Of Mice and Men The Death of the American Dream free essay sample

The American Dream has always been one of the most prominent ideals in American society. Of Mice and Men was written by Steinbeck in 1937. It focuses on the lives of two men, Lennie and George, as they try to fulfill their own American Dream of owning a small farm. While this seems like an attainable dream in the beginning, Steinbeck chooses instead to destroy this dream utterly with the death of Lennie. Curley’s wife had an American Dream of being an actress, but she was condemned to a life on a farm with a man she doesn’t love. By destroying the American Dreams of Lennie, George, and Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men, prove Steinbeck believes that the American Dream is no longer an attainable goal. George and Lennie share an American Dream of owning a farm together. The audience learns of the dream when George tells Lennie about the farm: â€Å"Someday we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple and some cows and some pigs- An’ live offa the lan† (15). We will write a custom essay sample on Of Mice and Men: The Death of the American Dream or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The farm they describe would appear to come out of a fairy tale. In this book, proves to be exactly what it is. After Lennie’s death George admits â€Å"-I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear it so much I got to thinking maybe we would† (93). In this story, Lennie believed in an American dream, and in many ways, he actually became a physical embodiment of the American Dream. As demonstrated by Lennie’s excitement and wholehearted belief that it would occur. He believed that he and George were different because they work together, exemplified in the text: â€Å"With us it ain’t like that. With us we got a future! †(15). Lennie and George possessed undying belief in the American Dream. However, through the death of Lennie, the dream of owning a farm died. This helps to prove that Lennie was a symbolic version of the American Dream. George also contains a symbolic meaning that can be associated with him. George’s embodiment is a representation of the faith the people place in the American dream. This can be proven both by the trust Lennie, who is symbolically the American Dream, places in George, and by the way Lennie needs George to succeed. When George kills Lennie at the end of the novel, Steinbeck symbolically shows that by leaving your American Dream to faith and hard work is no longer something that Americans can do. Curley’s wife also had an American dream that ended in failure. She has the dream of becoming a movie star. She said that she â€Å"coulda been a movie star and have nice clothes and all of that-† (90). She had a tragic story: a young girl with a talent for acting who is forced to live in isolation on a farm married to a man she doesn’t love. This is one of the most blatant allusions to the fact that the American dream is no longer achievable. Her story shows that opportunities are no longer easy to follow, and that society makes it difficult to succeed, especially for women. Steinbeck also supports this conclusion in his Nobel Prize Speech. When he speaks about the duties of authors he says, â€Å"He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement† (â€Å"Banquet Speech†). Steinbeck refers to his belief that the American Dream has become a corrupted ideal, and that it is his duty as an author to reveal that to the American public. The phrase â€Å"dark and dangerous dreams† is references that American Dream, which has changed from its originally pristine beliefs into something that has the possibility to destroy. The character of Curley’s Wife is used by Steinbeck to illustrate his point that the American Dream has been corrupted. Throughout the book, Steinbeck uses characters with small roles to help point out his beliefs. He often uses these characters to illustrate his belief in the uncertainty of the American Dream. For example, Slim talks about how he â€Å"ain’t neven seen two guys traveling together before. I don’t know why, maybe everybody in the whole damn world’s just scared of each other† (34). In this passage Steinbeck uses Slim to comment on how two guys traveling together is strange. The reason he gives is that people in the world are scared of each other. This can be related back to the American Dream. For a dream to succeed, you need help. The reason no one’s American Dreams are succeeding is because they don’t receive help from each other. Curley’s Wife never got help to fulfill her dream, so it never succeeded. Steinbeck echoes this sentiment in a part of his Nobel Prize speech, â€Å"Humanity has been passing through a gray and desolate time of confusion† (â€Å"Banquet Speech†). From this quote, Steinbeck is saying that he believes that we are passing through a time without the ability to fulfill dreams. Gray and desolate implies that there are no dreams that exist. Another time a minor character shows Steinbeck’s beliefs about the American Dream is when Crooks and Lennie talk about the farm where Lennie wants to live on with George. Crooks says, â€Å"you’re nuts. I’ve seen hundreds of men come by on the roads an’ on the ranches with their bindles on their backs an’ the same damn thing in their heads† (72). In that line, Steinbeck basically condenses all of his beliefs into one phrase. He states that the American Dream is just a dream, and that those who believe otherwise are deluding themselves. The American Dream began as a simple belief that those on the bottom of society had the potential to move up and become something better. In the book Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows that this is no longer the case. He represents this symbolically through Lennie and George’s relationship and outcome. He also proves this with character of Curley’s Wife, by showing that the American dream is hard to gain, even with opportunity, and especially if you don’t have support. Finally, he uses his background characters to make his point with small phrases that warn the characters and the readers of the dangers of the American Dream. By extinguishing Lennie, George’s, and Curley’s Wife’s American Dream, as well as using the sentiment of the minor characters when these dreams are discussed, have shown that Steinbeck believes that the American Dream is no longer an achievable goal in American society.

Ethanol on the heart rate Essays

Ethanol on the heart rate Essays Ethanol on the heart rate Essay Ethanol on the heart rate Essay Effectss of different concentrations of ethyl alcohol on the bosom rate of the H2O flea In this experiment I will be looking at the effects of different concentrations of ethyl alcohol on the bosom rate of the H2O flea, Daphnia because utilizing worlds in a survey to prove the effects of Ethanol on bosom rate would non be ethical. Daphnia, like many animate beings, are prone to alcohol poisoning, and do first-class topics for analyzing the effects of the sedative on the nervous system due to the semitransparent exoskeleton, and the visibly altered bosom rate.Ethanol is a little molecule, RMM of 43, so it crosses cell membranes by simple diffusion. The exoskeleton of Daphnia is non rainproof, so there are no rainproof waxy beds to traverse. The gills are peculiarly thin-walled and optimised for diffusion. They live in assorted aquatic environments runing from acidic swamps to freshwater lakes, pools, watercourses and rivers. They are tolerant of being observed unrecorded under a microscope and look to endure no injury when returned to open H2O. The experiment consists in fixing 5 different environments to set the H2O flea in, and detect how the bosom rate responds to each alteration ; the alteration will be the addition of ethanol concentration % . This will be the independent variable. The dependent variable is the bosom rate of the Daphnia. Hypothesis: Ethanol will diminish the bosom rate of the Daphnia. Null Hypothesis: Ethyl alcohol will hold no consequence on the bosom rate of the Daphnia. I will alter the concentration of my Ethanol solution by dilution and will therefore secret plan a graph. In add-on, a correlativity and ANOVA trial will be calculated to find the relationship ( If any ) between the concentration of Ethanol and the bosom rate of the Daphnia. I have taken into consideration factors that will impact my overall decision Factors: Size of Daphnia The size of the Daphnia will impact its soaking up of Ethanol and besides the metamorphosis of the drug in the liver. Different rates of metamorphosis will ensue in different bosom rates. As a consequence I must guarantee that I choose Daphnia which are the same size when carry oning repetitions. I will utilize a extremely sensitive graduated table to corroborate that both water fleas are of equal organic structure mass. Time kept in ethanol solution The Daphnia must be kept in the Petri dish full of ethanol solution for a specific sum of clip. If they are kept in the solution for excessively long they will go drunk which will ensue in unnatural bosom beats that are difficult to mensurate although they must be kept in the solution long plenty for sufficient soaking up of Ethanol. Each Daphnia will remain in the ethanol solution for precisely 3 proceedingss so that an equal volume of ethyl alcohol is absorbed. Activity of Daphnia Some Daphnia tend to be more active than others and these will hold a higher bosom rate compared to 1s that are idle. After leting the Daphnia to swim in a specific solution of ethyl alcohol I will put them on a pit slide so that I can detect the bosom rate with a microscope. As I will be utilizing a pipette to reassign the Daphnia from the Petri dish to the pit slide extra fluid will be found on the slide which must be removed with tissue so that all Daphnia remain idle/immobile and non active I.e. swimming on the slide. This will besides let me to mensurate the bosom rate with easiness which reduces the likeliness of human mistake. Time left under the microscope If the Daphnia are left under the microscope for excessively long they will go stressed due to the heat of the microscope visible radiation and this will increase the bosom rate of the Daphnia due to the secernment of epinephrine therefore I must guarantee that the microscope is switched off when non in usage. The pit slides must be allowed to chill down earlier utilizing them once more as they tend to heat up. Impurities on pit slide Traces of drosss including ethyl alcohol from a old experiment may be left on the pit slide which may somewhat impact the bosom rate of the Daphnia therefore the slide must be cleaned and dried exhaustively before each repetition. Alternatively, a new slide may be used for each repetition. The stuffs needed to execute this experiment are the undermentioned: Normal size syringe 2 Small panpipes ( must hold units of measuring ) Open top pipette Ethanol of 1 % concentration Assorted Daphnia to execute experiment on Microscope 6 Petri dishes Cavity slide Marker Kleenex tissue for absorbing extra liquid Scale Stopwatch Method: 1. The first thing that has to be done is the readying of the different solutions where the Daphnia will be placed. To make this you will necessitate the little syringe, and 5 Petri dishes. It is really advisable to hold labels. The first Petri dish will incorporate 0 % Ethanol, in other words merely H2O. With a little syringe, take 10 milliliter of distilled H2O ( the usage of distilled H2O is of import as you will be taking any stuffs that may hold an consequence on the Daphnia bosom rate ) and topographic point it in the Petri dish. The syringe you merely used will merely be used with H2O and non for the Ethanol. Put a 0 % label on the Petri dish in order to maintain path of the different concentrations you will be doing. The following Petri dish will incorporate 0.2 % ethanol concentration, and you will do concentrations traveling up to 0.8 % , so: 0.2 % : With the other little syringe ( this 1 will merely be used for ethyl alcohol ) , add 2 milliliter of the 1 % Ethanol, to 8 milliliter of distilled H2O 0.4 % : Add 4 milliliter of the 1 % ethyl alcohol, to 6 milliliter of distilled H2O 0.6 % : Add 6 milliliter of the 1 % ethyl alcohol, to 4 milliliter of distilled H2O 0.8 % : Add 8 milliliter of the 1 % ethyl alcohol, to 2 milliliter of distilled H2O retrieve to label each concentration consequently 2. Put your microscope up, put it on medium magnification. Do non turn it on yet because the visible radiation of the microscope can heat up the environment where you will be detecting the Daphnia. It is of import to seek to maintain the temperature of the experiment every bit stable as possible. Heat may modify the Daphnia bosom rate, and the consequence of heat on the bosom rate is non the intent of this experiment. 3. Now it is clip to pick out one Daphnia from the glass or container where you put all of them in. It is of import to utilize merely one throughout this whole experiment because different animate beings may show fluctuations in their response to different environments. With the unfastened top pipette, seek to pick out a Daphnia which is non excessively little, as it will be harder to detect the bosom rate if it is little. Once you have managed to take one out, topographic point it in the staying empty Petri dish. Take the normal size syringe and really carefully suck the Daphnia in with as least H2O possible. The aim is to hold the Daphnia right at the tip of the syringe. Squirt the Daphnia out into the pit slide. It is really of import to set the Daphnia in with the least H2O possible, in order to forestall it from traveling excessively much. It is recommended to seek to force out it out with merely one bead of H2O, as this will maintain it alive, but immobile. Use tissue to ta ke extra fluid. Put the slide under the microscope. Turn the microscope on. 4. Make certain you can see the Daphnia clearly under the microscope, one time you are happy with the image, look for the bosom: 7 is the bosom. If you can see the bosom, and can maintain path of its whipping, put the Daphnia, with the normal sized, syringe into the 0 % labelled Petri dish. Wash the microscope slide with H2O and dry it. Turn the microscope off. 5. Keep the Daphnia in the Petri dish for 3 proceedingss, this lets it adapt do the conditions and besides increases the chance of it lasting the whole experiment. With the normal size syringe take it out of the Petri dish and set it onto the microscope slide, do certain that it is practically immobile ( by doing certain that you squirted the least sum of H2O possible ) and put it under the microscope. Turn the microscope on. 6. Get the paper and marker ready. Look into the microscope and do certain you can number the bosom round. Get person to number 15 seconds with the halt ticker. During 15 seconds, tap the paper with the marker each clip the bosom beats, after this, number the figure of points on the paper. Multiply this figure by four ; this gives you the bosom rate per minute. Record the consequence. Make this procedure 3 times in order to acquire 3 bosom rates. Add the 3 bosom rates and so split the consequence by 3 ; this will give you the norm of the Daphnia bosom rate under those conditions. Keep the Daphnia under the microscope for a upper limit of 2 proceedingss, because the heat of the visible radiation in the microscope could hold effects on the experiment. Turn the microscope off after the count to forestall farther warming caused by the visible radiation. 7. Remove the slide from the microscope, and with the normal size syringe put the Daphnia into the 0.2 % labelled Petri dish ( rinse the slide with H2O and dry it ) . Leave the Daphnia in the Petri dish for 3 proceedingss one time once more. After 3 proceedingss, use the normal sized syringe to set it onto the microscope slide. Repeat measure 6 and record consequences. 8. Count the bosom rate of the Daphnia when placed in all the concentrations. Work your manner up from 0 % to 0.2 % to 0.4 % , 0.6 % , 0.8 % . Make certain you rinse and dry the slide with the distilled H2O after each clip. You must get down from the lowest concentration up to the highest concentration because the Daphnia has to bit by bit accommodate to the alterations, you will be cut downing the chance of it deceasing. Another ground for this is that if you start at the highest concentration, the impact on the Daphnia will be excessively dramatic and you will non see any tendencies one time you try a lower concentration, it will hold an consequence of poisoning . Remember to reiterate each count 3 times to obtain an norm of the bosom rate. Keep the Daphnia under the microscope during the same sum of clip for each concentration, this will guarantee that if there was any type of consequence from the visible radiation under the microscope, all trials will be just because they were under the exact same conditions. It is possible for the Daphnia to decease during these trials ; this is why you must hold acquired a just sum of Daphnia, in order to hold back-ups. 9. Repeat this experiment one time or twice with different Daphnia, in this manner you will be able to analyze any tendencies present in the experiment more accurately. I will utilize the undermentioned tabular arraies to enter the consequences of this experiment: Averages will be calculated for both experiments and the consequences will be organised in a separate tabular array. My decision will be based on these norms because they are more representative. Alterations made to method: The Daphnia used in the first experiment died after being placed on the pit slide from the 0.6 % ethanol solution likely due to the deficiency of fluid on the slide so I had to re-start the experiment utilizing another Daphnia. No 1 was available to number 15 seconds with a stop watch so I had to utilize my Mobile phone which beeped after 15 seconds motivating me stop numbering the figure of bosom beats. Consequences

Top 10 Italian Pronunciation Mistakes

Top 10 Italian Pronunciation Mistakes    Learn to speak your best Italian by avoiding these 10 common mistakes all beginners tend to make. 1. Mumbling It might sound obvious if you want to make yourself heard, but you must open your mouth in order to speak Italian. Native English speakers, accustomed to a language that doesnt have the big, round, vowel sounds common in Italian, should remember to open wide and enunciate. 2. Consonants that Count Twice Being able to (and hear the difference, too) is imperative. The Italian language doesnt waste letters; as a phonetic language, it’s spoken the way it’s written. So if a word contains double consonants (cassa, nonno, pappa, serra), you can assume both are pronounced- the meaning changes depending on whether a particular consonant is doubled. If youre unsure how to pronounce i consonanti doppie (), try pronouncing it twice or holding it for an extra beat. 3. Third-to-Last Verbs As with most Italian words, when pronouncing the various conjugated verb forms of the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable. The one exception is the third-person plural form, in which the stress falls on the third-to-last syllable (words in which the accent falls on the third-to-last syllable are known as parole sdrucciole). 4. One in a Million Ask a beginner (or even an intermediate) Italian language learner to pronounce terms such as figlio, pagliacci, garbuglio, glielo, and consigli and often their first reaction is a look of bewilderment: the dreaded gli combination! Even the short-cut explanation that in Italian gli is pronounced like lli in the English word million often doesnt help (nor do other technical descriptions about how to pronounce gli improve the long odds of mastery). Perhaps the most effective way to learn how to pronounce gli is to listen and repeat until it becomes second nature. Remember, though, even Michelangelo was a beginner once. 5. MonDAY to FriDAY Except for Saturday and Sunday, the days of the week in Italian are pronounced with the accent on the last syllable. Theyre even written that way to remind speakers, e.g., lunedà ¬ (Monday), how to pronounce them. But too frequently, non-native speakers ignore the accent and persist in placing the accent on the first (or other) syllable. Dont shortchange the giorni feriali (workdays)- the accent marks the stressed vowel of a word in Italian. 6. On a Roll If you can relate to the following statements, it should be obvious what troubles many who are learning to speak Italian: After several years of studying Italian I’m still unable to pronounce the letter RI would very much like to learn how to roll my Rs when I speak or sing ItalianDoes anyone have any tips on how to learn to roll your Rs? No matter how good my vocabulary or accent gets, this is a dead giveaway that Im a foreigner! Learning how to pronounce the letter r is a struggle for many, but remember: rrrrruffles have rrrrridges! 7. Italian Surnames Everyone knows how to pronounce their last name, right? In fact, posts on the About.com Italian Language forums such as how do I pronounce my last name Cangialosi? are common. Since surnames are obviously a point of pride, its not hard to understand why families would insist on pronouncing them a certain way. But second- and third-generation Italian Americans who have little or no knowledge of Italian are often unaware of how to correctly pronounce their last names, resulting in anglicized versions that bear little resemblance to the original form. When in doubt, ask a native Italian. 8. Its brus-KET-ta Dont correct me when I order. Too often, wait staff at Italian-American restaurants in the U.S. (and diners as well) dont know how to pronounce the word. In Italian, there is only one way to pronounce the letter c when followed by an h- as the English k. 9. The Morning Espresso Down that small cup of very strong coffee and jump on board the fast train to make an early morning meeting. But be sure to order an espresso from the barista, since an express(o) is a train. Its a common mistake heard everywhere, even on printed signs and menus. 10. Media Misinformation Advertising is pervasive nowadays, and because of its influence, it’s a common source of difficulty in pronouncing Italian. Jingles and taglines frequently mangle Italian words and Italian pronunciation beyond recognition, and brand-naming consultants invent pseudo-Italian names for products. Imitate at your own risk.

Blue Ocean Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Blue Ocean Strategy - Essay Example The overall concept of Blue Ocean Strategy is innovation. It is understood from the book that companies should identify, plan a strategy and create a business of which no competition exists. Kim and Renee (2005)2 divide the competitive business world into two segments of Red Ocean and Blue Ocean. It is further explained that 'Red Ocean' is the business world full of competition where the existing organizations compete with each other to acquire its share in the market whereas 'Blue Ocean' is the unidentified market area. The Blue Ocean is the space wherein the business is new in the market and has no threat of competition instead it has to create competition. The giants of particular commodity or product or services, who are termed as leader, find it difficult to survive in the competitive world of business without marketing. American Marketing Association has defined marketing as the performance of the business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producer to consumer or user. Marketing assists in identifying specific markets for products and services, guiding the development of products, packages, and services, etc. (Kumar)3 In blue ocean strategy this concept has a new meaning and a new method to implement in the firms. Blue ocean marketing concept proposes a method based on the segmented target group and the product development and marketing is based on the conduct of this group. The concept is good but cannot be fitted with all firms and their marketing procedures as it lack competition, which is vital in the marketing concept. (Kim and Renee, 2005)4 Marketing Strategy David (2007)5 states that creating a marketing strategy is only the first step towards the attainment of goal and after the strategy has been built; its solidarity has to be maintained to attract external stakeholders. He criticizes the marketing directors who are using B2B model while the others in the market have adopted real and valuable marketing strategies. The first principle of blue ocean strategy is to reconstruct market boundaries to create blue oceans so that it doesn't face any level of competitions and existence of competitors is zero. In order to create Blue Ocean, it becomes necessary to identify the threats and difficulties that make Red Ocean such a difficult world to live in. The red ocean companies are trapped in this area due to following reasons, 1) they define their industry similar to which exists in the market and try to provide the best other than others, 2) they try to and follow the strategic accepted methods, models, principles of developed and successful companies and strive to stand out in their strategic group, 3) as they produce similar products and provide service similar to that of the other industry, they focus the same consumer, which further makes the competition stiff and harder, 4) they define the scope of products and services similarly, 5) they accept the rules and regulations of the specific industry as they are governed by the governing body and functions accordingly and 6) some seasonal products produced by the companies will face stiff competition from its rivals as all the companies will

Indra Nooyi the Current CEO of PepsiCo Research Paper

Indra Nooyi the Current CEO of PepsiCo - Research Paper Example She launched her vision for the company with the motto â€Å"Performance with Purpose†, using her vast experience to promote a culture of change within the company. This has proved an integral strategy that will define her legacy, while her vision has significantly narrowed the company’s path for the foreseeable future (Annapoorna, 2011). Indra Nooyi has positively mastered various emotional intelligence competencies, including trustworthiness, adaptability, initiative, empathy, service orientation, and organizational awareness to succeed, which will be the focus of this paper. Indra Nooyi has proven to be a trustworthy leader with a real purpose and vision that her employees can believe in. While she is accountable ultimately to the shareholders at PepsiCo, it has been evident that she does not pander to Wall Street and is very clear about her goal to transform PepsiCo to a provider of healthy food and away from being a snack food firm (Cook & Glass, 2014). She has made this known through the prioritization of the environment, consumers, and her employees, considering a profit later, which has not been lost on her employees and management. The â€Å"Performance with Purpose† mission has formed the foundation for trust with her employees through its human sustainability, talent sustainability, and environmental sustainability aspects. By generating and balancing profits without loss of focus on her vision, the employees feel that the company has a secure future. This has also ensured that the employees focus on the company’s future and balance it with accountabilities and performance. Nooyi has given the employees a sense of purpose in knowing that they are making a difference while putting their future in the CEO’s hands for the future (Cook & Glass, 2014).  

Odysseus Characterization Paper Essay Example for Free

Odysseus Characterization Paper Essay In The Odyssey, the protagonist is a leader named Odysseus who goes on a journey with his crew to get back home to Ithaka from Troy, after the trojan war. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, the poet Homer, suggests that Odysseus is a superior leader which is revealed by Odysseuss, bravery, intelligence, and perseverance. Odysseuss bravery sets himself apart from other leaders. Odysseus has to display an example to his crew by inspiring them with his fearlessness. Odysseus illustrates his grit when he forces his crew to carry on with going to the underworld: â€Å"We must go/ to the cold homes of death and pale Persephone/ to hear Teiresias tell of time to come/ They felt so stricken, upon hearing this, / they sat down wailing loud, and tore their hair/But nothing came of giving way to grief/ Down to the shore the ship at last we went. † Homer 10. 623-625 . Odysseus showcases his hardiness when his crew does not want to go to the Underworld, but Odysseus presses on, while knowing that lost and terrifying souls await him. Odysseus’s fortitude spreads throughout his crew, if he is scared, his followers also feel fear. Without courage the team can not get home to Ithaka. In order to achieve his goal, the Odysseus needs to speak with Teiresias. Also Odysseus displays his fearlessness when he is trapped in the Kyklopss cave: â€Å"’Now, by the gods, I drove my big hand spike/ deep in the embers, charring it again,/ and cheered my men along with battle talk/ to keep their courage up: no quitting now/†(Homer 9. 06-409) . Odysseus exhibited superb pluck when executing his plan of blinding the Kyklops Had Odysseus not led his people by bravely heading the attack, his words would have meant nothing to the crew. For a leader to be â€Å"brave† he does not only have to be able do the impossible by himself, but he must also influence the people around him to continue on by his side. To be an epic leader intelligence is necessary. One can be brave, but without wit his courage may result in a poor decision. Odysseus uses his intellect to strategically send only three members of his crew to explore the land of the lotuss: â€Å"then I sent two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained† (Homer 9. 96-97). Odysseus knows that is the inhabitants are hostile he can lose his entire team, but this way he potentially risks only a fraction of his men. Decisions made by a leader without acuity are futile and may prove harmful to his constituents. Furthermore, Odysseus exemplifies his intelligence when instead of mindlessly slaughtering the suitors, he creates a plan to overcome the fact that he is outnumbered: â€Å"’Put aside two broadswords and two spears/ for our own to use, two oxhide shields nearby/ when we go into action. Pallas Athena, and Zeus All Provident will see you through, bemusing our young friends† (Homer 16. 352-358). Odysseus comes up with the plan to prepare weaponry for himself to ensure he had enough to destroy the suitors, while at the same time making sure the suitors do not acquire arms themselves. Although Odysseus wants to annihilate the suitors he keeps his motives in sight and manages to formulate the plan. The analytical ability to act in a difficult situation is essential for a good leader because the environment is ever changing and sometimes rapid decisions must be made. In the end Odysseuss scheme succeeds to provide arms for him and his accomplices, but the suitors are still able to gain weapons. Without perspicacity strength and bravery are nothing. What sets Odysseus apart from other Greek heroes is that he prefers to fight with his brain rather than with his brawn. Odysseuss reason also helps him make up for the fact that unlike the other Greek heroes, he does not have immortality. Lastly, Odysseuss perseverance made it possible for him to finally make it home to Ithaka, his persistence effects his crew which looks up to him for guidance. When Odysseus arrives home he describes what he had to endure to his wife Penelope: â€Å"’My lady, / what ordeals have we not endured! Here, waiting/ you had your grief, while my return dragged out-/ my hard adventures, pitting myself against/ the god’s will†¦ But now our life resumes: we’ve come together to our longed-for-bed†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Homer 23. 394-400). Both Odysseus and his wife have to cope with many challenges throughout Odysseuss 20 year absence. Even after his crew perished and he is left shipless, Odysseus does not give up. Likewise, when Odysseus has to sacrifice his men in a fight against Skylla, he grieves for his loss but he understands that he must push on : â€Å"Now I let go with hands and feet, plunging/ straight into the foam beside the timbers, /pulled astride, /and rowed hard with my hands/ to pass by Skylla†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Homer 9. 564-568). Odysseus is forced overboard into the raging ocean, but he continues to hope. After losing his crew and his ship Odysseus never sets the sight of his goal to reach home. If Odysseus gives up when the gods throw everything they have at him, his quest is impossible. Instead of cowering from his fears, Odysseus attacks them head on, thus proving he will not surrender to challenges until his final destination is reached. Due to his bravery, his intelligence, and his perseverance, Odysseus is depicted as a phenomenal leader in the epic poem The Odyssey. Odysseuss courage in the Kyklopss cave makes it possible for him and his crew to escape the beast. Without Odysseuss acumen it would be impossible for him to surpass the many suitors that ravaged his home. Most importantly, Odysseus carries on when all odds are against him. Without his dedication Odysseus would not be able to bypass the formidable monsters that block his path back home. Many modern leaders can take Odysseuss example; for instance, modern day politicians need to endure when tackling challenges that at times may seem unbeatable. The only way to try to make the world a better place is to solve monumental problems that affect out everyday lives, such as unemployment and conservation of our environment. We, the human race as a whole, are Odysseus and we need to challenge the Polyphemus, which the modern problems of our world.

Somerset Maugham Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Somerset Maugham Somerset Maugham was born on January 25, 1874 in Paris where his father was the solicitor to the British Embassy. However, he was orphaned at the age of ten and lived with his uncle, the vicar of Whitstable, in England. Maugham was educated in England studying literature and philosophy at Heidelberg University. In 1897 he qualified as a surgeon from St. Thomas’ medical school and practiced for a year in the slums of London. However, he abandoned medicine after the success of his first two novels. Maugham is best known as a successful novelist and playwright, but he never gained serious recognitions for his works. The young author lived in Paris for ten years before publishing his first novel Liza of Lambeth in 1897. His first play A Man of Honour went into production in 1903 and by 1904 four of his plays were running simultaneously in London. The plays were interested with social satire and he was considered an extremely gifted playwright during this time. These early successes provided a foundation for his later works. His semi-auto bibliographical breakthrough novel Of Human Bondage in 1915 is considered one of his best works. The story follows the life of Philip Carey who loses his parents early in life and tracks his progress into early manhood. In 1919, he published the novel Moon and Sixpence that was loosely based on the life and experiences of the painter Paul Gauguin. This French artist rejected the social contracts of European society and departed to Tahiti where his unconventional scenes of Tahitian life captured the interest and imagination of numerous Europeans. Maugh am himself made a trip to Tahiti to become better acquainted with the circumstances surrounding Gauguin’s experienc... ...ajor novels that Maugham wrote. There is also a list of all the works Maugham produced during his lifetime. Knitting Circle Somerset Maugham. South Bank University. 11 November 2002 http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/wsmaugham.html>. This is a South Bank University page that sums up some major events in Maugham’s life and focuses on the issue of his sexual preference. This page has highlights some key events between Maugham and Gerald Haxton. There is also a short list of Maugham’s works at the end of the page. Annotation: A fabulous reference site including philosophy resource links by historical time period, philosophic subject, tradition, or school of thought. Books: Bronowski, Jacob. The Origins of Knowledge and Imagination. Yale University Press. New Haven: 1978. Everson, Stephen. Epistemology. Cambridge University Press. New York: 1990.