Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Physician Assisted Suicide in the United States Research Paper

Physician Assisted Suicide in the United States - Research Paper Example The question then can turn to the reason for the action, whether passive or aggressive, that will end in death. One must contemplate whether or not it is always considered suicide if an action will inevitably end in death. If this is true, as Durkheim points out, then a soldier who bravely enters into a situation that is likely to end in death, but will save others, would also be committing suicide. However, the nature of the outcome is also not a part of the definition or the result of an action. In order to define a death a suicide, then, it is important to consider the intent of the action that will come to the result in death. In considering the different frames of action and thought when suicide is approached, it then shifts to consider the differences that can be appreciated in the reasons that one might wish to end their life. According to Holmes and Holmes, suicide is defined by taking an action that ends one’s life. They do not embellish or extend the discussion in th e way that Durkheim does, but they simply define the term as an active pursuit of the outcome of death. They further clarify the ambiguity of the term by saying â€Å"suicide is a behavior that differs from one person to another and from one time to another and has different motivations and anticipated gains† (2). Therefore, in defining suicide, one must understand that no clear definition applies, but that it is fluid and flexible depending on the variables involved in the event or events that lead to death. Every year, an approximate 30,000 people commit suicide within the United States. Suicide is the 11th most common cause of death, with homicide ranking at 14th. Suicide is the third leading... According to Hendin and Foley, â€Å"the World Health Organization recommendation (is) that governments not consider the legalization of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia until they have demonstrated the full availability and practice of palliative care for all citizens† (2). This perspective of the argument does not completely deny the use of such assistance, but does suggest that because of inadequacies in the current system, the potential for abuse of assisted suicide does not allow for its use as a treatment.   Doctor Jack Kevorkian became the symbol for the other side of the debate in which the idea of helping people to pass more quickly when faced with a long term illness with no hope found a leader and a face in which to center the debate. In 1990, his first assisted suicide was conducted in which an Alzheimer’s patient named Janet Adkins was helped by Dr. Kevorkian to die. His methods were centered on devices that he built that made it easy for patient s to push a button and deliver a dose of medications that would end life. Therefore, when he was charged with murder tin the death of Adkins, Michigan, which had no laws against suicide at the time, had to release him as he did not, himself, deliver the medications that killed her (Nicol and Wylie 151).   Dr. Kevorkian aided more than 130 people towards self directed deaths and became known as ‘Dr. Death’ because of his activism and participation in assisted suicide (Nicol and Wylie 24). Dr. Kevorkian often become an adversary to the opposing opinion on the topic.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Attitude towards environment and green products

Attitude towards environment and green products There has been a rising concern on environmental issues worldwide nowadays. Ministry of foreign affairs statistic shows that over the years, the temperature has been rise because of carbon dioxide trapped and green house gases have affected the global climate. This change will affect the people live all over the world. This also includes access to water, health, food and the well being of the environment. Todays consumers have started to realize that their purchasing behavior actually cause a huge impact to the environment. Therefore, companies should practice offering environmentally friendly products and service to people to prevent this world become worse. Although, Malaysia has undergone an excellent development followed governmental efforts to attract foreign investor to come and invest for a green product development in Malaysia, the practices of environmental responsible behavior are still low among Malaysian consumers. An example of the lack of environmental responsible behavior is shown in an article in Bernama whereby garbage thrown by one of the state in Malaysia residents is the main cause of river pollution in the state. According to a survey which was conducted on line by global market insight and information group, on the aspect of eco-friendliness of habits and behaviors only 8% of Malaysian respondents responded that they have changed their behavior in a greatest deal to benefit the environment. In addition 83% respondents reported that their views on a companys and their Colleges friendliness to the environment would influence their purchases of products and services. Studying the determinants of generation-Y consumers green purchase behavior will be definitely benefit green marketers. Generation-Y (also known as a millennial) is defined as A label attributed to people born during the 1980s and early 1990s. Members of Generation Y are often referred to as echo boomers because they are the children of parents born during the baby boom (baby boomers). Because children born during this time period have had constant access to technology (computers, cell phones) in their youth, they have required many employers to update their hiring strategy in order to incorporate updated forms of technology. In a simple word, generation-Y grew up with a technology and relies on those things to perform their job and their task. In addition, when going through a literature review in Malaysian context, there are still a gap existed between environmental knowledge, intention and behavior towards green product. [Said et al. (2005)]. Even though people that have vast knowledge about green products are not necessarily would buy a green product. Therefore, factors those determine and affect Generation-Y to purchase a green product would be worth to find out. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE RESEARCH Environment is defined as what surrounds a thing or an item or in other words it means the surrounding. It could be a physical element which is physical environment, that includes the built environment, natural environment such as air, water, land, atmosphere and etc or it could be human environment where people surrounding the item or thing which also known as the social environment. Today environment is getting worst and worst. Many environmental issues arise. Environmental concerns have been growing in recent years. One of the examples of environmental issue is global warming. Global warming and climate change refer to an increase in average global temperatures. Natural events and human activities such as burning garbage and waste are believed to be contributing to an increase in average global temperatures. This is caused primarily by increases in greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide. The greenhouse effect keeps the earth warm when functioning normally. For the first time in h istory, human activities are altering the climate of our entire planet. According to (Jack, 2010), in less than 2 centuries, humans have increased the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 25% from the burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests. In addition to the natural fluxes of carbon through the Earth system, human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and deforestation, are also releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (The Carbon Cycle; the Human Role, Earth Observatory, NASA). Green product is define as a product that produce limited carbon footprints; they may require fewer resources to produce, consume less energy or emit fewer hazardous emissions. Green product is also a product that is non toxic, water-efficient, and also recyclable and biodegradable. There are many green products that have been produce for people in the market. For example, a household cleaner. Nowadays its nearly impossible to go shopping without finding a plethora of products that claim to be environmentally and consumer friendly. Oddly enough, many cheap and eco-friendly substances, such as vinegar, have been used for years as home cleaners. Whether you buy a green cleaning product at a store or use something on hand in your pantry, you can reap the benefits of choosing products that are gentler on you and the environment. Phosphate-free dishwasher and laundry detergents are also consider a green product because they do not discharge environment-damaging phosphates into waterways. Other examples of green cleaning products are those labeled certified biodegradable; these have passed several stringent tests relating to biodegradability and environmental impact conducted by an independent certifying agency. According to Consumer Reports, the certified biodegradable label is more meaningful than a general biodegradable label. Glass and metal cleaners, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and laundry detergents are products that might carry this label. The rationale for going green is twofold. Clearly, the positive effects on the environment are a key driver for purchasing green product. Green product provides myriad environmental benefits. They can replace toxic materials that may be harmful to people or animals. Also, some products save energy and water, while others limit solid waste and manufacturing releases. Green products create a healthier environment for people through reduced exposure to cleaners, solvents, paints and other hazardous substances. Green product also can reduce allergies. Many families find that their children are suffering from allergies, even though their family history does not necessary say that there are no allergies. In some situations, chemicals found within cleaning products contain allergens. Bleaches, toxic cleaning sprays and other chemicals used to clean the home commonly contain a variety of ingredients specifically able to cause or trigger allergies in people. Generation Y are the cool generation, they embrace brand and live in the new world of digitize communication. Thus that might be interesting to find their perception and their level of awareness towards environmental issues that the world is facing nowadays. Gen Y has grown up in a very structure, busy and over planned world. Also, Gen Y is made up of confident, optimistic young people who feel valued and wanted. In a article of science daily, Gen-Y is a people that will go all the way when it comes to saving the environment as long as it benefit to world economic and environment. They are maturing into a pragmatic generation that wants to do the right thing for the environment but also has real economic concerns 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT Consumers or practically customers are the sellers and buyers that boost the countrys economy. Therefore, many firms are actually putting many efforts in order to attract more customers because these customers create businesses opportunities and generate profits to them. As the world nowadays facing so many problems regarding to an environmental issue, the consumers and their attitudes or behaviors to purchase a green product are the important factors to be considered. Consumers nowadays have more choices due to the effects of globalization. They will prefer the function of the product rather than the brand or whatsoever to ensure a healthier future. To determine the current level of Gen-y consumers preference towards the green products. To determine what are the determinants or factors of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine the consequences or effects of Gen-y consumer preferences towards the green product. To determine consumer level of awareness of Gen-y consumer towards green product. 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Awareness towards environmental issue that the world nowadays facing play a major role encourage people to purchase a green product. Thus, this study is attempts to relate on the various variables that influence consumer especially generation-Y to purchase a green product. The objectives are as the following: * To study the factors affecting the consumer especially Gen-Y to purchase green product. Gen-y is a new generation and It is crucial to understand as they are more advance and modernize. Thus, several researches have been conducted in order to understand consumers in a way that how they behave, and what are the factors that cause them to behave or react to the responses of the products. Leading factors such as price and quality are always the top concerns to the consumers. Product attributes will moderate the effects of price on quality judgments. Partial of the consumers may focus on buying low prices goods and neglect the quality of the products. This group of consumers takes the price as a measure of sacrifice. For instance, consumers take the price served as the benchmark for comparing utility gains from the quality of the product. One the other hand, some portion of the consumers will be willing to pay a premium price for the quality and function of the products, as they are very sensitive to the signals of the quality of one product. Thus, it is hope that this stud y will contribute further to the understanding of factors of price and quality that may lead to the consumers prefer for a green product * To understand the awareness level of people about Go Green campaign. Nowadays, there are many environmental campaign have been organized by a government and private sector. This campaign is aim to encourage people to more concern about the environment. Thus, it is hope that this study will explore how people react to a environmental campaign and what is their level of awareness about the awareness campaign. * To examine the benefit for people involvement in Go Green program. We might be asking, how we will benefit from getting involved in this environmental campaign. Well, recently there has been an increase in events directly related to the availability of natural resources. For example energy shortages that resulted to load shedding, change in weather patterns and water shortages. As a result, civil society is recognizing the need to manage our natural resources more effectively and responsibly. In doing so, we can ensure positive effects on our health, quality of life and even the cost of living. Thus, this study will help people to getting known more about what they will gain if they participate in the environmental campaign. *To discover what consumer perception towards green product. In curiosity to identify what are the main components or criteria that consumer especially gen-Y are looking forward in order to purchase a green product. It is true that each and every one of us are special and unique in the way we are, thus, every consumer has their very own perception in purchasing a green product. Different people from different backgrounds may have different perceptions on these products. In addition to that, different demographic groups may have different perceptions to this kind of product as well. Thus, this study will help to identify whether the consumer especially gen-y prefer to buy a green product or not to safe a mother of earth. 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY This study is crucial as there are a lot of green products have been selling nowadays. Obviously, when we talk about green product, the price for that particular item might be so expensive. The study on factors affecting consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product may allow us to know in depth why are previous efforts taken does not produce as it is thought it would be. Based on the study conducted, motivations towards the environment, knowledge on green product, social norm, awareness and self-image have an impact on the consumer especially Gen-Y buying a green product. Government may need to enhance its program in educating people green product. New and more interesting Go Green program and method is a definite necessity in motivating people to increase their interest/awareness on a green product and indirectly motivates them to purchase it. 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY The research focus on students in Multimedia University (MMU) Melaka campus and teenagers from outside the campus which comes from various demographic backgrounds such as the faculty, ethnicity and nationality. The focused respondents are a great resemblance on the exact population in Malaysia. 1.6 ORGANIZATIONAL OF RESEARCH 1.6.1 Chapter 1: Introduction Regarding this chapter, it introduce the background of this research such as why do people as a consumer buy a green product. Thus, this will create a strong preference among the gen-y consumers locally and abroad to consume and purchase green products. These sections will explain in details in the of consumers preferences from the Malaysian perspective and as well from the global view for green products. This chapter also recognized the problem statement and the research objectives for this research. Finally, the justification of the research will help to justify the benefits and those who will gain in this research. Chapter 2 : Literature Review A thorough study will be conducted on the dependent variable and independent variables. The main purpose for this chapter is to weigh the pros and cons of the topic and to discuss in details on the ideas and knowledge concerned. In this chapter, every definition of the dependent variable and independent variables will be cited from the journals in order to strengthen every point mentioned. Several of arguments and various points of views from different authors in order to provide a stronger formation of each point can be founded in this chapter. In addition to that, this chapter explains the relationships on several independent variables relate to the dependent variables. 1.6.2 Chapter 3 : Research Methodology Research methodology is usually conducted after the thorough study of literature review. In this chapter, theoretical framework will be form to illustrate the relationships between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Hypotheses or a proposed explanation which were made on the basis of limited evidences will explain the relationships between two or more variables. All the hypotheses stated will be tested together with empirical data. This chapter also includes the description of the sampling data, data collections and as well as the development of the questionnaire for this research. Chapter 4 : Data Analysis After questionnaires are collected from all the respondents, then few tests will be conducted to test on the validity and reliability of the results. The responds of the questionnaires from the respondents are represented by a set of numbers that symbolize their own significant meanings. Whereas the tests that will be carry out are to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the end of this research. Chapter 5 : Conclusion This chapter will provide the final outcome of this research. Thus, the final results will be explained and we will be able to identify how the exact hypotheses that formed earlier are hold. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Environmental quality in Malaysia According to report from Department of Environment Malaysia, 2006, Malaysia experienced a short period of slight to moderate haze due to trans-boundary pollution from neighboring countries. Different states have the differed air quality status according to the geographical locations, the industrial and commercial activities, populated areas and the traffic conditions. During that period, especially in Klang Valley area in Malaysia was more prone to air pollution than any other areas. Statistic shows that, the air quality there was only good 23% of the time, moderate 70% of the time and the remaining 7% at an unhealthy level. As a developing country, Malaysia faced in a numerous challenge in ensuring a balance between development and environmental sustainability. Urban air and river quality, deforestation, household waste and hazardous waste are some of the major serious and worrying environmental problems faced by the country According to The Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006-2010) report, Malaysian government allocated RM510 million for cleaning, preserving and beautifying rivers; RM530 million for coastal management; RM200 million for reforestation; and another RM70 million for the management of wildfire and protected areas to ensure environmental sustainability and resource management. In a global environment article stated that, Solid waste is one of the three major environmental problems in Malaysia. It plays a significant role in the ability of Nature to sustain life within its capacity. Currently, over 23,000 tonnes of waste is produced each day in Malaysia. However, this amount is expected to rise to 30, 000 tonnes by the year 2020. The amount of waste generated will continues to increase. It is because due to the increasing population and development, and it will be only less than 5% of the waste is being recycled. Rivers represent the lease of life which pulses through the earth. It is a finite and only source of water. In Malaysia, there are almost 1800 rivers. Sadly, more than half of these rivers have been polluted and destroyed. Improper solid waste management contributes greatly to river pollution. Improper solid waste management also contributes to climate change decomposing waste produces methane and production of new products to meet demand emits greenhouse gases and utilizes natural resources. Therefore, a shift towards more sustainable consumption patterns is required. 2.1.1 Concern of environment There are many reasons and factors that affect consumer especially Gen-Y to buy a green product. According to Mostafa (2007), green purchase behavior or environmental friendly buying behavior is the consumption of products that are beneficial to the environment, recyclable or conservable, Sensitive and responsive to ecological concerns. Concern for the environment is perceived to be important in encouraging consumer to participate in green program and also buying a green product. Research finding suggest that, moral concerns determine several curtailment behaviors (Goldstein et al., 2008; Hage et al., 2009). However, studies on the influence of moral concerns on consumer high involvement buying decisions with environmental implications are rare (Thà ¸gersen, 2005). This is a problem since overlooking an influential determinant might hinder or delay successful diffusion of environmentally friendlier products and innovations. Consumer identify environmental protection as a priority fo r governmental policies and this interest has led to an increase in ethical production-for both consumer and non-consumer products ( Finisterra do Paà §o et al., 2009). Sensitivity to environmental issues shifts consumer behavior towards supporting the growth and diffusion of green marketing and ecologically-conscious consumer behavior including: consumer preference for greener firms, increase in demand for greener products. (Alsmadi, 2008; Finisterra do Pacao et al.,2009) found that greater awareness of environmental problems, increased media coverage, impact of major industrial disasters on public opinion, and the rise of pressure group activities are among the factors driving environmental concerns. 2.2 Green marketing Grant, John.(2008)define the green as a brand that that offers a significant eco-advantage over the incumbents and which hence appeals to those who are willing to making green a high priority. Soonthonsmai (2008) defined a green marketing as the activities that have been action by firms that are really concern about the environment by delivering the environmentally sound goods or services to build and create consumers and also societys satisfaction. Other definitions of green marketing as proposed by marketing scholars include social marketing, ecological marketing or environmental marketing. Harrison (2008) proposed green marketing strategy by firms through positioning the environmental benefits of green products to consumers mindset to influence their purchasing decision. Peatitie (2007) and Welford (2000) defined green marketing as the management process responsible for identifying and satisfying the requirements of customers and society in a profitable and sustainable way. In rea lity, companies that are going to pursue green marketing encounter various challenges mainly from the variability of demand, un-favorable consumer perception and high cost (Gurau and Ranchhod, 2008). The most key concern lies in an understanding of green consumers and their characteristics amd will help firm to enable and to develop a new target and segmentation strategies (DSouza et al., 2008). Dwyer (2009) defined green as the products to be designed, commercialized, and used which are capable of reducing sources of pollution and minimizing risks to human health and the environment. On the other hand, there are product sector speci ¬Ã‚ c examples of research on green buying process, such as food and household products (Vantomme et al., 2005) and clothes (Shaw et al., 2006) 2.2.1 Consumer preference on green product The dependent variable in this study is the factor that affecting consumer preferences for green products. Everyone in this Earth, play a major role as a consumer. Consumers are the main factors that boost a countrys economy. Each and every consumer has their very own perspective and preferences towards what they consume. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. DSouza et al. (2006a) found out in their research that consumers perception of green products did not influence by criteria such as packaging, label and ingredient of a product. The important finding from DSouza et al. (2006b) was that green consumers would rely more on their personal experience in using the product rather than evaluate a green product base on marketers provided information. Interestingly, this finding however contradicts to DSouza, Taghian and Lambs finding they found that consumers are getting environmental information from labels before deciding to purchase a green product. It is mean that, label are important to capture consumer impression to buy a green product. The importance of consumers has lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. Barr and Gilg (2006) was found that green purchasing behavior was the least popular activity alongside activities such as recycling and habitual household activities. However, not surprisingly, green consumers do consider environmental factors when purchasing products, but engaged more frequently in activities such as switching off lights and recycling paper (daily activities). Wheale and Hinton (2007) suggested that amongst the population of green consumers there is a hierarchy of importance of ethical drivers in the purchase decision-making process. The environment was rated as the most important ethical driver during purchasing decisions. The finding from DSouza et al. (2006a) was if product is lower in quality, consumers would not have intention to buy green products even though they were always reading labels. Furt hermore, if product is more expensive, consumers might have intention to buy green products. Therefore, DSouza et al. (2006b) concluded from their study that consumers were not compromised to lower product quality. However, Rashid (2009) in his study stated that eco label is an important factor that would enable consumers to make the right purchase choice if faced with a situation that required their consideration of the environmental impact on a product that they wish to purchase. 2.3 Knowledge and attitude towards environment and green product Knowledge and attitude towards environment are very important to influcence consumer especially Gen-Y To purchase green products. There is a general belief among the researchers and also the environmental activists that through purchasing environmentally friendly products or green products, products with recyclable packaging or properly disposing of non-biodegradable garbage, consumers indirectly can contribute significantly in order to improve the quality of the environment (Abdul-Muhmim, 2007). The quality of the environment depends critically on the level of knowledge, attitudes, values and practices of consumers (Mansaray and Abijoye, 2005). Attitudes are the most consistent explanatory factor in predicting consumers willingness to pay for green products (Chyong et al., 2006). This means that price is not the main factor in preventing consumers from purchasing green products if they are pro-environment. Researcher also found that Influencing consumer behaviour is a complex and di fficult task requiring knowledge of its determinants. The most convincing support of the growing influence of the ecologically-friendly consumer is the increase in the number of individuals that are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products (Bang et al., 2005). 2.4 Social norm and value perception influence consumer to buy green product. Studies have also investigated the effect social influence has affect consumer especially Gen-Y purchase green product.The interest in green initiatives is not expected to emanate only from external impositions and inducements but also from the internal sense of responsibility of a firm towards the society in which it exists. For green issues, such sensitivity is intensified by increasing environmental problems such as global warming and pollution. Such problems may also raise awareness and interest of a firm to behave in a more socially responsible manner and reflect an image of due diligence and commitment to sustainability. Green purchasing is primarily motivated by a certain degree of consumer ecological consciousness. Frey and Stutzer (2006) identify a number reasons behind environmental motivation: intrinsic motivations, altruism, internalized norms and social norms. Social norms lead individuals to take into consideration the opinions of the other members of society when choosing a green product over another: if they think that their acquaintances approve of green product purchase and disapprove of standard product purchase, there are encouraged to buy green products. (Ewing, 2005) stated that social norms are an important motivator of ecologically responsible behaviour. The strength of the normative influence of the consumers family and social groups on purchasing decisions depends on the characteristics of the product (e.g. luxury rather than a necessity). Value perception is the conception one has of oneself. Study in marketing influence on consumer purchase decision on green product, value perception was influencing green behaviours. This agrees to Lee(2008) finding value perception as the third predictor of her study. Apart from behavioral aspects, numerous studies have also looked at the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic variables and purchase green product involvement. Kinnear, T. and Taylor, J. (1973) stated that there has been no signi ¬Ã‚ cant link found between demographic segmentation and green purchase. This could be due to the notion that different groups of people relate to different parts of the environmental agenda Peattie, K. (1995). There have been contradictory results of younger and older age groups concerns about environmental issues Peattie, K. (1995). There is, however, a belief that environmental concern is directly related to a consumers level of education Balderjahn, I. (1988). Based on four surveys, Hines et al. found no relationship with gender. Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Overview Methodology is a system of methods used in a particular research. Research methodology normally comes after defining the problems and completing the thorough of the literature review. Research methodology which has been implemented to collect, investigate and as well as interpreting data obtained for the testing of the hypothesis will be discussed. Theoretical framework will be formed in this chapter in order to illustrate the relationships in between the dependent variable and independent variables. Besides that, hypotheses were developed and will be discussed together with the explanations in conjunction with the dependent variable and the independent variables. On top of that, plans of the sampling method, data collection methods and as well as the development of the questionnaires are included in this chapter. Finally, the data analysis and the hypotheses testing will carry out to analyze the responses from the respondents so that it will derive to a stronger conclusion at the en d of this research. 3.2 Theoretical Framework Figure 3.1 below illustrates a theoretical framework that shows the relationships in between the dependent variable and the independent variables. Knowledge Country Factors affecting Gen-y consumer in Malaysia buying a green product Attitude Social Norm Value Perception 3.3 Explanation of Framework The preferences of consumers for green products are subjective. Consumer from different demographic factors such as background and society may influence their behavior in making decisions while to purchase products. Whether they have a greater of favor to green products or to ordinary products are just hard to predict. Thus, it is undeniable that consumers preferences and their perspective towards goods and services are hard to predict. The importances of consumers have lead to many researches to be conducted in order to study on their behavior and attitudes towards what they perceived on the products. The knowledge, which is one of the factors that might cause preferences for consumers to make purchases for green products. The first thing that came across consumers mind is the brands and firms that produce a green product. Thus, the brand image of the company has help by providing hints to the consumers in summarizing the information from that certain product. According to Grunert (1993), knowledge of the benefits of a green products use on the environment may have an impact on whether or not that product is purchased and used. Besides that, consumers also prefer to purchase a green product with a lower cost. The attitude is another most influential factor in consumer preferences for green products. Consumers normally are not really aware about our environment issue nowadays. It is because they get less information regarding to our environment situation. Awareness towar

Friday, October 25, 2019

Simon as the Christ Life Figure in The Lord of the Flies Essay

The Lord of the Flies was written by William Golding. Simon is one of the major characters in this novel. Simon’s character lives by what is morally right as opposed to the rest of the island. Simon represents essential human goodness. There are many biblical parallels in the Lord of the Flies that result in Simon being compared to Christ.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One reason Simon is regarded as the Christ figure in Lord of the Flies is that he commits many selfless acts just like Jesus Christ did. Simon chooses to stay and help Ralph build huts rather than go play with the other inhabitants. Ralph compliments Simon by saying â€Å"Simon. He Helps. All the rest rushed off. He’s done as much as I have† (54). Golding also illustrates Simon’s generosity when â€Å"Simon pulled off the choicest fr...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Literary Theory Essay on Dryden’s ‘an Essay on Dramatic Poesy’

Mimesis, the Greek word for imitation, has been of major importance in the history of aesthetic and literary theory. It is the earlier way to judge any work of art in relation to reality and to decide whether its representation is accurate or not. Though this mode starts from Plato, it runs through many great theorists of Renaissance up to some modern theorists as well. A literary work is taken to be a representation of reality or of any aspect of it.Plato holds a rather negative view on mimesis; he sees the work of an artist as a simple imitation of imitations, a work that is removed from the essence of nature and one that represents imagination rather than truth, thus introducing the audience to a world of illusions. Aristotle, on the other hand, treats imitation as a basic human faculty, which expresses itself in arts like Literature, music and painting. Unlike Plato, Aristotle believes that it is ungrateful to consider imitation as a mere copy or reflection of reality since it in volves a complex meditation of nature that reveals human creativity.It is therefore considered as a human Art. This essay deals essentially with the neoclassical conception of Mimesis, and the attitude of the neoclassicist John Dryden towards the ancient literary theory. Neoclassicism was a widespread and influential movement in literature and visual arts enduring from the early 17th century until around 1750 . Neoclassical writers looked to ancient Greek and Roman writers for inspiration and guidance and reaffirmed literary composition as a rational and rule-bound process, requiring a great deal of craft, labor and study.Central to neoclassical literary theory and practice was the concept of imitation; In the Neoclassical view , Mimesis has been understood as the imitation of nature as objects or phenomena , which means in effect , that literature imitates other modes of discourse , such as philosophy ,ethics , rhetoric , the natural and social sciences , religion , psychology or l inguistics . Neoclassicists believed that writers should strive to achieve excellence by imitating those great writers of the past rather than by trying to be original and innovative.The essence of Art thus becomes reinvention and rediscovery. The complex notion of nature, which was closely related to the notion of imitation, referred to aspects of the real world and human behavior, to what was central, timeless, and universal in human experience. The Neoclassical writers generally saw the ancients such as Homer and Aristotle as having already discovered and expressed the fundamental laws of nature . Hence , the external world, including the world of human action , could best be expressed by modern writers if they followed the path of imitation already paved by the ancients.Invention was of course allowed but only as a modification of past models, not in the form of a rupture. The Neo-classicist theorist John Dryden is known for his support of the theory and practice of the Greek an d Roman writers of antiquity and his belief in the necessity of a continuation and development of the rules set by the ancients. Dryden and his contemporaries looked upon the ancients as their models. By â€Å"the ancients† they generally meant the ancient writers.Seneca provided the model for tragedy, Terence and Plautus for comedy, Virgil for epic, Horace and Juvenal for satire, Pindar for odes, and Horace for literary criticism. Of all the ancient Roman writers, Dryden respected Virgil the most and repeatedly acknowledged him as his master and guide. Dryden emphasizes the importance of following the classic models with a sense of innovation and originality. He believes that poetry has a historical development, and he wishes â€Å"that poetry may not go backward, when all other arts and sciences are advancing. This refers to his belief in the ability of following the models and the experience of the ancients and trying to get beyond them. The neoclassical era is not partic ularly sensitive to originality and invention, but Dryden believes that originality is to be preferred to good imitation, and is a greater proof of genius. Dryden opposes Aristotle in believing that the plot is the first of all elements in a play and the basis on which the others are built, he believes that it’s rather the author's language, the diction and thought, that form the basis of a play.He also opposes the strongly conventionalized characters and plots of Roman comedies, asking for a wider imitation of nature, although he also appreciates the advantages of structural simplicity, but the interest of the plot and the characters is also to be found in variety and not simply in a well-defined structure. In variety we recognize human behavior, real life, and the essence of nature. John Dryden’s essay â€Å"An essay on Dramatic Poesy† gives an explicit account of neoclassical theory of art in general.He defends the classical drama standing on the line of Aris totle, saying that it is an imitation of life, and that it reflects human nature clearly. The essay is written in the form of dialogue concerned to four gentlemen: Eugenius, Crites, Lisideius and Neander. Neander seems to speak for Dryden himself. Eugenius takes the side of the modern English dramatists by criticizing the faults of the classical playwright. Crites defends the ancient , he opposes the use of rhyme in plays and argues that through the moderns excel in science ,the ancient age was the true age of poetry .He notes that poetry is now held in lower esteem , in an atmosphere of ‘Few good poets and so many severe judges’ , his essential argument is that the ancients were faithful imitators and wise observers of nature which is ‘ill represented in our plays ‘ he states that ‘they have handed down to us a perfect resemblance of her (nature) which we , like ill copiers , neglecting to look on , have rendered monstrous and disfigured’ Lesid eius defends the French playwrights and attacks the English tendency to mix genres.He defines a play as a just and lively image of human nature, representing its passions and humors and the change of fortune to which it is subject, for the delight and instruction of mankind† A definition that is very different from Aristotle’s; the latter has defined tragedy not as the representation of ‘human nature’ but as the imitation of a serious and complete action. Neander who speaks for Dryden himself, favors the moderns, respects the ancients, and is critical to rigid rules of drama. He defends rhyme if it is in proper place .Neander argues that tragic comedy is the best form for a play; because it is the closest to life in which emotions are heightened by both mirth and sadness. He complains that the Ancients were either tragedians or comedians, and that it is easier to attain perfection in this way, writing only the kind of thing one does best. He states that thi s natural gift has to be controlled by techniques; the good writer must know the emotions he is depicting, and he must not get carried away by them in order to remain credible in the eyes of the audience. He also finds subplots as an integral part to enrich a play.Neander favors the violation of the unities of time , place and action because it leads to the variety to the English plays, he argues that the unities have a narrowing effect on the play . The violation of unities helps the English dramatists present a mere, just and lively image of human nature. Neoclassicism comprised a return to the classical models, literary styles and values of ancient Greek and Roman authors , but if Dryden is neoclassical , it is in the sense that he acknowledges the classics as having furnished archetypes for drama , but modern writers are at liberty to create their own archetypes and their own literary traditions.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Black Americans Essay

Firstly black Americans faced problems in the south because of lynching and the Jim Crow Laws. Lynching meant that racist white Americans would put the law into their own hands and punish black people whenever they please. They would hang the victim from a tree. In 1897 123 black people were lynched in the south, 84 in 1903 and 61 in 1921. The police would turn a blind eye and made no effort to stop lynching from happening. Even though slavery ended in 1865 black people faced the threat of violence, intimidation and racial discrimination on almost a daily bases. The Jim Crow Laws were created to keep whites and coloured people away from each other. The Jim Crow Laws covered all the aspects of life. Black Americans were stopped from using the same restaurants, hotels, libries, taxis, and even cemeteries. If black people wanted to vote the Jim Crow Law made them have to pass a difficult literacy test and they would have to pay high taxes. Nearly 2million black Americans moved from the southern states to the north in hope of a better life. This was called the Great Migration They thought they would be able to escape the Jim Crow Laws and racism as a whole, they wanted to go to the north for a better chance at jobs and education but little did they know. Secondly black Americans faced problems in the south because of the KKK. The KKK stands for the Ku Klux Klan; they were a racist group and were part of a secret society. The leader of the KKK in the 1920’s was a dentist called Hiram Wesley Evans whose name in the KKK was Imperial Wizard. Only WASP’s could belong to the KKK- White Anglo Saxon Protestants. The KKK targeted blacks mainly, but they also hated Jews, Catholics and Liberals but there main focus was poor black families that were very vulnerable. 5 million white Americans joined the KKK between 1920 to 1925. Most members where poor white people because they were afraid that black people would take over their jobs. Some of the KKK members were judges, policemen and lawyers. They would dress in white sheets and white hoods to cover their identities. The KKK used a variety of different methods such as intimidation, murders, raping, whipping, lynching, castration and tar burning. The Black Americans tried to fight back using non-violent methods. The NAACP -National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People- asked the president for new laws to help combat the KKK violence but received very little results. In the 1920’s Black Americans started to turn to the ‘Back to Africa’ movement which told blacks that they should return to their native America. This was started by Marcus Garvey but the whole movement faltered when he was arrested for fraud and sent to prison. In 1926 membership of the KKK dropped from 2million to 300,000 people. Lastly black Americans faced problems in the north because there was still racism around. Black people would be sent to live in the worst parts of the poorest cities. They were last to be hired and first to be fired from any jobs that they could get their hands on. Factory owners in northern cities knew that huge numbers of black people knew how to work well because of the slavery era. So they sent people down South to encourage them to take jobs in their factories up North with promises of good salaries. They wanted to add to the pool of white workers to keep down wages. So the black workers were encouraged to move North to compete with white workers. The white workers did not welcome the black workers with open arms because they naturally saw them as a threat. The black workers were willing to work for less money at least at first. So this led to racial tension. The white Americans refused to accept black members to protect the jobs. Another thing was that white neighbourhoods did not want poor black people and the problems that came with them moving into their neighbourhoods. It was a bad situation all around and led to much racial issues and even race riots These are the problems black people faced in the USA during the 1920s.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

LinkedIn Is it for Everyone Even Yoga Teachers

LinkedIn Is it for Everyone Even Yoga Teachers When I get interviewed or just talk to people about LinkedIn, one question I often get is, â€Å"Does everyone need a LinkedIn profile? Are there some professions where you don’t need one?† I typically respond that there are some job titles where having a LinkedIn profile is not essential for a job search. Nursery school teachers and plumbers might not find their jobs through LinkedIn, nor, probably, will nurses or doctors- at least not right now. And I still recommend that people have a profile. Why? For one thing, the professional world is constantly changing. Seven years ago, I was telling lawyers that LinkedIn was not the most important place for them to be for their job search. Lawyers are notoriously slow to catch on to emerging technology (most firms insisted on using the dinosaur WordPerfect for years after everyone else had switched to Word). But now most attorneys I encounter find value in LinkedIn, both in the realm of job search and for networking purposes. Why Yoga Teachers Need LinkedIn Profiles One profession that might not be an obvious choice for LinkedIn success is â€Å"yoga instructor.† But LinkedIn posted a blog on March 7 about Rebecca Mayne, a woman who built a thriving yoga business using †¦ yep, you guessed it †¦ LinkedIn. Rebecca did something many yoga teachers fail to do: she created a LinkedIn profile. Soon she discovered that yoga studio owners were looking on LinkedIn for teachers. They hired her! She then built her network by connecting on LinkedIn with her students, which led to a private session at someone’s workplace, followed by classes for the organization’s employees. Not only has Rebecca’s corporate yoga business exploded, but she is now training new teachers to do what she does. She was able to do all that because of LinkedIn. And I’m willing to bet that when a corporation is interested in hiring her, the first thing they do is look at her LinkedIn profile. What About Other Professions? A March 9 article from Wellesley College’s newsletter explored this issue as well. Overall, Wellesley students reported that they found the LinkedIn alumni group to be very useful in their networking efforts. One public health student, Sophie Gilbert, reported meeting with 10 alumnae for coffee, which gave her huge value as she was learning about her field. She also regularly reaches out to Wellesley alumnae in organizations that interest her- a practice that could very well lead to a job after graduation. Says Sophie, â€Å"LinkedIn can be quite helpful for public health even though there is no specific group for it. You can search for degrees like [Master’s in Public Health] or keywords that have to do with public health and find tons of alumnae who are working in this very broad field. Other than speaking with professors at Wellesley, LinkedIn is all there is for networking in public health.† Sophie Kerwin, in contrast, is a student curatorial research assistant interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Art History, leading to a career in academic or curatorial work. She has not found LinkedIn to be valuable in pursuing an academic career in art history. Still, she has found it useful as a way to track the career paths of other academics and curators. She has followed a best practice of modeling her profile after theirs, a strategy I recommend highly. â€Å"More people from the museum world are utilizing professional networking sites, but few people from the academic world utilize them,† she said. â€Å"Most of the networking I’ve done in both fields has been in person [or] through connections I’ve made at Wellesley either in the Art Department or at the Davis Museum.† I agree, based on my experience, that the academic and art worlds have not embraced LinkedIn as fully as have some other professions. But that doesn’t mean they won’t, perhaps even within the next year. Why LinkedIn Can Be for Everyone For everyone, regardless of profession, LinkedIn can be a place to learn, network and explore. There are groups for almost every profession, and if there’s not a group for yours then you can start one. I’ll bet that â€Å"if you build it, they will come.† As the Wellesley article stated, â€Å"†¦ the site cannot replace other means of networking such as developing in-person connections or creating accounts with career-specific websites.† But that doesn’t mean you should not create a profile and milk it for all it’s worth.

Monday, October 21, 2019

buy custom Hamlet essay

buy custom Hamlet essay Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a play written by Shakespeare and majorly characterized by tragedies. It is all about a son who seeks revenge for the death of his father who was a king. In most plays, it is always fulfilling when the main character is a strong and noble person. A person who is tactfully and skillfully goes about his mission. He employs good measures to achieve his mission without failure. These culminate into a great success to the main character who becomes a hero for the achievements. This play however, is about Hamlet who is the son of a murdered Danish King Hamlet. This death had seriously affected his emotional balance. His ghost appears to Horatio, Hamlets best friend. He informs Hamlet of this but he refuses to accept until he sees it himself. The ghost of his father later appears to him and claims that he was murdered by his brother, the new King Claudius. He is Hamlet's uncle. He later married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. The ghost tells him to revenge his death. Hamlet has a mission to accomplish. He sets himself to actually achieve this but does not know how to do this. King Claudius also appears guilty of the murder and feels threatened by Hamlets presence. He plans to get rid of him. Hamlet's mission has to be well organized before for its success. He therefore embarks on a mission to establish Claudius guilt. He therefore prepares a play in which they act about the slain father. He makes King Claudius watch to establish his reaction. Hamlet represents his father in the play. Then he becomes furious and storms out of the room as they play proceeds. This establishes Hamlet's suspicion that he indeed killed his father in order to take over the thrown. He even goes further to marry his mother. He remains with no doubt in his mind that his uncle is the suspect He delays in effecting his mission due religion. The environment seems Christian and this makes him think that revenge is not good for his faith. He thinks that it is the work of God. He even got the right opportunity to kill him in scene 3 but thinks that Claudius would go to heaven if killed while praying. He draws his sword and returns it back after much thought. He postpones his mission again to a much later date. Polonius is Hamlet's chief trusted counselor. He has a son called Laertes who returns to France and a daughter called Ophelia. She is courted by Hamlet This relationship runs into problems after Ophelia's father and brother warn her that Hamlet is not serious about their relationship. Soon after Ophelia realizes that his behavior has drastically changed. Her father gets concerned of this and reports to the King, who orders an investigation. Hamlet's constant mourning of the late father becomes the concern of the mother. He confronts the mother and a quarrel elapses between them. Apparently, Polonius hides within the vicinity to spy. He becomes convinced that Hamlet is indeed mad and worries that he may harm Gertrude. This prompts him to scream for help. Hamlet identifies Gertrudes father where he hides and stabs him to death. He is however not remorseful that he has killed his lover's father. He calls him, 'Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool'. Gertrude also gets convinced of Hamlets madness after the ghost to him telling him to be gentle to his mother but to kill King Claudius. The King sends Hamlet to England for a diplomatic mission. He does this due to fears for his life. He realizes that Hamlet may harm him. He sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany the princes to England after disclosing to them that he is doing this to send the princes to his death trap. Hamlet's revenge is being delayed again as he cannot gain access to Claudius. While away, his quest to avenge his father's death intensifies. He meets a bloody fight that results in many deaths on his way. Another revenge tragedy happens when Ophelia gets mad due to her fathers death. She begins to walk around singing to herself. Her brother Laertes comes back from France and gets shocked by the father's death and the sister's madness. He is convinced by King Claudius that Hamlet is responsible for all the tragedies in his family. He tells him that the prince is alive in England. This besets him on a revenge mission against Hamlet. King Claudius unsuccessfully tries different strategy to kill Hamlet in his ship and to make it appear like an accident on his way back from England . He escapes unhurt but Rosencrantz and Guildenstern die in the process. The King then resolves to capitalize on Laertes hatred by organizes a fight between him and Hamlet with the knowledge that Laertes is good with swords. Laertes further promises to poison the head of his sword to kill the prince at the slightest scratch. The king on part goes ahhead to plan to poison him with wine if the first attempt fails. Ophelia commits suicide and her death is reported. At the funeral, Laertes blames Hamlet and curses him. Hamlet appears at this time and confesses his love for Ophelia. A fight breaks between them but they are separated by Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet is then informed by Claudius of the fight with Laertes to mend fences. He readily accepts this fight against his friend Horatio's warning. The fighting day comes and all are set. They have several rounds without success in any of the sides. Gertrude then unknowingly toasts Hamlet using the poisoned wine. She drinks it. Attempts by the King to block her not to drink are too late. At this time, Laertes finds an opportunity and stabs Hamlet with his poisoned sword. The fight continues and Hamlet manages to use Laertes sword against him. Gertrude then announces her poisoning as she dies. Laertes reveals King Claudius plot to kill Hamlet as he dies. This prompts Hamlet to stab the king using Laertes sword. He goes further to force him to drinking his own poisoned wine to kill him. Hamlet then announces Prince Fortinbras of Norway as the probable king as he takes his last breath. Horatio remains to recount the whole story to Prince Fortinbras who comes in only to be met by a deadly scene of bodies. The theme of revenge in this play has been met by a number of tragedies. Many deaths have come about the same thing. The delay of Hamlet's revenge is the main cause of many deaths seen at the end of the play. One thing leads to the other as more and more people are sucked into the saga. It seems that could Hamlet have gone ahead with his mission earlier enough, then many deaths at the end could have been avoided. The delay has also worked well for the continuation of the play. It brought the flow of the play. This is Shakespeare's longest play ever. The delay of Hamlet's revenge has thus aided in the flow of the play. Hamlets emotional life has also been built by this delay. At first he is not sure of going ahead with the or not. This changes as time goes. The experiences he undergoes harden him to and make him believe of the reason to revenge. At the end everybody with revenge mission dies. This tells us of the inability of revenge to solve problems but to lead to more corruption. People should instead work on themselves. Buy custom Hamlet essay

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Amendment and Silent Correction of Quoted Content

Amendment and Silent Correction of Quoted Content Amendment and Silent Correction of Quoted Content Amendment and Silent Correction of Quoted Content By Mark Nichol What do you do when you wish to incorporate a quotation from another source into your own content, but the quotation includes a flaw in spelling, grammar, or the like, or you want to use the quotation selectively? How and whether you amend quoted material depends on the content and the context. In a formal context, such as a scholarly or other authoritative nonfiction book, if source material is flawed, you have several options depending on the type or extent of nonstandard content. For a simple misspelling or grammatical error, follow the mistake with the interpolation [sic], italicizing the word, derived from Latin, that means â€Å"so† or â€Å"thus† and indicates that the preceding error is reproduced from the original material; the brackets should be styled in normal roman type. If errors are ubiquitous, or an obsolete convention such as rampant capitalization is repeated, acknowledge that fact in a brief preceding note in the text, a concise bracketed comment, or a footnote. These strategies are also appropriate to clarify that the writer reproducing the quotation does not condone a controversial remark or an offensive term or comment within it. What if a passage already includes ellipses and you wish to omit phrases or sentences? Distinguish between the original ellipses and your own, perhaps by enclosing the ellipses you have introduced within brackets and explaining in a preceding note or in a footnote that this treatment indicates introduced, as opposed to original, omissions. If the context does not make clear that original ellipses have not been introduced, insert a bracketed note such as â€Å"[Ellipses in original],† but employ this intrusive strategy in moderation. In such formal content, quotations should preserve spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and treatment such as italicization or full capitalization of a word. However, if an entire sentence or passage originally appeared italicized or in all-caps, you can render it in friendlier type and note in brackets how the material originally appeared. (Also, when introducing italics to emphasize a point, follow that treatment with the note â€Å"[Emphasis added.]† Conversely, to clarify that the italics are original, insert the note â€Å"[Italics in original.†) The Chicago Manual of Style supports limited corrections or format changes such as the following: 1. Revision of quotation marks to conform to the prevailing style (such as changing single quotation marks, used in British English, to double quotation marks, standard in American English). 2. Revision of the first letter of the first word from uppercase to lowercase or vice versa as required to integrate the quotation with the preceding text. (It is not necessary to bracket a change in case except in legal writing or textual commentary.) 3. Insertion of terminal punctuation (a period, question mark, or exclamation point) or replacement of existing punctuation to integrate the quotation into the surrounding text. 4. Omission of superscript note indicators, such as numbers or asterisks, when the notes are not retained. 5. Isolated misspellings or typographical errors (but retain â€Å"mistakes† when they are deliberate, such as when imitating an illiterate attempt at writing, or when quoting from material written at a time when spelling was nonstandard). 6. Adjustment of indented or centered text to match formatting of the surrounding text. In less formal contexts, you can employ silent correction, the strategy of simply editing the original material without comment. Writers must used sound judgment, however, in minimizing the alterations and refraining from altering the meaning or intent of the original content. Usually, silent correction should be employed only to correct misspellings or erroneous punctuation. If the grammar of the original material is poor or the material is otherwise problematic, it is probably better to paraphrase entirely or to directly quote only key phrases. Also, exercise caution when reproducing heavily accented speech. Gonna, wanna, and similar lazy pronunciations need not be reproduced; doing so, or representing mispronunciations such as â€Å"nukular,† may be misinterpreted as condescending to the speaker. Silent correction is also appropriate for errors such as flustrated as a confusion of flustered and frustrated. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Program vs. Programme"Certified" and "Certificated"Dissatisfied vs. Unsatisfied

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Paper 1 Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Paper 1 Biology - Essay Example 1. Components of physical examination The components of physical examination include inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation respectively. However, some physicians may choose a different sequence depending on the training. All these examinations focus on knowing more about the present condition of disease of the patient or even the most probable to occur. Inspection involves the search for signs while palpation involves the feeling for the signs. Percussion is the tapping for signs, mainly in the lung and gut examinations. Auscultation involves using the stethoscope to listen to the heart rate. Anciently, physicians listened directly through the ear. It is not mandatory that all systems will have signs but most will. Physical examination is the general examination of the human body performed by physicians. It covers most of the basic body systems, including the gut, system nerve system, lung system, and heart system. More examinations are not common but it depends on the patient’s clinical condition. Physical examination helps in confirming any persistent issues after a previous diagnosis. It also reveals persistent and hidden pathological entities. Physicians performing this examination always look for signs like the blood pressure, temperature, heart beat rate and respiratory rate. Performing physical examination incurs low costs because the only cost is, the labor cost (Memmlers, 2012). Many medical practitioners have recommended it as a screening test because it is non-invasive and significantly revealing. Doctors are important figures during this process because they make decision with regard to the patient’s clinical history. At times, physical examination requires extensive procedures involving the private body parts. In such situations, the patients must make consent. 2). Blood Pressure The measurement of blood pressure is a quick and painless process that provides the physicians with important information about the condition o f the heart and the body blood vessels. a). Doctors use the sphygmomanometer, also known as the blood pressure cuff, to measure the blood pressure. This instrument contains an inflatable cuff and a small pressure gauge attached to the cuff. The cuff wraps around the upper arm, but some wrap around the wrist or forearm. When taking the blood pressure, the doctor uses a stethoscope to the movement of blood through the arteries. The doctor will then inflate the cuff to a pressure that is higher than the patient’s systolic blood pressure. The first sound heard by the doctor through the stethoscope records as the systolic blood pressure. This occurs when the cuff’s pressure is in the process of reducing to reach stability. A second follows immediately the first whooshing one fades away (Memmlers, 2012). This is the diastolic blood pressure. The doctor measure with reference to the heart beat rate for the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure. b). Mr. Smith’s bloo d pressure was 160/100 The numerator (160) represents the systolic pressure, which is the maximum pressure of blood movement in the artery at that particular when the heart is working to supply blood throughout the body. The denominator represents (100) the diastolic pressure, which is the minimum pressure of blood movement in the artery in the moments between heartbeats and its resting state. c). The significant difference

Friday, October 18, 2019

Compare and contrast The Lesson with Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast The Lesson with Girl - Essay Example The generation gap is obvious by the amount of talking done by mother and the short responses of the daughter. The story also points to the start of the new era and age. All the advices of the mother are representing the previous generation suppression and hindrances. They particularly point to the sufferings of the women. â€Å"The Lesson† gives variety of themes. The most striking is the socioeconomic differences in American society. The short story shows the psychological makeup of a class because of the economic conditions and the reaction of the class when confronted with another class. The story also tells about the relationship of children and parents. In the story this relationship is very weak; in fact parents have given the responsibility to someone else. Comparing this theme with â€Å"Girl†, it becomes clear that despite generation gap the relationship of mother and daughter is strong. It is the concern of mother which is forcing her to guide the daughter, w hile in â€Å"The Lesson† children are given to a cousin by parents. Another contrasting theme of these two stories is that in â€Å"Girl† the mother is trying to save conventional ways and means but in â€Å"The Lesson† Miss Moore is deliberately trying to teach unconventional ways to the children. Although the writer of â€Å"Girl† is not intending to safeguard traditional values but there is no intent of challenging them. CHARACTERS â€Å"Girl† has two characters, Mother and Daughter. In this short story they are representing two different generations, two different points of views. Although most of the talking in this short story is done by the mother but the daughter is able to make her presence felt by two meek interruptions. â€Å"The Lesson† has many characters and they all represent same racial class. Miss Moore is antagonist as she responsible for all the tension and drama in the story. Her name suggests different meanings for exam ple she is more educated, she has more money, and she wants more children to get educated. Miss Moore wants to give something back to her community and the best she could is by educating younger generation. Sylvia is the narrator of the story and she is a kind of leader. She does not submit to authority easily and therefore hates Miss Moore. This feeling increases after the trip, which was intended as a lesson. Although at the end Sylvia realizes and understands the lesson but for most of the story she is against Miss Moore. Sugar is another character of the story and like her name she is very innocent and sweet. She is the best friend of Sylvia and was first to tell what Sylvia felt and what Miss Moore wanted them to feel. Her innocent question regarding stealing at toy shop represents her inner innocence as well as the education and norms of a class. Other characters are not very active but their names are very interesting and give a very vivid picture in the mind of readers. Flyb oy, Fat Butt, Mercedes, Rosie, Junebug, Q.T etc represent different shades of a class and their name also presents to some extent their physical and mental attributes. Characterization of â€Å"The Lesson† is very strong as compare to â€Å"Girl†. The main reason for this is the length of two short stories. Despite this difference in both the stories the focus remains on two characters. The relationship between main characters in both short stories remain same i.e. one is educating or trying to

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 11

Case Study Example This paper explores this question with reference to the Wal-Mart’s adoption of a computerized scheduling system from the Kronos. Wal-Mart is faced with the ethical dilemma of adopting a computerized scheduling system for its employees, which will speed up the scheduling of its employees’ work shifts. The advocates of the rights of workers were strongly against the move arguing on the impacts the adoption of the computerized system would have on the lives of the workers. It is imperative to point that the store managers, who manually carried out the schedule arrangement, traditionally carried out the intended work of scheduling workers at the Wal-Mart’s big box stores. The store manager’s decisions were based on previous year’s weekly sales data and the store promotions. The process of scheduling the employees was traditionally a time consuming process that took the store managers a full day. It is significant to note that the manual scheduling of the employees by the store managers was an expensive endeavor given the fact that Wal-Mart operates a number of stores. The labor intensi ty that was required to schedule the Wal-Mart employees manually produced marginally beneficial results to the company, thus expensive. The use of the computerized system of scheduling employees in Wal-Mart the overall productivity of the scheduling process was achieved within a short time for all the stores. The adoption of the Kronos scheduling system is of great benefit to the company due to its flexibility, cost efficiency, cost effectiveness, as well as improved productivity. It is also significant to note that the store managers, with the adoption of the computerized scheduling system, can now concentrate on the effective management of their respective stores. The computerized employee scheduling system by the Kronos has an efficient system of tracking transactions, sales by individual stress, customer traffic, and

History of Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of Christianity - Essay Example But this was not for long. Unlike other groups or so-called messiah, Jesus was believed to rise from the dead. Before Jesus was born, teachings were already taught about a Messiah coming to the world and will save mankind from the wages of sin. They were expecting a savior from a well-off family, a son of a king or anyone that would be having a great power or authority. Ironically, Jesus came from a family of carpenters. He was born at the time everybody was sleeping, unnoticed. When Jesus grew up, his nature was to reveal God's plan, he was always with Pharisees and teachers. Jews then were separated. One part became followers and one part became haters. Those who believed Jesus' teachings followed him though they have different reasons. Some followed him just because they can get something out of Jesus, that is, they were healed from their sicknesses, Jesus taught and was able to change tax collectors from being greedy to open handed ( in which common people greatly benefit from it ) and others followed him because of their faith and belief that Jesus was truly the Messiah. The haters incl ude majority of the Pharisees. Pharisees were of great authority at that time. Anything they say were followed without questions. People greatly looked after them. When Jesus came, their followers decreased and they became afraid that a time would come that people would no longer hear them. Hence, they plotted plans to destroy the trust and attention that the people were giving to Jesus and his teachings. It became not that hard for them to get rid of Jesus since Jesus was claiming that he was the Messiah. They accused Jesus of being disrespectful and committing blasphemy until they were able to put Him on a stood. Jesus' death became very frustrating in the part of Jesus disciples and his followers. But beyond their knowledge, this was God's original plan. Jesus was raised from the dead after three days. He showed himself to his disciples and left very important instructions. It became a proof that what Jesus was teaching and claiming as being God himself is true. Further, the resurrection of Jesus became the ultimate distinction from other doctrines which were funded by various leaders who call themselves savior or messiah. Aside from Jesus, there were no other people who claim the same as what Jesus does. After their death, they were no more. They left no history and no future as well. Through time, the success of Christianity became established. The re-bonding of the disciples after Jesus' resurrection, their faithfulness, commitment and love to the mission that Jesus left were the utmost reason of the religion's success. Moreover, at one point in the Greek history, it was said that Christianity had no alternative but to become a religion immersed in Greek culture and language. Jews were hoping for a Messiah who would come to build a new Jerusalem, but their hopes were dashed under emperors Titus and Hadran Romans encouraged gentiles to settle in Judea after the Jews revolted. The destruction of Jerusalem also strengthened the followers of Christianity who did not believe that a new kingdom would be built on earth but in a heavenly body. Christianity played an important role in the development and functioning of the Roman Empire. Largely, Christianity became the universal religion. Christianity started as a denomination of Judaism based on the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Risk mangement Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Risk mangement - Personal Statement Example I have decided to take the risk management course to better my quantitative and technical skills in finance. I wish to re-enter the financial field with the current harsh economic conditions only after solidifying my little experience in your institution. After obtaining an in-depth understanding of the computational, statistical tools and the mathematical skills that are essential when dealing with bank or any organizational data, the economic waters that have become treacherous to navigate without the necessary risk management skills will be an easier sailing place. I hope that I will evolve into an individual who has understood the industry well so that I can deliver well to the clients at the same time employ the management audacity through quantitative portfolio to the advantage of the investor. I believe I can excel in this course taking into consideration my enthusiasm and commitment to finance related institutions, I have worked in the banking industry for nine years. The vast experience I have gained so far gives me an opportunity to develop extensively the gained knowledge and skills in the financial operations. The course content appeals to me strongly and being a student at the University will definitely provide me with the essential knowledge that I need in advancing my

Financing a Business Magazine Article Coursework

Financing a Business Magazine Article - Coursework Example In the year 2011, the number of small businesses in the UK was found to be around 4.5 million, which indicated that around 99 percent of the businesses were small firms (Nanto, 2010). The financial crisis has made it difficult for many small firms to get funding assistance from the banks. According to the Huffington Post, around 170,000 small businesses had to close down in the USA, in the year 2008-10; out of which around 6.79 million small firms closed in 2010, and around 6.96 firms closed in 2008 (Kavoussi, 2012). The rate of self-employment diminished by 4 percent in 2007 and further by 12 percent in 2009 (Halm-Addo, 2010). A series of survey was done, which revealed that the reducing employment, sales, investment rate during 2009 and even during 2008, were affecting the small business and their performances. About 165 small firms were surveyed in the UK and it was found that around 1 in every 20 firms had doubts of their survival, and around 8 percent were forecasting deep troub le for themselves. The small businesses do not have high cash reserves or large proportion of capital assets which would be acting as collateral. So it becomes difficult for them to secure additional financing during economic crisis. Bankruptcy among the small businesses are common than the large firms because even banks do not take the guarantee of financing them during such situation (Forrest, and Yip, 2011). The current economic crisis has created major liquidity issues in the banks, which in turn has influenced the lending practices. Bank of England has reported that financial crisis has observed the weakest flow of funds to the small businesses in the UK. The demand for secured and unsecured lending has increased in the UK since 2009, but it has been noticed that the changing policies of the banks due to rising risk of bankruptcy and insolvency, has limited the supply of funds. Evidences have been accumulated that the small enterprises in UK have faced difficulties in accessing funds during the period of 2008-09. According to the Forum of Private Business Reports, poor flow of cash and late payments were the major issues that the Economic Downturn Panel has referred to. They have also highlighted that these were mainly due to the slow decision-making, lack of any sales activity, and the increasing cost of lending rates. It was found in June 2009, that in the UK, about 33 percent of the small businesses could not access financial aid from banks, and around 44 percent of the small firms had to face immense difficulty to receive financial assiatnce. All the above statistics reveal that it is indeed difficult to raise money in the present economic climate. This is the reason why other ways of financing need have to be evaluated, so that small businesses do not close down just because of not getting access to bank loans (Stokes, and Wilson, 2010). The alternative sources of funding are discussed below: Merchant Cash Advances: In this type of financing the lend er does not lend money on equated monthly installment (EMI) basis, but they are interested in the sale and purchase of credit card income of the future. So they collect a fixed percentage of the credit card income daily, until the loan is repaid (Department of Business Innovation & Skill, 2012).

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Risk mangement Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Risk mangement - Personal Statement Example I have decided to take the risk management course to better my quantitative and technical skills in finance. I wish to re-enter the financial field with the current harsh economic conditions only after solidifying my little experience in your institution. After obtaining an in-depth understanding of the computational, statistical tools and the mathematical skills that are essential when dealing with bank or any organizational data, the economic waters that have become treacherous to navigate without the necessary risk management skills will be an easier sailing place. I hope that I will evolve into an individual who has understood the industry well so that I can deliver well to the clients at the same time employ the management audacity through quantitative portfolio to the advantage of the investor. I believe I can excel in this course taking into consideration my enthusiasm and commitment to finance related institutions, I have worked in the banking industry for nine years. The vast experience I have gained so far gives me an opportunity to develop extensively the gained knowledge and skills in the financial operations. The course content appeals to me strongly and being a student at the University will definitely provide me with the essential knowledge that I need in advancing my

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 132

Assignment Example Erb explains that Kilpatrick had been arrested thrice on different charges during his tenure as mayor. Kilpatrick’s corruption involved other people including his chief of staff and his father (Erb p1). Kilpatrick’s conduct was unethical because it involved behavior that did not match the expectations of his status and position. As a mayor, he was supposed to be a steward of public funds upholding accountability and responsibility but he spent public funds recklessly. The people of Detroit had entrusted him with the task of looking after their welfare but he did not live up to his mandate because he worsened Detroit’s economic crisis. The conduct was also unethical because Kilpatrick repeated crimes for which he was previously convicted thus showing lack of remorse. It was unethical for Kilpatrick to have used racialism as his excuse when he should have been taking responsibility of his mistakes. It is all the more unethical for him to have been spending public funds in the name of living up to his image as a hip-hop mayor when in the actual sense it appears like he was doing it selfishly (Erb p3). Kilpatrick was taken to court, several times, and tried for charges that were filed against him. Some of the charges included using public funds to pay expensive dinners, pay college expenses for relatives and leasing a Lincoln Navigator. In a 2007 lawsuit, Kilpatrick tried and convicted of having an illicit affair with his chief of staff, Christine Beatty and was found guilty. He was indicted for eight criminal charges and he agreed to serve one hundred and twenty days in jail and pay one million dollars as restitution to Detroit. In addition, the sentence directed that Kilpatrick give up his law license and that he should not seek public office for a period of five years (Erb p7). After this trial, a judge ordered Kilpatrick back to court for charges that he was hiding some of his assets in order not to make restitution. Kilpatrick faced

Monday, October 14, 2019

Social Bond Theory and Self Control Theory

Social Bond Theory and Self Control Theory Theories of Crime Causation Crime is inevitable and will never be eradicated. Sociologist such as Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson claim that theories such as social bond theory and self-control theory can help society understand the causation of crimes. In this paper, I will examine the self-control theory and the social bond theory and how these two theories explain crime causation. I will also describe the basic elements of each theory, compare and contrast the similarities and differences between these two theoretical perspectives and describe any improvements that are needed to enhance each theory. Social Bond Theory According to Hirschi, everyone has the potential to commit crimes but it is the social bonds and ties that they share with friends, family and other societal members that keep them from committing crimes. The social control theory maintains that delinquency occurs because of weak social bonds and the stronger the social bonds of an individual to the conventional society, the less likely an individual will engage in activities that are against societal norms. Hirschi states that the social bonds that an individual shares with society are divided into four main elements: attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief (Siegel, 2014). Attachment is the emotional bond that children share with their parents, friends, teachers and other members in society. This type of bonding is displayed in school, church, home and other social institutions. Positive attachment to parents is essential for a child’s social growth; it is at this stage that children receive their characteristics and traits which they later display in the future. Children crave acceptance and want to be viewed as favorable by indiviudals who perform a valuable role in their lives. Children who never received any form of positive attachment from their parents tend to become defiant in the future. On the other hand, children who received positive attachment, love and nurturing tend to display the same in their character. Parent–child attachment includes the amount of parental supervision on children, quality of parent–child communication and time spent together, and parent’s knowledge of children’s peers (Chui Chan, 20 12). When parents invest quality time with their children they will be properly supervised; this will give parents a deeper insight into the activities that their children are involved in and the peers they associate with. In addition, people must be committed to whatever venture they set off to accomplish. They might be committed to someone, an education or their career. When people are committed they are less likely to be involved in crimes because they are willing to protect the investments they have diligently achieved. On the other hand when people are not committed to anything they take more risks and engage in criminal activity, since they do not have much to lose. For example, commitment can be seen as a teenager who is performing well in high school in order to be accepted at an accredited college with goals of obtaining a career. When people are involved in extra-curricular activities there is less time and effort to perform or engage in illegal activities. On the other hand, individuals who are not involved in any form of conventional social activities such as sports or religion usually end up engaging in criminal behavior. This can be seen in single-parent home where the mother is working two jobs, coming home late and children are left without supervision leaving them at home to care for themselves. They should be left in the care of an after-school program where some sort of supervision is expected. This leaves the children idle with more time to engage in criminal activity. However, Hirschi states that a delinquent act can take just minutes to commit, and thus, involvement in conventional activities alone is insufficient to deter delinquency (as stated in Chui Chan, 2012). Beliefs are values and moral norms that are shared by a specific group of people. Individuals who share values and beliefs abide by the law and respect other individuals. On the other hand people who were raised without any values or beliefs will be more like to perform illegal acts and rebel against the law. Individuals who share religious beliefs may be subject to greater controls that counter temptations for crime. Classic social control theories suggest that undesirable consequences of crime, including shame, social disapproval, or loss of social bonds, deter most individuals subject to those consequences from misconduct (Brauer et al., 2013). The Self-Control Theory The self-control theory states that low levels of self-control leads to an increased risk of criminal and delinquent involvement as well as a multitude of other risky behaviors. This theory claims that self-control is almost completely determined by parenting (Hollander-Blumoff, 2012). A child’s upbringing determines whether or not they will display high or low self-control. If a child wrong doing is corrected then this child will have a relatively high-level of self-control. On the other hand, if a child’s wrong-doing is not scolded or corrected, this child will have lower levels of self-control. Gottfredson and Hirschi defined low self-control using distinct characteristics: instant gratification, physical rather than mental, risky behavior, insensitive to others (Connor et al., 2009). Low self-control individuals fail in situations that require supervision, restrictions on how they conduct themselves or situations that require discipline. According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), those who lack self-control are not only more likely to engage in risky behaviors, but they tend to do so stubbornly and persistently, with disregard for the consequences these acts may bring. These type of people love to take risks such as going on crime spree, they also engage in other risky behavior such as smoking and drinking alcohol. Low self-control individuals tend to be life course persistent criminal; the offending is continuous and stable and extends into adulthood. This low self-control or impulsivity is caused by weakened social bonds such as attachment and beliefs. When parents provide poor supervision and are unable to provide their children with the attention and the direction needed they will develop low self-control. Furthermore the values, norms and beliefs that are instilled into children at a young age are essential in their up-bringing. If parents do not have any beliefs or values then the children will not emulate the same, this will then lead to a life of unconformity towards authority. Low self-control individuals require instant gratification; they do not have any commitments such as a career or education. They would rather commit crimes to gain the immediate pleasures of crime such as money or getting intoxicated. Having a job and career would mean investing time and money into obtaining an education. This is seen as a long term goal that requires them to be cognitive and they do not possess that characteristic. These individuals do not look at the risks involved in committing crimes or the people they hurt as a result of it; their only awareness is related to their needs and the instant reward achieved. Compare and Contrast The social bond theory states that weaken bonds such as attachment will lead an individual to commit crime. In some instances, teenagers have strong bonds with their peers but this type of attachment can be dangerous. They often worry about being accepted by their peers and engage in delinquent acts to gain approval. Specifically, a weak parent–child attachment during adolescence, particularly in mid-adolescence, is likely to result in an increase level of peer association (Chui Chan, 2012). This is also true for the self-control theory which states that levels of self-control are predicted based on the type of parenting a child experienced. Children whose parents provide them with weak parental supervision will have relatively low-levels of self-control; therefore making them more likely to engage in criminal activities. The self-control theory is similar to the social bond theory because commitment is a main element in both theories. Individuals with low self-control require instant gratification and commitment does not go along with the immediate desire of â€Å"here and now†. With lack of commitment according to both theories an individual will more likely to engage in deviant behavior. Both the self-control theory and the social bond theory relates to beliefs as a reason why people do not commit crime. According to Brauer et al. (2013), highly religious individuals may be subjected to greater controls that counter temptations for crime. Having a belief and a value system provides strong incentives for self-control, therefore better being able to resist temptations to act impulsively. The social bond theory falls under Hirschi’s social control theory. According to social control theorists all people have the potential to violate the law and that modern society presents many opportunities for illegal activity (Siegel, 2014). If social bonds are weak people will fall prey to these criminal opportunities presented to them and if their social bonds are strong, they will resist crime. In contrast, based on the self-control theory, criminal opportunities are constant and available to most people; therefore opportunity does not play any role in and individual’s choice to commit a crime. Instead, low levels of self-control caused by lack of parental supervision causes antisocial behavior. Improvements and Problems The self-control theory poses many problems such as impulsivity alone cannot determine whether someone will commit a crime. There are other factors such as opportunity, other traits such as mental illness and genetics. There are many other traits and circumstances that cause an individual to follow a criminal path. I believe that with practice, counselling and therapy self-control levels can be increased. Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) argued that levels of self-control are only capable of being shaped during the first 8-10 years of life and that there is not a genetic component to variation in self-control. Some studies have shown that there is a link between genetics and self-control and Gottfredson and Hirschi’s claim can be disputed. Hollander-Blumoff (2012) state that most existing criminological studies have revealed that self-control is influenced greatly by genetic factors, with genes accounting for at least 50% of the variance in levels of self-control. Based on the f indings of this research, the self-control theory needs to be redefined to include genetics. One of the main elements of the social bond theory which is involvement can also cause adolescents to engage in crime. The social bond theory states that teenagers who are involved in some type of extracurricular activity or sporting activity would be less likely to commit crime. Hirschi (1990) affirmed that delinquent act can take just minutes to commit and therefore, involvement in social activities alone is insufficient to deter delinquency. For example, my son is on his school’s golf team and regularly attends golf practice. Being on the golf team does not deter him from being delinquent; some of his friends on the golf team might be deviant individuals and pressure him to commit a deviant act. The involvement element in the social bond theory must be reevaluated to include the type of involvement and the characteristics of the individuals who are associated with the activities chosen. Involvement in conventional activities such as religion can also become a deviant involv ement; there are numerous stories about Catholic priest molesting young boys. Even at sporting activities, players consume illegal performance enhancing drugs to boost their performance. In conclusion, Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson theories such as social bond theory and self-control theory can help society understand the causation of crimes. Although the social bond theory explains that strong social bonds such as attachment and involvement can deter individuals from committing crimes, having negative and deviant involvement can actually draw individuals to antisocial behavior. The self-control theory needs to be reevaluated because impulsivity alone cannot cause someone to commit crime, genetics and other traits may be a factor as well. References Brauer, J. R., Antonaccio, O., Title, C. R. (2013). Does Religion Suppress, Socialize, Soothe, or Support? Exploring Religiositys Influence on Crime. Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion, 52(4), 753-774. Chui, W., Chan, H. (2012). An Empirical Investigation of Social Bonds and Juvenile Delinquency in Hong Kong. Child Youth Care Forum, 41(4), 371-386. doi:10.1007/s10566-012-9172-z Conner, B. T., Stein, J. A., Longshore, D. (2009). Examining Self-Control as a Multidimensional Predictor of Crime and Drug Use in Adolescents with Criminal Histories. Journal Of Behavioral Health Services Research, 36(2), 137-149. doi:10.1007/s11414-008-9121-7 Dunkel, C. S., Mathes, E., Beaver, K. M. (2013). Life History Theory and The General Theory of Crime: Life Expectancy Effects on Low Self-Control and Criminal Intent. Journal Of Social, Evolutionary Cultural Psychology, 7(1), 12-23. Gottfredson MR, Hirschi T (1990) A General Theory of Crime. Stanford University Press, Stanford. Hollander-Blumoff, R. (2012). Crime, Punishment, and the Psychology of Self-Control. Emory Law Journal, 61(3), 501-553. Siegel, L. J. (2014). Criminology: The Core, 5e, 5th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781285965543.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt Essay -- Midni

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was written by John Berendt and was 388 pages long. This was a non-fiction story of the beautiful town of Savannah, Georgia. John Berendt was a reporter who lived in New York and one night while dinning out he realized that one plate of food cost him the same amount of money that it would to fly to Savannah. So he did and he found himself in love with the city and stayed. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: a fading belle who packs a pistol in her dà ©colletage; a charming, piano-playing con man who moves like a hermit crab from one empty showplace house to the next, accompanied by his high-living entourage and pursued closely by his creditors; a moneyed dowager who conducts business from a cruising Mercedes limousine; a sour alcoholic inventor who claims to own a vial of poison so powerful that it could kill off the entire city; a voodoo priestess in purple shades; and a foul-mouthed black drag queen who passes so convincingly for a woman that she is able to extort abortion money from the parents of her white boyfriend. With these and other people from savannah, Berendt reviles his alliances and enemies in the town where everybody knows everybody else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The exciting colorful town of Savannah is said to be the main character in this Novel, but the main character was actually John Berendt, he was the narrator and main character . He was a reporter from New York who made savannah and the people in Savannah his interest, his home, and his life. He learned all about this secluded city through observation, meetings, and gossip. He was an intelligent man who always knew where to be at the right time. There was this one scene in the book where he was having an interview with Jim Williams when Danny Hansford walked in, in a tirade, with a shirt on that said F-U on it. Well earlier that day his other friend Joe Oldem had been talking about this strange man who woke up in his bed with that same thing printed on his shirt. John was in the right place at the right time to put two and two together. Jim Williams was the other major character in this book, he was an antique dealer who owned one of the nicest homes in Savannah. He was a major ... ... job at it. The strongest features of the book was the way he described the people and the city as being one, The weakest part of the book was that the actually story of the murder didn’t start until the second part of the book. If I was the author I would probably incorporate more of the murder story line into the first part of the book and introduce the character’s throughout the whole book not just the first part ( the book was separated into a part 1 and part 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ending of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was very satisfactory, Jim was found not guilty of Danny Hansfords’s death. Jim threw his first Christmas party of the year for the first time in 8 years, where he found himself remaking the guest list. Then at the very end he died, I believe that it was ideal for him to die, it was uncanny though that he died in the same place that he would of died 8 years ago if Danny had shot and killed him like he intended too. After Jim’s death Savannah was still the same. It was growing inward away from the real world, living in its own. The book starts with the town and ends with the town and I found that to be very satisfactory.