Blood Brothers Essay Example for Free

Blood Brothers Essay It feels like he is this omnipotent being and he is deciding the fate of all the children. Its almost as if he is the emotion that everyone wants to avoid but no one is doing anything about it, Mrs Johnstone carries on in her life pretending that she isnt superstitious and although there is this undying voice inside her saying that she is and one day Mickey and Edward are going to die. This voice is what the Narrator is, he is fate and Mrs Johnstone chooses to ignore it but she knows you cant change fate. On the stage he is always there, he is omnipresent, this constant being there shows that the thoughts of Mrs Johnstone are still there and that nothing you do will undo the past. Mrs Johnstone has to live with the decision of what she has done but she chooses to ignore it. The Narrator can be viewed upon as the referee of life (or as you might God), you know the rules and now you have to follow the rules (the superstition) but Mrs Johnstone turns a blind eye, forgets about it and pretends that it will never happen, but she must follow the rules. Prejudice Prejudice is a fixed opinion, which is not based on a fair examination of the facts. The picture with the black and white boy and the so-called magical stick (simply because we dont know what it is) is a base of which many different scenes can be produced and discussions can take place. The children come across as innocent, possibly that they have no reason to be prejudice against each other but through past happenings (lynching in America and the KKK) their parents want them to be prejudice to supposable keep them from harm. It shows that possibly prejudice to this degree is only set in motion if something terrible happens by a specific type of people (the KKK killing black people) and that when it comes down to it the people themselves are not the same as the people who have done this feat. Suppose that everyone in the world was white and everyone was the same religion, height, age etc. but despite this the KKK would exist and the lynching would still go on; people would find another way to view differences, where you live or even your surname. My point is that I think its human nature to take a dislike against different people, if you look back hundreds of years and people lived in remote places (tribes for example) and a tribe moved to join another tribe, because the new tribe is different it presents its self with a new variable, that it could jeopardise the well-being of the original tribe. So this original tribe will try and eliminate this variable (driving them away or even killing them) to stop it from harming their own tribe. You can translate this to the black people moving into America and the white people living there trying to protect them by getting rid of any new possible threat. Mickey and Edwards first meeting and an evaluation of two groups Francis (me), Jamie and Barry   There was a nice mime of the gun from me as I sat on the apron of the stage. It was good because the gun I made in my hands by pointing one of my fingers out and it looked as though it was a gun because it took the form of a gun well. We did some good work even though we had only one lesson to get it done in. It was good work because we learnt most of our words and got the blocking sorted. The giggling after the F word was good because it was very childish because I and Jamie looked as if we were embarrassed.   My body language was good, my arms movements were exaggerated and typical of a seven year old because that is how the act with their arms.   Even though Jamie lost his place in the play, he didnt come out of character and got back on tracks very quickly. Very good facial and body language from all of use and especially me, me and Jamies facial expressions matched seven year olds expressions and Barrys face showed that he was pissed off and he acted as though he was the boss by talking louder and demanding respect.We could of have improved by thoroughly learning the script and concentrating more on our actions. James and Richard   Both of them learnt the script and did not lose their place or forget their words. They didnt fully use their hand movement so they couldnt act exactly as a seven year old would because people at that age use their hands.   When they said the F word they looked as though they were very excited and embarrassed. They looked like this because they acted as young people would when they heard a naughty word; they did this by having wide eyes and giggling immensely.   When James said pissed off it was well done because it sounded as though he really was pissed off. Only on one incident did James forget his words, but nether the less he still kept in character and sorted it out by referring to the script. What I have learnt about the class differences between the twins I have learnt that Edwards class is most probably upper class; either this or they are very rich middle class people. I have learnt that Mrs and Mr Lyons have a highly etiquette way of living, for example they do not allow swearing of any form whereas with Mrs Johnstones way of living swearing occurs frequently. Mickeys class is probably lower class, which is they do not have a large amount of money or income. She has many children and works very hard for Mrs Lyons but still does not get a large income. I have learnt that its most likely that Mrs Johnstones family expresses their emotions more often than Mrs Lyons family; this could be because Mrs Johnstone does not have as much material possessions compared with Mrs Lyons so she spends more time in her free time with her kids. On the contrast Mrs Lyons has many material possessions so she doesnt spend that much time with Edward because hes playing with his toys (for example). The changing attitudes between Mickey and Edward Through the play the twins attitude changes in aspects of their lives, for example them being blood brothers forever and the relationship between each other. When they were both seven years old they took delight in knowing that they were born on the same day, furthermore they made each other their blood brother. They were both immensely thrilled by this new bond they made and longed to be like each other. However when they grew older their views on being a blood brother changed, especially for Mickey who grows up and realises that he previous action of becoming a blood brother is childs play. He says that while no one was looking I grew up, and I think that because of his harsh life with not much money he stops believing in the childish act and starts realizing that he has to open his eyes and stop playing games. However with Edward he hasnt got a single worry in his life because he has lots of money a good social life and really not many initial problems at all; so because of this he still believes in this blood brother stuff because he hasnt grown up and found out what the world was really like. He still lives in a pampered world where anything he wants (and because he is an only child he is spoilt) he gets, he can afford to play games and Mickey cant. Edward doesnt realize no important a job is, why why is a job so important because he can live off his parent income if he wants to, but Mickey knows that without a job hell have no money and because he mum cant afford extra school he cant get the grades to get a good job. Mickeys attitude towards life changes the most, when he was seven he saw everything as a game and didnt have any real problem to worry about. Although as he grows up he realises that he needs money and a steady income and him being a blood brother with Edward is just a childrens game. On the other hand Edward has gone to university, he can use his parents money to give him anything he wants and he hasnt yet realised what life is really like when your throw in the deep end without any support, so because of this his attitude of being a blood brother hasnt changed dramatically. How we acted these changes out We acted out the first time Mickey and Edwards first meeting, this showed that they are immensely fascinated with each other and wanted to be just like each other, furthermore on top of this they are born on the same day and become blood brothers. To show further how this friendship was good I wrote a monologue showing how Edward was dumfounded with Mickeys knowledge and who he is and that he wants to play and be friends and blood brothers forever. Later on in the play where the most time and the most dramatic difference was noticeable where they had spent the most time away form each other was when Edward got back to Mickey from university. We acted this out in a workshop and showed that Mickey was extremely livid by his job and Edwards fortune. Edward had friends he had money and he had just come back from university and he had a great time, whereas Mickey was just working for minimal pay putting together cardboard boxes. When we see Edward and Mickey meet for the first time Mickey expresses that he hasnt grown up and he makes him sick. Mickey has put up with so much when Edward was at university and his nerves were stretched to breaking point and as soon as the person who is most like him in the world comes home and sees that he is doing very well, he snaps mentally. I think that this is why he is forced into taking drugs. We acted this difference out by showing that Mickey was very angry and livid by the thought of Edward and that he saw him self as a failure, no job and even when he had one it was a very poor job, and Edward doing extremely well makes him feel even worse. The workshop During the workshop I learnt that gesture and hand movements are very important to express emotions and that it isnt all through the voice. I learnt that you can use swear words, gesture and actions which provoke something in the audience but only once or twice because after a couple of times it doesnt have the same effect that it has the first time. I learnt to know that when your on the stage its your stage no one elses so you do not have to rush what you are saying because you are the one on stage and nobody is their to take it away; space between what you are saying. Also that when Mickey is angry and listing all the things that he is angry about I know that it is a good idea to rise in anger as you progress, because Mickey thinks of one thing which makes him angry then he says another and he knows that there are many things that he is angry about; so it topples on top of all the things he is angry or upset about in one frame of mind. In the workshop I learnt that you must always try your best if you want to become an actor (or any other profession) and that if you have an ambition, you should pursue it fully. The best performance When the people in our group performed I thought that Ned performed well; although there is only one criticism I can offer. His charisma on the stage is very good; he projects his voice and shows very well what the character is feeling. When he was playing Mickey and expressing how Mickey felt about his life he did it in such a way that you felt very sympathetic towards him; me must have emphasised a lot to understand what he feeling. The only criticism I can make is that when he acts as though he is upset or angry he tends to do it all the same. His acting at expressing those emotions are very good but he tends to do the same acting for different characters. I just feel that not everybody is angry or upset in the same way, there are many different ways of being angry so I think he should a larger variety of different ways of expressing different emotions.

Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell

Winters Bone By Daniel Woodrell Winters Bone, written by Daniel Woodrell, tells the story of seventeen year old Ree Dolly and her struggles to save her family from the unfortunate circumstance that they have found themselves in. Deep in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, where family ties are very important and all you have to do be beat up is ask the wrong questions, Ree is confronted with a clinically crazy mother, missing father and two young brothers too look after, as well as having only a matter of weeks before they are to be kicked off their own property. After her father Jessup Dolly, a well-known drug dealer and crank chef, fails to show for court, the law gives her only a few days to prove that there is a good reason that he didnt show before they claim the house that Jessup put up for his bond, where she, her mother and two younger brothers live. The reason, being that he is dead. There is no specific time period identified. However, it is safe to assume that is set in fairly recent times due to the techno logy mentioned such as Walkmans and television, as well as descriptions of modern types of cars. The novel has personal interest to me as Ree is the same age, yet in entirely different circumstances. The conditions that she has found herself placed under teach her to be very strong and have maturity beyond her years. These struggles are similar to those faced by the characters in the other texts that I have reviewed, such as Matty Ross in the film True Grit. Matty is also in a way in search of her father, except in her case it is more metaphorically than literally, as she goes on her quest to avenge her fathers death. She also is a young girl under unfortunate circumstances, who has to grow up very quickly in order to fend for herself. The novel is written in third person from an omniscient narrative point of view, focusing on Ree. This allows the reader to get a close perspective of Ree and her thoughts, letting them know what she does, yet still not being from her point of view. I personally enjoyed this perspective as at allowed me to feel closer to Ree and appreciate her outlook toward other characters as well as get a clearer idea her surroundings. This novel is similar in theme to The Hunger Games by Susanne Collins, in that the main character is a strong female of about the same age. Both Katniss and Ree are very protective of their younger siblings, Ree of Sonny and Harold, and Katniss of Prim, as well as having absent fathers and unsupportive mothers, leaving them to look after themselves as well as their siblings. They both are placed under unfortunate circumstances that force them to grow up prematurely and deal with things that people many years their senior would struggle to cope with. This plays on the sympathies of the reader, making them feel that the situation the character is in is unfair, making them want to read on to find vengeance. I believe that this text would be aimed at an older audience, as the writing style and themes involved would not be suitable for a younger audience. It is very poetic and well balanced, and would most likely be lost on the common fast paced style that is used in novels aimed at younger audiences to hold their attention. Themes like drugs and substance abuse, as well as physical abuse run throughout the text making it unsuitable for a less mature audience. It is my opinion that the book is beautifully written. It is a short book that avoids periphrasis and clichà ©, expressing only what is necessary to the imagery for the reader, making it dense and giving it the ability to hold the readers interest. It is almost poetic in the way that it is written, in that it uses a lot of imagery and gets a great deal of information out of a small amount of text, for example Fading light buttered the ridges until shadows licked them clean and they were lost to nightfall. There are also parts where what is going on is implied rather than explicit, allowing the reader to think about what is going on and read between the lines. I believe that the way that the author portrays Ree is appealing, a veiled heroine in a brutal environment, who refuses to yield to the ugliness of the society in which she lives. The general atmosphere of the text is quite sombre, however it does offer triumphant moments. The quality of writing is very different from that of The Hunger Games, which although has a good story line, is lacking in much writing technique and the language is rather colloquial. Winters Bone on the other hand is such a rich tale with a very broad dictation that helps to keep the audience captivated from beginning to completion. One of the scenes that I believe to be important to the readers perspective of Ree is the scene where she teaches her brothers how to hunt and skin squirrels. By doing this she is ensuring that they can look after themselves in future if she is not there to care for them. It is admirable how at the age of only sixteen she has practically raised them, and has the initiative to think of their futures and to protect them against any eventuality where she may not be able to look after them. She isnt stupid and knows the gravity of the situation she is putting herself in by going in search of her father, and still puts her familys well-being ahead of her own. Later on in the book after Sonny asks her if she will be leaving them for the army, Ree replies Naw. Id get lost without the weight of you two on my back. I believe that this quote accurately sums up her attitude toward her brothers, how she has been burdened with looking after them for so long that that she doesnt know what she woul d do otherwise. This novel turns out to be much more than a simple tale of a girl in search of her father. It unravels to be an admirable tale of a young heroine who refuses to let the brutalities of the world in which she lives get to her even when put under the most unpleasant circumstances. It carries strong messages of family ties and the worth of having the capability to refuse to take no for an answer. It is possibly the best written book that I have read of late, and I would not hesitate to endorse it if asked for recommendation. By Emily Moss

Influences of Japanese Design on Western Architecture

Influences of Japanese Design on Western Architecture In what ways did the Traditional Architecture and Design of Japan Influence Western Architecture at the turn of the Twentieth Century? Japanese architecture was begun in 57 B.C. Before this time period the majority structures were pit dwellings. In early times Japans architecture was influenced by Korean architecture. The Korean historian have given evidence at time of 57 and 665 B.C in creating original buildings. At that time they built stones which includes Iksan and Miruka. Timber buildings were also made at that time. They were found in underground caves of Samschlich-ong, Yodongsonachong, and Yaksuri. The Japanese architecture tradition is based on the wooden structures of timber, for making Japan attractive they have used little stones for carving. The Japan in the fifth century was fully developed of wood. Architects have designed with gables, saddle roofs, styles and designs. Because the Islands of Japanese architecture are of volcainic origin. The best examples of Japanese architecture is the shrines of the Shinto . After every twenty years they rebuilt these shirnes , the most famous shrine is The Ise Shrine (55 x 127 yards) of the Shinto shrine. Its columns made up from cypress trees , four concentric fences, and the traditional thatched roof, it conveys the message of simplicity and purity. The styles of shrines shows both modern and domestic architecture , the Western architecture were fully influenced from Japanese Architecture. The history of architecture is interesting ,but the Tadao Ando designs forced to undergo Japanese architecture. The westerns has followed their way of structure. 1. WOODEN SINGLE STOREY STRUCTURE: The Japanese architecture is characterized from wooden single storey structure. The main lacking of this tradition is the cave dwellings and stone walls, the nation has not changed their traditional style . In the mid of sixth century ,the Buddhist architecture entered in Japan from China and Korea. The shrine architecture is regarded by the Buddhist architecture which represents the typical wooden single storey structure. The wooden structure is based on posts and beams, its structure from inside is dark that does not suits the human being, the Japanese architecture allows light and breeze, so that there outside area is opened. REFERENCE LIST: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp http://iainmasterton.photoshelter.com CANTILEVER PRINCIPLE: According to the western techniques, material and the styles into Meiji Japan was based on steel and concrete structure. In modern sky scrapers, Japan played an important role because of its familiarity with the cantilever principle to support the heavy tiled temple roofs. Frank Lloyd Wright was fully influenced by Japanese arrangements ideas of interior and exterior spaces, the opening walls of Japan are made up from sliding doors. In the twentieth century the domestic and religious architecture was in Japenese style. The beauty of modern cities sky scrapers was crowded by Tokyos skyline and the total process reflects the western modern forms. After the world war two the urban planning and reconstruction has produced the major architects such as like Maekawa Kunio and Tange Kenzo. Maekawa, the first person who supported Maekawa concept was Charles LeCorbusier , who has full command on modern works.Tange also supported Maekawa and inspire them on Japanese aesthetic ideas into contemporary buildings and the concept of tatamai flooring (sleeping mats) and the textures they were using was brightening the existing ferroconcrete , steel , gardens , sculptures into designs. In a pillar and beam system Tanga has used the cantilever principle for awakening the ancient palaces, the pillar -a hallmark Was a foundation of Japanese historical tradition which is built on timber construction. New city planning was thought by Maki Fumihiko who gave suggestions on the principles of cocooning around an inner space(oku) ,the needs were adopted from urban side. He backed the ideas of Buddhist which is based on the Japanese aesthetic principle and also favored to use the empty spaces (ma). Japanese aesthetic principle was supposed to be based on the Maki designs, which puts attention towards the view of garden and on the sky lines. The architectural concept was changed in 1970 on the metabolism of exchange , they understand the functions of parts of buildings which strongly influenced them. In 1970s and 1980s, the architect Isozaki Arata was a student of Tanga but his theory was focused on LeCorbusier traditions , turned his attention towards the geometric shapes and cubic silhouettes. He formed western technology building to modernize Japan with new styles. In 1980s again a change came to influence their designs and extend it. In the end of 1970s and 1980s they introduced the metaphycisal concepts to reexamine the geometrical shapes to produce fancy architectural designs. They made experiments on Ando Tada style of structure and balanced to modern formula. The building provides a variety of things ehich includes light soruces , glass bricks and opening up of spaces to the outside air. The inner courtyards was adopted by traditional Osaka houses, the urban architecture uses open staircases,and bridges for good atmostphere and standard living. In 1980s his ideas were existing, the buildings were built on open courtyards with terrace spaces, pedestrian walking and built bridges to connect buildings. The third Architecture was awarded, Frances Prix de lAcadà ©mie dArchitecture in 1989 . Japanese architecture was liked by all over the world , because of its modern techniques and styles . Japanese architecture also introduced industrial materials, and a developed awareness of ecological and topographical problems. Tatamai Mats paper doors REFERENCE LIST: http://gojapan.about.com U.S. Library of Congress http://countrystudies.us/japan/82.htm HORIZONTAL AXIS: The large roofs of Japanese architecture is built on horizontal axis and its low profile of shows its presence. It is an achievement of japan that these types of roofs are also present in Asia. In Japan this trend is not because of its climate but ,because of its building structure. In the nineteenith century Japanese were living in single -storey , but when they saw that western are living in two -storey houses .They also started to live in two -storey houses and taller houses. The architects also turned towards facades. In the early twentieth century it was a wake up call for European countries to turned towards Japanese architecture which is based on horizontal axis . The tradition of European architecture was based on vertical axix through facades , but to modernize themselves they started to develop both vertical and horizontal axis. In twentieth century the most prominent architect Kenzo Tange (1913-2005), merged Japanese architecture and mordernism ,which was acceptable by all over the world . It was traditionally composed on the columns and beams for making paintings. Fumihiko Maki, Arata Isozaki, Kisho Kurokawa and Yoshio Taniguchi were the successor of building new designs on horizontal and vertical axis with modern Japanese architecture. At present time Toyo Ito and Tadao continues to take Japanese architecture in new directions. REFERENCE LIST: http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/ GARDENS: HISTORY: The definition of garden is where flowers , fruits and vegetables are cultivated but Japan is more forwarded. In 592 A.D during the reign of Empress Suiko, it is evident that the early gardens were very well developed comprises of artificial hills, ornamental pools and many more . In the Nara period (646-794 AD), the major development occured when japan started trading with China. Chinese changed the culture of Japan and execute the gardens in the elite class of Castles. The nobleman arrange their parties in these gardens where animals, birds and fishes provide movement. In the Heian period (794-1185 AD), the people who can afford gardens they built gardens with Japanese tradition, styles and customs. The Shinden garden is the mixture of Chinese and Japanese style, in ancient Chinese lore, the East was the source of purity and the West was the outlet of impurities. There was no change in kamkura period in Shinden garden, Buddhist priests Zen has created garden for meditation not for entertainment. The decoration of garden was fully favor the meditative qualities which includes: stones, water and evergreens, remaining constant throughout the year. There are few types of gardens which are given below: Flat gardens Tea gardens Hill gardens FLAT GARDENS: Flat gardens are built without hills and water and flat garden is also known as Hira-niwa, the garden is filled with pebbles, raked in circles , they also contains stones , trees , lanterns and many more. stones are symbols of islands. During the Edo period flat gardens are popular for their height. These types of gardens are also found in Buddhist temples. Modern flat gardens are having wells and lanternsfor the purification of gardens. These gardens are built on wood and have a system for passing water . Stones lanterns are working at night but they are not ornamental. The Western Japanese garden Daichi shown as a flat garden. 2. HILL GARDEN: Hill garden is also known as Tsukiyama-sansui which means water and hill .this garden is constructed on three dimensional shapes. These gardens are constructed on traditional and modern designs. Water is essential for hill gardens, they are made on two large stones for the appearance of distance. They are colourful because of its bushes and trees.Japanese hill gardens are the symbol of islands. These islands are built on stones and rocks and plants grow at its top. The designer has built a bridge on the island so they can worship on these objects. According to the philosophical point of view this garden have the essence of nature. The Katsura garden exhibits some characteristics of a hill garden. 3. TEA GARDEN: Tea garden plays an important role in performing tea ceremony, this ceremony is continuing for many years. Tea garden has two parts : the soto-roji (outer garden) and the uchi-roji, (inner garden). The outer garden consists of waiting area where guests waits, and the inner garden where tea is served to guest. Tea garden is built same as hill garden. The tea garden contains wash basin , resting place for the guests who attends the tea ceremony. The outer portion of garden is decorated with trees and plants which shows the symbol of peace. At present time tea garden contains flowers stones and elegant designs which attracts towards the people. The Japanese tea garden is famous all over the world . The tea house of Shugakuin is the heart of the gardens design.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein :: essays research papers

Introduction The book I read and analyzed was â€Å"The Hobbit† by J.R.R. Tolkein. I shall discuss the plot and character development, setting, author’s style and my opinions about it. Plot Development There are too many characters in the story and so it is hard to follow and know each one of them. (There are many dwarves and it’s confusing.) In the beginning there is an introduction where the author tells a bit about what is a hobbit and the hobbit’s (Bilbo) family. It is not very complicated and the author makes it easy to understand. This introduction gives the general background, which makes the story easier to understand, for the plot and its development. The plot development in the middle is not complicated and easy to follow. It can even be summarized in a few sentences. The ending is expected since the author gives hints about it. As in the introduction when he says that the hobbit would gain something, this means that he will not die. Then, the reader is not kept in suspense and does not expect to see what happens at the end. The last climax (or what is supposed to be the climax) takes a long time to occur (the last fight—good (men, elves, dwarves & eagles) vs. evil (wargs & goblins)) and this reduces its effectiveness. After the climax there is the long return home. It is quite boring since there is nothing to expect to and the reader knows that the hobbit would get home safely. In my opinion it should have been shorter. Character Development The creation of the characters is done by their dialogues and monologues, actions and things noted by the narrator (the author in this case) himself. An example for dialogue: â€Å"All the same, I should like it all plain and clear, also I should like to know about risks, out-of-pocket expenses...† (by Bilbo, page 22, it shows that he is not ready to jump into things so quickly). An example for a monologue: â€Å"Now is the time for our esteemed Mr. Baggins, who has proved himself...† (by Thorin, page 210, it shows Thorin’s style). A good example for action is when Thorin blocked the Gate in the mountain that shows the reader that the treasure is important to Thorin and he rather die than giving it away. An example for notes by the author: â€Å"You are familiar with Thorin’s style on important occasions...† (page 210) the author talks directly to the reader and helps him understand the text. Each character has a physical description. The length and content of the description increase as the character importance to the plot increases (e.g., the hobbit has very long descriptions

Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart versus Fasting and Feasting by Anita Dasai :: essays research papers

From the title of the story â€Å" Things Fall Apart † and from the name of the author Chinua Achebe ,who is one of the most eminent post-colonial writers, readers can predict what this novel is going to talk about. This book is mostly concerned with the coming of imperialism to a tribe called â€Å" Igbo† in Africa and its social complexity. When I first read this book , I see a lot of similarities and differences in comparison to â€Å"Fasting , Feasting†, which particularly focuses on life in India after the period of colonialism. Anita Dasai , the author, is also a remarkable post-colonial writer so I decided to discuss about the similarities and differences of both books. This paper is going to point out 2 major subjects which these novels share the similarities and differences.The first is the attitudes of native towards the colonizer including the outcomes of cultural clash and second, life of women in both societies. Both Africa and India were invaded by the English Empire during the period of imperialism but the attitudes of the native towards the colonizer are different considering in the books. In Things Fall Apart , the native tribe of Africa or â€Å" Igbo†, which is separated into many villages seems to be violently opposed to the coming of the colonizer and the colonizer too reacts violently.Foe example,when English government had known that his missionary was killed in Abame village,They massacred the village â€Å" †¦until the market was full and they began to shoot. Everybody was killed †or Okonkwo, who was a leader of the African Igbo community of Umuofia couldn’t stand the coming of the Christian religion so he suggested Mbanta , the village of his mother to fight against the Whites â€Å" Let us not reason like cowards†¦If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor,what do I do?Do I shut my eyes? No! I take a stick and break his head.† And the situation that was most severe was when Okonkwo killed the head messenger who was sent by English to stop the congregation of Igbo. After that he hanged himself because he knew that the District Commissioners wouldn’t let this pass and they would dishonor him as they had done when they caught him and his friend for destroying a church by whipping him and shaving his head. At first English came with Christian religion and many villagers converted to Christian and forgot their old pagan gods like Amadiora, the god of thunder.

Selfridges Essay

SWOT and Financial Analysis of Selfridges Selfridges PLC has four stores, one of which is the second largest in the UK. The essay will evaluate the key facts about the company and why they are important. This essay will cover the financial performance, marketing strategy and a SWOT analysis for Selfridges. The company is well known and unique because of its history and how it currently operates. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. By analyzing the four topics, it is easier to inspect the current business situation.Once all the issues have been identified changes can be made in order to improve the company. The PEST analysis and other similar strategies can also be used in addition to the SWOT for further investigation and improvement. Background Selfridges is located in the centre of London, on Oxford Street. After taking just 12 months to build, the store was opened on 15th March. Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridges wanted to build an American department store in London. The store supplied many products and services including, perfume, clothing, home appliances and jewellery.Selfridges is now a Public Limited Company which means it sells shares to the public. Marketing strategy Marketing strategy includes the products, pricing, promotions and relationship management. A way of remaining loyal to customers is by offering them a loyalty card, when the customer uses their Selfridges loyalty card they will receive one point for every pound they spend. Selfridges offer products which vary from luxury items to high street brands. On some occasion celebrities will visit the store and this attracts many customers on one single day.Selfridges also promotes the store by having sales which offer discount on items in order to attract the customer. Financial performance When Harry first bought the land where Selfridges would be built it cost him him $400,000 however in the 21st century the property was valued at more than ? 324m. Selfridges was sold In July 1951 for ? 3. 4 million to Lewis's Investment Trust and 52 years later the store was re-sold for ? 600m to Canadian food and specialist retail businessman Galen Weston and his family. In 1991 a seven year, ? 00m renovation was completed which updated the look and size of the store. The profit in 2009 was ? 84m and is set to increase steadily annually. SWOT analysis Strengths Firstly, Being situated in the heart of London is a major advantage for Selfridges because central London is such a popular place. Secondly, the products offered vary from toys, clothing, cosmetics, home appliances, furniture, jewellery and food. Selfridges has its own website so it can sell products online to people if they are unable to visit the store for any reason.Furthermore most of the products sold in store are also available online so there this saves time for customers and employees as well as saving space in store. Selfridges consists of over 500 diverse brands in st ore, this means that it saves people from having to go to different stores so it is a lot easier for people to shop. People are able to view luxury brands such as Bvlgari, Christian Dior, Prada, Versace and many more. Topshop, Lipsy, FCUK and AllSaints are just four of many high street brands for people to look at.Selfridges cater for different markets so there is something for everyone in store. Weaknesses Even though Selfridges is planning on opening new stores in the future, there are currently only four stores. Stores such as John Lewis and Debenhams have over 100 stores across the UK which makes it more accessible for people. Some of the services Selfridges provide may be expensive in some people’s opinion. For example the car park at the London store costs ? 7 minimum, this may cause customers to park and shop somewhere else.With today’s increasing problem of global warming and animal cruelty, some products may become a problem, or need changing in order to adapt to regulations. For example, the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton decided to boycott shopping at Selfridges because foie gras (a food product made from duck or goose liver) is being sold in the stores. Selfridges has a number of competitors, its main rivals are Harrods, Harvey Nichols and John Lewis. Opportunities According to the Independent, there are future plans to develop the north section of the Oxford Street store and create a hotel, offices, leisure.In the future Selfridges could possibly open new stores in England or abroad in a different country such as America where it is likely to succeed, exchange rates are also low. Selfridges already has their own clothing range for females so it might be good to start a new range such as male clothing or cosmetics. The market is always changing and adapting, new brands and products are always being created. So the fact that Selfridges is always renewing their range is an opportunity. Loyal customers will always return to view the latest products in the market. ThreatsStores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and John Lewis all pose as major threats to Selfridges PLC because they are all situated in the centre of London and also attract many potential customers. All the stores will be competing with each other with costs and products. The current economic climate is bad for the company because it affects many customers and the way they spend money. Taxes, politics and government also have a major affect on stores such as Selfridges. The current economic climate is probably the biggest factor for Selfridges. Economic climate has affected people and how they spend money.Because Selfridges specializes in luxury goods, the prices may be slightly high in some people’s opinion which will cause them to be reluctant to buy products from Selfridges. Some people are going to choose to shop at other high street shops which offer better priced items. Conclusion In my opinion Selfridges continues to remain successful during the economic crisis and remain competitive against all other retail stores. In conclusion the main strengths are that is it located in the centre of London on Oxford Street and there is a major variety of products.The main weakness for Selfridges is possibly the current economic crisis because it effects how people spend money. Miss Selfridge, the woman’s clothing range started in 1966 and has grown continuously and is now a major high street store. A new opportunity could be that Selfridges might possibly open new product ranges or services such as hotels or leisure. Bibliography http://www. georgianhousehotel. co. uk/london-shopping/selfridges. asp (30/11/2010) http://www. selfridges. com/en/StaticPage/Our+Heritage/? msg= (30/11/2010) http://www. ndependent. co. uk/news/business/news/selfridges-announce-profits-increase-700045. html (30/10/11) http://www. missselfridge. com/careers/ss10/recruitment/pages/timeline. html (30/11/2010) http://www. personneltoday. com/articles/ 2007/07/02/41308/selfridges-human-resources-director-maria-stanford-reforms-the-retailers-hr-brand. html (30/11/2010) http://companies. jrank. org/pages/3724/Selfridges-Plc. html (30/11/2010) http://business. timesonline. co. uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5536583. ece (08/12/2010)

Psy-240 Week 2 Assignment

Inside the womb we start out as an egg, but one of the first major structures that begin to form is the brain. The brain itself is a complex structure that leaves much to be learned from it. It controls a person’s entire body function and movements whether it be walking, talking, or even going to the bathroom. What most people do not know is that there are five major structures of the brain. The first of the five is the myelencephalon ( the Medulla). The Myelencephalon (or medulla) is the posterior portion of the brain stem.Not surprisingly then, the medulla is composed largely of tracts carrying signals between the rest of the brain and the body. An interesting part of the myelencephalon from a psychological perspective is the reticular formation. It is a complex network of about 100 tiny nuclei that occupies the central core of the brain stem from the posterior boundary of the myelencephalon to the anterior boundary of the midbrain. It is so named because of its netlike appe arance (reticulum means â€Å"little net†).Sometimes the reticular formation is referred to as the reticular activating system because parts of it seem to play a role in arousal. The various nuclei of the reticular formation are involved in a variety of functions, however — including sleep, attention (definitely important for language), movement, the maintenance of muscle tone, and various cardiac, circulatory, and respiratory reflexes. Accordingly, referring to this collection of nuclei as a system can be misleading.Generally, the myelencephalon does not play an important role in language production or comprehension. The second major structure is known as the metencephalon. The Metencephalon houses many ascending and descending tracts and part of the reticular formation. These structures create a bulge, called the pons, on the brain stem's ventral surface. The pons (â€Å"bridge† in Latin) is the bridge to the cerebellum. It has many millions of neural fibers w hich cross the base of the brain stem, connecting to locations in the cerebellum.The cerebellum (meaning â€Å"little brain†) is the large, convoluted structure on the brain stem's dorsal surface. The cerebellum is an extraordinarily complex structure which though smaller than the cerebral cortex probably has even more neurons. It has long been believed to function primarily for motor coordination, but recent studies indicate that it also is an important sensorimotor structure. Cerebellar damage eliminates the ability to precisely control one's movements to adapt them to changing conditions.Although the metencephalon surely plays a role in the precise movements of the tongue and lips required for language production, it is generally an unimportant structure with regard to the study of language and the brain. The third major structure inside the brain is the mesencephalon. The Mesencephalon has two divisions- the tectum and the tegmentum. The tectum (â€Å"roof†) is the dorsal surface of the midbrain. In mammals, the tectum is composed of two pairs of bumps, the colliculi (â€Å"little hills†).The posterior pair called the inferior colliculi, have an auditory function; the anterior pair, called the superior colliculi, have a visual function. The tegementum is the division of the mesencephalon ventral to the tectum. In addition to the reticular formation and tracts of passage, the tegmentum contains three colorful structures- the periaqueductal gray, the substantia nigra, and the red nucleus. The periaqueductal gray is the gray matter situated around the cerebral aqueduct, the duct connecting the third and fourth ventricles. The periacqueductal gray plays role in mediating the analgesic effects of opiate drugs.The substantia nigra (â€Å"black substance† and the red nucleus are both important components of the sensorimotor system. The mesencephalon is generally an unimportant structure in the study language and the brain. The fourth s tructure is named the deincephalon. The Diencephalon is composed of two structures: the thalamus and the hypothalamus. The thalamus is the large, two-lobed structure that constitutes the top of the brain stem. One lobe sits on each side of the third ventricle, and the two lobes are joined by the massa intermedia, which runs through the ventricle.Visible on the surface of the thalamus are white lamina (layers) that are composed of myelinated axons. The thalamus comprises many different pairs of nuclei, most of which project to the cortex. Some are sensory relay nuclei — nuclei that receive signals from sensory receptors, process them, and then transmit them to the appropriate areas of sensory cortex. For example, the lateral geniculate nuclei, the medial geniculate nuclei, and the ventral posterior nuclei are important relay stations in the visual, auditory, and omatosensory systems, respectively. The thalamus seems to be a relay for sensory input as well as an important part of other pathways, including motor and sensory pathways and those between different parts of the cortex and the cerebellum and other subcortical structures. The thalamus and the cortex are profusely interconnected by reciprocal connections, which play an important role in the generation of rhythmic patterns in the brain and in attention, and may also be involved in top-down effects in perception.By virtue of bidirectional connections between the thalamus and every region of the cortex, these rhythmic patterns sweep regularly and rapidly through the cortex. They, therefore, provide a possible source for the rapid pacemaker hypothesized for high-speed inner sequencing. The rate of speed of these thalamocortical rhythms ranges from twenty to eighty Hz (Hertz: cycles per second) in the waking state and as slow as from four Hz to less than one Hz in deep sleep. The hypothalamus (Greek hypo-, cognate to Latin sub- â€Å"under†) lies under the thalamus.It plays an important role in the regulation of several motivated behaviors. It exerts its effects in part by regulating the release of hormones from the pituitary gland, which dangles from it on the ventral surface of the brain. Two other structures appear on the inferior surface of the hypothalamus — the optic chiasm and the mammilary bodies. The optic chiasm is the point at which the optic nerves from each eye come together. The mammillary bodies are a pair of spherical hypothalamic nuclei located on the inferior surface of the hypothalamus, just behind the pituitary gland.The hypothalamus apparently does not play much of a role in language. The fifth and final structure is the telencephalon. The Telencephalon (the cerebral hemispheres) is the largest of the divisions of the human brain, and it is what subserves language — at least the aspects of language which are of interest to linguistics and most other people. In fact, the same can be said of the just the cerebral cortex, only one of the fou r parts of the telencephalon according to the traditional division given previously.Of the subcortical and interior portions of the telencephalon, the basal ganglia, which partially surround the diencephalon, participate in motor functions, including articulation of speech, and the hippocampus and the amygdaloid nucleus, which lie deep within the lower part of the cortex, are very important in emotional expression. As stated previously, the brain is a complex structure. It also performs many functions for the human body such as walking, talking, running and even writing.