The Role of the Dead Letter Office Essay Example for Free

The Role of the Dead Letter Office Essay While Melville only mentions the Dead Letter Office in the last paragraph, he portrays its significance throughout the story. Melville reveals Bartleby previously worked in a Dead Letter Office, where he handled the monotonous task of burning undeliverable mail. Because the narrator views Bartleby as a mirthless man, he feels pity for Bartleby working at a place devoid of happiness. By employing a theme of lost hope, Melville describes the dead letters as mail, which fails to reach its destination with its encouraging message or item of value. Melville associates the melancholy present in Dead Letter Office with the strife evident in Bartlebys life. In Melvilles short story, the Dead Letter Office serves as an influence upon Bartlebys fastidious nature. Throughout the story, Bartleby expresses his preferences in regard to his work, which primarily result from the dissatisfaction he felt in his previous profession. Perhaps Bartlebys refusal in performing his duties signifies his dismissal of authority, which indicates Bartlebys desire to control his own life. By characterizing Bartleby as an isolated man, Melville demonstrates how Bartlebys environment separates him from nature and the company of others. Working in the narrators office, Bartleby occupies a secluded area near a window, where he constantly stares at a wall. Bartleby exhibits the behavior of a loner as he stays at the office even at night, when no one occupies the streets. When Melville states On errands of life, these letters speed to death, he refers to the Dead Letter Office as a symbol of mortality (Melville 52). In describing Bartlebys former occupation, the narrator even acquaints the dead letters of the mail center with dead men (51). Melville portrays the final depressing image of death through Bartlebys former workplace, the Dead Letter Office.

Social Role Play and the Search For Identity in Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby

Social Role Play and the Search For Identity in Chopin’s Desiree’s Baby When I think about women’s role in our society, especially nowadays, the first word that comes to my mind is ‘exhausted’. What I mean is that this subject is exhausted. There are so many literary and sociological interpretations of the physical and psychological female image that whatever I say or prove would be just another attempt to understand the ‘incomprehensible’. It’s not because I am a woman, or may be exactly because I am. But here the important expression is ‘I am’ and the extension can be endless. And what a human life is but an everlasting search for the right word that would complete the sentence. As if we could complete it, our personality will be completed as well. And after years of searching, finding and again searching, we finally understand that there are so many ‘I ams’ some of which have no logical explanation or certain definition and all are subjected to so many social and personal factors. Nevertheless I will turn to one literary interpretation, Kate Chopin’s Desiree’s ...

How to Build Relationship in a Small Business Essay

According to Gronroos (1997), marketing in relational terms means â€Å"To establish, maintain and enhance relationships with customers and other partners, at a profit so that the objectives of the parties involved are met. This is achieved by mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises†. As to whether a business will profitably benefit from investing in relationship with its customers and other stakeholders, a lot depends on the nature of the business. With regards to certain sectors, like the service sectors, it becomes imperative to develop the relationship with its customers, so as to ensure consistent growth and sustainable competitive advantage. In big organizations like the banks, the bureaucracy makes it difficult for these institutions to be responsive to the needs of their customers. Hence customer relationship building becomes problematic. But taking a small business like a hairdressing salon, various relationship management techniques are blindly employed by these hairdressers to build relationships with customers. This paper uses the situation of a hairdressing salon located at Akweteyman, a suburb of Accra, Ghana to explain how relationships with customers are built over the years. Top Curls Beauty Salon, located in Akweteyman, is owned and run by Joyce Owusuwaa. She has employed three hairstylists and has six apprentices. She has operated the business for Ten years, and currently is patronized by lots of women from the locality and beyond. Relationship management techniques clearly play out in such small businesses because of the fact that those delivering the services are mostly the owners, and have the passion to see the business grow, hence making them highly entrepreneurial. Conditions that are conducive to relationship management It is not every business that can profitably practice relationship management. Certain conditions must exist to foster the development of an intimate relationship with clients. According to Szmigin and Bourne (1998), the value of a relationship, and by implication the desire to commit to it, will depend on the nature of the service, the nature of the consumers and the nature of the situation. Berry (1983), discussing the service sector identifies three conditions for the applicability of Relationship Management. First of all, the customer has to show a continuing and periodic desire for the service. Secondly, the service customer must be able to select the service provider, and finally there must be a choice of suppliers available to the customer. Berry (1995), further points out that, high involvement services, such as banking, insurance and hairstyling services have the characteristics which lend themselves to relationship building. Taking the case of Top Curls Beauty Salon located at Akweteyman, a suburb of Accra, it has the conditions conducive to Relationship building. Women, both young and old, have a continuing and periodic (which could be fortnightly or weekly) desire to have a hairstyle that enhance their beauty and appearance. The clients, in this case the women themselves; do the selection of the hairstylist. There is also a plethora of hairstylists and salons around the Akweteyman locality, in which case constitutes a large pool of hair salons available to the customers. So how does Top Curls Beauty Salon build relationship with customers? Consistency of quality of service For Joyce, quality of service is very critical to building a long-term relationship with its customers. Quality of service, in terms of a hairstylist, has to do with how good the client feels at the end of delivering the service. Not necessarily the final product in terms of pleasant appearance, but how the person was attended to at the salon upon entering it, how the salon attendants as well as the final hairstylist were gentle with the hair of the client, may be in terms of how gently they stroke and caress the client’s hair and the kind of pep talks that went on with the client during the service, all go a long way to establish an excellent quality of service in the mind of the customer. This could lead to repeat patronage as well as referrals. But the question one may want to ask is; how does she ensure that this quality of service is at least maintained, even to the extent of her brief absence? Though she has about six apprentices, she also employs three hairstylists who had undergone an extensive training and coaching from established beauty schools, and mentoring from her. These three stylists have the flair for the job and assist her as well as deputize for her in case of her absence. In fact these girls are trained all-round, and can solve every client issue. Customization Every customer, be it existing or new, that enters Top Curls Beauty Salon is unique in lots of ways. Customers differ in their appearance, shape of their head, the texture of their hair, the color of their hair, the length of their hair, the strength of their scalp, their likes and dislikes, their socialization and exposure, level of education, age and complexion etc. One style will definitely not fit all of them. This calls for customized service. In fact the business of hairstyling thrives on variety and customization of services to individual customers. The hairdresser gains a better knowledge of the customer’s requirements and needs over periods of encounters. This knowledge can then be combined with social rapport built over a number of service encounters to tailor and customize the service to customer’s specifications. But there is a challenge for Joyce when a customer wants a style which is in vogue, but which will not fit the customer. In a situation like this, persuasion is done with all the tactness, and explanations given to convince the customer that a better style, which is also in vogue will best suit her and give her that â€Å"knockout† appearance and appeal. Customization is very much aided by the next point, which is; two-way communication dialogue. Two-way communication dialogue The rapport between a hairdresser and her customers is very important if a long term relationship is expected. The kind of communication dialogue that ensues in the salon does not only bolster the relationship, but also brings a lot of client issues to the fore so that the hairdresser can best satisfy the needs of the customer. According to Joyce, she constantly engages the customers in a dialogue, all to unearth their needs. Some customers, based on how they have been conditioned in other salons, just remain quiet throughout the period that they are being attended to. These customers leave the salon only to change their hairstyle as soon as they get to the house. By engaging them in a conversation, they feel comfortable to actually come out with how they want their hair to look like, hence promoting the likeliness of future business and referrals. It is only through a two way communication dialogue that customer needs could be met. High level of interaction There is a high level of interaction between a hairstylist and her customers. The relationship between a woman and her hairdresser is unique. This is because she develops an intimate relationship with her hairdresser as a result of visiting the salon regularly. Women go to the extent of confiding in their hairdressers on issues like personal relationships or marriage and family issues. Why won’t they, if they trust their hairdressers enough to alter their physical appearance, sometimes radical? For some customers, it is all about enjoying the whole experience of going to the hairdresser. For this people, you can always have a good chart at the hairdresser’s salon, as well as catch up on the latest gossip. Hence hairdressers initiate certain lines of conversations and gossips, especially fashion, all to get the salon exciting. Some also go to the salon because they need someone to talk to. They tell their hairdresser really personal things, having in their mind that thei r hairdresser is a good person to speak to, because they are completely separated from their lives. With the advent of technology, this form of bonding with customers is enhanced by mobile phones, which makes it possible for the interactive platform to be extended outside the salon. Plays a professional as well as an advisory role Hairdressers play a professional as well as advisory role to their customers. One could classify them as â€Å"informal† psychologists, who exert a level of influence on their customers, not only to change their hairstyles, but positively impact on their lives. Moreover, by virtue of their knowledge in hair grooming and taking care of hair in terms of what hair products the consumer should avoid and those that are suitable (health wise) to them, hairdressers always have the client at heart and appear to act in the interest of the client. If a client should suffer a hair loss, or let’s say suffer a scalp infection as a result of misapplication of a particular hair product, it will adversely impact on the relationship with the client, and generate a negative word of mouth as well. This situation, the hairdresser avoids as much as she can. These are some of the main reasons why she ensures that clients’ hairs are attended to by her and the three most qualified emplo yees. Just to avoid such incidents. Hence, the clients trust the hairdresser to take care of their hair, which the hairdressers consistently do, in their daily dispensations. High commitment and fulfillment of promises From the above point, one can say that hairdressers exhibit a high level of commitment towards the client, and help the clients solve their hair problems. A typical example is when clients consult their hair dresser on problem of hair loss and breakage. The hairdresser goes the extra mile in recommending an appropriate product for solving the problem. Some hairdressers go to the extent of purchasing the product and assisting the client in applying it, all for a fee, and which helps in bonding with the customer. Hence, a constant commitment to solving the hair problems of the client goes a long way to improve on the relationship with the customer. Furthermore, the hairdresser endeavors to fulfill her promises to the client. It is not easy trusting anybody to change your appearance or outlook. What is the assurance and likelihood that you would like the final appearance you are given? Hairdressers, by leveraging their skills and flair, fulfill the promise of making the client feel good at the end of the service delivery. There are situations where some clients refer new customers, and a challenge appears in terms of satisfying this new customer, and fulfilling the expectation and hype. But hairdressers leverage the two-way dialogue to meet the expectations of this new customer. Long-term orientation and horizon Long-term orientation and horizon is a key feature hairdressers use to build a lasting relationship with customers. How long a customer is kept in a relationship and share of their wallet they spend in that salon is very important to the long-term profitability of the hairdresser. There are situations where customers had relocated to a distant suburb in the capital, and yet trek to the old suburb just to patronize the services of a trusted hairdresser. It is important to see customers as partners rather than opposite parties, as highlighted by Gummesson (1999). He goes on to pontificate that long-term collaboration and â€Å"win-win† as a key feature of building relationships. This view promotes collaboration, and creation of mutual value for both the hairdresser and the customer. There are situations where hairdressers freely apply certain pomades or sprays, at least initially, just to woo these clients in the long-term. Sometimes too, customers are given discounts just to get them to patronize the salon for a longer period. Hairdressers, in this sense, do not wholly transfer cost to the customers. Customers are handed certain benefits which in the long run make them loyal to the hairdresser. This loyalty is sometimes assured and maintained even when customers relocate to different localities. Customer lifetime value Finally, hairdressers view customers, though crudely, in terms of their lifetime value to the business of hairdressing. They nurture the notion that if you can best satisfy and delight a particular customer the more likely you are to have a sustained relationship with the client. This lifetime relationship could be extended to the client referring family members and close peers to that particular salon. Furthermore, taking such a position makes it difficult for the client to break the relationship with the hairdresser. How has Top Curls Beauty Salon benefited from developing such relations? First and foremost, the fact that she has established a bonding relationship with them, the customers do not react negatively to price increments, since they know they are getting value for money. Besides, compared to the prices competing salons are charging in the locality, Top Curls Beauty Salon’s charges could be termed as premium, yet the customers see it as appropriate. Again, some customers move to distant localities and yet regularly visit the salon. The client base of the salon has greatly increased as a result of referrals from these customers. The salon has been able to leverage their service â€Å"brand† into other forms of grooming. The salon now does manicure and pedicure as well. But all these are not without hitches and challenges. Not every relationship developed has yielded the returns. In fact some has yielded negative returns. But on the whole, building a lifelong relationship with its customers has brought some level of success. REFERENCES Gronroos, C. (1997) ‘From marketing mix to relationship marketing – towards a paradigm shift in marketing’, Management Decisions, 35, 4, 322-339 Szmigin, I. and Bourne, H. (1998) ‘Consumer equity in relationship marketing’, Journal of consumer marketing, 15, 6, 544-557 Berry, L. L. (1983) ‘Relationship marketing’, in L. L. Berry, G. L. Sostack and G. Opah (eds) Emerging Perspectives on services marketing, Chicago, II: American Marketing Association, 25-28. Berry, L. L. (1995) ‘Relationship Marketing of Services, Growing Interest, Emerging Perspectives’, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 23, 4, 236-245. Gummesson, E. (1999) Total Relationship Marketing – Rethinking Marketing Management : From 4Ps to 30Rs, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Market Star Human Resource Management Analysis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2006 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/09/12 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Market Star Human Resource Management Analysis Brief History Founded in 1988, MarketStar is a sales and marketing outsourcing company providing flexible retail, VAR (Value-added reseller) and direct sales solutions for the worlds leading and emerging companies. MarketStar uses skilled sales and marketing professionals and industry-proven go-to-market tools and intelligence to help clients accelerate sales and achieve market dominance. Its proficiency in recruiting professional and dedicated outsourced sales staff that delivers actionable knowledge has enabled them to consistently produce predictable and profitable results. MarketStar was founded by Alan Hall in his basement in Ogden, Utah. MarketStar is still headquarted in Ogden, Utah, but serves companies all over the country. Now, MarketStar has approximately 2,500 employees worldwide serving clients in more than 20 countries on six different continents. MarketStar is a part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC)—the worlds leading marketing communications company. This affiliation allows MarketStar to collaborate with other Omnicom Group members to better serve its clients. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Market Star Human Resource Management Analysis" essay for you Create order Dave Treadway, president and CEO since 2003, is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of MarketStar. Under Treadways direction, MarketStar has accelerated investments in thought-based leadership, including market analysis. MarketStar represents several Fortune 500 companies, including Hewlett-Packard (14), Verizon Communications (17), Microsoft (44), and Cisco Systems (71). MarketStar employees drive an average of $5 billion in sales for their clients each year. Characteristics of a good Human Resource Management Most Important * Employment Security * Selectivity in Recruiting * Fair Wages/Incentive Pay * Employee Ownership/Participation and Empowerment * Information Sharing * Self-Managed Teams/Training and Skill Development * Promotion from Within Employment Security MarketStar is contracted to represent other companies, which implies that job security is not guaranteed. The companies represented by MarketStar could decide to forgo the services provided; causing a lack of jobs for the teams that represented the dismissed company. In such scenarios, MarketStar does all possible to move the employees of the dismissed teams to other teams available. The downside to employment security at MarketStar is there is simply no future work guarantee. When certain MarketStar accounts close, the company may have no choice but to lay the employees off. However, in our survey, the majority of MarketStar employees felt fairly comfortable that job security was available to an extent. Some employees were even found in the situation of an account closing, but were repositioned and kept their jobs as different employees in different teams. We feel the employment security at MarketStar is rated around the average score because even though there is no guaranteed work for life, MarketStar will help to keep their current employees with the business. Layoffs may come but mostly due to outside circumstances. Selectivity in Recruiting MarketStar helps many different types of companies and therefore attempts to place MarketStar employees to best fit the needs of their clients, other companies. MarketStar posts job opening on their website with a brief overview of their company and then the responsibilities expected of the opening they are seeking. Here is an example of a current job opening in Ogden, UT for a Player/Coach Inside Sales Rep. Marketstar currently has an opportunity available for Inside Sales Player Coach who will be responsible to work with the Inside Sales Account Managers to provide sales support and be responsible for outbound calls into prospective accounts regarding inContact products, services and provide leadership for the team. RESPONSIBILITIES: †¢ Assist manager with day to day management of the team †¢ Identify needed skill sets, and teach those skills to those he/she upervises, both in individual and group settings †¢ Understand the industry and the client’s business objectives and develop and implement a strategy that will achieve those objectives †¢ Responsible for sales lead entry REQUIREMENTS: †¢ College degree preferred †¢ 5 years+ work experience †¢ Knowledge and experience in the B2B channel and IT industry †¢ At least 1 year previous management/coa ching experience †¢ Previous sales and marketing experience needed †¢ Prior experience in handling customers †¢ Must be detail oriented Strong ability to multi task and manage time †¢ General knowledge of the business to business sales process †¢ Motivated to excel in results and be a self-starter †¢ Must have a technology aptitude MarketStar does not discriminate in any aspect of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local employment discrimination laws where MarketStar does business. This job posting shows they are very selective with requirements such as, 5 years+ experience, must be detail oriented, at least 1 year previous management, etc. If you apply online for this job it requires an answer from each one of the requirements listed above. Since MarketStar is very specific in the needs they are looking for we do not recommend in changes in this area. Fair Wages/Incentive Pay MarketStar offers competitive wages with very competitive benefits. Although exact salaries and wages are not made available, nearly all of the surveyed employees expressed feelings of being paid fairly in regards to their job responsibilities. MarketStar also offers performance-based bonuses, work related reimbursements such as mileage reimbursements and cell phone service reimbursements, and other pay incentives that are all dependent on the position and the client. MarketStar also offers competitive benefits including multiple medical and dental plan options, paid holidays with additional floating holidays, paid vacation and personal time, 401k matching, stock purchase options, and more. Some of the extra benefits that MarketStar employees receive include employee discounts, paid birthdays off work, semi frequent contests, and extracurricular activities during the paid workday such as movie days or barbeques. In the end, MarketStar seems to rank pretty highly in regards to competitive pay and benefits. Employee Ownership/Participation and Empowerment Employees are given personal and team related goals that are generally measured monthly or quarterly. Although this allows employees to have a direct affect on the organization, the consensus of the surveyed employees was that they were not involved in the goal setting or KPI setting process. Certain positions within the company do allow employees to manage their territories, work schedules, and customer base individually; however, some positions are not as flexible. It seems that employee empowerment is based on what position you have and what client you represent. I recommend that MarketStar implement a goal setting procedure that includes input from the entire team. Each team member of each team should be given the opportunity to participate in the goal setting process to give him or her more empowerment over the work they will set out to achieve. Along with participating in goal setting, employees should be given the opportunity to make decisions on individual and team procedures and requirements to meet the expectations and goals of the individual and team. Information Sharing MarketStar has an internal website where employees can view information and past articles that were written. The public website also contains some information on financials. Occasionally, MarketStar sends emails with information about the company. From an employee perspective, MarketStar does not share much information as a whole to employees, but more on an individual team base. We recommend that MarketStar focus more on sharing information about the position of the whole company through more detailed email reports. This could help employees feel more important about the job they are performing and that it is making a difference to MarketStar as a whole. Self Managed Teams/Training and Skill Development We consider MarketStar’s new hire training to be average. The overall consensus in our survey was adequate but not great. Several online trainings are provided throughout one’s employment. Some are required and some are optional. These online trainings are centered on several different skills associated with general and specific topics. New employees at MarketStar are typically trained face to face, on the job, involving a lot of ride-a-longs and observation scenarios. A leadership training section is also available to help train certain employees. In this training, skills are developed to improve leadership throughout MarketStar. Discipline, compensation, interviewing, and recruiting are some of the topics covered. We found that leadership is a big part of MarketStar because there is a large amount of work done in teams. Teams are self-managed in many situations and have helped MarketStar provide the best service to each company with an account. The recommendations we have for self-managed teams and training-skill development is to provide more in-depth training for new employees. The employees surveyed shared that the training was only considered adequate. This will also help to continue to improve the well-roundedness of employees to enable teams the knowledge to handle non-typical cases they may come across. Better self-managed teams can assist in efficiently providing the service requested. Promotion from within Recruiting within provides current employees advancement for superior performance. Recruiting within supplements and encourages other high performance characteristics such as training and employee empowerment. By promoting within, an organization is less likely see other companies benefit from its training efforts. Needless to say, an employee can feel in charge of their destiny when opportunities are available for their hard work and dedication. Like a chain reaction a list of positive attributes spring from hiring from within; high morale, high employee engagement, retention of valuable employees. At MarketStar existing employees generally have first opportunity at open positions. Although there are a number of avenues for announcing new positions, employees are generally alerted to open positions via email. One employee feels that most managers he knows were hired internally. MarketStar prefers to train and develop their employees to prepare them for more responsibility. Candidates for internal promotions or transfers must meet minimal qualifications, have performed in a current position for a period of 12 months, and must not be in any disciplinary situations. The employees at MarketStar feel they have a better chance at open positions than someone externally. They also feel they can be rewarded for their experience and performance. MarketStar deserves high marks after review their internal hiring practices. MarketStar HR Characteristics Ratings We evaluated each HR Characteristics on a rating from 1-10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. . MarketStar Employee Survey 1. Do you feel secure in your job? Do you feel like you could work at Market Star for as long as you would like? All of the employees who responded answered that they currently do feel secure. However, one of them was laid off from another account prior to working on their current one or knew of others who had been laid off. 2. Did you feel you received enough training for your position? If so, what kind of training did you receive? The general consensus was that training was overall adequate but could be a little more frequent and in depth. Most training was done in person for new hire training, and online training throughout their employment. 3. Do you feel that you were selected as an employee based on your experience or credentials? Yes, all employees answered that past experience and credentials as well as having a good interview. 4. Do you feel that MarketStar shares the information, financials, future plans, etc,  that you are interested in? Most employees stated that they did not know. This probably means no. They do get occasional emails and know that some of it is posted on the employee website. 5. Do you feel like you are paid fairly for the work you do? All employees answered yes. How would you rate Marketstars benefits? Every employee answered either average or above average. * Above average * Average * Below average 6. Do you feel that you are empowered in your position? The answers on this one varied from yes because employees are given control over their territories and schedule, and no, because they are not involved in goal setting or other decisions. . Do you feel that you are given a fair chance when promotions become available? All answered yes based on how long they have been there and their performance. 8. Does MarketStar give internal employees a better shot at promotions than external employees? The perception from the employees was yes that internal employees were given priority over external employees. Sources www. marketstart. com, Scott Lewis à ¢â‚¬â€œ MarketStar Employee Other Employees from MarketStar

Essay on A Raisin in the Sun Character Analysis - 712 Words

The play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† by Lorraine Hansberry has many interesting characters. In my opinion, the most fascinating character is Ruth because of her many emotions and captivating personality. She goes through extreme emotions in the play such as happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and confusion. Ruth is very independent, firm, kind, witty, and loving. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ruth has an intriguing personality. She is very loving towards her family. She will do all in her power to improve the lifestyle of her family. When it appears that the deal for the house in Clybourne Park will fall through, she promises to dedicate all of her time to make the investment work. â€Å"Lena-I’ll work†¦ I’ll work 20 hours a day in all the kitchens†¦show more content†¦Ruth stresses the importance of maintaining a good image of her family. When George arrives to take Beneatha out, Walter and Beneatha are not being well mannered, so Ruth takes control and tries to make-up for their behavior. â€Å"Beneatha, you got company-what’s the matter with you? Walter Lee Younger, get down off that table and stop acting like a fool†¦(80)† Ruth is also independent and kind. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ruth’s dream is to improve her family’s lifestyle and move into a house where she can raise Travis and the new baby. To realize her dreams she should not put everyone else’s wants and needs in front of hers all of the time. She should express her feelings more often so that her family will listen and help her to reach her goals. The play supports this view by showing how Ruth often neglects her feelings and pays great attention to her family’s feelings, wants, and needs. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Ruth compares with two people I know personally. My mom and my grandma remind me of her very much. My mom is very similar to Ruth because they are both independent, witty, loving, and kind. My mom keeps my family on track everyday just as Ruth does. Both my mother and Ruth crack jokes often to lighten the mood. My mom and Ruth care about the well being of their families more than anything. My Grandma is also very similar to Ruth in many ways. My grandma is loving, kind, and firm. My grandma and Ruth bothShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of A Raisin Of The Sun Essay845 Words   |  4 PagesWriting Assignment 4: Character Analysis of â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† The male protagonist of this story is Walter Lee Younger, an African American, who plays the roles of a son, husband, father, and brother. The story is set in a Chicago Southside apartment, â€Å"sometime between World War II and the present [1959]† (Hansberry 919). Walter is physically described as â€Å"a lean, intense young man in his middle thirties, inclined to quick nervous movements and erratic speech habits—and always in his voiceRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis1322 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† written by Lorraine Hansberry, she is able to take us to place to see what it was like for an African American family to survive in the mid-twentieth century. The play details how the main characters are going through an evolving social and economic position, as well as the evolving gender roles. Hansberry uses the characterization of Beneatha, Ruth, and Walter in order to show the expectations and assigned gender roles for the characters in the story. In shortRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis902 Words   |  4 PagesGordon: Segregation vs. Southern Pride Lorraine Hansberry’s â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† touches on many issues African Americans faced in the early to mid-twentieth century. One can analyze Hansberry’s â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† from many angles, and come away with different meanings. While Michelle Gordon focuses more on segregation and housing discrimination that plagued African Americans on Chicago’s Southside in Hansberry’s â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun†, William Murray emphasizes on Southern Pride and heritage. ThisRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis917 Words   |  4 PagesIn the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry the Younger family faces many conflicts. This is mainly because they are living in Chicago in the 1950’s. This was a time where many African Americans were discriminated, which caused the family to have many issues with money, jobs, and family. Two characters from the pay that help influence the plot would be Mama and Ruth. This i s because of the roles they play, their conflicts, and their actions towards other character. Without the roles ofRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis1026 Words   |  5 PagesIn A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, one of the featured characters is outgoing and ambitious Beneatha Younger, sister of Walter and daughter of Mama. Beneatha, commonly referred to as Bennie by her family, is an aspiring doctor and currently in medical school. In addition to these desires, she also acquires relationships with Asagai and George Murchinson, two prominent male characters, throughout the course of the play. Although her career choice and relations with these men are completelyRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis1592 Words   |  7 Pagesacquisitiveness have always had the ability to turn people into someone they are not. Greed can tear apart families and friendships when a person neglects others for their own benefit. This is depicted perfectly in Lorraine Hansbe rry’s play A Raisin in the Sun which follows the lives of the Youngers, an African-American family living in 1950’s South Side Chicago. The focus is on a man named Walter Younger, who has the difficult decision of choosing between his personal dream and the progression ofRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Beneatha In A Raisin In The Sun1487 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis â€Å" A Raisin in the Sun† is a play written by Lorraine Hansberry about the life of an African American family during the era of segregation. The play starts off with the Younger family receiving a 10,000 dollar check from Mr. Younger’s insurance policy. The family argues over what they are going to do with it. Mama wants to buy a house with it, Walter wants to invest in a liquor store, and Beneatha wants to use the money to go to medical school. The contrast of the characters’ personalitiesRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis1052 Words   |  5 PagesName Instructor Name Class Date Walter Lee Younger in A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, tells the story of the Younger family, an African-American family living in poverty in 1950s Chicago. The family patriarch, Walter, is a limousine driver struggling to make ends meet and desperate to find a way to propel his family toward wealth. With his father’s death comes an insurance check for $10,000 and each member of the family has different ideas on what to do withRead MoreA Raisin In The Sun Character Analysis1322 Words   |  6 Pages Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, depicts the lives of the Younger family, an African American family living in the Southside of Chicago during the 1950s. The play takes place in their cramped apartment offering the reader insight into the arguments, discussions, and conversations that take place between the characters. In one scene, Hansberry specifically offers the reader a conversation between Asagai, an influential companion, and Beneatha to show us how disparate the Younger siblingsRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Raisin In The Sun798 Words   |  4 PagesIn the play a Raisin in the Sun, Walter Lee Younger is an African American man who portrays the role of a father, son, and husband. He has a dream to invest the incoming inherence into something that may help his family in the future. Once this idea comes to him it takes over his mind, and he cannot stop thinking about it. It acts as though its a drug, he addicted to talking about it. Also, when it is broug ht up in a conversation and someone disagrees he become very defensive. In addition, he is

Analysis of Sophocles Oedipus the King - 1110 Words

Oedipus the King (Order #A2063917) Sophocles Oedipus the King is a tragedy in which fate is the culprit in destroying the lives of several people. It tells the tragic story of Oedipus, a man who unknowingly murdered his own father and then married and fathered children with his own birthmother. But for a long period of time, Oedipus was ignorant of his true actions, until a plague descended on the city where Oedipus was king: Thebes. When Oedipus sent to the oracle at Delphi for aid in ending the terrible plague, the answer he received was that the murderer of the previous king of Thebes, Laius, must be found and punished. And since Oedipus had arrived in the city of Thebes only after the previous king was murdered, Oedipus was beyond suspicion and consequently the appointed person to carry out the divine command. (Ramphos, 39) In a speech to the citys populace, Oedipus informed them of the oracles message and made a personal plea for information leading to the capture of the murderer. Then he made his own prophecy as to what he would personally do to aid the capture of the cause of Thebes plague. In the following 20 lines, Oedipus then went on to prophesize about the discovery of his own past actions, his fate and what would ultimately turn out to be his own future. Oedipus began his statement with a curse: And on the murderer this curse I lay (On him and all the partners in his guilt). (285-86) Although he does not know the identity of the murderer or even ifShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles819 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles’ plays are among some of the best-written performances of the 5th century, and they have evolved into several modern theatrical productions and movies. Although not written as part of a trilogy, Sophocles’ three interconnected plays focus on the same dysfunctional family: Antigone, Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) and Oedipus at Colonus. His second play Oedipus the King continues to awe the audiences today as much as it entertained Soph ocles’ audience. There existed then and now a fascinationRead MoreSexism In Oedipus The King1395 Words   |  6 Pages Sophocles’ Theban tragedy, Oedipus the King, is not sexist. The prominent play portrays both men and women justly. The events presented by Sophocles exemplifies a level of admiration and respect for women that was not ordinary in ancient Greece. This is predominantly achieved through the dialogue of Jocasta and Oedipus, illustrating a corresponding relationship. In addition, the behavior of Jocasta, analysis of other literature, as well as the bad fortune of the male characters reaffirm that theRead MoreOedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesOedipus: The King of Thebes and Tragic Hero Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic heroRead MoreReligion In Oedipus The King1012 Words   |  5 PagesIn Oedipus, the King, the main character, Oedipus, starts the play in the highest prestige, he is the King of Thebes and is held in high regard to almost all citizens for his prosperous reign. By the end of the play, Oedipus is vilified by his citizens and almost all the people of Thebes. I argue that Oedipus’ downfall is directly linked to his rejection of religious guidance and omens; namely, the Gods and the oracle. One could argue that no divine entity openly acts out toward Oedipus, howeverRead MoreOedipus-a Tragic Hero706 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: Oedipus-A Tragic Hero Research Paper ENGL 102: Literature and Composition) Fall 2015 Melinda Meeds L26683811 APA Outline Thesis: In Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus†, Oedipus is exemplified as a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition because his story appeals to the reader’s humanity in the way he maintains his strengths after inadvertently causing his own downfall. I. Oedipus A. The noble birth. B. Describe Oedipus’ character. II. Tragedy A. DescribeRead MoreSophocles The King And Antigone Essay1566 Words   |  7 Pages Sophocles wrote about kings. Mythological, or at least long dead, the regal protagonists of fraction of Sophocles’ surviving work embody the political realities of the ancients’ time. By examining and analyzing the origins and nature of kingship in Sophocles, one can glean a sliver of insight into a civilization that has all but disappeared. Sophocles’s kings were great human leaders, reaching their position through impressive deeds or standing in the community. Although they wielded great powerRead MoreAnalysis Of The Play Oedipus Tyrannous By Sophocles 1749 Words   |  7 PagesKwa LITR201 August 19, 2016 Dear Dr. Kwa, I chose to write about the play Oedipus Tyrannous by Sophocles, I found this play to be very encapsulating to the very end. I really enjoyed the suspense, as well as the turn of direction that the play took in the end as the plot thickened. In this essay, I will describe why I personally believe that this play was not just a tragic event and the many reasons why I believe that Oedipus can be viewed as a tragic hero by his actions throughout the play. I believeRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1724 Words   |  7 PagesIn the story of Oedipus, Oedipus is considered a â€Å"Tragic Hero† because of the tragic fate and effect that he had upon his life. My definition of a tragedy is a great loss that has a unhappy ending to which concluded me to state that Oedipus falls under that category. Throughout the book, Oedipus is leading himself to his own destruction when trying to find the killer of the late King Laios. So when a journal article I found published by The John Hopkins Univ ersity Press stated that a â€Å"tragic heroRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King 1127 Words   |  5 Pages For A Life Of Regrets Oedipus the King is a play written by Sophocles. Oedipus is the main figure and legend of Sophocles play. After Oedipus birth into the world, his father King Laius of Thebes heard from a prophet that his own child was destined to kill him. Sophocles play begins from past to present and starts to unravel the journeys Oedipus goes through. Oedipus isn t an evil character as one would think while reading the story. He neverRead MoreAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays1392 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays When Teiresias asks in Antigone (line 1051), What prize outweighs the priceless worth of prudence? he strikes (as usual) to the heart of the matter in Sophocles Theban Plays. Sophocles dramatizes the struggle between fate and free will, in one sense, but in another sense the drama might be better understood as the struggle between the will of the goods (which it is prudent to follow, according to Teiresias) and mans will (which is often

Pyramids and Ziggurats free essay sample

Pyramidal construction is as old as Egyptian history itself, going back to the beginning of the 3rd millennium B. C. , when the first monarchs were buried in large brick tombs called mastabas. These can be seen as evoking the primeval hill related to the conceptions of the very beginnings of life. In the 3rd dynasty (c. 2660-2600 B. C. ) king Netjerirkhet Djoser introduced the pyramidal shape with a great monument fashioned as a Step Pyramid, built with stone by his genius architect Imhotep within a vast funerary complex in the Sakkara area, close to Memphis, the capital. The innovation was not only its shape – six overlaying mastabas – but also it made ample use of stone and was placed at the centre of an enormous walled complex. This complex also contained a cenotaph or subsidiary tomb on the south side, evoking the holy city of Abydos especially noted for the cult of Osiris, god of Eternity. This concept of a subsidiary tomb would later evolve into the small satellite pyramids built next to the Royal Tombs, to the south. The 4th dynasty (c. 2600-2500 B. C. registers remarkable advances, not only in terms of architectural splendour but also as far as technical innovation is concerned, most evident in the internal layout of the Royal Tombs and in the surrounding complexes. The transition between the Step Pyramid and the Pure Pyramid which will become the standard can be seen in the unfinished and much damaged Meidum pyramid which was probably commissioned by the pharaoh Huni, last monarch of the 3rd dynasty, and to Sneferu, founder of the 4th . Sneferu ordered the construction of the two pyramids at Dashoor, which show a marked architectural evolution of the royal tomb: one is of the rhomboid type and the other, known as the â€Å"Red Pyramid†, is the first Pure Pyramid. Later on, on the Giza Plateau the three most famous pyramids in Egypt (and in the whole world) were erected for kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure (also known by their Greek names Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, although these onomastic forms are losing ground). The Khufu pyramid, known as the Great Pyramid, is remarkable not only on account of its size (it originally stood 147 metres high) and of the â€Å"astronomic† precision of its implantation (the four sides face the four cardinal directions with almost perfect precision) but also for the originality of its internal structure and layout. Contrary to previous usage, the Royal Chamber was moved towards the interior, after a first attempt, left unfinished, of placing it underground and slightly off-centre. The central position would be occupied at a later stage by the â€Å"Queen’s Chamber†, but this option too would be abandoned. Finally, the most spectacular of pyramidal architectural solutions would be devised: a great ascending gallery leading to the Royal Chamber, the construction of which bespeaks of high technical skills in adjusting the huge stones and of a perfect mastery in finishing them. The Khafre pyramid originally stood 143 metres high, and the Menkaure pyramid, the smallest one at Giza, stood at 65 metres. The relative simplicity of the interiors of the pyramids built for Khafre and Menkaure both antedates and announces the organisation typical of the 5th and 6th dynasties’ pyramids while maintaining the funerary complex’s typical layout. The number of the small surrounding pyramids built for the royal wives varies. During the 5th dynasty (c. 2500-2300 B. C. ) the favoured location for erecting pyramids was the Abusir area, although the first monarch (Userkaf) and the last (Unas) had their tombs built in Sakkara. The smaller scale of the royal pyramids is obvious when compared to those of the previous dynasty, but the funerary complexes were still impressive, particularly on account of their excellent and varied mural decoration both in the funerary temples and along the paved processional causeways. An example of this is Sahure, the complex of which can be considered a paradigm of its epoch: the entrance of the pyramid faces north, the internal structure is stepped, and the architecturally simple royal chamber is positioned in the centre, level with the ground. The Unas pyramid is decorated internally with magical texts, which will later become customary (the famous  «Pyramid Texts »). In the 6th dynasty (c. 2300-2180 B. C. ) pyramids were built with approximately 50 metres in height. In spite of its poor present condition, the funerary complex of Pharaoh Pepy II can give us an idea of the spatial distribution typical of the period. It has a cult pyramid, located by a canal leading to the Nile, an ascending, paved processional causeway linking the cult pyramid to the funerary temple. The latter, after the first annexes, gave onto an elegant hypostyle patio and a chapel with several niches containing statues of the king. Beyond the encircling wall delimiting the Royal Pyramid, there is a series of small pyramids built for his consorts, each pyramid with its own funerary temple. After Pepy II, many decades elapsed before anything deserving the name of pyramid was erected. This would only happen during t he Middle Kingdom – after the First Intermediate Period – when traces of pyramid construction are scant: we know of a modest pyramid built in Sakkara for king Qakare Ibi, of the 8th dynasty (under 20 metres high), and although no traces of such a monument have reached our day and age, literary tradition speaks of a pyramid, built for Merikare, of the 10th dynasty, located by the Teti funerary complex, in Sakkara. In the Middle Kingdom (c. 2040-1750 B. C. the mighty monarchs of the 12th dynasty have pyramids erected in the Fayum area (Meidum, Lahun, Licht and Hawara), notably the tombs of Senuseret I at Licht and Amenemhat III at Hawara. The average height of 12th dynasty pyramids is 100 metres, but they are mainly composed of an amass of rubble, loose stone blocks and brick, capped with polished limestone facing slabs, and they have long disinte grated into an inexpressive heap of ruins. The building of pyramids for pharaohs was abandoned during the New Kindgom (c. 1550-1070 B. CB. ), in favour of tombs excavated in rock hillsides (Valley of the Kings, in West Thebes). And when the habit of hollowing-out hillsides to build tombs died out, some officials erected small brick pyramids over their funerary chapels thus appropriating some of the pharaonic symbology. Obelisks, those elegant monoliths of solar evocation, were topped by pyramid-shaped points, capped with metal. The kings of the 25th dynasty (c. 715-660 B. C. ), of Nubian origin (present-day Sudan), had their tombs built in the shape of pyramids, smaller in size and thinner. This archaic practice was continued further south by the kings of Meroe who, over a period of 1,000 years, would build pproximately 180 pyramids where some remnants of artistic production of the merotic kingdom were found. Besides the scientific study of ancient Egypt’s pyramids (pyramidology) there is a parallel approach best described as â€Å"pyramid mania†, which has produced many distorted, even appalling interpretations of the pharaonic pyramids and their purpose. One of the most non-sensical and inco nsistent has to do with the purported relationship between Egypt and Central America, which apparently led to the construction of pyramids in both regions. The truth is that there is a long-established practice of calling pyramids to the stepped constructions built in stone in Central America until the 16th century, the date of Spanish penetration. The oldest is the Cuicuilco pyramid, close to Mexico City (the old Tenochtitlan), which may well date from the end of the 2nd millennium B. C.. It has five stories topped by a sanctuary accessed by the exterior. This long access stairway petrifies a magical conception, evoking a link between the world of the gods and that of Man. Along the stairs, the celestial gods descend, and the infernal gods climb. And so does the priest who was to officiate atop the monument in one of the most characteristic ceremonies of the different Mexican civilisations: the offering of the human heart to the gods. Thousands of captives were killed each year at the top of those pyramid-shaped temples, their hearts torn out while they still lived and their bodies thrown down the stairs. The sacred connotation of the stairs themselves is echoed in the number of steps of the great stairway of the Kukulcan pyramid at Chichen Itza: 364, plus the upper platform where the sanctuary stood, which was considered day 365. As for the number of stories, they could be between seven and thirteen figures with celestial and symbolic significance. The Paleo-Mexican pyramids, erected by several peoples in the region (from the Mayas to the south, to the Toltecs, the Olmecs, the Zapotecs, the Totonacs and the Aztecs, among others) are massive structures, which in some cases were successfully added in height. A good example of this is the Aztec pyramid of Tenayuca, which reveals at least six stages in vertical and horizontal extension. In an impressive contrast of vertical and horizontal lines, the pyramids can look massive and immense such as the Temple of the Sun at Palenque, or rise in steep verticality as in the Great Tikal Plaza (Guatemala). The highest Mexican pyramid was erected at Cholula (in its initial stages, an Olmec site), and was consecrated to Quetzalcoatl, wise and beneficial god. There are important zones of pyramid concentrations at Chichen Itza (pyramid of Kukulcan, the Maya name of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent), at Palenque, Teopalzolco, Monte Alban,  «city of pyramids » in Teotihuacan, an urban centre, which started out as Olmec. The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque proved to be an eight-story pyramid after the thick overgrowth was removed (1949). It also revealed in its interior, through a staircase that ran from the top of the structure to the underground level, a funerary chamber with a sarcophagus containing what was thought to be the body of a king. Several valuables had been buried with the personality and thus this vast pyramid-shaped tomb is the exception confirming the rule: Mexican pyramids are places of cult, while the Egyptian ones are clearly royal tombs. In point of fact, there is no relationship between the concepts presiding over the construction of pyramidshaped structures in the two opposite sides of the Atlantic. Indeed, there is no correspondence, whether in time or in space, between two worlds of such clearly distinct cultures. Furthermore, the function of the Egyptian and the Mexican pyramids are completely different, the latter seeming to have served some of the purposes achieved by the great towers erected in Mesopotamia by the Sumerians, the Assyrians and the Babylonians between 3000 and 500 B. C. , known as ziggurats. Hence we can state that, functionally and culturally, the Mexican pyramid is closer to the Mesopotamian ziggurat than to the Egyptian pyramid.