concerned that individuals be judged according to the law and regulations that had been laid out. Justice was not meant to be carried out by the desires of the leaders. In the clip, he offers an apology when he was as a member of the Council that was addressing the trial of the body of ten generals who had failed to collect the survivors of the sea battle. He opposed the rest of the committee’s decision of acting against the law. He was not afraid to face death or a prison sentence. Socrates views a government that acts in defiance of its set laws as an unjust government. He also identifies the actions of people who wish to break the laws as injustice. In addition, he argues that it is better to suffer from acts of injustice than to be the cause. He further states that suffering injustice can only cause physical injuries, but it does not hurt one’s character. Doing injustice to others is detrimental to one’s conscience and character (Plato, Grube, & Cooper,65)Socrates places emphasis on negative justice that is not carrying acts of injustice to others. He was not concerned with positive justice that can be defined as seeing that other people get what they rightfully deserve.He identified the need to adhere to set laws especially in times of political turbulence and emergencies. Further, he stressed the importance of avoiding tempting shortcuts to violate liberties and punish wrongdoers without observing their rights. He advised that the due process of law should be followed. ReferencesPlato, Grube, G. M. A., & Cooper, J. M. (2000). The trial and death of Socrates: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, death scene from Phaedo. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub.

Exam model answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exam model answer - Essay Example Thus, the current business environment necessitates development of new products that meet the changing requirements of the customers. The market strategy of the business must respond to the system as a whole rather than to one single variable, the product. The emerging new definition of market promotes relationship building with customers and other business partners. British Airways is prime example of relationship marketing. To maintain a competitive advantage, BA has consistently been coming up with different packages for its different customers and has forged alliances with various other business units to improve and improvise its services. It has been evolving new customized services for its different segments and attracting new customers with varying packages that may suit their status, needs and pricing. Thus, while it has special super-class cabins for its rich clients, the common man can also avail the services in economy class. (words: 260) Answer 2 Publics are major constit uents that significantly impact BA’s business strategies.

CRITICAL REVIEW OF TOURISM STUDIES ARTICLE Essay

CRITICAL REVIEW OF TOURISM STUDIES ARTICLE - Essay Example Utilising man's instinct to travel to make commercial sense has resulted in various governmental and tourism related entities vying for a share of the wallet. Since the penchant for real, genuine, authentic destinations are on the rise, many are being touted as such and aptly exhibited to trigger interests in the tourist. This is called "staging" and this has led to the loss of authenticity. This article deals with how there is a loss of authenticity of the destinations due to the necessity to conform to expectations as perceived by the tourists. "Staged authenticity" involves manipulation of local cultural phenomenon to cater to the expectations of tourists arriving there. This may be in the form of hosting shows to adding cultural expressions and cultural aspects of the local culture that closely align to creating an experience for the tourists. These shows may not necessarily be replicas of the original culture. Tourism can turn local cultures into commodities when religious rituals, traditional ethnic rites and festivals are reduced and sanitized to conform to tourist expectations, resulting in what has been called "reconstructed ethnicity." As long as tourists just want a glimpse of the local atmosphere, a quick glance at local life, without any knowledge or even interest, staging will be inevitable. It leans more towards creating that unique experience than preser ving local culture or involving the locals as a part of that culture and bringing the tourist into the unique world for a glimpse. However, this article also says that while these hyperactive contrived experiences may satisfy a postmodernism oriented tourist, it may fall short when a genuine authentic experience-seeking tourist is in contact with it. The article also argues that though it is important for the experience to be real, often even in the genuine historic sites, it is not possible to recreate accurately every aspect of the past. This is because the past is an immense entity of which we are fortunate to have a glimpse of certain pieces of the puzzle. We will never be able to comprehend in totality of what life was at that point in time. In addition, to make it more viewable to the public, it is often necessary to sanitize the site and provide basic amenities and odour removal so that the tourist is not turned off exploring it. Therefore a minimal amount of doctoring when the lines between the real and the "doctored" are almost invisible, the experience for the tourists is more authentic and satisfying. Once a destination is sold as a tourism product, and the branding of the destination starts duplicating an experience to the tourists that may or may not be exactly what the tourists want. Perception of an experience by the tourists is very individualistic and subjective. This is because each individual perceives an experience differently. While a few staged local shows and a photograph moment with the locals may be sufficient for a certain group of individuals as a long-term memory there are another set of tourists who are disappointed by the lack of true cultural aspects. In conclusion, the article stresses the following points. The definition of "authenticity" is by itself very subjective because how the scholar, researcher and the heritage manager visualize it may be different from how the tourist perceives it. While there are some of

The Construct Surrounding Earnings Management Research Paper

The Construct Surrounding Earnings Management - Research Paper Example There are two types of intentional misstatements which are significant in the auditor’s assessment of fraud. These are (1) misstatements that arise from fraudulent financial reporting, and (2) misstatements that arise from the misappropriation of assets. Classified under the first type are those intentionally false and misleading statements or the omissions of amounts or disclosures that should be included in financial statements. Included in the second type are acts that constitute theft of an entity’s assets which are attended with misrepresentation thereof in the financial statements. Misappropriation of assets includes such acts as ‘embezzling receipts, stealing assets, or causing an entity to pay for goods or services not received’.There are situations where a fine line may be drawn between earnings management motivated by a desire to mislead or misrepresent, and a legitimate resort to management prerogative is being made. As noted by the official docu ment from the Public Oversight Board (2002), in par. 3.10:â€Å"Many of the factors cited in SAS No. 82 are subjective and difficult to assess, and risk factors may exist in circumstances where fraud does not exist. Even when risk factors are present and the auditor’s response to them is not definitively prescribed by the standard, SAS No. 82 states that ‘the auditor’s judgment may be that audit procedures otherwise planned are sufficient to respond to the risk factors.†.... As noted by the official document from the Public Oversight Board (2002), in par. 3.10: â€Å"Many of the factors cited in SAS No. 82 are subjective and difficult to assess, and risk factors may exist in circumstances where fraud does not exist. Even when risk factors are present and the auditor’s response to them is not definitively prescribed by the standard, SAS No. 82 states that ‘the auditor’s judgment may be that audit procedures otherwise planned are sufficient to respond to the risk factors.† (p. 76). Thus it is important to assess whether the actions that may be attribute to earnings management are actually motivated by the intent to defraud, mislead or misrepresent. In this matter, the auditor is admonished to exercise professional skepticism as the general standard of due professional care. This means ‘having an attitude that includes a questioning mind and a critical assessment of audit evidence’ (par. 3.8, p. 76). The standard requ ires the auditor to take a position that does not assume the management is dishonest on the one extreme, nor that the management possesses unquestioned honesty on the other, but that the auditor should be persuaded by the evidence unearthed by his or her investigation (Public Oversight Board, 2002).. The Motivation behind Earnings Management The foregoing definition notwithstanding, some authors defend some of the actions of corporate management by distinguishing between ‘good earnings management’ from ‘bad earnings management’ (Farag & Elias, 2012, p. 187). Ostensibly, good earnings management implies legitimate business decisions, which effectively stabilized the financial performance of the company, while bad earnings management involves violations of the GAAP. Good

Literature Comparative Analysis

Literature Comparative Analysis An Encounter by James Joyce deals with the theme of a persons yearn for escapism from the monotonous routine of day-to-day life through the tale of a day in which two young boys are miching from school a feeling which most, if not all, people will experience at some point in their lives. In this story, Joyce suggests to the reader that although people yearn for escape and adventure, routine is inevitable, and new experiences, when they do come, can be profoundly disturbing. The author achieves this through his incorporation of ambiguity, epiphany and writing through first person narrative, with inner monologue to highlight the consciousness of the protagonist and also to subtly divulge the feelings of others. The theme of paralysis is key to Joyces work; the notion is inherent throughout Dubliners as a whole. With this idea comes its antithesis escape or, in the case of An Encounter, thwarted escape. It is because of the characters desire to achieve this freedom, that when the day fails to reach its high expectations, the stagnation and restrictiveness of the surroundings are powerfully reinforced. From the outset of the tale, Joyce ponders the notion of escape. Characters searching for such an escape often describe how they would wish to travel afar to achieve it. This feeling is openly exhibited in An Encounter, as Joyces first person narrator states; Real adventures, I reflected, do not happen to people who remain at home: they must be sought abroad. In the story, Joyce develops the theme in the form of an inner monologue the thoughts of the protagonist dictating how his Wild West' adventures opened doors of escape. The thought processes of the boy (relating to escape) are ultimately what drive the tale, quietly conveyed by Joyce through subtle details. An Encounter deals with methods of escape other than exotic foreign adventure found elsewhere in Dubliners, focusing on the attempt of two boys to break out of the weariness of their everyday environment. At first the prospect of adventure excites the young boys, although there is a constant undertone of anti-climax carefully intertwined into the story. Joyce writes from the first person point view, often through the use of analepses, leading to a frequent air of restriction and frustration surrounding the boys. Quite often, Joyce does not commit any impassioned emotion to events, preferring to use lacklustre qualifying adverbs or adjectives: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦We were all vaguely excitedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it was a mild sunny morning. Joyce chooses to focus in on the most insipid details such as the docile horsesthe groaning carts which works to suppress the carefree, exciting experience which the boys see as an escapism from their jaded routine. The negativity which is now apparent in almo st everything encountered appears to be an entrapping agent over the boys, who sulk into a resigned and somewhat resentful state, a state which is furthermore reiterated by the repetition of the adverb too: It was too late and we were too tired to carry out our project of visiting the Pigeon House. Joyce presents Dublin as a city of incapacitation to the young characters. He begins to erase the protagonists claim; I was very happy, from the readers memory, introducing words such as solemn, sedulous and eventually even denotes the characters thoughts as jaded. There is constant repetition of the adjective tired; the day has become tedious, adventure and escape have proved elusive, and the encounter of a sinister old man has confirmed that the protagonist will not find merriment in Dublin, but is instead doomed to live in the fantasies of comic book and literature. However, despite its lack of event, the day does provide the boys with one notable incident through the scene encapsulating the encounter with the old man. Aspirations of escape having been superseded, Joyce begins a new paragraph focusing primarily on the silence and stillness of the situation: There was nobody but ourselves in the fieldwe had lain on the bank for some time without speaking. Through creating such an ominous atmosphere; sentences slowly becoming shorter and more concise with a less picturesque use of vocabulary, signalling new themes to be introduced through the introduction of the curious antagonist. The old man introduces the possibility of in-depth monologue and direct speech. In the conversation with the boys, he seemingly manages to entrap the young protagonist with his reference to literature a topic of known interest to the boy. The monotonous voice of the antagonist and the way his voice slowly circles round and round in the same orbit help to achieve the spellbinding quality of the man. This technique paralyses the narrator, who seemingly allows the man to give a discourse in the form of a monologue mainly due to his apparent inability to interrupt. The politeness evident in the boys character is in hindsight, far from being useful, instead placing the boy in a situation of danger. The worrying feature of the mans discourse is the implicitly perverse way in which he speaks. He frequently refers to the whipping'of young boys with an over-excitable zeal. Joyces primary use of such adjectives as magnetised and circle in reference to his thought process establishes the mans odd approach. This creates the impression that he is intent on the subject. Secondly, a section of reported speech is introduced: When a boy was rough and unruly there was nothing would do him any good but a good sound whippingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ what he wanted was to get a nice warm whipping. Joyce emphasises the mans positive outlook on the subject through the use of positive repetition; of the word good, firstly as a noun, secondly as an adjective, and also use of the adjective nice, which appears somewhat misplaced when used in conjunction with the concept of whipping. The protagonists isolation from intellectuals due to young age and low social class means he is quick to warm to the old man when he talks of literature. In the epiphany, he even appears isolated from his closest friend, Mahoney, and it appears to that the epiphany of the piece (from the young boys perspective) confirms that the older man has had a profound influence on his views. It appears that the isolation of the naÃÆ' ¯ve child has left him susceptible to corruption and the encounter has left the boy and the reader with the realisation that the world is not an innocent place. The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe, like The Encounter, is concerned with entrapment, but unlike Joyces tale, is centred on one individual and the terror he experiences when in isolation. The protagonist, a prisoner subject to the tortures of the Spanish inquisition, is often left thinking of what may be the surrounding atmosphere offering no apparent subjects for the character to focus on. Poe incorporates a feeling of perpetual unease and fear into the thought processes of his first person narrator, leaving the reader in a parallel state of mind as they experience the horror of the protagonists situation. The perspective that the reader is allowed on Poe choosing a first person narrator gives the reader a stronger feeling of isolation due to our constant awareness of the innermost feelings of the protagonist. The narrative does not, unlike a third person perspective, allow the audience to transcend the situation, providing direct access to the horror which is occurring on the page. There is also no direct speech in the story. This fact reinforces the idea of isolation in the way that the protagonist has no need to speak due to absolute solitude. Poes use of highly descriptive language, incorporating frequent use of alliteration and anaphora, escalates the terror and entrapment suffered by the protagonist, focusing heavily on the senses even before the ghastly prospects of the character are realised, resulting in a heightened state of suspense. The odour of the sharp steel forced itself into my nostrils. I prayed I wearied heaven with my prayer for its more speedy descent. I grew frantically mad, and struggled to force myself upward against the sweep of the fearful scimitar. And then I fell suddenly calm, and lay smiling at the glittering deathà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ To accomplish the desired atmosphere for such the tortured fate of the narrator, Poe describes the physical surroundings of the protagonist in some detail. The subterranean world of darkness becomes a perfect agent to carry an unnerving, mystifying atmosphere. Further concern for the protagonist is drawn from the constant reference to his fatigued' state and also the dangerously moist and slippery characteristics of the chamber his elusive surroundings becoming the antagonist of the story in the absence of any other companion. The tension generated relies heavily on Poes use of a sequence of brief sentences as the protagonist encounters The Pit, representing his calm and clear thought even in the throes of fear: I proceeded for many paces; but still all was blackness and vacancy. I breathed more freely. However, as the narrator becomes evermore aware of the horrific situation, Poe mirrors his mounting terror through increasingly complex syntax, resulting in a faster movement of thought and a growing sensation of confusion: The difficulty, nevertheless, was but trivial; although, in the disorder of my fancy, it seemed at first insuperable. Eventually, as the narrator gradually uncovers the secrets of his confinement, a greater sense of danger inside him is realised. Poe displays this through an ever quickening pace and complex sentences. giving the effect of total bemusement and terror. Quite suddenly, with a simple sentence, out of step with the ever-increasing complexity of the syntax the climax of the characters investigation is revealed: I stepped on it, and fell violently on my face. With this inclusion, Poe signals to the reader that the tension has peaked. The fact that the piece is written in the form of a first person narrative suggests that the protagonist is reminiscing about his ordeal, and that ultimately the piece will not end in his death. The narrators salvation is assured when General Lasalle of the French army comes to the rescue. Poe chooses at the end of his tale, unlike the other events of the story, to dramatically reduce proceedings; deciding to summarise the rescue in a short paragraph, in an anti-climatic fashion: The fiery walls rushed back!.. The French army had entered Toledo. Throughout the tale, the narrator maintains the capacity to recount faithfully and rationally his surroundings while also describing his own emotional turmoil. Terrified and alone as the narrator may be, with the pendulum symbolising deaths literal unstoppable sway, he does not lose hope of salvation, instead recruiting his rational senses and using the starved rats for his own benefit. Along with being a tale of horror, it also shows the nature of human resolve in a seemingly impossible situation; faced with horrific trials and the realisation of deaths inevitability, the human beings instinct for self-preservation remains, in itself, an unstoppable force. Alice Munros short story Floating Bridge is a story of domestic realism about learning to accept the tentative nature of human life and an exploration of the many challenges posed by cancer and its arduous, disfiguring treatments. Like Joyces The Encounter, the protagonist has a chance meeting with a stranger with leads them to re-evaluate their outlook on life. Also, like Poes The Pit and the Pendulum, the protagonist is, too, faced with the prospects of both death and salvation. Floating Bridge is written in the first person narrative, the protagonist is a cancer sufferer named Jinny, whose life is divided into the time before the diagnosis and the time after. The understated and restrained language and rhythm of the prose, suggesting Jinnys resigned acceptance of her illness and her impending death, is sustained throughout, even though at the very beginning of the story, Jinny has learned that her cancer has entered a stage of remission. Because she has already accepted the relative freedom from responsibility that knowledge of her incurable disease gave her, she shows no exuberance at this new knowledge that she has more time than she thought she did. On the day in which the story is set, the doctor has told her that there is reason for cautious optimism, but this does not make Jinny feel better. Before, she was relatively sure of her future, knowing that she had little time left in her life. This new information forces her to go back and start the year all over again, removing a certain low-grade freedom from her life. The new knowledge has removed a dull, protecting membrane she did not even know was there and leaves her feeling raw and vulnerable. Since learning of her illness, she has felt a kind of unspeakable excitement that results when a disaster releases one from responsibility for her life. Now that is gone and a feeling of apathy remains. She reflects on a time she left her husband, Neal, briefly to sit in a bus shelter near her home, reading graffiti on the wall and identifying with people who have left messages there. When she returns home, she asks Neal if he would ever have come after her, and he says: Of course. Gi ven time. Neals detached attitude toward Jinny and his cavalier treatment of her despite her life-threatening illness is an undercurrent that runs throughout the story. Part of Jinnys emotional turmoil at the time of the story stems from Neals excited reaction to Helen. He becomes more animated, enthusiastic, and ingratiating around her, as he often does around other people. Helen has a fresh out-of-the-egg look, and Jinny thinks that everything about her is right on the surface, which gives her an innocent and disagreeable power. Neal teases Helen, his whole being invaded with silly bliss. It is not that Neal desires Helen; rather, it is that her innocence and simplicity seem a welcome relief from the complexity of Jinnys situation. When they arrive at the trailer park where Helens foster parents live, they are invited in, but Jinny wants to stay outside. There is a strong feeling of isolation or the time that Jinny is waiting for Neal to return; he has accepted the invitation while Jinny, his sick wife, is left alone, tired and overly hot from the daytime temperature. The meeting of seventeen-year-old Ricky creates a similar reaction in Jinny as to her husbands feelings towards Helen. There appears to be an instant chemistry between the pair. A sense of connection is established when they discover that they both choose not to wear a watch. It seems in Jinnys sense of isolation, something as mundane as this is enough to cling to. In contrast to her husband, Ricky shows simple consideration to her by offering her a ride home. It is then that Munro takes the reader away from realism and introduces an almost magical element with Rickys innocent simplicity in his desire to show her the floating bridge where he takes his girlfriends, allowing the reader and Jinny herself to forget momentarily about her illness and the self-consciousness she feels over her baldness; his kiss providing an innocent acceptance of her, regardless of these things. When Jinny is on the floating bridge, she imagines that the road is a floating ribbon of earth, underneath which is all water. After the kiss, Jinny thinks of Neal getting his fortune told, rocking on the edge of his future, and accepts the tentative nature of her own future, feeling a lighthearted compassion for Neal. Rickys interest serves to remind her that she is still alive and capable of adventure and secrets. The most problematic subject of the story is Neals treatment of Jinny, which seems, if not cruel, at least unfeeling. The reader may feel he is much too excited by the presence of the young girl Helen and much too indifferent to Jinnys plight. However, there is nothing to suggest that he does not love Jinny. . He, too, is on a shifting floating bridge, trying to find something to cling to, even if it is of such little substance as an innocent young girl who is healthy and sound. Similarly, there is nothing to suggest that the young man, Ricky, at the end of the story has any desire for Jinny. In contrast to the messy complexity of her life, his kiss is the epitome of innocent acceptance, instilling in her a tender-hearted sort of compassion. The storys structure plays a balancing act similar to that required of walking on a floating bridge. The firmness of solid ground is only an illusion; all around lies the danger of loss of self. However, even though the bridge seems to be shiftin g and tentative, it is sufficient if one is content to live in the realm of the unsure. Munros story effectively reflects this tentative and delicate balancing. In all three stories which I have detailed, it is the writers subject matter and careful narrative technique which enrich our reading of them, allowing the reader not only pleasure and entertainment, but to view their lives more clearly. To enable the reader to truly engross themselves in a work of fiction, the story must be intellectually challenging and appeal to our senses and our own life experience. Joyce, Poe and Munro propitiously accomplish this, proving themselves as true masters of their art.

Evaluating the Impact of Tourism in England Essay -- UK, Britain

Tourist Count During our visit to Ashridge Estate, we carried a tourist count on two honey pot locations known as Bridgewater Monument and Ivinghoe Beacon. 1 out of the 4 groups that visited Ashridge carried out the tourist count as we did not want to hassle the tourists. A member from the group stood at an area in both locations and took a count of the amount of teenagers, adults, OAP’s, family groups and children there were. The information was then tallied onto a table. From this, we will compare the results collected to previous years (2004-2005). The comparison will be useful as it will allow us to analyse the information to see whether there is a correlation between the number of tourism and the hypothesis. If the number of tourists has decreased, then good; less damage done to the wildlife and environment. However, if the number of tourists increased, it may also suggest that the negative impacts have likewise increased. Some of the negative impacts may be footpath erosion; more tourists use the footpath resulting in more damage, Littering; animals may eat the litter which could harm them and also the air/noise pollution created via tourist transportation; affects the air quality and environment of the local wildlife. As we took the tourist count, we categorized the tourists into age groups. The reason for this was to see which age group was more likely to have a negative impact in Ashridge. Children and teenagers for example tend to be more energetic in comparison to OAP’s, doing more active activities that could harm the local wildlife and environment e.g. football; sports. Whilst OAP’s are more passive and less energetic doing activities that are less likely to harm the wildlife and environment e.g. bird watching. So... ...to see whether they were affected by tourism. On the sketch we took detailed annotations to help us visualize the problems we saw such as footpath erosion, debris materials scattered, deep rutted soil and other negative impacts. From this we could see the difference in both footpaths ((un)managed) to see which one was more affected by tourism. The problem with the field sketches was that whilst we were drawing, it was really windy which subsequently distracted us, so there may have been some mistakes. Also, some of the pupils from the groups found it difficult to draw what they saw, so the sketches may also not have been accurate and reliable. We could improve our drawings by taking a camera to capture accurate photos that will give us reliable results. From the pictures we would be able to recall the features of the footpaths we saw in order to help our fieldwork.