Rappaccini’s Daughter - An Exploration of Human Nature Essay -- Rappac

Rappaccini’s Daughter - An Exploration of Human Nature The key to my understanding Hawthorne’s perspective on Science and Nature in Rappaccini’s Daughter was his cheeky introduction, when he placed himself somewhere between transcendentalists and "pen-and-ink men who address the intellect and sympathies of the multitude" - too unpopular for the multitude, and too popular for the transcendentalists. Choosing not to fit in either camp, he seems to tease us with the merits and deficits of each - science and nature, too. It’s not a matter of balance, or a weighing of arguments. His device here is to play upon the tensions attendant to these apparent polarities. On the first reading "Rappaccini’s Daughter" appeared to be a cautionary tale, a warning about the dangers of too much science, excessive manipulation of nature - leading to "thwarted nature," the "fatality that attends all such acts of perverted wisdom." Rappaccini is described as a "vile empiric" and "not restrained by natural affection for his daughter." Beatrice, his daughter, describes herself as merely his earthly child, while the plants are the "offspring of his intellect." Beatrice is described by her physical beauty and poisonous physical nature. She is described also by the "pure light of her character." Giovanni, the would-be lover, alternates between obsession with Beatrice - which might be love - and abhorrence of her. The obsession is with her beauty and simplicity - her goodness. The abhorrence is with her poisonous physical nature. Giovanni’s character, however, is found wanting when he urges Beatrice to take the fatal antidote to her poisonousness. Beatrice protected Giovan... ...cience was represented by his demeanor with his daughter and his garden - touching nothing directly, only looking and tending from a distance. Baglioni sought power manipulatively and politically - represented by his academic rivalry with Rappaccini, his plan to kill Beatrice, and his manipulation of Giovanni as the instrument to kill Beatrice. Giovanni wanted power over Beatrice - he wanted to recast her into a form he could "love" - he couldn’t love her as she was. Beatrice and the plants in the garden were the innocents in this story - they simply came into being. The poison in their physical nature simply was - there was no malice in them. Beatrice was the only human who exhibited real love, and who only wanted love/to love. She expressed her love for Giovanni by dying - and in dying released herself from (transcended) the power of each of these men.

The Tragedy of Macbeth :: Classics, Shakespeare

â€Å"Macbeth,† written by William Shakespeare initially described the main character, Macbeth, as an honorable, brave, loyal hero. He was a Scottish General and thane of Glamis. Macbeth fought for his country and supported the king. Macbeth was looked up to and admired for being so courageous and brave. He understood the difference between right and wrong. Macbeth was a man who seemed to have everything, including a loving wife! So what happened to this great man? How did he change from a hero to a villain in a very short time? Macbeth had a very bad character flaw. He was a powerful man, but he was not virtuous; thus, he allowed many outside influences to invade his thoughts and he acted on them! He was immoral. The first outside influence that allowed Macbeth to begin showing his true colors was the three witches. The witches addressed Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland (1.3.49-51). Initially Macbeth is stunned by the way they addressed him and he had many questions. He was confused and, yet a bit excited. His best friend, Banquo, was with him and both of them began asking questions. Banquo was told that he would father a line of kings (1.3.68). While Macbeth and Banquo were still talking with the witches and asking them questions, they disappeared. Two of the king’s men arrived and told Macbeth that King Duncan had sent them to thank him for defending the country and that King Duncan wanted to see Macbeth to give him good news. They told Macbeth that King Duncan told them to call him thane of Cawdor (1.3.107). When the witches’ first prediction came true, Macbeth began to think that he might become King of Scotland. In doing so, he imm ediately began to think about murdering King Duncan (1.3.135-141). This is the first sign of the evil that lies within Macbeth! Macbeth sent a letter to Lady Macbeth to tell her of the witches’ predictions and how the first prediction came true. While reading the letter, Lady Macbeth, thinking about her husband’s nature as she knew it for many years, felt that he had ambition but that he did not have a mean streak that would allow him to kill King Duncan (1.5.15-19).

Vernon God Little

Explore how DBC Pierre displays his ideas to shock the audience in Vernon God Little. Vernon God Little, written by DBC Pierre, is a satirical novel based around a massacre at a high school in Texas in which some of the students got possession of a gun and murdered some of their teachers and fellow students. The novel is about a boy called Vernon who is best friends with the main killer, Jesus. Vernon is framed as an accessory to murder and the story line follows the down fall of his life.There are lots of features of the novel that come across as very shocking to the readers. For example in chapter seven, when Vernon visit’s a psychiatrist; Dr Goosens, he puts full trust into him, because he has a well-known profession. The psychiatrist goes on to violate Vernon which, in a way, makes Vernon loose all trust in everyone, because if he doesn’t feel safe around a doctor, he doesn’t know if he will feel safe around anyone. Especially when almost everyone he used to trust has turned against him to try and frame him as an accessory to murder.The passage in chapter seven uses grotesque imagery; â€Å"His breathing quickens with the march of his fingers, they trace a tightening circle around the rim of my hole. † and â€Å"a cool finger invades me†. This shocks the readers because it is disturbing and because Dr Goosens is a doctor and is in a position of trust and is not expected to break this trust. DBC Pierre does this because the novel is satirical and he tries to inform the audience that people are not everything they seem and you ‘can’t read a book by it’s cover‘. A shocking character in Vernon God Little is the journalist, Lally Ledesma.We begin to see Lally’s true colours as we progress through the novel as he becomes almost unbearable. At the beginning of the book, Lally is first presented when he is trying to interview Vernon on the massacre. Throughout the novel, he does many shocking thing s. For example, he uses Vernon’s mum and builds a relationship with her, just so he can get on the inside of Vernon’s life and get a good story on him for the newspapers. Vernon knows that this is what Lally wants, but his mum won’t believe him because she’s in love with Lally. 1.Ella Bouchard – chapter 13, Vernon uses her as a prostitute. 2. Taylor – Uses Vernon and sets him up so she can get money 3. Mum – doesn’t care about anything important, just the look, fridges and her friends 4. Shock is to build up the satirical effect, and takes the mic out of america 5. Everyone wants to meet the american dream, 6. At the end, say if you think it is too shocking or not, and why you think DBC Pierre wrote it like this. 3. Vernon’s mum has her heart set on reaching the American dream, the dream that everyone is equal, and everyone has a good job, nice house and big happy family.She doesn’t want to know about what is happ ening to Vernon and she is very blase towards it, because all she cares about is what she and her family looks like to her friends and the public. This is shocking to the audience of Vernon God Little because it’s not something they’d expect to happen. The audience would expect Vernon’s mum to be worried about her son and trying everything in her power to get him out of jail and out of being taken to court, but instead she is in bed with Lally Ledesma, who is using her, and worrying about what fridge to buy to impress her friends. 6.Overall, I think that Vernon God Little is very shocking. DBC Pierre wrote Vernon God Little in shocking ways for a very important reason. He wanted the audience to realize that everything is not as it seems and society can be out of order at times. He also wanted them to think about if they were following the ‘American dream’ or whether it’s all a big lie and there’s no such thing. The novel might come acr oss as unbearably shocking, but that is one feature of a satirical novel. The shock helps to reflect the fact that it is just a big joke and is trying to make a joke of American society.

Project Management Case Study: The Spares Distribution Center (SDC) Essay

In the article written by John McMichael and Lockwood Greene (1994), the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group (BCAG) started to design and operate the new Spares Distribution Center (SDC) in SeaTac, Washington, for the company’s Customer Services Division. With the project aimed at yearly growth rate in the areas of inventory and shipments, there were internal and external risks that BCAG faced in relation to the project. Internal risks had something to do with the control system’s project design and implementation. As indicated in the article, â€Å"Custom software development with extensive sophistication and complexity could have increased design costs and jeopardized the overall schedule† (McMichael & Greene, 1994, p. 516). There were risks also in material handling, in managing extensive user input, and in the use of outside consultants. Internal risks were more centered on technical issues, which had to be solved through skills and correlation. When it came to external risks, however, these had something to do with political and social consent and acceptance. There had to be permitting by the new municipality, where the new project was to take place. Environmental impacts of the project had to be also considered here. More so, it was written that SeaTac was incorporated as a municipality â€Å"only months prior to the start of the project† (McMichael & Greene, 1994, p. 515), which reflected that the municipality was somehow alien to the processing of building permits and inspections. As for social acceptance, the new project of SDC would have had huge impact on the neighborhood, mainly because the project itself was huge. With the building to be extremely close to the SeaTac Airport, FAA’s rules and regulations should not be ignored. The new project of SDC posed some risks in the external and internal environments. However, these risks posed problems that could all be solved through communication, correlation, personal skills, and the procurement of knowledge and data. The most important thing, though, was to come up with the best project design that had to nullify all these risks.

Soil Liquefaction Dangers During Arthquake

Ground shaking and shifting can cause major damage, tearing apart houses, buildings, and roads. †¢Flooding that arises from broken water dams or river levees is another hazard. †¢Tsunamis, triggered by an undersea earthquake as well as seiches – waves coming from lakes shaken by a temblor – can submerge whole communities, sweep away edifices, topple trees and drown people. †¢Fire is another seismic hazard. It can flare up from broken gas and power lines, or from overturned wood, coal, or gas stoves. But there’s another major earthquake danger that not many are familiar with. Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon that occurs when soil mixes with groundwater during a moderate or strong earthquake, turning the ground into quicksand in minutes. Soil Liquefaction in Low-Elevation Areas Because the soil must be saturated for liquefaction to take place, it is more likely to occur in low-lying areas that are near bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, bays and oceans. It happens most often in areas with sandy soil, where water takes hours to wend its way through the tiny channels of the mixture. More resistant to liquefaction are large-grained, permeable soils like gravel, which drains quickly, and clay soil, where particles are packed closely together.. It was in 1964, when earthquakes shook Niigata, Japan, and Anchorage, Alaska, that soil liquefaction was recognized as a major cause of earthquake damage. Scientists have since linked it to major historical earthquakes worldwide. Soil liquefaction inflicts great damage to property. Since the ground is too unstable to withstand pressure, anything resting above the mush—a building, a bridge, a house, a pier, a runway, a nuclear power plant, an earth dam—may lean, tip over, split open, or sink several feet. Ways to Reduce Soil Liquefaction Risks What can be done if a soil has been identified as susceptible to liquefaction? An undergraduate research paper written by Alisha Kaplan lists three ways to reduce liquefaction risks when constructing new buildings and structures. †¢Avoid building on liquefaction-susceptible soils. Besides soil tests, vulnerable places can also be pinpointed by investigating past events in an area. Soils that had liquefied in previous seismic events can liquefy again if another quake occurs. †¢Erect liquefaction-proof structures. If construction on weak soil cannot be avoided, the structure’s foundation should be designed to resist the damaging effects of liquefaction. The building must be made ductile, equipped with adjustable supports, and constructed to withstand large deformations and span soft locations on the ground. †¢Improve the soil. Improvements should increase ground strength, density and draining capacity. Installing vibroflotation, vertical wick drains, compact piles, and stone columns can lower the possibility of liquefaction. Soil liquefaction cannot be taken lightly, especially by those living in suspected liquefaction-prone areas. With earthquakes seemingly in the news more often, it serves residents and authorities alike to take a look around them and assess if they are standing on firm ground, literally. Taking safety measures in advance can save lives and property should a calamity strike.

Music Lyrics Do Not Promote Violence

Music Lyrics being NON-VIOLENT Rap music can be considered a style of art, and a way for the artists to express feelings through their words on paper. However, there are quite a few rap artists that get criticized for their lyrics. In my essay, I want to discuss why rappers use certain lyrics in their music and why people shouldn’t believe that it causes violence among the younger generations. People shouldn’t censor the music just because of violent, vulgar and abusive messages it promotes to the world. I believe in my own mind, that there is a reason for these types of lyrics that rap artists use and I will simply explain those reasons in this essay. Rap has been called one of the most important music forces to emerge in two decades. It’s pounding beats and staccato rhymes exploded on the streets of the urban America in the early 1980s and since have become the theme music and lyrical heart of the vibrant youth culture called hip-hop ( SIRS 1993). There are many different types of rap artist. There are some that talk about money, some talk about righteousness, and the list goes on and on. Every rap artist had their own way of expressing themselves. There are those that talk about sex, drugs, and violence who receive the negative attention( SIRS 1993). People, think this so- called gangster rap is a bad influence on children in the world and that it promotes violence and that it also is abusive to women. Delores Tucker, head of national congress of black women has been among those pressuring different record companies to stop distributing gangster rap music. There were other significant names that participated in this action. Names like Senate Majority leader Bob dole, and former education Secretary William J. Bennett(Surveys, pg. 1). There are some rap artists that have been openly criticized for their lyrics. Rappers like Lil Kim, Too Short, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and a member from â€Å"Too Live Crew,† named Luke Skywalker. These rap artists in the past have been appointed for the things they say in their music. Lil Kim talks about sex in her music, Too Short talks about drugs, sex, and how much of a pimp he is, and Luke Skywalker talks about girls and sex. The lyrics that these rap artist use in their music might not be suitable for everybody to listen to but I don’t think their music should be banned or criticized because you don’t have to listen to it if you don’t choose to. Rap music, how much influence does it really have on it’s youthful listeners? Many, from record company executives to high school students agree that it plays a critical role in the lives of many tans, affecting the way they dance, dress and speak(SIRS 1993). Personally, I feel that rap music is a form of art. I think it takes a great deal of talent to write lyrics that rap artists write, because you have to use metaphors and similes, and at the same time get your point across so the listeners can understand. I give rappers a great deal of credit because I know it took them a long time to get where their at today, and I know it takes a tremendous amount of time to write a song. It’s also true and I strongly agree with that rap artists use lyrics that reflect on their childhood and the way they grew up. That could be the reason why gangster rappers and rappers talk about sex, drugs, and violence in their music because that was what they were exposed to through out their life. Rap artists generally write about what they know because it is easier to write about things and situations that you know, and if sex, drugs and violence is what you know about, then you are going to write about situations that involve those subjects. Not just write about them in hopes to cause more violence in our world. Young rap fans caution it is wrong and simplistic to believe music can dictate their actions. Upbringing and circumstance steer a child’s behavior, they say, not a record on a turntable or a performer posturing on stage(Newsweek, 1998). There are other reasons why gangster rappers should not be criticized for their lyrics. One reason is that I would rather hear gangster rappers talk about violence on the streets than them actually going out on the streets and participate in the violence. Another reason why rappers shouldn’t be criticized is because the world was violent long before rap was invented, and it is not rap music that is making the world more violent then it is already. I strongly believe that people have the freedom of choice to listen to rap music and if you don’t like what rap artists talk about, then you do not have to listen to the music. If people didn’t have a choice that would be one thing, but as long as people have a choice to do or not to do something then they shouldn’t try to criticize it. To me, rap music is more than a strain. It is the reflection of horrible suffering, struggle and pain of the ghetto life. I feel that art reflects life, so I ask myself why aren’t the National Black leaders like Delores Tucker, more concerned about where the source of rap music exists than the work denuding these types of harsh conditions(SIRS 1993). â€Å" I think that kids know the difference between right and wrong, music and reality. They know it’s not right to go kill somebody and if there driven to that, that’s not the fault of the music,† says Jon Shecter, editor of The Source, a rap magazine(SIRS 1993). If the people throughout the world that criticize gangster rap music would begin to really care then they would try to find and fix the conditions that this art of music comes from and stop criticizing the artist. In other words, the abusive language and rise of violence found in most gangster rap songs are the reality of our present day society. Americans should be mature enough to realize that not talking about something won’t cause it to go away. People talk about the violence of gangster rap music, but look at the violence we see on television everyday, on almost every channel you turn to. Violence is everywhere, you might see or hear something violent every day of your life, whether it is on television, radio or in real life. Violence has been existing for hundreds and hundreds of years, gangster rap music hasn’t remotely made violence more intense or worse than it already is( Surveys, pg. 1). So is it then fair to pin point rap music and blame it’s lyrics on the violence happening around the world? Teen-agers, both black and Latino, say it is the driving beat that attracts them and many other young people to rap. That, and the music’s honesty(SIRS 1993). It’s not the guns and drugs that make them like the music. The rappers aren’t saying to solve a problem you must kill, they are just stating what they know. In which, ever since they were young, that violence around them always ends in a shooting or stabbing, so is it right to blame them for singing about it when really they learned it from television? Sex in rap music shouldn’t be criticized either because look at all the pornography that is in the world today. There are magazines that are being sold nearly everywhere. They have triple X rated movies that could be purchase and you could rent these kind of movies at your nearest video store(Showbiz, pg. 1). So, lyrics that talk about sex can’t hardly be no worse than the movies and magazines being sold all over the world today. When rappers talk about drugs in their songs, they could be talking about how drugs were used in their neighborhoods growing up, and maybe they had to sell drugs for a while to put food on their table( Newsweek 1998). I feel, people get confused about what the rap artist is trying to say to people. They are missing the whole point. Just because rap artists talk about drugs in their songs doesn’t mean they are actually selling the drugs or using the drugs. These rap artists are making thousands of dollars just by making records, why would they go out and sell drugs? That doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of artists that are positive, and speak positive aspects in their music about life, like A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, De La Soul, and many others. So for those that think that rap music has a negative effect on children, and people in the world, there are a lot of rappers that speak unity, and things that are positive about life(Showbiz, pg2). If a person could listen to some of these positive rap artists, they could learn about life. There have been plenty of times where I was in a terrible mood or I was upset about something, and I popped in a CD of a rapper, and after I was finished listening to the CD I felt much better. The words and phrases used, are words of actual life events and the positive things or outcomes of them. In conclusion, I speak in favor of gangster rap, and I don’t think people should criticize these rap artists because they are speaking the truth. Situations they’ve been in are shown through their lyrics and we need to try to find the source of the problem instead of criticizing the person speaking about the problem. Drugs, Sex, and Violence are what gangster rappers are considered to be glorifying, but drugs, sex, and violence was in effect long before rap music was even thought of and so we shouldn’t use the type of music against the type of behavior caused by teens around the world. Word Count: 1667

A strategic analysis of jetblue airways

A strategic analysis of jetblue airways The US airline industry trends have caused airline companies, including Jet Blue to struggle for survival. Retirement has caused a shortage of pilots and instructors. Flying schools experience less instructors and hours needed to train new pilots. In 2008, crude oil prices increased to a record $140 per barrel (Thompson, Strickland, federal employees were tasked to handle all airport security. Increased screening for baggage and passengers, size limits on fluids and x-ray inspections. With the additional security measures, came financial burdens to the airline industry. Jet Blue’s strategic intent When Jet Blue’s was founded, David Nelleman wanted air travel to compassionate and fun. The strategic intent was to offer customers a low discount airline carrier with the comforts of home. As the first airline to offer electronic ticketing, Jet Blue wanted to delay its flights instead of canceling them. Agents were allowed to work from home and customers enjoyed gourmet sna cks, coffees, in-seat televisions with satellite radio and movie channels. Jet Blue began to look into increasing the shareholder and customer values with the expansion of New York’s JFK Airport with 8 am and 9 am flights. This was hopeful to Jet Blue executives; they wanted to appeal to younger customers, affluent New Yorkers, and those traveling to New York City. Opening up this new terminal has saved $50 million in labor, fuel, and vouchers. Now, the company serves more than 53 destinations (Thompson et al., 2010). JetBlue’s financial objectives & success in achieving Although Jet Blue’s stock dropped by 50% in the five years, revenues grew 185% between 2003 and 2007, their operating expenses grew 222% during the same period. The loss in revenue was blamed on the cost of fuel (532% increase) and interest expense (658% increase). Jet Blue decided to take a conservative financial strategy in which they maintained high liquid ratios relative to the other major a irlines (Thompson et al., 2010). Jet Blue was millions behind the competitor but developed new equity capital and credit, which was needed to keep the company, and allow them to maintain strong liquidity. Assessment of competitive advantage Cost. JetBlue operates at a lower cost than its competitors. According to Thompson, Strickland & Gamble (2010), JetBlue’s total operating expenses were 12.17 per revenue passenger mile in 2008 versus $18.18 for American Airline, $18.18 for Continental, $20.95 for Delta, $13.85 for Southwest, $19.13 for United, and $21.45 for US Airways. Its planes, such as, the Airbus A320, tended to be newer than those of its competitors resulting in lower maintenance costs and no maintenance-related fines. The company increased flying time by minimizing turnaround time. Reservation agents worked at home resulting in cost savings as compared to a traditional call center. These measures paid off creating a major competitive advantages in the form of low op erating costs that other airlines did not achieve. Organizational culture. JetBlue’s organizational structure was created based on five steps. First, the company’s values were determined. Then, hiring managers selected employees who mirrored the company’s values. Next, the company ensured that the company exceeded employee expectations and to listen to customers. And, finally, the company created a plan to drive excellence. The values established by JetBlue were safety, caring, integrity, fun, and passion. As an example, George Forman grills were set up at the JFK terminal to allow employees to have fun. By only hiring employees that mirrored those values, the company could encourage hiring managers to be creative during the hiring process and to weed out those that would not be a fit. By making these steps an active part of getting work done, JetBlue developed a strong organizational culture.