Pips changing character Essay Example for Free

Pips changing character Essay Explore how dickens builds atmosphere and reveals aspects of Pips changing character in three scenes of your choice. A Great Expectation is considered by many to be Charles Dickens greatest novel. Dickens wrote the book from the first person perspective so when reading the book Pip is telling the story after it actually happened. The story is about the life of Phillip Pirrip (Pip). We follow the growth of Pip. The story follows Pips formation from childhood to adulthood. The story shows us how events in his life change his attitudes. Unfortunately instead of growing up to be a gentleman he turns out a snob. The story is based on how the older generation uses the younger generation to get back at society. We see this when Miss havisham says to Estella Well, you can break his heart. She said this when Estella was complaining about having to play cards with Pip. Miss Havisham wants Estella to break Pips heart because once she had her heart broken . Pip was also being used by Magwitch. Magwitch uses Pip by bringing him to London and bringing him up to be a gentleman. This is getting back at society because society looked down at Magwitch. When Pip visits Miss Havisham for the first time Dickens gives us lots of clues to what she will be like before he actually meets her. Firstly her house is called Satis house which Estella says Its other name was Satis which is Greek or Latin or Hebrew or all 3 or one to me for enough. This is a warning that Miss Havisham is fed up and had enough of life. Also upon arriving at Miss Havishams house Dickens builds up the atmosphere by writing The cold wind seemed to blow colder there than outside the gate and it made a shrill noise in howling in and out at the open sides of the brewery. Like the noise of wind in the rigging of a ship at sea. This creates a gloomy atmosphere and makes the reader think something bad is inside. Once Pip enters Miss Havishams room Dickens writes a paragraph describing Miss Havisham. HE writes about how she is dressed. She was dressed in rich materials satins and lace and silks all of white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands. This gives us a good impression of her but then Dickens writes but I saw that everything within my view which ought to be white had been white long ago and had lost its lustre, and was faded and yellow. These represents that she was once happy but mow her life has gone sour and she is bitter. The room in which Miss Havisham was had no source of daylight it was lit by the odd candle. This shows us that there is no light left in her life.

Factors in Child Language Development

Factors in Child Language Development Acquisitions of language and literacy skills are important to be internalized as early as possible in the development of the childs early education. The child starts acquiring such language and skills as from the moment s/he is born and not as s/he starts school; which skills evolve and become more complex as the child matures. Hence the first major steps in language are taken at home and then built on and reinforced at school as the child mixes with other children, each from different backgrounds and under the teachers guidance. The school and educators must strive hard in getting a glimpse of each individual childs background because only in knowing what baggage the child has brought with him to school, the educator is able to see the world from the childs perspective. This is very much in line with Piagets theory of learning since he stresses upon the fact that learning depends on a number of factors which include the childs prior knowledge, age, maturity, social and family influe nces, contextual setting as well as ways of learning. The educator must therefore get in touch with such knowledge about each and every child in class in order to help and support children in organizing their prior knowledge, which is a product of family and background influence. The importance of the adults or educators role in the development of the childs language and literacy has been recognized since it is the educator who helps the child become aware of certain aspects of the language and in so doing helping and supporting the development of language and literacy. The adult should be the role model for the child to imitate and emulate since children learn a lot from imitation and hence help the child reinforcing language and literacy acquisition. According to Piaget this takes place through assimilation and accommodation of new knowledge which in turns leads to equilibrium. Other theorists, including the Nativists such as Chomsky and Constructivists such as Skinner amongst oth ers, attempted to explain how the child develops language and literacy skills. Vygotsky and later Bruner, who refined his work, attempted to explain how language developes; language as a product of social interactions and environment. All different theories left a significant impact on our educational system. What characteristics within the home environment promote strong development in these areas? Home background marks the difference amongst children since not everyone is brought up the same and exposed to the same environment. Wilkinson, (1980) argues that, while the adult can offer a certain resistance to his environment, the child accepts it, drinks it in. Thus the whole environment of the child should be a positive, harmonious one. (as citied in Bruce, 1997, p.18). Implying that children are easily affected from everything that happens around them, especially in their home environment, but unfortunately not every child experiences a positive one. Early theories of development, including Jerome Bruner, argues that children learn a lot from imitation and in recognizing the others different experiences. Same with language since children are all the time imitating others and in so doing imitating language heard and learning that different intonations and words create different meaning in different situations. Developmentalists, like Catherine Snow (1997) argues that: even the quality of living and social level contribute to the language skills the children are exposed to. (as citied in Bee Boyd, 2010 p.217). The mother or primary care giver is crucial in the development of the child and by implication this person leaves a considerable impact and influence on the childs exposure to literacy and also in language development. Parents are childrens first and most powerful teachers and most important role models. (as citied in Carlyon, Carlyon McCarthy, 1998). Particular importance is given to the way the mother interacts with the child since language skills are transferred to the child. This infant directed speech is called motherese; where the simplicity and repetitiveness of the adults speech helps the child in language acquisition as well as in picking out the repeated grammatical forms used in speech. Research suggests that motherese plays a crucial role in language development; however these interactions start to interest the child mostly when s/he starts using language to communicate for him/herself. The child then would attempt to repeat and use words heard and forms in his own speec h to communicate while the adult guides and supports the child by recasting sentences and modeling the correct grammatical forms. In a literate society just as learning to speak it is equally important to be exposed to and acquire literacy skills. However, such skills need much more effort for the child to tap into his/her cognitive and motor skills. Denny Taylor (1983) argues that literacy is part of the very fabric of the family life (as citied in Bruce, 1997 p.130). The home is the main and first source of literacy since it is where the child is introduced to functional literacy. The child sees the family members engaging in literacy activities and most of the time the child get involved actively in these experiences and thus grasping the functions of such literacy actions and skills. The child learns that literacy is everywhere and that it conveys meaning by noticing some writing from scraps of paper in the house, phone messages, texts in storybooks and much other situations where the child is exposed to symbols in a context. Most of the time parents unconsciously expose their children to text in their ever yday situations and involving them in the literate society e.g. in doing shopping lists or choosing packets of cereal to buy. Parents are usually not aware that they are helping in the acquisition of literacy skills. Exposing children as from a very young age to printed text is extremely important e.g. being read-to, especially bed time stories. Bed time stories give the opportunity for one to one experience where the child is read-to and thus start making sense of text. Exposing the child to phonics would also help in reading and also in writing. Later on, the child starts learning about the multiciplicity of literate activities especially when the child start mixing with other children and participating in different social events e.g. Birthday parties. Children should also be exposed to writing and taught some basics so that they will find it useful later on at school. The parents should prepare the child for formal instruction e.g. in tracing letters and also in grasping the concept of words and spelling and helping the child get accustomed to the written language. How can an early years educator extend a rich language environment in an early years setting? Providing the children with a rich language environment requires the school to work hand in hand and collaborate with the family and all the different backgrounds the children come from because this affects a lot the performances and approaches children have at school. Each individual childs background must be acknowledged as well as appreciated and the differentiation accounted for, since each child has his own individual abilities and needs, in providing same opportunities to all individuals for fostering language and literacy. Where possible, parents should be actively involved in the childrens education since, When parents are involved, children do better in school and go to better schools. (Henderson, 1987), (as citied in Carlyon, Carlyon McCarthy, 1998). In an early classroom the educator needs to provide a balanced literacy environment where the four vital areas of language are addressed; speaking listening, writing and reading. It is healthy to expose the children to a variety of strategies and resources to stimulate these four areas simultaneously and providing meaningful activities in a context where children are encouraged to explore and get results; thus exploring the world for themselves. Children need to be provided with opportunities for first hand experiences which involve the use of senses as well as adequate challenge so that they are actively engaged in activities as well as satisfying their curiosity to further their knowledge. Most importantly the children must be given opportunity to see the teacher engaged in the reading and writing situations because in so doing they can see the adult as their role model. In class the children must be accustomed to read and write alouds which help them get a sense of audience. Indep endent reading and shared reading help the children as well in acquiring those skills needed later on in their life as well as in interactive reading and writing. In school a continuant promotion for reading and writing must take place; in fact in 1983 Health proposed a list of social oriented purposes for engaging children in reading and writing; which list is still applicable today. There exist a lot of methods and strategies to be employed in class which help the children to be exposed to a rich language environment. One of which is through language games since they tap in their cognitive development while having fun. Looking in different books and dictionaries as well as role plays are also very useful because it helps the children get into the context, explore and rehears language. Children should be exposed to a variety of text to help them expand and gradually build their vocabulary to a rich language development. Moreover, exposure to printed material helps a lot the children in developing a positive attitude to language and literacy. It also helps the children to learn different attitudes and concepts which provide personal and language gains. Children must be exposed to the writing simultaneously with other language skills although writing is in fact a longer and more deliberate process. Writing helps the child clarify and confide thinking by hypothesizing and recording feelings while also creates amusement through ones own writing. In class the teacher must offer all the help and support needed in helping the child throughout in his writing, especially when the child attempts to write something new on his own. Realistic opportunities and adequate environment for stimulating writing must be provided which furthers the childs confidence in experimenting wit h language. Children learn writing through trial and error and by experimentation but approach and purpose for writing depends on the childs age. In class children must be involved in writing which meets everyday activities e.g. in writing the shopping list since for some children this may be a totally new experience thus opportunities for role playing such experiences must be accounted for e.g. writing to the classrooms post office or going to the bank amongst others help a lot the children to make use of language in a functional meaningful way. According to Jo. Weinburger, writing does not just happen.since development occurs within a cultural and social context, children from different backgrounds will necessary have different experiences of writing. (as cited from Bruce, 1997 p.128). In class the teacher must cater for these differences as well as providing them with opportunities for individual activities. Acknowledgement of the emergent literacy, which the children builds on b efore starting formal education, must take place while engaging them in shared activities where children are encouraged to speak and share their own experiences in relation to the text. There are different methods for encouraging writing, mainly through; letter shapes, phonics, letter blending or word building amongst others. In the past school was all about reading and writing and very little on listening and speaking; a reality which I faced myself during my school days. Nowadays we have seen a gradual change in our educational system where the importance of listening and speaking in language development have been recognized, acted upon and catered for inside our schools. July Fisher (1996) emphasized that, one of the most important elements for young learners is the provision of opportunities for children to talk together and with adults (as citied in Bee Boyd, 2010 p.218). This highlights the importance of interaction and in practicing the spoken language to communicate and share ideas while listening to each other. In 1977, Tough came up with a list of functions and purposes for which children should be engaged in oral language. The adult role also places a significant role because it guides and supports communication throughout. The importance of being read-to at home can and should be extended in the classroom as well since this is extremely important and cannot afford to be missed from the childs education thus children must be read-to on a regular basis even in school. Read-to in class provides the children with the attention which they might not be provided at home. It also provides the opportunity for children to listen to language used in different contexts. Through different strategies, e.g. phonics, letter words and look and say method amongst others, the childs learning is facilitated. Development of phonological awareness as early as possible would help in learning to read; the faster this is learned, the faster the child learns to read fluently. The Importance of reading has been recognized; in fact the International Reading Association (IRA) suggests that children have a number of literacy right s which aims for excellent reading instruction. What are the short-term and long-term implications of a language rich-environment from a childs perspective? The child in his early education needs to be exposed to a variety of fruitful opportunities in order to introduce him/her to the language and also to acquire literacy skills. Throughout this journey of language development the child builds goals for himself; some of which are for the immediate future and others for more long term future attainment. Continuous support and praise help the child a lot in building goals since they boost his/her self esteem and confidence needed for working on the attainment of such goals. The adult presents himself as the role model for the child whom to imitate and emulate by presenting himself as a writer, reader, listener and also a speaker. The child builds short term goals for things which he hasnt been able to do on his own but he is sure and most probably can in the near future. He would also build future long term goals for things he wishes to attain in his future. Scaffolding helps the child building his confidence in attaining such goals. Motherese helps a lot in the spoken language because through communication with the adult and in recasting the childs sentences the child is able to initiate words and formulate sentences. Skinner (1957) argues that the child shapes his process of speech through imitation and systematic reinforcement. The child is continuously imitating and pretending to be someone else and in so doing appreciating and exploring others experiences and speech in different contexts. Helping the child participate and get involved in conversations and discussions makes the child use his spoken language skills for communication. Being read-to and in letting the child choose his own books gives the child a sense of security which is needed for him/her in setting short term goals in attempting to join in the reading through prediction and repetitive patterns. Exposing children to different stories help the children get accustomed to pictures and text and in matching the word with texts. It also helps the ch ild expand his vocabulary and encourages the child to learn more words. The child builds long term goals for himself for learning to read on his own just like the adult does. Shared reading helps the child a lot because children help and learn a lot from each other. Letting the child discover his/her own writing and in helping to explore different forms of writing encourages the child in taking part in the writing process. Keeping a record of the childrens work and displaying them in the classroom help children to be proud of their work. Children must be encouraged to be their own authors and in sharing their work which helps in building self-confidence. There are other goals which the child sets in an indirect way, e.g. through sharing experiences and in shared reading the child learns the value of trust and respect. The child also learns the value of tolerance and accepting cultural differences through different stories. The child learns that everyone is different and must be appreciated for these differences. The short term implications affect the child in the immediate form that s/he is faced with every day in class. While the long term ones affect the child throughout his life because its a life-lesson which the child will remember all his life and help him in his future.

Critical Review of Milk Age-Thickening

Critical Review of Milk Age-Thickening Robert Adi Nugraha The phenomenon known as age thickening refers to the event of viscosity rise just before the formation of gel and loss of fluidity. It is described by Snoeren et al (1982) as structural build-up through weak interactions between casein micelles which could be disrupted through mechanical shear. This effect is observed more on concentrated milk than the single strength milk. (Datta Deeth, 2001) In addition, the type of milk may have a part as well in determining the susceptibility to age thickening. It was found that skim milk samples were more susceptible to age thickening than regular milk. This is because fat had a protective effect against age thickening, perhaps through the interaction with casein micelles. (Harwalker et al, 1983) Age thickening is also a major limiting factor of shelf life for ultra high temperature (UHT) milk. (Datta Deeth, 2001) According to Datta Deeth (2001), there are 4 stages of age thickening. The initial step is the thinning of the product. There is not much change in viscosity observed in second step. The third step should display the sudden change of viscosity and gel formation. The last step is where the separation begins and gel started to appear. This gel that formed has been characterised by the whey proteins (in particular ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin) interacting with casein (mainly ÃŽ º-casein) of the casein particle and forming a three dimensional matrix of protein. Thus, this resulted in the formation of ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin-ÃŽ º-casein complexes during the heat treatment process involved in production of UHT milk products. Moreover, further changes occur during storage which involve the ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin-ÃŽ º-casein complexes being released from casein micelles and cross linking proteins interactions. This resulted in the formation of three dimensional protein network and can be observed as the milk thicken and then gel. (Datta Deeth, 2001) There are several factors that affect age thickening in milk which are: mode and severity of heat treatment, proteolysis, microbiology quality factor, storage temperatures, and fat content. These factors are related to the degree of the three processes which lead to age thickening or gelation which are 1) ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin and ÃŽ º-casein interaction, 2) the ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin-ÃŽ º-casein complex release from the casein particle, and 3) the cross linking of the ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin-ÃŽ º-casein complexes and proteins. (Datta Deeth, 2001) There are several additional factors suggested by Walstra et al (2005) that involve the effect of age thickening in condensed milk. The factors added are the stage at which sugar is added (the latter in the process, the less the age thickening) and the concentration factor (the higher the concentration, the more the age thickening). The effect of heat treatment on preventing age-thickening in cold-stored evaporated milk was looked at by Harwalker et al (1983) and showed that heat treatment was not effective at all. The idea behind their research was because of some changes in casein micelles which resulted from cold storage could be reversed from heating. Thus, the same concept was looked at for application in similar way, but they could not find evidence that the treatment worked. On the other hand, several researches have found that the introduction of UHT heating whether that direct or indirect differentiate the susceptibility of the milk samples to age thickening effect. McKellar et al (1984) found that an increase in viscosity was observed between 6-10 weeks at 20Â °C of directly heated UHT milk compared to the no apparent rise in viscosity during 30 weeks storage at the same temperature for the indirectly heated UHT milk. They suggested that the different heating severity where the indirect heating have higher heat load was the crucial factor that caused this result to be seen. Similar researches were carried out by increasing the temperature or time of heating and the same effect could be observed where the milk samples exposed to higher temperature or longer heating time tend to last longer without age thickening effect observed. (Samuelson Holm, 1966; Zadow Chituta, 1975) The reasoning behind this was suggested through the research of Manji Kakuda (1988) where they proposed that the resistance to age thickening effect observed in more severely heat treated milk samples was due to the increased level of denatured whey protein. The result from this research showed that start of the age thickening effect is factored by formation of denatured whey proteins and casein complex. Some studies have investigated the role of proteolysis of caseins in age thickening of milk. This was accredited to natural milk proteinase (plasmin) and heat stable proteinase produced by contaminants psychrotrophic bacterial. (Datta Deeth, 2001) During storage, the quantity of plasmin in milk may increase because of the endogenous plasminogen activators which convert plasminogen into plasmin and may cause gelation. Plasminogen is more heat stable than plasmin and thus if proteolysis and subsequently age thickening need to be controlled, denaturation of plasminogen must be targeted. In a study specifically designed to look at the effect of proteolysis in age thickening, serine proteinase inhibitors were added to UHT milk to inhibit plasmin and the result after storage for 9 months at 20Â °C was that no proteolysis and gelation occurred. (de Koning et al, 1985) As for the heat stable proteinase produced by psychrothropic bacteria, a Pseudomonas fluorescens strain was isolated from raw milk. The presence of this bacteria led to age thickening gelation over time with the time dependent on the bacteria growth prior to heat processing. (Law et al, 1985) Therefore, both bacterial proteinases and plasmin displayed their abilities to initiate proteolysis and thus age thickening effect in UHT milk. Harwalker et al (1983) tested the microbial quality of the raw milk used for preparing the evaporated milk, but they did not find any significant relation between the age thickening effect and this microbial quality. They proceeded to look at the microbial growth during storage to see if there was a relationship or not. In this part of their research, they did not find evidence to support relationship between an increase in standard plate count of microorganism with age thickening effect. The samples they were testing had an increase in standard plate count to millions, but the viscosity change was less than the samples which had much lower increases in standard plate count. The age thickened samples also showed no microorganisms which are capable of growth with the conditions. (Harwalker et al, 1983) The addition of additives to milk, such as sodium phosphate and sodium citrate, may speed up the age thickening effect, whereas the addition of polyphospates (e.g. sodium hexametaphosphate) could delay this effect. (Datta Deeth, 2001) The age gelation protection provided by polyphosphates increases with chain length and concentration with the most effective one being at 4.8 phosphorus atoms per chain. (Leviton et al, 1963) Furthermore, cyclic phosphates are more effective than the corresponding linear polymers in delaying the effect of age thickening. This is because cyclic phosphates are stable against hydrolysis and thus unable to form complexes with calcium ions which also posses anti-gelation activity as well compared to the linear polyphosphates which are converted slowly into orthophosphate that accelerates age thickening effect. (Leviton et al, 1962) Oxidising conditions such as aeration and peroxide treatments accelerated age thickening, but reducing conditions such as antioxidant treatments tended to delay but not prevent this phenomenon. (Harwalkar et al, 1983) This research also found that age thickening was also accelerated when evaporated skim milk was cold-stored before sterilisation. In relation to commercial practice, the age thickening problem happens to be a seasonal problem and it is more frequent in the early spring. (Hardham, 1996) Storage temperature is an important factor in age thickening effect as well. As noted by Datta Deeth (2001), age thickening takes place most easily at room temperatures (20-25Â °C) compared to the low (4Â °C) or high temperatures (35-40Â °C). Moreover, Harwalker et al (1983) concluded that age thickening may not pose a huge problem if cold storage of concentrate milk before sterilisation could be avoided. However, they noted that it is simply not possible in practical term because of the increasing volume of milk processed in combination with shorter working weeks. Datta Deeth (2001) summarised ways of controlling age gelation in their paper which will be discussed here. These methods are based on minimising proteolytic activity, delaying dissociation of ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin-ÃŽ º-casein complex from casein micelle, and inhibition of crosslinking or protein network formation. The first and foremost important way is by using raw milk of high quality in combination with low temperature storage for the least amount of time. In this way, the growth of psychrotrophic bacteria and the proteinases generated from bacteria in milk is minimised before thermal processing. (Datta Deeth, 2001) The second method proposed is heat treatment during preheating and sterilisation. This method needs to achieve the denaturation of most ÃŽ ²-Lactoglobulin and complex formation of the aforementioned denatured whey proteins with casein. In addition, the heat treatment would also inactivate plasmin. Indirect heating is more encouraged rather than direct heating to produce gelation stable milk. (McKellar et al, 1984) The drawback from this method is that it may give cooked flavour which would be a negative attribute for consumers. (Datta Deeth, 2001) The third method suggested in the literature was reported by Barach et al (1976) which is the low temperature inactivation of heat stable enzymes in milk using T=55 Â °C and extended holding time of 30-60 minutes. It was suggested that the proteinase undergoes a conformational change, and then the altered proteinase aggregates with casein, and thus an enzyme-casein complex was formed which inactivate the enzyme. However, this method is flawed in the way that the effect of this low temperature inactivation treatment varies between different milk batches and also some proteinases showed resistance to the temperature-time combination treatment proposed above. (Datta Deeth, 2001) Last method proposed is the addition of additives such as sodium hexametaphosphate to retard age thickening effect. This method was based on Kocak Zadow (1985) experiment which suggests that polyphosphates (sodium hexametaphosphate in particular) stopped the second phase of age thickening gelation which invol ves coagulation of protein. The drawback is that the consumer reaction to additives being added to milk product may be unfavourable. In addition, ultrasound have emerged as a possible method to manage the milk age thickening phenomenon. (Zisu et al, 2012) In the study, they used high intensity ultrasound with frequency of 20 kHz to control the rate of age thickening and reduce the viscosity of concentrated skim milk. (Zisu et al, 2012) This study found that the ageing effect could be reversed which was observed by the reduction of viscosity to similar values that of the starting material. However, they did also note that the ultrasound technique could not prevent age thickening once the process was started (especially if it is already at the advanced thickening stage), they rather delayed the thickening rate. (Zisu et al, 2012) The study concluded that if the ultrasound was to be utilised during the whole evaporation process, the effect on the early stage thickening stage could be prevented. (Zisu et al, 2012) In conclusion, milk age thickening poses a problem for the dairy industry as it could limit the shelf life of products. There is much to be learned of this phenomenon in order to solve this problem. Novel methods such as the ultrasound technique mentioned last are much needed and may arise as more research being focused on the causes of this age thickening effect. The expectation is that more ways would be suggested and researched to prevent this effect from happening and finally resolving the problem. In the mean time, there are few alternatives methods already available or suggested to minimise or delay the age thickening effect.

Varying Attitudes Toward Death in the Masque of the Red Death Essay

Varying Attitudes Toward Death in the Masque of the Red Death      Ã‚  Ã‚   "Since the day of my birth, my death began its walk. It is walking toward me, without hurrying." Edgar Allen Poe provides us symbolically with the reaction of man to the pursuance of death that Jean Cocteau described before, in his gothic short story, "The Masque of the Red Death." Prince Prospero symbolizes the optimist who seeks to avoid death. The Masqueraders represent the pessimist-the carefree who seek to forget about death. The Masked Red Death is the ultimate realization and enlightenment of death's power over all-the realist view. Poe's work symbolically demonstrates the attitudes of man through Prince Prospero, the Masqueraders, and the Masked Red Death.    Prince Prospero symbolizes the optimist who is defiant and furious. Prospero believes that death can be evaded if not escaped entirely. Prospero seeks to protect himself from the red death, a disease that has ravaged his kingdom. He does this by taking a thousand of his friends, with whom he "retires to the deep seclusion of one of his castellated abbeys" (Poe 176). However he does more than try to dodge or hide from death's powers. Prospero has his courtiers take hammers and furnaces to weld the bolts shut so to leave no "ingress or egress," effectively he barricades himself taking faith the physical barriers of man can somehow defeat the non-corporeal entity. While the pestilence rages outside the prince's secure shelter, Prospero arranges that a masquerade or ball take place. He and his revelers take part in jovial and pleasant activities during a time when hundreds are suffering. What's more is that he has his party be "waltzers" (Poe 177). Such a dance involves t... ...to death in the masqueraders one can see the third attitude toward death, one of understanding and acceptance because the ignorance that shrouded their eyes has been removed. With understanding which comes when one becomes closer to death one may adopt the third attitude which Bhagavad Gita has, "Death is as sure for that which is born, as birth is for that which is dead. Therefore grieve not for what is inevitable."       Sources Consulted: Cassuto, Leonard. " The Coy Reaper: Unmasque-ing the Red Death". Stud Short Fiction, 25(1988) 317-320. Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery and Imagination Norwalk: Heritage P.,1969. 317-322. Starret, Vincent. "Tales of Mystery and Imagination." Norwalk: Heritage P., 1969. Intro. Wheat, Patricia H. " The Masque of Indifference in The Masque of Red Death". Stud Short Fiction, 19(1982), 51-56.   

T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock :: essays research papers fc

TS Eliot's Prufrock The ironic character of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," an early poem by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) in the form of a dramatic monologue, is introduced in its title. Eliot is talking, through his speaker, about the absence of love, and the poem, so far from being a "song," is a meditation on the failure of romance. The opening image of evening (traditionally the time of love making) is disquieting, rather than consoling or seductive, and the evening "becomes a patient" (Spender 160): "When the evening is spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table" (2-3). According to Berryman, with this line begins modern poetry (197). The urban location of the poem is confrontational instead of being alluring. Eliot, as a Modernist, sets his poem in a decayed cityscape, " a drab neighborhood of cheap hotels and restaurants, where Prufrock lives in solitary gloom" (Harlan 265). The experience of Prufrock is set against that of unnamed "women" (13), collectively representing womankind. Their unattainable status is represented by their constant movement- they "come and go"- and their "polite chitchat about Michelangelo, who was a man of great creative energy, unlike Prufrock" (Harlan 265). We cannot imagine that they would listen to any love song by Prufrock, any more than they would find his name or his person attractive. "A man named J. Alfred Prufrock could hardly be expected to sing a love song; he sounds too well dressed" (Berryman 197)."J. Alfred Prufrock" indicates his formality, and his surname, in particular, indicates prudery. The powerful metaphor, a visual image of the "yellow fog" (15) in the fourth stanza, represents the jaundiced environment of the modern city, or Eliot's "infernal version of the forest of Arden" (Cervo 227). The image is ambiguous, however, because Eliot als o makes it curiously attractive in the precision he uses in comparing the fog's motions to that of a cat who "[l]icked its tongue into the corners of the evening" (17). We also hear the fog, disquietingly, in that image, in the onomatopoeia of "licked." Repetition of "time", in the following stanza, shows how the world of Prufrock's being is bound to temporality. "Prufrock speaks to his listeners as if they had come to visit him in some circle of unchanging hell where time has stopped and all action has become theoretical" (Miller 183). "Time" is repeated, several times, but it is not only its inescapable presence that Eliot is emphasizing, but also the triviality of the ways in which we use it; "the taking of a toast and tea" (34).

A Business Case for an ISO 14001 Essay

Abstract The ISO 14000 series takes the international standards system to the field of environmental concerns. ISO 14001 focuses on the development and maintenance of an Environmental Management System, within the ISO 14000 series. The ISO 14000 series is of relatively recent origin, having been instituted in 1991. However, it has emerged as a significant force within a short time. The ISO 14000 series is relevant for the world of business, for governments and regulators, for organizations that work not-for-profit and for entities of all types and sizes, wherever they may be. Its universal nature makes it a unique and dominant system for all people who are concerned with pollution, waste and about the consumption of resources that are limited and which cannot be renewed. ISO 14000 promotes professional conduct. Training people and involving them in key processes lie at the heart of the ISO 14000 system. The rigors of certification serve to develop human resources. It can serve to motivate people at all levels of the hierarchy, and to foster team spirit. The ISO 14000 system is not limited to altruism and to noble intentions. It is worth hard cash. ISO 14001 puts great pressure to bear on achieving productivity improvements that translate to valuable cost savings. Major international corporations enjoy impressive profit growth through the ISO 14000 series. All ISO certifications carry the benefits of independent and international recognition. ISO extension in to the field of environmental concerns through the 14000 series brings desirable pressure on companies that produce hazardous substances and which generate enormous amounts of waste. Customers everywhere have the choice to insist on ISO 14000 certifications. Companies may find themselves excluded from significant market segments if they continue to ignore or to avoid ISO 14000. Some organizations may find themselves out of business if they do not secure ISO 14000 certification. Apple leads a galaxy of the world’s most respected enterprises in using ISO 14001 certification as a cornerstone of competitive strategy. Lithium ion battery technology is an example of innovation that a commitment to environmental conservation can present. Solutions inspired by ISO 14001 can have welcome economic benefits, apart from noble achievements in terms of environmental conservation. Reduction in energy consumption is an outstanding example, since power generation can be both expensive as well as polluting. ISO 14000 calls for abiding commitment on the part of all entities that seek certification. The system consumes major portions of employee time. ISO 14000 becomes a major element of cost, though it does produce handsome returns. The ISO 14000 series follows a highly structured implementation procedure. There is comprehensive documentation widely available that any organization can use to enter the system. Most organizations find it expedient to use consultants to guide them through the process. Independent auditors are inevitable. External auditors must be knowledgeable, experienced and accredited. ISO 14000 has important weaknesses. Loss of proprietary information is the most serious risk. Certified companies may find that their defenses have been compromised in the event of litigation. This arises from the documentation and management reviews that are integral to ISO 14000. ISO 14000 leaves organizations free to choose their own goals, priorities and standards. It therefore lends itself to potential abuse by organizations that may push important social concerns to the background, or to prevaricate about deleterious aspects of environmental degradation. Some organizations may not be able to fund the investments in time and money that ISO 14000 requires. The benefits may therefore evade small enterprises. ISO 14000 documentation needs can also duplicate documentation that other systems and some regulations require. Training and audit infrastructure is inadequate for widespread and global application of ISO 14000. Some organizations, especially in remote regions can find themselves excluded though they may wish to enlist. ISO 14000 confines itself to the environment. It does not consider issues of human wellness. There are many community concerns that ISO 14000 does not address. It is not a guarantee of ethical performance of an organization on all fronts. Business interests may be served best if companies were to use ISO 14000 for internal review, without going in for certification or even registration. It would then be an effective tool of risk management without opening the firm to unwelcome public scrutiny. Purpose of the Study There are a number of excellent consulting services and other resources available at a cost, to help companies through the process of achieving certification. The key is the element of cost. In order to receive funds for consulting services or any other resources, you may have to justify your endeavor financially prior receiving any funding. Even if your company is capable of going through the process without any outside resources there are still direct and indirect costs associated with the process, prior to hiring a certification company to conduct an audit. You will have to buy materials, pull people in full time and part time, audit and update records. Training will be required for employees and management. The purpose is to show that the costs associated with obtaining and maintaining an ISO 14000 certification as part of an Environmental Management System, can be exceeded by the benefits of doing so. The benefits are not just monetary, but also how the company is viewed in the public eye as well, which is increasingly important in today’s global economy. Importance of the study Several industries are trying very hard to change their public image as environmentally â€Å"unfriendly†. The oil industry with its need to seek more sources, often in wilderness areas, chemical companies which have in the past legally dumped toxic waste, the timber industries and the automotive industry which continues to produce large gas guzzling SUV’s and trucks are all very sensitive to public perception. Perception is very powerful and a company does not want to be perceived as harmful to the environment or not environmentally friendly. The ISO 14000 certification system can be used as a tool to not just say we are concerned about the environment, but to show what you have been doing, are doing and will be doing to improve your performance. In doing so you should be able to add to your bottom line, both direct and indirect. As more and more of these companies and seek and obtain the ISO 14000 certification they require suppliers to do so as well. It is very likely that both public and private demand for environmental responsibility will continue to fuel the shift towards certification as proof of doing so. In the global economy today an ISO 14000 certification could become as important, to show a company’s environmental responsibility, as ISO or QS 9000 is to show a commitment to quality. It may become a prerequisite to doing business with some companies and in more industries as it has in the automotive industry. This study seeks to contribute to the on-going debate within some sections of industry about the economics of ISO 14001. We know that large corporations invest in registrations, often under duress from social activists. But is there money to be gained by following the system? Can there be purely business reasons for seeking ISO 14001 certification? Can smaller enterprises participate? These are some of the questions that this study seeks to answer. Scope of the Study The majority of the top 100 companies in the United States have already achieved ISO 14000 certification. The same trend exists in the European Union. The research will look at what is driving the movement towards certification. It will also look at what is required to become certified and to maintain that certification. This will be done through case studies of companies that have already achieved certification, how it has affected their companies and in what ways. The main focus being that it makes good business sense, and the justification thereof. The study concentrates on the business and profit reasons for ISO 14000 registrations, with tertiary scans of ethical issues and applicability of not-for-profit organizations. The study includes brief descriptions of all phases of the ISO 14001 process, with outlines of the various sections of the manual that is an integral part of the process. Rationale of the Study While a lot companies have already achieved ISO 14000 certification many more have not. One of the biggest factors in failure to achieve or to get the company to attempt certification, especially in small and medium size companies, is that often the appointed SME (subject matter expert) has little knowledge as to what is required. It is a task that is added to their current â€Å"to do† list and they are not given the proper resources or time to conduct a thorough study as to what needs to be done, the resources it will require and what is most important in some cases, R.O. I. (Return On Investment). This study will help to explain what is required, where to look for information and through case studies show that a positive R. O. I. can be achieved through ISO 14000 certification and the maintenance of the certification. Overview of the Study The study will consider the attributes of ISO 14000 as an Environmental Management System. In this paper the main focus will be to define the quantitative as well as qualitative benefits for employing an EMS, in our case ISO 14000. While ISO 14000 will be the primary focus, other EMS systems will also be discusses as alternatives and for relative comparisons. The procedures for and the costs of implementation will also be looked at as part of the study. In the process case studies will be studied and discussed through the use of Internet searches, relevant case studies and publications as well as personal experience and interviews with others in the field. This study will attempt to provide methods for justification of perusing certification. We will also try to give an overview of the process for obtaining certification from the planning stage, through implementation, certification as well as the follow up and continuous improvement required to maintain certification. The Ethical Rationale for Environmental Management Standards Concern for the environment is one of the hallmarks of social concerns during our times. Awareness has been growing since the last quarter of the 20th century. It has snowballed in to a major force. There are signs that countries and people will become increasingly demanding of all organizations with which to deal, in this respect. Though the first world is more influenced by concern for the environment, developing economies are also dragged in to the vortex of global opinion, as electronic media and desire for market access drive even poorer people to conform to conservation standards. Pollution, use of hazardous substances, non-degradable waste and consumption of limited natural resources are the four principal corners of environmental concerns. Pollution of air and water are most perceptible for lay people, but the effects of land fills can be equally devastating. Pesticides and organic solvents lead a series of chemicals with both acute and chronic effects. Mesothelioma is an example of a consequence of exposure to a hazardous substance, the fatal implications of which can surface after decades. Organochlorine pesticides persist in nature almost indefinitely. People at large have become very concerned about such residues and threats that surround them. Women and children are especially vulnerable. The concept of supply chains has spurred thoughts about life cycle analysis. Exhaustive labeling requirements have made people more generally aware that an innocuous finished product may involve the use of hazardous substances. Processed foods are common examples of convenience products that may contain harmful ingredients and sources of infection and contamination. This matter also leads to consideration of packaging materials that we have traditionally taken for granted. Consumers are now aware that products made from paper can involve the destruction of forest cover, while plastic has acquired a notorious image for its persistence. This applies to tin and other metals as well. Mercury and other heavy metals in batteries and electronic products are also causes of concern. Clean water has been in acute shortage in many parts of the third world for some time now, but even developed economies have begun to worry about large-scale use of this precious resource, Ground water contamination and depletion of the ozone layer are other matters that engage much popular attention. Large corporations that generate profits are prime targets for pressures to develop environmental management standards. Companies, whose operations transcend national boundaries, have to be especially careful of their environmental footprints. However, government, social service organizations and small business may all affect the environment in serious and indelible ways. Hence it is possible that environmental management programs may become increasingly universal with the passage of time. We may conclude that there is a strong ethical foundation for environmental concerns. All organizations regardless of their size, nature and location, will be subject to pressures to monitor their environmental impacts, and to find ways of reducing or even eliminating all harmful implications of their transactions. The ethical rationale has a firm linkage with business reasons for ISO 14000 certifications, as there are societal trends that it soon become a pre-requisite for continuing to be in business. The Sustainability Imperative for Environmental Management Mature sectors of national economies, and ones that grow rapidly, are in danger of extinction if they do not address environmental concerns. Electronic waste generated by computers and emissions from heavy industries are examples of enterprises and activities that may have a natural end if they do not address the irreversible effects that they can have on the environment. Depletion of the ozone layer is the sort of contentious issue that spreads across sectors and across countries as well. Closely held companies and ones whose stocks are actively traded on markets are most vulnerable to sustainability pressures. The effects of litigation on tobacco and pharmaceutical companies does influence market capitalization significantly, while major industrial accidents can cause companies to cease operations altogether. Government authorities responsible for solid waste disposal, drainage and water supply, may also face bottlenecks if they do not institute timely procedures for environmental management. Food safety is an issue that can affect even a small hot-dog stand. All entities are subject to irreversible degradation if they cause continuing pollution and wasteful consumption. Viral pandemics amongst poor communities are proof that the effects of a deteriorating environment are ultimately universal. We may conclude that there are survival compulsions for all sections of society, in terms of using environmental management systems. Damage and depletion have cumulative effects, some of which manifest themselves many years later. Changes in the macro-environment, such as ozone depletion have serious consequences for innocent communities. Stakeholders of all hues need the umbrella of environmental management systems for their own survival. There are indications that the only companies that will survive and prosper as the 21st century unfolds will be the ones with sound environmental management systems in place. The ones that consume too much of energy and that are relatively wasteful of materials, will be forced out of business by more efficient competitors. Companies that consume vast quantities of non-renewable resources will begin to reach deep in to irreversible crevasses. Society will become increasingly impatient with waste that cannot degrade, and even more so with air and water emissions that threaten human wellness. Companies may escape accountability for environmental degradation in the third world for awhile yet, but apocalypse for them is visible on the horizon! Recent concern for the environment in China marks a watershed, for industries and individuals in this enormous market have operated without such cares until now. The new trend in China spells a change for all corporations that sell their goods and services there, and also for those which source inputs from that vast land. India, being a democracy and a land of education, will follow suit in due course. The days for those without environmental management programs in place are numbered, and there is advantage in jumping on to the learning curve of ISO 14001 as soon as possible. The system has a business rationale, shorn of any altruistic motives.

Iraq War Essay

The American government took the controversial decision of waging a war against Iraq. The circumstances and the motives of the American government indicate that the war on Iraq was unwarranted and cannot be justified although the American government has put forward a few reasons for waging this war. The logic and evidence does not support such contentions by the American government. The American government has failed to justify its unilateral decision of declaring war against Iraq. In the year 2002, the American President revealed his plan of attacking the Iraqi regime as it was thought that Iraq was in the process of emerging as the greatest threat to the American security. This decision was apparently taken on the basis of the intelligence information that the US government obtained concerning Iraq’s nuclear program. However, it is interesting to note that this intelligence information was kept secret until 2002. The major reason for this war was the terrorist attack of the World Trade Center in the year 2001. Obviously, this attack had left Americans at a state of shock as the successful terrorist attack demonstrated to the whole world that American security is at stake and that American military and intelligence power is not that efficient. (Powers 1) The knee jerk reaction resulted in the decision to chalk out the proper plans to prevent the future attacks of the American territory. However, it is interesting to note that the American government could not obtain even the simple majority of the members of the UN Security Council. This clearly indicates that the United Nations did not wholeheartedly support the Iraqi venture initiated by the American government. The close allies such as France and Germany could not be convinced of the need for this war project as these countries felt that there was no need for any fresh attack on the Iraqi territory as after 1991 this region was left in almost depleted state. The President was able to only convince the United States Congress as the members of the Congress did not question the necessity of a war on Iraq. The Congress members did not even participate in the debate regarding the Iraqi war. This shows that the American government could not convince the world leaders that Iraq was up to some fresh mischief in the form of the production of armaments having the capacity to destroy the world population. These details indicate that the American government has been alienated by other important powers which have not accepted the evidence presented by America that Iraq was emerging as another center of terrorist activities. (Powers 2) The main argument of the proponents of war was that Saddam Hussein possessed various dangerous weapons such as nuclear arsenals and chemical weapons which could have been used to destroy the enemy countries. The proponents of war asserted that the past history of Saddam showed that he was an aggressor. Their another contention is that Saddam Hussein had connections with the Islamic terrorist organizations and the leaders such as Osama bin Laden who had played an important role in the WTC attack. (Mearsheimer and Walt 1) These are the three reasons given by war supporters to justify the US aggression on Iraq. However, the proponents of war are not able to prove that Hussein really possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The UN inspections did not reveal that Iraq actually possessed or had the potential of building huge base of WMD which could have been used for destructive purposes. The War mongers were aware of the fact that their action would lead to huge expenses to the American treasury and that this war would result in the alienation of America in the world politics. Even then they insisted that war was inevitable as one could not afford to ignore the possession of nuclear arsenals in the hands of the Iraqi leadership. In reality, the US had the power to contain the alleged Iraqi aggression. The argument that war was inevitable rests on the faulty logic. The war supporters are not able to come up with substantial proof to suggest that Saddam had seriously pursued the plan of destroying his enemy countries. (Mearsheimer and Walt 4) However, in this context one should remember that after the Gulf war the allied forces had obtained entry into Iraq and they had used their energy to reduce the military power of Iraq. The Gulf war debacle was sufficient to deplete the Iraqi resources. Perhaps the American government needed to make a strong statement against Islamic terrorists after the September 11 attack. This resulted in the declaration of war on Iraq. This can be considered as the face saving attempt made by the American government. The newspapers have reported information from CIA documents which contradicted the statements made by the President Bush who asserted that Iraq was trying to produce nuclear arsenals as the Iraqi officials had approached South Africa to obtain materials needed for producing nuclear weapons. However, CIA expressed doubt regarding this report that Iraq was trying to obtain nuclear weapon materials from South Africa. Another contention of the President was that the Iraqi officials refused entry of the weapon inspectors into Iraqi regions. However, there are evidences which refute this allegation. In reality, as the newspapers reported, the Iraqi government had offered their cooperation with the weapon inspectors. There is also evidence to suggest that even before the beginning of war the American government obtained the information that Iraq did not approach South Africa to obtain nuclear weapon materials. This shows that the Bush administration had deliberately misinterpreted the intelligence reports in order to obtain the support of the Congress members for this war. In spite of these contradictions Bush has defended his action of invading Iraq without any major reason. (Priest and Milbank A01) There are evidences to state that the US decision to attack Iraq has backfired and it has not contributed to the improvement of the US image in the international political arena. The Iraq venture has resulted in the protest by the governments and people belonging to different nations in the world which did not find any necessity for this war. (Martin 3) The main reason for this protest against the war is that this war was unjust. The extreme action taken by the US forces against the innocent Iraqi civilians has come under public criticism. This shows the world public opinion has not supported the idea of the US led campaign against Iraq. This war has enraged the Muslim nations and this may contribute to increase in the activities of the Muslim terrorist organizations leading to the loss of lives in different parts of the world. There is no evidence to state that the US government obtained the support of the majority of the Americans for this war. The Iraq war has contributed to the creation negative image of Bush not only in the world politics but also in the US. In this sense, this war has not benefited the US people. Instead of increasing the security of Americans, this war has increased the possibility of terrorist attack on the innocent American population. (Martin 4) Works Cited Bracknell, Major Rob. â€Å"Euro-bashing as Good Sport†. Naval War College Review. 58. 2, (2005): 139-142. Available at https://www.brookings.edu/