Huck Chapter Summary Essay

Chapter 12: Huck and Jim float down the Mississippi for a few days. They spot a boat and Huck, looking for an adventure, decides he and Jim should hop aboard. They overhear two robbers threatening to kill a third. Jim and Huck’s raft breaks loose and floats away. Chapter 13: Jim and Huck steal the robbers’ getaway boat. Huck feels bad and goes to shore for help. Jim and Huck abandon the robbers’ getaway boat and go to sleep. Chapter 14: Jim and Huck go through the items salvaged from the robbers’ boat. Huck tells Jim stories about kings and queens. Jim expresses his dislike for adventures, pointing out that they could get him killed or captured. Chapter 15: As they head for the Ohio River, Huck and Jim get separated by a thick fog. Huck finally rejoins Jim, who is sleeping. He tells Jim that he dreamed the entire incident. When Jim notices the debris on the raft, he realizes the truth and is upset. Huck apologizes. Chapter 16: Huck’s conscience troubles him on account of his helping the widow’s â€Å"property† escape and he resolves to turn Jim in. When Jim tells Huck he’s his only friend and the only one that hasn’t lied to him, Huck changes his mind. Huck encounters two men who want to search Huck’s raft for a runaway slave. Huck concocts a story about his family having small pox and the two change their mind. Huck and Jim’s canoe is stolen and their raft is destroyed by a steamboat. Huck escapes to shore and he’s surrounded by dogs.

A Short Time in the Life of a Teacher

I begin the week by getting up. This is the part I hate the most. I wake up, my breath stinks, my hair covers my face like a mop and I look like I have been run over a few times! No problem, I'll soon sort that out! My alarm clock shocks me into a conscious state – it is horrible; it reminds me of the school fire alarm and it is just as loud too! So, not only am I very wide awake but I am dying of a cardiac arrest! Yes, it's Monday morning and no, it is not a terrible dream; so I throw off my covers and crawl out of bed. My room is small but snug. I like it like that. The terracotta walls are warm, the bed is a fresh white and my dressing table is a lovely pale wood, which is very hard to come by. I like things to be minimalist and tidy, there is nothing lying on the floor and my dressing table consists of a mirror and hairbrush, I'm not one for make-up. As my eyes adjust to the light, I can already tell that it is a pleasant day, the room has a stimulating feeling to it, which is different to any other day, where the sky is overcast and the sea is crashing over the wall outside of my window. I get washed, run downstairs and cram all that wonderful work that I did last night into my bag. Then I throw on my leathers, jump onto my Honda VTR 1000 sp-2 (the most amazing motorbike in the world!) and I'm off! I have a bit of a passion for motor bikes, I always have. When I was younger I used to cycle to school. I always wanted a motor bike but I was obviously too young at the age of fifteen and when I got to eighteen, the bike was too expensive to insure. Now I have my bike and I am the biker chic of the century, to be honest, I feel very superior to the people I whiz past when I am on my bike and they are sitting in their dreary cars! It takes me half an hour in the morning with all the traffic, I can weave in and around all the cars but I still have to wait at the traffic lights, which seem to change red every time I come close to them! There are a lot of people on their bikes in the morning, I do not know why there are so many, I recognise everyone and they all know who I am. Every day I wave or nod to the same people and they return the gesture. It is a friendly feeling when you live in such a small place. Before I know it, I am at school. I take my black helmet off and stare up at the massive building. It is ugly on the outside but at least it has a story to tell; that is what I like about old buildings, they always have a great history to them. I park my bike by the side of the huge granite stairs that I have to trundle up before I can get to the doorway. When I arrive at the giant door I turn the handle and the door swings open on its own accord, it is so heavy that I have to use all my weight to close it again. Once it is closed I lean against it, facing the inside of the school and breathe in the air which has not yet been moved by any one except for the school cat and the janitor. No one is here; seven thirty in the morning is a bit too early for most of the students and staff. Most of them will still be in bed until eight o'clock! I like the school when it is empty; it has a nice feeling to it. I sometimes imagine that it is my house and that I live here all alone, that it is my mansion. The illusion is broken when the janitor strolls past me, â€Å"Good morning Taisie!† He remarks cheerily. John has been here since six this morning; I cringe to think what time he has to rise! My form room is on the second floor, so I spring up the staircase that leads from the main entrance. I love the staircases here. The banisters are intricately designed with beautiful patterns and the deep red mahogany shines as the light bounces off it from the tremendous chandelier that hangs from the ceiling. The stairs twist upwards to the second floor. I walk down the corridor and take in the wonderful feeling of the quiet school; in an hour there will be young ladies screaming down the hallway laughing and gossiping about what they did on Friday night. Now, the only sound I can hear is that of my feet padding down the stone pathway. The walls echo at every sound I make but the feeling of being totally alone is welcomed. My door has a solid brass handle; it is freezing cold and my hands seem to invite the refreshing feeling of something cool after wearing black leather gloves. As I twist the handle and open the door, the hinges creek. I feel a blast of hot air as the box that is my classroom gasps for a breath. It is always hot in my room but that is the price I have to pay for having a classroom that over looks the tennis courts and swimming pool. I do not mind though, I spent most of my time in the drama studio, English is the subject I teach less of at the moment. I dump my pack on the floor and run off to the staff changing room to exchange my leather gear for my trousers, shirt and Jacket (not forgetting about my shoes but did you really want to know that?). After I have organised my books and plan for the day, I force myself to go to the staff room. I hate the staff room. Don't get me wrong, I like to socialise with all my colleagues but sometimes I can have more of an intelligent conversation with my pupils. I feel that I am the only member of staff who actually cares about my students. I am fed up of listening to an assemblage of adults who think that they are far superior to the rest of the adult community just because they are teachers. I sometimes wonder if any of them care about the students' welfare – after all, they're â€Å"just part of the job.† When I was at college, I wanted to help. All the way through school, I wanted to change the way people thought about teachers but now I realise that I am fighting a losing battle. I am the only one who does not expect the â€Å"ladies† to be perfect. I think about their future, I treat them as individuals and talk about them in a positive way, I want to help them and not just treat them as â€Å"another case I have to deal with every day.† They are not just a student body, they are individuals and I am fed up of my colleagues always seeing the bad side of the pupils, how is that going to help them? Although I said that I am fighting a losing battle, I live in hope. I still treat them as individuals or young adults and I realise that they are actually people, not just part of the job, even if no one else does. ‘ And this is for your form Taisie' The deputy head, Sharyn Tinton, shoves a wadge of paper into my hand with rules and regulations plastered all over them – the usual – no jewellery, no body piercing, no blah, blah, blah. The girls already know what not to wear and what is appropriate; I am tired of hearing it over and over! Me telling the students to take their nose piercing out is not going to make any difference whatsoever. That does not mean to say that I do not tell them off if they do have it visible but I think, â€Å"what you don't know, won't hurt you!† ‘ I have to go to arrange my class for their form assembly, Sharyn.' ‘Alright then, scurry off to your class!' Scoffed Sharyn, she cannot stand the fact that I might actually care about my form! And â€Å"Scurry off† – what on earth's that suppose to mean – god give me strength! I decide to take the long way to my form room, which means I have to walk half way around the school but I need time to clear my head. I have to keep a positive attitude; I don't want to end up like Sharyn Tinton. ‘ Miss. Holcroft?' Yes, I am a Miss. I am not married and I do not have any children. I am a twenty seven-year old single teacher. I enjoy the freedom but at times I get depressed and I wish I could go home to someone besides my cat that would give me a hug and tell me that everything would turn out okay. Instead, I am going to grow old on my own, with no children and no husband; I'll be the cat woman†¦. ‘ Miss. Holcroft!' ‘Yes Lara?' A familiar voice. Lara always has an excuse. Even when she hands her work in on time, she has to elaborate on how her printer made the lines uneven. Maybe it is a compulsive disorder, I wouldn't know, I never did psychology! ‘ I handed in my essay but I've just realised that I never wrote a conclusion!' ‘ Lara, don't worry, I'll read it through and you can write a conclusion for next Wednesday, is that alright by you?' ‘Yes thank you Miss.' And she skips down the corridor, pleased that she has managed to make yet another thing wrong with her work! It is strange, I see so many different personalities and every single one is a pleasure to work with! Essay. English Essay. GCSE course work essay, which means more marking, which means more staying after school – late! I have now come to the locker room, which happens to be the only one that is in the corridor. All the other ones have their own rooms, why my forms one has to be in the corridor, I don't know! As I stroll past the bright orange and grey lockers, a girl passes me quickly. I know who she is, she's in my English and Drama classes; we seem to get along just fine but when it comes to passing her in the corridor, she is a different person. She keeps her eyes glued to the floor and swerves as far away from me as possible. I do not know why she does it but I know it is not personal because she does it to every member of staff – especially the male teachers. I do wonder about her sometimes. I'll speak to her after Drama†¦ maybe. As I get closer to my form room I can hear laughing and screaming and I can guess where it is coming from, so I rush to my door. ‘ ALRIGHT CLASS, SETTLE DOWN!' I have to raise my voice several decibels to compete with the racket that manages to come out of twenty-four pupils' mouths. ‘ Morning Miss.!' They all announce in unison. I never asked them to say good morning but they always do! ‘ Unfortunately guys, I'm going to have to lecture you all about behaviour, uniform and monthly events.' Several groans from the class ‘ As you can all see, I have a wadge of paper to get through so for your benefit, as well as mine, you should all keep quiet – that way I can speed through this in no time. But first thing's first – register!' I skim through the names, I know them in order by heart now and the routine is the same every day.' Kelly, Sam, Fiona, Laura†¦ I haven't seen her. Oh, there you are, hiding at the back of the class – put that brain fryer away! Katie, Sam†¦' And it goes on, they do not need to answer, I know who is there already and if I have not seen them, then they have to tell me. As far as absences go, I never have any. Late marks on the other hand, are a different story! â€Å"Now for the lecture, which I know you are all going to love!' And I trundle through the piles and piles of paper that Sharyn gave me. I look around the classroom as I speak and all I can see are tired, bored faces. They all know what I am going to say before it even comes out of my mouth†¦ ‘ Litter is not acceptable in the canteen area, or anywhere else for that matter – Becky, quiet – school jackets must be worn at all times outside of school, you made them make fitted ones instead of blazers, now wear them!' ‘And what if I cycle?' Marie shouts at the top of her voice. ‘You wrap the jacket about your head like a turban when you cycle! What do you think Marie, you have already asked me that before! I know it's a Monday morning but try to get your brain in gear before the day starts!' ‘If she has one!' Becky interrupts and the whole class laughs, including Marie. ‘Okay, I won't bring it then?' ‘Actually, keep it in your locker just in case Miss. Tinton decides to walk us all down to the church suddenly, like last week. If it is in your locker, you will always be prepared for her little â€Å"surprises†.' ‘ And finally; your shoes have to be FLAT. Yuck, I know but you just have to like it or lump it. Think about it ladies. If you lot look dressed up with belts as skirts – not saying any of you do – and platform shoes for school, you will look the same when you go out at the weekend and what's the point in that?' A young lady at the back of the class shoots her hand up in the air. ‘ Yes Sarah?' ‘Can I go to the loo please?' ‘You can†¦ but you may not!' Sarah sits there with her eyes crossed as the rest of the form laugh. One of the girls next to her is kind enough to explain what my last sentence just indicated and when she finally comprehends, she slides back into her chair, her face as red as a tomato! ‘Seen as you said ‘please', you may go to the loo. Just remember what to say next time!' As soon as Sarah runs out the classroom, the form bursts into fits of laughter. ‘I'm glad to see that you're all awake now. Does anyone have anything valuable that they wish to say?' ‘Georgina loves Simon!' Screams Becky and the bell rings. ‘Good morning class.' ‘Good morning Miss.' And they're gone. * My morning starts with Drama – just the lesson I need to wake the students (and myself) up. Drama is my subject; Drama is the subject. I have been doing Drama, theatre studies and degrees in the performing arts all my life and now, I am teaching it. I am head of the Drama Department. My year nine class is preparing for their play. They chose it; they were fed up of my â€Å"morbid† plays. But I think that it brings out the true potential of the students. Anger and sorrow are the two easiest (in my opinion) emotions to perform well. The girls seem to think other wise. They have chosen ‘Alice in Wonderland', which, I must admit, is a wonderful story for both adults and children – so well written. Luckily the class arrives five minutes late, at least I have some time to get all my things in order. A goblin seems to have rushed about my office and thrown all my lesson plans around and messed up my whole week! They all sit in a circle and immediately start talking about â€Å"stuff†. I don't know why they always sit down because I always ask them to stand right up again! Scanning the class, I can see that every one is here. It is strange that at the age of 14, the girls are still in their little groups. It saddens me to think that there is always one girl who gets left out. I can't see anything wrong with her. She is mature, sensible†¦ I see, she's mature! This lot is very giggly; they sit in their little groups plaiting each other's hair and singing. There is one group in the middle of the class. I can tell and have also been informed that this is the â€Å"cool† group. In my opinion, they are not cool at all. They are the cockiest, rudest pick of the bunch. I can't remember when they last handed their homework in. They refuse to enjoy doing anything that involves any one whom is not in their group. In the near left corner are the â€Å"geeks†. They look extremely studious, only one of them wears glasses but at this school, like many others, the length of your skirt decides your â€Å"class†. The â€Å"geeks† have decent length skirts – which obviously makes them really â€Å"sad†. Then, in the near right corner are the people who are â€Å"semi-geeks†, â€Å"gliders† or â€Å"sailors† (who make up these STUPID names?) They are the people, who are friendly to everyone, don't always have perfect homework but hand it in most of the time and don't fit into any extreme gr oup. Then there is one girl, who always sits in the far-left corner of the room, reading her book and not hurting anyone. She is quiet and lacks in self-confidence, mainly because of her past with bullying and the fact that everyone rejects her because she likes to read (don't ask). She is the mature one, the girl who is very knowledgeable but no one finds out – not even the rest of the staff – because they don't have time for her or they don't like the length of her skirt. It'll never change; it was the same when I was at school! ‘Stand up please' And I begin the lesson. A whole hour of drama. I warm them up, get them to run about screaming (I know this makes them feel silly but hey!) and finally sit down and watch them do their play, shouting ‘No, no, no. You don't laugh when you are crying, you do it like this!' And I fling myself into their world of make believe showing them how to do it. I told the girls whom they were going to play and when I told them that Danielle (the quiet young lady who sits in the far-left corner) was going to be Alice they threw a tiff. Not after class but right in front of Danielle. ‘It's alright Miss. Holcroft, I'll just be a tree or something if no one wants me to do it.' She whispered. I had comments such as ‘She can't act!' and ‘ She's too fat to be Alice.' Not only can Danielle act; she is FAR from fat. In fact, she dances eight times a week and is the most skeletal young girl I have seen in a while, I know she used to be a bit heavier but they obviously just kept her nickname. They are now coming to realise that Danielle can act and is very good at it too. I think they are a bit jealous to be honest. They are doing well and need little direction from me but when things start to slow down; I'll jump into the scene and throw my ideas around the set for them to catch if they wish. Danielle just stands there. I know she has good ideas, I've seen her writing them down and sticking them in her school diary but she is too nervous to say anything. I get frustrated standing there watching her brain working over and over and yet, she stands there, expressionless. There's nothing much I can do in class and I don't want to frighten her off by asking her to stay behind in front of the class but I so want her to say what she is thinking, I want to know why she avoids people in the corridors, why she reads and reads. Why am I so†¦aggravated? This is why we are not allowed to care; we have to â€Å"get on with our job†. But the girls in this school are people just like us teachers, just younger. If one of my colleagues were doing the same, it would not be considered strange for me to try to help. But the moment we try to help a student with anything other than work, we are told we are getting too close. It's all a big circle though. It will affect their work if it gets worse and I want to stop it before it gets to that stage. How? After half an hour of watching them I get out strips of paper and write comments on them, of what I think of their work. I do not usually do this but I have an idea. Every one has to improve projection and develop character but there are little things that people are just not doing right. So, I write them on bits of paper and the students don't get embarrassed, I'm seeing if it changes the way they act. Genius. Everyone starts to walk out of the class, Danielle at the back and I say, ‘Oh, Danielle, can you help me with something in my office, I would just like you to take something to Mr. O'Hara as well.' No one turns around, no one cares and no one laughs. Good. I did not plan to speak to her, it just came out of my mouth, now I have to decide on what I am going to say to her (this is where improvisation skills come in handy!) When all but one have left the class I sit down on one of the black bean bags that sits in the far left corner of the class. Danielle is standing there reading her book. So now what do I say? ‘Danielle, your acting is really coming on, what do you think of the play so far?' Now she'll tell me what she's thinking. ‘S'fine.' She manages to say without looking up. It was not a rude comment, but I could not read any expression in her voice. I need to feed her a longer line. ‘How do you think we could improve the play? I'm sure you have some ideas, I can see you thinking when someone suggests something that you don't approve with†¦' ‘Can you?' She looks up ‘Sorry, I don't mean to I just†¦' ‘Danielle, don't apologise, I think they give the most stupid suggestions too, you and I both know that putting a brown paper bag over someone's face is not going to work as a mask!' Relief spreads over me as I actually see a smile spread across her face and she giggles. I rarely see her smile, if ever and when she does, I know it means something, I don't know what. I just know. I sit there for fifteen minutes, talking to her about how we could improve the play and I found out that she thinks of the same things as me and spots the same tiny mistakes that people make. She told me that she gave up suggesting things because people ignored her whatever the idea and relied on me to say what she was thinking. I promised her I would suggest that the class does the things Danielle pointed out and I also promised that I would not mention her name and we would see how they reacted to them. She smiled. I returned the gesture. And she went to her next lesson. That was not hard, and I received a smile! When I connect with a student, it is what makes the job worth while, not when I make one cry (Sharyn Tinton†¦.) Next period is a break for me, which gives me time to sort out all my lesson plans. I only teach three lessons today, which means I have lots of free time to mark essays and drama assignments. How exciting. Marking has to be the worst thing about teaching. The reason everyone loves leaving school when they are eighteen is because there will be no more homework when they get a job and of course, they are leaving school. Well. For me, it is different, I am still at school and I still have homework and I still hate homework! The free period passes quickly and I have to come out of my little drama office to teach another lesson. This time it is year eleven's. Are they still in their groups? Yes. Is there one person left out writing in her diary? Yes. Does everyone hate her? No. This is the difference. In year nine, they reject the out cast ignore her and hate her; in year eleven, they just reject her and ignore her, when they all have to work together, they can have a descent conversation with her but she does not respond so they give up. Why does she not respond? I think it is because she is fed up – fed up of people being so two faced. I would not know. GCSE drama, a great subject to be doing a GCSE in but what the students don't realise is that it is not a â€Å"dos† subject. Instead of teaching this lesson, I decide to lecture them on tardiness, forgetfulness and respect. They all sit there with long faces probably thinking oh just SHUT UP! But I don't mind – one of the student's talks to her friend and I send her out, I believe in giving people chances, but I have had so many complaints from group members about their peers not participating that I just blew it. None of them have ever seen me shout before, so I think it was very effective. No one talked as they walked out the class and I had several of them come up to me and apologise! Success! Lunch break. Or should I say, sit in my English â€Å"box† and mark homework to give to my next class. English homework is the worst. I sometimes wish I had been a maths teacher, all one has to do it get it right or wrong and if the answer is wrong, the teacher just puts a cross by it! English is a different matter entirely. I have to read every single word looking for spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes and punctuation errors. Then I have to see if they have the content sorted out. I have to look for references to Shakespeare and the title etc. The list goes on! Before I know it, the bell has rung and I have a full classroom. Year nines. I have already had some of them this morning for Drama and it is interesting to see how they have changed from the morning to the afternoon – they have not! In the morning they are not quite awake yet and in the afternoon they are starting to fall asleep! I have pushed all the desks to the edges of the room – this lesson we are having a discussion. I have bought beanbags and cushions and put them in a circle and instead of teaching this lesson, I am sitting listening and taking part. The discussion is about Shakespeare's (oh whoopdeedoo) play The Merchant of Venice. The class has to take a side a) I feel sympathy for Shylock and b) I don't! The discussion goes well, with all members taking part in the discussion, no one talks while someone else is talking and it is a relaxed lesson with no pressure to perform well. Danielle actually smiles, everyone gives their homework in and I even receive a card from someone! I'll open it when I get home. I pack my belongings and work into my backpack and go to the loo's where I leave my clothes in a locker. I exchange my uniform for my leathers and close the door to the shower rooms. Walking down the corridor, I see happy students running around and collecting their possessions to take home with them. I walk down the stairs and meet the cat at the bottom. Stroking him with my one uncovered hand I tell him I'll see him tomorrow and seven thirty and I stand up. The huge, heavy door is already open, so I don't have to open it. I look at the lawn outside of the school and the students catching a lift home. As I walk down the stairs, I receive many goodbyes and smiles. I jump onto my Honda VTR 1000 sp-2 and just as I am about to put on my helmet I hear someone shout, â€Å"BYE MISS HOLCROFT!† It's Danielle! â€Å"Good bye Danielle!† I reply, put on my helmet, turn on the engine and zoom off! I arrive home half hour an later and switch some music on – classical, my favourite! Change into my dance pants and tee shirt, sit down, get my book from my bag and I open it. As I do so, something falls out of it; it is the card I found on my desk this afternoon. I open the card and it reads: Dear Miss Holcroft, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love Danielle xx Some one remembered.

Geography Prelim Notes

Geography Preliminary Exam Outline 20 multiple choice – skills Short Answer Questions – Biophysical Interactions (some or all or how they integrate), population and culture integration. Extended response – Natural resources – one or a combination of the four points Geography Preliminary Notes The Biophysical Environment * The Biophysical Environment is the interaction of all abiotic and biotic elements found on the planet. * Expressed another way the BPE is made up of all the features of the physical and the built environment and how these features interrelate. The BPE is then the interactions, which occur between the Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Biosphere and Hydrosphere. ATMOSPHERE * Atmosphere, mixture of gases surrounding any celestial object that has a gravitational field strong enough to prevent the gases from escaping; especially the gaseous envelope of the earth. The principal constituents of the atmosphere of the earth are nitrogen (78 percent) and ox ygen (21 percent). The atmospheric gases in the remaining 1 percent are argon (0. 9 percent), carbon dioxide (0. 3 percent), varying amounts of water vapour, and trace amounts of hydrogen, ozone, methane, carbon monoxide, helium, neon, krypton, and xenon. * The water-vapour content of the air varies considerably, depending on the temperature and relative humidity. With 100 percent relative humidity the water-vapour content of air varies from 190 parts per million (ppm) at -40Â ° C to 42,000 ppm at 30Â ° C. Minute quantities of other gases, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, and oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, are temporary constituents of the atmosphere in the vicinity of volcanoes and are washed out of the air by rain or snow.Divisions of the Atmosphere: Without our atmosphere, there would be no life on earth. A relatively thin envelope, the atmosphere consists of layers of gases that support life can provide protection from harmful radiation. Issues related to the Atmosphere * Daily weather conditions, climatic conditions (seasonal/short-term/long-term/cyclical) * Global warming, Greenhouse Effect (GHE) * Ozone depletion * Acid rain * Smog, photochemical smog, brown haze * Radioactive fallout Atmosphere Impacts Oxides and other pollutants added to the atmosphere by factories and automobiles have become a major concern, however, because of their damaging effects in the form of acid rain. In addition, the strong possibility exists that the steady increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, mainly as the result of fossil-fuel combustion over the past century, may affect the earth's climate (for example enhanced Greenhouse Effect). * Similar concerns are posed by the sharp increase in atmospheric methane.Methane levels have risen 11 per cent since 1978. About 80 per cent of the gas is produced by decomposition in rice paddies, swamps, and the intestines of grazing animals, and by tropical termites. Human activities that tend to accelerate these processes include raising more livestock and growing more rice. Besides adding to the greenhouse effect, methane reduces the volume of atmospheric hydroxyl ions, thereby curtailing the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself of pollutants. (for example photochemical smog) Atmosphere – Ozone DepletionThe ozone layer became a subject of concern in the early 1970s when it was found that chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were rising into the atmosphere in large quantities because of their use as refrigerants and as propellants in aerosol dispensers. The concern centred on the possibility that these compounds, through the action of sunlight, could chemically attack and destroy stratospheric ozone, which protects the earth's surface from excessive ultraviolet radiation. HYDROSPHERE * The hydrosphere refers to all liquid and frozen surface waters, groundwater held in soil and rock, and atmospheric water vapour. Water is the most abundant substance at the surface of the Earth. About 1. 4 b illion cubic kilometres of water in liquid and frozen form make up the oceans, lakes, streams, glaciers, and groundwater. * Central to any discussion of the hydrosphere is the concept of the hydrologic cycle. This cycle consists of a group of reservoirs containing water, the processes by which water is transferred from one reservoir to another (or transformed from one state to another), and the rates of transfer associated with such processes.These transfer paths penetrate the entire hydrosphere, extending upward to about 15 kilometres in the Earth's atmosphere and downward to depths in the order of five kilometres into the crust. * Although water storage in rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere is small, the rate of water circulation through the rain–river–ocean–atmosphere system is relatively rapid. The amount of water discharged each year into the oceans from the land is approximately equal to the total mass of water stored at any instant in rivers and lakes. The biosphere, though primarily H2O in composition, contains very little of the total water at the terrestrial surface, only about 0. 00004 per cent. Yet, the biosphere plays a major role in the transport of water vapour back into the atmosphere by the process of transpiration. Impact of Human Activities on the Hydrosphere * The activities of modern society are having a severe impact on the hydrologic cycle. * Humans alter the natural functioning of the water cycle through quantitative or qualitative changes to the cycle. For example the dynamic steady state is being disturbed by the discharge of toxic chemicals, radioactive substances, and other industrial wastes and by the seepage of mineral fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into surface and subsurface aquatic systems. Inadvertent and deliberate discharge of petroleum, improper sewage disposal, and thermal pollution also are seriously affecting the quality of the hydrosphere. * Humans alter the quantity of water available throu gh by a range of activities such as the construction of Dams.Weirs, irrigation schemes, aqueducts, reservoirs, dyke & levee schemes and land reclamation projects. * In more subtle ways humans through enhancing the Greenhouse Effect may be changing regional climates and therefore rainfall patterns within regions. * While large scale dams can mitigate flood damage, provide Hydro-electric energy and reliable water supply they also present significant environmental and ecological costs. * People alter the quality of water in many ways such as through domestic, agricultural, commercial and industrial pollution. The pollution of waterways is classified according to point or non-point pollution. * Pollution in waterways can mean the quality of water is unfit for human consumption (toxic to humans) or of a low enough quality to seriously impact on the ecology of the water system. LITHOSPHERE * The Earth's outermost rigid, rocky layer is called the lithosphere. It is broken, like a slightly cracked eggshell, into about a dozen separate rigid blocks, or plates. There are two types of plates, oceanic and continental.An example of an oceanic plate is the Pacific Plate, which extends from the East Pacific Rise to the deep-ocean trenches bordering the western part of the Pacific basin. The North American Plate exemplifies a continental plate. * The upper layer of the lithosphere is termed the crust. * The earth’s crust is comprised of bedrock material in various situ * Rocks are commonly divided into three major classes according to the processes that resulted in their formation.These classes are (1) igneous rocks, which have solidified from molten material called magma; (2) sedimentary rocks, those consisting of fragments derived from pre-existing rocks or of materials precipitated from solutions; and (3) metamorphic rocks, which have been derived from either igneous or sedimentary rocks under conditions that caused changes in mineralogical composition, texture, and internal structure. * Elements of weathering, erosion and gradational forces over time then shape these rock components into landform.This is known as the geomorphological process. * Such forces as tectonic plate movement, fluvial action, gradational forces and the action of the wind and sun shape landform features. * Tectonic plates move in three main ways relative to each other. Translation, seduction and convergence (Spreading). The results of this plate movement is often seen as volcanic activity (eruptions, geysers, hot springs) as earthquakes or tremors and in subsidence, land slips and slumping. * Fluvial action is the process of water eroding, transporting and depositing rock material. Wind can erode rock material by blasting, while the sun heating up rock and the rock cooling can break it down in a process call exfoliation. The top three soil issues confronting Australia are; 1. Loss of valuable topsoil due to over-clearing and subsequent erosion 2. Soils salinity – as result of over-clearing and or irrigation rasing the water table and bringing salt to the surface. 3. Acid Sulfate soil exposure – as a result of construction and mining exposing acid sulfates locked up in soil and these sulfates leaching into local waterways. BIOSPHERE The Biosphere is defined as the relatively thin life-supporting stratum of the Earth's surface, extending from a few kilometres into the atmosphere to the deep-sea vents of the oceans. * The biosphere is a global ecosystem composed of living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from which they derive energy and nutrients. * The biosphere can be broken down into segments of abiotic and biotic components, called ecosystems. Oceans, lakes, and wetlands are examples of aquatic ecosystems, while forests, deserts, and tundra are examples of terrestrial ecosystems.Through these systems, energy flows and chemicals essential to life are cycled in what is known as biogeochemical cycles. * The biosph ere itself can be studied as a worldwide ecosystem through which the interconnectedness of all life and life-supporting systems on the Earth can be understood. * The earth’s biodiversity (total known stock of varying species of fauna and flora on the planet) is classified into several major Biomes. Each Biome is made up of a multitude of interconnected and interrelating ecosystems. An ecosystem is defined as the complex of living organisms, their physical environment, and all their interrelationships in a particular unit of space. * An ecosystem can be categorized into its abiotic constituents, including minerals, climate, soil, water, sunlight, and all other nonliving elements, and its biotic constituents, consisting of all its living members. Linking these constituents together are two major forces: the flow of energy through the ecosystem, and the cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem. Cycles within ecosystems which transfer / transform energy and matter are known as t he Biogeochemical cycles (eg. Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorous etc.. ) * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, and single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. 4 million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate errestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. BIOPYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Impacts of Humans on the Biophysical Environment * The biosphere supports between 3 and 30 million species of plants, animals, fungi, single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria, a nd single-celled eukaryotes such as protozoans. Of this total, only about 1. million species have been named so far, and fewer than 1 percent have been studied for their ecological relationships and their role in ecosystems. * A little more than half the named species are insects, which dominate terrestrial and freshwater communities worldwide; the laboratories of systematises are filled with insect species yet to be named and described. Hence, the relationships of organisms to their environments and the roles that species play in the biosphere are only beginning to be understood. Management Strategies for human impacts on BPE Management strategies can be based on a number of approaches such as reactionary, precautionary or proactive management. * As many issues have multiple causal factors at a variety of scales any successful management strategies must be designed with this in mind. Often the real measure of success of a management strategy is a direct reflection of effectiveness or otherwise of a co-ordinating authority. * An example of this need for a co-ordinated response to management can be seen through reviewing the Murray Darling Basin Commission (MDBC).This authority must oversee management strategies in literally hundreds of sub-catchments of the Murray Darling river and across local, state and federal levels of jurisdiction. Natural Resources Definition of a Natural Resource A natural resource is any part of the biophysical environment that can be used in some way to satisfy human needs. For example; air, water, forests, minerals. They can either be either RENEWABLE or NON-RENEWABLE. RENEWABLE RESOURCES Renewable resources are those that are naturally renewed within a sufficiently short time span to be useful to human beings.There are two categories of renewable resources: * Non-critical zone resources * Critical zone resources Non-critical zone renewable resources: * These types of natural resources remain renewable irrespective of how much and ho w often humans use them * Some examples include solar energy, tides, wing, waves, water and air. Critical zone renewable resources: * These are resources that naturally renew within short periods of time but can be affected by how much and how often humans use them, That is humans use them before they can be renewed. * Examples include fish, forests, animals, soil, underground water (aquifers)NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES * These are resources that have taken millions of years to form’ * These are resources that are deemed to be in fixed supply that is once they are used they can never be replaced. There are two categories of non renewable resources; * CONSUMED BY USE and * RECYCLABLE OR THEORETICALLY RECOVERABLE Consumed by use Non-renewable * These are resources that once used they can not be replaced. These are basically the fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal. There are called fossil fuels because they were once living organisms million years ago. * Because of the ra te of use in recent times these resources could ace exhaustion. It is predicted that after 2008 that oil will reduce as we have used it up. Recyclable or Theoretically Recoverable Non-renewable * These are the metallic minerals that are mined such as iron ore, aluminum copper, gold, silver etc. These also take millions of years to be created and once used they too cannot be replaced; the significant difference is that these resources can be reused or recycled. Think of aluminum cans or metal scrap yards. What constitutes a resource? For these resources defined earlier several conditions must exist before it can actually become a resource. 1.It must be recognized as being a resource indirectly or directly. 2. There must be the skills, equipment and social organization present to transform the resource into something useful. 3. The transformation must be achieved at a cost and convenience that make it more appropriate than an alternative. 4. The adverse impacts generated by the activi ty must be acceptable to society. What a natural resource is, depends on a number of factors; 1. Economic – what is the cost of extraction e. g. , extracting petroleum out of deep-sea deposits is expensive and risky – the deep sea well in the golf of Mexico. 2.Cultural – What is a resource for one culture might not be for another e. g. Kangaroo meat. 3. Technology – the resource might not be technologically possible at the moment e. g. fusion power 4. Political – governments might promote exploitation of natural resources for strategic, economic & political reasons e. g. the cotton industry in Australia is a result of government policy in the 1960s that wanted to reduce our reliance on imported cotton. 5. Environment and health factors – concerns about the impact on the environment and the health of people and ecosystems may effect the nature and rater if resources exploitation.Environment + Impact Statements (EIS) are often used to assess t he impact on ecosystems of the exploitation of a resource. Economic & political issues related to the use of natural resource, their ownership and management 1. Rate of use: Supply and Demand * Economically, natural resources will be used at a higher rate while that resource is in demand. * If demand is reduced over time it could have economic repercussions for the country that relied on its sale – relevant to the economic well being of many developing countries. They take out large loans to help develop their country based on the performance of selling their natural resources * Once demand decreases their ability to pay back the loan is reduced which then makes the country more in debt. * Money made from selling the resources is used to pay off interest on the loans and little is put back into the country to make it better off. 2. Continued demand for a resource * Can jeopardise economic prosperity due to economically unsustainable practices * Uncontrolled exploitation may j eopardise long term production levels.A good example of this is fishing. * May cause stocks to be reduced * Threat to the preservation of the fish species * Industry and jobs would be lost * Boat owners would incur increasing debts * Food supplies would be threatened by high prices and limited availability Political Issues 1. Opposing views * Political issues of resource use can arise when competing groups wish to use the same resources. * Countries who dispute ownership of a major resource e. g. the waters of a river that flows through more than one country. * Subgroups within a society

How does Stevenson present the conflict between good and evil in ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’? Essay

‘Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is a novella by Robert Louis Stevenson set in Victorian London and written in 1886. It can be said that Stevenson took ideas directly from his own experiences when creating the plot, as many aspects of the novella can be compared directly to his life. Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh, which had the same dramatic contrast between the rich and the poor sides as the London in which ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ is set and it is clear that he was influenced by the things he saw when going about his every day life; the divide between wealth and poverty. The idea of the unhappily conflicted personality of Jekyll could easily be based upon himself; the young Stevenson aspired to become a writer but this profession was looked down on by society as writers were seen as leading immoral and hedonistic lifestyles. His parents certainly disapproved of his choice and wanted him to pursue a more respectable career. Stevenson decided to take a law degree, but did not stop writing, thereby creating for himself a double life. The genre of the book is gothic horror and could also be said to have elements of science fiction. One clear influence would be ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, written in 1818. This, like ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, has themes of the worrying developments in science and compromising morality as well as controversial comments on society. Another source of inspiration is the 1859 book by Charles Darwin: ‘Origin of the Species’ in which Darwin looks in depth at the ideas of evolution. This book was particularly shocking since it suggested that all human beings were once animals, which were believed to not have souls. Such an outrageous statement clearly contradicted the views of the religious majority. The period in which ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ was written is important because of the rigid morals held by most people in Victorian England. There were clear divides between classes, where the rich and the poor were considered as almost complete different races. This meant that there was a great deal of hypocrisy; respected unmarried men were often encouraged to meet with prostitutes but the women themselves were considered as disgustingly immoral. People had prejudices against anybody who looked strange or different, strongly adhering to the idea of physiognomy; that a person’s personality could be defined by their appearance. This was also a time where many new breakthroughs were being made in science and people were beginning to worry about the moral side of what was being done, and fearing that scientists were attempting to concern themselves with divine matters. This meant that scientists were often not very well thought of. The main theme in ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ is the divide of good and evil and the duality of mankind. This was particularly relevant in the society of the time as several characters were beginning to emerge that had appeared respectable members of society and turned out to be less than perfect. The most famous example of this is Jack the Ripper, who was believed to be a surgeon or at least have detailed anatomical knowledge. Other examples are Burke and Hare, two infamous men who sold stolen bodies and then victims that they themselves had murdered to be used in medical research. This was highly disturbing, particularly since their main client Dr Knox must have known that the bodies they were receiving did not come from moral sources. Another example in the society of the time was Deacon Brodie, a respected cabinet maker who was also a skilled burglar. ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ tells the story of wealthy doctor Henry Jekyll, whose ideas that a human being had both good and evil inside them led him to attempting to split up a person’s personality. His experiment worked, however not entirely as he would have wanted, as he had managed to create and physically transform into a personification of his own malignance who he dubbed ‘Edward Hyde.’ He soon discovered that the reckless lack of morals and fury of Hyde were highly addictive and he found himself going about under the guise of his other self and committing atrocities. Eventually he realised that he was being rapidly taken over by Hyde and was unable to give him up. He was also running out of the drug that enabled him to transform back into Jekyll, and he discovered to his horror that he could not recreate the original mixture. He wrote an account of what had happened to his friend, Gabriel Utterson, and then committed suicide to kill both himself and Hyde. The different elements of the plot fit together seamlessly, and at times this appears a little too coincidental such as a letter to Utterson being found upon the murdered Danvers Carew and Utterson so easily being able to find out that Jekyll and Hyde had such similar handwriting through his clerk Guest. Instead of using Jekyll as the storyteller, Stevenson uses an embedded narrative by having Utterson as the main narrator. This means that we see the story from the perspective of somebody who is not directly involved and therefore means that the reader does not see the full truth until the end when everything is explained from the viewpoint of the doctor Lanyon and then Jekyll himself. This adds realism to the story, as each narrator is a completely different character. For example, Lanyon’s description of events is much more factual and Jekyll’s uses intelligent metaphors and detailed imagery. The narrative is achronological, meaning that the story is not portrayed in chronological order. Rather, we experience the tale with Utterson first, and then are filled in on events that happened previously by Lanyon, and finally told all that had happened by Jekyll, starting from long before we were first introduced into the plot. This means that we are almost plunged into the n arrative ‘in media res’ as we start off from the middle of the story. While Lanyon and Jekyll give us clear first person accounts, Utterson is described in the third person, and this helps us to understand the flaws of his personality and therefore understand him more. It gives us a less biased perspective as we are enabled to make up our own opinions as well as learning Utterson’s views on what is happening. Stevenson wants us to trust Utterson as a person so that we will trust his judgment, giving him a dull and controlled personality so that his perceptions will appear more likely and lead us to making false conclusions so that the actual outcome of the tale is a complete shock to us as well as to Utterson. His narrative makes the story more believable than if we had been told everything directly by Jekyll and also builds up tension and mystery as the lawyer goes out of his way to piece together the trouble his friend is in as well as the profile of the elusive Mr. Hyde. The character that the whole novella is circled around is Dr Henry Jekyll, who is first presented to us as a wealthy man of good taste. A small doubt to his character is put forward as he is described as â€Å"something of a slyish cast perhaps† but then insisting that he was â€Å"every mark of capacity and kindness.† Since Utterson had already suggested to us that Jekyll is in some kind of trouble, we are more likely to feel sorry for him. This is further increased by Jekyll’s apparent terror when Utterson mentions Hyde. He therefore appears as a fairly weak person who is being manipulated by Hyde. We learn a lot more about him when we read his first person account. Jekyll’s flaws become more obvious and we realise that he is not as he originally appeared. His language shows us that he is extremely intelligent and insightful, and idealistic enough to believe that his reckless experiments could change mankind for the better. He does appear fairly weak in character, as he clearly enjoyed the new feelings that being Hyde allowed him. He says that he â€Å"felt younger, lighter, happier in body; within I was conscious of a heady recklessness, a current disordered sensual images running like a mill race in my fancy, a solution out of the bonds of obligation, and unknown but not an innocent freedom of the soul.† Clearly, he found it refreshing to be able to take the body of a younger and fitter man, particularly one who was not governed by moral boundaries. He continued to take the potion even though he knew that his new self was purely evil until he could not stop, which shows that he was acting for himself now instead of continuing his research. He keeps himself free from guilt by not accepting any responsibility for Hyde’s crimes, insisting â€Å"it was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty.† Therefore, he completely disassociates his other half from himself. He appeared to feel remorse for the murder of Sir Danvers Carew, but then decided that it was wholly Hyde’s fault and all that he had to do was use this as an excuse for no longer becoming Hyde, which shows him to be a hypocrite. But he also becomes distanced from his original self, referring to Jekyll in the first person and seeing the visage of the doctor as just as much of a mask as becoming Hyde, talking about the two halves of himself as equals despite Hyde being completely malignant while Jekyll was a â€Å"composite.† This would mean that evil was the greatest force and he had inadvertently moved â€Å"toward the worse† as he feared after the first transformation. He actually considers staying as Hyde for the rest of his life when forced to make a choice, but decides that he prefers to be Jekyll, well-liked and a man of reputation. Despite being taken over almost entirely by Hyde, Jekyll still has the strength to end his own life and thereby killing Hyde. Jekyll speaks in a respectful manner when addressing others, but we do not really learn much about him before the first person account. Here, it is clear that he is a man of excellent schooling and with a wide imagination. His language is flowing and descriptive, using metaphors such as â€Å"the Babylonian finger on the wall† and analysing ideas in psychology that were beyond his time, in fact also beyond Stevenson’s. To the reader, Jekyll represents the average man. He is curious and ambitious, and often feels conflicted from the strains of his life. He is tempted by pleasure, and makes the wrong decisions due to this. Also, he appears as quite proud and egotistical, thinking that his clever tricks can keep him out of trouble and that he is completely safe. This leads him to his own downfall. Hyde is the physical embodiment of the evil element of mankind. He is utterly immoral and feels absolutely no regret for any of the dissolute crimes he commits, in fact he is delighted by them. For example when he kills Danvers Carew, he â€Å"mauled the unresisting body, tasting delight from every blow.† His appearance is very important as everybody who meets him instantly dislikes him although they do not quite know how. He is described as â€Å"pale and dwarfish; he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation.† Jekyll supposes that Hyde’s small stature is due to him only being a part of a whole; the personification of one aspect of Jekyll’s character. The immediate hatred he provokes when he comes into contacts with others shows how he has an aura of profligacy that can be sensed even when there is no reason to dislike him. For example, when Lanyon met him for the first time knowing nothing about him, he says that he too was filled with the same irrational hatred, telling Utterson that he was surprised by â€Å"the odd, subjective disturbance caused by his neighbourhood.† In fact, the only person not repulsed by Hyde is Jekyll himself, whose first response to his other half was â€Å"a leap of welcome,† although in time he grows to truly hate him. Hyde does not care about anybody, but he clearly cares about his own welfare as he takes measures to protect himself from capture after committing crimes, and is afraid of death. This is clear when Jekyll says that Hyde commits â€Å"temporary suicide† by returning to Jekyll’s body and safety. Hyde does not hate Jekyll in himself, but hates being imprisoned inside him and that Jekyll has the strength to cage him and destroy him. He cannot hurt Jekyll without hurting himself, so resorts to showing his loathing of Jekyll by playing childish spiteful tricks on him. Jekyll describes Hyde as â€Å"ape-like† and â€Å"troglodytic,† suggesting that he is not only inhuman but pre-human. This takes ideas from the theory of evolution by Darwin, and could mean that Hyde is a step back in evolution and therefore fuelled by natural instincts rather than carefully considered thought. His emotions are very extreme; he is filled with a mixture of rage, joy and fear. He tends to act on impulse by striking out when he is enraged without any thought of the consequences. This idea of Hyde being more of a beast than a human being also plays with the ideas of religious Victorians that animals did not have souls and would not go to heaven. Hyde converses with others with a cold sarcastic politeness, speaking courteously enough unless angered. He is not initially rude when forced into a conversation with Utterson, but may have recognised him as a friend of Jekyll who it would not be wise to draw attention from. His temper flares very easily, and he can do anything when this happens. He is in a furious mood when Jekyll lets him takes control again, and this leads to his attack on Danvers Carew. When he is caught in public without his potion, he strikes a woman in the face for attempting to talk with him, and is close to assaulting the driver of a cab taking him to safety. He uses sharp plosives such as â€Å"blasted by a prodigy† and using short sentences which gives the impression of faster and more violent speech. Gabriel Utterson is the first character introduced to the reader. He is described as being â€Å"slow in sentiment, lean, long, dusty, dreary, and yet somehow lovable,† which makes him sound to be a very uninteresting person but adds a positive adjective so that he isn’t perceived as having a bad personality. Stevenson introduces him first to add realism to the impossible plot and to get the reader to place their trust in him as a person, not just as a narrator. He is reserved and doesn’t like to get involved, proven when he said â€Å"I let my brother go to the devil his own way.† However, this original philosophy is reverted when he is told about Hyde and realises that his close friend Jekyll must be in trouble. Utterson ends up being the one most involved in Jekyll’s problems, actively seeking out Hyde and looking for answers. He does not like to gossip, and agrees with Enfield that speaking less about things is a good idea. Utterson appears to think that reputation is of great importance and he barely changes his stiff routine even during emergencies such as Carew’s death. Utterson appears to be well-liked and trustable in general, as both Jekyll and Lanyon regard him as a good friend and it is said that â€Å"hosts loved to detain the dry lawyer.† Utterson does not make friends easily, but â€Å"his affections, like ivy, were the growth of time;† he makes friends for life. This shows with how he worries about Jekyll. The effect Hyde has on such a boring man is remarkable, as Utterson is filled with fear and curiosity despite not having even met the man yet. He begins to suffer from lack of sleep as he ponders his friend’s predicament, picturing Hyde as some kind of demon with a terrible power over Jekyll. This shows that even though Utterson is not a very imaginative man, he is conjuring up images of this unknown monster which frighten him. He seems to be a brave man when searching for and then facing Hyde, especially as he begins to learn what the man is capable of, which proves him to be quite a selfless person when it comes to helping his friends despite what he had originally said about keeping out of other people’s business. Dr Hastie Lanyon is a mutual friend of Jekyll and Utterson, and his help is required by Hyde in order to transform back into Jekyll when he transforms in Regent’s Park without his potion. The shock of seeing the depraved Hyde physically becoming his friend Jekyll causes Lanyon to become very ill and he dies soon after. Lanyon is described as a â€Å"hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentle-man† the first time he is shown to the reader, but by the time of his death he had become â€Å"pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and older† which shows the effects of discovering Jekyll’s secret. Lanyon is a doctor of empirical science and clearly disapproves of Jekyll’s wild ideas. He claims that Jekyll â€Å"began to go wrong, wrong in mind† and calls his work â€Å"unscientific balderdash.† This implies that Jekyll had told Lanyon some of his ideas, and the disagreement over this had separated the two friends. Hyde taunts Lanyon about this when about to take the potion to turn back into Jekyll, saying â€Å"you have denied the virtue of transcendental medicine, you who have derided your superiors.† Despite Hyde playing on the rift between them, Jekyll still greatly respects Lanyon and apparently the reaction of his friend affected him a lot more than Carew’s murder. Just as Hyde represents evil in the story, Lanyon represents good. He is jovial, kind, and although he had a grudge against Jekyll due to the unusual experiments he is carrying out, it seems likely that he would in due course forgive him. He does still consider Jekyll his friend, despite often referring to him as insane and apparently not trusting him. The knowledge of exactly what his friend had become destroyed him completely, and he became too afraid to speak of it or even to sleep. He tells Utterson that he knows that he is dying and seems to have resigned himself to the fact, but says that he will â€Å"die incredulous† as the horrific scene he had witnessed defied all scientific logic that the sensible man could ever consider. He cannot cope with the impossible reality of what he has seen. Jekyll’s butler Poole is of a lower class than the other characters and consequently uses non-standard English. However, Stevenson contradicts the common assumption that common servants were ignorant and foolish by making Poole, although uneducated, a fairly clever character. Poole has picked up on the problems his master is having, and has begun to try and work out what is going on. He has realised that Hyde is in the house in Jekyll’s place, and attempts to argue his intuition against Utterson’s wistful logic, with Poole turning out to be right. Poole turns out to be a useful character, helping bring Utterson to discover the truth. Another critique of society’s views is the character Enfield, described as a â€Å"well-known man about town,† who is of upper class and yet appears to be not exactly perfect. Enfield tells Utterson that he was â€Å"coming home from some place at the end of the world, about three o’clock [in the morning],† casually implying that he was visiting somewhere unsuitable; a popular pastime that the wealthy glossed over. Stevenson uses a great deal of language techniques to put across the sinister tale of ‘Jekyll and Hyde.’ He starts the novel with a description of the narrator Utterson and his friend Enfield, using humour when he tells the reader about the apparent incompatibility between the men and how they insisted on going on walks that neither of them appeared to enjoy. This is effective because Enfield’s story is a good way to lead into the main tale, and we are thereby introduced to a few crucial elements of the story. For example, the back door which leads to Jekyll’s laboratory, although this isn’t revealed until later on. It appears to ruin the appearance of the street, a blemish on an aesthetically pleasing area, drawing in unsavoury characters such as the homeless and rowdy children. The whole idea of the two doors is a clever metaphor for the theme of good against evil, as Hyde could enter through the decrepit back of the house and emerge from the front as Jekyll. Stevenson employs many similar metaphors, such as the use of physiognomy to suggest Hyde’s malevolence and by describing Lanyon, making him sound a kind and cheerful man. Lanyon also has â€Å"a shock of hair prematurely white†, the colour white carrying with it connotations of purity and strengthening his character. Hyde’s visage is hidden by a mask when moving around Jekyll’s house, symbolising Jekyll’s longing to keep his devil hidden away. Another technique used is the image of angry citizens crowding around the cold, sneering Hyde, each one filled with â€Å"the desire to kill him;† Hyde’s unnatural air of evil turning the normally docile women into â€Å"harpies† that had to be held back lest they attack him. This works well as it opposes th e gender roles in society. One of the most effective tools Stevenson uses is the weather. The first instance of this is during Hyde’s first appearance; it takes place in early morning where everywhere is eerily quiet and dark. It is also night-time when Danvers Carew is killed, this time a full moon which often symbolises unearthly happenings, although the maid who had witnessed the murder contradicts this idea by saying that she had never felt more at peace with the world. When Utterson takes the policeman to Hyde’s house in Soho, it is â€Å"the first fog of the season,† relevant to the previous events since this was Hyde’s first murder and his character was becoming worse and worse in the eye of the reader. The idea of fog creates very vivid imagery, and could be taken as a metaphor for the shrouded truth about Hyde. The mist is broken in some places by sunlight, which could symbolise the hope still left that hasn’t yet been swallowed by darkness. This whole scene has been personified; the fog almost appearing like a creature battling with the wind that was aggressively attempting to drive it away. This scene is suitably supernatural; Utterson describes it as â€Å"a district of some city in a nightmare.† This pathetic fallacy is subverted when Jekyll is in Regent’s Park and transforms into Hyde; it was a blissful, sunny day with all the frost having melted away and â€Å"sweet with Spring odours.† This does not seem like a setting for any villainy, but this is where Hyde appears again, which shows that evil can now happen in beautiful places. The pace of the story depends upon who is telling it, but it is generally slow paced. However, this changes during scenes of action, which builds up tension. The sentences are complex during descriptions, often in a few parts with colons or semi-colons to break them up, but during faster scenes this changes into short sentences with alliteration and plosives and usually more dialogue. This builds the pace of the text and engages the reader. ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ has very universal themes of the good and evil elements of every human being, which means that it just as relevant today as it was when it was written, even if the points put across are less controversial. Stevenson deals with theories of subconscious thought, seen when Jekyll becomes Hyde in his sleep which would suggest that humans are more mentally conscious when asleep, an idea which still hasn’t been completely worked out today. This was very advanced as nobody had yet begun to develop these ideas, until 1901 when Freud published a thesis on the unconscious mind. It is clear in the story that Jekyll quickly grows to hate his creation, but is unable to give it up. This can easily be seen as analogous to modern addictions such as drugs and alcohol, which can seem wonderful in the beginning and then quickly take over your life as Hyde did until it seems impossible to stop. The same patterns can be traced between the feelings from substance abuse and Jekyll’s addiction to the feelings and emotions he felt being Hyde, which shows that this is still very relevant in today’s society. Like Jekyll, modern scientists are being criticized for their research, such as cloning and work into genetics. Some people argue that they are meddling with God’s work, and even those who are not religious may say that this kind of research is immoral and wrong, or that it could lead to problems like diseases if our whole natural system is changed artificially. Even if this does not happen, sometimes human beings can go too far with what they think is right. The thirst for success can often blind people to what they actually want to achieve, for example a scientist working on perfecting human cloning may be purely working for the glory of the discovery rather than improving the world by his findings. This is human arrogance, which was Jekyll’s weakness. I think that the message in Jekyll and Hyde is that although evil dwells naturally within everybody, it can be overcome and that we all have the strength to overcome it. Jekyll’s pride caused his inner demons to take on a life of their own in Hyde, and although it cost him his own life, Jekyll’s morals and conscience were the victor in the end. Stevenson was trying to put forward the idea that humans are not either good or evil, nor are we sane or insane, but we are all the same to being with, built up of different emotions, thoughts and feeling which can lead us one way or another depending on our upbringing, choices, experiences and actions. So although everybody has a potential for evil, they also have a potential for good, and power to overcome evil.

Importance of Louisiana Purchase to America

Louisiana Purchase was a historical land purchase agreement signed between former America President Thomas Jefferson and French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte, which transferred the French territory of Louisiane to the American republic. France wanted the presence of a growing power- America, to give stiff resistance to the British, while America wanted to get rid of Spanish and French control in its trade route along the Mississippi river. It was evident that the Louisiana Purchase would have a strong social, economic and political importance to the American republic and its future.DiscussionLouisiana Purchase of 1803 transferred the land from erstwhile French possession to the contemporary American federation, and this piece of land now comprises fifteen American states, namely, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana (â€Å"The Louisiana Purchase, 1803†). When the se fifteen states were incorporated into the American union, the new amalgamation was, predominantly, a white majority union with white landowners, who used slaves for performing various occupations.In the early years of its formation, voting was reserved only for those who paid taxes, and only those while males having ownership of property could hold public offices (â€Å"The Louisiana Purchase, 1803†). With a large influx of immigrants to this region of maritime importance, a multicultural society was soon flourishing as different ethnic groups started settling there. Since the newly formed states from Louisiana Purchase were bordered along the Mississippi river, America got a free access to trade both within the country and to the continental Europe.This major political development boosted the economy of the American region. Moreover, the vast stretch of fertile land in the prairie states of North Dakota, South Dakota as well as Kansas, facilitated the growth of revenue fr om agriculture. Also, the inclusion of the state of Texas gave America a rich source of oilfields. In 1920, one of the Texan oilfields produced 50 million barrels (â€Å"Oilfields in Texas†). With a history of territorial wars, slavery, and gradual evolution of democracy, this amalgamation of fifteen states has given famous Presidents to the American republic.Some of the former American Presidents, namely, Bill Clinton, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, and George Bush were born on the erstwhile land, which was acquired under the Louisiana Purchase agreement. Conclusion With the acquisition of land under the Louisiana Purchase accord, the American republic witnessed social, economic and political changes that impacted its development significantly.

Extrinsic vs Intristic

There are many approaches that stem from motivation these come in the form of environmental factors, psychological bases of motivation as well as a biological factor. Motivation is a factor that lies within each individual both intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic is the motivation where the basis comes from a psychological perspective. Intrinsic motivation is when an individual takes on a task when the pay-off or reward is internal.Extrinsic on the other hand is where an individual carries out a task and is forced or driven by and external factor this may example this may be the drive for a person to carry out a task where the individual may receive a promotion in their place of employment. Individuals from the moment they are born are programmed with instincts. From the moment an infant is born they are programmed to cry when they are in need of something for instance the need to be fed this in a biological approach to motivation.Needs and drives are also a benefactor to motivation. Individuals have the need to rid of waste, for food to satisfy hunger, also for water for the relief of thirst and also an individual’s need to avoid pain. Environmental factors have been found to also contribute to motivation as well as an individual’s behaviour. In today’s society it has shown that an individual’s performance at work and their motivation has been a major benefactor (www. businessperformance. com). There are also cultural and social bases for motivation.Some individuals social needs regarding motivation can over write the biological bases for motivation example an individual who diets from a social perspective that need to achieve for what they seem to be perfect in society can over write the need for biological need for instance food in that particular case. Power motivation is also a benefactor in certain individuals. This may come in the form of an individual wanting to somehow control the outcome of a certain situation using the forc e of power.Winter (1991) states â€Å"The need for power involves the desire to tell others what to do and to use rewards or punishment to control the behaviours of others† (winter 1991, as cited in Bourne and Russo 1998). A household may experience this if a child is told to carry out a duty or chore in one case where a reward is offered the chore will be carried out in a greater manner than if the chore had not had a payoff or a reward is not offered.Motivation is an individual’s driving state or force. Motivation can also affect an individual’s state of arousal. Arousal comes in many forms this may range from an individual feeling anxiety, stress or motivation. Individuals may think that anxiety may be a negative but in cases this can be a driving force for an individual to complete certain tasks or duties and may also result and the amount of input and motivation used in that particular situation.Every individual at some point in their life will feel anxiety in a task for instance an example an individual with a mortgage if there was no arousal felt that mortgage may not be paid so motivation is a benefactor in situations like the example just shown. As human being we a need to form relationships and friendships with the people around us this is also a benefactor of motivation.With these relationships and friendship we are driven by motivation to fulfil the need and sensation of belonging with another person or persons. Individuals have the urge and willingness to succeed and to be the best they can possibly be motivation and emotion plays a big role in the way and individual plans and what steps they take to reach their goals. Not all individuals are the same that is why we are call individuals but in today’s Australian society the need for success and accomplishment is rated somewhat high.There are different incentives behind motivation Bandura explains that there are five different reasons for incentives these being primary i ncentives, this being the incentive of food, secondary incentive is the incentive to complete, plan or carry out new tasks, third is social incentives this is the need for recognition or praise, forth is the monetary incentive which may come in the form of a salary increase and finally activity incentive this incentive may come in the form of time off work.As human beings individuals dislike the feeling of failing or not being able to complete a certain task. All individuals have different driving forces and levels of motivation what one may find important to one person may not be important to another. Individuals use a somewhat standard of excellence to evaluate their status of other individual.A person with a lower drive to succeed or a lower level of motivation is less likely to accomplish what task was set out by that certain individual; people with lower level of motivation will also seek out or take on tasks which they feel that they can master quickly without much difficulty compared to a person who has a high range of motivation who is in more of a position to challenge themselves and face the task at hand and will work hard to accomplish whatever it is that they have set out for themselves or what has been set out before them.There are many theories surrounding motivation one being the push and pull theory, this can simply be broken down. The push theory for instance can be best explained for an individual planning a holiday, the push theory is the actual desire to travel. The pull theory on the other hand is best described to be the force where the attributes of that destination are the benefactor (www. businessperformance. comt). Another theory that was stated by Fredrick Winslow Taylor and this theory are based surrounding people and their place of employment.Fredrick Taylor Winslow states the idea that most individuals are driven and motivated mainly by salary or pay. He also states that generally workers do not certainly or naturally enjoy work a nd close supervision and control of workers from their employers is needed (www. tutor2u. net). Taylor’s theory has been used in a wide variety of work and business places. His theory has been a benefactor in businesses opting for the use of production lines.Abraham Maslow (1908 – 1970) put forward his theory which is a pyramid which details five separate stages which focused on an individual’s psychological needs. The bottom or lowest level of the pyramid being the most basic of the psychological this is the need of basic survival; this includes food, water and sex. The next stage is the need and want of safety. This may come in the form of family, an individual’s well-being and health and also a person’s security of employment.The next stage up the pyramid is the relationship, love and belonging as earlier stated as individuals we are built to social creatures and to build friendships and relationships is the motivation to fulfil this particular need. The fourth stage is a person sense of self-esteem. This also includes the respect we have of ourselves and the respect we have of other’s; it is our confidence. The highest point of Marlow’s hierarchy of needs and the top of the pyramid is the ultimate fulfilment.This stage is known as self –actualisation. It is the level that a person realises one self and one’s potential and is the desire or driving force for an individual to become all that they can possibly become. Elton Mayo also put forward another theory, this is the theory that not all individuals regarding the workplace are not only focused on the money but could also be focused by the social need of an individual to be fulfilled in their place of employment.When working in groups together or when a group is given a certain task there are benefactors who may drive a person’s strive for the input of motivation given by a particular person this could be from benefactors from the size o f the group, and an individual’s belief about what other individuals in the group are doing and also the amount of creativity required. If there is a larger group a person’s drive or motivation may not be as strong because the amount of workload can be reduced on a certain individual.Another benefactor is if individuals feel that a peer or peers are not doing their part or doing the best that they can that individual may also not perform to the best of their ability. If the task that is given out requires low level of creativity the motivation may also not be as strong as that if a task requires a higher amount of creativity or input. Bourne and Russo (1998) also explain that motivation and emotion are closely linked. Motivation involves the needs and goals, whilst emotions involve our feelings when expectancies are not fulfilled (ACAP notes week 9).According to Robert Plutchik (1980) there are eight primary emotions these being joy, sadness, acceptance, disgust, fear, anger, surprise and anticipation. These emotions can be combined to produce another certain amount of emotion this may come into the form of a mixture of joy and acceptance can produce love; our relationships and friendships are influenced by emotions. Psychologists have discovered a ways that individuals can improve their amount of motivation so an individual can accomplish personal goals. Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen wrote an article covering the topic.The finding within the article suggested that is to view circumstances from a third person’s perspective rather than that of a person who view issues from a first hand or personal view. Psychologists have found that using the term he or she rather than I can help individuals fulfil their goals and increases the level of motivation a person has for achieving whatever it is that they wish to achieve (www. suite101. com). The subject of improving or strengthening motivation has also shown to be a popular topic with in the work place. Mayo suggests that managers take a greater interest in employees (www. utor2u. net) As individuals we all have the need and want to live a comfortable lifestyle where we are happy and fulfilled but to accomplish this motivation is a major benefactor in the completion of goals or steps that is necessary to be at that stage in life where individuals feel a sense of happiness and completion. If an individual psychologically has the right mind set and motives behind that particular driving force anything is possible.References: ACAP notes weeks 1 – 9 www. businessperformance. com www. businessperformance. com www. tutor2u. net www. suite101. com

Marketing Mix Strategy Nuematic Shoppe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Mix Strategy Nuematic Shoppe - Essay Example Nuematic Shoppe is an Indian company dealing in distribution of pneumatics, hydraulics, LPG/CNG Gas Kits, Multivalves, Filters, Sealing elements, fittings, anti-vibration mounts. The company is a well known entity among the Indian industries with an international reputation as the only professional distributors of exclusive pneumatics and other products. Apart from the above mentioned products, the company is also representing hosts of Indian and international brands like â€Å"Shubhnorg†, â€Å"Stetters†, â€Å"Zeroil Hunter† and â€Å"Haag Zeissler† (www.neumaticshoppe.com) . As the company has good number of customers who place their requirements well in advance, the company is able to cater to the needs in time of emergency as it has stocks readily available. The company is powered with over 40 employees in the factory and 20 administrative staff handling the customer orders, queries, requisition and distribution.     Though the company was doing w ell in the market, there were few complaints arising from the customers about the quality of products which resulted in withdrawal of some orders by them. In order to identify the problem as per the marketing mix strategy, all the 7P’s of company are detailed below:1)  Product: The prodcut or the service is the element which satisfies the client’s needs generating two types of relationships with the prospect: a functional and a linking one which in turn relates to the products usefulness. The product manufactured by any company has to be in demand by the consumer (Belohlavek, 2008:15) .

The Crown Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Crown Court - Essay Example Summary offenses dealt with at the Magistrate Court include less serious ones such as traffic offenses or failure to pay taxes and will generally include all cases, including triable offenses, where the defendant has opted for a summary trial. However, the Crown Court hears those cases involving indictable offenses which include the category of serious offenses such as rape or murder. In so far as triable offenses are concerned, all offenses start at the Magistrate Court but the Crown Court deals with all those offenses which the Magistrate Court feels is so serious that only the Crown Court can with it, or where the defendant has requested for trial by jury. â€Å"Approximately ninety-six percent of criminal cases are dealt with summarily at a Magistrates Court.†2 A comparison of workloads of the two courts in terms of trials which was conducted in 1999 showed that â€Å"over four times as many trials took place in the magistrate's courts as in the Crown Court.†3 The q ualifications required to sit as a judge in a Crown Court is that the person in question must be a fully qualified solicitor or barrister and must have spent a minimum time of at least seven years in practice, after qualifying. In the case of magistrates, no formal training is advocacy is required and magistrates are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds. Lay Magistrates only undergo a short period of training and the exhaustive legal qualification and practice requirements required of judicial authorities in the crown courts are not expected of them. They are appointed by Lord Chancellor on the advice of the local advisory committees. However, the advantage with lay magistrates is that they are sensitive to local conditions prevailing in the area where they serve.  While judicial officials receive a salary, magistrates are not paid and give their time on a voluntary basis to engage in the business of administration of justice.  

Professional Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Professional Business Report - Essay Example Certain topics in different business courses are primarily important as far as the business world is concerned. This paper explores three key topics that are essentially influential in the business and professional setting. The first topic of focus is the 7Cs. The 7Cs stand for cash, customers, culture/coworkers, change, clock, cooperation, and communication. This topic is essential because it covers the most critical factors that drive business success. Business enterprises deal with the outlined factors on a daily basis. To start with, business enterprises and entrepreneurial ventures operate under profit motives. The bid to earn maximum revenues, minimize operational costs, and make high constitute the simplest goals and objectives pursued by businesses. The cash factor, therefore, fosters the understanding of business dynamics especially in regards to financial goals, decision-making, and management. The customer is an important party in the business world. The success of any given enterprise depends on the extent to which customers’ interests are met. At the same time, an enterprise cannot base its success on markets without accounting for the welfare of the consumer. In this respect, the customer is the primary driver of the business world. Even with high quality and affordable products and/or services, an organization cannot perform without selling and doing business with consumers. This lesson is critical because individual going into the business world must understand the importance of customers or consumers in the business world. The third component in the 7Cs accounts for culture/coworkers. The business world cannot do without these two fundamental aspects. In today’s business world, cultural diversity is the order of the day. Globalization and liberalization of both trade and commerce has increasingly converted the world into a highly

The Transformation of the World By the Automobile Revolution Annotated Bibliography

The Transformation of the World By the Automobile Revolution - Annotated Bibliography Example The automobiles have made the economy as the core of the modern society. The cars have made the movement of goods and services from and to the market (Sutter, Driven Wild 09). In the offices, they make people are punctual. The automobiles take the perishable goods produced locally to the market (Raghnaill, 2014). This eliminates chances of getting losses. Secondly, automobiles have influenced the health of individuals in the society in cases of an emergency and non-emergency case to take the patients to the hospitals (McKinsey & Company, 2014). Today there are flying doctors without boundaries who spend most of their time in their offices waiting to utilize these vehicles to make the lives of the community better (Schensul, 2014). The automobiles have a unique way of bringing the people of the society together. With travelling over long distances made so easy and cheap, people can meet as if they live in the same village. Besides, today cars form part of entertainment in various form s. As a hobby, these people watch the rally games at their time of leisure making their life enjoyable. It is true that the impact of the automobile in the modern society is significant. It has brought about a better life and improved the quality of life. The automobiles role in the creation of economics autonomy is also marvelous. With the integration of the automobile to sport and health, it has also improved the quality of life. The automobile makes for almost all the aspect of the modern society.

Reflection articles Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection articles - Article Example Thus, the issue of disrespect can be resolved in a number of ways. First, one has to review the kind of relationship he or she has with others in the office. Secondly, compare yourself with other professionals and listen to the view of other people about their jobs. Lastly, challenge yourself by setting and achieving several goals that are related to his or her career. In any group of individuals, there must be issues arising regularly. These issues are best handled through appropriate methods of resolution. Thus, in resolution of issues, one has to focus on the following aspects: Convert the complaints to respect, make sure all the statements are made using â€Å"I† or â€Å"we,† focus on the future only, come up with a solution, keep off from making demands and avoid generalizing of ideas. For instance, in an organization where an individual or individuals complain about a colleague not finishing up his or her job and over burden others, is an issue which needs to be addressed. In finding a solution to such issues, a number of factors have to be considered. These factors include: Avoiding a sarcastic tone in making requests or approaches, expect to work out the resolution steps effectively, be respectful to the parties involved and finally try to recognize the needs of every human; to be listened to and understood. Health professionals have a key responsibility of educating patients in regard to their specific health issues. For instance, dental hygienist has a role of educating patients about their oral health; instructions on oral hygiene and significance of maintaining oral hygiene. For one to perform effectively in this, one has to provide the patients with a general overview of the entire procedure placing emphasis on the specific words to be used in the whole process (Smith, 1). The phrases which are used in such practices are extremely vital to both

Business Strategy (Viking Sewing Machines) Case Study

Business Strategy (Viking Sewing Machines) - Case Study Example Company has reformulated its strategy documents, created new mission statement. The changes started with the change in the distribution network and to make retailers as dealer-partners and to motivate them to promote exclusively the company's products. In its biggest market (US) company collaborated with large retail chain Jo-Ann Fabrics and crafts and opened exclusive retail outlets. In its original country (Sweden) company has already a large retailer's network. In other parts, the company do not have exclusive retail network. Changes at the top management level with widespread changes in overall organizational structure as well as in operating systems. Now in the changed situation company has to adopt different business strategies and analyze that whether these strategies are successful or not. Business strategies: There are three main success criterions for the companies Suitability, Acceptability and Feasibility, which could be analyzed as follow: Suitability: It is a broad criterion concerned with whether a strategy addresses the circumstances in which an organization is operating the strategic position. Suitability can be thought as the rationale of a strategy and whether it makes sense in relation to the strategic position of an organization. Feasibility: Feasibility is concerned with whether an organization has the resources and competences to deliver a strategy. A number of approaches can be used to understand feasibility. Financial feasibility and Resource deployment are the two important approaches generally used for feasibility analysis. Now we will analyze the company VSM on the basis of above mentioned three criteria. The mission statement, VSM has clearly defined its priorities as to develop, produce, market and sell consumer sewing machine and related products, creating demand, being a customer driven company through providing quality products, satisfy customers and dealers-partner alike, and continuously adding values to its brands. It specifically emphasized on employees satisfaction and growth opportunities by adding value to its human resources. Its ultimate aim was to be a leading premium company in the world of sewing. It basically aims towards consolidation of its position in the market. To achieve these objectives, company has to formulate its business strategies carefully after analyzing its core areas of competencies, its strategic positioning in the market as well as the various choices it have in its existing situation. For the next 5 years mainly company has to identify its areas of operations and production, marketing and distribution strategies, financial planning and prudence, ex pansion strategies, and careful evaluation of various choices it have to formulate its competition strategies to remain successful sewing manufacturing machine company. Strategies might be regarded as suitable from the point of view of: existing opportunities in the environment and avoiding threats; capitalizing on organizations strengths and avoiding or remedying weaknesses; addressing exceptions. The general environment of western market for sewing machine is becoming saturated and shrinking. Even industrial demands are going down and therefore professional and domestic sewing machine market seeing a slump. Therefore VSM group has an opportunity to expand in East European market and

Business case study on Bell Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business case study on Bell - Assignment Example Moreover, prior knowledge of these factors facilitates development of effective strategies for sustainable success, especially in the era of highly competitive global business environment. It was important for Ron Close to have in-depth understanding of these five forces for Bell Canada Enterprise before accepting the position of President, consumer VoIP for Bell Canada. The examination of these forces would enable him to assess the viability of VoIP (voice over internet protocol) within the operation of Bell or as a new venture, independent of the influence of Bell, in Canada. Bell Canada was a leadership company in the field of telecommunication. It provided fixed line telephones and internet services to approximately 13 million customers in its core territory of Quebec and Ontario. It was also 14th largest company as per 2004 survey with major stake in Aliant, which operated in Eastern provinces. Through acquisition of fiber cable network and merger with other different media inte rests like print, television, IT etc., Bell not only provided fixed line, mobile services and internet, it also was in possession of huge network of fiber cable used for high speed internet which could hugely contribute to the success of VoIP. Hence, evaluating the five forces would significantly influence the decision of Ron Close to accept or not to accept the challenge of being the president of VoIP division, Bell Canada. Answer 2 Competitive Rivalry Industry rivalry is an important element for developing distinct competencies and differentiating products to gain leverage in the market. Bell was pioneer in the telecommunication field in Canada with near monopoly. Bell’s main rivals in telephony were: Telus, which operated in British Columbia and Alberta; SaskTel in Sasketchewan; and 50 small telephone companies. In the cable network, Roger, Cogeco and Shaw were key opponents in Ontario; and Videotron and Cogeco in Quebec. In 2005, all these firms had launched VoIP through high speed internet or HIS. While Cogeco and Videotron did not have nationwide network, Roger, Shaw and Bell had the advantage. But Bell had the leverage in the sense that it owned a satellite operator, Teleglobe and its vast network of cable spread across Western Canada that also extended to America which would significantly reduce the cost of infrastructure which may run in billions. Most importantly, its market credibility and huge database of customers were crucial factors that could be turned into VoIP customers. VoIP is barrier free and therefore small players like Primus and Vonage become important as with relatively small investment they can offer continent wide internet telephony. Messenger from Microsoft and Skype have also emerged as popular VoIP service provider attracting huge numbers of customers from the globe. Answer 3 Supplier power Bell does not have suppliers except for the government from which it buys bandwidth for HIS. But so far as customers are concerned, Bel l is part of various other suppliers of VoIP services. This is important element that indicates the bargaining power of suppliers vis-a-vis provision of goods and service. When there are lots of suppliers, they have less bargaining power and operate within highly competitive environment. In the case of Bell, especially related to VoIP, there are some major suppliers who have good database of custo