Symbolism of the Island

The Island Major Joe Ridge View High School English 1 Mrs. Walker December 17, 2012 There are many different symbols in the book Lord of the Flies. Some of the symbols represent peace and some represent war. Some of the characters themselves represent different symbols. The item of symbolism that stood out the most was the island itself. The island itself is an excellent item of symbolism because it uses the boys themselves to convey what it stands for thus almost making itself seem alive. The island represents peace, atavism, the struggle to hang on to civilization, life, and the struggle to hang on to humanity.The island itself stands for peace. It shows this through Simon. The special place in the jungle where Simon went shows the peaceful part of the island. There is not much of it but it is there hidden by all of the confusion other factors at work. â€Å"He came to a last place where more sunshine fell. Since they had not so far to go for light the creepers had woven a great m at that hung at the side of an open space in the jungle; for here a patch of rock came close to the surface and would not allow more than little plants and ferns to grow. The whole space was walled with dark aromatic bushes, and was a bowl of heat and light.A great Tree, fallen across one corner, leaned against the trees that still stood and rapid climber flaunted red and yellow sprays right to the top† (Golding 56). Simon found that place peaceful and beautiful. He goes there in the middle of the night just to escape the atavistic character of the island itself which is portrayed through the forest and Jack. The island also shows atavism through the forest and through Jack. Throughout the story the boys continued referring back to creepers â€Å"I can’t hardly move with all these creeper things† (Golding 7).Creepers are like vines that climb up tree trunks and grow across open patches of ground. They cover up the trees and ground and make it hard for the tree or the ground to get sunlight or water. The vines take the water from the trees so that they can survive in the conditions of the island. Jack and his hunters do similarly the same thing with the pigs. The boys engulf the pig with their presence and beat it to death making it nearly impossible for them to escape the rancorous attacks and also making it nearly impossible for the pigs to breed and fill the island with wildlife and swine.The island also portrays life. For this it uses the open space that Simon found and the fire. When Simon found his special part of the island, he noticed that the creepers did not grow there allowing the fruit trees and the flowers to grow there abundantly. The fire also symbolizes the life of not only the island but the life of the boys’ morale and hope of going home again. â€Å"The fire was dead. They saw the straightaway; saw what they had really known down on the beach when the smoke of home had beckoned. The fire was out, smokeless and dead ; the watchers were gone.A pile of unused fuel lay ready,† (Golding 67-68). The boys saw a ship passing by in the distance when they found out that the fire was dead. At that moment Ralph called an assembly. Jack and his hunters came from the forest with a pig. Ralph told Jack about the fire and the ship but the only thing the Jack was concentrated on was how he and his hunters managed to capture the pig. The Island also represents the struggle to hang on to civilization. The Island shows this through the scar that the plane left when it crashed.The entire island is in order with creepers and trees making an attempt to grow everywhere. The beach is sandy and the lagoon is not too far from the beach everything on the island was neat and in order. The plane crashed it left a scar that left a path of burned creepers fallen trees and overturned dirt and debris. The rocks on the island also had a role in breaking the rope of civilization. When Piggy’s glasses broke they fell on a rock after Jack smacked them off of Piggy’s face. â€Å"Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.Piggy cried out in terror: ‘My specs! ’†¦ ‘One side’s broken† (Golding 71). At that moment in the book the normal world’s idea of civilization went out of the window and Jack’s idea took over. Ralph and piggy both wanted to keep the island as civilized as possible. Piggy gave ralph the idea to blow the conch and try to call all the boys to one central location. While resting on the mountain he realized the conditions of himself and the other boys on the island: With the memory of his sometime clean self as a standard, Ralph looked them over.They were dirty, not with the spectacular dirt of boys who have fallen into mud or been brought down hard on a rainy day. Not one of them was an obvious subject for a shower, and yet—hair much too long , tangled here and there, knotted round a dead leaf or a twig; faces cleaned fairly well by the process of eating and sweating but marked in the less accessible angles with a kind of shadow; clothes, worn away, stiff like his own with sweat, put on, not for decorum or comfort but out of custom; the skin of the body, scurfy with brine—He discovered with a little fall of heart that these were to conditions he took as normal now and that he did not mind, (Golding 110). This realization from Ralph shows that he misses the rest of the world and that being shut off from the rest of the world gave him and even stronger need to try to restore civilization on the island. The island also symbolizes the struggle to hang on to the humanity of the island. Before the boys came to island the pigs had no real enemy that was known. The boys were the same way.When the boys were luckily landed on the island the pig’s predator became Jack and his hunters. It was easy for Jack to find his first pig but not as easy for him to kill it. The second time he carried out his task. As the story continues Jack has to go through different procedures and tricks in order to find a pig. He painted his face, he crawled around on the ground following a pig slide and pig droppings. He ends up killing pigs almost every day for the group. The pigs adapt to Jack’s ways and try to avoid him.When Jack killed the mother sow, the amount of humanity left on the island was in question. â€Å"Rodger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch†¦ ‘Right up her ass! ’† (Golding 135). The island was the most important symbol in the book. Without the island and the natural features of it then one may not think that the island could stand for anything other than an uninhabited graveyard for an assortment of young boys.In order to really see the significance of the island one needs to look closely at the events that happen and where they happen in the book. The island talked to the reader through the characters of the story. Each character represented a different trait of the island. Jack was the fear of the island, Piggy was the gentle side, Ralph was the firm part of the island, and Simon was the peace on the island. There are many other situations like this in many other stories, one just has to pay attention and open their eyes. References Golding, W. (1954). Lord of the Flies. Salisbury, England: Faber and Faber.

Article Evaluation Sleep Deprivation to Aggressive Behavior

Sleep Depression, Depletion & Aggressive Behavior Article Evaluation paper Does sleep deprivation affect a person’s self-control? Does the availability of one’s self-control be affected by the lack of sleep? Nonetheless, Can sleep deprivation cause someone to display more aggressive behaviors? A group of researchers wanted to answers these three questions. The researchers produced an experiment to explore the variable of sleep deprivation & its correlation to self-control & aggressive behavior.According to the Limited Self Regulatory Model, self- regulation is more difficult when someone is fatigued or has limited energy. When energy of mental activity is low, a person’s self-control is impaired, a person is considered to be in a state of â€Å"depletion† (self-regulation failure. ) Fifty-eight participants were separated in two groups: sleep deprived (depletion group,) with no sleep for twenty-four hours prior to the experiment & non-sleep deprived (non-d epletion group) The participants were instructed to watch unpleasant footage from two films & their reactions were observed by a video camera .Participants in the sleep-deprived group were asked to show no facial expressions, where as the non-depletion condition were told to act naturally. Participants instructed to neutralize their facial expressions were less expressive than participants instructed to act naturally. With in the experiment, an aggression task was given to participants designed to measure their aggression. Participants were told they were going to play a trail game & to win the game they must push a key faster than online opponent.Prior to each trial the participants were asked to set the noise level (between 0-10, 0= no sound, 10= loudest sound), which would sound at the opponent when the participant would win. After each trail the opponent’s noise choice level was displayed on the screen as one level higher than what the participant set. As a result, partic ipants were thought to believe their opponent were more aggressive than they were, evoking aggressive behavior from the participant. Thus participants in the sleep deprived/ depletion group selected higher noise levels than non- sleep deprived/ non-depletion group.Accordingly, the data collected supported state of sleep does not affect a person self control or influence aggressive behavior. Instead, self-control & aggressive behavior is determined by the availability of person self- regulatory resources. The method in which the experiment was conducted could be re-produced, but may be time consuming. Instead of being able to conduct one task to measure the correlation of the sleep deprivation to the questioned variables, more then one task had to be executed. I believe the external validity & the internal validity of the experiment were not passable.The subjects were randomly assigned to the sleep deprived or non-sleep deprived group, however there was no obtained information about the participant’s sleep deprivation tolerance. Such a factor (sleep deprivation tolerance) can change the results of data. In addition, the experiment did not specifically measure whether participants who were kept awake for 24 hours were in fact sleepier than participants who got a full night’s rest. Among people, population, & races such a tolerance varies. Applying a generalization across the board can introduce bias to the experiment.The implication that self-control & aggressive behavior is determined by the availability of a person self- regulatory resources/ability can be applied to real life. When I am tired I feel my self-control is not as available as when I am awake. If I were one of the participants in the experiment watching the film and performing the aggression task, I would not think about the way I present my emotions till after the matter: during that time my ability to think of my emotional response & how to control my emotional response would not ha ppen/ be available to me.With this in mind, this article relates to the functions of the self – discussed about in class. The four main functions to the self (self-knowledge, self-control, self- presentation, & self-justification) determine a person’s self- regulatory resources. The ability to look inward, examine our thoughts, feelings, mood (introspection) & control our willpower, allows us to overcome a counterproductive impulse to achieve different goals.On the other hand, when we try hard to practice introspection & self-control, controlling the self in one context may cause us to indulge in another context, producing self-regulation failure. By large, the researchers of the experiment were looking into the function of the self & applying it real life. By conduction the experiment, the researchers discovered that the state of sleep does not affect a person self control or influence aggressive behavior, but that self-control & aggressive behavior is determined by t he availability of a person self- regulatory resources.

Human behavior theories Essay

Working as a community facilitator is all about empowering and facilitating change within individuals and communities. As their practice facilitators need to identify any challenges and work with the communities to look at ways of solving these problems together. This then requires first for the facilitator to find out why these challenges or problems come about in the first place. Theories are designed to understand human development, identity and approaches to practice. They help turn complicated human, behavioural and social singularities into ideas that are more accessible. It can be said then that theories provide a basis for understanding and reflecting on what we do which then helps us help communities on a micro, mezzo and macro levels. This essay will look at two of the human behaviour theories and how they help us understand and work with our communities (that we as facilitators serve) better. 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS 2. 1. Theory According to (Body, 2014) â€Å"A theory is a logical system of concepts that helps to explain why something happens in a particular way and to predict outcomes†. This means that by preparing their practice on theory, this leads a facilitator to get a better understanding of his/her own task, do some goal planning and also anticipate whatever outcomes there may be. 2. 2. Community Communities are unique with regard to the people in them, place, interaction meaning. According to (Heaven, 2014) â€Å"While we traditionally think of a community as the people in a given geographical location, the word can really refer to any group sharing something in common†. This could also mean any small geographical areas from e. g. a neighbourhood, housing project or development to any community with a large geographically-defined community. 3. HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORIESÃ'Ž 3. 1. Social Construction Social construction is influential in changing grounded theory. As a way of trying to understand the social world, social construction views knowledge as being 2 constructed (as the name suggests) instead of being created. In this theory communities are seen as alternating between both subjective and objective reality. Past theorists believed that knowledge is beliefs in which people have rational confidence, a common sense of understanding and consensual notion as to what is knowledge. Social construction came about as a way to deal with the nature of reality. It has its origins in sociology and has been linked with the modern era of qualitative research. Reality is it may be something that we are not even aware of. Things like segregation according to what gender, race and class you are a just basic examples of social construction. These things only have meaning because society gives them meaning. According to Tom Andrews (2014) â€Å"Constructionists view knowledge and truth as created not discovered by the mind and supports the view that being a realist is not inconsistent with being a constructionist†. A person can believe that concepts are constructed other than being discovered yet relate to something in the real world. This is consistent with an idea that was put out that reality is socially defined but this one referred to the subjective experience of everyday life as opposed to the objective reality of the natural world. As Steedman (2000) said, â€Å"most of what is known and most of the knowing that is done is concerned with trying to make sense of what it is to be human, as opposed to scientific knowledge†. Individuals or communities decide or rather create this reality one may then ask how this reality or knowledge emerges or how it comes to have significance for society to which social constructionists may answer as they view knowledge as being created by the interactions of individuals within society which is at the centre of social construction as a theory. Andrews (2014) believes that subjective reality is brought about by the interaction of people with their social world and with this social world influencing them it results to routines and habits. That is to say that any regularly repeated action becomes a pattern which at some point can be done without much effort needed. With time this forms a sort of store of knowledge which is passed on to future generations which is then subjective reality. 3 Society gives you and identity from birth. Our identities as people come not from the inside but from the social sphere. Conversation is the main way of maintaining, modifying and reconstructing subjective reality. It compromises notions that are shared unproblematically between the communities so much so that these notions need not be defined each time they are used in conversation and come to assume reality. 3. 2. Examples of Social Construction The most common of all social constructions is that of men and women. Men are required (by society) to have qualities such as control, efficiency, toughness and coolness under emotional distress whilst women on the other hand are said to be the fragile amongst the two with qualities such as inefficiency, emotional expressiveness, caring and mutuality. This is what society has deemed as normal over the years which is what gives the battle of Patriarchy versus Matriarchy in this modern generation. Women today believe that they are more than able to do whatever the â€Å"men† can do and sometimes do it even better. It is clear though that in society’s opinion of gender that men should hold all the power. Laura Flores (2012) is quoted as saying â€Å"Power looks sexy on men, not on women†. But this could be seen as having a double meaning. Other than the obvious meaning we get, it could also mean that women are seen as unable to learn the skills or unable to do whatever a man can do as well. Feminists have been fighting hard battles in order to change this thinking and they have succeeded in changing some people’s minds but the in the traditional societies, mostly in the rural areas this social construction of men and women is still very much evident. Men still go out to provide for the family while the women is expected to stay behind and take care of the children and the home. One other example one could use is that of the social construction of gender. This is slightly different from the previous example used. When a baby is brought into the world the first thing that the doctor will look at is the baby’s sexual category (whether they are male or female) and this is where this social construction begins. Immediately after they are classified as boy or girl the parents then fall into this shared mechanism by dressing them in colours that are â€Å"appropriate† for their gender. Flores says â€Å"the â€Å"normal† thing to do in this case would be for the 4 baby girl to be dressed in pink and the baby boys to be dressed in blue†. You don’t want to be seen as weird for dressing your baby girl in blue or your baby boy in pink, right? Society has put aside colours as some of the symbols that differentiate between boys and girls. Children will then grow like this and then start to try to be like the people who are the same gender as them, â€Å"girls should start acting like their mommy and boys act like their daddy†. Each one will be expected to dress or act in a certain way (as in the first example) but such things are what leads to stereotypes. 3. 3. Asset Based Community Approach 3. 3. 1. What is Asset Based Community Approach (ABCD)? Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) is an approach for sustainable community development. The basis of ABCD is that it believes that communities can develop themselves by recognizing and using existing but often hidden assets to create economic opportunities. It builds those already existing assets in the community and gets individuals, associations and institutions to band together to build on their assets instead of focusing on their needs. It is a naturally positive approach. A large amount of time is spent in trying to identify the assets within a particular community whether it be from individuals, institutions and associations before they are then organised to build on them to the benefit of the community as a whole. The basic key as mentioned above is to use what is already in the community. The ABC approach aims to change people’s view that their needs can only be met by an outsider (professional). When it comes to working with the community, a facilitator who applies the ABCD approach should be adamant about stepping back and letting the community figure things out for themselves. They enlist the help of associations that are within the community in terms of the community development approach and additional support. However Community driven development is mostly done by outside agencies instead of networks that exist in the community already. 3. 3. 2. Discussion on ABCD ABCD pulls out the strengths and weaknesses within a community’s shared history as a starting point for change. Out of all the assets that a community may 5 have ABCD focuses on the assets that are deep rooted in social relationships and sees them as being both evident in both formal and informal networks and associations. It believes that everyone in the community has something to offer and that no one can be said to unimportant. ABCD view individuals as being as being at the centre of it all. The residents of the community has gifts and skills which they can out on the table. These need to be recognized and noted as in community development you can’t do anything with people’s needs but only their assets. Needs are only valuable to institutions. Institutions are groups of people (usually professionals) who share a common interest out of their own choice. These could be agencies or schools etc. these institutions help the community get resources and that in turn gives them a sense of civic responsibility. In terms of assets one could include physical assets such as land, space, funds etc. as they also could be used. 3. 3. 3. How is it facilitated in communities? As mentioned above ABCD is the development of self-mobilisation for change. This development has been implemented in many communities. The task for any agency that comes into a community such as NGO’s is how to put in place this development in other communities without creating a sense of dependency. There are different methods that are facilitated by NGO’s in communities for ABCD. Methods such as Collecting stories whereby they build confidence, informal discussions and interview that also have the goal of drawing out people’s experiences. Success in this will also enable them to uncover any gifts, skills, talents and assets that people in the community may have. Mapping the capacities and assets of individuals, associations and local institutions. Mapping is more than just gathering data on the community. It is of importance that you let the community and institutions d the mapping for themselves as they build new relationships, learn more about help and talents of other community members and also see any connections between different assets. 6 CONCLUSION Understanding a community is crucial to being able to work in it. Failing to understand it will deny you credibility and make it difficult for you both to connect with community members and to negotiate the twists and turns of starting and implementing a community initiative or intervention. Social constructionism places great emphasis on everyday interactions between people and how they use language to construct their reality. It regards the social practices people engage in as the focus of enquiry. This is very similar to the focus of grounded theory but without the emphasis on language. Social constructionism that views society as existing both as objective and subjective reality is fully compatible with classical grounded theory, unlike constructionist grounded theory which takes a relativist position. The ABCD is a substitute the more known needs-based approach. Instead of focusing on what the communities do not have, ABCD looks at what they have to offer. It not only creates a chance for the community to play a part in but they also lead the community planning process. The ABCD is always successful in getting individual participation in the projects in brings to their communities. 7 REFERENCE LIST Andrews, T (2012). What is social constructionism? [ONLINE] Available at: http://groundedtheoryreview. com/2012/06/01/what-is-social-constructionism/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Body, A. (n. d. ). Theories Used in Social Work Practice. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. socialworkdegree. net/theories-used-in-social-work-practice/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Cunningham, G and Mathie, A. (2002). Asset Based Community Development- An Overview. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www. synergos.org/knowledge/o2/abcdoverview. htm . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Flores, L (2012). What is social construction? [ONLINE] Available at: http://oakes. ucsc. edu/academics/Core %20Course/oakes-core-awards-2012/laura-flores. html . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Hampton, C and Heaven C (n. d. ). Section 2. Understanding and Describing the Community. [ONLINE] Available at: http://ctb. ku. edu/en/table-of-contents/assessment/assessing-community-needs-a nd-resources/describe-the-community/main . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Simmons staff. (n. d. ). Theories Used in Social Work Practice. [ONLINE] Available at: http://socialwork.simmons. edu/theories-used-social-work-practice/ . [Last Accessed 26 August 2014]. Steedman, P. (2000). On the relations between seeing, interpreting and knowing. London: Sage. Suttles G, D. (1972). The social construction of communities. 1st ed. Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Vance S. C. (1989). Social construction theory: problems in the history of sexuality. 1st ed. Amsterdam: An Dekker. 8 Varien M, D Potter, M. J, (2008). The Social Construction of Communities: Agency, Structure, and Identity in the Prehispanic Southwest (Archaeology in Society). 1st Ed. New York: Rowman and Littlefield publishers.

Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Auditing - Essay Example in errors or omissions, an auditor is usually hired to verify the statements before they are presented to the shareholders during an annual general meeting. Therefore, the duty of an auditor is to verify the financial statements of a legal entity. He should give an opinion that provides a reasonable assurance to the shareholders as well as to any other user of the financial statement that the financial statements give a fair and true view of the organization and that all material respects have been taken into account. I being an auditor has been an external auditor have been selected to perform the audit of Toyota Corporation. This article gives an audit program of the duties that I will carry out in accomplishing my objective as the external auditor. An audit program refers to the procedures and policies that are laid down to guide the auditor in in executing their audit job. The audit program is prepared depending on the scope if he audit. The scope of the audit varies depending on the company being audited and the purpose of the audit. It is i9mportant to have an audit program since it helps the auditor to standardize the evaluation process as well as his data collection. With an audit program, it will be possible for the auditor to collect all the relevant information for the audit purposes. The program will further ensure that the auditor complies with the policies and procedures of Toyota and also determine the effectiveness of these policies. At times, I am supposed to evaluate the adequacy of internal controls. This will be possible through the help of an audit program. The following program is to be used in carrying out the audit of Toyota Motor Corporation. The first stage will involve meeting the internal audit general and preparing/planning the documents. The preparation and updating of the engagement letter will be among the duties performed in planning and preparing the documents (Puncel, Pp. 7). The compliance engagement will follow a consideration

Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Should the drinking age be lowered to 18 - Essay Example state public policies being properly enforced or having their intended effect: neighboring states may have differing policies, alcohol companies may lobby against strict enforcement, and the ubiquity of alcohol in contemporary society makes the acquisition of the substance almost too easy for underage drinkers. For much time, the solution to the rising occurrences of tragedies regarding alcohol-related deaths in younger adults has been to raise the MLDA to decrease both supply and demand to those most susceptible to alcohol’s deadly effects. However, as will be contended here, this is the wrong approach to take in trying to solve this grave problem. The solution lies not in changing actions, but in changing thoughts. Conceptually, all actions are the physical result of some mental process; actions are merely the effects where mental processes are the causes. By changing the mental processes that correspond to the physical actions, we can stop the problem at its roots. Moreover, unlike enforcing an artificially high standard of maturity in the form of an MLDA, changing perceptions and attitudes is something that can be controlled with time. In what follows, it shall be seen that the MLDA is not too high or too low, but is irrelevant to the present considerations. What must be changed is how youth treat alcohol, see its effects, and use it in a social setting. Concerning the prevalence of underage drinking in the United States, it is reported that almost 11% of all alcohol consumed is done so by youth, and a vast majority of these drinks are consumed in a â€Å"binge† fashion (Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy, 2005). Annually, this results in almost 150,000 emergency room visits by youths related to injuries and health problems related to alcohol use (Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2005: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Department Visits). A 2007 survey found such figures as 45% of youth drank â€Å"some amount of alcohol†,

Social media and prisoners assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social media and prisoners assignment - Essay Example This is because, allowing the prisoners to access and use social media is placing the victims and the families of those affected by the crimes at the mercy of the prisoners, for perpetual threatening, insults and further torment. Whenever the victims and the families of the victims encounter the faces of the prisoners who offended them on the internet calling for friendship and love, it is a horrifying reminder of the ordeals they suffered on the hands of the offenders. Additionally, allowing the prisoners to access and use social media, presents them with an opportunity to seek for their victims and their families online, and continue to torment or threaten them through inappropriate messages (Allisa, 73). For these reasons, those opposed to the prisoners accessing and using social media platforms to access the outside world, holds the opinion that it is only fair to hinder, and illegalize any access of social media by prisoners. Secondly, the critics and those contesting social media access and use by prisoners, hold that such action amounts to opening further avenues for the criminals to continue perpetrating crimes, since by allowing the prisoners to use social media platforms, they can engage in plans to escape from jail, or even organize for the supply of contraband goods into the prisons, or worse still, coordinate further criminal activities through communicating with their partners in the outside world (Jonsson, 1). For example, in May 2000, an inmate from a New York prison who had been sentenced for fraud was found to have masterminded a stock-picking internet fraudulent scheme (Allisa, 74). Further, a case of David Puckett, an in inmate from Texas who befriended and cajoled a Face book friend who eventually assisted him to escape from prison, serves to strengthen the case for those opposed to the access and use of social media by prisoners (Jonsson, 2). Nevertheless, the discussion holds that prisoners should be allowed the access and

How does the western model of Internet Banking apply to Russia Dissertation

How does the western model of Internet Banking apply to Russia - Dissertation Example This chapter of the study will therefore spell out the most important aspects of tasks that the researcher put in place as part of data collection. As much as area of the research such as the literature review holds a prospect for answering most of the research questions and by extension achieve some of the research objectives, undertaking primary data collection remains a very useful way of testing secondary data used for the study (Riketta, 2008). This is because with primary data collection, the researcher is offered the opportunity of collecting first hand data that is not distorted or biased. The chapter shall open with the research philosophy that the researcher employed for the primary data collection. This is because the research philosophy will give the reader a general overview of the perspective from which the researcher conducts the remaining parts of primary data collection, whether inductively or deductively. There shall also be other aspects of the chapter such as rese arch design, qualitative design, research strategy, research scope, as well as data quality issues. By the close of the chapter therefore, the reader will have a vivid understanding of the entire approach that involved the conduct of the research. 3.1 Research Philosophy Saunders et al (2003) notes the research philosophy reflects the perception that the researcher holds about how knowledge is constructed. This is common with qualitative research of this nature because in qualitative research, the researcher seeks to explore knowledge about an ongoing situation, of which the research is being conducted (Ainin, Lim and Wee, 2005). In the current study, the ongoing situation can easily be referred to as internet banking in Russia and how this is influenced by western model of internet banking

British Colonialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Colonialism - Essay Example When a territory builds and maintains colonies in other territories, this is known as colonialism (Kohn, 2006). When the West or Europe pictured the Arabic and Asian states, they showed people living darkness and void (Kumar, 2007). They showed they did not want to grow and get updated. They showed that the people were simple and could be made to do anything. This is what was thought about South America and Africa when it was colonized (Kumar, 2007). This also brought these governments the support of their citizens (Kumar, 2007). When Europe wanted to conquer these "Oriental" countries, they passed a message to the people that they wanted to develop the territory to be colonized. They planned to strip the territory of its history and cultures and create a new one as they seem to be fit (Kumar, 2007). Orientalism was so depicted and explained as if it was a curse or a bad thing going on in the world. The true meaning of orient was hidden and in the shade of Orientalism, the West exploited and colonized the Asian and the Arabic countries (Kohn, 2006). Thus, Orientalism was one of the tools used by Europe to colonize the Arabic and Asian Countries (Kohn, 2006). ... Vathek (Salah, 2007) One of the examples of orientalism among the British colonial writers was Vathek (1782) by William Thomas Beckford. Beckford (1760-1844) was and English novelist (introduction to Beckfordiana). He was also a member of the parliament from 1784 to 1790. Vathek was originally written in French at a time when orientalism was entranced in the European population. The plot tells the story of the fictional ruler Vathek who falls from power and then engages himself in deplorable activities with his mother to gain supernatural powers. The setting of the tale is oriental, i.e., in the Arabic countries. The novel clearly shows how backward and downgraded the people of the East were considered. The story clearly shows the supernatural and superstitious beliefs and casts the image of the Eastern countries as those who live in the early ages when everything was considered to be supernatural and science and technology played no role. Kubla Khan (Library, 1999) Another example of orientalism among the British colonial writers is the poem Kubla Khan written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English poet and a romantic (Poetry Foundation). Kubla Khan is a poem describing about a king who claims to be Son of God and thus ascends to the throne on the grounds that God wants him to rule. He makes his subjects build him a house that is suitable for residence for the Son of God. This poem though short shows how the countries in the East are ruled through superstitions and that the British need to go and save the people from such superstitious beliefs of the people there. Thus they could potrait the image among their people that they are colonizing the territory to revive but instead destroy the culture and history of the

Applying the EMH Evaluate the Role That Government Played In Economic Essay

Applying the EMH Evaluate the Role That Government Played In Economic Recovery Using Recent Real-life Examples - Essay Example because of the market volatility due to the different government policy and the detailed study would tend to give a great learning opportunity about this adverse scenario. Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) Theory Efficient market hypothesis implies that, if any new information about a company is revealed it will be immediately incorporated into the share price rationally and rapidly, with respect to the direction of the share price movement and its size. In an efficient market except by chance, no trader will get an opportunity to earn abnormal return on a share or a return which is greater than the fair return for the risk associated to that share. The possibility of absence of abnormal profits arises because the past and current information is immediately reflected in the current share prices. The prices are affected only by the new information. EMH is concerned with under what conditions an investor can gain abnormal profits or excess returns in a stock. EMH claims that all the in formation available readily reflects in the price of the stock. According to EMH abnormal positive returns are not possible by any trader using the information available to public. Many people think that market efficiency means that it is impossible to outperform the market at any given point of time which is incorrect. Efficiency does not mean that prices will not apart from true value: At any point of time it is expected that prices will deviate from their true value, majorly because value depends on the future and future is unpredictable. Efficiency does not mean that no investor will be able to beat the market in any single time period. In an efficient market approximately one half of the shares purchased subsequently outperform not because of the skill but due to the fact that prices... This report stresses that market efficiency has been tested over a long period of time and it has been observed that movement of the stock prices follow a random walk. The random walk theory states that an investor can have a good chance of beating the market if they throw darts on New York Times stock listing pages. Investors who adhere to the random walk theory believe that searching for undervalued shares or predicting the future stock price is just a waste of time. Any new developments of government like restructuring the tax legislation, controlling the financial crisis and the inflation etc reflect in share prices of the different corporation. Followers of random walk theory believe that is impossible to predict future events and they are left with no other choice but to accept the efficient market hypothesis. This essay makes a conclusion that it cannot be denied that the government interventions play a crucial role in stabilizing the economies that were overturned due to the financial crisis as result of devaluation of properties or inability to service the debt obligations. Due to the global crisis, the investor confidence eroded which had adverse impact on the stock prices. The fluctuation in the stock prices was also due to drift in the present market condition. As a result of revised regulations and containing policies by the government, the economies started to revive and the interest of the investors were protected. This resulted in the decrease in volatility of share prices which reflects belief of the investors from their anticipation of future events in the economy. This follows the efficient market hypothesis.

Can be chose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Can be chose - Essay Example Being a wife entails many things, and this has largely been constructed by different civilisations over the years. Recent decades, however, have seen these traditional being challenged in great detail for the first time in quite a long time as women attempt to gain more solid footing in society. One way to accomplish is to slowly recreated the homemaker role into one that is more balanced between the sexes, more accommodating to the desires of the women, and one that is more is open and accepting of sexual minorities. It has recently been said that â€Å"many women want to have weeding: few of them want to be wives† (Spender, 1994). This statement is quite profound in terms of the reality that shifting demographics, in addition to renewed feminist attitudes, are reshaping the tradition concept of marriage and family. While Splender’s comment may, on the surface, appear to be absurd, there is certainly an element of truth to you. This can be stated because one has to con sider the western construct of the concept ‘wife’. Historically, a wife has been commonly viewed as a homemaker and child-bearer. If that continues to be the reality, then women today have moved beyond that and are not desiring of the tradition definition utilised by society for generations. The very concept of ‘wife’, therefore, is shifting. Until that mindset is complete, however, women will likely hesitate to be viewed as a wife, but will still look forward to and long for their dream wedding. This paper explores the playing out of gender in terms of socialisation and coupling, with a particular focus on the role that weddings will likely play in Western society moving forward. 2. Theoretical Context Feminism is really about questioning the societal roles that attempt to define and confine the place that women have in our culture. In essence, as Judith Butler continually points out, it is about stepping out from the commonly conceived notions of gender a nd reconstructing an entirely new identity. Her groundbreaking 1990 book and theoretical expose on gender issues, â€Å"Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity† reinvigorates the discussion of women and their role in society by demonstrating the even those on the sexual margins should be gradually more accepted into the society’s fold. Butler herself, through this book, begins to question the very definition of woman. She effectively does this by looking at the masculine and feminine constructs existent in society today, and how those have changed over the years. While Butler moves far out into theory relating to sexual minorities in this book, her focus is primarily on the feminist thought process. This theoretical construct relates well to the theory in question for this essay. She talks at length, for example, about a women’s desire to dress, sometimes provocatively, in order to show off the feminine form. At the same time, however, the modern feminist wants to challenge the masculine nature of our society, making it in almost universal subject open for debate. This relates well to the institution of marriage. With the traditional mindset that there are definite masculine and feminine roles to be carried out by husbands and wives respectively, Butler would contend that today’s woman has the right to challenge these concepts.

Uniforms in school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Uniforms in school - Essay Example There are three main reasons for this. The first is that it makes students more equal, the second is convenience, and the third is school pride. The simple fact is that if children wear uniforms, they are a lot less likely to notice differences between children from rich and from poor families. One of the main purposes of school is acclimatize students to the different types of people they will meet in their life. This is best done by allowing them to focus on the personality and identitiy of different people, what really counts, rather than be distracted by the surface, by the clothes that people wear. Students can easily be bullied if them come from poor families and have ragged clothes, likewise students who are rich and wear the latest designer duds might well become excessively popular. Uniforms tend to diminish or mask this unpleasant class distinctions. They promote equality, fraternity, and fellowship. They make people feel less alienated and more part of a community. Money after all is an artificial distinction. Shouldn’t people focus more on what really counts? Another useful argument is convenience. A lot of parents argue that because of school uniforms, they don’t have to buy clothes for their children, and this saves them time and money. But most children will have a few ordinary clothes next to their school uniform, but not many especially if they are in school five days a week. This also makes it easier for students to choose what they are going to wear at school. No matter that the choice is not so much made easy by virtue of uniformity, but because the students don’t really have much choice—the result is the same. Children are too young and inexperienced to be spending all their time thinking about self-presentation and the fickleness of fashion. Obsessing about these things can create a huge amount of psychological problems later in life, reducing the opportunity to get good work,

Countries such as UK and USA are MEDCs (more economically developed countries) Essay Example for Free

Countries such as UK and USA are MEDCs (more economically developed countries) Essay World development is the process which countries go through to make more money and develop their economies. Countries such as UK and USA are MEDCs (more economically developed countries) where as countries such as Brazil and Mexico are becoming rich and they are known as developing countries. However, the people living in these developing countries still do not have a good health scheme or their own homes. LEDCs (less economically developed countries) are very poor, such as Sudan and Bangladesh. People living in these countries tend to lack basic essentials like food, clean water and clothing. It is important to have world development because everyone in the world becomes part of a society in which human rights are observed and basic needs of housing, work and healthcare for all. It gives opportunity for the poor to lead peaceful lives and to have a say in global communities. World development is important also because without it there is conflict in the world. In the 20th and 21st centuries, there has been lots of conflict between LEDCs. As a result of this, poverty has worsened and become more frequent. Too much of the world’s money is spent on arms trade, to defend other countries from attack. This money could be spent on more important things which would help the process of world development such as: medication, education and agriculture. In the Kosovo conflict many fields were burnt and, as people had not grown food. Therefore, there were no crops to eat or sell. This caused loss of money and also human lives because many people died of starvation. A recent example of conflict is the war on Iraq. With world development, there would be solidarity in the world and it would relight warmth and compassion. Natural disasters cause many problems for LEDCs because there are no emergency help schemes to rebuild the areas affected. Usually, countries such as the USA have to step in and help by equipping the poor with food boxes, water and shelter etc. the economy in less economically developed countries is a more fragile industry. These industries are severely affected by natural disasters because there is loss of tourism; with an outcome similar to the Tsunami. International debt remains to be a severe problem in LEDCs because they have no solution but to borrow money from MEDCs. In the 1970s LEDCs borrowed from the World Bank. In the 70s, interest rates were low (1-2%) but in the 80s rates increased as high as 20-27%. Also, prices fell meaning that products being sold by poorer countries – such as coffee, tea and sugar. As the countries earned less, they were paying more back. There are 41 countries in the world classes as heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC). For example, Zambia spends  £106 million a year on debt repayments. Another reason why we need world development is that trade is not fairly paid for. Trade is selling something you have grown or made to somebody else- trade brings jobs and money. Trade rules are not based on development and they help MEDCs more. Goods can move freely through countries subsidised industries so that goods can be produced more cheaply. Mexico, signed the North America Trade Agreement which meant that Mexico and America can trade freely. US maize is now sold at such a cheap price that Mexican farmers are not paid enough to live on. Fair trade has been introduced. This means that by paying a few pence more for chocolate, coffee etc then you can increase the farmer’s wage who harvested it.

Ethics Of Human Freedom Philosophy Essay

Ethics Of Human Freedom Philosophy Essay Throughout human history, freedom has been the most important and challenging aspiration to reach. Our forefathers fought for political freedom from the tyranny of occupiers, slaves fought for freedom and equality and women fought for freedom from their stereotypical household duties and their right to vote When asked to define what does freedom mean, people usually have a difficult time coming up with a concrete definition. The common answer of freedom means doing whatever I want, whenever I want generates many conflicting questions. What if ones free actions are harmful to others? Should he then still have the freedom to keep acting that way? Freedom is too abstract of an idea to be defined accurately and precisely. The notion that someone can be absolutely free is absurd. Most of the time, one persons freedom is another persons restriction. In western culture, philosophers have staked out two basic ways of thinking about freedom. The older kind, associated with what is called liberal thinking focuses on the political issues (of which property rights are a subset). In this view, you are free for expressing unpopular opinions, or criticizing government officials, or trying to take part in government yourself, or engaging in commerce, or pretty much doing as you please, so long as you dont hurt anyone. Many influential social thinkers in the 19th and 20th centuries thought that political freedom was not enough and therefore created the so called progressive idea of freedom. They advocated freedom from the tyranny of necessity. In this view, a person too hungry to work, or too poor to feed his or her family, is not really free. A rich person, in contrast, seems free to do many things that a poor person is unable to do. Freedom from hunger, freedom from disease, etc. necessitate a positive right to certain important things, such as food, shelter, and health care. Freedom is the absence of restraints according to the most common usage of the word worldwide. It actually encloses the four following types: 1. Physical freedom: the possibility for a person to go where he/she wants and do what he/she wants 2. Spiritual freedom: the privilege of being able to express ones thoughts or to live according to ones outlook 3. Natural freedom: the authority which enables a person to identify and to live with others of his/her people 4. State freedom: the ability of a person to live under a government of his/her choosing. Therefore, its undeniable that these types help clarifying the idea and the concept of freedom. Freedom is a magnificent word; not only because it covers all the abovementioned subdefinitions, but also because it represents the ultimate target of all human actions and sciences. According to Albert Einstein: All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling mans life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom. Because of its wide range of notions, freedom, thus, is a relative experience. Few people think of freedom in very similar terms. To some, it is about political rights: the right to assemble, to free speech, to participate in government (vote, run for office), etc. To others, its all about property rights: to do with ones land and possessions. To others, freedom means freedom from hunger, or health fears, or other woes. To a few, freedom means total freedom to do anything in some cases limited only by other peoples freedom and in other cases limited only by the individuals will and ability to exercise power. Lets take for instance the American political life, the relativism is often described in terms of Economic Freedoms (issues like taxation, free trade and free enterprise) and Personal Freedoms (issues like drug legalization, abortion and draft); republicans support economic freedom more than personal freedom while democrats support personal freedom more than economic freedom. Freedom is no laughing matter since it can be really dangerous if not combined with the right kind of knowledge and with consciousness. For most of us, money is a means to freedom; if I have money, I have more freedom to do what I like. But in the pursuit of this freedom, I might forget the basic principles and limits predesigned b my conscious and get distracted by the glittering features of the means itself. At the present time, the struggle for freedom has turned into a sinister and melancholic path. Herein the question concerning the relativity of freedom is no longer questionable. In fact, the international political and social arena can provide us with some of the most suitable and expressive examples. For the Qaeda, freedom from the American imperialism can only be taken by force and by undertaking terrorist attacks against civilians. Unfortunately, the use of the word freedom has been nowadays over abused due to the lack of a deep and thorough comprehension of its true meaning. For instance the only meanings of freedom for teenagers is to go out freely, have a cool life and experience all the things that may seem ambiguous for them (drink alcohol, experience sex, try marijuana, etc) Many people claim to support freedom but the problem is that so few of them understand the true meaning of the word. Freedom is almost like everything else in this world; it is what we make of it. Hereafter, the true meaning of freedom for C. Wright Mills: Freedom is not merely the opportunity to do as one pleases; neither is it merely the opportunity to choose between set alternatives. Freedom is, first of all, the chance to formulate the available choices, to argue over them and then, the opportunity to choose.

Honey And Mumford Learning Style

Honey And Mumford Learning Style It is commonly believed that most people have a preference with regards to interacting with, taking in and processing information to allow them to learn (Smith, 2003). Different people adopt different learning styles where an optimum style allows the individual to learn best. The concept of individualised learning styles has gained a great deal of popularity in recent years ever since the idea was proposed in the 1970s. To date, there has been a massive abundance of tests that can be performed to assess a persons learning style (Sprenger, 2003). The project is divided into two parts: Part A: To identify and analyze my learning style preferences through various questionnaires; the VARK test, Honey and Mumford learning style, Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Belbins team inventory. Prem and Phil stated that Learning affects performance because all performance can be improved through learning. (Prem Phil, 2008). Thus, this allows me to gain an understanding of who I am as a learner and how this knowledge may affect my performances, both individually or within a team environment. Part B: To discuss my personality type and how my learning style may affect my career choices. However, it is worth noting that although personality is a possible contributor to learning, it is difficult to define (Davies, 2008). Sigmund Freud used the analogy of an iceberg to explain the complexity of human personality by suggesting that most of the personality is hidden out of sight under water (Freud, 2003). Hence, identifying ones personality is not an easy task, and tests should only be used as a starting point rather than as a means to make definite judgements (Bayne, 1997). Nonetheless, my results will give a general idea of a career field that most closely match my personality and strengths. Part 1: Who I am as a learner? 1.1 VARK Test The VARK test is one of the most commonly used models to help identify an individuals preference for receiving and analysing information with regards to learning. It can help people to develop additional learning strategies. There are four modes for people to use, such as visual, aural, read/write and kinaesthetic (VARK, 2009). It is a framework to assess a persons learning style. The results of the VARK test (Appendix A) suggest that my strengths in a learning context rest on my aural skills. I have a strong preference for aural based learning since I like to listen to others during discussion to gain a different perspective which allows me to understand more of the topic being discussed. My group mate agrees with this by saying Although Yin Sung is normally quiet during group activities, she is an active listener of other peoples views and cares about other peoples thoughts, (Vicky, 2010). Another part of the test results that I particularly agree with is that my written/reading skills quite weak and isnt my preferred method of learning. Having only recently moved to study in the UK, English is not my first language which could explain why this type of learning is not one of my main strengths, although my proficiency is improving a lot. Since, the western educational system places a lot of emphasis on reading and writing, I believe that I will gain a lot of improvement in this learning aspect as time goes on with added practice. However, I am a bit surprised by my low score on my kinesthetic skills. I have always thought that I am someone that learns well when given the opportunity to experience something via a hands on approach. For example, I find that I am able to pick up new skills easily (i.e. badminton) when I am able to physically try it out rather than just reading from a book on how to play. 1.2 Honey and Mumford Learning Style The Honey and Mumfords (1992) Learning Style identifies and categorises an individuals learning style. There are four possible styles; an activist, reflector, theorist and pragmatist, with a total of eighty questions in the test (Honey and Mumford, 1992). According to the results of the Honey and Mumford learning style questionnaire (Appendix B) I adopt a high reflector mentality. I agree with the majority of the description of the reflector which I believe fully describes me. A Reflector is a careful person who prefers to take a back seat in group discussions (Honey and Mumford, 1992). I like to listen to other peoples views before I come to conclusions and take my time before making any decisions. Being less assertive and tending to hold back from participation, I believe that I will work well and learn more efficiently if placed around an activist, as one would be able to encourage me to tackle situations via a more head on approach. This would enhance my participation in group activities and discussions. In agreement with my VARK results, the Honey and Mumford test suggests that I am a good listener which is one of the strengths of a reflector. I fully agree with this since I have always been someone that likes to listen to everyone in the group thoughtfully. This gives me an opportunity to gain different perspectives from different angles before I come to conclusions. However, a possible weakness that I see in myself by being a reflector is that I spend a long time when performing set tasks. For example, during my last assignment, it took me in excess of two months to complete it as I was dwelling too much on the preparation stage. I spent too long researching information before I finally began writing my assignment which is due to my cautiousness with regards to deciding how to write it. Although I do show a cautious mentality, I dont fully agree with the description that a person with reflector behaviour never likes to take risks. I occasionally like to step out of my comfort zone to experience things that I have never experienced before to broaden my own knowledge. For example, I chose to leave my home and familiar surroundings in Hong Kong to study in the UK. I also like to take up activities and hobbies that I have never tried before. 1.3 Myers Briggs Type Indicator The Myer Briggs type Indicator (MBTI) is a questionnaire used to identify an individuals personality type based on Carl Jung theories. MBTI categorises individuals into two functions, such as extraversion or introversion which is the preference in which an individual prefers to direct their energy (Madeline Rebecca, 1988). For example, one that likes to direct their energy to deal with outer things, situations or other people is deemed to have a preference for extraversion. Conversely, a person that likes to deal with ideas, information, explanations or the inner world, then their preference is introversion. The results of the MBTI (Appendix C) suggest that I have a dominant introverted function, with a high preference for introverted sensing as demonstrated by my high score in ISFJ. These results show that I like to listen to others and to absorb as much information as possible in a particular situation, to expand my knowledge and to achieve a clear understanding of a topic. These compliment well with my results from the Honey and Mumford test mentioned above. The results also suggest that I am a hard working individual, which I feel describes me well. I like to start early and ensure that I perform tasks to the best of my ability. Regarding my academic life, I tend to study at least five hours a day. I also begin my research for assignments long before the deadline. For example, although this professional project is due for submission in April 2010, I have been preparing and doing the necessary reading since October 2009. The MBTI results also suggest that I have an important preference for extraverted feeling, as demonstrated by my high ESFJ score. I am someone that likes to focus on building harmony in the world around me and build positive relationships. Also, I always value other peoples contributions during work or other activities. My previous employer said Sung Yin is a very personable individual that is popular with the customers and staff which creates a very positive atmosphere around the place, (Mrs Poon, 2008). I will always try to persuade people to agree with my views if their opinions are different to mine. However, I always need to be careful not to offend those around me while trying to do so. Briggs Myers stated that although ESFJs are friendly and sympathetic, they are very persevering and insist that others share the same views as them. (Myers, 1995). 1.4 Belbin Team Inventory The Belbin Team Inventory is a test used to gauge insight into a persons behavioural tendency in a team environment (Furnham, Steele Pendleton, 1993). The test allows us the opportunity to determine not only our individual aptitude strengths, but also gives an awareness of our position within a team and how we are expected to contribute. It scores people based on how strongly they express traits from nine different team roles. (Belbin, 1981). According to my Belbin test results (Appendix D), I have a major preference for a role as a shaper within a team. A shaper contains behavioural traits that correspond to my results from the MBTI. For example, a shaper displays a drive to succeed and to overcome obstacles which complements my desire to fulfil my ambitions and follow my clear goals. Although I display reflector characteristics, I also see myself as a competitive individual that thrives on pressure and challenges, which forms the basis of the shaper role. My high school P.E teacher wrote on my school report Sung Yin has demonstrated her competitive side during badminton class and has the necessary personality and desire to become a good player in the sport in future, (Mr. Yeung, 2001). The results also show that I am a monitor evaluator suggesting that I am an individual that likes to evaluate all options before coming to a conclusion, which allows me to make accurate judgements. This agrees with my Honey and Mumford test results which say that I am one who likes to gain different perspectives in discussion before making decisions (being a reflector). Finally, the test results also consider me to have a preference for a specialist role that displays single mindedness and dedication. These are traits that I agree with since I am a rather stubborn person that doesnt like to change my mind once I have my mind set on something. Mr Robinson, my previous employer said Sung Yin is a very driven person with a clear path with where she wants to be and is unlikely that she will be swayed from it, (Mr. Robinson, 2007). I am always dedicated to my tasks at hand and always give my best to do them as well as I can. This has allowed me to develop my skills and knowledge to a level that means I can give a useful contribution within a team. Despite what I feel is a fairly accurate assessment of my preferential roles within a team, I do not fully agree with a resource investigator being my least preferred role. This is because I believe that I am a communicative person which is a key trait of the resource resource investigator. As demonstrated by previous test results, I am a person that possesses strong aural skills. Despite regularly adopting a cautious approach to group discussion activities (in line with my reflector personality), I like to ask questions and participate in activities once I feel comfortable enough to express my views once I have gauged other peoples viewpoints. Part 2: Implications for career choice 2.1 Lifelong Learning Even from a young age, I have always been aware of the importance of learning new things to broaden my own knowledge base having been constantly reminded by my parents to work hard till old, and to learn till old. With an ever changing society and increasing demand for talent in any professional career, it is mandatory that an individual should not only acquire new skills, but to also constantly upgrade these skills to meet challenges set by the changing work environment. This is the act of life-long learning which is the deliberate progression throughout life of an individual, where our knowledge is constantly being expanded which allows us to effectively survive in society (Peter, Jenny and Shelagh, 1998). The essentiality of life-long learning has been well documented even as early as the 17th century where Comenius wrote that no age is too late to begin learning. And that one should never make the mistake of standing still in terms of skill acquisition (Comenius, 1996). Through m y practical experience and life in general, I have come to the realization that continuous learning is a necessity to maintain a competitive advantage over the many individuals that seek the same career opportunities as me. Hence, I search for any opportunities to improve myself through life-long learning. With my desire to improve, I have recently resigned from my job to study my bachelors degree in Northumbria University. Prior to my resignation and subsequent move to partake in full time studies, I worked three years in the Bank of China as a Customer Service Officer (Appendix E). During that time, I was working full-time, while studying part-time during evenings by attending studying classes. The part-time study has allowed me to develop many key skills to heighten my proficiency in doing my job in minimal time. This is important because of the current unstable and competitive job market. It has now become a requirement for me to identify a clear career path for me to pursue and then to develop my knowledge towards the relevant areas to fulfil the needs of my future employers. I am now studying an International Business Management degree course with the aspiration to achieve a future career in the business sector. Life-long learning will help me provide a solid base for the development of essential transferable skills (as discussed later) that would stick to me throughout life and to aid me in the progression towards my career goals. It is also important for making me a better person. After all it is the bottom rung of the ladder of personal development. (Peter, Jenny and Shelagh, 1998). 2.2 Career Choice Having conducted various learning style tests on myself, I have been able to gain a better understanding of my learning preferences, personality and environments where I am likely to thrive upon. It is expected that knowing an individuals learning style preference may help that person to delineate a possible career path that is best suited for them, or even influence that person towards certain career choices. Indeed, it is common for managers to use questionnaires to identify ideal personality traits in their candidates that would most likely be suitable for their jobs which would aid them in the selection process. However, it is worth noting that human behaviour is highly complex, and such tests may not necessarily give an accurate or thorough assessment of an individuals personality (Freud, 2001). Hence, results of these tests should not be held absolute and should only be used as a guideline to aid a person with regards to making key decisions such as possible career paths to tak e. Despite obvious drawbacks with using these tests, I agree with most of the suggestions made by them regarding my learning preferences and some aspects of my personality. In terms of employment, through my practical experiences, I have developed a strong desire to pursue a career in Marketing. The skills I have acquired to date have largely influenced my interest towards this career path which, together with my personality, has made me consider that I possess the raw foundations to succeed in the marketing sector. In a survey carried out by Honey and Mumford, it was found that the majority of managers preferred employees that are reflectors for Marketing jobs; a trait that they believe would bring the biggest success to their company. Having carried out a Honey and Mumford test on myself, it was concluded that I am a strong reflector, which makes me aptly suitable for Marketing. Reflectors such as myself likes to adopt a cautious approach during group activities. This means that I tend to take an initial back seat in group discussions, preferring to obtain different viewpoints before making key decisions. Being cautious, can also involve thinking ahead in anticipation of possible obstacles. With marketing jobs, it is important not to rush into decisions without first thinking and planning ahead. This is because, with the nature of the type of work, it is inevitable that there will be lean periods so hence, it is especially wise to be prepared for such periods and to have a plan to act accordingly. For example, a part of planning ahead is anticipation of changes in the markets and finding new products to promote. It is important to be aware that the best marketing entrepreneurs are always looking for the next big money marker. They are always planning ahead (Scott Brooks, 2004). Hence, having a cautious approach to things can be a good trait as it means that I am less likely to make wrong decisions due to rushing into things and take necessary precautions. My Belbin results that conclude that I have a strong preference towards a Monitor evaluator who likes to evaluate all options before coming to conclusions adds further support of my suitability for a Marketing career. The ability to remain calm is one of the most sought after personality traits in the Retail profession, (John, 2007). Pressure can come in different ways, for example, when dealing with unhappy customers who are dissatisfied with the products sold to the; It is the job of the marketer to deal with the problem and to restore the customers opinion of the company. Hence, to achieve this, it is essential to remain calm under pressure when dealing with these situations. With marketing jobs, it is also important to be able to respond well and appropriately to strict targets and deadlines that are set and to work towards them, which can also lead to pressure building up. My Belbin test results suggest that I am suited towards a shaper role which is another reason why I feel that a Marketing career is suitable for me. Shapers are adept at performing under pressurising situations and with the added drive to succeed. This is important since there is a lot of competition within the market. Only when you have your client on your side, are you able to effectively get what you want. (John, 2007). I believe this quote highlights what a career in Marketing is essentially all about. Success within the field of Marketing and Retail is highly dependent on your clients or customers which means that good people skills allowing you to connect effectively with both colleagues and customers is essential. On a personality level, it is advantageous to be a likeable person which can involve being a pleasant individual with a cheery disposition. You are more likely to be able to negotiate better if your client likes you, (Scott Brooks, 2004). My MBTI results have described me as having a strong preference towards extroverted feeling which means that I like to build positive relationships with people around me and to create harmony around me. This, in my opinion has contributed largely to me being a personable individual. The benefits of this personality trait are two-fold. Firstly, I w ould be able to sell my products to customers more easily since they are likely to find me a pleasant person. Secondly, I am more likely to be on the right side of my work colleagues and so they may be more likely to offer me their help. Having identified a career field that best suit my personality as based on my personality tests, I seek to achieve a future career as a Marketing manager. A job of this kind would allow me the responsibility to make key decisions that will influence the success of the company. I crave the opportunity to manage a team, and to give a major contribution to the company that I work for. A successful career as a Marketing manager demands certain personality traits in addition to those mentioned above. For example, it is important that a Marketing Manager (Appendix F) is one that, not only is able to make accurate judgement, but also needs to stand by these judgements and not be too easily influenced by other peoples words. In other words, they need to be prepared to ignore naysayers, even if its those that are closest to them. (Scott Brooks, 2004). Hence, being brave and also single minded can be seen as a requirement in this sense. The Belbin test results have identified me as being a specialist where the key characteristic of this role is single mindedness. With me being a naturally stubborn person who doesnt usually change my mind having made my decisions, I believe I am suitable for this particular career choice. 2.3 Transferable skills In addition to the right personality and job specific skills, a wise employer will also look to see what transferable skills a perspective employee can offer. The term transferable skills simply refers to a set of generic skills in which an individual needs in order to be effective members of a flexible, adaptable and competitive work force and for life-long learning. At the heart of it all, most employers are looking for people with common skills and characteristics. (Phil OReilly, 2009). Unlike job specific skills, transferable skills can be used in many ways, gained through past experiences. They are skills that can be used in a variety of jobs and situations. In order to be successful in Marketing, there is a repertoire of skills that are required for me to effectively do my job which include time management, people skills, leadership, teamwork and good organisational skills, amongst others. Marketing jobs rely on the ability to sell products through interaction with a variety of different customers. Hence, good communication skills are essential. As identified by my VARK test results, I have strong aural skills that would be especially useful in Marketing since the job demands that I have a good understanding of customers needs. Being a good listener, and also someone that likes to see things from different perspectives, this would allow me to communicate effectively with my clients. My ability to communicate well has been greatly developed through my past employment as a Customer Service Representative at the Bank of China and private tutor, teaching Maths and various languages to children. Therefore, good communication now represents one of my key strengths. I am tri-lingual giving me versatility in my communication skills allowing me to talk with a wider customer range. Good presentation skills is also an important aspect of communication skill that is required in my future career since it is likely that It would be needed when promoting new products for instance. Fortunately, my presentational skills have been greatly enhanced over time through past experience in giving presentations during my past employment and current studies. Having a good understanding of the products that I am promoting and any new products on the market is also very important in Marketing. Hence, it is necessary to have good research skills and also to have an open mind with regards to learning new material. Being a reflector means that I happy to absorb information from many different angles and use it to make my decisions, while being a specialist as identified by my Belbin test results suggests that I have a natural eagerness to learn and expand my knowledge in topics at hand. As I am likely to be working within a team in my workforce with similar targets, there is no doubt that good teamwork skills are a requirement. I believe that I possess good teamwork capabilities having already been in employment where good teamwork is a must, such as working with my colleagues in the promotion and deriving of comprehensive financial plans during my previous job. I also actively partake in various teamwork sports that have allowed me to effectively build on my teamwork skills. It is my target to achieve a career as a Marketing manager in future, which will demand additional skills in order to be successful such as leadership and ability to motivate myself and others within my team. Being a Marketing manager will mean that I will receive greater responsibility, managing a team or making key decisions that will affect company success. Although I believe that I possess an ideal personality to undertake such a role in a company, I feel that I will need to improve myself further before I am ready. With regards to transferable skills, I believe my biggest weakness lies in my leadership qualities, being a less assertive individual that likes to hold back from participation in group activities. I understand that if I am to be a good leader, I will need to improve this aspect by playing a more prominent role in group activities and essentially stamping my authority. I do not fully agree with the notion that leadership is a quality that cant be taught, and some peop le are just born leaders. I feel that leadership is a skill that can be improved through life-long learning and experience; hence I will thrive to improve myself in this respect. As with all skills, they need to be learnt and no-one is born with them. (Phil OReilly, 2009). Conclusion Life-long learning is an essential process for me to learn new skills and also to improve existing ones. It is also highly important for my personal development towards being a better person, and one that is able to adapt to an ever changing world. The constant acquirement of new transferable skills is also vital for career progression and to give myself a competitive advantage over those thriving for the same opportunities as myself. By using a variety of different tests, I have gained an appreciation of my own personality, learning preferences and strengths. This information, together with my interests makes me ideally suited for a future career in the Marketing field.

Computer Engineering :: Essays Papers

Computer Engineering Computer engineering is a relatively new field of engineering and is one of the fastest growing fields today. Computer engineering is one of today’s most technologically based jobs (Basta 71).The field of computer engineering combines the knowledge of electrical engineering and computer science to create advanced computer systems. Computer engineering involves the process of designing and manufacturing computer chips processors, memory systems, central processing units, and of peripheral devices . Computer engineers work with CAD(computer aided design) programs and different computer languages so they can create and program computer systems (Gelenter 82). Computer engineers use today’s best technology to create tomorrow’s. Computer engineers require a high level of training and intelligence to be skilled at their job. A bachelors degree from a college or university with a good computer engineering program computer science program is necessary (Basta 71). Then once employed their usually is a on the job type of training program to learn the certain types of systems that will be designed and manufactured. Computer engineers major studies conventional electronic engineering, computer science and math in college. The electrical engineering knowledge that a computer engineer possesses allow for a understanding of the apparatus that goes into a computer so that they can be designed and built (UCSD 2). The computer science part gives a engineer much needed wisdom on how software makes a computer system run and perform tasks. There are a few different types of employers computer engineers could work for today. The first is for a major computer company actually designing whole computer systems for say Compaq or Macintosh. Then their are the type that works for computer components such as peripheral systems and microchips such as Intel (Gelenter 90). Then their are the engineers that design everyday electronic components such as bank machines and cell phones. The job outlook of computer engineering is very good. More and more computer systems are being created every day and the demand for computer engineers is just going to keep on growing (UCSD 1). For example Chris Kolnik (who is studying to become a computer engineer) says that their is no end in sight to the growth the computer industry.

Definition Description of Central Processing Unit :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Central Processing Unit (CPU) is a chip, containing a microprocessor, at the heart of most every modern computing electronic. A microprocessor is a small integrated circuit or chip, comprised of silicon and transistors, which interprets electrical impulses, performs operations on the electrical impulses, and sends the impulses to another device. The transistors are simple switches that turn on and off, allowing the electrical impulses through when on or ‘open’.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microprocessors are very small. They can range in size from a few millimeters, to an inch on one side. The larger can contain tens of millions of transistors that have been carved into its surface by very precise machines. The wires connecting transistor to transistor in modern personal computer microprocessor are only 0.18 microns thick, while the human hair is 100 microns thick.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Central Processing Unit in most computers is about two inches by two inches and about two millimeters thick. They house the microprocessor in their core where it is connected to a number of conducting pins used for inputs and outputs. The CPU is larger than the microprocessor for many reasons, a few being that as the operations are conducted in the microprocessor they create heat and heat is more easily dissipated over a larger area, and that in early computer they same microprocessor was moved from one computer to another and so it was easier to move a larger more rigid object than the smaller, more fragile microprocessors. This also makes it easier for manufactures of parts that will utilize a microprocessor in that they can make a socket for the CPU’s pins to fit into instead of having to install each microprocessor manually.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Much like the human brain, the CPU takes information from various inputs, such as a keyboard or mouse, like our brain takes from our eyes, hands, tongue, and nose, and interprets them into different meanings and determines an appropriate response. At the core of a CPU are logic gates that do basic mathematical functions like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and interpreting of signals for the rest of the computer to understand. All communication done inside the CPU are interpreted in computer language know as binary. The only letters or numbers in binary are 1 and 0, represented as electrical signals, on and off. The CPU takes these electrical impulses, reads where they are supposed to go, and sends them to their destination, just like our

Marketing Concepts Essay

Therefore the customer wins and so does nokia, as nokia once again are satisfying the need of support their customers request andIn Conclusion, Marketing isn’t just a posh name for selling; in fact selling is part of the marketing component. It is the process of communicating; selling is the delivery of a product to the potential customer, converting them into actual customers. Whilst it can be assumed that marketing is a posh name for selling, the difference that separates both areas is evident through simple definition and actual process. In order to sell, the consumer must want, need and afford the product, therefore without the process of research, development and catering to the consumers needs, (Marketing) – Selling would not be as profitable. An organisation that fails to provide marketing will allow itself to be a business that is hoping to simply sell its products by having it available, assuming the consumers will purchase its product. Whereas an organisation that adapts the marketing concept, caters for the consumer’s wants, needs, price range, customer service, through the research of its objective and the development of these objectives, along with achieving the business goals of the calculated profit it ‘Intends’ to make prior sale. Using the example of Nokia, it is clearly evident that an organisation can only obtain worldwide success through the power of marketing. Should Nokia simply release products to a store without communicating with its consumers, the organisation would be no better off than a market stall that is ‘attempting’ to Sell its products. Instead, Nokia markets its brands and as a result has successfully pre sold its brand with complete knowledge of its consumers wants and needs. For example Nokia markets and provides products for its Personal and Business consumers where as an organisation selling phones, would simply have a range ‘for sale’. Finally, marketing is the process of identifying a need and communicating a message relating to satisfaction of the need through a product to its customer. The marketing process informs the market of who you are and what you do, whilst the sales process begins when a formal offer for services has been made, and concludes when the offer is accepted or rejected. In Conclusion, Marketing isn’t just a posh name for selling; in fact selling is part of the marketing component. An organisation can improve its marketing activities through implementing the marketing concept as this will:* Develop key competencies of knowledge, experience, commitment and communications* Develop strategies through overcoming areas of weakness or threats by competitors through understanding the needs/wants of their customers* Maintain the organisations vision, focus is crucial for the development of objectives and the achievement of these objectives* Allows an organisation to Define, Develop and Deliver Customer Value which in turn will create greater customer loyalty leading to profit creation

Atomic Research Centre Essay

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) a constituent Unit under the Department of Atomic Energy is a multidisciplinary organisation, pursuing comprehensive research and development programmes for harnessing nuclear energy and also its utilisation for the benefit of the society. These R & D efforts are concentrated in the fields of nuclear sciences, engineering & technology, basic sciences and allied fields and geared for exploitation of atomic energy for power generation and application of radiation technology in the areas of agriculture, health care and industry. The centre is engaged in the research and development of front line technologies. The interaction with academic institutions and international cooperation in related advanced areas of research is being continuously strengthened. BARC continues to give R&D support to all other units of DAE and provide necessary support to ensure national security. The Centre is organised into various Groups and Divisions/Sections and co-ordination of its activities is achieved through the Group Boards, Trombay Scientific Committee and the Trombay Council. Director is the Head of the Unit. He is also declared as Head of the Department and has been delegated financial, administrative and other powers by the Department of Atomic Energy for carrying on with the activities of the Centre. Other functionaries like Group Directors, Associate Directors and Heads of Divisions/Sections have also been delegated powers required for discharging their duties/functions. While the Group Directors, Associate Directors and Heads of Divisions are competent to take decisions in their delegated areas of responsibility, inter-divisional co-ordination is achieved through the Group Boards and Trombay Scientific Committee. The Trombay Council is the policy making body for the Centre. The deliberations of Group Boards, TSC and TC are not open to the public and minutes of such meetings are also not accessible for public. A list of all officers and employees of the Centre with their designations/grades is annexed. Being a Central Govt. organisation, the Centre follows scales of pay notified by the Central government. The scales of pay attached to different posts are also listed. Apart from the basic pay the officers/employees are eligible for Dearness Pay, Dearness Allowance, City Compensatory Allowance, House Rent Allowance etc. as per the orders of the Government of India. The activities of the Centre are financed by the Central Government through the budgetary allocations. The expenditure is broadly categorised into plan, non-plan as also revenue and capital. The details of different budgetary allocation and progress of expenditure are given separately. In compliance with the requirements under Section 5 of the Right to Information Act, 2005 the Centre has appointed Appellate Authority, Central Public Information Officer and 4 Central Assistant Public Information Officers.

Reasons to be a Nurse

I love the idea that I choose to pursue the dream of becoming a nurse. I love being around children and helping other that are hurt. My daughter and my sister have inspired me to become a better person. I have chosen that the best career for me would be a Pediatric Nurse. Being a Pediatric Nurse would benefit me. I would have a variety of job opportunities, flexible hours and last but not least you would get to make a great and rewarding salary. First, as a Pediatric Nurse I would have an excellent and flexible schedule to choose from.While having a child and being a single mom a flexible work schedule will be excellent for me and her. To me working whatever hours I like would really benefit me because I would be able to spend more quality time with my baby girl who means the world to me. My baby girl is the reason why I want to accomplish this goal. Secondly, there is a wide variety of job opportunities to choose from such as a hospital, clinic, school, nursing home, and travel nurs e.As a Pediatric Nurse I will have the opportunity to choose a position in the nursing field such as a staff nurse, floor charge nurse, floor unit manager, director of nursing and many more to choose from. When I become a Pediatric Nurse I would like to work in a hospital. I won’t to work with the babies. Being around children makes me feel on top of the world. Last, working as a Pediatric Nurse, I would make a great salary. I can make on an average of $40,000.For me making a nurses salary would truly benefit me. I would not have to live paycheck to paycheck. I would be able to support my family. I would not have to depend on anyone to support my family. All of these reasons have influenced my decision on becoming a Pediatric Nurse. The salary a nurse makes is awesome. I love having money in my pocket and a nurse would be an excellent career to pursue. But, the most important reason I am choosing to become a nurse is to support my family.

Helen Dunmore tells the story of the Siege of Leningrad by showing the trials and tribulations of one family Essay

I think that Helen Dunmore has been successful in the telling the story through the Levin family. She clearly depicts the trials and tribulations, yet Dunmore could’ve done justice by letting the audience know more about the major events of the progress of the Siege. The Germans surround the city cutting off the food supply and escape routes. Over six thousand people were killed in Leningrad during the winter, mainly from starvation. Throughout the novel, Anna and her family have been very well off. They all live together in safety, none of them are in prison or forced to be in the world war and have the skills needed for survival. We are told that they had an apartment which was very large and â€Å"desired by many† and that people would kill to live in such a large place. They own a burzhuika, have wood and food and are have money and their possessions. Anna, the central character of the novel is a believable mixture of vulnerability and strength already having a very busy lifestyle. Dunmore portrays Anna’s selfless maternal qualities towards Kolya and her father. We learn that instead of chasing her ambitions of art in college that she feels responsibility towards her 5 year old brother, her job at the nursery and other commitments which show that she is very hard working. She sustains her family financially and physically. Due to food shortages, Anna returns to the Dacha, to collect food for the future. This shows that she is realistic about the tough future. When Anna is at the dacha, she manages to cull out a good quantity of potatoes and put them into her bag. We can tell from her behaviour that she is a hard working character. On her way back from the dacha, Anna is stopped and questioned by the militia. She bribes the militia-man by offering him some of her potatoes and onions. Also Anna goes out daily during the Siege to provide for the family. She spends hours, weak from hunger, queuing for bread, negotiating with store owners and digging out scraps of wood to light a fire to make sure her family don’t freeze to death which is very common on the streets of Leningrad. She also has to fight for what she has and be resilient and not trust anyone. When she refuses to lend her chisel to a woman, she is nearly attacked as they falsely accuse Anna of stealing their wood. On her way back she is questioned lies about what is in her bag, this puts her at the mercy of the robber as he is well fed and Anna dares not to try and attack him. He takes the wood from her knowing that it is precious. She wildly chases any rumours of any sausage deliveries and travels far and wide to provide food for the family. We learn of all the people who wait in these queues, their morale, health and their desperation. Anna goes to the black market to try and buy a burzhuika to keep everybody warm. We learn of how everyone is feeling the cold and are suffering from chest infections and pneumonia. Also how everyone is starting to lose energy and stay indoors to conserve heat as each day you get colder and hungrier. Mikhail, Anna’s father tries to help out and volunteers to fight in the People’s Volunteers. Through his character we meet the old lady on the farm who is not able to move and be evacuated like her family and has only the animals and farm jobs to keep her busy. We see how the siege has destroyed her and she is just waiting for the Germans to take over. Also, after Mikhail gets injured, we see Andrei with him and taking him to the hospital as well as the other wounded volunteers in the truck and some who die on the journey. Mikhail is a testament to the way Stalinism was crushing people. He is unable to accept the changing times, the rejection of what were in his eyes, good stories. He is under the iron fist of the Soviet state and is breaking down. After he returns from the hospital he has changed so much physically and mentally that even his own children couldn’t even recognise him. He has been affected greatly by the horrors of the war he has fought in and by Vera’s death. Even though there are certain characters such as Andrei and Marina who are not actualAndrei is a very patriotic Siberian and is a very committed doctor who is scarred from the experiences at the Luga Line. He seems generous and kind-hearted towards his patients feels he is unequipped to help some of them on the front line. He is a doctor who works with method and will only speak about things which he has personally experienced. Andrei and Anna are drawn together through their similar experiences. Both have been on the Luga Line and have shared similar traumas of seeing death. Both on their return are slightly scarred by this and it has changed their characters slightly. Andrei is able to comfort Anna as he is more used to seeing death as he is a doctor urging her to not â€Å"think about it.† They therefore share a unique understanding of each other. They are also brought together by their physical/sexual desire. He informs the family of the current situation at the hospital, that the numbers of casualties are rising and more and more are dying each day. The Germans bombed the warehouses which contained a lot of the food which the Leningraders needed for the winter. Food became scarce and by comparing a â€Å"bag of flour† to â€Å"days of life† shows how the extent to which the family have bare the pain of â€Å"shelling and bombing† The value of food has gone so high, people wish each other good luck as food has become so scarce people will do anything for it. Kolya is Anna’s 5 year old baby brother. She takes care of him as she is much older and as it is her responsibility to look after him after her mother’s death. Kolya is very lazy and stubborn which irritates Anna, â€Å"She had made him lazy† The cause of his laziness is that Anna will do it all for him. He is so caught up in his own games; he has no interest in helping Anna such as the time when she was showing him how to plant crops and has a very short attention span. He is a representation of the life of a child in a war situation. He is innocent in the fact that he doesn’t know the consequences of war as he plays with his toy soldiers. Anna feels responsible to what happens to him during the siege, he becomes skinny, he is constantly cold and hungry, has no energy and lacks motivation and enthusiasm to do anything anymore. He is quite a dependant and selfish character. He relies on everything from Anna and forces her to buy the burzhuika and for him to get extra bread from everyone else’s ration. When Marina asks to live permanently with the family at the start of the siege, Anna inwardly rejects another demand on her as she does not want another person to look after and also the fact that she hardly likes Marina. This shows how she in a sense is a bit like her mother due to her conscious hatred to Marina. Marina brings food and money which is very useful in the siege and uses Anna’s need to befriend the family and get close to her. She looks after Kolya and Mikhail while Anna is out getting food for the family. We learn of her love towards Mikhail, motivating him to get up and walk around and by staying with him just after he has died. Also she shows her love to Kolya by helping make the fort and keeping him busy by playing with him. She helped Anna in preparing the food and making decisions. She too has been affected by starvation, we are told that her ring can no longer fit her, that her fingers are so thin and bony. She gives the family some hope and motivation. Also the deaths of the two lovers, Mikhail and Marina once again show the story of the Siege through the family. We see their suffering, to provide for their family and we see that for some close family members of the citizens that death gave way to victory. This shows the losses that all had to face, losing loved ones and not being able to bury them as the ground is too hard and no one has the energy to do so. Overall, I believe that showing the trials and tribulations of Anna and her family have given us a good idea of how the siege was affecting the citizens and that Dunmore has been successful. We see through all the characters the hardships faced, whether it was the young children or the old women and that the Siege affected all and that wealth did not matter. The novel ends on an optimistic note, with the remaining members of the family walking outside in the summer’s which shows new life and some hope.