More Is Not Hythlodaeus Utopias Early-Modern Enterprise of and Experiments with Individual Subject Formation - Literature Essay Samples

Thomas More’s Utopia involves circumlocutory ways of distanciating the author’s self from Hythlodaeus’s delineation of the exemplary city. More wanted not only to obfuscate his agency as the author, but also lend a unique credibility to the conceptual hypothesis that he sought to fabricate. By endowing his â€Å"philosophical city† with the semblance of reality, he caused his readers to see the mechanism in operation by means of a feigned description, which is also the essential feature of the utopian genre (Frye 31). Symptomatic of the renaissance anxiety about the constant entanglement of the ideas of dissidence, privacy, guilt and anti-state practices, Mores Utopia does not ascribe any private space to its inhabitants. Consequently, â€Å"[T]here are . . . no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting-places . . . [E]veryone has his eye on you, so youre practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time† ( More 65). Ironically, More too is painfully aware of such eyes on himself and as a consequence, the pretence of second-hand reporting can indeed be construed as a protective technique that More avails himself of (Turner xiv). The paradox of this situation can best be identified by locating how More himself paid with his own life for the degree of surveillance that haunted Renaissance England, where even his silence on the issue of Henry VIII assuming the position of supreme head of the Church was treachery enough to be awarded a death sentence. More’s Utopia, and the Utopian thought in general, have had far-reaching cultural impact in context with the emergence of the modern socio-political conditions of subject formation. Catholics and communists have both indulged in what Paul Turner calls â€Å"a critical tug of love† (xi), in an attempt to valorize their own ideologies by borrowing More’s authority. Such an approach only betrays a partial understanding of the utopian tradition in which the work belongs, precisely because it construes the author’s intention as producing, as it were, â€Å"a blueprint of the society at which we aim† (Popper 157). As Lyman Sergent pertinently remarks: â€Å"few utopias were written with the intent of implementing them in detail, and the history of political thought does not offer blueprints for building new societies† (570). Undoubtedly, utopian literature, when viewed as social or political theory, creates a conflict between an artist’s intent and the extent to which he chooses (or maybe, is forced) to showcase himself under the reader’s scrutiny. The way More as an author tries to unauthorise his text, can not only de ceive some â€Å"fathead who said he did not see why More should be so much admired for his Utopia, since all he did was write down what somebody else had told him† (Turner xiv), but also should keep the intelligent reader on guard regarding the â€Å"reality† he plays around with. Mores success in shaping an almost a proto-postmodern ethos banks partly on his pioneering ability to introduce this element of â€Å"play† in his text, the element of ambiguity that locates as well as dislocates reality through the simultaneous interplay of presence and absence. The reader can readily locate the socio-political evils that Hythlodaeus talks about, but being unable to contextualize them except as veiled references farther veiled by the interventions of the dramatic persona of the author himself from within the text, he perceives the reality as confused and dislocated. Utopias relevance today cannot be appreciated if we try to put it in the straitjackets of either communism or Catholicism, but taken as a spontaneous overflow of intellectual high spirits, a revel of debate, paradox, comedy and above all of invention which starts many hares but kills none (Rengasamy xxxii), the text remains one fraught with complexities of consciousness resonating with the modern concerns of privacy, family, utility, religion and identity. The appearance and disappearance of frontiers and mushrooming of various ideological boundaries have not stopped in our time, and â€Å"it is precisely at this moment, while new, or very old and frightening, frontiers appear or reappear, those of nationalistic, racial or religious exclusions — precisely at this moment that it is worth recalling the fiction of an island that appeared at the dawn of a period for which our present time would form the twilight† (Marin 11). Furthermore, one can argue that the utilitarianis m of the utopians that issues from their notion of mercy and kindness has much in common with what Charles Taylor calls â€Å"modern utilitarianism† as a secularized variant of Christian spirituality (13). The very initiation of Hythlodaeus’s arguments marks the cruelty and impudence behind capital punishment of thieves prevalent in the then England. Strikingly, his arguments combine compassion with prudence as he tries to demonstrate how widespread poverty should be addressed first instead of punishing the thief who mostly steals out of want and scarcity of basic amenities of life resulting from under-utilization of human labour and natural resources. More’s veiled reformist spiritual zeal comes to us filtered through Hythlodaeus’s tale of the utilitarianism of the non-Christian Utopians that can be paralleled with the â€Å"thrust of the utilitarian Englightenment, protesting against the needless, senseless suffering inflicted on humans in the name of . . . orders† (Taylor 13). Locating and recognizing the individual subject as a product of the social conditions is one major point of thrust in Hythlodaeus’s argument. As Habermas has noted, More’s ideal city shares one major feature of Machiavelli’s proposals in The Prince (1513) — namely, we must first establish the social conditions wherein the individual subjects may realize their human potential and moral ideals. He says: â€Å"virtue and happiness as such are here [in Utopia] conceived in the traditional manner; but what is modern is the thesis that the technically appropriate organization to meet the necessities of life, the correct institutional reproduction of society, is prior to the good life, without these in themselves representing the content and the goal of moral action† (Habermas 54).The process of employing the â€Å"correct institutions† in Utopia — which includes abolition of private property, the source of power and privileges through accumulation of wealth — however, signals an opposite hypothesis of The Prince, namely, a movement toward the removal (rather than the strengthening) of the social domination of the few over the many (Duprà © 151). By emphasizing the dependence of the individual’s actions on the social system that s/he constitutes, Hythlodaeus almost anticipates a poststructuralist concern that seeks to contend that subjects are not the autonomous creators of themselves or their social worlds; rather, subjects are embedded in a complex network of social relations (Namaste 221). The specific social and cultural logic — the key to subjec t formation — leads uncannily to ways in which subjectivities are at once framed and concealed. We can move onto locating these features at the textual level. Mores borrowings from Platos Republic while shaping his Utopia have long been critically commented on. In addition to the similarities that the two share, also interesting in this context are the ways of Mores conscious departure from Platos ideal. The heteropatriarchal family in utopia is central to its functional modus operandi, quite unlike in Platos republic where marriages are controlled by the government and one woman can be married to many men. Marriage to the Utopians appear to be an individual decision to the extent that the otherwise idiosyncratic practice in which both the man and the woman are allowed to see each other completely naked before agreeing to marry is seen as hardly ridiculous. The attitude of the Utopians to the power dynamics at work within the familial domain seems also to humourously reflect More’s own family (Rengasammy xxvi). However crude dictums like â€Å"husbands are responsible f or punishing their wives† (More 85) or the custom whereby wives are required to kneel down before their husbands every month and ask for forgiveness (without any mention of the same to be done by the husbands too) in order to maintain domestic peace appear, the family is still the coherent unit which elects the syphogrants of the administrative structure. The governors are not elected by popular vote but by these syphogrants elected first by the families. It remains an open question whether every adult member of the family votes or whether the choice is made only, for example, by the head of the family, though perhaps in consultation with other members of the family (Steintrager 363). Prevention of pre-marital sexual intercourse is given extreme importance by the utopians by putting into effect stringent laws against it. However, instead of defending such laws on grounds of preserving marital sanctity, an almost scandalous argument (especially to Catholics) is presented as def ence. It is said that they are particularly strict about these rules â€Å"because they think very few people would want to get married — which means spending one’s whole life with the same person, and putting up with all the inconveniences this involves — if they weren’t carefully prevented from having any sexual intercourse otherwise† (More 83-4). This statement takes for granted the intrinsic hedonistic bent of mind of the common man, inclined more to pleasures than principles. The sensual aspect of the human mind is foregrounded by the assumption that going by natural logic, sexual gratification can become preferable to the â€Å"inconveniences† of marital companionship. It is important to note where this logic leads. Their â€Å"natural† religion is inextricably linked to â€Å"[T]he principles of natural theology †¦ necessary for the support of morality† (Steintrager 370). As Steintrager notes, Utopian morality is more hedonistic than the morality of the Republic and for the ordinary Utopian, the check on excessive pursuit of pleasure is religion (371). The historical moment at which More was negotiating with Plato’s past ideal had much impact on the ideas that he explored in Utopia, if not unambiguously advocated. At a time when privacy was being freely associated with secrecy and seditious thoughts, the essence of Utopian privacy survives only in marital sexuality and the individual’s option to choose a partner and even divorce with him/her on mutual consent. Real pleasures, being divided â€Å"into two categories, mental and physical,† includes â€Å"sexual intercourse, or any relief of irritation by rubb ing or scratching† (More 76-7). The only limiting factor that defines immorality is simply categorized as â€Å"pain,† as â€Å"pleasure mustn’t cause pain — which they think is bound to happen, if the pleasure is immoral† (More 79). What comes forward as a pervasive principle in such arguments is the immediate corporeality of pain and pleasure of the individual subject as a direct quotient of privately felt sense perceptions that would later become major instruments in purveying knowledge and truth for Montaigne. Though for Descartes and his legacy the thrust shifts on to abstract reason alone, modern times have seen a reclamation of the individual’s sensory experience as having as much relevance as abstract reasoning. Such dialectical ways of preserving the privacy of pleasure and banning it when it veers towards â€Å"pain† form a key to the formation of the Utopian subject. More’s fictionalized narrator Hythlodaeus is also, first and foremost, a traveller, reportedly returning from a voyage in the New World as part of Amerigo Vespucci’s expedition; and although he avows to â€Å"describe their [Utopians’] life, not defend it† (More 79), he appears particularly anxious in many cases to do exactly that. It is intriguing to conceptualize — when â€Å"Hythlodaeus means ‘dispenser of non-sense,’ Utopia means ‘not place,’ Anydrus (the name of a river) means ‘not water,’ and Ademus (the title of a chief magistrate) means ‘not people’† (Turner xii) — what is the cultural valence of More’s ironic take on early-modern travel narratives, and what are its relations to an individual’s private agency to imagine and reorder reality through stories of travel and spatial displacement. To quote Louis Marin: â€Å"any travel is, first of all, a moment and a space of vacancy, an unencumbered space which suspends continuous time and the ordering loci† (14). The island of Utopia is almost a spatial escape from subjecthood, an exploration that at once hoaxes early-modern travel narratives and uses them as a cover up for filtering out contemporary reality. The flux that lies at the heart of this early-modern enterprise is one that emblematizes displacement of meaning at multiple levels: â€Å"displaced letters, displaced names (displacing their significations) — a displaced map displacing all maps and really finding none — Utopia as process is the figure of all kinds of frontiers, displacing, by the practice of its travels, all representations, secretly duplicating any kind of real geographical voyage and any kind of historical and temporal change† (Marin 16). The ultimate fictive nature of the text exposes the fiction of the self created through travel narratives — which always formed an integral part of t he individual subject formation — whenever it sought to claim its selfhood by describing and inventing geographically disparate Others. It is not without a reason that the ideas that Hythlodaeus advocates in a half-polemical, half-prophetic voice arguably surpass in conviction anything that More produced elsewhere. Mores diplomatic office as a Renaissance humanist ambassador per excellence situated him in a complex cultural melting pot where his profession was a constant balancing act between stasis and flux, between â€Å"private philosophical meditation with public oratory and involvement in the civic world of politics and diplomacy† (Brotton 56), and what he offers in Utopia can be seen more as a rhetorical exploration of an escape route from his own subjectivity and also from the emerging bourgeois ethos, than anything else. As More himself speaks in different voices by introducing real-life characters like John Morton, Peter Gilles, and Thomas More, distorting and displacing their personae, his Utopia too mimics and distorts contemporary developments by practising a ventriloquism of sorts. The Utopians subject constitution is premised on the artifice of appropriating multiple stereotyped representations into one composite spatial Other. Just like travel narratives built up intertextual metarealities that fostered stereotyped constructions of racial others, Utopian cities too form stereotypes by claiming a uniformity in customs and administrative machinations that is possible only in fiction. Early-modern constructions of the Self were especially dependent of such cultural others. But Utopia does more than passively participate in myth-making. Utopia exists as a metatext that responds to as much as it reinforces exigencies of early-modern subject constitution. It mimics travel narratives only to self-consciously introduce an imaginative strand in its traditional yarn. Hythlodaeus’s voice acts here as the escape route for securing More’s privacy by being the product of his own creative impulse. It is impossible to fully accept Hythlodaeus as More’s mouthpiece — although in Utopian language â€Å"he† means â€Å"I† — as More is deliberately ambivalent about his Utopia, not because he could not make up his mind, but because â€Å"politically, he could not be seen to endorse a particular standpoint† (Brotton 56). The seductive power of the humanist rhetoric posits the common man at the centre of the Utopian â€Å"common wealth† without being too radical about its position. More keeps it arguable to what extent he himself would embrace a state policy that espouses religious toleration, but the notion of a secular state that he explores is, undoubtedly, very modern in word and spirit. Works Cited Brotton, Jerry. The Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2006. Duprà ©, Louis. Passage to Modernity: An Essay in the Hermeneutics of Nature and Culture. Yale UP, 1993. Frye, Northrop. â€Å"Varieties of Literary Utopias.† Utopias and Utopian Thought. Ed. Frank E. Manuel, Beacon Press, 1965, pp. 25–49. Habermas, Juergen. Theory and Practice. Translated by John Viertel, Beacon Press, 1973. Marin, Louis. â€Å"The Frontiers of Utopia.† Utopias and the Millenium. Ed. Krishan Kumar and Stephen Bann, Reakton Books, 1993, pp. 7–16. More, Thomas. Utopia. Translated by Paul Turner, Penguin Books, 1965:2003. Namaste, Ki. â€Å"The Politics of Inside/Out: Queer Theory, Poststructuralism, and a Sociological Approach to Sexuality.† Sociological Theory, vol. 12, no. 2, 1994, pp. 220–231. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/201866. Popper, Karl R. The Open Society and Its Enemies. 4th ed., vol. 1, Harper Row, 1967. Rengasamy, P. Introduction. Utopia, by Thomas More, Macmillan India Limited, 1980. Steintrager, James. â€Å"Plato and More’s ‘Utopia.’† Social Research, vol. 36, no. 3, 1969, pp. 357–372. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40969973. Taylor, Charles. Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity. Harvard UP, 1989. Turner, Paul. Introduction. Utopia, by Thomas More, Penguin Books, 1965:2003, pp. xi-xxiv.

How Has Realism Theory Played a Key Role in Israeli and...

Introduction For many centuries, Judaic and Arabian societies have engaged in one of the most complicated and lengthy conflicts known to mankind, the makings of a highly difficult peace process. Unfortunately for all the world’s peacemakers the Arab-Israeli conflict, particularly the war between Israel and the Palestinian Territories, is rooted in far more then ethnic tensions. Instead of drawing attention towards high-ranking officials of the Israeli government and Hamas, focus needs to be diverted towards the more suspect and subtle international relations theory of realism which, has imposed more problems than solutions. Throughout the course of this paper, I seek to explore the use of realism theory to both explain and account for†¦show more content†¦The Background of the Arab -Israeli Conflict The Arab-Israeli Conflict, and the struggle for a religious homeland, is a complex and somewhat mystified conflict. The tensions between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples can be traced back to Biblical times, when Abraham allocated for one of his sons, Isaac, to lay claim to Judea or modern day Israel. Muslims claimed that the elder son Ishmael had been allocated the region in the Qur’an. Although many historians believe otherwise, these claims are still the more popular historical context amongst monotheistic practitioners. Despite the Arab-Israeli conflict being overshadowed by the countless episodes of war, the middle ages brought with it limited prosperity. The period prior to the first crusades saw an age of enlightment for the Arabs and the Jews, who would share their culture with one another and attempt to co-exist within Jerusalem. During this time, both cultures would make important literary and medical advancements. However, the glory was short lived and soon the crusades opened the floodgates and brought back with it war and tension. The end of the 19th century brought with it the rise of Arab nationalism and Zionism, which called for the existence of a permanent Jewish State. Herzl’s 1896 manifesto â€Å"The Jewish State†, popularized the idea of Isaac’s promised land and influenced the Jewish peoples of Eastern Europe and Russia to proclaim Israel their own. The Jewish people took their first stepsShow MoreRelatedArab Isreali War4432 Words   |  18 PagesIntroduction After the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, tensions between the newly founded Jewish state and the Arab states were at an all time high, but it wasn’t until May and June of 1967 that tensions would turn volatile. The region was in a state of anarchy with multiple states competing for power within the region. Actions by leaders of both states made the already convoluted situation harder to interpret, and would ultimately lead to one state’s action. During those months, Arab nations, more specificallyRead MoreThe Islamic Revolution Of Iran3396 Words   |  14 Pagesand help Iran take its rightful place as a regional hegemon. In 1979, the US was embroiled in the Cold War and in the minds of the American public, the Middle East was little more than a Cold War sideshow. For those who paid attention, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the dominant issue in the region. The overthrow of Mohammed Reza Shah, and the events that followed, forced Iran into the US national consciousnes s. A little known Shi’a cleric from Iran had ignited a firestorm that influences AmericanRead MoreThe Origin, Development and Significance of Human Rights10255 Words   |  42 PagesSophocles play Antigone, in which the title character, upon being reproached by King Creon for defying his command not to bury her slain brother, asserted that she acted in accordance with the immutable laws of the gods. In part because Stoicism played a key role in its formation and spread, Roman law similarly allowed for the existence of a natural law and with it--pursuant to the jus gentium (law of nations)--certain universal rights that extended beyond the rights of citizenship. According to theRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 PagesNew: narcissistic? c. Government Censorship d. Profit-driven Media e. Advertising f. Private life of public figures g. Celebrity as a role model h. Blame media for our problems i. Power + Responsibility of Media j. Media ethics k. New Media and Democracy 2. Science/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology e. Genetic modification f. Right tech for wrong reasons 3. Arts/CultureRead MoreWater as a Source of Future Conflict in Sa26984 Words   |  108 Pageswater has increased much. Some 2 billion people† already lack water supplies. Water use has risen six-fold over the past 70 years. By 2050, it is estimated that 4.2 billion people live in countries that cannot meet people’s daily basis needs. South Asia is a region of water abundance and scarcity. â€Å"Issues concerning water allotment are the basic strategic distress over the state relations billion people will be† (Kshatri 2004, 4). 2. The melted snow of the Himalayas plays an important role in WaterRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagesphase of the human experience, render it impervious to generalized pronouncements and difficult to conceptualize broadly. As the essays in this collection document in detail, paradox pervades the time span we call the twentieth century, no matter how it is temporally delineated. Never before in history, for example, had so many humans enjoyed such high standards of living, and never had so many been so impoverished or died of malnutrition and disease. If the period from the 1870s is included in

16 Memorable Quotes From Anne of Green Gables

Review memorable quotes from Anne of Green Gables to better understand its characters, themes, and plot devices. Whether you review them before you read the book, while youre reading it or afterward, youll improve your comprehension of this work by  Lucy Maud Montgomery and get better acquainted with protagonist Anne Shirley, a redheaded orphan with a wild imagination and a talent for getting into trouble.   What Anne Says About Herself Im not a bit changed--not really. Im only just pruned down and branched out. The real ME--back here--is just the same.Theres such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why Im such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldnt be half so interesting.And people laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, havent you?When I left Queens my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I dont know what lies around the bend, but Im going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. Trouble and Wickedness Its so easy to be wicked without knowing it, isnt it?Its all very well to read about sorrows and imagine yourself living through them heroically, but its not so nice when you really come to have them, is it?Youd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair... People who havent red hair dont know what trouble is.For we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not  to be cheaply won, but exact their dues of work and self-denial, anxiety and discouragement.Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.Marilla, isnt it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet? Setting the Scene The night was clear and frosty, all ebony of shadow and silver of snowy slope; big stars were shining over the silent fields; here and there the dark pointed first stood up with snow powdering their branches and the wind whistling through them.Look at that sea, girls--all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldnt enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.Anne always remembered the silvery, peaceful beauty and fragrant calm of that night. It was the last night before sorrow touched her life; and no life is ever quite the same again when once that cold, sanctifying touch has been laid upon it. Miscellaneous The goblins of her fancy lurked in every shadow about her, reaching out their cold, fleshless hands to grasp the terrified small girl who had called them into being.Mrs. Lynde says that sound doctrine in the man and good housekeeping in the woman make an ideal combination for a ministers family.Isnt it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--its such an interesting world. It wouldnt be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? Thered be no scope for imagination then, would there? Wrapping Up Now that youve reviewed some memorable quotes from this classic, explore the novel further by learning about some of the ways the novel has been adapted over the years.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SEARS VS. WAL-MART - 5339 Words

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF SEARS VS. WAL-MART Table Content Background Analysis------------------------------------------------ 3 Financial Ratio analysis--------------------------------------------- 4 Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)--------------------- 12 Working Capital Management--------------------------------------20 Dividend Policy and Tax Treatment------------------------------- 23 Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------24 Background Analysis Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., incorporated in 1969, is an international retailer. In the United States, the Company operated 1,568 discount stores, 1,258 Super centers, 525 SAMs CLUBs and 49 Neighborhood Markets as of January 31, 2003. Wal-Marts†¦show more content†¦But Wal-Mart has a lower gross margin that is because Wal-Mart believes in higher volume and low mark-ups. Operating profit/sales Operating profit is for a certain period divided by revenues for that period. Operating profit margin indicates how effective company is at controlling the costs and expenses associated with their normal business operating. Refer the exhibit 1-1, We can observe that Wal-Mart and Sears performed the costs and expenses controlling effectively almost in average situations. However, Wal-Mart has a little bit higher than Sears in 1998. But Sears had caught up in 1999 and still growing up in 2002. EBIT/sales EBIT is a measure of companys earning power from ongoing operations, equal to earnings before deduction of interest payments and income taxes. EBIT ratio is examined for how profitably a company produces and markets its goods, particularly useful for those determining whether a company can pay its interest expense and with what degree of safety. Comparing with operating profit/sales ratio, it implied the interest expenses had more impact on Sears operation than Wal-Mart. EBITDA/sales EBITDA is a good measure and widely to use to evaluate the core profit trends. This ratio can be used to evaluate the profit potential between companies because it eliminates some of the extraneous factors and all the outside influences and timing effects on the companys profitability figure. ReferShow MoreRelatedSears vs Wal-Mart Essay758 Words   |  4 PagesSears vs. Wal-Mart Sears and Wal-Mart are both nationwide retailers, but their similarities are only skin deep. Sears started to lose its dominance in the early 1980s. In an attempt to boost the dwindling market share, Sears started to issue proprietary Sears Card, which gave customers payment flexibilities. A new slogan focusing on the softer side of Sears, and a revised product mix, were created to appeal to the middle-class female shoppers. On the other hand, Wal-Mart focused to achieveRead MoreSears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc684 Words   |  3 PagesSears, Roebuck and Co. Vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc Problem: Don Edwards, a recent MBA graduate has been asked to analyze the financial performance of Sears and Wal-Mart. Although Wal-Mart is the industry powerhouse, its 20% return on equity (ROE) lags behind that of Sears’ 22%. Analysis: Wal-Mart operates fewer stores than Sears but is ahead in terms of total selling area by a ratio of 3.4:1. Between 1995 and 1997, Sears’ retail store revenue per selling square foot was not only lowerRead MoreSears V. Walmart3367 Words   |  14 PagesSears Vs. Walmart Financial Performance Comparison Profit Margin Profit Margin, Sears Co. | | 1997 | | 1996 | | 1995 | Net income | 1,188 | -6.53% | 1,271 | -29.43% | 1,801 | Total revenues | 36,371 | 7.76% | 33,751 | 8.41% | 31,133 | Profit Margin | 3.27% | | 3.77% | | 5.78% | This Profit Margin ratio is acceptable, though not high. The result means that for each dollar of sales at Sears Co., the company earns only 3.27 cents in 1997, compared to 3.77 cents and 5.78 cents in 1996 and 1995 respectivelyRead MoreEssay on Development and Analysis of Two Mini Case Studies1267 Words   |  6 PagesDevelopment and Analysis of Two Mini Case Studies This is a SWOT analysis of Target Corporation and K-Mart, to be followed by a cross-case analysis of the two mini cases. The success and failure in these cases is based on volume of sales and recognition of the two companies. Target SWOT Analysis Target is a mass merchandising store based out of Roseville, Minnesota and founded in 1962. Almost 50 years later, Target is still going strong. They have always been in direct competition with theRead MoreWalmart: A Strategic Management Case study Financial Perspective959 Words   |  4 PagesPricing Strategy Wal-Mart’s primary competition in US includes department stores of the likes of Target and Kmart. Costco offers competition to Sam Club format of Wal-Mart. In niche small markets, dollar stores are offering strong competition to Wal-Mart. Kroger competes with Neighbor market and supercenters of Wal-Mart especially on the grocery product line. Target competes with Discount stores and supercenter shopping formats of Wal-Mart with Target commanding a small premium on prices as itRead MoreCase Analysisï ¼Å¡Sears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.3454 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿Caseï ¼Å¡Sears, Roebuck and Co. vs. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Financial Statement Case analysis 1ï ¼Å½ How do the retailing strategies of Sears and Wal-Mart differ? How does each firm operate their business/attempt to create value? The two companies differs in retailing strategy in two ways. 1. Credit sales boost sales greatly in Sears, not in Wal-mart Since 1992 when Arthur C. Martinez was brought on board to head Sears’s retailing operations, credit sales, especially through the use ofRead MoreWal Mart Vs. K Mart3174 Words   |  13 PagesWal-Mart vs. K-Mart Introduction of the Wal-Mart Company â€Å"A megacorporation with sales that consistently rank it as the number-one or number-two publicly traded company in the United States and in the world, Wal-Mart has impacted wage rates, prices, and economies on a local, national, and global scale. It is arguably the world s most important privately controlled economic institution. It not only has no rivals, it actually influences the prices set by its suppliers and has often seemed imperviousRead MoreTechnology and Its Impact on Retail Stores2008 Words   |  9 Pagesapproximately $63,000 per year. Turning our focus now on to Wal-mart, establishing it self as a low-cost middle-American retailer of choice is the way Wal-mart has climbed into world wide fame. Wal-mart was founded in 1962, by Sam Walton. Starting in Bentonville, AR, Walmart offered its customers value and savings greater than their competitors, by buying larger quantities of merchandise from its competitors. This enabled Wal-Mart, to find a niche in the retail market unlike anything else duringRead MoreFsa Case Discussion Questions2374 Words   |  10 PagesFinancial Statement Analysis Case Discussion Questions CASE: The Case of the Unidentified Industries - 2006 The questions are in the case. However, the following information might be helpful. 1. For purposes of this case the loans of the commercial bank are classified as accounts receivable and the deposits as accounts payable. 2. Unlike most business done on a credit basis where $1 of revenue creates a $1 accounts receivable, in advertising $1 of revenue creates $1/15% = $6.67 of accountsRead MoreSwot Analysis : Target Corporation Essay1745 Words   |  7 Pagesmarket. With success comes risk. Target Corporation competes against online retailers as well as â€Å"big box† stores to remain competitive. As Target Corporation is evaluated, one must observe market analysis, the current situation of the organization compared to its market performance, and SWOT analysis, to gain a better understanding of the company. Target Corporation is a retail chain specializing in household goods, clothing, food, and accessories at discounted prices. The retail chain’s history

Analysis Of The Riding Horse Winner - 2064 Words

D.H. Lawrence’s short story, The Riding-Horse Winner examines how money and being in constant pursuit of it, can lead to destruction of self and moral character. In the narrative Lawrence introduces the readers to Hester and her family, who are in financial decline and are struggling to maintain their social status, because according to Hester, they are â€Å"unlucky.† Hester endeavors to live a life that is beyond her means and the desire to do so, is so consuming that she has no room within herself to love her three children. Paul, Hester’s only son, takes on the responsibility of being to bread winner in hopes that he can gain his mother’s attention and affection and to quiet the whispers in the house. Using symbolism, dramatic irony, tone, mood, point of view and figure of speech, Lawrence masterfully examines the theme of generosity and greed and Appearances. The Riding-Horse Winner is riddled with symbolism. Of these are the whispers. In the house th ere is whispering that every member of the family hears, â€Å"There must be more money! There must be more money!† Lawrence uses his alliteration to are symbolize Hester’s state of mind and her relentless greed. For Hester there can never be enough money. When she receives an influx of cash (the five thousand pounds) the whispering becomes louder. This is because with the money and what she does with it, a higher standard of living is now set and now more money is necessary for the upkeep of this new lifestyle. Also, theShow MoreRelatedThe Rocking Horse Winner Literary Analysis728 Words   |  3 PagesThe Significance of The Rocking Horse Winner (An Analysis of Three Messages From Rocking Horse Winner By D. H Lawrence) D. H Lawrence was the author of The Rocking Horse Winner, which was one of his most famous stories, published in 1926. D.H Lawrence was intrigued with fate and destiny of life. The story was based around a young boy with intense amounts of determination because he felt he had to please his mother. D. H Lawrence expresses the conflict of economics and family, causing issues atRead MoreA Critical Analysis of The Rocking-Horse Winner and The Destructors1240 Words   |  5 PagesA Critical Analysis of The Rocking-Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and The Destructors by Graham Greene In both stories, The Rocking-Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and The Destructors by Graham Greene we see the common theme of wanting to be envied by others because of what we have or can do. The need to do better, have prestige and more power than anyone else is a very common human conflict that is dealt with on all levels of humanity. The emotional environment that man growsRead MoreOld Spice Case Strategic Marketing1444 Words   |  6 Pagesanalysis for PG management team of the case: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like 18 September 2011 Discussion agenda †¢ †¢ Big Picture and how Old Spice campaign could influence it. What are those business goals? †¢ †¢ Old Spice marketing strategy – where to shoot? Product line – who is the next ‘product hero‘ after the body washes? †¢ †¢ Promotion and all about media and communication Answering key questions: †¢ Why campaign is succesful? †¢ Should Old Spice campaign be continuedRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Bible 1735 Words   |  7 PagesAlec Cranford Moore-McNew Literature October 4, 2014 Literary Analysis Paper The bible portrays Jesus our lord and savior as one who commits no crime and breaks no law yet suffers a horrendous torture in the name of love and gratitude for all of humanity. In similar ways both The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas and The Lottery relate to the Christian faith which is based on the presumption that one person can free the rest from anarchy and hell. All three of these human sacrificing ritualistic idealsRead MoreFACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INDIA’s LEADING POSITION IN STEM CELL RESEARCH IN ASIA1863 Words   |  8 Pagescontributes to India’s leading position in Stem cell research in Asia are my assumptions based on collection and analysis of data from secondary sources of information. No research paper, case studies, review articles, news media articles suggest a clear winner among all Asian nations. With my assumptions to support my thesis against the sources of information that show no clear winner, I would like to challenge my assumptions and examine the thesis statement considering the limitations of theRead MoreEssay on Pre-campaign Analysis: Old Spice Brand Image1560 Words   |  7 PagesPre-campaign Analysis Research Research is a crucial step in determining the problem or issue faced by the organisation (Gregory, 2000). Old Spice conducted their research and found that the brand’s image was fading away along with their sales at the start of 2010 (Rowe, n.d.). The image that the public had in mind was that Old Spice’s products were something their â€Å"grandfathers† would buy and use (Effie Awards, 2011). Sales had dropped due to the increased number of competitors for bodyRead MoreA Five Year Marketing Plan For Tulip Clothing2596 Words   |  11 PagesClothing reflects Damian’s and Geoff’s passion for the outdoors. The company’s original cotton T-shirts, caps and denim jackets bear logos of different sports such as kayaking, mountain climbing, bicycling, skating, surfing, and horseback or camel riding. But every item shows off the company’s slogan â€Å"Let’s Rock!†. Tulip sells clothing for both men and women, in the hotte st colours with the coolest names - such as sunrise pink, sunset red, twilight purple, desert rose, cactus green, ocean blue, mountaintopRead MoreGood Leadership Is More Important Than Good Management2852 Words   |  12 Pagesstill do a very good job. And from the external environment, the different strategies Sony and Samsung takes will not lead to the different performance on its sales. Sony has the right strategy, the complete resources, the powerful energy, but the winner turns to Apple and Samsung. Why Sony could so easily be surpassed by the competitors? The main reason why such gap exists is because the company lacks of the leadership. Many enterprises failed due to the unsuccessful integration of strategy and operationRead MoreFigurative Language and the Canterbury Tales13472 Words   |  54 Pagespoets such as John Donne wanted to write poems that were not in the style of sentimental Elizabethan love poetry. These poems are known for their use of conceits - unusual analo gies such as linking love and a compass. †¢ tendency to psychological analysis of emotion of love and religion †¢ form is frequently an argument †¢ images were â€Å"unpoetical† - drawn from commonplace life or intellectual study 48. meter: rhythmical pattern of a poem 49. metonymy: figure of speech that substitutes somethingRead MoreThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Summary and Analysis11462 Words   |  46 PagesThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow Summary and Analysis Major Themes Veracity in Storytelling Veracity in storytelling is a defining theme of â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.† The story is distantly removed from the reader—Crayon has found the story in Diedrich Knickerbocker’s papers, who is dead, and who at the end of the story writes that he heard it from an old gentleman, who claimed to not have even believed half of it himself, ultimately getting much of the story from primary or even other secondary

The Industrial Revolution And Its Impact On Architecture

Armand Gorrell 10.13.16 Theories II- N. Leach Made by Robots: Challenging Architecture at a Larger Scale The section I read covered the history of the Industrial Revolution and its impact on the building process from the 18th century to the 19th century. Beginning in the 18th century and throughout the 19th century, new machinery, and industrially fabricated materials began to appear on construction sites. Entering the 20th century there was a real attempt to adopt the industrial manufacturing processes from the previous centuries, due to a high demand for housing and construction during the post war period. It wasn’t until this time mass production of materials and machinery altered the building process which led us in a direction of robotics in architecture. With the increasing interest of time and cost saving, and increasing population of cities, by the end of the 20th century distinct change had occurred in the design process- resulting in new technology development to keep up with the transforming society. Looking at the history of the industrial revolutions impact on archit ecture I can understand the consistent pursuit on innovation and the demand to improve the building process, and what architecture has become today- the introduction of robotics in my opinion, is much needed. Without the constant evolvement of previous technology the modern world we live in today wouldn’t exist but because of the great adaption to society, building has entered a realm where humanShow MoreRelatedThe Industrial Revolution During Mid 19th Century843 Words   |  4 PagesWith the Industrial Revolution at its dawn during mid-19th century, England’s Northern towns and cities began to alter drastically as advances in science and technology were proceeding to reshape the world. Beyond just transforming the society and its culture; industry, technology, and commerce, as agents of reforming the old social order, brought an immense demand for the urbanization of towns and cities. Consequently, the cities of Northern England went through an architectural metamorp hosis ofRead MoreEnlightenment And The Enlightenment Movement In The 18th Century975 Words   |  4 Pagesof the early modern period. The enlighten period had and a significant impact on the way people think a fact that changes various things about social equality, naturalness, and individual rights. Those changes impacted the society and culture in 18th century. We can notice the change when we compare with 17th century and 18th century arts, music, and architectures. Therefore, the question arise, how enlightenment revolution refined artists, musicians, and architects ideologies? Since, enlightenmentRead MoreHistory1717 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world of architecture and Interior Design in another era. And how other articles and journals supports that view and don’t. At the moment, we are living in a world of advanced technology where everything is taught using digital technology, whether it be a mobile device, an iPad or a computer, in a preschool or third level facility . It shows that we are ingrained with it nowadays and even more with the future generation to come. The impact that it has on my chosen career, Architecture and InteriorRead MoreLe Corbusier s View Of Architecture Or Revolution?1572 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Architecture or Revolution?† in Le Corbusier’s belief was the only way to avoid class-based revolution in industrialized architecture (Quirk, 2012). Le Corbusier, born Charles Édouard Jeanneret, was born into an artistic family in 1877 in a small village in Switzerland. His mother was a pianist and his father was a designer of watch dials. Even though he learned piano and father’s trade he got interested in the architecture when he was 13 years old. He learned from L’Eplatenier, a teacher in LaRead MoreLe Corbusier s Theory Of Architecture Or Revolution?1643 Words   |  7 Pagessigns from branch and vines of forests. â€Å"Architecture or Revolution?† in Le Corbusier’s belief was the only way to avoid class-based revolution in industrialized architecture (Quirk, 2012). Le Corbusier, born Charles Édouard Jeanneret, was born into an artistic family in 1877 in a small village in Switzerland. His mother was a pianist and his father was a designer of watch dials. Even though he learned piano and father’s trade he got interested in the architecture when he was 13 years old. He learnedRead MoreThe Difference Of Interpretation On Coal Industry865 Words   |  4 Pageshistorical memory, but also were used to recall a significant generation or a period. John Ruskin in the book named The Seven Lamps of Architecture pointed out that the glory of a building or a collection is not in its material or its size, but in its generation. In other words, great era could bring the honor of history for people. Especially for the industrial past, it is easier to motivate the nostalgic impulse. In Britain, coal resource not only influenced the development of industry and technologyRead MoreThe Modernism Movement Essay1133 Words   |  5 PagesModernism started as a movement around late 19th and 20th centuries. It rejected the conventional forms of art, architecture, literature, religious faith, social organisation and everyday life as they felt it was incompatible with the new economical, social and political conditions that was emerging at that period of time. Many distinctive styles can be defined as modernist, but majority of them had very similar values and theories on different aspects of society. It gave birth to a whole array ofRead MoreEssay on The Industrial Revolution1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe Industrial Revolution Introduction to the Revolution The Industrial revolution was a time of drastic change marked by the general introduction of power-driven machinery. This change generally helped life, but it had its disadvantages as well. Pollution, such as Carbon Dioxide levels in the atmosphere rose, working conditions declined, and the number of women and children working increased. The government, the arts, literature, music, architecture and mans way of looking at life allRead MoreModernism, Modernity and Modernisation: Urban Growth in Melbourne Between the Wars1533 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"It was a conviction that what mans eye seeks in our era, in our time, is not the ponderous solidity of traditional architecture where everything was built to four walls around a room and spaces that were finite. But rather our eyes seek transparency, lightness... being able to look through things.† (http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/modern-austn-architecture) Although Seidler’s designs flourished after World War Two, his works utilised the new materials, technology and machineryRead More A Critical Essay on Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher (1839)1221 Words   |  5 PagesThe twenty first century author Alexandra Iftodi Zamfir (1986- ) argues that â€Å"architecture and settings are more important in Gothic fiction than in any other type of literature†¦all architectural elements are closely connected with Gothic protagonists and the plot.† (Zamfir. 2011: 15). This critical essay will first consider and analyse this statement and investigate the style, language and form of the American author Edgar Allan Poe’s (1809-1849) macabre and Gothic fictional prose The Fall of the

Coming to Terms free essay sample

Her argument was based fully on fast food restaurants adopting ideas from fine dining restaurants . Falk inserts an inordinate amount of her own feelings on the topic and doesn’t analyze the subject as well as she should have. She focuses mainly on the fast food business while lacking in her analysis of fine dining. She also should have made the paper more about what caused the changes in the restaurant business instead of the changes themselves. In the essay Falk has many examples of foods and restaurants that have changed and became noticed for their modern style, such as Panera Bread and Chipotle. She appeals to a large audience by adding examples many people can relate too. On the other hand, her article is extremely biased in multiple ways. She makes too many generalizations that may not particularly be true in some cases. For example she states, â€Å" the fact that people today hate to make choices, preferring to have the best of both worlds † (Falk,33). We will write a custom essay sample on Coming to Terms or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This may not be exactly true for everyone. She uses the previous quote to support her argument in saying that since people are so indecisive quick casual would be a good alternative. Another instance is when she states, â€Å"There are significantly more calories at table service restaurants† (Falk, 35). The prior quote shows her bias towards dine-in restaurants because she only uses negative examples of fine dining. Furthermore, her essay is very restricted. She aims her essay towards adults and college students with her use of language and examples of certain restaurants; But a lot of her writing makes you think otherwise. The core of her essay is stating that quick casual is the new alternative to fine and fast food dining. Though she never takes into consideration the ideas of being a vegetarian or that college students have dining halls or even the fact that not all people eat out. She had good arguments but they did not affect the people they were meant to affect. One of her main argumentative statements is at the very end of her essay when she says, â€Å"The country is focused on problems with obesity and poor eating habits .. until major changes are made, food prepared at home will almost always be healthier than food eaten away from home† (Falk,36) . These type of statements should have been more prominent in the essay, she only brings up this type of conflict in the last paragraph and nowhere else. By tying in the eating at home or the obesity aspect more, she would have had a strong argument. As mention earlier, if she touched on all the aspects possible that would have made her essay more relevant Some of her most outstanding focuses were â€Å"Trend Mapping† and the â€Å"Trickle Down Theory†. Trend mapping helps culinary experts predict which menu items will be popular in the future. The trickle down theory helps quick casual restaurants enhance their menu with more fine dining dishes. These ideas help customers make smart choices. I was impressed with her inclusion of these two innovations because they go right along with her topic and fit into the main idea . Even though her essay was poorly structured at some points, there were also some good points throughout. I feel that her style was very laid back and readable because she used places her target audience have been and can relate to, as examples. Brenda Falk creates this article with the objective of describing the many similarities between the food industry and that the in between â€Å"quick casual† style is the most convenient. She successfully describes these similarities and elaborates on the new innovative style but never fully creates a legitimate argument. If she discussed more on the topic of eating at home or the factor of money or even brought in some positives of fine dining, that could have created a stronger argument. She has a great sense of organization and style but needs to focus more on her analysis of the topic.