A Game of Thrones Chapter Fifty-five

Catelyn It was too far to make out the banners clearly, but even through the drifting fog she could see that they were white, with a dark smudge in their center that could only be the direwolf of Stark, grey upon its icy field. When she saw it with her own eyes, Catelyn reined up her horse and bowed her head in thanks. The gods were good. She was not too late. â€Å"They await our coming, my lady,† Ser Wylis Manderly said, â€Å"as my lord father swore they would.† â€Å"Let us not keep them waiting any longer, ser.† Ser Brynden Tully put the spurs to his horse and trotted briskly toward the banners. Catelyn rode beside him. Ser Wylis and his brother Ser Wendel followed, leading their levies, near fifteen hundred men: some twenty-odd knights and as many squires, two hundred mounted lances, swordsmen, and freeriders, and the rest foot, armed with spears, pikes and tridents. Lord Wyman had remained behind to see to the defenses of WhiteHarbor. A man of near sixty years, he had grown too stout to sit a horse. â€Å"If I had thought to see war again in my lifetime, I should have eaten a few less eels,† he'd told Catelyn when he met her ship, slapping his massive belly with both hands. His fingers were fat as sausages. â€Å"My boys will see you safe to your son, though, have no fear.† His â€Å"boys† were both older than Catelyn, and she might have wished that they did not take after their father quite so closely. Ser Wylis was only a few eels short of not being able to mount his own horse; she pitied the poor animal. Ser Wendel, the younger boy, would have been the fattest man she'd ever known, had she only neglected to meet his father and brother. Wylis was quiet and formal, Wendel loud and boisterous; both had ostentatious walrus mustaches and heads as bare as a baby's bottom; neither seemed to own a single garment that was not spotted with food stains. Yet she liked them well enough; they had gotten her to Robb, as their father had vowed, and nothing else mattered. She was pleased to see that her son had sent eyes out, even to the east. The Lannisters would come from the south when they came, but it was good that Robb was being careful. My son is leading a host to war, she thought, still only half believing it. She was desperately afraid for him, and for Winterfell, yet she could not deny feeling a certain pride as well. A year ago he had been a boy. What was he now? she wondered. Outriders spied the Manderly banners—the white merman with trident in hand, rising from a blue-green sea—and hailed them warmly. They were led to a spot of high ground dry enough for a camp. Ser Wylis called a halt there, and remained behind with his men to see the fires laid and the horses tended, while his brother Wendel rode on with Catelyn and her uncle to present their father's respects to their liege lord. The ground under their horses' hooves was soft and wet. It fell away slowly beneath them as they rode past smoky peat fires, lines of horses, and wagons heavy-laden with hardbread and salt beef. On a stony outcrop of land higher than the surrounding country, they passed a lord's pavilion with walls of heavy sailcloth. Catelyn recognized the banner, the bull moose of the Hornwoods, brown on its dark orange field. Just beyond, through the mists, she glimpsed the walls and towers of Moat Cailin . . . or what remained of them. Immense blocks of black basalt, each as large as a crofter's cottage, lay scattered and tumbled like a child's wooden blocks, half-sunk in the soft boggy soil. Nothing else remained of a curtain wall that had once stood as high as Winterfell's. The wooden keep was gone entirely, rotted away a thousand years past, with not so much as a timber to mark where it had stood. All that was left of the great stronghold of the First Men were three towers . . . three where there had once been twenty, if the taletellers could be believed. The Gatehouse Tower looked sound enough, and even boasted a few feet of standing wall to either side of it. The Drunkard's Tower, off in the bog where the south and west walls had once met, leaned like a man about to spew a bellyful of wine into the gutter. And the tall, slender Children's Tower, where legend said the children of the forest had once called upon their nameless gods to send the hammer of the waters, had lost half its crown. It looked as if some great beast had taken a bite out of the crenellations along the tower top, and spit the rubble across the bog. All three towers were green with moss. A tree was growing out between the stones on the north side of the Gatehouse Tower, its gnarled limbs festooned with ropy white blankets of ghostskin. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† Ser Brynden exclaimed when he saw what lay before them. â€Å"This is Moat Cailin? It's no more than a—† â€Å"—death trap,† Catelyn finished. â€Å"I know how it looks, Uncle. I thought the same the first time I saw it, but Ned assured me that this ruin is more formidable than it seems. The three surviving towers command the causeway from all sides, and any enemy must pass between them. The bogs here are impenetrable, full of quicksands and suckholes and teeming with snakes. To assault any of the towers, an army would need to wade through waist-deep black muck, cross a moat full of lizard-lions, and scale walls slimy with moss, all the while exposing themselves to fire from archers in the other towers.† She gave her uncle a grim smile. â€Å"And when night falls, there are said to be ghosts, cold vengeful spirits of the north who hunger for southron blood.† Ser Brynden chuckled. â€Å"Remind me not to linger here. Last I looked, I was southron myself.† Standards had been raised atop all three towers. The Karstark sunburst hung from the Drunkard's Tower, beneath the direwolf; on the Children's Tower it was the Greatjon's giant in shattered chains. But on the Gatehouse Tower, the Stark banner flew alone. That was where Robb had made his seat. Catelyn made for it, with Ser Brynden and Ser Wendel behind her, their horses stepping slowly down the log-and-plank road that had been laid across the green-and-black fields of mud. She found her son surrounded by his father's lords bannermen, in a drafty hall with a peat fire smoking in a black hearth. He was seated at a massive stone table, a pile of maps and papers in front of him, talking intently with Roose Bolton and the Greatjon. At first he did not notice her . . . but his wolf did. The great grey beast was lying near the fire, but when Catelyn entered he lifted his head, and his golden eyes met hers. The lords fell silent one by one, and Robb looked up at the sudden quiet and saw her. â€Å"Mother?† he said, his voice thick with emotion. Catelyn wanted to run to him, to kiss his sweet brow, to wrap him in her arms and hold him so tightly that he would never come to harm . . . but here in front of his lords, she dared not. He was playing a man's part now, and she would not take that away from him. So she held herself at the far end of the basalt slab they were using for a table. The direwolf got to his feet and padded across the room to where she stood. It seemed bigger than a wolf ought to be. â€Å"You've grown a beard,† she said to Robb, while Grey Wind sniffed her hand. He rubbed his stubbled jaw, suddenly awkward. â€Å"Yes.† His chin hairs were redder than the ones on his head. â€Å"I like it.† Catelyn stroked the wolfs head, gently. â€Å"It makes you look like my brother Edmure.† Grey Wind nipped at her fingers, playful, and trotted back to his place by the fire. Ser Helman Tallhart was the first to follow the direwolf across the room to pay his respects, kneeling before her and pressing his brow to her hand. â€Å"Lady Catelyn,† he said, â€Å"you are fair as ever, a welcome sight in troubled times.† The Glovers followed, Galbart and Robett, and Greatjon Umber, and the rest, one by one. Theon Greyjoy was the last. â€Å"I had not looked to see you here, my lady,† he said as he knelt. â€Å"I had not thought to be here,† Catelyn said, â€Å"until I came ashore at White Harbor, and Lord Wyman told me that Robb had called the banners. You know his son, Ser Wendel.† Wendel Manderly stepped forward and bowed as low as his girth would allow. â€Å"And my uncle, Ser Brynden Tully, who has left my sister's service for mine.† â€Å"The Blackfish,† Robb said. â€Å"Thank you for joining us, ser. We need men of your courage. And you, Ser Wendel, I am glad to have you here. Is Ser Rodrik with you as well, Mother? I've missed him.† â€Å"Ser Rodrik is on his way north from White Harbor. I have named him castellan and commanded him to hold Winterfell till our return. Maester Luwin is a wise counsellor, but unskilled in the arts of war.† â€Å"Have no fear on that count, Lady Stark,† the Greatjon told her in his bass rumble. â€Å"Winterfell is safe. We'll shove our swords up Tywin Lannister's bunghole soon enough, begging your pardons, and then it's on to the Red Keep to free Ned.† â€Å"My lady, a question, as it please you.† Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort, had a small voice, yet when he spoke larger men quieted to listen. His eyes were curiously pale, almost without color, and his look disturbing. â€Å"It is said that you hold Lord Tywin's dwarf son as captive. Have you brought him to us? I vow, we should make good use of such a hostage.† â€Å"I did hold Tyrion Lannister, but no longer,† Catelyn was forced to admit. A chorus of consternation greeted the news. â€Å"I was no more pleased than you, my lords. The gods saw fit to free him, with some help from my fool of a sister.† She ought not to be so open in her contempt, she knew, but her parting from the Eyrie had not been pleasant. She had offered to take Lord Robert with her, to foster him at Winterfell for a few years. The company of other boys would do him good, she had dared to suggest. Lysa's rage had been frightening to behold. â€Å"Sister or no,† she had replied, â€Å"if you try to steal my son, you will leave by the Moon Door.† After that there was no more to be said. The lords were anxious to question her further, but Catelyn raised a hand. â€Å"No doubt we will have time for all this later, but my journey has fatigued me. I would speak with my son alone. I know you will forgive me, my lords.† She gave them no choice; led by the ever-obliging Lord Hornwood, the bannermen bowed and took their leave. â€Å"And you, Theon,† she added when Greyjoy lingered. He smiled and left them. There was ale and cheese on the table. Catelyn tilled a horn, sat, sipped, and studied her son. He seemed taller than when she'd left, and the wisps of beard did make him look older. â€Å"Edmure was sixteen when he grew his first whiskers.† â€Å"I will be sixteen soon enough,† Robb said. â€Å"And you are fifteen now. Fifteen, and leading a host to battle. Can you understand why I might fear, Robb?† His look grew stubborn. â€Å"There was no one else.† â€Å"No one?† she said. â€Å"Pray, who were those men I saw here a moment ago? Roose Bolton, Rickard Karstark, Galbart and Robett Glover, the Greatjon, Helman Tallhart . . . you might have given the command to any of them. Gods be good, you might even have sent Theon, though he would not be my choice.† â€Å"They are not Starks,† he said. â€Å"They are men, Robb, seasoned in battle. You were fighting with wooden swords less than a year past.† She saw anger in his eyes at that, but it was gone as quick as it came, and suddenly he was a boy again. â€Å"I know,† he said, abashed. â€Å"Are you . . . are you sending me back to Winterfell?† Catelyn sighed. â€Å"I should. You ought never have left. Yet I dare not, not now. You have come too far. Someday these lords will look to you as their liege. If I pack you off now, like a child being sent to bed without his supper, they will remember, and laugh about it in their cups. The day will come when you need them to respect you, even fear you a little. Laughter is poison to fear. I will not do that to you, much as I might wish to keep you safe.† â€Å"You have my thanks, Mother,† he said, his relief obvious beneath the formality. She reached across his table and touched his hair. â€Å"You are my firstborn, Robb. I have only to look at you to remember the day you came into the world, red-faced and squalling.† He rose, clearly uncomfortable with her touch, and walked to the hearth. Grey Wind rubbed his head against his leg. â€Å"You know . . . about Father?† â€Å"Yes.† The reports of Robert's sudden death and Ned's fall had frightened Catelyn more than she could say, but she would not let her son see her fear. â€Å"Lord Manderly told me when I landed at White Harbor. Have you had any word of your sisters?† â€Å"There was a letter,† Robb said, scratching his direwolf under the jaw. â€Å"One for you as well, but it came to Winterfell with mine.† He went to the table, rummaged among some maps and papers, and returned with a crumpled parchment. â€Å"This is the one she wrote me, I never thought to bring yours.† Something in Robb's tone troubled her. She smoothed out the paper and read. Concern gave way to disbelief, then to anger, and lastly to fear. â€Å"This is Cersei's letter, not your sister's,† she said when she was done. â€Å"The real message is in what Sansa does not say. All this about how kindly and gently the Lannisters are treating her . . . I know the sound of a threat, even whispered. They have Sansa hostage, and they mean to keep her.† â€Å"There's no mention of Arya,† Robb pointed out, miserable. â€Å"No.† Catelyn did not want to think what that might mean, not now, not here. â€Å"I had hoped . . . if you still held the Imp, a trade of hostages . . . † He took Sansa's letter and crumpled it in his fist, and she could tell from the way he did it that it was not the first time. â€Å"Is there word from the Eyrie? I wrote to Aunt Lysa, asking help. Has she called Lord Arryn's banners, do you know? Will the knights of the Vale come join us?† â€Å"Only one,† she said, â€Å"the best of them, my uncle . . . but Brynden Blackfish was a Tully first. My sister is not about to stir beyond her Bloody Gate.† Robb took it hard. â€Å"Mother, what are we going to do? I brought this whole army together, eighteen thousand men, but I don't . . . I'm not certain . . . † He looked to her, his eyes shining, the proud young lord melted away in an instant, and quick as that he was a child again, a fifteen-year-old boy looking to his mother for answers. It would not do. â€Å"What are you so afraid of, Robb?† she asked gently. â€Å"I . . . † He turned his head away, to hide the first tear. â€Å"If we march . . . even if we win . . . the Lannisters hold Sansa, and Father. They'll kill them, won't they?† â€Å"They want us to think so.† â€Å"You mean they're lying?† â€Å"I do not know, Robb. What I do know is that you have no choice. If you go to King's Landing and swear fealty, you will never be allowed to leave. If you turn your tail and retreat to Winterfell, your lords will lose all respect for you. Some may even go over to the Lannisters. Then the queen, with that much less to fear, can do as she likes with her prisoners. Our best hope, our only true hope, is that you can defeat the foe in the field. If you should chance to take Lord Tywin or the Kingslayer captive, why then a trade might very well be possible, but that is not the heart of it. So long as you have power enough that they must fear you, Ned and your sister should be safe. Cersei is wise enough to know that she may need them to make her peace, should the fighting go against her.† â€Å"What if the fighting doesn't go against her?† Robb asked. â€Å"What if it goes against us?† Catelyn took his hand. â€Å"Robb, I will not soften the truth for you. If you lose, there is no hope for any of us. They say there is naught but stone at the heart of Casterly Rock. Remember the fate of Rhaegar's children.† She saw the fear in his young eyes then, but there was a strength as well. â€Å"Then I will not lose,† he vowed. â€Å"Tell me what you know of the fighting in the riverlands,† she said. She had to learn if he was truly ready. â€Å"Less than a fortnight past, they fought a battle in the hills below the Golden Tooth,† Robb said. â€Å"Uncle Edmure had sent Lord Vance and Lord Piper to hold the pass, but the Kingslayer descended on them and put them to flight. Lord Vance was slain. The last word we had was that Lord Piper was falling back to join your brother and his other bannermen at Riverrun, with Jaime Lannister on his heels. That's not the worst of it, though. All the time they were battling in the pass, Lord Tywin was bringing a second Lannister army around from the south. It's said to be even larger than Jaime's host. â€Å"Father must have known that, because he sent out some men to oppose them, under the king's own banner. He gave the command to some southron lordling, Lord Erik or Derik or something like that, but Ser Raymun Darry rode with him, and the letter said there were other knights as well, and a force of Father's own guardsmen. Only it was a trap. Lord Derik had no sooner crossed the Red Fork than the Lannisters fell upon him, the king's banner be damned, and Gregor Clegane took them in the rear as they tried to pull back across the Mummer's Ford. This Lord Derik and a few others may have escaped, no one is certain, but Ser Raymun was killed, and most of our men from Winterfell. Lord Tywin has closed off the kingsroad, it's said, and now he's marching north toward Harrenhal, burning as he goes.† Grim and grimmer, thought Catelyn. It was worse than she'd imagined. â€Å"You mean to meet him here?† she asked. â€Å"If he comes so far, but no one thinks he will,† Robb said. â€Å"I've sent word to Howland Reed, Father's old friend at Greywater Watch. If the Lannisters come up the Neck, the crannogmen will bleed them every step of the way, but Galbart Glover says Lord Tywin is too smart for that, and Roose Bolton agrees. He'll stay close to the Trident, they believe, taking the castles of the river lords one by one, until Riverrun stands alone. We need to march south to meet him.† The very idea of it chilled Catelyn to the bone. What chance would a fifteen-year-old boy have against seasoned battle commanders like Jaime and Tywin Lannister? â€Å"Is that wise? You are strongly placed here. It's said that the old Kings in the North could stand at Moat Cailin and throw back hosts ten times the size of their own.† â€Å"Yes, but our food and supplies are running low, and this is not land we can live off easily. We've been waiting for Lord Manderly, but now that his sons have joined us, we need to march.† She was hearing the lords bannermen speaking with her son's voice, she realized. Over the years, she had hosted many of them at Winterfell, and been welcomed with Ned to their own hearths and tables. She knew what sorts of men they were, each one. She wondered if Robb did. And yet there was sense in what they said. This host her son had assembled was not a standing army such as the Free Cities were accustomed to maintain, nor a force of guardsmen paid in coin. Most of them were smallfolk: crofters, fieldhands, fishermen, sheepherders, the sons of innkeeps and traders and tanners, leavened with a smattering of sellswords and freeriders hungry for plunder. When their lords called, they came . . . but not forever. â€Å"Marching is all very well,† she said to her son, â€Å"but where, and to what purpose? What do you mean to do?† Robb hesitated. â€Å"The Greatjon thinks we should take the battle to Lord Tywin and surprise him,† he said, â€Å"but the Glovers and the Karstarks feel we'd be wiser to go around his army and join up with Uncle Ser Edmure against the Kingslayer.† He ran his fingers through his shaggy mane of auburn hair, looking unhappy. â€Å"Though by the time we reach Riverrun . . . I'm not certain . . . â€Å" â€Å"Be certain,† Catelyn told her son, â€Å"or go home and take up that wooden sword again. You cannot afford to seem indecisive in front of men like Roose Bolton and Rickard Karstark. Make no mistake, Robb—these are your bannermen, not your friends. You named yourself battle commander. Command.† Her son looked at her, startled, as if he could not credit what he was hearing. â€Å"As you say, Mother.† â€Å"I'll ask you again. What do you mean to do?† Robb drew a map across the table, a ragged piece of old leather covered with lines of faded paint. One end curled up from being rolled; he weighed it down with his dagger. â€Å"Both plans have virtues, but . . . look, if we try to swing around Lord Tywin's host, we take the risk of being caught between him and the Kingslayer, and if we attack him . . . by all reports, he has more men than I do, and a lot more armored horse. The Greatjon says that won't matter if we catch him with his breeches down, but it seems to me that a man who has fought as many battles as Tywin Lannister won't be so easily surprised.† â€Å"Good,† she said. She could hear echoes of Ned in his voice, as he sat there, puzzling over the map. â€Å"Tell me more.† â€Å"I'd leave a small force here to hold Moat Cailin, archers mostly, and march the rest down the causeway,† he said, â€Å"but once we're below the Neck, I'd split our host in two. The foot can continue down the kingsroad, while our horsemen cross the Green Fork at the Twins.† He pointed. â€Å"When Lord Tywin gets word that we've come south, he'll march north to engage our main host, leaving our riders free to hurry down the west bank to Riverrun.† Robb sat back, not quite daring to smile, but pleased with himself and hungry for her praise. Catelyn frowned down at the map. â€Å"You'd put a river between the two parts of your army.† â€Å"And between Jaime and Lord Tywin,† he said eagerly. The smile came at last. â€Å"There's no crossing on the Green Fork above the ruby ford, where Robert won his crown. Not until the Twins, all the way up here, and Lord Frey controls that bridge. He's your father's bannerman, isn't that so?† The Late Lord Frey, Catelyn thought. â€Å"He is,† she admitted, â€Å"but my father has never trusted him. Nor should you.† â€Å"I won't,† Robb promised. â€Å"What do you think?† She was impressed despite herself. He looks like a Tully, she thought, yet he's still his father's son, and Ned taught him well. â€Å"Which force would you command?† â€Å"The horse,† he answered at once. Again like his father; Ned would always take the more dangerous task himself. â€Å"And the other?† â€Å"The Greatjon is always saying that we should smash Lord Tywin. I thought I'd give him the honor.† It was his first misstep, but how to make him see it without wounding his fledgling confidence? â€Å"Your father once told me that the Greatjon was as fearless as any man he had ever known.† Robb grinned. â€Å"Grey Wind ate two of his fingers, and he laughed about it. So you agree, then?† â€Å"Your father is not fearless,† Catelyn pointed out. â€Å"He is brave, but that is very different.† Her son considered that for a moment. â€Å"The eastern host will be all that stands between Lord Tywin and Winterfell,† he said thoughtfully. â€Å"Well, them and whatever few bowmen I leave here at the Moat. So I don't want someone fearless, do I?† â€Å"No. You want cold cunning, I should think, not courage.† â€Å"Roose Bolton,† Robb said at once. â€Å"That man scares me.† â€Å"Then let us pray he will scare Tywin Lannister as well.† Robb nodded and rolled up the map. â€Å"I'll give the commands, and assemble an escort to take you home to Winterfell.† Catelyn had fought to keep herself strong, for Ned's sake and for this stubborn brave son of theirs. She had put despair and fear aside, as if they were garments she did not choose to wear . . . but now she saw that she had donned them after all. â€Å"I am not going to Winterfell,† she heard herself say, surprised at the sudden rush of tears that blurred her vision. â€Å"My father may be dying behind the walls of Riverrun. My brother is surrounded by foes. I must go to them.†

How to Play Basketball Essay

In order to play basketball, you need one basketball and two basketball hoops on opposite ends of the court. The hoops should be ten feet high. In an original game, you should form two teams of five individuals apiece would be the requirements. If a court just so happens to be full or fewer players are available, a game with one hoop can be played using alternate rules. The object is for you to score more baskets than your opponent. You should play a typical game for sixty minutes with four fifteen-minute periods, but you really can determine the length yourself. For you to start the game, the wo teams you formed, line up around the two centers. Each of your players matches up against another based on height and skill to make it fair. The referee throws the ball straight up and the two of you who are playing the position center, jump up to gain possession. The goal for you is to â€Å"tip† the ball to your teammates to gain possession. Remember Basketball is much as an offensive game as defensive game. When you have the ball, all of the members of your team are on offense. On offense you are trying to score points by shooting the ball into the opposing team’s basket. Each â€Å"basket† your team scores is worth two points. Baskets scored outside the three-point line (an arc-shaped line beyond the free throw line) are worth three points. On offense you need to advance the ball, you can advance the ball in two ways: by passing and dribbling. First Dribbling, you need to take the ball and bounce it on the floor in a continuous motion. This is the process of dribbling. You can move your feet and body in any direction as long as you are dribbling but if you move in any direction without dribbling the ball then that is a violation. The goal for your team on offense is†¦

Erik Erikson Psychosocial Stages Essay

To summarize this article is basically showing the identity development from a lifespan perspective. This article discusses the different developmental stages from childhood stages until the adulthood stages. In order to better investigate or research these stages they make use of Erik Erikson’s psychological theory to do so. After researchers did the studies they found different patterns of psychosocial balance which were found for each identity style with largely consistent findings. Included in this article are the research findings from empirical studies. It seemed for many individuals identity development is a lifelong process that ranges well past the years of adolescence. Summary of the Theory The person identified with this theory is Erik Erikson. Erikson’s psychosocial theory is composed of eight developmental stages which span throughout the course of life. Each stage presents the individual with a natural task or conflict that they must successfully resolve to proceed with development. He placed a great emphasis on sociocultural factors because he believed these strongly influenced developments. Erikson believed that childhood identification is the foundation for identity formation in adolescence. One of the main elements of Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory is the development of ego identity, (ego identity develop through social interaction). The concept of this theory emphasizes that humans continue to change and develop throughout their lives and that personality is not exclusively formed during the early childhood years. This idea is helpful and optimistic and many believe it is too realistic. According to Erikson our ego identity is constantly changing due to new experiences and our daily interactions with others. This concept was very powerful for self-awareness and improvement, and for teaching and helping others. Erikson’s model of psychosocial development is a very significant, highly regarded and meaningful concept. Life is a series of lessons and challenges which helps us to grow. Erikson’s wonderful theory helps to tell us why. This theory is very helpful for child development and adults too. Erikson believed that his psychosocial principle is genetically inevitable in shaping (mind) and social (relationships). HE also referred to his theory as â€Å"epigenesist† and the â€Å"epigenetic principle,† which signified the concepts relevance to  evolution (past and future) and genetics. Erikson explained his use of the word â€Å"epigenesist† thus â€Å"epi† can mean above in space as before in time, and in connection with genesis can well represent the space- time nature of all development. Like other seminal concepts, Erikson’s model is simple yet very sophisticated. The theory is a basis for broad or complex discussion and the analysis of personality and behavior, and also for understanding and for facilitating personal development- of self and others. Although Erikson’s theory provides useful information, there is some limitations with his theory. For instance his theory does not suit when explaining different types of personality differences that exist among individuals. Such personality differences are listed in the 5 factor model of personality: extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness. Personality differences can affect the outcome solving psychosocial crisis. Critical Analysis of the Articles Use of the Theory The theory was used to explain the life span of human beings life over the course of childhood to adulthood. The theory was very suitable for this article because it helps to explain human behavior. Those eight stages of the psychosocial theory explain how identity is formed. The theory also clarify that the ego as well as internal and external motives determine individual’s behavior. The theory also helps to explain that role confusion can lead to a very different human experience and it causes the individual to question one’s personality. In the article the theory was used to help individuals understand that identity is a major part of one’s self. However, if an individual does not master in these psychosocial phases, then there is a conflict with one’s identity and interferes with the development of the person. Research shows that identity development continues to be an ongoing process throughout adulthood. The process of forming an identity involves creating a logical sense of self. The theory also helps to understand that childhood experiences are the most intellectual, articulate, and prominent times of a person’s life. I think there’s a relationship between our theory and article because the theory we were assigned focuses on Cycle social. This theory argues that events and stages of society and history are generally repeating themselves in cycles. In our article it discussed Erikson’s Developmental stages and how they were effective from childhood to  adulthood. After reading our article and better understanding Erikson’s theory it all makes sense. Each developmental stage is used in order to allow one to grow with each age. Erikson was keen on improving the way children and young people are taught and nurtured, and it would be appropriate for his ideas to be more widely known and used in day-to-day life, beyond the clinical and counseling professions. I evaluated that this theory ties into my article perfectly because the cycle social theory is basically about the cycle we go through in order to change and grow as humans. The article discussed each psychosocial stage that Erikson came up with while doing his research.

Is class still a relevant factor in 21st Century Britain Essay

Is class still a relevant factor in 21st Century Britain - Essay Example t is quite clear that the social class has since disappeared, and the conventional language of social status still exists in public affairs (Green, 1995). This has since shaped the political thinking of people and their personal careers. It used to be believed that the class of a person is defined by their occupation. For example, doctors and teachers have a different level of income and social experiences compared to those of gardeners. From the previous research based on the economic, cultural, and social capital, the issue of class is yet to disappear from Britain; therefore, it is still relevant (International Labour in the 21st Century, 1995). There is strong evidence suggesting that the class division is still relevant in the British life. There is also proof that the class is relevant in standard Britain compared to a couple of centuries before. The global financial mishaps and their recession may have taken part in making the class division more defined. The policy makers have continued to focus on the economic dimension of quality such as progressive taxation. Increasingly, the class dimension has received endless attention with mechanism that improves the networking chances for people who are excluded socially (Kubat, 1961). The cultural class has been ignored for long as it is a concept that is not easy to measure. The problem arising out of this is that one cannot know how crucial this is and the intensity of their influence on the life of people (Thorpe, 2003). The politics of Britain view class as a significant divisive factor. These started way back from the franchise that existed in 20th century. This extension has been connected and used in explaining the voting patterns and the political parties’ fortunes. The class political and the conflicts associated with a class started to decline in 1980s. This political conflict was after Margaret Thatcher and the Labor Party modernization. Such views focused on the working class and thus presented the

International Marketing paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Marketing paper - Essay Example It can also be viewed as a mechanism for optimising economic use of scarce resources such as forests, which are threatened by paper manufacture. As an example, all of Europe now uses 240 volt 50 Hz AC mains grids and GSM mobile phones, and measures lengths in metres. The United Kingdom has officially accepted metres for business purposes but feet and inches are still widely used by the general public. The existence of a published standard does not necessarily imply that it is useful or correct. Just because an item is stamped with a standard number does not, by itself, indicate that the item is fit for any particular use. The people who use the item or service (engineers, trade unions, etc) or specify it (building codes, government, industry, etc) have the responsibility to consider the available standards, specify the correct one, enforce compliance, and use the item correctly. Validation of suitability is necessary. We define different ways of organising and controlling each of the different kinds of projects. A general assumption is that it's good to be different and require industry-specific or custom solutions to demonstrate that we are different. Companies usually adopt standardisation when catering to a huge global market with products equally acceptable to the various segments of the market. While in contrast, differentiated products are made when customers demand unique features or when a particular segment has specific demands. In the context of social criticism and social sciences, standardization often means the process of establishing standards of various kinds and improving efficiency to handle people, their interactions, cases, and so forth. Examples include formalization of judicial procedure in court, and establishing uniform criteria for diagnosing mental disease. Standardization in this sense is often discussed along with (or synonymously to) such large-scale social changes as modernization, bureaucratisation, homogenisation, and centralization of society. In the context of business information exchanges, standardization refers to the process of developing data exchange standards for specific business processes using specific syntaxes. These standards are usually developed in voluntary consensus standards bodies such as the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), the World Wide Web Consortium W3C, and the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). Standardisation helps in ensuring that brand uniformity is strong in order to maintain the brand image and loyalty. Brand image increases the loyalty towards the brand when it is supported by the actual service that the consumer receives. Companies can trim down the production and marketing costs by standardising the various features of their products and strategies to market their products. Research shows that standardisation is just another of the many strategies to enter the international marketplace effectively. Standardisation is not always the best strategy and often for smaller companies when they need adapt to local cultures while exploiting their exclusive images to gain local market share. (Levitt, 2003, 91) It is evident that when a company pursue a cost leadership strategy,

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Ethics - Essay Example In my view, the 1st Commandment which says that â€Å"Thou shalt not use a computer to harm people† is a reasonable one. Harming someone is generally disallowed either morally or legally, whether one uses a computer to do it or not. Harming someone is wrong under almost all ethical frameworks in almost all situations. Possible exceptions would be in the case of self defense. However, unlike in the real world, the gravity of the consequences in the context of the use of computers is unlikely to be as dire. As such, the exceptions provided in, say, the Penal laws of the various States which specify the criminal liability of a person would not apply in the same way in the context of the computer. Given the above, I agree with this 1st Commandment. I equally agree with the 4th Commandment which says that â€Å"Thou shalt not use the computer to steal†. The rationale behind my support of this Commandment is largely the same as that set out above in relation to the 1st Comman dment. Stealing, like harming, is already something prohibited both legally and morally. This Commandment as such merely reinforces the code of general ethics and the law already prevailing in relation to this same area. Stealing, just like harming, is wrong no matter how one does it or what one uses to do it. Stealing cannot and should not be less wrong just because it is done through a computer. Just as the various record companies in their advertisements against privacy emphasize, we would not steal a video from the video store†¦we shouldn’t steal that contents of that same video by illegally downloading it. The difference is that it feels less wrong because of the way it is done – usually at your own private place, using your own computer and no one seeming to get hurt. But the result is the same†¦it is stealing. I am in agreement with this 4th Commandment as it goes to emphasize this point†¦stealing through the use of computers is equally wrong as s tealing using your hands. The 9th Commandment is another one that I agree with. Thinking about the consequences of your actions is something that one must always do. The problem in the context of writing computer programs is that one gets absorbed into the codes and numbers and specifics without thinking about the real life impact of those codes and numbers. The fact that this Commandment serves to remind programmers that what they are doing has a real impact to real people, although it seems far removed at the time the programmer is writing the code, is important. I have agreed with the aforesaid Commandments because they merely reflect ethical principles already prevailing. However some of the other Commandments, while doing the same, fail to recognize that in the context of computers and the internet, they cannot hold absolute. For example, the 2nd and 3rd Commandments provide that one should not interfere with other peoples’ work or snoop in their files. In the context of computers and especially the internet, sometimes the whole purpose is to snoop and interfere. The various social networks, blogs, forums et.c are all based on people getting into each other’s business. The whole concept is based on snooping so to speak. In addition, in the context of the enforcement of the rest of the Commandments, just like the use of police powers in the real world to uphold the laws of a State, authorities must snoop and interfe

Sources for the Design of the Taj Mahal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sources for the Design of the Taj Mahal - Essay Example The Emperor and his court mourned Mumtaz Mahal for two years and he decided to commemorate his beloved wife with a building that which had no equal in the world. Mumtaz Mahal was laid to rest on the banks of the Jamuna river and a council of the best architects were assembled to prepare the designs for the memorial. Some experts attribute the design to Geronimo Veronneo, an Italian in the service of the Mughal emperors. However, others credit Ustad Isa Khan Effendi, a Persian, and his pupil Ustad Ahmad who did the detailed work. Ismail Khan designed the famous dome. It took 22 years to build the more than 20-storey edifice which required a total of 20,000 workers to finish. Craftsmen from as far as Turkey were engaged to contribute their talents. Precious stones were imported from foreign lands. The marble was quarried at Makrana, close to Jodhpur. A ramp stretching two miles was built to reach the level of the dome. According to local lore, Shah Jahan ordered the right hand of the chief mason to be cut off upon the building's completion so that his work cannot be recreated. Another legend relates that the Shah wanted to build another Taj across the river, this one made entirely of black marble. The symmetrically designed Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform and is surrounded by four minarets. Built during the height of the Mughal empire with its unparalleled riches, the best materials and adornments were utilized to furnish and decorate the Taj Mahal. There were rich Persian carpets, gold lamps and candlesticks. Beautiful mosaic works and precious stones were also used to decorate the building's interior. Two great silver doors were said to have been melted down by Suraj Mal in 1764. A sheet of pearls covering Mumtaz Mahal's sarcophagus was carried away by Amir Hussein Ali Khan in 1720. The surroundings of the Taj Mahal have been restored in accordance with the original designs of Ali Mardan, a nobleman in Shah Jahan's court. A red sandstone channel set between two rows of cypress trees dominates the main vista. The main entrance is located at the west side of the building but there are two other entrances from the west and east. The main gateway is a sandstone structure standing three storeys high. It has an octagonal central chamber with smaller rooms on each side. The walls are filled with inscriptions of verses from the Quran. The white marble which was quarried from Makrana varies in its tint and tone, changing with the light at various times of the day. Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom wrote in The Art and Architecture of Islam (1994) that the edifice stands on a large garden of quadripartite chahar bagh which measures 1,900 feet by 1,000 feet. Being at the north end of the garden and along the riverbank, a large gateway at the south end provides balance to the tomb. The tomb's plan and massing is a refinement of Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The large bulbous dome of the mausoleum is more logically connected to its octagonal rooms compared to those of Humayun's tomb, and is framed by four minarets. The white marble is delicately polished and the details of its carvings are intricate that they render a carefully balanced image on the channel. The symmetrical design is further balanced by a

Editing Practices of Robert Loomis and Strauss-Gabel Essay

Editing Practices of Robert Loomis and Strauss-Gabel - Essay Example The editing practices and approaches between the two editors cum publishers are inconsistent. It is because they practiced editing at different generations and times. Loomis practiced editing earlier than Strauss-Gabel, who is to date actively involved in editing. Loomis approached the practice of editing in a classic and old-fashioned. His approach was understated as well as uncanny, polite as well as persistent and fierce/tough as well as tender. His approach in the practice of editing was thus diametrically opposed to that employed by Strauss-Gabel, which was less old-fashioned but instead more modern. She approached editing in a manner that was strictly tough, intimidating and offered stinging critiques. She believed it was the only way to get the best result from editing. Loomis, on the other hand, had a look warm approach of neither tough nor soft (Norton 67).In my view, the two editors shared a common strategy of getting the best results by actively collaborating with the writ er. Their editing practices, approaches, and techniques were aimed at working collaboratively with authors in the development phases of the books. It was to make sure that the editing and design of the book were best suited to for its marketing. It led to them becoming highly sought after by many authors. Their editing practices stood out from the rest and were highly successful. Their strategies and approach to the practice of editing has enabled them nurture writers and be a mentor for fellow editors in the general industry of publishing.

Materials in Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Materials in Construction - Essay Example This has two components namely: direct and indirect. Direct energy is the energy used to transport building products to the site, and then to construct the building while indirect energy is the energy used to acquire, process, and manufacture the building materials, including any transportation related to these activities. Different materials have different embodied energy. It is measured as a quantity of non-renewable energy per unit of building material, component or system. It may be expressed as megaJoules (MJ) or gigaJoules (GJ) per unit of weight (kg or tonne) or area (square metre). Some embodied energy of common materials are presented in the table below. Embodied energy in construction has important connection to environment since CO2 emissions are highly correlated with the energy consumption. Literatures show that on average, 0.098 tonnes of CO2 are produced per gigajoule of embodied energy. Therefore, the higher the embodied energy of a specific construction material the higher its environmental effects. The external envelope is the primary and critical component of a building that serves as insulator and a protective physical covering for the occupants. The envelope consists of the roof, walls, windows, and the doors. Design of a building’s external covering is based upon several performance objectives such as: structural integrity, moisture control, temperature control, and control of air pressure boundaries. Common measures of the effectiveness of a building envelope include physical protection from weather and climate (comfort), indoor air quality (hygiene and public health), durability and energy efficiency. In order to achieve these objectives, all building enclosure systems must include a solid structure, a drainage plane, an air barrier, a thermal barrier, and may include a vapor barrier. Moisture control is essential in cold climates. Since the building enclosure is

Cunsumer adopting e-banking as a new technology innovation Essay

Cunsumer adopting e-banking as a new technology innovation - Essay Example While there may have been security concerns about this in the past, today security on mobile networks is almost at par with the security strength which available to those accessing their accounts from desktop computers (Coelho and Easingwood, 2003). Marketers and technology companies have done their part in allowing users to expect the same experience and the same speed which they find in e-commerce to be applied to m-commerce. This means users are more willing to adopt e-commerce as a means of interacting with their financial service providers. This experience can be carried over from the mobile phone to the desktop or laptop computer and across different operating system since the interface is web based. Just as mobile network data transfer can be secured, laptops and desktop computers can also have wireless data networks with the same if not higher levels of security while providing a more enriching experience since the computer is a far more capable machine for information access than a mobile device. The interaction is one of the factors which impacts the propensity for consumers to adopt e-banking since the interaction with a human at a bank branch is quite different from an interaction a person may have with a computer. Customers may choose to make investments based on information given to them by a financial consultant in the real world but they can also make investments decisions based on the current information they have. For example, a client could get a news report about a company which made a breakthrough in nanotechnology on their mobile phone. They can simply use their phone to login to their financial investment services provider’s web portal, research all they want to know about the company and simply put in a buy order for stocks of the company. All of this can be done from the client’s phone or the client’s primary computer. SSL encryption,

From what you know about action potentials describe feasible Essay

From what you know about action potentials describe feasible mechanisms whereby anaesthetics might prevent pain - Essay Example Moreover, its pharmacological effect is evidenced by normal laryngeal-pharyngeal reflexes and extreme analgesia. To this end, the drug’s central point of action in the Central Nervous System is the thalamo-neocortical projection area. Consequently, the ketamine discriminately lowers the neuronal action in certain parts of the cortex. This is action is more evident in the thalamus and association areas. At the same time, it stimulates the certain areas in the limbic system and hypothalamus (Reiss, Evans, & Broyles 2002). This ultimately results to functional disorganization of unprescribed pathways in the thalamic and midbrain region. Ketalar equally lowers the impulse transmission within the medial medullary formation in the reticular. This area is critical in transmitting the emotional-affective parts on noiception the higher brain areas from the spinal cord. In addition, the analgesic effects of ketamine are attributed to its occupation of the opiate receptors in the spinal cord and brain. The interaction with the N-Methyl-d-aspartate at times mediates the analgesic and anesthetic action of ketamine (Rosdahl & Kowalski 2008). Moreover, Ketamine’s analgesic effect on the spinal cord is due to the prevention of neuronal action on the dorsal horn wide range dynamic. Evidently, the notion that CNS sodium blockade channels are the mechanism by which ketamine results to anesthesia, has been scientifically dispelled. Anesthesia Related Drugs. (n.d.).hirnforschung.kyb.mpg.de. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from

Native Son Theme Analysis Essay Example for Free

Native Son Theme Analysis Essay In his novel, Native Son, Richard Wright reveals his major theme of the Black population in America in the 1930’s. In the opening scene of the novel, Wright introduces his condemning message towards the ugliness of American racism and the social oppression of Blacks in his time. The opening scene of Native Son functions by foreshadowing future events that occur throughout the novel involving major symbols that are introduced in the scene to represent other elements in the novel. The scene also establishes an atmosphere of hopelessness and despair as it presents the Thomas apartment setting and its contrasting image of the Dalton mansion. The function of the scene is established by three major elements which is the alarm clock, the rat-catching, and the apartment setting. The first element that is introduced is the ambiguous alarm clock. The alarm clock that awakens Bigger Thomas and his family at the opening of the novel is a major symbol that Wright uses to attack American racism. The loud ring the alarm clock gives off serves as a wake-up call Wright wants his audience to hear. Wright uses the alarm to represent his assertive message to the American public of the destructive effects of racism and oppression American society has accepted. His call for change is like a prophetic warning such as Elisha gives, in Biblical context, demanding the need for social change before it is too late for the nation of ancient Israel. Similar to Elisha’s warning, Wright predicts revolutionary violence and social upheaval if racism and oppression is not stopped in American society. Another function of the alarm clock is its foreshadowing of Bigger’s symbolic awakening in the course of the novel. The clock in the opening scene represents Bigger as a powder keg, both of which are waiting to go off at any moment. Bigger’s climactic point of his explosive act of killing Mary serves the same function as the alarm given off from the clock whereas both wake and opens the eyes of those who hear it or see it. The alarm clock symbolizes Bigger’s new realization that he should not feel guilty for the killing of Mary because of the living conditions White society forced him to live into, which made him into what he is. Another important element in the opening scene that Wright uses to attack racism and oppression is the rat-catching. In the commencement of the novel, Bigger discovers a huge black rat and his mother and sister jump in hysteria. Bigger then corners the rat, and as the rat attacks back, he strikes it with a skillet; then smashes it superfluously until it became a bloody pulp and showed it to Vera. The rat-catching scene is significant because it foreshadows Bigger being tracked down and caught in the course of the novel. In the scene, Wright portrays the black rat as Bigger Thomas. Wright makes them resemble like each other because of their color and their unwanted presence. Like rats, the Black population are viewed as vermin and unwanted pests by White society. With this perspective, the public oppresses and controls the Black population to prevent them from getting near towards Whites in American society. Both Vera and Mother Thomas’ hysteria towards the rat resembles White society’s hysteria toward Bigger’s murder and assumed rape of a White woman. Vera and Mother Thomas’ reaction towards the huge black rat is that of disgust and fear of what it may do. In comparison, when the public found the truth behind the killing of Mary, they panicked and feared of what a Black murderer and rapist is capable of doing. Wright uses this episode to reveal the intense hate the racist American society has towards the Black population. He also uses it to call attention to the excessive paranoia the public exhibits which is a link to the intensity and depth of American racism. Another foreshadowing in the novel would be the representation of Bigger’s capture through Bigger’s cornering of the rat. In the beginning of the novel, Bigger blocks the exit of the rat such as how the police block the exit on Bigger later on in the novel. The foreshadowing extends also at how the rat attacks viciously at Bigger’s pant leg such as how Bigger shoots back at his capturers to prevent being caught. These aggressive scenes between survival and fear points out the result and effects of American society’s strong racist views as Wright describes the capturers drive to capture what seems dangerous and fearsome to them. The last and final foreshadowing in the opening scene would be Bigger’s superfluous bashing of the rat and his act of showing the bloody rat to Vera. The scene is used to portray Bigger’s excessive beating at the time of capture and Buckley’s exhibition of Bigger’s capture and death. The excessive beating of both the rat and Bigger relate the abuser’s need for their thirst witnessing pain being inflicted upon their subject. They are also similar because their unnecessary abuse is a signal of the intense hate the abuser had towards them. Also, the exhibition of Bigger by Buckley presents the similar racist connotations as the beating does. In the novel, Buckley holds Bigger as a political advantage, stressing a racist message to Blacks to show them what happens to the unwanted Blacks when they break the law in Richard Wright’s time which consists of strict and racist laws. One last important element of the opening scene is the setting of the dilapidated Thomas apartment. One function of this apartment setting is to set the atmosphere for the novel as a whole. The run-down and squalid apartment gives a sense of hopelessness and despair. The gloomy aspect of the setting describes the victimization of the Thomas family done by the society in which they are living in. Another function of the apartment setting is that it is a microcosm for how Blacks live throughout the city of Chicago. The apartment is a small, congested room fixed with a kitchen and no walls to separate the men from the women. The inappropriateness of their apartment is exemplified when both Buddy and Bigger have to turn their heads away while Mother Thomas and Vera dress. These unacceptable living conditions are created by an oppressive society and creates an unstable Black society which produces people such as Bigger who turn out to be exactly what White society believes they are like. The apartment setting is also part of a geographical contrast with the Dalton mansion. The apartment shows the unfair distribution of wealth as the Dalton mansion exhibits aristocratic characteristics with its multiple rooms and white columned porch; while the Thomas apartment has a mere single room, which occupies an entire family, and consists of a rat infestation. The contrast helps enforce the sense of the inequality and injustice while it also presents a divided Black and White society made possible by a racist country. Altogether, the opening scene functions to attack American society and its oppressive standpoint towards Blacks in Richard Wrights time. Wright establishes the scene’s function by using these three major elements: the alarm clock, the rat-catching, and the apartment setting. Richard Wright central theme of change is produced by the opening scene to correspond with the rest of the novel as it stresses the warning of a possible revolution and social upheaval if conditions do not change in American society.

Psoas Major Muscle Anatomy Health And Social Care Essay

Psoas Major Muscle Anatomy Health And Social Care Essay Psoas major muscle had been known for a long time as a hip flexor. The name Ilipsoas used in many literatures to express that both Iliacus and Psoas major have same action as a primary hip flexors. However, development in the knowledge of psoas major morphology and geometry changes this belief. Although the detailed spinal attachment of Psoas major is relatively complex; there is a common belief that psoas major essentially arises from transverse processes, body and intervertebral discs of all lumbar spines and body of 12th thoracic vertebrae (Standring 2004). McGill et al. (1988) considered Psoas major the largest muscle in Cross Sectional Area (CSA) at the level of lower vertebral spines. Anatomical and biomechanical studies in the 1980s and 1990s showed a lot of controversy about action of Psoas major. Moore (1983) reported that Psoas major is the dominant hip flexor, whereas (Woodburne and Burkel, 1988) concluded that Psoas major flexes lumbar spines and laterally rotates lumbar spines during pelvic fixation. Bogduck and Twomey (1987) indicated that Psoas major controls lumbar lordosis to support changes in lumbar load. Unfortunately, many of these studies were either built on incomplete understanding of fascicular anatomy of psoas major or used less accurate old imaging techniques in case of radiology in-vivo studies. For example, old MRI scanners emphasized cadaver overestimation in anterior/posterior shearing forces when compared with data gathered from dissection procedures. The huge technical development in the last two decades such as using more accurate new Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, pilot dissection techniques, new biomechanical devices and modeling techniques enhanced by computers hardware and software helped the researchers to gain better knowledge about psoas major morphology, geometry and functional anatomy. An example of studies used different models is (Sanlaguda and McGill 1995) which used MRI, modeling techniques in addition to pilot dissection procedures to develop knowledge about psoas major geometry. Development of psoas major anatomical knowledge including bilateral variation and racial variations of psoas major are important to many health care professionals. Ramesh et al. (2008) reported the importance of discovering variations in geometry of psoas major for radiologists during interpretation of radiology images and for surgeons during surgical interventions. Psoas major plays role in function of both trunk and lower extremities (Hanson et al 1999). In addition, Knowledge of psoas major anatomy is essential to anaesthetist who works on a regional anaesthesia technique, the location of lumbar plexus within the psoas major gives importance of psoas major anatomy in anaesthiology science (Farny et al. 1994). Further more, Psoas major anatomy is important in physiotherapy practice, Barker et al. (2004) reported changes in CSA of psoas major in people who suffer from Unilateral Low Back Pain (LBP). Therefore, it is important for musculoskeletal rehabilitation practitioners to under stand both anatomy of Psoas major during assessment and rehabilitation programmes of back and hip disorders. The aim of this essay was to address and critique the accumulated anatomical knowledge of Psoas major in the available anatomical literatures. Various dissection procedures of psoas major either as a single muscle, in combination with other trunk muscles were discussed. Describing gross anatomy and fascicular anatomy of psoas major reviewed with an attempt to analyse study results as possible in this essay. Radiology imaging scaqnners such as Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used in Psoas major anatomical literatures discussed as essay space allowed. Attempts were exerted to find psoas major studies used ultrasound or x-ray machines without success. Discussing action of psoas major involved using biomechanical studies. Although this essay focused on discussing anatomical not biomechanical literatures of psoas major, discussing action of psoas major involved using few biomechanical literatures. Dissection studies of psoas major 1.1 Fascicular anatomy Bogduk et al. (1992) studied fascicular anatomy of the psoas major by dissecting three old males (above 60 years).Bogduk defined fascicle as Psoas major portion shared a common discrete area of attachment in vertebral column and independent of each other in areas of attachment . Bogduck exploratory cadaveric study presented valuable morphological and biomechanical data about both structure and action of Psoas major. For example, study showed that origin of psoas major fascicles arose from intervertebral disc and transverse process from level of T12-L1 to level of L4-L5, study has also the first which reported that each fascicle has its own tendon and that L4-L5 tendon forms central part of common psoas major tendon. Unlike many previous authors, Bogduk experiment found that equal length of Psoas major Fascicles not designed to flex or extend the lumbar spine but stabilize the lumbar spine during movement by exerting compression and shear forces on lumbar joints. Although this finding reported earlier by Crisco and Panjabi (1990), Bogduk study could explain the stabilization role of psoas major practically from anatomical (not biomechanical) view depending on detail description of independent action of psoas major fascicles. Bogduk study produced important data about Physiological Cross Sectional Area (PCSA) for each psoas major fascicle. These PCSA data in addition to line of action for each fascicle helped significantly to clarify that psoas major have multiple actions (fascicles attached to upper lumbar levels with the vertical line of action have mobilizing role and fascicles attached with lower lumbar levels with the horizontal line of action havestabilizing role). However, methodological procedures described shortly in bogduk study, which was expected from an exploratory study. Bogduk Study used only three old male cadavers, which restricted its morphological and geometrical data (such as PCSA) to be old in active males only. It is not unusual to collect different morphological data from different age group or different gender in Psoas major, for example,Santaguida and McGill (1995) used different age groups to collect geometrical data of psoas major. In addition, cadaver status (whether fresh or preserved) and storage process not reported at all in the study. 1.2 Geometry of psoas major Santaguida and McGill (1995) studied three dimensional geometric data of psoas major, Seven young male cadavers (five of them only used in measurement and two used to develop pilot dissection technique) used to collect morphological data, Unlike (Bogduk et al. 1992), Santaguida and McGill (1995) focused on measuring morphological features such as superficial muscle length, internal and external tendons length and angle of pinnation (i.e. angle betwen psoas major fibers and lumbar spines) rather than studying fascicular anatomy of psoas major. The important findings in Santaguida and McGill (1995) were that muscle fibers originating from higher lumbar levels displayed fewer steep angles (i.e. more vertically oriented than fibers originating at lower two lumbar levels) which confirms findings of Bogduk et al. (1992), Santaguida study found also that measurement of pinnation angel cannot be measured from a single plane. Measurement of pinnation angle is important to calculate PCSA. As s ame as Bogduk (1992), detailed methodological procedures not well reported in Santaguida and McGill (1995). Although the number of dissected cadavers bigger (five compared with only three in Bugduk study) and age of cadavers was younger but cadavers again were from same gender (male). Racial differences in geometry of Psoas major discussed by Hansen et al. (1999). A large Number of male cadavers (fourty four) used to measure Psoas major length, width, anatomical CSA (ACSA) and circumference by using a measurement tool (digital caliper). Study introduced first (racial) data, Psoas major size was significantly larger in the black group than in the white group but no difference was noted related to muscle length and width between blacks and whites. Although dissection procedures described with more details when compared with procedures described in both Bogduk et al. (1992) and Santaguida and McGill (1995), dissection procedures in Hansen et al. (1999) still carried many (non well-explained) procedures. Certainly, study has not reported medical history of cadavers and activity level which well-known to affect CSA size. Furthermore, Authors have not explained why medical examiners were interested to exclude muscle bulk differences or anatomical variations in routine a utopsies (specially if known that medical examiners not awarded about the study) . Sample selection bears a question too, cadavers age ranged from 14-25 years, which mean that some of the cadavers were still in development stage, which may be different according to the ethnic group. In addition, researchers tried to avoid bias by using medical examiner decision about race of cadavers. However, study has not clarified reliability of both measurement tools and testers (inter-tester and intra-tester reliability) of Psoas major geometry. Study also held in different centers without clarifying whether same dissection procedures followed exactly in all centres or not. Study also not clarified whether CSA measurement excluded tendinous fibers or not. All these notes indicated that results of psoas major CSA in the white group which is much lower than many other dissection studies such as Bogduk et al. (1992) and Santaguida and McGill (1995). Ilayperuma and Nanayakkara (2008) studied gross anatomical characterization of the psoas major muscle by dissecting thirty four old Sri Lankan males and females. Study showed significant gender differences in ACSA at L4-L5 level, mean width and thickness (males got higher results). In addition, study showed that mean of psoas major ACSA (L4-L5 level) in Sri Lankan males was larger than the white group in Hansen et al (1999) but less than the black group in same study in L4-L5 level. However, study used same measurement tool in Hansen et al. (1999) and same comments on Hansen et al (1999) can be applied here too. Where the study held in a medical school it is necessary to clarify whether cadavers were fresh or preserved with any chemical embalming materials such as formaldehyde. Chemical embalming well-known to cause shrinking or distortion of cadavers, which alter muscle size, width, length and ACSA. Bilateral variation of psoas major is rarely reported. Jelev et al. (2005) was the last available scientific report. Routine anatomical dissection of the retroperitoneal space of sixty seven old female cadaver showed that Femoral nerve was embedded between two bellies medial and lateral. The medial belly was the usual left psoas major but with wider origin wider ( transverse process and intervertebral discs of L1-L5 vertebrae and from the anterior (pelvic) surfaces of S1-S3 vertebrae).The lateral belly was unusual muscle situated behind and oblique (from dorso-medially to ventro-laterally) to the left psoas major found. This abnormal muscle originated from the left transverse process of L3 vertebra and from the intertransverse ligament between L3 and L4 vertebrae. Geometry inserted with a short tendon (1.8 cm) to the common tendon between the left psoas major and Iliacus. The right psoas major in same old female cadaver showed widened origin similar to the left psoas major. This stud y showed clearly chance to find variations (in this case bigger size of psoas major muscle), this variation is important to surgeons, anaesthiologists, radiologist and physiotherapists where the pattern of practice should be changed according to anomaly found within subjects. In physiotherapy practice, variation of psoas major muscle anatomy should change rehabilitation program duration and intensity. Using MRI in Psoas Major Studies MRI used extensively to measure geometry of psoas major in-vivo (Tracy et al. 1989, Parkkola et al. 1992, Tsuang et al. 1993, McGill et al. 1988, Santaguida at al. 1995, Wood et al. 1996, Baker et al. 2004). Table 2 shows Psoas major CSA data from MRI, CT and Dissection studies. However, different MRI data-acquisition techniques and data analysis process software were used, the difference between the measured spinal levels (where psoas major attached with) and difference between subjects used made a difference in the gathered data. Copied from Gatton et al. (1999). Copied from Gatton et al. (1999). 2.1 psoas major CSA in old and new MRI machines . The MRI machines in the old studies (early 1990s and before) used outdated data acquisitions and software, which had large estimation errors (Mitsiopoulos et al. 1998). Accurate estimation of skeletal muscle mass (include psoas major) is important to make a correct comparison with data gathered from cadavers because MRI has a wide application and is a good way to gather in-vivo data from young people. The use of MRI as a reference standard is based on the assumption that measured CSA is equivalent to actual skeletal muscle CSA. Two types of muscle parameters can be considered during anatomical MRI scan of skeletal muscles, the first related to muscle tissue that includes interstitial adipose tissue (IAT) and the second, specifically related to adipose tissue-free skeletal muscle (ATFSM). In healthy young adults anatomical skeletal muscle is only slightly larger than ATFSM. However, IAT increases with increasing obesity and age. Some disease states, such as muscular dystrophy, are also accompanied by a relatively large mass of IAT. Recent MRI machines which use ATFSM measurement reference with more efficient hardware and upgraded software permit rapid whole body measurement in less than 30 minutes (Ross et al. 1996). Therefore, it is important to take notes about features of MRI machines used to collect data about various skeletal muscles (include psoas major) to get better idea about chance of estimation error. Almost all MRI studies of psoas major anatomy prior to 1995 used MRI machines follow IAT rather t han ATFSM Scanning technique. Therefore, estimation errors are more plausible in studies prior done in the last century such as (Tracy et al. 1989, Parkkola et al. 1992, Tsuang et al. 1993) specially for old age people because the level of IAT higher in skeletal muscle than young people and technical capabilities of old MRI scanners. New MRI scanners with more powerful hardware and software introduced new technology called Total Imaging Matrix (TIM). This technology allows patients to be scanned in most cases without their head passing into the magnet of the machine reducing the claustrophobic element of the exam. The system is also much quieter than old MRI machines. In addition, TIM technology helped radiologists diagnose patients better as well. TIM images the body faster and can provide a clearer picture of what is being examined. Baker et al. (2004) used MRI scanner with TIM technology and scanning ATFSM (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany), CSA of Psoas major was significantly lower than 1990s studies (the lowest mean of CSA in Santaguida et al. (1995) was 421 mm in L1-L2 level, whereas in Baker et al. (2004) the biggest CSA reading was 197.7 in the right side symptomatic un-certianed level in the unilateral back pain patients. This huge difference in estimation of CSA between different MRI s canners with different technologies bears different hypothesis reasons. The first reason indicates that CSA of psoas major decreases significantly in Unilateral Back patients. The second reason indicates that new technologies of MRI imaging showed that in-vivo CSA of psoas major is much less than old CSA of psoas major gather by old MRI technologies. The third reason indicates that old studies (in table1) might measure other structures closely related to psoas major muscle such as iliacus, psoas minor or central tendon of psoas major specially in lower spinal levels rather than measuring psoas major only. Both the first and third reasons explain in the last sentence looks plausible, Dangaria and Naesh (1998) used MRI to compare CSA of Psoas major for both healthy volunteers and patients with Back patients with herniated discs and found that CSA decreased significantly in Back patients with herniated discs, although old MRI machines were used. Inaccurate description of the anatomical information found in (Parkkola et al. 1992, Tsuang et al. 1993, McGill et al., Wood et al. 1996, Baker et al. 2004), tested muscle was either described as iliacus (which may indicate measurement of both muscles CSA) or psoas (which may indicate combining psoas minor with psoas major). All studies addressed in the last paragraph agreed in issuing two common trends related to subject characteristics. The first common character is that psoas major CSA is smaller in females, this decrease in female,s CSA explains why CSA in Parkkola et al. and Chaffin et al(table 2) are smaller than other studies where subjects of both studies were exclusively females. Lower than average CSA found also in Baker et al. (2004) and might derived from using female subjects in the patient or volunteer group. The second common character is the pattern of change in the psoas major CSA across spinal levels (increasing gradually from L2/L3 to L4/L5 and decrease at L5/S1). 2.2 Effect of MRI procedures on calculating Psoas major CSA Effect of trunk position on ACSA of back muscles (include psoas major) in MRI studied by Jorgenson et al. (2003). Briefly, results showed that neutral trunk position during MRI imaging showed maximal ACSA and that ACSA at levels L4-L5 and L5-S1 intervertebral discs decreased by different percentage as the trunk moved from neutral about 45 flexions in the sagittal plane. Outcome of Jorgenson et al. (2003) study showed the importance of describing scan angle and trunk position during MRI scan to ensure getting the maximum CSA and minimize confusion during analysis of gathered psoas major CSA data. Reviewing table two studies showed that two studies only (Dangaria et al. 1997, Santaguida at al. 1995) taken care to describe the trunk and pelvic position during MRI imaging. Santaguida at al. (1995) reported that scan angle was cosine of 20 between the scan slice and line of action of psoas major muscle fibers at L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels, which reduced CSA at both levels, Dangaria et al. (19 97) reported that all patients received special care to correct pelvic tilt before MRI imaging. However, the previous studies showed human position inside MRI scanner is vital in Estimating Psoas major CSA. Therefore, results of studies failed to introduce accurate description of subject position inside MRI scanners might was inaccurate. Biomechanical models This assignment aim is not to discuss biomechanical aspects of Psoas major muscle composition or action. However, using cadavers to calculate biomechanical forces helps to better understanding of muscle action. Yoshio et al. (2002) studied 25 osteoligamentous specimens with psoas major tendon to measure the flexion angle of the hip joint where psoas major tendon loses contact with the femoral head and pelvic surface. Further Ten osteoligamentous specimens used to measure tensile force and pressure exerted on the psoas major and/or bone tendon interface during contraction of psoas major. Tension force of psoas major tendon measured in different angles of hip flexion. Results suggested that psoas major muscle works as (i) erector of lumbar vertebral column and stabilizer of the femoral head in the acetabulum at 0Â ° 15Â ° of hip flexion (ii)in 15Â °-45Â ° of hip flexion, psoas major maint spine erection role and partially loses femoral head stabilization role (iii) 45Â °-60Â ° o f hip flexion psoas major works as flexor of lower extremity. Cadaver used in the study was old (above 70 years) from both genders, which restricted study sinding on the old age group. In addition, cadaver preparation procedures not described well in Yoshio et al. (2002). Study Procedures involved screwing lumbar spine and pelvis . First section of this essay showed that psoas major has stabilizing role in lumbar spine and fixation of the lumbar spine in Yoshio et al. (2002) lost one of the important roles of psoas major, which may have affected on calculation of psoas major action on the hip joint. Conclusion Knowledge about psoas major gained mainly by dissection and radiological images and specially MRI. Dissection helped to give knowledge about features and action of fascicles of psoas major,differences in geometry of psoas major (such as size, length and width) in different ethnic groups and genders. Bilateral variations and anomally of psoas major knowledge gained also from dissection although it was rare. ACSA and PCSA differences between different levels of lumbar spines were gained from cadaver dissection. MRI was powerful in measuring geometry of psoas major in-vivo, studying psoas major geometry data for patients with specific disorders such as back pain perfomed mainly by MRI. Newer models of MRI offered quick and accurate imaging of human body. Biomechanical models offered valueable information about action for clarifying multiple actions of psoas major. Further histological studies is important to introduce new data about muscle fibers types of psoas major.

Marketing Is The Life Blood Of Any Organisation Marketing Essay

Marketing Is The Life Blood Of Any Organisation Marketing Essay When people think of marketing, most would immediately think of it as a business trying to get the consumer to purchase its products. However the concept of marketing and the marketing process is much more complex than that assumption. Today, practically everything is marketed to some degree. The marketing of goods is the most obvious one, however you can consider places to be marketed, think of the government ministers mass exodus every saint patricks day under the guise of marketing Ireland to the rest of the world! Organizations, such as colleges and universities market themselves to prospective students. Sporting events such as the Cheltenham race festival or the six nations rugby engage in marketing. Even people are marketed as Kotler points out, some people have done a masterful job of marketing themselves- think of Madonna, Oprah Winfrey, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and Michael Jordan (Kotler, 2006 p8) The American Marketing Association defines marketing to be marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large AMA. (2007) Definition of Marketing. Available: http://www.marketingpower.com/aboutama/pages/definitionofmarketing.aspx Last Accessed 10 March 2010. As I previously stated the process of marketing is much more than a vendor trying to convince a consumer to purchase their product. It is about delivering value to the consumer, satisfying customer needs, meeting or exceeding customer expectations, creating strong brand identity, winning new customers and retaining current ones and companies being able to adapt to changing market conditions. The process of marketing occurs in a dynamic environment (Bradfield, 2010), that is constantly changing, however a core concept in the marketing process is the so called marketing mix or the 4 ps of marketing, first referred to by Jerome McCarthy in 1960. Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkBvzS_fJ2gfeature=related Last Accessed 11 March 2010. The marketing mix refers to product, price, place and promotion. When you talk of a product or service, you have to offer a product that fits the need of the consumer. Today, consumers have more choice than previous generations and are more demanding. It should satisfy other criteria such as product durability, product differentiation, i.e. what makes your product stand out from the crowd, what features does your product have, is there after sales care/warranties etc. The price of the product being offered has to take into account how much customers are willing to pay for your product and for the producer to make a profit. This is a dif ficult question to answer as a product that is priced too high in relation to other products may not sell well, however sometimes a higher price in the minds of consumers equals better quality for which some consumers are prepared to pay a premium for. But on the other hand a product that is priced too low, possibly on the assumption that it will win on price alone, may not sell well either as it is considered inferior to other similar products due to its low price. The place in the marketing mix is all about how the product or service gets to the consumer. It must be convenient for the consumer to access the product. This element of the mix is evident in the rise of businesses like Amazon.com that allow consumers to shop for goods 24/7 and have the goods delivered to them. And the last element of the mix, promotion refers to how the consumer is made aware that the product exists, of the benefits it can bring to them and the value of the product. As I said at the beginning of the paragraph marketing occurs in a dynamic environment and marketing thought is constantly changing. It must be pointed out however as Gareth Morgan shows in his book Riding the waves of change, that the 4ps takes the view from that of the producer, in that everything in it is from their point of view. Whereas marketing thought today tends to put the consumer at the centre and everything is geared towards meeting their needs rather than that of the producer. From a marketers point of view, it is impossible to satisfy everyone all of the time so marketers engage in what is called market segmentation. A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants.(Kotler, 2006 p240) When marketers identify a market segment they can they target their efforts on that group. Markets can be broken up on a number of different basis. The process of market segmentation In marketing a product or service an organization can follow a mass marketing strategy or it can use the process of market segmentation. The mass marketing strategy(tied into the production concept, which I will detail in the next section) is probably now an outdated method of marketing for most products due to the sheer variety on offer to consumers. In pursuing a mass marketing strategy, a company targets a market as whole and offers the one product or service to the whole market. The company hopes for higher profits by engaging in mass production and mass distribution techniques, thereby lowering its overall costs. Examples of previous mass marketing strategies was Coca Cola who at first only produced one size bottle of coke. (Kotler, 2003, p279) The market segmentation process is what is practiced more commonly today. A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of wants. (Kotler, 2003,p279) In defining a market segment, Kotler talks of a seven step process. The first step is to group customers who have a similar needs. For example with cars you can identify groups who have a need for people carriers. The next step is for each identifiable market segment to break it down further by classing it according to other variables such as demographics(gender, race, age etc), behavioral patterns(usage, user status etc), and geographic variables. The third and fourth step combined is to take each segment that has been broken down and to establish how attractive each segment is to the organization based on factors such as profitability and segment size. Step five, after identifying a particular segments unique needs, the company must set forth a set of benefits to satisfy those needs (The product of the marketing mix) and it must determine a price for the product. The sixth step is to determine the attractiveness of each segments positioning strategy and finally to expand the positioning strategy to include the whole marketing mix. Marketing Concept The marketing process is all about the customer. The philosophy that the customer is king and is the core of the business. Kotler again speaks of six competing concepts under which the process of marketing is carried out. They are the production concept, product concept, marketing, selling, customer and societal concepts. The production concept is as I said previously tied in with mass marketing. The production concept does not take into account the consumers needs, rather it focuss on building a product and then trying to sell this to the consumer. The production process favors low cost due to high volume manufacturing. The product concept concentrates on building better quality products, with more features in the belief that is what consumers want. The selling concept is probably the concept most people equate with marketing. This is where a producer actively tries to sell its goods/services to consumers through advertising and aggressive selling. The risk with the selling concept is producers hope that consumers who do fall for the hard sell, will actually like the product. Obviously consumers may like the product and return to do more business but on the other hand they may hate it and actually bad mouth the product to friends. The marketing concept is more customer orientated than the previous concepts. Here the customer is king and everything the business does is centered on the needs of the customer. Marketing Plan BarryDoyleDesign Jewelers 1.Executive Summary Barry Doyle Design(BDD) Jewelers is a husband and wife operation that has been in business for several years. Barry has learned the trade from his father whilst Adrianna is a qualified gemologist. It specializes in custom made high end jewelery as well as holding a range of contemporary and Celtic themed stock jewelery. The business has targeted the wedding sector quite successfully in the past and through its website is also chasing international customers, especially those of Irish ancestry who would be interested in its Celtic line. 2. Situation Analysis BDD Jewelers products have been very well received and they have a percentage of returning customers. To grow the market, product awareness is called for through marketing at trade exhibitions and wedding fairs, an upgraded web site and a more visible shop location, funds permitting. The key target markets are couples seeking to marry, individuals looking for a unique product and those who make one off purchases for special occasions etc and to expand the business through targeting of galleries willing to stock the production jewelery. Due to the weakness of the US Dollar against the Euro in the last year, international sales has been slow, however with the expectant rise in the US economy that situation is expected to revert to past positive performance. The wedding market remains stable with modest growth forecast for the next year. 3. Market Demographics Due to the the firms use of the Internet, it has no defined geographical area. However a rough estimate is that 70% is from the domestic market while 30% make up the international side. The customer base is evenly split between men and women. The largest age group who make a purchase is those in the 25-40 bracket and in the middle to high income bracket. 3.1 Market Needs BDD Jewelers provides its customers with a wide variety of jewelery. As a business it seeks to provide to its customers jewelery of the highest craftsmanship coupled with unique and contemporary designs. A first class after sales service is provided, jewelery resizing and jewelery repair. 4. SWOT Analysis Strengths Good reputation among customers Central location Quality Workmanship Good access and relationship with suppliers Weaknesses Poor shop visibility Limited marketing budget in comparison to larger retailers Due to business size possible problems in meeting supply requirements Opportunities Government incentives for small business Threats Economic slowdown can have a negative effect on the amount of discretionary income people have for luxury items Inferior quality products 5. Market Assumptions The fore casted market growth in the sector for the the next 3 to 5 years is 9%. The threat of new custom made jewelers to the market remains small, due in part to the high skill involved and start up costs, however the larger jeweler chains may become more aggressive in their pricing and marketing which could affect sales of our stock production lines. 6. Strategic Intent The businesses core marketing objectives over the next year is to make inroads into getting the stock production line into third party retailers such as niche high end jewelers (galleries)and to develop the wedding market with more visible promotion of the business at wedding fares. An overhaul of the website is required to make it look more appealing. In the mid to long term, a new future premises is needed(most likely in the same general area) with more exposure to pedestrian traffic. With projected growth in the business, the employment of more skilled craftsmen to met demand for the custom designed jewelery side of the business. The possibility of forming partnerships with Irish distributors in the US market with the help of the IDA. 7. Marketing Mix Strategies BDD Jewelers marketing mix is made up of the following A. Product..Will strive to produce the highest custom made jewelery alongside a more affordable yet equally high quality range of stock jewelery. B. Price..Will vary according to specific customer requirement such as gemstones for the setting or the level of detail required. In the stock range, price is comparable to major retailers. C. Promotion..Due to high return for custom designs, it is felt that an increased marketing campaign be engaged upon. This will be achieved through magazine advertising, networking, website links, the yellow pages and trade/fashion shows. D. Place..For internationally received orders, delivery is via UPSFedEx express delivery. Domestic orders can also be shipped with tracking or can be picked up in store. 8. Sales Forecast In year one, months 1 to 3 will be spent trying to establish a foothold within the gallery market. It is expected after month 3 sales to this sector will begin incrementally. Within a three month period sales will be rising also in the wedding market sector due to an increase in the visibility of the business at wedding fairs and an advertising campaign in magazines etc. 9. Implementation In order to achieve desired results, the following milestones must be met on time and in budget. A. The development of the plan B. Identify the channels to be used in the marketing plan C. Establish a review process

Portrayal of Women in William Shakespeares Plays Essay -- Female Wome

William Shakespeare's characterization of women varies immensely from one comedy to another. In his works, Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Much Ado About Nothing, he portrays both dominant and submissive women. Ultimately, Shakespeare examines the complexity of women by displaying the vast array of attitudes, emotions, and their treatment and reaction to men as well as refuting the typical subservient wife role. In Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, the difficulties of marriage and submission take center stage. When the determined Petruchio marries the domineering Katherine it sets the scene for a battle of willpower. Eventually, Petruchio successfully 'tames' Kate at the expense of losing a potentially loving and affectionate wife. In fact, Kate behaves more like a fearful puppy dog longing to please her husband than a respectable wife. Though Kate contrasts other female characters in Shakespeare?s comedies by submitting to her husband, her obedience is merely the product of an authoritative husband?s demands and threats. Her submission is merely a faà §ade of obedience. Before marriage, Kate is notorious for her ill temper and resistance towards men. A character named Grumio calls Kate, ? ?Katherine the curst,? a title for a maid, of all the worst? (Shakespeare 57). Men fear Kate because of her violent nature and unstable emotions. But after Kate is subjected to Petruc hio?s torments, she relents to him and gives in to his ways for the benefit of sustenance and sanity. In the end, Petruchio beckons Kate to teach the other wives to be subservient to their husbands. Kate explains, ?Such duty as the subject owes the prince, even such a woman oweth to her husband; and when she is forward... ...Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1988. Newman, Karen. ?The Taming of the Shrew: A Modern Perspective.? The Taming of the Shrew. William Shakespeare. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Novy, Marianne L. ?Patriarchy and Play.? William Shakespeare?s The Taming of the Shrew. Harold Bloom ed. New York: Chelsea, 1988. Paster, Gail. ?Much Ado About Nothing: A Modern Perspective.? Much Ado About Nothing. William Shakespeare. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. Rossiter, A.P. ?Much Ado About Nothing.? Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1986. 163-176. Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Washington Square Press, 1995. ---. The Merchant of Venice. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. ---. The Taming of the Shrew. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992.

Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: English Literature

Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn There are many wonderful books written by great authors. However the writer who inspired me the most is the one and only Mark Twain. I was impressed by his books since I was a child. The two novels which I enjoyed were two of his most famous works, Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These books are considered to be masterpieces by a lot of people. Samuel Clemens, better known by his pseudonym Mark Twain, was born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835. When Samuel Clemens was twelve years old, his father died. After his father’s death Clemens went to become a printer’s apprentice. His childhood dream was to become a steamboat salesman, and ride along the river down the stream. He had this goal achieved early in life until the Civil War came along putting him out of business. The Civil War forced Clemens out west in search of gold but ended up becoming a reporter for the Virginia City newspaper. While Twain was traveling the nation with his lectures he met his future wife Olivia. While trying to earn Olivia’s love, Twain wrote over two-hundred love letters, trying to earn her fathers respect and have permission to marry her. He then after this wrote his very first best seller which was called â€Å" Innocence Abroad†. Through many writers Twain was slowly becoming the United States first celebrity. He was selling his name, Twain became spokespersons for all different types of products, putting his face on to anything which companies thought would help sell there products. While Twain was away from the public life, he was able to create two very well known classics: Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However at one point in time, Twain experience financial problems and had to declare bankruptcy. His next money making idea was to travel the world and make money by giving lectures. He became very famous from this. During this trip however his wife became very sick and died along with one of his daughters. When he returned home he was very lonely, and his life changed a lot. At the time Mark Twain was the most influential person in the country. This man who started out as a printers apprentice and a steamboat salesman was able to become the most well known person. Twain died in 1910 and still until now he is very respected and a well known writer. When I was a little girl I loved to read Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I remember reading it at my grandmother’s garden