Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Review on No Buses by the Arctic monkeys free essay sample

The Arctic Monkeys is a band that can be consider many genres. Their music can be classified as many different types of rock including Indie rock. When I listened to the song â€Å"No Buses† for the first time, I found it very interesting and I liked the way the beats sounded. Aside from the sound, I looked at the lyrics to find a deeper meaning to the songs. In the song â€Å"No Buses† it shows a sense of longing. The artist wrote this song most likely trying to show a form of breakup. In the first verse, the song shows some alliteration of the sound â€Å"L† when saying â€Å"[]loads of love[]† to convey that you can receive so much love, but once you stop giving any, no one is willing to show it anymore. You could also say that the verse is saying that the people around you could give you constant love until you stop showing it yourself. We will write a custom essay sample on Review on No Buses by the Arctic monkeys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is another part in the 4th verse where it uses the sound â€Å"t† to show that there is a fresh wound to the heart created by â€Å"lady†. When listening to the lyrics, I found that the chorus is repeated twice (like most songs). The chorus is saying how â€Å"lady† thinks she is unique and can get away with the way she is acting, but in really she is just the same as the others. The song aso uses the line â€Å"Lady where’s your love gone?† in the first and fourth verse to show how the speaker misses the love he used to get from â€Å"Lady†. In the final verse the line â€Å" realizing it won’t change a thing† is repeated twice to show a feeling of regret because he cannot get what he so wishes he could have. The feeling of the song is never questioned when listening to it. By listening to the lyrics I could tell that the speaker had deep feelings for the girl, but she couldn’t feel the same towards him. In the lines â€Å"how he longs for you to long for him once more, just once more† shows how heart-broken the speaker is and how he misses â€Å"lady† dearly. In the last verse you can see how the speaker is saying that you can try to go after something that you can’t have all you want until you realize that you cannot have it. By then you just give up and you are stuck knowing that all your efforts were for nothing After analysing the song over and over multiple times, I have grown to liked this band. Although after listening to some of the other song they have to offer, I found that I couldn’t get into them like I did with â€Å"No Buses†. I would recommend this band to friends because I know that they have good music, it just isn’t my taste.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The Awakening, A Dolls House and the Quest for Freedom essays

The Awakening, A Dolls House and the Quest for Freedom essays THE AWAKENING, A DOLLS HOUSE AND THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM Both The Awakening by Kate Chopin and A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen involve a quest for freedom. Both lead characters, Edna and Nora are trapped by societal rules and regulations. The women are also controlled by their husbands. In The Awakening Edna obtains freedom through committing suicide, and in A Dolls House, Nora leaves behind her husband and children. At the beginning of The Awakening, Edna is trapped, living in a cage, where her role in society is to be a mother and a wife. Her husband, Leonce believes that Ednas role is to look after the children: He approached his wife with her inattention, her habitual neglect of the children. If it wasnt a mothers place to look after children, whose on earth was it? He himself had his hands full with his brokerage business... However, Edna does not suit the role as a mother: In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman. The mother-women seemed to prevail that summer at Grand Isle. It was easy to know them, fluttering about with their extended, protecting wings when any harm, real or imaginary, threatened their precious blood. They were women who idolized their children, worshipped their husbands... Edna has been placed into the role of motherhood without having any talent for it. She does not want to live the life of Adele Ratignolle, who is a great mother and wife. Instead she aspires to be an artist like Mlle Reisz. In New Orleans, she ignores her housekeeping chores, and engages in painting, to discover her inner self. She begins to do and feel whatever she wants. Her neglect of her household duties angers her husband, but she no longer submits to his domineering. Edna has the housemaid looking after her children while she is painting. In A Dolls House, Nora puts on a facade in her home. She plays the role of a pet to her husband, Torvald: Th...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Evaluate the legacy of the two world wars on the provision of 'decent Essay

Evaluate the legacy of the two world wars on the provision of 'decent housing' during the twentieth century - Essay Example This paper explores the Legacy of World War I and II on the provision of decent housing during the 20th century. Prior to the First World War, Britain’s construction and provision of housing was largely a responsibility of the private sector (Burnett 1986). It was not until the termination of the First World War that the central government and local authorities assumed more active role in house construction and utilization of land. The development of council houses diminished the role played by market forces of demand and supply on locations of houses construction. According to Taylor (1998), Birmingham city took the lead as other cities followed in the same footsteps. The provision of inexpensive housing constructed by local authorities under subsidies of the central government heightened the involvement of the public in determining how land was to be used. Market forces of demand and supply no longer influenced the utilization, misuse and non-use of land. The central government and local authority in housing provision was aimed at eradicating poverty, boosting public health and reducing social isolation. The famous â€Å"home fit for Heroes,† emerged after the First World War when honoring fighters in the war became the central political focus. Local councils built council houses to ease overcrowding and to provide quality houses for low-income tenants (Daunton 2008). The programme was initiated in nineteenth century and peaked during the mid-twentieth century, at the point when the programme included extensive suburban estates as well as urban developments characterized with tower blocks. Clapp (1994) argued that there was smaller extent of property destruction during the First World War leading to lack of urgent reconstruction programmes. However, the initial sustained thrust to build and develop cheap and subsidized houses by local authorities began in 1919 under

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Targeted tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Targeted tax - Essay Example They have also lowered the taxes imposed on goods and services by two points and levied more taxes on people’s income. This may encourage people to buy more goods since the goods are cheaper. They have used the money obtained through taxation as a way of improving the people’s welfare this through the child care system. The Universal Child Care Benefit Fund was a proposition that was made by the Conservative party that was meant to cater for the need of the children. The monthly provision of $ 100 a month that was to meet the cost of raising a child was later raised to $ 160 a month to meet the increased cost. Though the amount was meant to cater for the needs of the young children it never met its intended purpose. Most of these policies that were being implemented were done so from the motive of being more popular. The reduction of taxes was seen as a move to gain more popularity with the Conservatives who were the proponents’ of the policy. The reduction of taxes was meant to achieve equality and to ensure that the tax levied was proportional to the amount of income that one made. It did not achieve that goal as it favored some families and discriminated against some families as the tax levied was not equal in all families (Schanz & Mansour, 2013). They even introduced tax credits to its citizens, which was a small subsidy that was given to the citizens to ensure that they paid less tax. Though the tax relief was implemented it did little in altering peoples spending habits and neither did it influence people’s behavior. The Conservatives who came up and implemented these policies did it as a way of gaining more popularity but were oblivious of the economic impacts they had even to the Treasury. The Americans were supposed to be grateful to the cheques that were being sent to them by the federal government. They introduced the Family Tax Cut which

Sunday, November 17, 2019

TOURISM - LEISURE AND SOCIETY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

TOURISM - LEISURE AND SOCIETY - Essay Example ns pertaining to social standing and status may sometimes happen to be fluid, which may evolve over time, influenced by dominant or popular traditions and values. Still, there is no denying the fact that the individuals affiliated to the same social standing do share a common lot of beliefs and values that enable them to recognize themselves as having a unique status, which may be real or imagined (Anderson 1991). Hence, social identity and status mostly correspond, irrespective of the cultural, racial and ethnic disparities within a society. This correspondence of social identity and status sans economic and demographic disparities portends multifarious ramifications for the tourism industry the world over. Social identity and status are the concepts, which are many times not directly observable or discernable, but inferred from various ways and patterns of group expression, tourism and leisure qualifying to be one important manifestation. Going by this fact, many nations and touris t destinations are vying with each other to come out with tourism management policies and strategies, which have notions of social identity and status incorporated and adjusted within them (Henderson 2001). Such tourism strategies have observable and coveted economic, political and social agendas embedded within. Thus, the concept of tourism, and the old and new perceptions pertaining to it often portray narratives associated with unique symbols of social identity and status. The concept of tourism and leisure had the notions of social identity and status amalgamated with it at the very time of its conception in the early 19th century. Thorstein Veblem in his acclaimed work ‘The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of institutions (1902)’, meticulously elaborated on the concept of leisure and tourism being intricately associated with social entities like wealth and status. According to Veblem (1902), the middle and working class in most of the developed countries have the

Friday, November 15, 2019

Influence of External Factors on Business: Gym

Influence of External Factors on Business: Gym Introduction: World has become a global village and globalization has opened doors for people of different backgrounds and countries to come closer and interact with each other. As a consumer, our decisions are heavily influenced by socio-cultural factors. Therefore, to understand rationale behind consumers decisions related to any product or service, it is vital that we evaluate the external factors involved. Being a new student at University of New England, Australia I had the opportunity to use many facilities that SportUNE offer. With the establishment of University of New England (UNE) in 1938, SportUNE also became operational. Since its inception, it is open to not only to students studying in UNE, but also for community usage boosting an overall culture of wellbeing and staying active. SportUNE offers many facilities for students which includes state-of-the-art Gym, playing fields along with two multipurpose halls, a climbing wall, 25 meter heated indoor pool, multiple courts and a cafà © along with group fitness classes, health and wellbeing programs, personal trainers, and access to more than twenty sporting clubs from a variety of different sports. (SportUNE, 2017) Among various facilities that SportUNE offers, the facility that I choose for this assignment is the Gym and Synopsis for this decision-making is explained below. Main Body: In our lives there are many decisions that we take on daily basis whether it is the brand of milk we buy, model of a car, neighborhood we choose to live in, school our kids go to or holiday destination we choose. Decisions are an integral part of every humans life, which are influenced by various internal and external factors (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 24). For assignment 1, we will examine how these external factors namely culture, social class, reference groups and family that provides an input in a consumer decision-making. Decision-Making Process: The decision-making is a five-stage process which includes problem recognition, pre-purchase search, and evaluation of alternatives, purchase and post-purchase. (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 488) I along with my husband and two children moved to Australia from Pakistan when I got admission in UNE. We moved to Armidale before my coursework started. As my youngest child was born just before we relocated to Australia, I did not have enough time to exercise and return to my pre-pregnancy weight. Now with mounting pressure of managing home and studies with baby around, I had my hands full and was unable to take out time for my own self and I felt stress all the time. This situation gave rise to problem recognition stage. Living in Armidale, I searched online for different activities that can incorporate with my hectic routine. My search revealed that there are few fitness clubs in Armidale like Anytime fitness, Feelgood Gym, chilli gym, Mick Colleens Fitness Centre etc that offered various facilities. I searched all my options, visited their premises to evaluate all alternatives to shortlist which facility best suited my requirements. SportUNE attracted my attention the most because it was very close to my residence as all other facilities were concentrated in middle of city Centre. Also, as a student at UNE, I received 20% discount on 12-month membership (SportUNE, 2017). So I decided to purchase 12-month membership of SportUNE and arranged my daily routine in a way that I was able to take time out for myself in between my classes and home. I believe that it was the right decision I made of choosing SportUNE gym and happy with my post purchase. Next step is to understand how external factors influenced my decision making process of choosing SportUNE gym. Influence of External Factors: Influence of Family: Former Sociologists articulated that children learn basic consumption behaviour from their parents (Riesman and Roseborough, 1955). Brought up and raised in an extended family (Schiffman et, al, 2014p: 326), many family members played vital role as a stimulant to shape values and attitudes to lead a healthy lifestyle. Socialization of Family members: Parents play major role in shaping the consumer socialization of children where parents act as socialization agents. Through the perceptual and analytical stage (John, 1999), as a child I grew up observing my parents take decisions and follow a healthy lifestyle. I used to accompany my mother to the gym and shadowed her exercise routines followed by healthy eating habits developed my positive attitude towards achieving physical fitness. (Schiffman, 2014d, p: 328) Family Life cycle: As an adult and passing through the parenthood stage engaging in primary school phase of traditional family lifecycle (Schiffman, 2014d, p: 335), it is difficult to manage time with two kids for ones own self. Juggling time between kids school, day care, karate classes, house chores and studies is a difficult job and results in over exhaustion and stress. SportUNE offers free crà ¨che service (SportUNE crà ¨che, 2017) for young children so I was able to enjoy my workout routines without worrying about finding a babysitter for my baby. Also, added incentive that service is free of cost so it was not added burden financially. Dynamics of Husband-wife decision-making: Multiple decisions in our household are influenced by the husband-wife decision-making dynamics. Generally as husband and wife, as identified by (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 345) we took syncretic/ joint decisions when choosing our childs primary school, deciding holiday but in-case of deciding whether SportUNE, facility, it was an autonomic decision (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 345) as I became the decider, by taking a gym membership, I became buyer and by going to the gym regularly to exercise made me the user of the facility (Schiffman et, al (2014, p: 342). Reference Group: Bearden and Etzel (1982) identified that the products and brands nominated by the individuals can be subjective to their reference groups. According to (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 289), reference groups classifies different individuals in consumers life as role model for their attitudes and behavior. Staying happy, healthy, active and confident is the attitude that was religiously practiced in my family throughout my life becoming normative reference group in my decision. When I visited SportUNE gym, I noticed that there were many women using gym with their little kids being taken care of in Crà ¨che, I felt association with them because of similar parenthood stage. So they acted as an associative reference group. (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 290). Jillian Michaels, a successful American personal trainer acted as an Aspirational reference group (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 290), for my decision to join gym because I grew up watching her Television program The Biggest Looser which inspired me to develop healthy lifestyle and stay in shape. Similarly fitness trainers and experts like Emily Skye, Kristy Welsh and Bob Harper, are few of the notable people who acted as an Aspirational reference in my decision to join gym and get in shape. Few of my friends who are already studying in UNE, Armadale and are regular user of SportUNE gym facility put great confidence in the gym environment, friendly and helpful trainers, up to date gym equipment and awesome gym environment became the opinion leaders (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 295) making me an opinion receiver (Sciffman et, al., 2014, p: 295)in my assignment. Social Class According to latest survey conducted by ANU Centre for Social research and Methods, 19th ANU Polls (ANUpoll, 2015), Dr Jill Sheppard Dr Nicholas Biddle identified that 92% of the Australians identified themselves as middle class or working class with 52% identified as middle class and 40% as working class. There are multiple factors that work as a catalyst for identifying different social class categories one belongs to depending upon objective measures of social class. These variables are occupation, income and education. My husband and I both work in managerial roles and our accumulated income is higher than 100,000 per annum, which categorizes my family in an established middle class category, which according to the survey conducted by BBC concludes 25% of the estimated population (Dr Jill Sheppard Dr Nicholas Biddle, 2015). As a middle-class household, I consider myself as a non-affluent consumer (Schiffman et, al, 2014, p:380) considers Gym as a disposable income. Culture: Culture is nurtured from the early age where family teaches acceptable behavior and values to children. Parents spread it through traditions, bedtime stories, customs, religious festivities and customs. Culture defines who we are, what we believe in and how we spend our lives. We learn what is acceptable in society and how to behave though values that are instigated either at home or through informal learning (Schiffman et, al., 2014). When I moved to Australia from Pakistan, I encountered big cultural gap. It was pertinent that I learn Australian culture through Acculturation (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 398) to settle and enjoy the lifestyle I wish for myself and my family. I decided to join SportUNE gym with core values of achievement, stimulation and conformity (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 411-414) was achieving my desired goal of losing weight, state of art facilities and fitness classes as stimulation for change and conformity to myself for respecting my body. Ethnic Subculture: When I bought SportUNE membership, my husband gifted me with new pair of Nike Sneakers to motivate and encourage me. This gifting behavior (Schiffman et, al., 2014, p: 436) is commonly practiced in Southeast Asian culture where every occasion is celebrated. Age Subculture: As part of generation Y cohort, multiple things attracted my attention when I visited Gym for evaluation of alternatives. All the cardio equipment is technologically advance with touch screen displays and personal entertainment, free gym accreditation service along with friendly and helpful staff (SportUNE, facilities, 2017). Relationship between External Factors and Decision-making Process: In given assignment, parenthood stage of family lifecycle, aspirational reference groups, social core values and being a generation Y member provided sufficient influence to initiate process in decision-making model. Conclusion: Following the above discussion, I have concluded that external factors like family, culture and subculture, social class, reference groups and opinion leaders all play important role in providing information to consumer to recognize the need for a change. These all factors are either directly or indirectly inter-related e.g. family members act as reference groups, which can be associative or dissociative in nature. Culture acts as a cornerstone in shaping values and beliefs of an individual that influences the family decision-making.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Feminism as Sponsored by Gatorade and Nike :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Feminism as Sponsored by Gatorade and Nike The fourth wave of feminism is here and it is based solely on physical achievement. Exercise and sport has become one of the few arenas in which female competition is welcomed and savored. Commercials feature prominent female athletes challenging males, chanting the slogan "anything you can do, I can do better." Due to a variety of factors--improved knowledge about women's health, decreased focus on child-bearing, a cultural ideal of a fit and trim body--athletic success is now an acceptable and applauded goal for women, but at what cost? Part of this focus on the body must be due to the backlash against feminism. I am not speaking of Susan Faludi's theory and examples, but instead of a further backlash against her and everything for which she stands. The focus on the physical is a reaction against the intellectual. It is as if these women are saying "screw postmodern feminist theory. I've got work to do." I have met high school students who say feminism has nothing to do with them and that they are not feminists themselves, but these same girls win basketball scholarships and fight the school board to be placed on the football team. Where did the feminist label get such a bad reputation? Susan Faludi has some ideas in Backlash, but the student athletes will likely never read her book. They have little patience for feminist theory, but appreciate feminist practice. Instead of getting active in politics or academia, they get active on the courts and fields. Feminism has become not a battle of the minds, but a battle of the backhands. When the United States' women's team won the World Cup, the nation rejoiced. Soccer is not known as an American game, especially with its worldwide popularity. For some reason though, women have often been encouraged to play soccer in physical education classes the past twenty years; this is likely because no special equipment such as helmets, padding, etc. is required, thus keeping public school budgets well in check. While the men's team lost, the women's team won. It gave the United States a source of patriotism, a rariety in these global times. However, what I heard most comments from spectators did not revolve around the game itself, but the moments immediately following the dramatic conclusion. When Brandi Chastain stripped off her jersey and ran in her sports bra, that was the image that most people remember.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Examples of sudden illness Essay

If they are out in the sun for a long period of time they may get sunburn or even sunstroke. When they are eating they may chock on the food. If the pavement is uneven they could even fall or they may go missing Procedures to follow if accident/illness occurs If an accident or illness occurs you will need to assess the situation before you do anything once you have done this you may need to phone an ambulance, once you have phoned the ambulance you will need to inform the care home so they can then contact the family member. Once you have returned you will need to fill out an accident report. Principles to be followed for safe moving and handling Before you attempt to move anyone you need to assess the situation and more anything out of the way that may cause harm to yourself or the service user when lifting you need to keep your back straight and bend your knees you need to keep it close to you. Important to follow the care plan and communication It is important to follow a persons are plan because you need to know their need and their risk assessment. It is also important to communicate so they do not get worried and so other carers know what you are doing. Staff responsibility for medication The staff that is responsible for the medication are the ctm on duty if you go out a ctm will need to go to give the medication. All medication must be signed for and you must chek how it needs to be stored and how many are to be given and what time. Agreed ways of: Obtaining: to obtain medication you have to sign for it Storing: to store medication it must be locked away Administering: a ctm that is on duty must go with you to administer the mediation Recording: all medication that is giving to a service user must be recorded in the medication book Specialist training a)Carrying out emergency first aid: you may not know the correct way to do something and could cause more harm. b)Assisting with moving and handling : if you do not have the training you do not know the correct way to transfer someone or how to help them stand further more you could injure yourself or the service user c)Handling mediation: you can not handle medication if you have not had training.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Simple harmonic motion of a simple pendulum Essays

Simple harmonic motion of a simple pendulum Essays Simple harmonic motion of a simple pendulum Paper Simple harmonic motion of a simple pendulum Paper Essay Topic: Simple To work out the value of acceleration due to gravity (g), by using the principle of kinematics of simple harmonic motion of a simple pendulum.  Introduction-  The theory involved here is the motion of the simple pendulum under the influence of acceleration due to gravity. The research question here says that the value of acceleration due to gravity is an unknown variable and this has to be calculated out using the equation that relates the time period of one oscillation of a simple pendulum (made up of a string with negligible mass and a mass bob having a certain predetermined and set mass) and the length of its string and acceleration due to gravity by the following relation: This investigation is particularly useful in the real world as it gives us a value of the variable acceleration due to gravity, which influences all spheres of mechanics. The equation is also useful as I help determine the value of time that the pendulum will take in one oscillation, thus having applications in instruments such as clocks etc.  Hypothesis-  According to my prior understanding and visualizations the investigations undertaken will yield the required results effectively and with efficiency. The length of the pendulum would include the length of the string as well as the diameter of the mass bob and the length of the hook as well. When the pendulum suspended from a stand is set into oscillation the time periods T of the oscillations of different lengths l will help us in determining the value of g. As the length of the string is increased, the time period of the oscillations will also increase but the value of g will not as it is constant for a place always. The accepted value for g (in Paris) is 981Nkg-1 according to .We should get a value of g of the range of the value above stated. The master equation also as stated earlier will be modified in order to calculate out the value of g. The basic theory behind the experiment is that the value of the time period taken by the pendulum in one oscillation is influenced by the length of the string which is supporting the pendulum and the value of acceleration due to gravity. By modifying the equation stated above as follows, the value of g can be found out using a simple equation. The variables in the experiment are g which is acceleration due to gravity which is our measured variable; T is time period which is the dependent variable which we be observing; l is length of the entire pendulum out of which we will be controlling only the length of the string as the length of the hook and the mass bob will be the same; finally ? is the constant variable. 1. Tie the string to the mass bob of unknown weight and suspend it from the table stand as shown in the diagram. Make sure that the two small blocks of wood are in such a position that they clamp the pendulum and they are in turn clamped by the clamp of the stand.  2. In order to get proper value that will be finally calculated out I have decided to take 5 readings of the oscillations of the pendulum using four different lengths of the pendulum (20cm to 90cm) so as to remove most possibilities of random errors. 3. To begin with the length of the string of the first reading is determined so that the length of the mass bob may also be incorporated in it so as to get a convenient length of the pendulum.  4. When the apparatus is set up as shown in the diagram described earlier, the pendulum is taken and set to a particular angle not more than 15 degrees from its mean position.  5. the pendulum is then left and it sets into motion. The time period for 10 oscillations is seen and recorded with a stopwatch. 6. To obtain the mean value of one oscillation of the pendulum of length 30cm, the total time taken for all oscillations is divided by 10 which is the number of oscillations which the pendulum is allowed to swing for.  7. This procedure must be repeated four more times and then after the data has been collected for all five times, the average value of these will be taken as the final reading of the time period of the simple pendulum of length 20cm.  8. Repeat the entire process of experimentation with all the different lengths of the pendulums and tabulate the data.  9. After tabulation of data, it must be processed to obtain the appropriate results. The data collection and processing aspect is seen later in this report. Collection of Data   On taking readings with vernier calipers, the diameter of the mass bob was found out to be 2.55cm. The vernier calipers showed a positive zero error of 0.09cm. Thus the diameter was found out to be 2.55 0.09 = 2.46cm. The radius of the mass bob is thus 1.23cm. The length of the hook again measured with vernier calipers was found to be 1.25cm, which after adding for the zero error will be 1.25 0.09 = 1.16cm. Thus the length of the entire system of the mass bob and the hook is 2.39cm.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Plot and Themes of J.R.R. Tolkiens Book The Hobbit

Plot and Themes of J.R.R. Tolkien's Book 'The Hobbit' The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again was written by J.R.R. Tolkien as a childrens book and first published in Great Britain in 1937 by George Allen Unwin. It was published just before the outbreak of WWII in Europe, and the book acts as a prologue of sorts for the great trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. While it was originally conceived as a book for children, it has been accepted as a great work of literature in its own right. While The Hobbit was by no means the first fantasy novel, it was among the first to combine influences from multiple sources. Elements of the book draw from Norse mythology, classic fairy tales, Jewish literature, and the works of 19th century Victorian childrens authors such as George MacDonald (author The Princess and the Goblin, among others). The book also experiments with a variety of literary techniques including forms of epic poetry and song. Setting The novel takes place in the fictional land of Middle Earth, a complex fantasy world which Tolkien developed in detail. The book contains carefully drawn maps showing various parts of Middle Earth including the peaceful and fertile Shire, the Mines of Moria, the Lonely Mountain, and Mirkwood Forest. Each area of Middle Earth has its own history, characters, qualities, and significance. Main Characters The characters in The Hobbit include a wide range of fantasy creatures, most drawn from classical fairy tales and mythology. The hobbits themselves, however, are Tolkiens own creation. Small, home-loving people, hobbits are also called halflings. They are very similar to small human beings except for their very large feet. Some of the main characters in the book include: Bilbo Baggins, a quiet, unassuming Hobbit and the protagonist of the story.Gandalf, a wizard who initiates Bilbo’s journey with the dwarves. Gandalf causes Bilbo to set aside his reputation for cautious respectability and go on an adventure that will change the hobbit forever.Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of a group of 13 dwarves who wish to recover a treasure horde stolen by a dragon.Elrond, a wise leader of the elves.Gollum, a once-human creature who found and is governed by a great ring of power.Smaug, the dragon and antagonist of the story. Plot and Storyline The story of The Hobbit begins in the Shire, land of the hobbits. The Shire is similar to a pastoral English countryside, and the hobbits are represented as quiet, agricultural people who shun adventure and travel. Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of the story, is surprised to find himself hosting a group of dwarves and the great wizard, Gandalf. The group has decided that now is the right time to journey to the Lonely Mountain, where they will retake the dwarves treasure from the dragon, Smaug. They have nominated Bilbo to join the expedition as their burglar. Though initially reluctant, Bilbo agrees to join the group, and they head off far from the Shire into the increasingly dangerous sections of Middle Earth. Along the journey, Bilbo and his company meet up with a wide range of creatures both beautiful and terrible. As he is tested, Bilbo discovers his own inner strength, loyalty, and cunning. Each chapter involves an interaction with a new set of characters and challenges: The group is captured by trolls and nearly eaten, but are saved when sunlight strikes the trolls and they are turned to stone.Gandalf leads the group to the Elven settlement of Rivendell where they meet the Elvish leader, Elrond.The group is caught by goblins and driven deep underground. Although Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the goblins. Lost in the goblin tunnels, he stumbles across a mysterious ring and then encounters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles. As a reward for solving all riddles Gollum will show him the path out of the tunnels, but if Bilbo fails, his life will be forfeit. With the help of the ring, which confers invisibility, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves, improving his reputation with them. The goblins and Wargs give chase, but the company is saved by eagles.The company enters the black forest of Mirkwood without Gandalf. In Mirkwood, Bilbo first saves the dwarves from giant spiders and then from the dungeons of the Wood-elves. Nearing the Lonely Mountain, the travelers are welcomed by the human inhabitants of Lake-town, who hope the dwarves will fulfill prophecies of Smaugs demise. The expedition travels to the Lonely Mountain and finds the secret door; Bilbo scouts the dragons lair, stealing a great cup and learning of a weakness in Smaugs armor. The enraged dragon, deducing that Lake-town has aided the intruder, sets out to destroy the town. A thrush has overheard Bilbos report of Smaugs vulnerability and reports it to Lake-town defender Bard. His arrow finds the chink and slays the dragon.When the dwarves take possession of the mountain, Bilbo finds the Arkenstone, an heirloom of Thorins dynasty, and hides it away. The Wood-elves and Lake-men besiege the mountain and request compensation for their aid, reparations for Lake-towns destruction, and settlement of old claims on the treasure. Thorin refuses and, having summoned his kin from the Iron Hills, reinforces his position. Bilbo tries to ransom the Arkenstone to head off a war, but Thorin is intransigent. He banishes Bilbo, and battle seems inevitable.Gandalf reappears to warn all of an approaching army of goblins and Wargs. The dwarves, men, and elves band together, but only with the timely arrival of the eagles and Beorn do they win the climactic Battle of Five Armies. Thorin is fatally wounded and reconciles with Bilbo before he dies. Bilbo accepts only a small portion of his share of the treasure, having no want or need for more, but still returns home a very wealthy hobbit. Themes The Hobbit is a simple tale when compared to Tolkiens masterpiece  The Lord of the Rings. It does, however, contain several themes: It explores the process by which an untested individual develops the insight and skills to become a leader;It guides the reader to question the value of wealth as opposed to peace and contentment;It builds on Tolkiens personal experience in World War I to consider the question of whether victory, though desirable, is worth the price of war.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Poem Fisherman by Kurt Brown - Essay Example From this research it is clear that a whole life/lifetime would include every activity and this is what the author is looking into which he believes to be spent ‘fishing in himself’ meaning, looking into what is in him that is beneficial. The fisherman is not pictured fishing in the river or ocean but in’ himself’. This statement thus suggests that ‘fishing’ is a metaphor used to paint the act of bringing out something valuable from one’s self like talents, skills, outrageous ideas that could change the world or the modern Einstein who could solve all the problems in this computer age. The second line completes the thought of the author that what the subject is fishing in himself is ‘something grand’. What could be grand in a person other than something that makes him stand out in a crowd? This statement then strengthens the understanding that the man in the poem is fishing or looking into the possibilities of having some sp ecial skills, talents, even attitudes or experiences that could encourage other people or benefit them in some ways as the man himself is benefited for his personal needs. That grand thing the man is trying to fish in himself is described in the next sentence as a ‘lost lunker, big enough to break all records’. This line also confirms that the analysis on the poem is going through the right path, that the grand thing being fished in a person is something extraordinarily huge to be recognized as superior to other men. ‘Rumors, myths, big promises of wonder’ could be stories of achievements and encouragements of people around the world, from different generations. This shows that the character in the poem did not personally witness achievers rather had just heard about them so that they are considered merely rumors, unfounded and unproved. Some stories might even seem to be exaggerated and unbelievable so that they are counted as myths like the successes of H ercules and other heroes of old. ‘Big promises of wonder’ could represent encouragements that express belief in an individual like the adage that goes ‘If others, why can’t I?’ Such leads people to believe that for every person, there is always something special that is sitting somewhere inside of him, waiting to be discovered and nurtured. The ‘shadow of something enormous darkening the man’s life’ might be a metaphor of his doubts and fears about what he has and what he can do. It is mentioned that the man only felt this shadow and did not see it. So many times, men see with their feelings especially with things that are still unknown and have not been tried yet and most of these times, people are overwhelmed with the possibilities of failure that is why they would rather go about with the normal activities of men. Then, the poet suggests that the shadow the man might have felt could be that of another fish’s, greater tha n his doubts and fears. What could be haunting the man is the fear that he might not become as popular as another person, as successful as his neighbor, as intelligent as his classmate, as talented as the other boy or as innovative as the ordinary

Friday, November 1, 2019

SEC 10K Paper on Target Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SEC 10K Paper on Target - Assignment Example The corporate headquarters of the company are located in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota - United States, and Mississauga, Ontario- Canada. The financial statements of Target Company to be analyzed are as at February 1, 2014 and February 2, 2013 and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended February  1, 2014 were audited by Ernst  & Young  LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm on February 14, 2014. Profitability: Target Company reported the lowest profits of $ 1,971 in 2013 compared to $ 2,999 and $ 2,929 in 2012 and 2011 respectively. The company incurred huge investments in Canada whose returns was much less than the costs.. Its U.S segment reported profits that seems to have cushioned the company’s consolidated income. Long-Term Debt: Target has a long-term debt worth $ 12,622 million as at February 1, 2014. Types of long-term debts: notes, debentures. Long-term debts decreased in 2013 as compared to $ 14,654 million in 2012. Target Company suffers from poor credit rating. Retained Earnings: Beginning balance is $ 13,155 million and ending balance is $ 12,599. The retained earnings increased because of repurchasing of stock and also, part of the dividends declared was not paid. Target Company paid dividends worth $ 1006 million. Statement of Cash Flows: Ending balance is $ 6520 million. The cash balance increased due to the firm’s increased operations both in Canada and U.S investors always prefer investing in firms with prospective higher returns and potential to faster growth. Fast growing firms often indicate a net income but have their cash held in accounts receivable or depend too heavily on bank financing. This is implied by the items falling under investing activities of the cash flow statement. Our company always has a surplus cash budget. In summary, sales increased showing a positive