Essay about Importance of the Ocean in Chopins Awakening

Importance of the Ocean in Chopins Awakening In Kate Chopins novel, The Awakening, Chopin uses the motif of the ocean to signify the awakening of Edna Pontellier. Chopin compares the life of Edna to the dangers and beauty of a seductive ocean. Ednas fascinations with the unknown wonders of the sea help influence the reader to understand the similarities between Ednas life and her relationship with the ocean. Starting with fear and danger of the water then moving to a huge symbolic victory over it, Chopin uses the ocean as a powerful force in Ednas awakening to the agony and complexity of her life. Danger and beauty serve as Ednas first outlook on the ocean. Early in her development, Edna observes the ocean†¦show more content†¦The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. (14) Ednas senses are stimulated by all the sounds of the ocean. Along with the call of the sea, Edna becomes more aware of her own self and desires, which lead her to look within herself. As Ednas relationship with the ocean becomes more intimate, she treats the ocean as if it were her lover and true desire. The touch of the sea is sensuous enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace. The `dreaded fear has now converted to a `sensuous outlook. Edna is hungry to experience all the elements of the ocean and, at the same time, she is opening herself to exploring her inner feelings. With her new familiarity with the sea, Edna constructs a divergent perspective of the water and its potent force in her life. The new awareness gives Edna courage to face her fears. Instead of depending on someone to help her in the water, she decides to start swimming by herself. This act represents a major step in Ednas awakening to independence. One day, Edna becomes possessed with a power that she all of a sudden realizes she has inside her. A feeling of exultation overtook her, as if some power of significant import had been given her soul. She grew daring and reckless, overestimating her strength. She wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swumShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of Setting and Symbols in The Awakening by Kate Chopin1014 Words   |  5 Pagesthe meadow in Kentucky, symbols and settings in The Awakening are prominent and provide a deeper meaning than the text does alone. Throughout The Awakening by Kate Chopin, symbols and setting recur representing Edna ’s current progress in her awakening. The reader can interpret these and see a timeline of Edna’s changes and turmoil as she undergoes her changes and awakening. The setting Edna is in directly affects her temperament and awakening: Grand Isle provides her with a sense of freedom; NewRead More Symbolism in Kate Chopins The Awakening Essay1467 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism in Kate Chopins The Awakening Chopins The Awakening is full of symbolism.   Rather than hit the reader on the head with blunt literalism, Chopin uses symbols to relay subtle ideas.   Within each narrative segment, Chopin provides a symbol that the reader must fully understand in order to appreciate the novel as a whole.   I will attempt to dissect some of the major symbols and give possible explanations as to their importance within the text.   Art itself is a symbol of both freedomRead MoreEssay on symbolaw Use of Symbols and Symbolism in The Awakening1292 Words   |  6 PagesUse of Symbolism in Chopins The Awakening The Awakening is a novel full of symbolism; within each narrative segment there is often a central and powerful symbol that serves to add meaning to the text and to underline some subtle point Chopin is making. Understanding the meaning of these symbols is vital to a full appreciation of the story. This essay lists some of the major symbols with explanations of their importance. Art becomes a symbol of both freedom and failure. It is through theRead MoreThe Female Role in William Faulkners â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Katherine Mansfields â€Å"Miss Brill,† and Kate Chopins â€Å"The Storm.†1329 Words   |  5 PagesReading literature, at first, might seem like simple stories. However, in works like William Faulkners â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Katherine Mansfields â€Å"Miss Brill,† and Kate Chopins â€Å"The Storm,† the female protagonists are examples of how society has oppressive expectations of them simply because of their gender. Curry believes that Faulkner displays the story of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† through scenes of gender differences. The beginning of the story shows the motivational split between men and women.Read More Importance of Water in The Awakening Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesImportance of Water in The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopins The Awakening begins set in Grande Isle which is the summer get-away for a few families of New Orleans upper-class. It is a community of cottages owned by the Lebrun family. Edna Pontellier and her husband Leonce summer there with there two children. This is the setting where Edna also develops a close relationship with Robert Lebrun. He is one of Madame Lebruns sons who helps her run the cottages for the Pontelliers and theRead More Choosing between Family and Individuality in Kate Chopins The Awakening2309 Words   |  10 PagesChoosing between Family and Individuality in Kate Chopins The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopins The Awakening focuses on a womans struggle to become an individual while still being a mother and wife. In the process of this journey, the female heroine discovers that establishing her own identity means losing a mothers identity. Edna looks to be the brave soul, a soul that dares and defies (Chopin 61). Ednas society looked down upon females who seek anything other than attending toRead MoreThe Awakening By Kate Chopin1563 Words   |  7 Pages The Awakening by Kate Chopin The title of Kate Chopin’s novella is significant and full of enriched symbols that reflect Edna’s Awakening. Edna is waking up her understanding of herself as an individual. Not as a mother nor a wife, but who she is as a woman and a sexual being. Throughout the novel, there are a few distinct types of awakenings; from her awakening to herself as an artist, realizing that she can have her own opinion over what kind of music she liked, and the most important, Edna realizedRead MoreResearch Paper on Kate Chopin and Her Works2380 Words   |  10 Pages Kate Chopin is best known for her novel, The Awakening, published in 1899. After its publication, The Awakening created such uproar that its author was alienated from certain social circles in St. Louis. The novel also contributed to rejections of Chopins later stories including, The Story of An Hour and The Storm. The heavy criticism that she endured for the novel hindered her writing. The male dominated world was simply not ready for such an honest exploration of female independence, a frankRead MoreFeminism and Emotional Liberation in Kate Chopins The Awakening2642 Words   |  11 PagesLiberation in The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In our time, the idea of feminism is often portrayed as a modern one, dating back no further than the famous bra-burnings of the 1960s. Perhaps this is due to some unconscious tendency to assume that ones own time is the most enlightened in history. But this tendency is unfortunate, because it does not allow readers to see the precursors of modern ideas in older works. A prime example of this is Kate Chopins novel The Awakening, which explores theRead MoreEdna Pontellier Analysis1868 Words   |  8 Pagesdevelopment, Mrs. Pontellier exhibits characteristics that would not be deemed as acceptable behavior from a married woman of the late 1800’s as American society is beginning to see a shift into the Industrial Revolution. Throughout Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, Edna Pontellier undergoes several episodes of bipolar behavior through her activities and her family life that leads to her suicide. This analysis outlines the externalizations of her radical thoughts as a married women and how they contrast

The Importance of Realism in Huckleberry Finn Essay examples

The novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a complex and witty commentary on the social and moral injustices that existed during the time it was written. Although apparently intended for children, the novel introduces and explores problems like racism, sexuality, and the ability to face challenging moral dilemmas. Mark Twain tells the story of a young boy who aids an escaped slave down the Mississippi River and his moral development throughout and because of this journey. He tells the story in a realist fashion -- providing accurate southern and social dialects, a truthful vision of the societys attitude towards race and class, and even detailed descriptions of the landscape of the Mississippi River that he studied so fondly and†¦show more content†¦We blowed out a cylinder-head Good Gracious! anybody hurt? Nom. Killed a nigger. Well, its lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt (279). The first thing to notice is the two different dialects that Twain exploits in this part of the passage. Aunt Sally, who lives on a cotton plantation and is a member of a higher social class speaks with correct grammar. Huck, in contrast, is poor and undereducated and speaks with broken grammar. Not only does this exemplify the obvious differences in social classes in the south but it also shows Twains dedication to detail. He wants to create a representation of the south as it was right down to the spoken word. He is so adamant about this that he even mentions in his explanatory before the book that the dialects were not done in a hap-hazard fashion, or by guess-work; but pains-takingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity with these several forms of speech. Such attention to detail implies that the realist aspect of the novel is important and even central to the message. These are real-life attitudes that people had and expressed. The simple recrea tion of this on paper satirizes these attitudes because through Huck, a simple boy who is often confused on the morality of things, the readerShow MoreRelatedHuckleberry Finn: Realism vs. Romanticism1010 Words   |  5 PagesHuckleberry Finn: Realism vs. Romanticism The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, mainly takes place on the Mississippi River, as Huck and Jim pursue their freedom. They persevere through many obstacles and learn life lessons along the way. Twain uses these characters to depict the significance of friendship over societys moral structure. He demonstrates characteristics of both Romanticism and Realism in his novel to express his ideas of that time period. Romanticism is basedRead MoreMark Twain s Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1755 Words   |  8 PagesMark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece and an American classic according to Alex Brink Effgen, a PhD student working on the impact of Twain’s writing (Effgen). Twain expresses the problems that faced America during the 1830s to 1870s through the point of a view of a boy that indirectly expresses his hate for the accepted societal rules that are placed on ideas such as racism. Twain’s use of dialect, language and sym bolism express the Realism era and creates a powerful masterpieceRead MoreRealism In Huck Finn Essay876 Words   |  4 PagesRealism is a major style of writing that emerged in English, European, and American Literature in the nineteenth century (9). The key principles of this literary style are the insistence upon and defence of the â€Å"commonplace†, characters being more important than plot, attacks upon romanticism and romantic writers, an emphasis on morality, which is often self-realized and upon an examination of realism, and the concept of realism as a realization of democracy. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ,Read MoreAnalysis Of Mark Twain s Works Made A Huge Impact On Readers And Literary Critics1288 Words   |  6 Pagesout the absurdities of something by making fun of it a bit; so, if people notice characters with extreme personality traits or elaborate and exaggerated descriptions of things, then Twain might just be satirizing. His writing is also known f or the realism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppression. In addition, he was an American original as a short story author describing the many foibles of humanity. He captured the American spirit of never ending optimismRead More The Final Episode of Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn3016 Words   |  13 PagesThe Great Importance of the Final Episode of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the things many critics of Huckleberry Finn   just cant seem to understand is the final episode of the novel where Tom returns and sidetracks Huck from his rescue of Jim through a long series of silly, boyish plans based on ideas Tom has picked up from Romantic novels, such as those of Walter Scott.   Critic Stephen Railton dismisses these final chapters as just another version of their RoyalRead MoreTheme Of Individualism In Huck Finn1190 Words   |  5 Pages The Individual Depicted in Mark Twain’s satiric novel The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, the 14 year old protagonist Huck exposes the hypocrisy of white societys morals during his childhood in the Antebellum South. The author’s purpose of authoring his work is to criticize white society and how they’re ignorant about their religion or using it as a justification. Portrayed in Walt WhitmanÅ› poem,  ¨Song of Myself ¨ from book LeavesRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1773 Words   |  8 Pageswrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a book setting in a 1830s southern American society. Twains delivers the story with all the traditions and customs of an American society. Twain tries to show the wrongness in society, focusing racism and equality. By doing this Mark Twain and his work was both alleged to be racist. The irony is most of the reading public was unable to realize the irony that was used in the novel to attack racism. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a novelRead MoreThe Importance Of Twain s Literary Career1071 Words   |  5 Pagestruly united United States, Mark Twain gave a young nation a voice to sing of itself† (Lederer par. 3). As of today, his work continues to inspire people throughout the world. According to Venturio Media’s website on Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn sells an average of 200,000 copies a year. Initially, Mark Twain’s work seemed to be too unfiltered and pure for the ears of Americans. However, as time went by, people began to see the deeper meaning in his work. Underneath all of the grimeRead More Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Escape From an Oppressive Society6239 Words   |  25 PagesHuckleberry Finn - Escape From a Cruel and Oppressive Society America... land of the free and home of the brave; the utopian society which every European citizen desired to be a part of in the 18th and 19th centuries. The revolutionary ideas of The Age of Enlightenment such as democracy and universal male suffrage were finally becoming a reality to the philosophers and scholars that so elegantly dreamt of them. America was a playground for the ideas of these enlightened men. To EuropeansRead MoreAn Analysis of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn3099 Words   |  12 Pagesï » ¿HUCKLEBERRY FINN The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the finest works of Mark Twain and probably the most controversial too. This is because it is by no means an ordinary story of Huckleberrys adventures; it is essentially a social commentary on the slavery and post civil war era in the United States. T. S. Eliot in 1950 acknowledged the book as,  ¦the only one of Mark Twains various books which can be called a masterpiece. I do not suggest that it is his only book of permanent interest;

Elementary Examination Type Examples Free Essays

David, Alyssa Marie L. EDUC05A BEEd/A34(Miss Oharrah Mae Bernardez) SCIENCE III Test I: Multiple Choice: DIRECTION: Encircle the letter of the correct answer. 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Elementary Examination Type Examples or any similar topic only for you Order Now ) These foods are the energy-giving foods. a. ) Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 2. ) These foods are the body-building foods. a. ) Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 3. ) These foods are the regulating foods. a. ) Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 4. ) Unhealthy foods belongs to ____________. a. Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 5. ) Chicken, egg, fish and meat are ___________. a. ) Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 6. ) Fruits and vegetables group belongs to ___________. a. ) Go Foodsc. ) Grow Foods b. ) Glow Foodsd. ) Junk Foods 7. ) Which of the following foods does NOT belong to the group? a. ) Cheese Curlsc. ) Apple b. ) Bananad. ) Eggplant 8. ) Which of the following statements is TRUE? a. ) Man can live without foodc. ) Food is not important to man b. Man cannot live without foodd. ) Food doesn’t give energy to man 9. ) Glow Foods makes our bones ___________. a. ) grow tallerc. ) be attentive b. ) be strongd. ) be active 10. ) Grow Foods helps young children __________. a. ) grow tallerc. ) be attentive b. ) be strongd. ) be active 11. ) Go Foods keeps us ___________. a. ) alert and activec. ) sleepy and tired b. ) grow tallerd. ) strong 12. ) Man takes food to have the needed __________ to be able to do activities. a. ) boredomc. ) attention b. ) energyd. ) friends 1 How to cite Elementary Examination Type Examples, Papers

Open System Interconnection or OSI model Networking

Question: Discuss about the Open System Interconnection or OSI Model in Networking? Answer: OSI model: The Open System Interconnection or OSI model refers to a networking structure for the use of protocols in seven layers (Bora et al. 2014). In OSI model, the control over the data passes from one layer to another in the case of transmitting and receiving data over a network from physical to application and vice versa respectively. Figure 1.1: Seven Layers of OSI Model (Source: Bora et al. 2014) Communication Types: Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Inter-Network and Wireless Network are the differ types of communication that can occur in a network. Figure 1.2: Communication Types (Source: Bora et al. 2014) Peer-to-Peer and Client Server: Peer-to-Peer Client Server Cost No need for any dedicated server reduces the cost. The requirement of dedicated server makes it more expensive. Performance In a case of large clients causes some problems. Can handle up to 10 clients (Jin et al. 2013). The server is in the network to handle all the complicated computations and to share so large amount of clients is not an issue. Security Less secure. More secure due to server authentication needed. Advantage Easy to install. More reliable. Disadvantage Limited expandability. Maintain is costly. Analogy of Peer-to-Peer: Think of Walkie Talkies, a person can talk with everyone who is in between the range and there is no superior device to authenticate the calls. References: Bora, G., Bora, S., Singh, S. and Arsalan, S.M., 2014. OSI reference model: An overview.International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology (IJCTT),7(4), pp.214-218. Jin, Y., Yi, Y., Kesidis, G., Kocak, F. and Shin, J., 2013, April. Hybrid client-server and peer-to-peer caching systems with selfish peers. InINFOCOM, 2013 Proceedings IEEE(pp. 1744-1752). IEEE.

Lost Military Id Essay Example

Lost Military Id Essay The importance of keeping positive control of my military i. d and how it Hinders the army’s OPSEC I won’t sit here and say losing my i. d card was completely out of my reach but things happen I’m only human. But I can assure you that it won’t happen again. But Losing a Military Identification Card has a lot of downsides. There is no good in losing a Military Identification Card regardless of the situations. Accountability in the military is extremely important. Accountability of government property is very important to avoid wasteful spending. It is also important because with items like ID cards it also controls access to sensitive areas. Lack of accountability shows a lack of responsibility. Accountability is very important and crucial for success in the army. But when you join the military they utilize a specific kinds of identification cards. These cards are for any people that are in or related to the armed forces, whether it is marines ,navy ,and in my case the army. They are also issued out to family members and their dependants, and civilian Department of Defense workers. Military I d cac cards are required components of military uniforms in a day to day life of a soldier. In the Army regulation 670-1 it requires that soldiers must at all times carry a military-issued identification card, whether in acu’s or in civilian clothes. Your Military ID card is required to travel on and off military installations such as , access commissaries, Post Exchanges and dinning Facilities. We will write a custom essay sample on Lost Military Id specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lost Military Id specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lost Military Id specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Your military id also serves as an indication of a service members rank and branch of service . On their military id card along with the rank and branch of service, is the persons ETS date, their full name, date of birth. It is essential that is always maintained on person and kept well track off, because if lost you are hindering the army’s opsec and can potentially be a high security matter of identity theft fraud. And they can literally have access to any base in the world. They could also have access to secret details on the internet literally almost anything they can get their hands on. They are also used as common access cards that are used to gain access to military computers. According to the Geneva Convention, all military service members are granted different types of treatment as prisoners of war. Military ID cards are issued with each service members Geneva Convention category; if a service member is taken as a prisoner of war, his category defines his standards of behavior and responsibilities to himself and other service members. Geneva Convention categories range from I to IV and are based on a service members rank. The military id is extremely and very important in day to day life as a soldier. Including the reasons I have already gone over, the military i. d is used to during any military flight. If the person didnt have their id card, and the unit was traveling for training or deployment or going to war, that person would not be able to travel. Not only facing further serious punishment for themselves, but effecting his entire unit. Losing a military ID has more downsides then just the punishment received by the individual for losing it.

The Ecuadorian Story of Cantuña and the Devil

The Ecuadorian Story of Cantuà ±a and the Devil Everyone in Quito, Ecuador, knows the story of Cantuà ±a: it is one of the citys most beloved legends. Cantuà ±a was an architect and builder who made a deal with the Devil †¦ but got out of it through trickery. The Atrium of San Francisco Cathedral In downtown Quito, about two blocks away from the center of the old colonial city, is Plaza San Francisco, an airy plaza popular with pigeons, strollers, and those who want a nice outdoor cup of coffee. The western side of the plaza is dominated by the San Francisco Cathedral, a massive stone building and one of the first churches built in Quito. It’s still open and is a popular place for locals to hear mass. There are different areas of the church, including an old convent and an atrium, which is an open area just inside the cathedral. It is the atrium that is central to the story of Cantuà ±a. Cantuà ±a’s Task According to legend, Cantuà ±a was a native builder and architect of great talent. He was hired by the Franciscans sometime during the early colonial era (construction took more than 100 years but the church was completed by 1680) to design and build the atrium. Although he worked diligently, it was slow going and it soon became apparent that he would not finish the project on time. He wished to avoid this, as he would not be paid at all if it were not ready on a certain date (in some versions of the legend, Cantuà ±a would go to jail if the atrium was not completed on time). A Deal With the Devil Just as Cantuà ±a despaired of completing the atrium on time, the Devil appeared in a puff of smoke and offered to make a deal. The Devil would finish the work overnight and the atrium would be ready on time. Cantuà ±a, of course, would part with his soul. The desperate Cantuà ±a accepted the deal. The Devil called in a large band of worker demons and they spent the whole night building the atrium. A Missing Stone Cantuà ±a was pleased with the work but naturally began to regret the deal he had made. While the Devil was not paying attention, Cantuà ±a leaned over and pried loose a stone out of one of the walls and hid it. As dawn broke on the day the atrium was to be given to the Franciscans, the Devil eagerly demanded payment. Cantuà ±a pointed out the missing stone and claimed that since the Devil had not fulfilled his end of the deal, the contract was void. Foiled, the angry Devil disappeared in a puff of smoke. Variations on the Legend There are different versions of the legend that differ in small details. In some versions, Cantuà ±a is the son of the legendary Inca General Rumià ±ahui, who foiled the Spanish conquistadors by hiding the gold of Quito (also allegedly with the help of the Devil). According to another telling of the legend, it was not Cantuà ±a who removed the loose stone, but an angel sent to help him. In yet another version, Cantuà ±a did not hide the stone once he removed it but instead wrote upon it something to the effect of Whoever picks up this stone acknowledges that God is greater than he. Naturally, the Devil would not pick up the stone and was, therefore, prevented from fulfilling the contract. Visiting San Francisco Church The San Francisco Church and convent are open daily. The cathedral itself is free to visit, but there is a nominal fee to see the convent and museum. Fans of colonial art and architecture will not want to miss it. Guides will even point out a wall inside the atrium that is missing a stone: the very spot where Cantuà ±a saved his soul!

Newspaper Op-Ed Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Newspaper Op-Ed - Article Example Legislations aim at safeguard the functionality of a given institution. The bill being proposed to allow the patients to choose whether to use experimental drugs, shall mean medical practitioners are have limited control in matters public health. Any action requires an individual to take responsibility. The medical code of ethics means that each doctor or nay other health officer is enshrined by a given set of roles thus must adhere to these rules. This implies that any effect of a given drug to a patient. My allowing the use of experimental drugs will mean that each patient would be liable if the drug negatively affects them. This will mean that the doctors and other medical officers will be reduced to inactive members in public health. This will culminate into malpractices by these officers with knowledge that the existing regulation protects them from any punishment. This will hence undermine the essence of ethical code of conduct. The patients will be subjected to commercialized health system that cares less on practitioners’ ethics. The bill fails to specify under which circumstances the experimental drugs will be used. The loophole in the bill will create room for the medical practitioners to use these drugs for their own benefits. This will entail using humans as ‘guinea pigs’ in an attempt to create a product that commercially benefit the doctors administering treatment. The use of human in test the raises the question on the ethical components of the experimental drugs. Companies will collaborate with health providers in a scheme to test their drugs on humans. The patients will subject to a series of drugs without their knowledge. The essence of any public health institution is to ensure the patient’s welfare is protected. The physicians in any facility should ensure any activity improves the wellbeing of their patients. In any terminal illness case there is the question of when should the ending

Economic and political integration in EU Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economic and political integration in EU - Essay Example The first of course was the founding of the European Economic Union (EEU). The second was the witness of regime change; the emergence of a liberal substitute wherein the state was harnessed by a common economic rule. The third, thanks to globalisation, saw the revival of economic liberalism as a doctrine, and the fourth; saw during the final decade of the century, the integration process of states suffer a series of eventually correctable setbacks that still peril the Union (John Gillingham, p.xiii, Preface, 2003). The European Union is unique among international organisations, in that, it has a complex yet well developed system of law, directly affecting its member states. The EU constitutes a law that draws mutual social and economic benefit of the member states. European Union law has come a long way since its inception over the past 50 years. As of today, the EU has around 500 million citizens in 27 member states bound together by this law, making it one of the most encompassing and dynamic modern legal systems in the world (Wikipedia, 2007). It all started when, the heads of the member States of Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands, agreed to lay the foundation of an ever closer union among the European Union members1. These included: The nature of the EC Treaty ensures that unelected individuals have had a greater impact on the development of EC Law than elected officials. This paper takes a look at three prominent laws that regulate the free movement of goods, people, and competition. 2.0 Executive Summary The free movement of persons between the Member States of the EU was at one time restricted to only the working class. This however changed with the economic development of all member states within the EU, and all people, citizens, students, dependents, and others who were no longer economically active were allowed to travel to any country in the EU and reside there if they wished. Since the integration of the

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 27

Case Study - Essay Example The company has identified the prom from the statistics that it has collected, it will be therefore prudent to seek solution to this problem. The major objective of using AI is that it accentuates the positive, rather than seeking for a problem to fix it. Is main objective is to pursue and pinpoint the distinctive qualities and exceptional strengths of an organization, which members can build on to improve performance. The AI process consists of four steps, discovery, dreaming, design and destiny. In regard to Discovery the Parkway Nursing Care leaders should seek to identify what they think are the organizations strength. The employees of Parkway Nursing Care will give the occasions of when they felt that they are satisfied in their jobs. In the dreaming stage is supposed to make employees to use the information from discovery phase to speculate on possible futures. The design will be aimed to make the employees of Parkway Nursing Care to find a common vision on how the organization will look like in the future and agree on the unique qualities. On the fourth phase the employees will aim to fulfill their dream by typically writing actions plan and implementing their strategies. Parkway Nursing Care will face some resistance when they are implementing this phases of AI, the most common form of resistance to change will be because of fear of unknown. Resistance to change will also appear to be very selective since each employee would want a change that benefits them. There employees are not engaging in their respective jobs as required, this implies that the board of directors have to re-energize the workforce. The employees have to make believe that it is very meaningful for them to engage in their job. To reenergize the work force the employees’ job characteristics has to be enhanced as well as the make sure that the resources at Parkway Nursing Care are sufficient. This will ensure that the workers are reenergized and the work is done

Effects of Social and Environmental Reporting on Stakeholder

Effects of Social and Environmental Reporting on Stakeholder Social and environmental reporting would benefit from greater stakeholder inclusivity. REFLECTIVE THINKING The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is very modern and now applies to more and more businesses. This topic piqued my interest because a lot of companies in my country have begun to adopt CSR and adopt social and environmental reporting. I am aware of the concept of corporate social responsibility, but I did not know its social and environmental dimensions. I mostly believed that corporate social responsibility is restricted mainly to charity. The more I read about it and discuss about it with other students, the more I realized its wider usefulness. Corporate Social Responsibility concerns actions that businesses do in order to solve problems involving the environment and society. In particular, companies in their business activities as well as in their contacts with other interested parties, bring together social and environmental concerns in a voluntary framework. A company to be qualified as socially responsible must take into account the problems related to the protection of the environment as well as to the development, rights and quality of life of its employees and the society within which it develops. With Corporate Social Responsibility, the business environment is voluntarily regulated, to ensure respect for the problems with the help of management systems regarding the impact on the environment, the support communities in the local context and the creation of a working environment which will ensure justice and security. Over the last five years, Corporate Social Responsibility plays an important role in both large enterprises and the European Commission, as well as in political and non-profit organizations. Several multinational or large companies try to prove that they have managed to integrate CSR in their strategy with great success. Two levels of implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility concern the companies. The first level, known as the initial stage of maturity concerns the big enterprises in Cyprus, where Corporate Social Responsibility is part of the activities of the department of public relations and particularly the field of charity and sponsorship. The second level, known as the maturity of the business, declares that Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of corporate policy and strategy. At this stage, there is a department or committee which is responsible for specific activities whose purpose is the achievement of strategic objectives as well as the annual Record of Social Report exclusively for Corporate Social Responsibility. In Cyprus, Corporate Social Responsibility is not at an advanced stage. This is because it may well be that Cyprus is a member of European Union, but the developments in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility do not show any significant progress. F or Cyprus, the environmental dimension of CSR is very important because it is very relevant to tourism, which is the heavy industry of Cyprus. For example, companies from Eastern European countries are more sensitized to Corporate Social Responsibility issues and there is indeed the desire to learn what Corporate Social Responsibility is, to see how they can adapt it to their philosophy, because they know that the global markets are asking for it. Nowadays, experts acknowledge that the Cypriot companies focus mainly on charity activities. The downside, however, is the fact that in Cyprus, there is no plan, no growth prospects and long term commitment for actions made. In addition, social responsibility is not limited to charitable giving, but it also covers the overall compliance with the international federal state and the local laws and legislative acts as well as with the ethical standards and procedures under which the company will operate. Great importance should be given to our awareness in order to function socially responsible, i.e. to approach the issue individually rather than corporately. Economic growth is directly related to the development of society and the environment. For example, if the sustainability of the environment is at risk, which is considered a business function, then this will directly affect the company and its financial results. The fact that CSR is an investment rather than a cost may be shown in the following way: Its a business practice that affects consumer attitudes, depending on their shopping choices. I believe that my involvement with this project helped me understand the importance of corporate social responsibility and how it can be applied to enterprises of my country. In particular, today the countries affected by the economic crisis and the developments that occur daily in the social and economic level, has created an environment of increased corporate responsibility. In this environment, companies seek to operate based on the developments occurring every day, while trying every way to reduce social risks. Based on the information available for liquidity in the economic and social level, firms must be able to understand, when they are able to avert a crisis (what happens when pop) and when to manage it successfully (this happens when the crisis is unpredictable). Corporate Social Responsibility is a strategic tool for managing the crisis. Today, most companies have social responsibilities. The directors think that a business to respond effectively and efficiently in social issues, corporate social policy must be integrated into corporate strategy. To assess how well the business operates in the fields of social responsibility, social auditing has been developed as a preliminary guide. The social audit consists of a series of systematic studies and the evaluation of social performance. It is interested in social influences on quality of life rather than in the economic quality of life. The social audit/reporting, leads to social performance. The benefits derived from a social audit are: It gives the information to assess the effectiveness of the programs on ecology and community development. The managers try to focus their attention on those activities where reports and evaluations are necessary. The existence of social audit seeks to promote concern for the achievement of social performance targets. It provides information that allows management to compare the effectiveness of different social programs. It gives the right to manage, provide information to external groups that rely on the company requirements for social performance (Cowton and Crisp 1998:120). Based on the results of this evaluation, the company can see where improvements are needed and what methods can be applied. I hope that this may be the issue of a future work. INTRODUCTION The field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has expanded significantly over the last decade both at the international and European level. More and more companies engage in serious efforts to define and integrate CSR into all aspects of their business. These efforts are supported by a growing number of evidence that proves that CSR has a positive impact on business economic performance. New voluntary standards and measurement tools of service are multiplied in number in parallel with the ongoing controversy about whether and how to standardize legal requirements for CSR from the business side. The interested parties now require from the company to apologize for its performance throughout the supply chain and for a set of issues of social responsibility. All the above take place in view of a complex global economy, where there are many social, economic and environmental injustices. In the past, the value of a company was only based on its financial performance. The interested pa rties now begin to understand better how the way the operational behavior affects the social, political and natural environment. The consequence of this is a growing pressure from investors, consumers and employees to the businesses, to include social and ecological criteria when taking decisions. CSR involves two basic ideas, the responsibility for reporting (accountability and transparency). Conversely, different groups of stakeholders require from businesses to operate successfully in non-financial sectors, which include human rights, business ethics, environmental practices, corporate contributions, contribution to local community development, corporate governance and labor and discrimination issues (Edgley et al.2009) The social and environmental performance is considered now as most consistent with economic efficiency. rights at the international level, companies need to apologize for their actions and their impact. In addition, companies are expected to disclose and communicate their policies and practices, which affect employees, communities and the environment. In the global economy, the companies that meet the requirements of the participants, namely the stakeholders are more likely to achieve long-term financial performance. CSR may be involved in every aspect of business activity. A company is considered a good corporate citizen when it demonstrates a sense of commitment to various stakeholders through socially responsible practices and transparent operations. DEFINITIONS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY At the international level, many practitioners in CSR seek to define the CSR concept. One of the most important of them is the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a coalition of 175 businesses, which share a common commitment to sustainable development through three pillars: economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. CSR is defined as the continued commitment by the company to behave ethically and contribute to economic development, whilst improving the quality of life of employees and their families, local community and society at a general level (United Nations 2002). In addition, global non-profit organizations have been developed to promote the concept of corporate social responsibility by offering to their members (companies) information, tools, training, consulting services for the integration of CSR in their business operations and strategy. A significant institution is the Business for Social Responsibility, according to which CSR seems to be the realization of commercial success in ways that honor ethical values and respect people, communities and the natural environment. Through CSR, society address the legal, ethical, commercial and other expectations of the business and take decisions that fairly balance the interests of the interested parties. CSR answers why, when and how the company manages the social, environmental and economic objectives, performance and results, and the relationship among them. In addition, CSR Wire reports that CSR aligns social values with business activities (Kuratko and Morris 2002). It focuses on social, environmental and financial performance, the so-called triple basic principle. The aim is to make business success while having a positive impact on society. Likewise, CSR Europe in an effort to strengthen CSR in companies to achieve profitability, sustainability and human development, points out that CSR concerns the way in which the firm improves its social and environmental impact, so it adds value both for shareholders and for the interested parties. The European Commission in its Green Paper in July 2001 (European Commission 2003) in an attempt to open a public debate and promote a European framework for CSR, describes it as  «a concept whereby companies integrate, on a voluntary basis, in their activities and contacts with interested parties, social values and environmental worries ». The Commission links CSR with the new strategic goal that was set in Lisbon for the current decade: â€Å"to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion†. (European Commission 2003). From its part, the Economic and Social Committee (EESC), supports the European Commission. According to EESC, corporate social responsibility is a complex group of issues that must be addressed in different ways and at depth. The cultural specificities and the legal systems have a direct impact on its implementation. There are differ ences between geographic levels of action (local, national, European, global), among developing and industrialized countries, including large multinational companies, SMEs and small firms as well as among sectors. In addition, apart from the classic hierarchical structure within the company, there are new forms of structure and organization of work such as Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary Listen Read phonetically Dictionary View detailed dictionary part-time, telecommuting or online businesses. According to EESC, socially responsible action means that companies implement conscientiously the social rules and make efforts to build a spirit of cooperation. The voluntary decision by a company for taking action on CSR (whether this has to do with the adoption of a code of conduct or map or trademark) includes preparedness and commitment (European Commission 2004).   In conclusion, it is noticed that the concept of corporate social responsibility is associated with other considerations and concepts, a fact that facilitates its clarification. Such concepts are the approach of participants stakeholders, business ethics, company culture, corporate governance and the status of corporate citizenship. As a new concept in the business reality, it has not yet acquired a specific, well-established definition. In this paper, corporate social responsibility is defined as the permanent, ethical obligation of companies to combine their contribution to economic growth with the responsible use of environmental and social resources (quality of employees life, respect for human rights, participation in the development of the local community where they operate, protection of the natural environment, structure of consistent and responsible relationships with suppliers and the wider social contribution). Generally, CSR is the voluntary integration of social and environmental values in business activities within the framework of transparency and reporting required by society for companies in the modern world. DIMENSIONS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Initially, the concept of corporate social responsibility has its internal and external dimensions. The first relates to intra business environment and includes socially and environmentally responsible practices, the combination of which aims at improved competitiveness. Socially responsible practices include: investment in human capital following policies of responsible recruitment,   equal pay and stock options to employees, as well as a more diverse workforce to combat discrimination. Their goal is to ensure employability and work, reduce unemployment and combat social exclusion. The health and safety of workers with voluntary control systems and certification schemes of management systems. Having as criteria   health and safety, general procurement systems were created, based on uniform requirements regarding training and management systems, implemented by the contractors in the health and safety issues at work. For example, the procurement system of the Danish Social Security provides guidelines that determine the prerequisites for bidding tenders for cleaning companies. In addition, these criteria are included in the existing certification and labelling for products and equipment such as the Swedish system TCO Labeling Scheme, which is a voluntary label for the security of office equipment. †¢ The management of change in the operational environment, which now encourages the involvement of all stakeholders by providing information and consultation. The restructuring in a socially responsible manner means that the interests and concerns of all those affected by the changes and decisions are taken into consideration. At European level, this phenomenon that usually appears as a reduction in personnel or closure of a factory, is evident in many industries, including the industries of steel, coal and shipbuilding. Through CSR companies are responsible for ensuring the employability of their staff (Crane and Matten 2005:167). The environmentally responsible practices are included in practices and policies that seek to reduce resource consumption or pollutant emissions and waste aiming at reducing the environmental impact. In this area, the environmental investments are recognized as double profit opportunities for both the company and the environment. Examples include the Integrated Product Policy, an approach that allows the government to work with companies and take into account the impact of products at all stages of their life cycle (introduction, growth, maturity, decline) and urges business and other stakeholders to discuss in order to find an approach with the best cost benefit analysis, having the effect of creating a strong framework for corporate social responsibility. In addition, EMAS ISO19000, a community management and control plan of the environment, which encourages companies to voluntarily set up management and control systems that promote continuous improvements in environmental perfor mance. The environmental statement is made public, and it is validated by accredited environmental organizations that verify it. Regarding the second dimension (external), the corporate social responsibility of a business extends beyond the company to the local community. A wide range of stakeholders is involved i.e. shareholders, business partners (suppliers, customers, consumers, contractors), public authorities and NGOs, representing local communities or dealing with the environment (European Multistakeholder Forum 2004). CSR is the integration of businesses in their local environment. The way they contribute to it is through job offers, salaries and social benefits. They are involved in community problems, support charity events, sponsor cultural and sporting events. In addition, the existence of interaction with the local environment leads them to a greater awareness of the environmental protection, since a cleaner environment can facilitate the process, or attract more labour force. Through close collaboration with business partners, enterprises can reduce perplexity and costs while increasing quality. The creation of such relationships leads in the long term to a fair price, conditions and expectations, as well as to quality, reliable delivery or execution. CSR appears in business activities at the area where the business is located. It focuses on the CSR of its suppliers or the dissemination of CSR in small or new innovative companies locally (through venture capital). Finally, as part of CSR, the companies must offer products and services that consumers need in an efficient, ethical and environmentally friendly way. The lasting relationships with customers lead to more profitable enterprises. An important example of CSR is the concept of planning for all, even for consumers with disabilities. The external dimension of CSR is shown in the co-operation of the business with non-governmental organizations, trade unions and public authorities on matters of vital i mportance, such as respect for human and labor rights in international and global supply chains (Holme and Watts 2000). On the one hand, there are national, community, international laws and binding rules, which provide minimum standards for all. On the other hand, there are voluntary codes of conduct, which are voluntary initiatives to complement and promote international labor standards for those who adopt them, as it happens in the various productive sectors (textile, apparel trade). The effectiveness of the latter depends on the proper implementation and verification, and it should be based on ILO conventions (Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work) and OECD (Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises) (European Commission 2004). The verification should be carried out based on defined standards that apply to organizations and individuals that carry the social control. TOOLS OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY The growing interest of governments, society and the business world in the concept of CSR has led to a significant increase in the number of management tools, measurement, communication and rewards regarding the performance of corporate social responsibility. These institutions of CSR range from general guidelines and codes of conduct that set ambitious CSR principles, to complex   management systems, control and communication tools or examination methodologies (filtration screening) of investments. All these play a key role in providing guidance for sustainable operation, for proper quality management of the processes, systems and practices aiming at sustainable development. SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT It includes codes of conduct, management standards and reporting, which help the companies to integrate CSR principles in their strategy and business operations by offering principles, sets of procedures, implementation steps, indicators and methods of measurement, evaluation and reporting. The codes of conduct are innovative and important tools for the promotion of fundamental human, labor and environmental rights, as well as for practices against corruption, particularly in countries where governments fail to reinforce such standards (Holme and Watts 2000). They are an official statement of the principles and business practices of a company. They express statements of minimum standards and a promise of the company to maintain them and demand from contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and recipients to apply them as well. Some examples are (Crane and Matten 2005:166): Intergovernmental Authorities ILO Tripartite declaration of principles concerning multinational enterprises and social policy. ILO Declaration on fundamental principles and rights at work. OECD Guidelines for multinational enterprises (MNEs). United Nations Draft guidelines for companies. Multilateral Codes of Conduct Ethical Trading Initiative. Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights for the extractive sector. Model Codes of Conduct designed by NGOs, trade unions and other organizations Amnesty International Amnesty International human rights principles for companies. United Nations UN global compact. The management standards are a set of frameworks, processes and practices for quality, environment, health and safety as well as the workplace itself (Denison 1990). They are internal tools for businesses and organizations to facilitate the integration of CSR into their activities on a daily basis. There are standards that focus on procedures and standards relating to performance measurement and reporting. Especially the management systems provide models and standards for the way of managing a process or an activity. Typically, large companies adopt them. The above tools improve the strategic management and reliability of the company. Examples of management models (Crane and Matten 2005:170): Standards for the workplace Social Accountability (SA 8000) (on working conditions) ILO-OSH 2001-IOC ILO Guidelines on occupational safety and health management OHSAS 18001 (health in the workplace and safety) Quality Management Standards ISO 9000 (International Organization of Standardization) EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) a model for achieving operational excellence. AA (AccountAbility) 1000. ISO CR MSS (management systems standards for corporate responsibility ISO). Environmental Management Standards EMAS (Eco-management and audit scheme) a voluntary program initiated by the European Commission. ISO 14000. The reports are documents, which announce the results of assessing the social impact of a CSR policy. The demand for greater transparency and social reporting from the business side has led to a recent increase of the interest in sustainability reporting, covering   economic, social and ecological aspects. These reports exist since 1970s as a supplement of the annual report (Callaghan and Elkins 1981). Nowadays, with the recognition of the importance of the triple bottom line for sustainable development, social, ethical and environmental issues were added to the reports. Unlike financial reports, sustainability reports include a set of qualitative information, which is difficult to measure, especially in social indicators, which are still at an experimental stage. Regarding the concept of triple bottom line†, it should be emphasized that it is the idea according to which â€Å"the overall performance of a company is measured based on its combined contribution to economic pro sperity, environmental quality and social capital† (Crane and Matten 2005:169). The European Commission (2004) itself has given special attention in this matter. In its notification on Communication on the EU strategy for Sustainable Development - COM (2001) 264† it called publicly traded companies with at least 500 employees to introduce the triple bottom line in their annual statements so that shareholders can measure and evaluate its performance against economic, and social and ecological criteria. Some characteristic examples of initiatives in this area are: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) with the Guidelines for Reporting (2002), which included reference files, content of reports and indicators for performance. AA1000s AccountAbility Model of results validation (assurance) by the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability (European Commission 2004). SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION In the context of socially responsible consumption social and environmental signals are used. These terms describe tools based on the market, aimed primarily at consumers and showing that the production of specific product and commercial transactions and procedures that are followed, have respected a given set of criteria and standards. However, consumers today are interested in issues of ensuring the environment, health and safety at work and respect for human rights, particularly on child and forced labor. Overall, these signs are a way to convert concern into positive action and direction of consumer behavior to social and environmental domains. In the modern, globalized economy, the terms fair trade and ethical trade are dominant. The first concept refers to fair procedures, aim at supporting marginalized producers in rural industries and handicrafts, in developing countries (Phatak 1997). These objectives, which are developmental, are achieved through better access to the market , ensuring fair prices in the negotiations and stability in the revenue, by providing direct payments or prepayment. The second concept refers to activities by companies aiming at highlighting their moral, social and environmental responsibilities and promoting human rights and decent working conditions in global supply chains and production of products. Some examples are the following (Crane and Matten 2005:170): Organizations FLO International (Fair-Trade Labeling Organizations) world-class organization that sets standards and certification of fair trade. IFAT (International Federation for Alternative Trade) a network of institutions, which aims to provide opportunities, information and technical support and better access to markets. EFTA (European Fair Trade Association) an association of importers aiming at achieving the most fair trade effective imports, promote cooperation and information, awakening of public opinion and decision-makers. Social Signals Belgium Social Label Legal Framework of the Belgian government in 2001 that gave the right to companies to acquire a sign which is used in products produced in a production chain that is compatible with the rules of conduct of the International Labour Organisation. Rugmark Label it concerns the production of carpets in India and aims to eliminate child labor. The participants agree to ban child labor and to allow non-communicated controls at their factories. Flower Label Program aims at ensuring fair labor and environmental conditions in the industry of flower trade, such as respect for the principles of the ILO and the non-use of toxic pesticides and chemicals. Environmental Signals EU ECO LABEL a voluntary programme that started in 1992 to encourage the production and consumption of green products in Europe. It is used in products with reduced environmental impact, in compliance with established standards. These ecological standards are determined by a committee (EU ECO-LABELING BOARD) and take into account all phases of the life of a product from the production up to its use and its dismissal. FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL the international non-profit organization has launched a global program, which covers forest products and provides a credible guarantee that the product comes from a forest, whose management is assessed and certified in accordance with the agreed social, economic and environmental standards. PAN EUROPEAN FORESTRY CERTIFICATION a voluntary private sector initiative which aims to promote sustainable forest management at the local and national level. SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING Through socially responsible investment (socially responsible investment SRI) a variety of approaches, products and tools offered to the social responsibility investors is shown. The socially responsible investment has become very popular in ordinary investors, because it combines   financial objectives with their concerns regarding moral, social and environmental issues. This way, it represents a powerful means to change business behaviour, by translating values into positive action and promotion of social and environmental procedures and practices (Holme and Watts 2000). The investment for social purposes supports a specific purpose or activity and their funding through investments. Unlike donations, investors for social purposes are interested in the return of the initial investment, either through reward (for loans) or through shares. In this kind of investment individual investors can be involved. These investors can be either individual investors who are interested in private capital investments or institutional investors for investments within a context which is shaped by institutions and organizations such as pension funds, banks, insurance and asset management companies. There are the following ways for institutional investors to follow their social and ecological values: Through filtering (screening) which concerns the inclusion or exclusion of shares in investment portfolios based on ethical, social or ecological criteria. This can be achieved either by excluding companies involved, for example, in the production of nuclear weapons, or by selecting companies based on the evaluation of their social and environmental performance. Through activism or the involvement of shareholders, where in this case, the investors by using their shareholder identity support their social and environmental concerns and seek ways to influence the behavior of the enterprise through consultation with the management of the compan

Death Penalty Essay -- essays research papers

The use of the death penalty in the United States has been a great debate for many years. One of the major aspects of this debate is whether or not we should continue to use this form of punishment for criminals. In my opinion, the death penalty should be abolished because it costs taxpayers much more than sending an inmate to prison and there is no factual evidence that it has any greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One major reason that I believe that the death penalty should be abolished is because the expenses of the death penalty greatly exceed those of life imprisonment. â€Å"Maintaining a system of Capital Punishment is far more expensive than sending murderers to prison until they die of natural causes. No systematic study has reached a contrary conclusion†(Costanzo 62). When various states conducted research on reinstating the death penalty, it was found that the cost would be enormous. A study in New York showed that the cost would be $118 million dollars each year to restore the death penalty within the state. Another study conducted in Kansas illustrated that the cost of the death penalty would be $11.4 million for the first year of reinstatement, and that the expenses would only rise each year as more prisoners were placed on death row (Quoted in Hanks 125). When compared to the cost of life imprisonment, these figures are astronomical. â€Å"A life sente nce in prison without parole is estimated to range from $750,000 to $1.1 mi...

Humor of Flannery Oconnor

Aaron Kalman Professor Suppes Art of Literature 15 September 2012 Humor in â€Å"Good Country People† Flannery O’Connor has always liked to use various types of humor and irony in her stories centered around the dark, tragic, and uncomfortable ways of life. She uses these literary techniques to mask what she is truly trying to say. â€Å"Good Country People† by Flannery O'Connor is a prime example of humor and irony which makes fun of the simple, intellectual, as well as the incongruous people in the world. The most blatant and simple type of humor is found while observing the flat characters of Mrs. Freeman and Mrs.Hopewell. These two women begin the story by participating in routine gossip with one another. Their constant bickering and desire to feel superior to the other is humorous because of how uneducated they sound. O’Connor puts them in the category of â€Å"good country people† due to the fact that they are pure, simple, and honest. This is ironic because good country people are referred and compared to as trash multiple times in the story. Another example of irony includes when Mrs. Hopewell said that the Freemans were a â€Å"godsend,† but the reason she had hired them was that there were no other applicants.Despite Mrs. Freeman being extremely nosy, Mrs. Hopewell ironically refers to her as a â€Å"lady and that she was never ashamed to take her anywhere or introduce her to anybody they might meet† (O’Connor 379). O’Connor uses these two women to lighten up the mood of the story before introducing Mrs. Hopewell’s atheist and pessimistic daughter Joy. The humor that the author uses when describing Joy is more complex and tragic than any other character in the story. As a well-educated 32 year-old, Joy is not a pleasure to be around. Joy constantly suffers through tantrums and still dresses like a six year-old.While reading O’Connor’s description, it is hard not to lau gh at the way she acts towards her mother as well as visitors. Joy â€Å"slams doors, stomps noisily around on her wooden leg, and is in constant outrage† (O’Connor 378). An example of her disruptive behavior is when she associates Mrs. Freeman’s daughters, Glynese and Caramae, with Glycerin and Caramel. Joy changes her name to Hulga, which is ironically more suited to her personality. Her mother believes she does it to spite her, but Hulga really does it with the idea that her mother has to accept her by using the new name.This light humor becomes darker when Hulga gets ready to go on a date with the sadistic bible salesman, Manley Pointer. The bible salesman known as Manley Pointer contains a comical sense which makes taking him seriously extremely hard. First of all, the name he chooses to use is extraordinary in its own right. Manley Pointer has a cartoon character approach to him as he enters Mrs. Hopewell’s house. An example of this type of characte rization is shown when O’Connor states that the man â€Å"fell forward into her hall†¦as if the suitcase had moved first, jerking him after it† (O’Connor 382).Manley Pointer has a youthful and awkward approach to his customers mixed in with a hint of cleverness. Mrs. Hopewell states that â€Å"she never liked to be taken for a fool† (O’Connor 383). Her statement is ironic because of the slyness used by Manley to trick Mrs. Hopewell into inviting him over for dinner. As Manley fools Mrs. Hopewell, he begins his devilish act with Hulga. The climax of the humor in â€Å"Good Country People† occurs when Manley Pointer and Hulga go on a date.Manley and Hulga’s date begins with some comical light humor as Hulga tries to dress up in slacks, a dirty white shirt, and some vapex she finds in the medicine cabinet in order to seduce the bible salesman. This is humorous because its shows her ineptitude to do a basic task despite her having a PhD. Hulga thinks she is making Manley fall in love with her as he kisses her head to toe; however, ironically Manley is secretly seducing her. Her downfall occurs when she gullibly gives up her soul by entrusting Manley with her wooden leg. He then takes her leg and runs off into the distance with it, leaving Hulga stranded up in the hayloft.Satirically, the only person Hulga has ever given herself up to steals her life and breaks her heart. Throughout â€Å"Good Country People,† dark, uncomfortable, tragic as well as lighter and simple humor are all used by O’Connor. This and some situational and literal irony allowed all types of characters to be made fun of by the author. The ingenious humor and necessary irony by Flannery O’Connor in â€Å"Good Country People† are what make her story brilliant. Works Cited O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"Good Country People. † Meyer, Michael, ed. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.

Food and Street Foods Essay

Bulacan was officially called â€Å"Bulacan Province†, is a first class province of the Republic of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Region (Region 3) in the island of Luzon, North of Manila (the nation’s capital), and part of the Metro Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region. Bulacan pries itself for its rich historical heritage. Bulacan has fast become an ideal tourist destination, owing to its vital role in Philippine history, and its rich heritage in culture and the arts. The province is popularly known for its historical sites; nostalgic old houses and churches; idyllic ecological attractions; religious attractions; colorful and enchanting festivals; swimming and various themed attractions; and a wide selection of elegant native crafts and sumptuous delicacies. It is also home to numerous resorts, hotels, restaurants, and other recreational facilities. (Wikipedia) The briskness of Street foods in Bulacan can be measured by the long queue of consumers’ everyday in the food outlets in strategic places where street foods like: â€Å"lugaw† or Rice Porridge, goto, mami, fish balls, barbecued banana, salted peanuts and chicken pops. (Toledo, 1988) Street Foods is a â€Å"Survival Meals†, maybe because it satisfies the gustatory sense for a temporary period of time. (Soledad Leynes, 1986) In such case, eating away from home due to the changes in occupation and activities created a demand for cooked meals and snacks at a cheaper and affordable price that are served quickly. Dual career, parents and small families who really have no time to prepare their meals at home resort to street foods for convenience. These people seem not to care for the food source whether it comes from the legitimate food merchants or from the informal sector, otherwise called black market. (Soledad Leynes, 1986) Street foods, whether snacks or meals are affordable and always available, which are very popular among the low income households to a large extent and increasingly a daily fare among the middle income groups. Households with working mothers are afforded ready to eat meals without the burden of cooking at home. Street food caters to the needs of the urban poor population by making food readily available and at low cost. Thus, street food vending is a traditional activity which can be considered a coping mechanism of the urban poor. Street foods are ready-to-eat foods and beverages prepared and/or sold by vendors or hawkers especially in the streets and other similar places. They represent a significant part of urban food consumption for millions of low-and-middle-income consumers, in urban areas on a daily basis. Street foods may be the least expensive and most accessible means of obtaining a nutritionally balanced meal outside the home for many low income people, provided that the consumer is informed and able to choose the proper combination of foods. (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

Beowolf - The Epic Poem Essays - Beowulf, Geats, Free Essays

Beowolf - The Epic Poem Essays - Beowulf, Geats, Free Essays Beowolf - The Epic Poem The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person with all the extraordinary traits required of a hero. He is able to use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious of beasts but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life countless times for immortal glory and for the good of others. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he "lost" a simple swimming match with his youthful opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster's neck with a Giant's sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with ease, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Herot mead-hall. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf's heroism. Another heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his peoples welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of the evil Grendel. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes the dangers but fears nothing for his own life. After Beowulf had served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to battle one last time to fight a horrible dragon who is frightening all of his people. Beowulf is old and tired but he defeats the dragon in order to protect his people. Even in death he wished so secure safety for the Geats so a tall lighthouse is built in order to help the people find there way back from sea. The most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he is not afraid to die. He always explains his death wishes before going into battle and requests to have any assets delivered to his people. "And if death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac, return the inheritance I had from Hrehtel, and from Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must! (18)" He is aware of the heroic paradox; he will be glorified in life or death for his actions. He knows that when he fights an enemy like Grendel or Grendel's mother he will achieve immortality as the victor or the loser. "When we crossed the sea, my comrades and I, I already knew that all my purpose was this: to win the good will of your people or die in battle, pressed in Grendel's fierce grip. Let me live in greatness and courage, or here in this hall welcome my death! (22)" Even with the enormous amount of confidence Beowulf possesses, he underezds that Fate or Wyrd will work its magic no matter what and he could be killed at any point in his life. He faces that reality by showing no fear and preparing for a positive or a fatal outcome. Beowulf is the prime example of an epic hero. His bravery and strength surpass all mortal men; loyalty and the ability to think of himself last makes him reveared by all. Beowulf came openly and wholeheartedly to help the Danes which was an unusual occurrence in a time of war and wide-spread fear. He set a noble example for all human beings relaying the necessity of brotherhood and

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Critical Thinking 1 - Speech or Presentation Example Economic profit is the estimate of a forgone good. In businesses, the normal profit is required business profit and not in economic profit. If at all the interest on mortgage loan deduction were reduced or removed, then the homeowners will be hurt is a fallacy. Buyers will have to pay low prices. This because home owners get a deduction in tax which a renter paying the same amount will never get. The savings are forced every month in beginning of a mortgage. Owning property such as house is the only avenue for an ordinary person to employ leverage that not only create risk but also rewards. Persons who rent outwardly think they put extra in investments but when subjected to scrutiny it is a fallacy. A house is an asset that depreciates slowly as compared to other assets. The scenario only focuses on the percentage increase in houses but do not provide an argument what return on capital is. If a sales manager happens to announce that a marketing program is being utilized to maximize sales, I would advocate for the program scaled down because the marginal revenue is equal to zero. When the sales are maximum, the marginal revenue is at zero. When now this happen, the marginal cost exceeds marginal revenue, this means that the marketing strategy is yielding too much. For the betterment of the outcome, the marginal revenue should be equal to marginal

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Research Topics with Explanation - Assignment Example uld be changed to factor in the changes that have occurred over the past two decades since the law was passed to meet the needs of employees (Glynn, 2013). As such, the appropriate audiences that are targeted by this discussion are the employees, the employers and the legislatures who are responsible for making the laws. Certainly, although Americans workers have benefited from the law, it should be changed to incorporate the changes that have occurred in the past years since the signing of the act into law as will be demonstrated in the paper. The issue of tax has often been characterized by the strong debate. In 2012, President Obama proposed that the tax rate on earnings above $250,000 be raised (McArdle, 2012). Accordingly, I have chosen this topic because the tax is an issue that is of great concern to all American workers. Whenever a tax is raised or reduced, it affects Americans workers directly, thus a need to understand the effects of any changes in the tax proposal (Kasprak, 2012). This discussion will be addressed to the stakeholders who are impacted with the tax proposals, including the American middle class, lawmakers and the public at large. Accordingly, the paper will analyze the impacts that raising the tax on earning above $250,000 will have on the Americans who earn above this amount and its overall effect on the U.S. economy. According to American law, a criminal defendant can only be convicted of an offense when all the jurors agree and vote guilty as charged (Mackenzie, 2013). This ruling was handed by the Supreme Court in 1972 in which the court found that the 6th Amendment requires that unanimity in the countries federal courts (Jones, 2010). However, I found this topic interesting to study because it highlights the controversy between the federal and state courts since some state courts do not require unanimity in a criminal conviction. Therefore, studying this topic can be of value to the state and federal courts, the convicts, and the

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The Meaning of Lives Essay Example for Free

The Meaning of Lives Essay In her article The Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf, a moral philosopher and philosopher of action, investigates whether meaning can exist in lives without postulating the existance of God. Wolf establishes her position on this philosophical question from an agnostic perspective and rationally argues that such a question can in fact â€Å"fit within a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life† (Wolf 63). With this paper, I will first summarize the prominent points of Wolf’s article then highlight and expound upon areas of her argument that contradict her line of reason. Lastly, I will introduce the theistic perspective on meaningful lives along with presenting Wolf’s reason and argument as supporting evidence for the theistic view. In the Meaning of Lives, Susan Wolf opens briefly with an evaluation of the philosophically ambiguous question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † She argues this particular question is impossible to rationalize because it dependents upon a postulation for the existence of God. Wolf claims it is necessary to postulate the existence of God in order to argue this original question because if God does exist, then He â€Å"may have created us for a reason, with a plan in mind†(Wolf 63). Thus, if God exists then there would be purpose and meaning to human existence dependent upon the creator God. Wolf does not deny the existence of God; she simply suggests that a divine existence is improvable. Therefore the question of a grand purpose and meaning in life is an unnecessary and an improvable argument to find an answer to, due to the improvable nature of God. However, she does believe that meaning in lives is not contingent upon the existence of God stating, â€Å"Meaningfulness is an intelligible feature to be sought in life† and that â€Å"a positive view about the possibility of meaning in lives can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 63). She expounds on this argument in three distinct sections. The first part of Wolf’s argument observes three different examples of meaningless lifestyle. Wolf articulates that learning from three paradigms of meaningless lives, one can construct an understanding for meaningfulness. She begins with a lifestyle she labeled the Blob. The Blob is defined by a lifestyle that â€Å"is lived in hazy passivity†¦ unconnected to anyone or anything, going nowhere, achieving nothing† (Wolf 64). Wolf deduces from the Blobs meaningless lifestyle, that in order to attain a meaningful life one must be engaged in a project, which can include relationships. The second meaningless lifestyle, in contrast to the Blob’s lifestyle of passivity, is regarded as the Useless life; â€Å"a life whose dominant activities seem pointless, useless or empty† (Wolf 65). After reviewing the lifestyle of the Useless life, a life void of worth, to achieve meaning â€Å"one must be engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). The final category of a meaningless life would be the lifestyle of the Bankrupt, â€Å"someone who is engaged or even dedicated, to a project that is ultimately revealed as bankrupt, not because the person’s values are shallow or misguided, but because the project fails†(Wolf 65). Ultimately, Wolf concludes that in order to achieve meaningfulness one must not only be engaged in a project of positive value but that project must be in some way successful. After providing a working definition for a meaningful life, Wolf raises the question as to what constitutes â€Å"positive value† and who has the right to objectively determine value. Similarly to Wolf’s construction of meaningfulness, she argues reasons for why an individual is incapable of objectively determining positive value. This incapability for determining objective value is due to the individual’s subjectivity and â€Å"interest in living a life that feels or seems meaningful†(Wolf 66). Therefore, because an individual is incapable of distinguishing objective positive value from interest, it is unlikely that the individual can distinguish what is required for a meaningful life. She argues that objective value is determined and achieved through observing value in other people’s lives. Wolf clarifies that the objective good she is referring to is not compared to moral goodness, â€Å"benefiting or honoring humanity† (Wolf 67). Wolf claims that meaningfulness is not contingent upon moral value. Instead, Wolf suggests that while there are examples of lives exhibiting great moral value, such as Mother Teresa and Gandhi, that are full of meaning; there are also examples of other lives, such as â€Å"artists, scholars, musicians and athletes†, that possess great meaning, not based upon their moral value. These lives are considered valuable and meaningful due to their ability to â€Å"develop our skills and our understanding of the world† which â€Å"give meaning to our lives- but they do not give moral value to them †(Wolf 67). A greater understanding of our own worth and the Universe is what Wolf constitutes for lives to have meaning. The final stage in Wolf’s argument poses the question â€Å"what is the good, after all, of living a meaningful life†(Wolf 67)? Wolf does not wish to define goodness, but rather discusses the advantages for living a life full of meaning. Wolf makes the final stand, that in order to grasp meaningfulness and understand how one can achieve it in their life; an individual must become enlightened to their status in the world as â€Å"a tiny speck in a vast universe† (Wolf 69). This description of where an individual lies in relation to the vastness of the Universe, provides the reality that meaning in lives cannot logically be contingent upon the desires and benefits for the individual, due to humanities insignificance. It seems illogical to Wolf, that a person who seeks to find meaning in their life could conclude that is dependent upon their independent happiness claiming, â€Å"to devote oneself wholly to one’s own satisfaction seems to me to fly in the face of truth, to act as if one is the only thing that matters, or perhaps, more, that one’s own psychology is the only source of (determining) what matters† (Wolf 70). The truth, to which Wolf refers, is the reality that individuals have very little significance in relation to the value of the vast Universe. It is because of this truth that a self-center and egocentric life goes against of logic after such a truth is realized. Wolf argues that instead of egocentric priorities to achieve meaning, an individual should alternatively be focused on the needs of the Universe and others. She understands that â€Å"you are just one person among others, equally real- is the source of practical reason-in this case, it gives you reason to take the pains of others to constitute reasons for action†¦reason to care about the pain of others that is grounded, not in our own psychologies, but a fact about the world†(Wolf 70). In this section, I will address three areas of Wolf’s reasoning I find to be inconsistent with her argument as a whole. A concern that I have regarding Wolf’s argument is her use of the word â€Å"meaning†, in regards to the meaning of lives. A very different connotation of the word â€Å"meaning† suggested by the philosophical question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † Wolf states that the question, â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † requires an individual to postulate the existence of God because it implies their ultimate aim â€Å"to find a purpose or a point to human existence†(Wolf 63). However, Wolf also argues, â€Å"whether or not God exists, the fact remains that some objects, activities and ideas are better than others. Whether or not God exists some ways of living are more worthwhile than others†(Wolf 72). At the beginning of Wolf’s argument about the meaning of lives, suggests that she neither denies nor rejects the existence of God. She argues this as true because she believes the question behind the meaning in lives can be answered as â€Å"an intelligible feature to be sought in life and that it is at least sometimes attainable but not everywhere assured†(Wolf 63). Wolf reduces the meaning of lives to that which can be determined by human reasoning a finite measurement of this transitory world. Thus Wolf, who has neither denied nor rejected the existence of God has unreasonably eliminated the question of origin of lives, as irrelevant to meaning in lives. She focuses how certain types of lives merit significance in existence and consequently refers to the word â€Å"meaning† as synonymous with value. Finally, Wolf argues that there is value in human lives that â€Å"can fit with a negative or agnostic view about the meaning of life†(Wolf 66). This statement is far less controversial than her attempts to argue that meaning in lives is achievable without the postulation of God. Logically, to explore meaning in lives, one must consider the beginning of life, which must have been constructed either by accident or by a creator. Meaning cannot be cited as more or less significant at a particular point in an individual’s life. Thus, the point that one comes into existence must be regarded for defining meaning within an individual’s life. The second problem in Wolf’s argument comes in her evaluation of what is considered a project of positive value. An individual who is engaged in a project of positive value is central to Wolf’s definition of a meaningful life. Although, projects of positive value can add to meaning in an individual’s life, Wolf’s reasoning as to â€Å"who is to decide which projects have positive value† is vague and inconsistent with her earlier positions (Wolf 66). Wolf concludes that individuals are incapable of objectively deciding what has positive value, due to subjective interests, which skew their understanding of objective value. Wolf deduces that in order for an individual to understand projects of positive value, which will eventually adds meaning to heir lives, they must experience an â€Å"epiphany†¦ to the recognition that our life to date has been meaningless† (Wolf 66). This comment is completely inconsistent with Wolf’s fundamental goal to acquire an understanding of meaning in lives from an intelligible process of reason. The understanding for projects of positive value through an epiphany is inconsistent with her pervious arguments because it depends she suggests that understanding meaning comes from an unintelligible source of knowledge. Who is to say that that epiphany is not guided by a supreme higher being? The irony of Wolf’s conclusion about the necessary epiphany, is that her statement â€Å"It is the sort of experience that one might describe in terms of scales falling from ones eyes†, compares closely to the allusion found in Acts 9:18 (Wolf 66). The verse reads â€Å"And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized† (NIV 1000). The language of scales falling from the eyes in order to gain true understanding is regarded in both versions as an act depended upon a supernatural entity enabling the change. This very interesting comment by Wolf, suggests that understanding how an individual recognizes truth through epiphany is beyond the capabilities of human control and intellect. Her attempted arguments about how a meaningful life is realized are sound up until the point about epiphany. Lastly, Wolf’s argument for meaning in lives lacks any discussion of immortality as a necessary property for meaning. Wolf reasons that there are certain lifestyles that are more meaningful than others. This argument for certain lifestyle having greater meaning has limited relevance because as she rationalizes, lives are finite and temporary as are the lives of others whom we must focus in our acknowledgement of the truth that we are just a â€Å"speck in the vast Universe†(Wolf 69). Wolf does a fine job at articulating the insignificance and temporary state of human life. However, she fails to recognize that in her attempts to construct a logical framework for meaning in finite lives she disregards the possibility for immortality to give further meaning to lives. Thus, she reduces the idea of meaning as an avoidance of an egocentric lifestyle and recognizes insignificance and meaning within an individuals’ life alone. Wolf’s claim that meaning is attainable through certain actions only satisfies temporary lives for a finite amount of time. This argument surrounding meaning as dependent upon an inward realization of insignificance manifesting into outward actions, is simply a cycle of meaningless people helping other meaningless people, and causes only a temporary impact. In an argument for the importance of immortality to meaning in lives, Gianluca Di Muzio states, â€Å"If a human being dies and her actions have no lasting effect, because the world itself perished, then her life was meaningless. If, in the end, all comes to nothing, then it does not matter in the first place whether a particular person existed or not† (Di Muzio 2). In order for actions and lives to be meaningful, they must have a lasting impact or something to gain, and provide for others in a way that is not reducible to the finite and temporary world. Thus, achievable immortality must exist for meaning to be possible. Although she attempts to determine the meaning in lives for an agnostic world, I would argue that Wolf’s argument actually supports many theistic views regarding the meaning of lives. Though many of Wolf’s arguments do not adequately provide understanding for meaning in lives from an agnostic perspective, many of her points parallel to the theistic view of â€Å"purpose theory. † Before I expound on these similarities, an understanding of the theistic view regarding the meaning of must be addressed. According to Borchert, the theistic view argues that, â€Å"life is meaningful insofar as one fulfills a purpose that God has assigned† (Borchert 295). In â€Å"Confession†, Leo Tolstoy discusses meaning in life from the theistic perspective and claims â€Å"now I see clearly that my faith-my only real faith-that which apart from my animal instincts gave impulse to my life- was a belief in perfecting myself† (Klemke 2). Tolstoy sought such perfection in artistic achievements and loving his family. In trying to find meaning in family and people, Tolstoy ultimately realizes that â€Å"My family — wife and children — are also human. They are placed just as I am: they must either live in a lie or see the terrible truth† (Klemke 10). In other words, Tolstoy realizes that if meaning resides in the finite and temporary nature of humanity, meaning too will die along with the life. Tolstoy further suggests that meaning cannot reside within artistic modes when he writes Art, poetry? Under the influence of success and the praise of men, I had long assured myself that this was a thing one could do though death was drawing near — death which destroys all things, including my work and its remembrance; but soon I saw that that too was a fraud† (Klemke 10). This declaration further supports Tolstoy’s theistic belief that everything of and in this world cannot be the ultimate source of meaning in lives. Although, the substance of this world may increase value within life, it cannot supply ultimate, enduring meaning. Tolstoy finally declares, â€Å"To know God and to live is one and the same thing. God is life- Live seeking God, and then you will not live without God† (Klemke 11). This passage concludes with his theistic assertion that without a â€Å"divine plan for the world, then all efforts come to nothing, because everything comes to nothing. Hence our lives are meaningless without God† (Metz 293). Though Wolf attempts to support an agnostic view for the question, â€Å"is there meaning in lives? † her central points mirror those of the theistic view and supports many of its claims. This final section will concentrate on central points within Wolf’s argument that support a theistic view for understanding meaning in lives. To begin, she claims that a life has meaning insofar as it is â€Å"engaged in a project or projects that have some positive value† (Wolf 65). Although this statements seems logical, Wolf fails to provide an intelligible source for acquiring knowledge about whether or not a project has positive value and which projects do not. She betrays the agnostic attempt to provide an understanding of meaning in lives through reason, by suggesting that realization of projects with positive value relies upon an epiphany. The concept of an epiphany for realization is inconsistent with her attempts to rationalize. However, when Wolf’s definition is placed against the theistic view, it is logically consistent with theological beliefs. Theists believe that an individual must be actively engaged in positively affecting peoples lives with in the world, while ultimately contributing to God’s divine plan in order for their lives to have meaning. This concept is articulated beautifully in Gianluca Di Muzio’s argument: Theism and the Meaning of Life, in which he states, â€Å"In order to have meaning, our lives must make a difference to a higher scheme. And theism sees human action as doing a sort of double duty. On one hand, they affect other people and events in this world, on the other, they further or hinder God’s ultimate plan† (Di Muzio 2). This statement suggests that humanities actions in projects have the ability to have two different forms of significance, both relative and ultimate. Relative significance refers to the theistic perspective that, â€Å"actions and events have relative significance when they only influence other actions and events†(Di Muzio 3). Ultimate significance is when our actions and events â€Å"contribute to God’s plan† (Di Muzio 3). Both of these forms contribute to theistic view, however Wolf’s argument focuses solely on relative significance. The theistic understanding of relative significance is paralleled to Wolf’s understanding of meaning in lives. She believes that when individuals realize their insignificance and begin to seek beyond themselves for meaning by actively engaging in projects of positive value, they can acquire meaning. Though this insignificance is transient, it supports the theistic belief that, â€Å"human beings have access to value† without having to postulate the existence of God, because â€Å"existence affords the opportunity to attain the kinds of goods that make a human life worthwhile and fulfilling† (Di Muzio 5-6). Wolf’s profound point that human life is just a â€Å"speck in a vast universe† lays the foundation for the theistic belief in ultimate significance (Wolf 71). Theists believe that there is A fundamental disproportion between aspirations and reality is a powerful source of the idea that our lives are absurd and meaningless. We think we matter, and yet we don’t. The world is not intoned with our hope, desires and projects. The possibility of out destruction looms everywhere; and human suffering, however enormous, seems to be nothing but a passing accident, a byproduct of the presence of sentient creatures in a world that merely tolerates them for a short time. (Di Muzio 9) This understanding of human insignificance plays a vital role in the theistic belief that despite human fragility, purpose and significance are achievable within the most tragic circumstances. Wolf’s recognition of our insignificance implies our need to look beyond our own lives for meaning. If a life of meaning depends upon recognizing the truth about our insignificance and continuing to be â€Å"actively engaged in a project of positive value†, and one cannot perform these projects due to tragic circumstances, then within Wolf’s reasoning their life can not have meaning. Wolf’s understanding of meaning depends upon individual human performance. In trying times of suffering, whether great or small, this concept of looking outside of ones own circumstances is hard to accomplish and in some circumstances impossible, thus in such cases meaning cannot be unachieved. The theistic view of ultimate significance provides a hope that a life of suffering can have meaning and purpose too in that, â€Å"the idea of God and hope for immortality can help us look again at the world and our fragile lives as meaningful†(Di Muzio 9). The project of participating in God’s divine plan is the only project that has lasting and unwavering value for meaning in lives. Wolf’s central argument concerning meaning in lives provides many logically convincing and sound points. However, Wolf’s definition of a life of meaning is both disconnected from her original argument and lacks a consistent, authoritative source and process for achieving meaning. She attempts to suggest that meaning is an â€Å"intelligible feature to be sought in life†, then provides the solution for achieving this insight of through the unintelligible source of epiphany. Secondly, Wolf’s argument for the realization of insignificance as the truth, unlocks the need for an individual to look beyond serving his or her own self-centered desires for meaning. However, though her point about insignificance seems valid, Wolf fails to provide examples or an understanding of how an individual can objectively determine how to look outside of themselves. In total, Wolf produces an understanding of meaning that depends upon an individuals abilities to undergo an epiphany and properly manifest their understanding of the need to look outside one’s self and recognize Universal needs. The problem with this stance is that focusing on the Universe provides no lasting impact, or meaning to a particular life because the things of this Universe are finite and temporary. The individual’s life will eventually end along with the actions and events they affected. Though existence can provide an opportunity for value, as understood in Wolf’s argument and the theistic view, meaning is dependent upon a infinite being whose performance can not be temporary. An individual must not be reliant on their personal performances and finite experiences to obtain meaning, but rather is actively engaged in an eternal project of positive value, determined by an infinite and constant authority, God. Works Cited Borchert, Donald M. Theism. Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2nd ed. 10. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Web. 25 Apr 2012. Di Muzio, Gianluca. Theism and the Meaning of Life life’s meaning? Ars Disputandi . 6. (2006): 1-12. Print. Klemke, E. D. â€Å"The Meaning of Life†. 2nd. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print. Metz, Thaddeus. â€Å"Could God’s purpose be the source of life’s meaning? † Cambridge Journals. (2000): 293-311. Print. Wolf, Susan. The Meaning Of Lives. 62-73. Print.