A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories

A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories â€Å"A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories† by Louisa May Alcott includes four short stories, each with different themes, tones, structure and point of view. Yet on a careful reading of these four stories one can discern a common theme that can be loosely applied to all the four stories. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This common theme of love and compassion is brought out in each of these stories in a very distinctive way, making each one stand out in its own right. This essay will compare and contrast the various literary elements of the four short stories and highlight the common theme of love and compassion running through the entire collection. The structure of each of these stories is laid out in a way to have maximum impact on the readers. A Modern Cinderella starts out like Cinderella’s story and shows one sister toiling h ard while other rest and ends like Cinderella when John produces the slipper. The beginning and the end justify the title for the rest of the story is nothing like the fairy tale and lays out the daily trials of simple folks. But while the Cinderella like start hooks the reader, the happy ending gives reader something to cheer about after the tragedy that had befallen the family in the middle of the story. The structure provides a perfect blend wherein comparison with the fairy tale is juxtaposed with the harsher realities of life. Debby’s Debut follows a simple structure of a love triangle where the love of the two suitors is alternately discussed to create the suspense as to which of the two Debby will chose. Although the reader is told that Debby loves Evans and there are a number of signs pointing towards Evans as the eventual winner, the depth of Leavenworth’s love is discussed in enough details to create doubt in the reader’s mind, especially in light of the pressure from Aunt Pen. This story follows the classical structure of a love triangle to keep the readers interested. The Brothers has an ebb and flow like structure. It starts slowly but the momentum builds up and reaches its high point when Robert’s identity is revealed. The tension continues as Robert proceeds to kill Ned and Faith tries to stop him. Once Robert agrees to back off, the narrative once again slows down only to rise again towards the climax. This structure has a very dramatic effect on the story and gets the reader involved in the lives of the lead characters.Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Each of the stories introduces the loving and compassionate nature of its lead characters in the opening scene. The first story, A Modern Cinderella, starts on a hot summer day when the main protagonist, Nan, is toiling alone in the kitchen while her younger sisters laze around. The arrival of John in this setting and subsequent change in Nan’s demeanor immediately makes the reader aware of the spark between these lead characters. Similarly in the Debby’s Debut, the reference to Aunt Pen’s intention of finding a suitable match for Debby, gives the first hint of an impending romance. The themes of The Brothers and Nelly’s Hospital center more around the compassion of its lead characters for other creatures. In The Brothers, nurse Faith Dane finds compassion in her heart for both the rebel soldier as well as the Mulatto, when it is clear that no one else in the hospital want to have anything to do with either of them. The main theme of Nelly’s Hospital is her compassion for her living being and once again this theme is introduced early in the story. Thus, each one of the four stories gives very specific and clear hint about their main theme in the early stages. Another idea repeated throug h the stories is that of loving one’s enemy. In The Brothers, Faith immediately agrees to care for the rebel soldier declaring that though she could not quite love her enemies, she was â€Å"willing to take care of them† (55). This theme of loving one’s enemies is repeated in Nelly’s Hospital, When Nelly compares the snake with a Rebel soldiers and yet decides to help it. In Debby’s Debut, Debby feels compassion for Clara, who would have been considered competition by other girls in her place. Astute enough to realize that Leavenworth was flirting with Clara to get her attention and that Clara might be falling for him, Debby chides Leavenworth for his actions. In the Modern Cinderella, although her sisters are not her enemies and are not intentionally cruel to her, at the beginning of the story, they come across as the â€Å"wicked stepsisters† and yet Nan jokes about them when John asks where they are. At this stage, the reader is not awa re of the true nature of the relationship between the sisters, and Nan’s charitable description of her sisters’ activities hint at her compassionate constitution. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus the idea of compassion towards enemies is firmly established across the four stories. The common theme of love and compassion is supported by author’s tone which is mostly optimistic in each of the stories. Modern Cinderella starts with the various domestic problems facing Nan, but the entry of John quickly turns the tone into optimism. The sisters share a loving relationship and even though Di and Laura tend to avoid house work and responsibilities, John’s reproach of their attitude is playful and their reaction suggests at the tight bond shared by the sisters. Despite all the problems faced by lovers, the tone never be comes pessimistic. Even the death of the sisters’ father does bring down the narrative and when Nan falls ill, it is quickly balanced by Laura’s optimistic thoughts about her sister and her resolve to become more like Nan. In Debby’s Debut, the tone is earnest and joyful as Debby attempts to please her aunt but cannot help herself from enjoying simple pleasures of life. As Debby enjoys her life despite Aunt Pen’s strict rules, the readers get pulled into the lively girl’s adventure and enjoy the vacation with her. In keeping with the subject of the story, The Brothers has a rather solemn tone. Although Robert’s experiences as a slave make him bitter, it does not affect the tone of the story which remains optimistic throughout. Finally, Nelly’s Hospital has an earnest tone as all the major characters chip in to help Nelly in her noble cause. As mentioned, each one of these stories remains optimistic even in the face of adverse circu mstances and avoid any kind of negative tone. The stories make ample use of foreshadowing to prepare the readers for the budding romance of its lead characters. In Modern Cinderella, Nan is facing a number of problems in the kitchen as she is trying to prepare the dinner all alone. But with the arrival of John â€Å"seemed to soothe all unpropitious powers with a sudden spell† (5). Advertising Looking for essay on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is the first hint of about Nan’s feeling for John. Similarly, the mention of John giving â€Å"his own gift in his mother’s name† hints at John’s feeling for Nan long before he confesses about it to his mother. In Debby’s Debut, the readers get the first hint Frank Evans and Debby may fall in love which each other by referring to Evans as â€Å"her fate† (26). In The Brothers, Robert’s trance like conduct when Faith first sees him gives the first hint that something is right. These foreshadowing makes the readers look forward to impending romance in The Modern Cinderella and Debby’s Debut, while incites the curiosity in The Brothers. The stories introduce conflict at various stages in the plot. In a Modern Cinderella, the conflict first arises somewhere in the middle of the story when John’s mother advices him to wait a year before proposing to Nan. It is further heightened by the death of the sisters’ fathe r which puts the responsibility of the family on young Nan’s shoulders. In Debby’s Debut, conflict is present from the very start since the Aunt Pen obviously wants Debby to marry rich and Evans comes from a working class background. Leavenworth’s growing affection for Debby further complicates the conflict. In The Brothers, the conflict is introduced rather late when Robert discloses his true identity and his intentions of taking revenge. The introduction of the conflict at various stages makes the readers react in different ways in each of these stories. In the Modern Cinderella, just as the reader is starting to believe that the main protagonists will soon get together, the introduction of conflict brings back the suspense. The love triangle and Aunt Pen’s clear preference for the rich Leavenworth keeps the suspense alive throughout the story in Debby’s Debut. In The Brothers, once the conflict is revealed, readers develop sympathy for Robert and subsequently, when the Rebel recovers, readers get the feeling of injustice towards the former slave. The strategic positioning of the conflict in each of these stories keeps the reader involved and raises varying emotions. Coming to the point of view, Alcott uses various points of view in the four stories to make the desired impact. Both Modern Cinderella and Debby’s Debut are romantic stories and so the omniscient point of view of these stories keeps the readers aware of the feelings of each of the characters and heightens the conflict and suspense in these stories. The Brothers uses a First Person narration resulting in a limited point of view which in turn heightens the suspense of the proceedings. The third person narrative of Nelly’s Hospital provides readers with the facts as seen from the perspective of a young girl. This helps the readers appreciate Nelly’s efforts and empathize with her concerns. Thus using the right point of views makes conflic t and the suspense of each one these stories stand out and helps the reader to identify with the characters. While each of the stories has their own ironies, The Brothers is perhaps one of the most ironic tales ever told. Robert finds himself caring for and trying to save the man who was responsible for his wife’s death. Even though he hates Ned, for an entire week he works hard to improve his condition so that he can learn what happened to his wife. When Robert tries to kill Ned to take revenge for her wife’s death, Faith ironically evokes the dead woman’s memory to stop him from committing murder. And in the end, even though he had been wronged again and again by his former master, he is unable to get his revenge when not him but another soldier kills Ned while he dies as a result of wounds inflicted upon him by Ned. Robert feels avenged and says that â€Å"it’s better so†, perhaps because the way the things played out ensured that Robert was n ot guilty of murdering his own brother. Once again the readers witness the irony of the situation since even though he had been wronged by Ned in so many ways Robert continues to think of him as his brother. While The Brothers is full of irony, other stories in the collection also have their ironic moments. In A Modern Cinderella, the biggest irony is perhaps the fact that the girls lose their father on the happiest day of their life. Just a few hours after he accepts Phillips proposal to allow Laura to marry him, he is found dead in his garden. Alcott further brings out this irony in announcing the death. She refers to fields of grain and ripening fruits, all of which are symbols of prosperity and life and then mentions almost offhandedly that â€Å"In the silence of the night a greater Reaper had passed by†¦leaving only tender memories† (18). In Debby’s Debut, we witness the happy irony of Debby falling in love with the poor Mr. Evans despite her aunt’s best efforts to get her married to the rich Leavenworth. Also, while Aunt Pen tries to educate her niece in the sophisticated ways of the rich society, ironically it is Debby’s simple and honest demeanor which attracts Leavenworth to her. The stories also make ample use of symbols, metaphors and imagery to get the message across. A Modern Cinderella starts with a description of the sisters’ house and its surrounding and refers to the trees as â€Å"patriarchal elms stood sentinel upon the lawn, as they had stood almost a century ago† (3), just as their fathers â€Å"paternal love †¦ had been its strength and stay† (20). The problems facing Nan as she braves the house work all is best captured by the words â€Å"domestic purgatory†¦, kitchen† (4). Later, when it is obvious that Nan has fallen in love with John, the grove which she had visited since childhood to enjoy its solitude no longer felt deserted and â€Å"all things seemed to wear one shape†(13), an obvious reference to John. Just before announcing the death of their father, Alcott tells the readers the good news of Laura’s impending engagement. A little later, John and Nan walk out into the garden to look for Nan’s father. As they are walking down the garden, Alcott describes the scenery as â€Å"Fields of yellow grain were waving on the hill-side, and sere corn blades rustled in the wind, from the orchard came the scent of ripening fruit, and all the garden-plots lay ready to yield up their humble offerings to their masters hand† (18). These words serve a dual purpose at this point of the story. Besides bringing out the irony of the old man’s death, they also refer to the happiness felt by the young lovers in wake of the recently receive good news. Although the sisters always had a close bond, the death of their father brought them closer and prepared them for the long life that lay in front of them. Alcott has described this formation of a close bond between the sisters using the metaphor â€Å"the soil was made ready, and in the depth of winter the good seed was sown, was watered with many tears, and soon sprang up green with a promise of a harvest for their after years† (20). As the girls grew closer and became more responsible, their actions are described as â€Å"herbs of grace† (21). Time heals all wounds and by spring the girls had taken control of their lives and moved on after their father’s death. This aptly symbolized as â€Å"spring cleaning†. In Debby’ Debut, the contrast between old age and youth is brought out by the fact that while even though they had both had the same exhausting journey, Aunt Pen chose to sleep earl while Debby was forced to be patient even though she wanted to play at the beach. Also, while Debby rose early, Aunt Pen continued to sleep till much later. The rising sun is an apt symbol for Debby’s youth and her soon to foll ow debut. The youngsters at the summer watering hole had completely different dispositions in the privacy of their home but took on more polished roles in the each other company. This change in their personalities is captured by Alcott using the words â€Å"actors and actresses† to refer to the young crowd. In the Brothers, the various injustices faced by Robert are compared with Michael Angelo’s bronze prisoner. Also, Robert refused to adopt the last name of his masters but later took Faith’s last name as a sign of his respect for the woman who gave him a second life free of vengeful thoughts. Another symbol is Alcott’s reference to the fact that â€Å"all colored men are called boys†. Robert is described as a twenty five year old strong-limbed and manly person. Yet he is referred to as a â€Å"boy† because of his race. As Patterson points out, this confuses his identity, just as his being of mixed race results in him belonging to neither race. Similarly, being a contraband â€Å"he is neither a slave nor free† (Patterson para 5). By referring to this manly person as â€Å"boy†, Alcott symbolizes the confused nature of his identity. Thus Alcott has made ample use of imagery, symbols and metaphors to get across her message in her stories. Alcott also had a tendency to borrow heavily from her own life and experiences and this lends the realism to her stories. A Modern Cinderella, tells the story of three sisters. As pointed out by Keyser, this sister theme is repeated over and over again Alcott’s writing. A Modern Cinderella like several other of Alcott’s work, including her most famous novel, Little Women, â€Å"are based on the experience of Alcott and her sisters† (Keyser 84). Similarly, Alcott’s brief work as a nurse during the Civil War is reflected in The Brothers and Nelly’s Hospital. On the other hand, Debby’s Debut reflects her limited knowledge of fash ionable society since by the time she wrote the story it was no longer considered necessary for poor girls to â€Å"make hay and eat bread and milk out of a bowl† (Harris 117). It is obvious that her stories were much more realistic when they were directly inspired from her personal experiences. In conclusion, the four stories in the collection each have a unique take on theme of love and compassion and loving ones enemies. Each one of these stories skillfully uses the various literary elements to create the mood and deliver the punch at the right places. The fourth story, Nelly’s Hospital is simple tale of a little girl who feels compassion for living beings. Although the story is not as dramatic as the other three stories, it portrays the innocence of childhood and brings out the healing power of a kind deed. A Modern Cinderella and Debby’s Debut are classical love stories told in a simple way. And The Brothers highlights the importance of forgiving those wh o have sinned against us. Each one of these stories provides a new insight into human nature and has a literary structure to keep its readers hooked from the first word to the last. Work Cited Alcott, Louis May. A Modern Cinderella and Other Stories. Web. Harris, Sharon M. Rebecca Harding Davis and American Realism. USA: University of Pennsylvania Press. 1991. Print Keyser, Elizabeth Lennox. â€Å"The Most Beautiful Things in All the World† Little women and the feminist imagination: criticism, controversy, personal essays. Eds. Janice M. Alberghene, Beverly Lyon Clark.USA: Psychology Press. 1999. Print. Patterson, Mark. Racial sacrifice and citizenship: the construction of masculinity in Louisa May Alcotts The Brothers.. Studies in American Fiction 25.2 (1997): 147+. Literature Resource Center. Web.

Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Unifier of Japan

Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Unifier of Japan Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1539–September 18, 1598) was the leader of Japan who reunified the country after 120 years of political fragmentation. During his rule, known as the Momoyama or Peach Mountain age, the country was united as a more-or-less peaceful federation of 200 independent daimyo (great lords), with himself as an imperial regent. Fast Facts: Toyotomi Hideyoshi Known For: Ruler of Japan, reunified the countryBorn: 1536 in Nakamura, Owari Province, JapanParents: Farmer and part-time soldier Yaemon and his wifeDied: September 18, 1598 at Fushimi castle, KyotoEducation: Trained as a military aide to Matsushita Yukitsana (1551–1558), then with Oda Nobunaga (1558–1582)Published Works: The Tensho-ki, a biography he commissionedSpouse(s): Chacha (principal concubine and mother of his children)Children: Tsurumatsu (1580–1591), Toyotomi Hideyori (1593–1615) Early Life Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born in 1536, in Nakamura, Owari Province, Japan.  He was the second child of Yaemon, a peasant farmer and part-time soldier for the Oda clan, who died in 1543  when the boy was 7 years old and his sister was about 10. Hideyoshi’s mother soon remarried. Her new husband also served Oda Nobuhide, the daimyo of the Owari region, and she had another son and daughter. Hideyoshi was small for his age and skinny. His parents sent him to a temple to get an education, but the boy ran away seeking adventure. In 1551, he joined the service of Matsushita Yukitsuna, a retainer of the powerful Imagawa family in Totomi province. This was unusual because both Hideyoshi’s father and his stepfather had served the Oda clan. Joining Oda Hideyoshi returned home in 1558 and offered his service to Oda Nobunaga, son of the daimyo. At the time, the Imagawa clans army of 40,000 was invading Owari, Hideyoshi’s home province. Hideyoshi took a huge gamble- the Oda army numbered only about 2,000.  In 1560, the Imagawa and Oda armies met in battle at Okehazama.  Oda Nobunaga’s tiny force ambushed the Imagawa troops in a driving rainstorm and scored an incredible victory, driving the invaders away. Legend says that 24-year-old Hideyoshi served in this battle as Nobunaga’s sandal-bearer. However, Hideyoshi does not appear in Nobunaga’s surviving writings until the early 1570s. Promotion Six years later, Hideyoshi led a raid that captured Inabayama Castle for the Oda clan. Oda Nobunaga rewarded him by making him a general. In 1570, Nobunaga attacked his brother-in-law’s castle, Odani. Hideyoshi led the first three detachments of one thousand samurai each against the well-fortified castle. Nobunaga’s army used the devastating new technology of firearms, rather than horse-mounted swordsmen. Muskets are not much use against castle walls, however, so Hideyoshi’s section of the Oda army settled in for a siege. By 1573, Nobunagas troops had defeated all of its enemies in the area. For his part, Hideyoshi received the daimyo-ship of three regions within Omi Province. By 1580, Oda Nobunaga had consolidated power in over 31 of Japans 66 provinces. Upheaval In 1582, Nobunagas general Akechi Mitsuhide turned his army against his lord, attacking and overrunning Nobunagas castle. Nobunagas diplomatic machinations had caused the hostage-murder of Mitsuhides mother.  Mitsuhide forced Oda Nobunaga and his eldest son to commit seppuku. Hideyoshi captured one of Mitsuhides messengers and learned of Nobunagas death the next day. He and other Oda generals, including Tokugawa Ieyasu, raced to avenge their lords death. Hideyoshi caught up with Mitsuhide first, defeating and killing him at the Battle of Yamazaki just 13 days after Nobunagas death. A succession fight erupted in the Oda clan. Hideyoshi supported Nobunagas grandson Oda Hidenobu. Tokugawa Ieyasu preferred the oldest remaining son Oda Nobukatsu. Hideyoshi prevailed, installing Hidenobu as the new Oda daimyo. Throughout 1584, Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu engaged in intermittent skirmishes, none decisive. At the Battle of Nagakute, Hideyoshis troops were crushed, but Ieyasu lost three of his top generals. After eight months of this costly fighting, Ieyasu sued for peace. Hideyoshi now controlled 37 provinces. In conciliation, Hideyoshi distributed lands to his defeated foes in the Tokugawa and Shibata clans. He also granted lands to Samboshi and Nobutaka. This was a clear signal that he was taking power in his own name. Hideyoshi Reunifies Japan In 1583, Hideyoshi began construction on Osaka Castle, a symbol of his power and intent to rule all of Japan. Like Nobunaga, he refused the title of Shogun. Some courtiers doubted a farmer’s son could legally claim that title. Hideyoshi circumvented the potentially embarrassing debate by taking the title of kampaku, or regent, instead.  Hideyoshi then ordered the dilapidated Imperial Palace restored, and offered gifts of money to the cash-strapped imperial family. Hideyoshi also decided to bring the southern island of Kyushu under his authority. This island was home to the primary trading ports through which goods from China, Korea, Portugal, and other nations made their way into Japan. Many of the daimyo of Kyushu had converted to Christianity under the influence of Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries. Some had been converted by force, and Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were destroyed. In November 1586, Hideyoshi sent a huge invasion force to Kyushu, totaling some 250,000 troops. A number of local daimyo rallied to his side as well, so it did not take long for the massive army to crush all resistance. As usual, Hideyoshi confiscated all of the land and then returned smaller portions to his defeated foes and rewarded his allies with much larger fiefdoms. He also ordered the expulsion of all Christian missionaries on Kyushu. The final reunification campaign took place in 1590. Hideyoshi sent another huge army, probably more than 200,000 men, to conquer the mighty Hojo clan, which ruled the area around Edo (now Tokyo).  Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu led the army, joined by a naval force to bottle up the Hojo resistance from the sea. The defiant daimyo Hojo Ujimasa withdrew to Odawara Castle and settled in to wait out Hideyoshi. After six months, Hideyoshi sent in Ujimasas brother to ask for the Hojo daimyos surrender. He refused, and Hideyoshi launched a three-day, all-out attack on the castle. Ujimasa finally sent his son to surrender the castle. Hideyoshi ordered Ujimasa to commit seppuku. He confiscated the domains  and sent Ujimasas son and brother into exile. The great Hojo clan was obliterated. Hideyoshis Reign In 1588, Hideyoshi forbade all Japanese citizens besides samurai from owning weapons. This Sword Hunt angered farmers and warrior-monks, who traditionally had kept weapons and participated in wars and rebellions. Hideyoshi wanted to clarify the boundaries between the various social classes in Japan  and to prevent uprisings by the monks and peasants. Three years later, Hideyoshi issued another order forbidding anyone from hiring ronin, the wandering samurai with no masters. Towns also were barred from allowing farmers to become traders or craftsmen. The Japanese social order was to be set in stone. If you were born a farmer, you died a farmer. If you were a samurai born into the service of a particular daimyo, there you stayed. Hideyoshi himself rose from the peasant class to become kampaku. Nonetheless, this hypocritical order helped to usher in a centuries-long era of peace and stability. In order to keep the daimyo in check, Hideyoshi ordered them to send their wives and children to the capital city as hostages. The daimyo themselves would spend alternating years in their fiefs and in the capital. This system, called sankin kotai or alternate attendance, was codified in 1635 and continued until 1862. Finally, Hideyoshi also ordered a nationwide population census  and a survey of all the lands. It measured not only the exact sizes of the different domains  but also the relative fertility and expected crop yield. All of this information was key for setting taxation rates. Succession Problems Hideyoshis only children were two boys, from his principal concubine Chacha (also known as Yodo-dono or Yodo-gimi), the daughter of Oda Nobunagas sister. In 1591, Hideyoshis only son, a toddler named Tsurumatsu, suddenly died, followed soon by Hideyoshis half-brother Hidenaga. The kampaku adopted Hidenagas son Hidetsugu as his heir. In 1592, Hideyoshi became the taiko or retired regent, while Hidetsugu took the title of kampaku. This retirement was in name only, however- Hideyoshi maintained his hold on power. The following year, however, Hideyoshis concubine Chacha gave birth to a new son. This baby, Hideyori, represented a serious threat to Hidetsugu. Hideyoshi had a substantial force of bodyguards posted to protect the child from any attack by his uncle. Hidetsugu developed a bad reputation across the country as a cruel and blood-thirsty man. He was known to drive out into the countryside with his musket and shoot down farmers in their fields just for practice. He also played executioner, relishing the job of chopping up convicted criminals with his sword. Hideyoshi could not tolerate this dangerous and unstable man, who posed an obvious threat to the baby Hideyori. In 1595, he accused Hidetsugu of plotting to overthrow him and ordered him to commit seppuku. Hidetsugus head was displayed on the city walls after his death. Shockingly, Hideyoshi also ordered Hidetsugus wives, concubines, and children all to be brutally executed except for a one-month-old daughter. This excessive cruelty was not an isolated incident in Hideyoshis later years. He also ordered his friend and tutor, the tea-ceremony master Rikyu, to commit seppuku at the age of 69 in 1591. In 1596, he ordered the crucifixion of six shipwrecked Spanish Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits, and 17 Japanese Christians at Nagasaki. Invasions of Korea Throughout the late 1580s and early 1590s, Hideyoshi sent a number of emissaries to King Seonjo of Korea, demanding safe passage through the country for the Japanese army. Hideyoshi informed the Joseon king that he intended to conquer Ming China and India. The Korean ruler made no reply to these messages. In February 1592, 140,000 Japanese army troops arrived in an armada of some 2,000 boats and ships. It attacked Busan, in southeastern Korea.  In weeks, the Japanese advanced to the capital city of Seoul. King Seonjo and his court fled north, leaving the capital to be burned and looted. By July, the Japanese held Pyeongyang as well. The battle-hardened samurai troops cut through the Korean defenders like a sword through butter, to China’s concern. The land war went Hideyoshis way, but Korean naval superiority made life difficult for the Japanese. The Korean fleet had better weaponry and more experienced sailors. It also had a secret weapon- the iron-clad turtle ships, which were nearly invulnerable to Japans underpowered naval cannon. Cut off from their food and ammunition supplies, the Japanese army got bogged down in the mountains of northern Korea. Korean Admiral Yi Sun Shin scored a devastating victory over Hideyoshis navy at the Battle of Hansan-do on August 13, 1592. Hideyoshi ordered his remaining ships to cease engagements with the Korean navy.  In January 1593, the Wanli Emperor of China sent 45,000 troops to reinforce the beleaguered Koreans. Together, the Koreans and Chinese pushed Hideyoshis army out of Pyeongyang. The Japanese were pinned down and with their navy unable to deliver supplies, they began to starve.  In mid-May1593, Hideyoshi relented and ordered his troops home to Japan. He did not give up his dream of a mainland empire, however. In August 1597, Hideyoshi sent a second invasion force against Korea. This time, however, the Koreans and their Chinese allies were better prepared. They stopped the Japanese army short of Seoul and forced them back toward Busan in a slow, grinding drive. Meanwhile, Admiral Yi set out to crush Japans rebuilt naval forces once more. Death Hideyoshis grand imperial scheme came to an end on September 18, 1598, when the taiko died. On his deathbed, Hideyoshi repented sending his army into this Korean quagmire. He said, Dont let my soldiers become spirits in a foreign land. Hideyoshis biggest concern as he lay dying, however, was the fate of his heir. Hideyori was only 5 years old and unable to assume his fathers powers, so Hideyoshi set up the Council of Five Elders to rule as his regents until he came of age. This council included Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hideyoshi’s one-time rival. The old taiko extracted vows of loyalty to his little son from a number of other senior daimyo and sent precious gifts of gold, silk robes, and swords to all the important political players. He also made personal appeals to the Council members to protect and serve Hideyori faithfully. Hideyoshis Legacy The Council of Five Elders kept the taikos death a secret for several months while they withdrew the Japanese army from Korea. With that piece of business complete, though, the council broke down into two opposing camps. On one side was Tokugawa Ieyasu. On the other were the remaining four elders. Ieyasu wanted to take power for himself. The others supported little Hideyori. In 1600, the two forces came to blows in the Battle of Sekigahara. Ieyasu prevailed  and declared himself shogun. Hideyori was confined to Osaka Castle. In 1614, the 21-year-old Hideyori began to gather soldiers, preparing to challenge Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu launched the Siege of Osaka in November, forcing him to disarm and sign a peace pact. The next spring, Hideyori tried again to gather troops. The Tokugawa army launched an all-out attack on Osaka Castle, reducing sections to rubble with their cannon and setting the castle on fire. Hideyori and his mother committed seppuku. His 8-year-old son was captured by the Tokugawa forces and beheaded. That was the end of the Toyotomi clan. The Tokugawa shoguns would rule Japan until the Meiji Restoration of 1868. Although his lineage did not survive, Hideyoshis influence on Japanese culture and politics was enormous. He solidified the class structure, unified the nation under central control, and popularized cultural practices such as the tea ceremony. Hideyoshi finished the unification begun by his lord, Oda Nobunaga, setting the stage for the peace and stability of the Tokugawa Era. Sources Berry, Mary Elizabeth. Hideyoshi. Cambridge: The Harvard University Press, 1982.  Hideyoshi, Toyotomi. 101 Letters of Hideyoshi: The Private Correspondence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Sophia University, 1975.Turnbull, Stephen. Toyotomi Hideyoshi: Leadership, Strategy, Conflict. Osprey Publishing, 2011.

To what extent can The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) be described Essay

To what extent can The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) be described as a feminist text - Essay Example Additionally, she was drug abused and a lonely woman being suffering the miseries of her life through the hands of his own people. However, she has been shown as a strong woman who takes revenge along with justifying his stance. The storyline is quite captivating in every regard making readers and viewers to enjoy every bit of it (Larsson, 2011). Though, a number of critiques have stated that the movie revolves around the subject of feminist where huge focus has been on highlighting the position and power of women in the society against the men (Newman, 2011). Additionally, with a strong plot, the movie also questions the deeds of men in the society and crimes committed by them in the form of rapes and murders. Being a string gender, the acts of men in the society and especially in the settings of Sweden have been closely analysed through the lenses of feminist approach. On the other hand, the movie supporters stated that the mainly because of the female protagonist, there have been talks about the film being a feminist text but in reality, it touches social issues that need to be understood from women’s’ perspectives (Bourke, 2007). Based on this, the discussion will revolve around analysing the fact to what extent the movie can be described as a feminist text along with discussing about the crime, sexuality, and gender in Sweden in a critical manner. The movie has some serious drama, sexual explicit, physical abuses, rapes, murders, and crime scenes that can be alluring and saddening but showcasing the reality to an extent prevailing in the backdrop of a country like Sweden. The movie shows that the publisher of the Millennium Magazine loses a case involving allegations that were published by him about the billionaire financier Wennerstrom. He was sentenced to three months of imprisonment. The female protagonist in the form of Lisbeth Slander was hired by Vanger, the patriarch of

Molecular Genetics Practical Write Up Lab Report

Molecular Genetics Practical Write Up - Lab Report Example typhimurium, and TA 1535, TA 1537, TA 1538 mutants. 2mL of molten overlay agar (kept in a 45 °C water-bath) was added in to a sterile tube. After waiting for the agar to cool slightly (roughly 37 °C), 0.1mL of the bacterial culture was added using a Gilson pipette fitted with a sterile tip. Immediately the molten agar was poured along with the bacterial strain onto a E-medium plate ensuring even distribution of the overlay agar on the plate surface. The plate was then allowed to cool before incubating at 37 °C overnight. 2mL of molten overlay agar was added in to a sterile tube and after slightly cooling, 0.2mL 0.5mM histidine + 0.5mM biotin solution was added. 0.1 mL of the bacterial culture was added using a Gilson pipette fitted with a sterile tip and immediately the molten agar was poured along with the bacterial strain onto a E-medium plate ensuring even distribution of the overlay agar on the plate surface. The plate was then left to cool and later incubated at 37 °C overnight. 2mL of molten overlay agar was added into a sterile tube. After the agar had slightly cooled, 0.2mL 0.5mM histidine + 0.5mM biotin solution and 0.1mL of the 0.1M histidine solution was added. Immediately pour the molten agar was poured onto a E-medium plate ensuring even distribution of the overlay agar on the plate surface and the plate allowed to cool. Six serial dilutions of the bacterial culture in  ¼ strength Ringer’s solution ( 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5 and 10-6) were prepared by adding, for instance for the 10-1, 100ÃŽ ¼l of the bacterial culture in a sterile eppendorf tube and adding 900ÃŽ ¼l of  ¼ strength Ringer’s solution. This diluted culture was used to carry out the next dilution and repeat this was repeated six times in total in order to get the 10-6 dilution. The plate was divided into two halves using a marker pen and marking the bottom of the plate one side was marked 10-5 and the other side 10-6. 10ÃŽ ¼l of the 10-5 dilution was dropped using a Gilson

Health Care Utilization Essay Example for Free

Health Care Utilization Essay Health care reform is not a recently devised concept. The government and health professionals have studied and tried to establish legislation that would assist the general population with a means of accessing adequate health care for decades. The task has proven itself as a daunting one although studied the world over. Individuals struggle with disease and illness that they cannot afford medical attention and treatment. Insurance companies price gouge or drop individuals from their insurance coverage. Reform has to be implemented to protect the public and provide across the board health care for every situation. Ronald Andersen wrote in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior there is a model of behavior that determines the seeking out of health services (Anderson, 1995). Anderson collaborated with Odin Anderson and wrote The Initial Behavioral Model in 1968 to assist in the analysis of national survey data collected by the Center for Health Administration Studies and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (Andersen Anderson, 1967). The model explains that there are elements that may determine if an individual will access health services. Anderson explained, â€Å"I want to stress that the model was initially designed to explain the use of formal personal health services rather than to focus on the important interactions that take place as people receive care, or on health outcomes†(Andersen, 1968, p. 1). The Initial Behavioral Model (1960s) PREDISPOSING ENABLING USE OF CHARACTERISTICS RESOURCES NEED HEALTH SERVICES Demographic Personal/Family Perceived Social Structure Community  (Evaluated) Health Beliefs (Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter?, 1995) The president had legislation passed in 2010 to implement the Affordable Care Act. Today, more than 45 million Americans lack access to affordable health insurance. Additionally, many individuals who do have health insurance have incomplete coverage that may include exclusions for pre-existing conditions, or they may be one-step away from losing coverage because of a change in employment. Individuals with health insurance face increasingly high premiums and medical costs that drive some to bankruptcy or force choices between maintaining health insurance coverage and paying for other household essentials (HHS, 2013). These new regulations will provide consumer protections and the developing of a competitive market. Insurance companies will be required to spend a specific percentage on health care and not excessive administrative costs. There have been major changes to the accessibility of insurance coverage for individuals which have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny insurance coverage for individuals, such as children born with life-threatening illnesses. This will also address lifetime limits on medical care. There has been a health insurance exchange in an effort to pool millions of people and allow them to examine various insurance coverage policies to determine the best policy for them and their families. Health and Human Services has implemented a website for the comparison of the insurance coverage options (HHS, 2013). There have been conversations for decades about the implementation of universal health coverage. The World Health Organization defines it as a goal to ensure that people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. It goes on explaining, access to health services enables people to be more productive and active contributors to their families and communities†¦.financial risk protection prevents people from being pushed into poverty when they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets (WHO, 2012). There is a definite similarity with the concepts of universal health care and the Affordable  Care Act now in place in this country. Attempts are being made to ensure that all citizens can access health care and increase their wellbeing in the process. The expansion of Medicaid will benefit multiple low-income citizens who, through no fault of their own, are working at a minimum wage job. They are barely earning too much money to be eligible for assistance and are not making enough of a salary to afford health insurance coverage. It turns into a viscous cycle. The individual has to decide whether it is better to quit work and get assistance for medical care or to continue struggling and still not make the grade. There have been no major issues personally with the implementation of the health care expansion. The insurances that I carry are both the Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid has changed in that they are requiring that there is a primary care physician (PCP) established to oversee medical services provided. The initial visit would be to the PCP where any examination and testing would be performed for the determination of the necessity of a referral. The PCP’s office would organize all medical records and coordinate with the specialist’s staff to establish a consultation. I consider myself an extremely fortunate individual because I have been able to have multiple medical issues addressed and corrected because of the medical coverage. The Medicare coverage is not as restrictive as Medicaid. Medicare allows the individual to access any physician or facility that the patient desires for treatment as long as their insurance is accepted. There has not been any specific positive or negative effect with this coverage. Medicare has provided successfully for preventive measures in my health services such as yearly mammograms, colonoscopy testing every two years (if deemed necessary through findings during prior examination), and comprehensive yearly physical examinations. Unfortunately, there is minimal dental coverage and no eye examinations available. There has been major skepticism with the Affordable Care Act being voted on and implemented in the governmental realm. It is exhibiting a number of positive actions implemented with the creation of this act. It is time that this country gives thought to the individuals which are suffering because of no fault of their own other than being on the lower end of the income scale. Also citizens are pleased with the inclusion of the poor souls battling daily with an affliction that requires more attention and treatment than they could ever afford. It is in this new light that people are viewing the creation of the Affordable Care Act and see that this should prove to be beneficial to every citizen within the national borders. Reference Andersen, R. M. (1995). Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 1-10, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137284 Andersen, R.M., Anderson, O.W. (1967), A Decade of Health Services, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1815595 Health and Human Services (2013), Strengthen Health Care, retrieved from: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/goal1.html World Health Organization (2012), What is Universal Health Coverage, retrieved from: http://www.who.int/features/qa/universal_health_coverage/en/index.html

The Openings Of The Time Machi :: essays research papers

The openings of the Time Machine and Lord of the Flies seem like a description of paradise. In what ways does this turn out to be deceptive? The Time Machine is about the possibility of time travelling. In the story, one man succeeds in building a fully working time machine, and he uses it to travel into the future. The story was written during the Victorian times (1895), by H.G. Wells.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lord of the Flies involves a group of boys who crash land on an island, in the middle of nowhere. It begins as paradise, but as the story goes on it turns out differently to what they expected. William Golding wrote the story, during the Cold War era. It was written after the Second World War. The times, in which wells and Golding lived in, reflected on what was written in each of their stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wells lived in a time of peace and stability, as there hadn't been a major war for 30 years, which was in 1865. This had an impact on what Wells wrote about in his story. There was an influence on who and what the characters were in the story, and how they lived and did things. The Morlocks are very similar to the miners of the Victorian times. The Morlocks lived underground and in the dark. The miners didn't live underground, but they did spend most of their time working there. I would have thought that the Morlocks would be like slaves to the Eloi, because that's what the miners were like to the upper class people. However, this wasn't so, the Morlocks were in complete control of the Eloi, who were just food for them. The Morlocks were the more intellectual out of the two species, and had power over the Eloi. The Morlocks worked underground and were clever enough to work the complicated machinery. The Morlocks were a lot stronger than the Eloi, which gave them m ore authority over the Eloi. Wells wrote the Time Machine in a similar time to what we are living in at the moment. We are both very near to the turn of a new century, which involves new beginnings and new achievements in life. Wells wrote his story just before the turn of the 20th Century, in 1895. And we are about to go into the 21st Century. In 1985 they weren't even thinking about the things which we have achieved today.

Inline Skating

Inline Skating Marketing Plan Pegasus Sports This sample marketing plan was created with Marketing Plan Pro software. Plan Outline †¢ Executive Summary †¢ Situation Analysis o Market Summary ? Market Needs ? Market Trends ? Market Growth o SWOT Analysis ? Strengths ? Weaknesses ? Opportunities ? Threats o Competition o Product Offering o Keys to Success o Critical Issues †¢ Marketing Strategy †¢ Financials †¢ Controls Executive Summary Pegasus Sports International is a start-up aftermarket inline skating accessory manufacturer. In addition to the aftermarket products, Pegasus is developing SkateTours, a service that takes clients out, in conjunction with a local skate shop, and provides them with an afternoon of skating using inline skates and some of Pegasus' other accessories such as SkateSails. The aftermarket skate accessory market has been largely ignored. While there are several major manufacturers of the skates themselves, the accessory market has not been addressed. This provides Pegasus with an extraordinary opportunity for market growth. Skating is a booming sport. Currently most of the skating is recreational. There are however a growing number of competitions, both team orientated such as skate hockey as well as individual competitions such as speed skate racing. Pegasus will work to grow these markets as well as develop the skate transportation market, a more utilitarian use of skating. Several of Pegasus' currently developed products have patents pending and local market research indicates that there is great demand for these products. Pegasus will achieve fast, significant market penetration that will be achieved through a solid business model, long range planning, and a strong management team that will able to execute on this exciting opportunity. The three principals on the management team have over 30 years of combined personal and industry experience. This extensive experience provides Pegasus with the empirical information as well as the passion to provide the skating market with much needed aftermarket products. Pegasus will sell their products initially through their website. This â€Å"Dell† direct to the consumer approach will allow Pegasus to achieve higher margins and maintain a close relationship with the customers which is essential for producing products that have a true market demand. By the end of the year, Pegasus will have developed relationships with different skate shops and will begin to sell some of their products through the use of retailers. [pic] Sales Forecast | | |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Sales | | | | |Recreational |$455,740 |$598,877 |$687,765 | |Competitive |$72,918 |$95,820 |$110,042 | |Total Sales |$528,658 |$694,697 |$797,807 | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Recreational |$82,033 |$107,798 |$123,798 | |Competitive |$13,125 |$17,248 |$19,808 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |$95,159 |$125,046 |$143,605 | Situation Analysis Pegasus is entering their first year of operation. The products have been well received and marketing will be key to deve lop brand and product awareness as well as grow the customer base. Pegasus International offers several different aftermarket skating accessories, serving the growing inline skating industry. Market Summary Pegasus posesses good information about the market and knows a great deal about the common attributes of the most prized customer. This information will be leveraged to better understand who is served, their specific needs, and how Pegasus can better communicate with them. [pic] [pic] [pic] Market Analysis | | | |2003 |2004 |2005 |2006 |2007 | | |Potential Customers |Growth | | | | | |CAGR | |Recreational |10% |19,142,500|21,056,750|23,162,425|25,478,668|28,026,535|10. 00% | |Fitness |15% |6,820,000 |7,843,000 |9,019,450 |10,372,368|11,928,223|15. 00% | |Speed |10% |387,500 |426,250 |468,875 |515,763 |567,339 |10. 00% | |Total |11. 36% |26,350,000|29,326,000|32,650,750|36,366,799|40,522,097|11. 36% | Market Needs Pegasus is providing the skating community with a wide range of acc essories for all variations of skating. Pegasus seeks to fulfill the following benefits that are important to their customers: †¢ Quality craftsmanship: The customers work hard for the money and do not enjoy spending it on disposable products that only work for a year or two. †¢ Well thought out designs: The skating market has not been addressed by well thought out products that serve skaters needs. Pegasus' industry experience and personal dedication to the sport will provide Pegasus with the needed information to produce insightfully designed products. †¢ Customer Service: Exemplary service is required to build a sustainable business that has a loyal customer base. Market Trends Pegasus will distinguish themselves by marketing products not previously available to skaters. The emphasis in the past has been to sell skates and very few replacement parts. The number of skaters is not restricted to any one single country, continent, or age group, so there is a world market. Pegasus has products for virtually every group of skaters. The fastest growing segment of this sport is the fitness skater. Therefore, the marketing is being directed to service this group. BladeBoots will enable them to enter establishments without having to remove their skates. BladeBoots will be aimed at the recreational skater, the largest segment; however SkateAids are great for everyone. There is one more way the sport of skating will grow, and that is through SkateSailing. This sport is primarily for the medium to advanced skater. The growth potential for this sport is tremendous. The sails Pegasus' has manufactured so far have ended up in Europe. The same thing happened with windsurfing. It started out here in Santa Monica but did not take off until it had already grown big in Europe. More and more groups are getting together on skate excursions in cities all over the world. For example, San Francisco has night group skating that numbers in the hundreds of people. The market trends are showing continued growth in all directions of skating. [pic] [pic] Market Growth With the price of skates going down due to competition by so many skate companies, the market has had steady growth throughout the world, with 22. 5 million in 1999 to over 31 million in 2002. The growth statistics for 2003 are estimated to be over 35 million. More and more people are discovering, and in many cases rediscovering, the health benefits and fun of skating. [pic] [pic] SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis captures the key strengths and weaknesses within the company, and describes the opportunities and threats facing Pegasus. Strengths †¢ In-depth industry experience and insight. †¢ Creative, functional product designers. †¢ The use of a highly efficient, flexible business model utilizing direct customer sales and distribution. Weaknesses The reliance of outside capital necessary to grow the business. †¢ A lack of retailers who can work directly face to face with the customer to generate brand and product awareness. †¢ The difficulty to develo ping brand awareness as a start-up company. Opportunities †¢ Participation within a growing industry. †¢ Decreased product costs through scales of economy. †¢ The ability to leverage other industry participants marketing efforts to help grow the general market. Threats †¢ Future/ potential competition from an already established market participants. †¢ A slump in the economy that could have a negative effect on people's spending discretionary income on fitness/ recreational products. The release of a study that calls into question the safety of skating or the inability to prevent major skating induced traumas. Competition Pegasus Sports International is forming its own market. While there are a few companies that do make sails and foils that a few skaters are using, Pegasus is the only one that is truly designed for and by skaters. The few competitors' sails are not designed for skating, but for windsurfing or for skateboards. In the case of foils, storage a nd carrying are not practical. There are different indirect competitors who are manufactures of the actual skates. After many years in the market, these companies have yet to become direct competitors by manufacturing accessories for the skates that they manufacture. Product Offering Pegasus Sports International now offers several products: †¢ The first product that has been developed is BladeBoots, a cover for the wheels and frame of in-line skates, which allow skaters to enter places that normally would not allow them in. BladeBoots come with a small pouch and belt which converts to a well-designed skate carrier. †¢ The second product is SkateSails. These sails are specifically designed for use while skating. Feedback that Pegasus has received from skaters indicates this could become a very popular sport. Trade marking this product is currently in progress. †¢ The third product will be referred to as SkateAid and be in production by December. Other ideas for products are under development, but Pegasus must hold back until they can protect themselves through pending patent applications. Keys to Success The keys to success are simply designing and producing products that meet market demand. Additionally, Pegasus must ensure total customer satisfaction. If these keys to success are achieved, Pegasus will become a profitable, sustainable company. Critical Issues Pegasus is still in the speculative stages as a start-up business. The critical issues are: †¢ Establish themselves as the premier skating accessory company. †¢ Pursue controlled growth that dictates that payroll expenses will never exceed the revenue base. This will help protect against recessions. Constantly monitor customer satisfaction, ensuring that the growth strategy will never compromise service and satisfaction levels. Marketing Strategy The key to the marketing strategy is focusing on the speed, health and fitness, and recreational skaters. Pegasus can cover about 80% of the skating market since they produce products geared towards each segment. Pegasus is able to address all of the different segments within the market because although each segment is distinct in terms of its users and equipment, Pegasus' products are useful to all of the different segments. Mission Pegasus Sports International's mission is to provide the customer with the finest skating accessories available. We exist to attract and maintain customers. With a strict adherence to this maxim, success will be ensured. Our services and products will exceed the expectations of the customers. Marketing Objectives †¢ Maintain positive, strong growth each quarter (not withstanding seasonal sales patterns). †¢ Achieve a steady increase in market penetration. †¢ Decrease customer acquisition costs by 1. 5% a quarter. Financial Objectives †¢ Increase the profit margin by 1% per quarter through efficiency and scale of economy gains. †¢ Maintain a significant research and development budget (as a percentage relative to sales) to spur future product developments. †¢ A double to triple digit growth rate for the first three years. Target Markets With a world skating market of over 31 million and steadily growing (statistics released by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association), the niche has been created. Pegasus' aim is to expand this market by promoting SkateSailing, a new sport which is popular at both Santa Monica and Venice Beach in California. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association survey indicates that skating now has more participation than football, softball, skiing, and snowboarding combined. The breakdown of participation of skating is as follows: 1+% speed (growing), 8% hockey (declining), 7% extreme/aggressive (declining), 22% fitness (nearly seven million–the fastest growing), and 61% recreational (first-timers). Our products are targeting the fitness and recreational groups, as they are the fastest growing. These groups are gearing themselves towards health and fitness, and combined, they can easily grow to 85% (or 26 million) of the market in the next five years. Positioning Pegasus will position themselves as the premier aftermarket skating accessory company. This positioning will be achieved by leveraging their competitive edge: industry experience and passion. Pegasus is a skating company formed by skaters for skaters. They are able to use their vast experience and personal passion for the sport to develop innovative, useful accessories for a broad range of skaters. Strategies The single objective is to position Pegasus as the premier skating accessory manufacturer, serving both the domestic market as well as international market. The marketing strategy will seek to first create customer awareness concerning the offered products and services and develop the customer base. The message that Pegasus will seek to communicate is that they offer the best-designed, most useful skating accessories. This message will be communicated through a variety of methods. The first will the use of their robust website. As well as a rich source of product information, the site will also be used for purchasing. A lot of time and money will be invested into the site to provide the customer with the perception of total professionalism and utility for Pegasus' products and services. The second method will be advertisements placed in numerous industry magazines. The skating industry is supported by several different glossy magazines designed to promote the industry as a whole. Additionally, there are a couple of smaller periodicals that serve the smaller market segments within the skating industry. The last method of communication is the use of printed sales literature. The two previously mentioned marketing methods will create demand for the sales literature that will be sent out to customers. The cost of the sales literature will be fairly minimal as it will use the already compiled sales information from the website. Marketing Mix Pegasus' marketing mix is comprised of the following approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. †¢ Pricing: This will be based on a per product retail price. †¢ Distribution: Initially Pegasus will use a direct to the consume distribution model. Over time Pegasus will use retailers as well. †¢ Advertising and Promotion: Several different methods will be used for the advertising effort. †¢ Customer Service: Pegasus will strive to achieve benchmarked levels of customer care. Marketing Research Pegasus is blessed with good fortune of being located in the center of the skating world, Venice, CA. Pegasus will be able to leverage this opportune location by working with many of the different skaters that live in the area. Pegasus was able to test out all of their products, not only with the principals who are accomplished skaters, but also the many other dedicated and â€Å"newbie† users located in Venice. The extensive product testing by a wide variety of users provided Pegasus with valuable product feedback and has led to several design improvements. Financials This section will offer the financial overview of Pegasus as it related to the marketing activities. Pegasus will address Break-even Analysis, sales forecasts, expense forecast, and indicate how these activities link to the marketing strategy. Break-even Analysis The break-even analysis indicates that $7,760 will be required in monthly sales revenue to reach the break-even point. [pic] [pic] [pic] Break-even Analysis | | | | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |$6,372 | | | | |Assumptions: | | |Average Percent Variable Cost |18% | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |$6,363 | Sales Forecast Pegasus feels that the sales forecasting is conservative. Pegasus will steadily increase sales as the advertising budget allows. Please refer to the Sales Forecast Chart. Please note that while in the market segmentation section all of the potential customers have been broken down into separate groups, for the sales forecasts, the grouping has been changed Recreational and Competitive. By reducing the number of categories it allows the reader to quickly discern information, making the chart more functional. [pic] [pic] Expense Forecast The expense forecast will be used as a tool to keep the department in target and provide indicators when corrections / modifications are needed for the proper implementation of the marketing plan. [pic] [pic] [pic] Marketing Expense Budget | | |2003 |2004 |2005 | |Website |$25,000 |$8,000 |$10,000 | |Advertisements |$8,050 |$15,000 |$20,000 | |Other |$1,725 |$2,000 |$3,000 | | |———— |———— |———— | |Total Sales and Marketing Exp enses |$34,775 |$25,000 |$33,000 | |Percent of Sales |6. 58% |3. 60% |4. 14% | Controls The purpose of Pegasus' marketing plan is to serve as a guide for the organization. The following areas will be monitored to gauge performance: †¢ Revenue: monthly and annual. †¢ Expenses: monthly and annual. †¢ Customer satisfaction. †¢ New product development. Implementation The following milestones identify the key marketing programs. It is important to accomplish each one on time and on budget. [pic] Milestones | | | | | | | | |Advertising |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Marketing plan completion |1/1/2003 |2/1/2003 |$0 |Stan |Marketing | |Webiste completion |1/1/2003 |3/15/2003 |$20,400 |outside firm |Marketing | |Advertising campaign #1 |1/1/2003 |6/30/2003 |$3,500 |Stan |Marketing | |Advertising campaign #2 |3/1/1999 |12/30/2003 |$4,550 |Stan |Marketing | |Development of the retail channel|1/1/2003 |11/30/2003 |$0 |Stan |Marketing | |Name me |1/1/2 003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2003 |1/15/2003 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Advertising Budget | | |$28,450 | | | |PR |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total PR Budget | | |$0 | | | |Direct Marketing |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | Total Direct Marketing Budget | | |$0 | | | |Web Development |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1 /1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Web Development Budget | | |$0 | | | |Other |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Name me |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Other |1/1/2006 |1/15/2006 |$0 |ABC |Department | |Total Other Budget | | |$0 | | | |Totals | | |$28,450 | | | Contingency Planning Difficulties and Risks †¢ Problems generating visibility, a function of being a internet-based start-up organization. †¢ An entry into the market by an already established market competitor. Worst Case Risks Include †¢ Determining that the business cannot support itself on an ongoing basis. †¢ Having to liquidate equipment or intellectual capital to cover liabilities.

REBT

Began his career attempting to scientifically validate Fraud's theory of depression. When the failed, he began researching a cognitive model of depression that results in his rejection and isolation from the psychiatric. Arnold Lazarus Grounded his work in cognitive and social learning theories, developed multimode therapy. Which involves a multi faceted assessment and encourages technical eclecticism to effect change across all areas all areas of functioning and experience.When People Understand or have Insight into how they needlessly disturb themselves and create an unhealthy and dysfunctional feelings and behaviors, that insight often will help them change and make themselves less disturbed. But understanding and insight is not enough. In order to significantly change themselves, They almost always have to pinpoint their irrational philosophies work at changing them to more functional and self helping attitudes. Cognitive, Emotive-evocative and Behavioral. Ellis 2003- Rational em otive behavior therapy (REST) the first of the cognitive behavior therapies, and nowadays it continues to be a major cognitive behavioral approach. 0 REBUT has a great deal in common with the therapies that are oriented toward cognition and behavior as it also stresses thinking, Judging, deciding, analyzing, and doing. The basic assumption of REBUT is that people contribute to their own psychological problems, as well as to specific symptoms, by the rigid and extreme beliefs they hold about events and situations. REBUT is based on the assumption that cognitions, emotions, and behaviors interact significantly and have a reciprocal cause-and-effect relationship. Moreover REST's basic hypothesis is that our emotions stem mainly from our beliefs, which influence the evaluations and interpretations however we make of the reactions we have to life situations. Through the therapeutic process, clients learn skills that give them the tools to identify and dispute irrational beliefs that have been acquired and self-constructed and are now maintained by self-indoctrination.In addition learn the process themselves how to replace such ineffective ways of thinking with effective and rational cognitions, and as a result they change their emotional reactions to situations. View of Human Nature Rational emotive behavior therapy is based on the assumption that human beings are born with a potential for both rational, or â€Å"straight,† thinking and irrational, or â€Å"crooked,† thinking. People have tendencies for self-preservation, happiness, hinging and verbalizing, loving, communion with others, and growth and self- actualization.They also have inclinations for self-destruction, avoidance of thought, procrastination, endless repetition of mistakes, superstition, intolerance, perfectionism and self-blame, and avoidance of actualization growth potentials. View of Emotional Disturbance Based on the premise that we learn irrational beliefs from significant others during childhood and then re-create these irrational beliefs throughout our lifetime. The therapeutic should be actively reinforce our sulfanilamide beliefs through the recesses of autosuggestion and self-repetition, and we then behave in ways that are consistent with these beliefs.Hence, it is largely our own repetition of early-indoctrinated irrational beliefs, rather than a parent's repetition, that keeps dysfunctional attitudes alive and operative within us. In addition therapist teaches clients how to feel sad, but not depressed. â€Å"l must do well and win the approval of others for my performances or else I am no good. † â€Å"Other people must treat me considerately, fairly, kindly, and in exactly the way I want them to treat me. If they don't, they are no good and they deserve to be condemned and punished. â€Å"l must get what I want, when I want it; and I must not get what I don't want. If I don't get what I want, it's terrible, I can't stand it, and life is no good for depriving me of what I must have. † A-B-C Framework The A-B-C framework is central to REBUT theory and practice. This model provides a useful tool for understanding the client's feelings, thoughts, events, and behavior (Wolfe, 2007) Assumption in Cognitive Therapy Fully acknowledging that we are largely responsible for creating our own emotional robbers.Accepting the concept that we have the ability to change these disturbances significantly Recognizing that our emotional problems largely stem from irrational beliefs Clearly observe beliefs Seeing the value of disputing such self-defeating beliefs Therapeutic Process According to Ellis (2001 b; Ellis & Harper, 1997), we have a strong tendency not only to rate our acts and behaviors as â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad,† â€Å"worthy' or â€Å"unworthy,† on the other hand likewise to rate ourselves as a total person on the basis of our performances.These marks found one of the main sources of our emotiona l assistances. As a result, most rational emotive behavior therapists have the general goal of teaching clients how to separate the evaluation of their behaviors from the evaluation of themselves their essence and their totality Pearce and how to accept themselves in spite of their imperfections. Therapist's Function and Role The therapist has specific tasks, and the first step is to show clients how they have incorporated many irrational absolute â€Å"should,† â€Å"oughtn't,† and â€Å"musts. Moreover somewhat dispute clients' irrational beliefs and encourages clients to engage in activities that will counter their self-defeating beliefs and to replace their rigid â€Å"musts† with preferences. A second step in the therapeutic process is to validate how clients are keeping their emotional disturbances active by continuing to think illogically and unrealistically. In other words, because clients keep re programming themselves and the client's responsible for their own psychological problems. The Third Step helping clients modify their thinking and minimize their irrational ideas.Even though it is unlikely that we can entirely eliminate the tendency to think irrationally and reduce the frequency of such thinking. Lastly, step in the therapeutic process is to challenge clients to develop a rational philosophy of life so that in the future they can avoid becoming the victim of other irrational beliefs. Embark upon only specific problems or symptoms can give no assurance that new illogical fears will not emerge. REBUT focal point here-and-now experiences and clients' present ability to change the patterns of thinking and emoting that they constructed earlier.The therapist does not apply much time to exploring clients' early history and making inspections between their past and present behavior unless doing so will aid the therapeutic process. Nor does the therapist usually explore clients' early relationships with their parents or siblings. Instead, the therapeutic process stresses to clients that they are presently disturbed because they still believe in and act upon their self- defeating view of themselves, other people, and the world.Cognitive Approaches Grounded on the idea that Psychological Disorder are characterized by dysfunctional thinking based on dysfunctional beliefs Usually incorporate a persuasive cognitive methodology in the therapeutic process. Demonstrate to clients in a quick and direct manner what it is that they are continuing to tell themselves. Teaches client's how to deal with these self-statements so that they no longer believe them, encouraging them to acquire a philosophy based on reality. REBUT relies heavily on thinking, disputing, debating, challenging, interpreting, explaining, and teaching.Disputing Irrational beliefs ; Disputing irrational beliefs. The most common cognitive method of REBUT consists of the therapist actively disputing clients' irrational beliefs and teaching them how to do this challenging on their own. Clients go over a particular â€Å"must,† absolute â€Å"should,† or â€Å"ought† until t hey no longer hold that irrational belief, or at least until it is diminished in strength. Doing cognitive homework Clients are expected to make lists of their problems, look for their absolutist beliefs, and dispute these beliefs.Functioning homework, clients are encouraged to put themselves in risk- taking situations that will allow them to challenge their selecting beliefs. Where in client with a talent for acting who is afraid to act in front of an audience because of fear of failure may be asked to take a small part in a stage play. Bibliographer Assigning clients readings that will be Motivating and Instructional for dealing with their presenting Problem. However Therapist/Counselor assign Self Help Books to Read and Also Suggest to Read a Inspiration Inspirational Literatures.Cinema Therapy – Similar to bibliographer, Cinema T herapy Involves assigning client to watch a movie that will speak to the problem issue. Labeling Cognition Philosophical questioning and direction questions, Some client find it helpful in identifying and label distorted thinking to reduce it sway on them. Counselor/Therapist will reinforce to help the client to practice labeling distorted hinging in session so that clients can transfer this skill to their everyday lives.Arbitrary inference: † Jumping to conclusions† Selective Abstraction: † Filtering out the Positive† Personalization: † All Boys are like that† Magnification and minimization: † Emphasizing the negative and Ignoring the positive†. Personalization: † Exaggerating one's responsibility or misinterpreting neutral comments†. Dichotomous Thinking: â€Å"Black and White† Misleading: † Attaching an extreme or personalized label to a person or situation†. Mind Reading: † Assuming negative tho ughts and intentions on the part of others†.

Free Essays on Darling

Anton Chekhov’s short story â€Å"The Darling?illustrates the life of a woman named Olenka Semyonovna £Ã‚ ¬who because of her reliance on others, lives a empty life. She is a person who changes her attitude as she falls in love with different men. She always needs to be fond of someone and does not posses a personality of her own; therefore, she only finds happiness in reflecting the belief of her husbands. Olenka is portrayed as a conventional woman who is reliant, diligent and idealess. Olenka is a dependent woman who needs the love of others. In earlier days, she had loved many people such as her aunt, the school’s French master and even her father. Later on, she becomes attracted by her first husband Kukin, and â€Å"without him she [can] not sleep, but [sit] all night at her window, looking at the stars?(250). Thus, Olenka cannot feel comfort when there is no one for her to attach to. After Kukin past away in Moscow, she is expected to be heartbroken and sorrowful afterwards. Ironically, Olenka immediately seeks and falls in love with her next mate, Pustovalov. Once again, she becomes delighted and â€Å"[misses] him dreadfully, [lies] awake and [cries]?(252) when he is away on business trips. Olenka easily becomes lonely and desperate for male affection; she has to have someone who can take care of her. Olenka works hard to bring successes to her husband business. She assists in the daily activities in the theater, Tivoli, such as â€Å"[taking] part in the rehearsals, and [correcting] the actors?(249). She has become so occupied with Tivoli that she cannot detach herself from it. However, when she begins to engage with Pustovalov, Li 3 Tivoli has somehow vanished from her mind. She starts to focus all of her attentions into Pustovalov’s lumber industry. While he is away, she takes his place and works in the office to make necessary arrangements. Olenka puts so much passion into her work that she even... Free Essays on Darling Free Essays on Darling Anton Chekhov’s short story â€Å"The Darling?illustrates the life of a woman named Olenka Semyonovna £Ã‚ ¬who because of her reliance on others, lives a empty life. She is a person who changes her attitude as she falls in love with different men. She always needs to be fond of someone and does not posses a personality of her own; therefore, she only finds happiness in reflecting the belief of her husbands. Olenka is portrayed as a conventional woman who is reliant, diligent and idealess. Olenka is a dependent woman who needs the love of others. In earlier days, she had loved many people such as her aunt, the school’s French master and even her father. Later on, she becomes attracted by her first husband Kukin, and â€Å"without him she [can] not sleep, but [sit] all night at her window, looking at the stars?(250). Thus, Olenka cannot feel comfort when there is no one for her to attach to. After Kukin past away in Moscow, she is expected to be heartbroken and sorrowful afterwards. Ironically, Olenka immediately seeks and falls in love with her next mate, Pustovalov. Once again, she becomes delighted and â€Å"[misses] him dreadfully, [lies] awake and [cries]?(252) when he is away on business trips. Olenka easily becomes lonely and desperate for male affection; she has to have someone who can take care of her. Olenka works hard to bring successes to her husband business. She assists in the daily activities in the theater, Tivoli, such as â€Å"[taking] part in the rehearsals, and [correcting] the actors?(249). She has become so occupied with Tivoli that she cannot detach herself from it. However, when she begins to engage with Pustovalov, Li 3 Tivoli has somehow vanished from her mind. She starts to focus all of her attentions into Pustovalov’s lumber industry. While he is away, she takes his place and works in the office to make necessary arrangements. Olenka puts so much passion into her work that she even...

SAT Essay Examples for the 6 Types of Essay Prompts

SAT Essay Examples for the 6 Types of Essay Prompts SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There's a persistent myth about the SAT Essay: the idea that you can't prepare content because you don't see the prompt until the day of the test. This is a myth because, in order to be standardized, the test has to require the same complexity of argument in every SAT essay question: yes or no, this or that, what causes what. And since all these arguments are very simple, almost every SAT essay argument can be boiled down to one of the 6 we list here. In addition to that, though, we also explain how to argue each one, and give you sample support for both sides of every argument. Read on for the inside scoop on this important aspect of the SAT. Overview SAT Essay prompts are unlike any other writing assignment. The questions are extremely general, asking things like "is the world changing for the better," but they only ever require a very simplistic thesis statement about a complex idea. There are, for example, many ways in which the world is and is not changing for the better. The most "accurate" answer would have to be "yes AND no," but that's the opposite of what you should say on the SAT. Because on the SAT Essay, simplicity and clarity is the name of the game. You are expected to make a broad, definitive statement about what people 'should' do or whether something is possible. You don't have to believe it, you just have to present a few examples (between one and three) that can show why your statement is correct. In this way, the SAT Essay is easier than most students think. All of the essay questions in this article are taken from real SATs or College Board prep materials. We've categorized them not by their contentfor example, "success" or "personality"but rather by their reasoning. This is because the logic of the question, not its content, is what determines the best argument on which to build your essay. For each type of SAT essay question below, we give you 3 sample prompts similar to what you'll run into, and a breakdown of how to argue either side of any SAT essay question of that type. You'll get detailed SAT essay examples that guide you through how to construct an argument. SAT Essay Prompt Type 1: Discuss what people should do This type of SAT essay question lends itself to many different kinds of examples. Anything that involves people and their choices is fair game. See the diagram below for more information on how this works. Should people†¦. be valued according to their capabilities rather than their achievements? weight all opinions equally, or place more weight on informed opinions? always value new things, ideas, or values over older ones? Step 1: Pick a side. "Yes, people should always value new things, ideas, or values over older ones," or "no, people should not always value new things, ideas, or values over older ones." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). For example, if you argue "Yes, people should value new things" as your thesis, you can give evidence of a time when people valued new things and it turned out well, or of a time when people didn't value innovation and it turned out poorly. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-world or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (see blue boxes for ideas). To support the Yes thesis with evidence of when people valued new things with success, we could talk about Civil Rights in the United States, the Industrial Revolution, FDR's new deal, or any other example dealign with positive innovation. We could also discuss evidence where refusal to accept new things turned out poorly, like fear of vaccinations and Galileo being excommunicated for his (true) scientific beliefs. SAT Essay Prompt Type 2: Discuss which of two things is better These questions can be fodder for 12-scoring essays because they can be answered so simply: this thing is better than that thing. Then you just have to think of 1-3 examples in which that thing worked and/or in which the other thing didn't work. See the diagram below for more information on how this can be done. Is it better... to take an idealistic approach or a practical approach? to do fulfilling or high-paying work? to use cooperation or competition to achieve success? Step 1: Pick a side. "It is better to use cooperation to achieve success," or "it is better to use competition to achieve success." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). Similar to Prompt Type 1 above, in this case you can use evidence that supports your thesis, or argues against the opposite thesis. For example, if you write that "Cooperation is better to achieve success," you can use evidence on a time when cooperation led to success, or when competition led to failure. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-life or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (blue boxes). Following our "cooperation is better" thesis, we can talk about when people cooperated to great success - like the Civil Rights movement, or Abraham Lincoln's cabinet during the Civil War. We could also discuss how competition is inferior through examples like the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008, or the North Korea vs South Korea standoff. SAT Essay Prompt Type 3: Support or refute counterintuitive statements These can be the toughest SAT essay promptsif you don't know how to tackle them. The easiest way to really knock this essay type out of the park is to say yes, it is possible, and then think of an example. The other sideno, it isn't possibleis harder to logically prove, but it can be done. See the diagram below for more information on how this works. Is it possible for†¦. deception to have good results? working to reach an objective to be valuable even if the objective is not reached? any obstacle to be turned into something beneficial? Step 1: Pick a side. "Yes, it is possible for any obstacle to be turned into something beneficial," or "no, it is not possible for any obstacle to be turned into something beneficial." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). Unlike the two prompt types above, this one is more simplistic - just find evidence that can support your thesis in a straightforward way. If you write "No, it's not possible for any obstacle to be turned into something beneficial," you just need to find evidence for when obstacles exist but don't lead to anything helpful. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-life or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (see blue boxes). To support the No thesis, we could use the example of how gender discrimination against women and income inequality has caused far more harm than the good it has caused. SAT Essay Prompt Type 4: Cause and effect These can be logically complicated, depending on which side you choose. If you say x is the result of y, then you just have to think of 1-3 examples that illustrate it. If you choose the other side, though, then you have a harder logical task in front of youyour examples have to fit a much narrower definition to make sense. See the diagram below for more information on how this works. Is __ the result of __? Is a successful community the result of individuals sacrificing their personal goals? Is accomplishment the result of freedom to do things one's own way? Is learning the result of experiencing difficulties? Step 1: Pick a side. "Yes, learning is the result of experiencing difficulties," or "no, learning is not the result of experiencing difficulties." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). For example, if our thesis is "Yes, learning is the result of experiencing difficulties," we can either argue with evidence of a time when learning IS the result of difficulty, or when a lack of difficulty led to an absence of learning. Both types of evidence support your thesis. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-life or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (see blue boxes). For our Yes thesis, we could talk about how the difficulty of unmanageable healthcare costs in the USA led to learning and the Affordable Care Act. We could also use the other type of evidence and talk about how Jay Gatsby's lack of difficulty in having immense wealth led to poor learning about what really makes him happy. SAT Essay Prompt Type 5: Generalize about the state of the world These kinds of SAT essay prompts are so open-ended that they lend themselves to all kinds of examples and interpretations. But for this same reason, they can be overwhelming and confusing. See the diagram below for more information on how this works. What is the modern world like? Is the world more in need of creativity now more than ever? Is the world actually harder to understand due to the abundance of information now available? Is the world changing in a positive way? Step 1: Pick a side. "Yes, the world is changing in a positive way," or "no, the world is not changing in a positive way." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). Let's consider the Yes thesis. We can use evidence that problems in the past that are being solved today, or innovations today that didn't previously exist. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-life or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (see blue boxes). To support our Yes thesis, we can find examples of problems that are better now - women's rights, slavery, and reduced violence. We can also discuss recent innovations that dramatically improve quality of life, like the Internet and widespread access to education. SAT Essay Prompt Type 6: Generalize about people Much like the "state of the world" questions, these can be supported by almost anything, but can also get away from you if you're not careful. See the diagram below for some ideas of how to manage these prompts. What are people like? Do people underestimate the value of community due to our culture of individualism? Are people defined by their occupations? Do people learn from the past? Step 1: Pick a side. "Yes, people learn from the past," or "no, people do not learn from the past." Step 2: Consider what would logically support your statement (see green boxes for a breakdown of the types of support you should use). Let's consider the No thesis that people don't learn from the past - we would have to find an example of when someone repeated a mistake that they could have avoided from history. Step 3: Quickly think of 1-3 real-life or literary examples that fit the criteria in Step 2 (see blue boxes). A great example to use for our No thesis is comparing Hitler and Germany to Napoleon. In 1812, Napoleon fought a war on multiple fronts, fighting the Spanish army and the Russian Empire simultaneously. This led to a drastic dilution of focus and led to his defeat. A century later in World War 2, Hitler fought on two fronts as well, facing the Allies in Europe and Russia at the same time. He too was defeated through this mistake. What do I do now? Now that you know the basic types of SAT essay prompts and the types of arguments they require, what can you do with this information? A few different things: one is to practice with these questions, thinking of one or two examples to support at least one answer to each question. We've written a guide to 6 SAT essay examples you can use to answer nearly every prompt. We show you how to construct an SAT essay, step by step. If you want to get a perfect SAT essay score, read this. Another is to take a look at our comprehensive SAT essay prompts article, which gives you lots more questions to think about answering and supporting with the arguments above. Finally, make sure you read our 15 SAT essay tips to know how to get an edge on the essay. Want to get serious about improving your SAT score? We have the leading online SAT prep program that will raise your score by 240+ points, guaranteed. Exclusive to our program, we have an expert SAT instructor grade each of your SAT essays and give you customized feedback on how to improve your score. This can mean an instant jump of 80 points on the Writing section alone. Check out our 5-day free trial and sign up for free:

Poet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poet - Essay Example Having no experience at all on wars or anything related to fighting, the hobbit was hesitant at first but he eventually agreed to join the wizard’s team on an adventure of his life. Nevertheless, he was always perceived by Thorin as a liability and a burden to them because they have to protect him from being harmed- a condition that adds to the leader’s responsibilities. Therefore, the hobbit thought of going back home. However, after some emotional reactions and thoughts of leaving the team, the hobbit’s abilities were then put to test when unexpectedly, the members of the group faced danger in the hands of the goblins. Nonetheless, before he was finally accepted as a hero, the hobbit had to go through some dangers by himself, coming face to face with Golum, a deceiving carnivore corrupted by a magical golden ring. Eventually, he escapes his enemy and rejoins the group who also managed to escape the goblins with the help of Gandalf. However, that was not the end of their dilemma because shortly right after, they again faced the orcs. In his anger, Thorin attacked their leader but was badly hurt and became unconscious. It was then that the hobbit courageously faced the orc. With the help of birds, the team were rescued and brought to a safe place. From there they continued their journey to the Lonely Mountain to destroy the dragon and the story continues until the kingdom is reclaimed (Tolkien). The narration may be a fantasy story nevertheless it portrays facts about life which are observed even in modern times. The Hobbit tells similar themes expressed by Robert Zimmerman, popularly known as Bob Dylan, a singer-songwriter, musician, artist and writer who wrote the poem entitled Desolation Row. The poem is an enjambment, having lines of varying lengths continuing over a line break (poetryarchive.org), which presents ancient and modern worldviews on politics, leadership, virtues and even negative characteristics such as envy, greed and lust . In The Hobbit, it is narrated that Lonely Mountain was once a powerful and successful kingdom, respected and admired for its vast wealth (Tolkien). However, because of the old king’s love for gemstone’s the gem that soon brought disaster to the kingdom was discovered. During the attack of the great dragon on the dwarves’ kingdom, the elves who were once their allies did not even give a helping hand. Therefore, a gap was built between the two kingdoms. Similarly, Desolation Row discusses such theme of racism, hatred, vengeance and injustices. The first part of the poem speaks about the lynching in 1920 when three African-American circus workers were accused of raping a white girl although they were never found guilty (Tuffley). The act is said to have been performed because the accused were Blacks. Their side of the story was never heard. In the same manner, Thorin perceived the elves as his enemies simply because he saw them turn their backs when the great dra gon attacked their kingdom. After the good relationships the two kingdoms shared, there has been a separation between the dwarves and the elves, at least in Thorin’s mind. Nevertheless, as the wise wizard said, the elves must have reasons for their actions which Thorin must also consider and understand (Tolkien). Other themes such as greed- a characteristic that led to the old king’s destruction and the corruption of Gollum, is also discussed in the poem through the lines