Comparison of Jane Austen’s novels

Question: Does the Igbo culture fall apart solely because of external pressures of European Imperialism and Christianity or are there internal tensions that cause the culture to disintegrate? Answer: In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe explores the struggles between the old traditions of the Igbo community and the effects of Christianity on people of different calibers within that society. He also demonstrates the effects of one society thrust onto another. Before the introduction of Christianity by the white man, the Ibo society has been well-settled, with its own laws and strong religious beliefs. â€Å"The Second Coming† by William Butler Yeats describes a world about to reach yet another transition in its history, one much worse than the prior. Therefore, we observe the white man intruding the African religion which is pregnant with superstitions, and steering them towards destruction in a way that they feel it is a natural process. The Christian religion brings with itself a strong government and peaceful trade. The people become more prosperous and the white men started gaining converts. Specifically, after the church of Mr. Kiaga survives on the Evil Forest for over twenty-eight days, they won a handful more converts. Moreover, for the first time, they comprised of a woman named Nneka, the wife of Amadi. Nneka had suffered a lot on account of bearing twins and then losing them to the Evil Forest due to a perilous custom. Christianity is viewed as a refuge to keep her children. Moreover, Nwoye's feminine curiosity caused him to doubt and wonder about numerous things in Igbo culture that his father would not dwell on for long. These encapsulate the death of Ikemefuna and the abandoning of twins into the bush that cry until they die. Thereby, he sees Christianity as a solution to his problems and he seems to have found peace in leaving his father and the insensitive religion. However, the loss of old traditional values to the new religion leads to a whole new generation being lost as well. Furthermore, the internal conflict within the clan is so immense that it leads Okonkwo to thoughts of violence, destruction and war, which eventually result in the final destruction of his society. Evidence of this is seen when Obreika and Okonkwo are discussing how the white man has destroyed Abame, and how he is now doing so to Umofia, prompting Okonkwo to say, â€Å"Abame people are weak and foolish. Why did they not fight back? †¦We must fight these men and drive them from our land.† The division within the clan among those favouring the traditional and the new has built an animosity. When Okonkwo has thoughts of destroying the white man, it foreshadows a conflict and illustrates how much hatred power and division can cause. The power of internal separation is observed in its greatest advent at the very end. Observing what hatred has brought Okonkwo to, the rest of the clan surrenders to the white man and allows itself to be conquered or pacified as the white man claims. Not only they have the entire legacy of the subjects be eliminated, an entire culture and society as well. This vividly showcases the British policy of â€Å"Divide and Rule.† Nonetheless, it is the internal tensions that fuel disintegration in the Ibo culture. Had they not been disunited by the white man's eloquent oratory, they would have fought for their rights and land. The weak faith in gods and religion that a number of Igbo's possessed, led them to â€Å"accommodate change† and remain ignorant of the manipulative nature of the colonizers. This submissive attitude, an overpowering sense of inferiority coupled with lack of contact with the world outside, paved way for the external pressures i.e., Christianity and imperialism to enforce perennial domination on them.

Contemporary vs Society in 1984

A. P. English 12 21 March 2011 Contemporary Society vs. 1984 In his dystopian novel 1984, Orwell expresses his vision of the nearing future through a fictional plot. Within the plot, Winston Smith, the novel's protagonist, lives a life controlled entirely by a manipulative and exploitative government. He, embodies the stereotypical personality of each citizen of Oceania—a person who abides by the laws of the ruling Big Brother government. Through the developing setting and characterization of our protagonist, the reader is able to witness the numerous aspects of control, manipulation and exploitation exercised by the Party and Big Brother. As his frustrations with the Party's control of history and longing desire to meet with a female co-worker increase, Winston begins to question the society he once aimlessly conformed to and the laws he once followed. Through Winston’s ordeal, Orwell expresses his concerns with an exponentially expanding American government. Such gross violations of personal liberties have played a prominent role in America's past as well as in its present. While writing the novel, Orwell recollected his childhood experiences in an oppressed India and began to draw comparisons to the then-current state of America. During the 1940s, America experienced increased military involvement, significant expansion of the federal bureaucracy and world dominance. In turn, Orwell’s writing of 1984 seemingly serves a cautionary and educational purpose. Honest government may expand into an oppressive one if its citizens do not vigilantly monitor its activity. In contemporary society, Americans face similar circumstances to those subject to the environment portrayed in 1984. The unfortunate happenings of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11th, 2001 still affect Americans presently. Consequently, Americans knowingly placed greater trust in their government and sacrificed certain liberties for superior security. Resulting legislation, such as the Patriot Act of 2001, allows the US government to bypass certain privacy rights in order to ensure safety within the nation. During the summer of 1798, the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by congress brought the United States closer to a â€Å"Big Brother† institution than ever before. The Alien Act â€Å"authorized the president to arrest and deport aliens suspected of ‘treasonable' leanings† Davidson 219). With no clear definition as to what actually constitutes a â€Å"treasonable leaning,† the president could've forced someone out of the United States the instant they engaged in a form of anti-American protest. Surveillance cameras in most buildings and some public streets further demonstrates the constant and grim reality of governmental supervision. US troops are stationed throughout the Mi ddle East in addition to their already inhabited locations. Similar to those subject to the omniscient Big Brother government in 1984, Americans are controlled by specific qualities and principles, social constraints, manipulated by a homogenous and monopolized society and exploited by the falsified allure of the â€Å"American Dream. † â€Å"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. † (Orwell, p81). Such a simplistic definition of freedom misleads those striving for absolute freedom. In fact, American and Oceanian citizens share ultimate freedom if freedom was solely confined to its previously stated definition. However, the reader knows that those within Oceania are enslaved by their own totalitarian government. Therefore, freedom's true definition is much more complex and often contradictory. The contradictory nature of freedom and democracy proves the similarities between America and Oceania. Although not as radical of their 1984 counterparts, Americans defer to an elitist society to maintain their â€Å"freedom. † â€Å"In a paradox for democratic theory, the masses express the greatest confidence in the most elitist, nonelected branch of the government† (Dye 309). With greater confidence, comes blind trust. Since Americans allow a minority of elitists to dictate their society, true freedom and democracy cannot exist. Therefore, Americans are more like pawns that are governed by a select few, which was the reality of those subject to the Party, rather than the assumed impression that the majority controlled its own destiny. Throughout Orwell's novel, 1984, a fictional character named Big Brother exists. Throughout the town of Oceania are constant reminders of Big Brother's existence and his limitless oversight on the community. In addition to the sense of surveillance by Big Brother, telescreens within every household and microphones scattered across the town, further accentuate the lack of privacy within Oceania. Ultimately, in 1984, technology’s sole purpose was to intrude into each citizen's personal and private life. As technology further engulfs itself in modern society, aspects of 1984 are become more prominent. While telescreens are not exactly monitoring us every second of the day, many people are probably unaware of how public most of their private life really is. Between computers and security cameras, it really is not too hard for a member of some government agency to keep track of what someone does everyday. In contemporary society, human interaction and technology are becoming exceedingly intertwined. The rapid advancement of technology has allowed for the possibility of an inseparable combination of humans and technology. Upon writing his novel, Orwell extrapolated much of the detail about the technology within 1984 because of its unavailability or primitive features. The technology of modern society far exceeds that of 1984. If government could utilize lesser quality technology and control an entire population, what could amass if the technology were superior? Cell phones, computers, cameras, global positioning systems (GPSs) and other significant technological inventions in modern society have numerous benefits, but beget several drawbacks to ponder. Within each computer and cell phone are locating devices which allow the respected companies to observe the websites visited and the location of the each device. Wiretapping, legalized by the Patriot Act of 2001, permits governmental monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations to ensure safety. Surveillance cameras survey the actions of pedestrians to prevent crime. Although most of these cameras are operated by private businesses, privacy is still invaded. Realistically, the government’s use of technology as a means to intrude on American privacy is a definite possibility. In the past, and currently, the US government has used technology in order to ensure safety despite sacrificing certain liberties. With humans bearing a greater dependence on technology, the exploitation of technology by the government would prove devastating and irreversible. â€Å"War was a sure safeguard of sanity, and so far as the ruling classes were concerned it was probably the most important of all safeguards. While wars could be won or lost, no ruling class could be completely irresponsible† (Orwell 198). The focal point of the Oceania’s economy was its overextending military. The constant war, overshadowed by the developing plot involving Winston, provides justification and a safeguard against its citizens. The purpose in participating in a perpetual war is to consume human labor and commodities. Without commodities, Oceania is able to justify their engagement in an unwinnable and â€Å"necessary† war. In addition, constant warfare keeps the population fearful, and creates emergency conditions whereby the government can expand its powers. People, manipulated into fear, will respond more favorably to regulations in times of war. Accompanying the sacrifice of personal liberties, following the distressing events on September 11th, 2001, includes an extension of military activity. First beginning with Former President Bush, and current President Obama, the US Army is combative throughout the world, specifically the Middle East, in its attempt to curtail acts of terrorism. Seemingly, as in the case with Oceania, the United States is continuously in a warring state. When peace is made with one country, war is claimed or threatened on another nation to continue a military presence. The Department of Defense, comparable to the Minister of Peace, allocates the largest level of budgetary resources and coordinates the activity of the United States armed forces. Not counting the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Defense budget is expected to be $553 billion in 2012, up from $549 billion in 2011† (Factor 24). In addition, the Department of Defense posts useless statistics, incorrect economic predictions, and slanted opinions polls. The most infamous example of incorrect statistics and bias speech was Former President Bush’s Mission Accomplished speech. In spite of the continuing warfare, Bush stated this was the end to major combat operations in Iraq. Certain aspects of the Oceania war machine further manipulate the actions of the Oceanian citizens. The government of Oceania, orchestrated by the Party, influences its citizens into believing that they have a common enemy in the Brotherhood, specifically Goldstein. The Two Minutes of Hate, a daily period in which Party members of Oceania must watch a film depicting The Party's enemies, entices mob action and a blind expression of hate. The picture of Goldstein comes up on the screen, while the people scream in anger and horror at the image. Goldstein, they are told, is everywhere and must be destroyed. The similarities to modern society are more real than apparent and speak to what has been happening in the United States since World War II. Each significant event in history has seen evil characters that have been determined on destroying â€Å"the American way of life. † During World War 2, Adolph Hitler and Josef Stalin led the rise of fascism and against democratic principles. During the Red Scare, Mao Tse-Tung of China disturbed American peace with communists influence on the American public. During the Arms Race, Lenoid Brehznev of the USSR challenged the social integrity of America. During the 1980s, Saddam Hussein of Iraq and now Bin Laden promoted use of terrorist attacks to harm Americans. Like Goldstein in Oceania, each man menaced society, striking fear and hatred into the peoples’ hearts. After their deaths, American society was not safer and soon after a replacement continued to terrorize America. Ultimately, the Party’s slogan â€Å"War is Peace† perfectly represents their exploitation of war and stronghold over their citizens. Through the expression of the slogan, the Party contends that in times of war, Oceania is at peace. Such a contradictory statement provides an example of the Party’s use of â€Å"double think† and manipulation of the people. Oceania – the Party – is able to remain at peace during times of war because of a war’s natural temperament. War acts as a means to ensure a stagnant social structure and prevent true socialism. War, specifically in 1984, guarantees a destruction of produce (Orwell 191). With a scarcity of produce, economic disparity becomes apparent and overprotection of produce becomes unlikely. Thus, the Party is â€Å"at peace† because revolution or any social change is improbable. Similarly, war has a parallel effect in modern society. In times of war, America is economically and socially stable. War creates an abundance of jobs which distills any opposition from the lower class which has an innate tendency to protest the actions of the highest class (Orwell 199). Industries rejoice as the government agrees to purchase any and all military related goods. The government expands its power by restricting several personal liberties which are voluntarily and willingly bequeathed by the people. The nation rallies around a common enemy, fueled by propaganda, and confidence in its government reaches a pinnacle. War establishes peace to authorities dictating the path of the nation: War is peace. Throughout 1984, the Party, in accordance with the Ministry of Truth manipulates its control of the past and rewrites history. In rewriting history, the Party ensures the completion of one of its slogan: â€Å"Ignorance is Strength. † The constant change of the â€Å"truth: and destruction of supporting records, allows the Party to keep its citizens ignorant of its true actions. Thus, the Party avoids confrontation with questioning and aware citizens. To address those unaffiliated with the Party, the Party ses a more indirect approach to keep the Proles ignorant. With guaranteed liberties, the Proles are content with their uncommon privileges and do not seek to interrupt their happiness and therefore do not challenge the Party. According to the Party, promoting ignorance prevents doubt and creates a powerful strength in the idea. The only way to keep an idea strong is to remove all suspicion of doubt. If one has no reason to question a belief, then that belief will remain despite its unreasonableness. And if this lack of questioning can become indefinite, then the belief is also indefinite. In American history, some events are understated, while others are overstated to glorify patriotism or conform to modern belief. Most recently, President Bush’s vacillation through several reasons to invade Iraq provide an example of understatement and deceit in politics. Initially, President Bush stated that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction which would prove harmful to Americans in the near future. After no weapons of mass destruction were found, President Bush stated that then President Saddam Hussein had anthrax and other biological harmful weapons. Anthrax was found in Iraq; however, the United States did not mention that the same anthrax was sold to Iraq by America. President Bush, then, justified the military activity in Iraq by claiming to fight terrorism and spread democracy. Congressmen, who supported the War of Terrorism, eventually reversed their opinions of the war and stated that the President and the Department of Defense provided inaccurate accounts of the terrorist activity in Iraq. President Bush’s waving between his reasoning to invade Iraq demonstrates an ability to keep Americans ignorant of the true motives of US invasion in Iraq. In 1984, there was an obvious separation of wealth. The London that Winston Smith calls home is a dilapidated, rundown city in which buildings are crumbling, conveniences such as elevators never work, and necessities such as electricity and plumbing are extremely unreliable. The grimy urban decay offers insight into the Party’s priorities through its contrast to the immense technology the Party develops to spy on its citizens. The conditions O’Brien, an Inner Party member, lived with greatly differed from the livelihood of Winston. O’Brien’s home was ornately furnished and enjoyed the likeness of cigars, coffee and tea. In modern society, the trend continues. The wealthy can afford to live lavishly, while the poor can barely afford to live. The concentration of wealth significantly favors the elitists. Those poor, in America and Oceania, ignorantly misuse their money on lotteries with the false hope of becoming wealthy. Despite being regarded as a fictional novel, 1984 and its portrayal of a controlling and exploitative government are comparable to the current conditions of modern society. Through Winston’s characterization, Orwell expresses his concerns with an exponentially expanding American government and a foreseeable future. Orwell, as told through 1984, envisioned a world of constant surveillance, where the privacy of the individual was virtually extinct. Although the technology he predicted seems unsophisticated, the concept of surveillance is applicable. Naturally, as the government expands, intrusion on the personal lives of its citizens is becoming accessible and simple. The use of technology, such as computers and cell phones, is becoming greatly intertwined in human interaction and everyday life. These advances in technology can be interpreted both positively and negatively. Legislations, such as the Patriot Act (2001) and the Alien and Sedition Act, have given the government an almost limitless means to interrogate radical thinkers. With the initial reading of this polemic book, Orwell’s work was subjected to pillory of all sorts; however as society has let time take its course it seems that those who criticized this work were the most jejune of all, about our Lugubrious society.

The GI Bill of Rights Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The GI Bill of Rights - Term Paper Example The World War II veterans had an inordinate impact on the society. The US economy benefitted immensely by their services. Civil labor went up on statistics charts as the returning veterans put down their guns and started working just like other civilians. The returning veterans not only served as laborers but a significant number also went to various educational institutes with the incentives provided by the GI Bill. The returning veterans probably realized the importance of education. This show of determination is worth praising because many soldiers were picked for war services while they were graduating and therefore could not continue their studies. Their education was interrupted by the war and the G I Bill allowed them to return to school when the war was over. The GI Bill was different from other legal bills as it focused not on any tangible assets of the US citizens; instead, it focused on the intangible and the most important asset: the human brain. The bill liberated minds and pushed people to think freely and to pursue their thoughts. It was similar to teaching someone how to catch fish instead of hand feeding them. The GI Bill caused a silent revolution, not by forcing people out of their homes but by liberating their thoughts and suggesting to them to discover their own path. The returning veterans benefitted from this bill and the institutions got the freedom to teach in the way they prefer. That was the right way to deal with the great potential of the returning veterans. The author Michael Bennett tries to highlight various aspects of the GI Bill. He shows that this bill had more meaning and significance than what it is normally credited for. Bennett argues that the GI Bill served the US society in many ways. It let the educational institutes conduct their teachings and research programs the way they wanted. The bill never interfered in their business; instead, it gave them the freedom to enhance their strategies and make them more productive. I t gave the colleges an expanded student body and more funding. The strategy was either you made it or you flunked out. Colleges and universities grew dramatically during this era. Â  As a result of the GI Bill, the educational institutes became more accommodating to students of all backgrounds. Race, gender, and religion were no longer the hurdles and education was available to all. The beauty of the bill that the author highlights is when the war veterans returned from the battlefield, they had become accustomed to multicultural environment. And when Universities allowed students of all races to get educated, the veterans experienced a similar melting pot atmosphere they experienced during the war. The GI Bill had more impact on class than race. Before WWII college was mostly for the wealthy. The GI Bill allowed men who never thought they could afford college an opportunity and that include black men, but colleges in the South were segregated by race and in the North black student s were very much in the minority. The author argues that the returning veterans had to face financially challenging atmosphere upon their return home and the GI Bill helped them in more than one way to get them back on their feet. For instance, Les Faulk of Turtle Creek, a returning veteran

Marketing Analysis of Porsche Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Analysis of Porsche - Case Study Example The traditional Porsche customer typically consists of a small group of financially successful and high achievers in their field of work. They see themselves apart from the real world, which inspires people to different levels (Kotler and Armstrong, 2012, pg 186). They are also achievers and is conscious of their status. The buyer of a Cayenne or a Panamera, on the other hand, is one that has moved into a new life stage that needs to haul more people and stuff but still maintains its exclusivity and still fit the achiever profile of a regular Porsche buyer. They are the same successful people who may have settled down to have a family and thus wanted to have a bigger car for their family without losing their sense of exclusivity. In the case of emerging market such as China, the Cayenne and Panamera customers consider the car to be stylish but who may also enable to make a quick getaway if necessary. The concept from the chapter that explains why Porsche sold so many lower-priced models in the 1970s and 1980s is the concept of creating and capturing customer value. Its management thought that there were not enough buyers to keep the company afloat and begun to worry about the quirky nature of their traditional customs. So they created the entry-level Porsche 914 and 944 as lower-priced models. This strategy was an attempt to create more customers by offering value to them as explained in part 1 of the book. The management thought that by offering more value to the lower segment of the market, they would expand their customer base through scale and thus, keep the company afloat.Experience, however, has shown that this strategy backfired because it undermines the exclusivity appeal of the Porsche brand.Porsche’s brand appeal lies in its exclusivity.   This however elicited a positive and negative attitude toward the brand by its customers.  Ã‚  Ã‚  

East African trade route Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

East African trade route - Essay Example Other effects of the trade routes include a cultural interaction from diverse traditions. The evidence to the effects of the trade routes includes the development of the Swahili culture and language. The historic period dates to the year 600 A.D. This paper will analyze the emergence and growth of the slave trade. The analysis context will entail the associated contribution of the trade routes to the history of Africa. The development of the power states in the East African cost emerged from the conquest of the Nubian population by the Axum kingdom (Shillington 191). The Axum king absorbed Christianity as a religion by converting. A later detest by Islam led to the fall of the Axum kingdom. This change followed by the spread of Islam along the states. A later development consisted of single caravans that supplied raw materials and merchandise to India through the Persian Gulf. As a result, the Portuguese spread Christianity to the African countries through the same trade routes (Gilbert & Jonathan 211). The Portuguese demanded manpower to work in Latin America states. This requirement activated the lucrative slave trade along the East African trade route. The trade attracted other states like the Dutch and the Brutish powers. The two states ventured into the East African route under separate mandates. The East African trade route served as a major operation line for nations from other continents. The water channel provided a direct route of caravans transporting gold from Zimbabwe and slaves from the coastline states. The trade route also served as a reinforcement channel for military expeditions from Goa in India. The British also used the trade route to conquer some of the African states like Kenya. The trade routes enabled the spread of Christianity by the Portuguese into the interior parts of Africa. The water channels aided in the expedition of African formerly referred to as the Dark Continent (Visonà 178). The history

Entrepreneurship and Small business. MKT2290 Essay

Entrepreneurship and Small business. MKT2290 - Essay Example The corporate strategy plays a significant role at building a bridge between the company’s inner policies and the undertakings it has with the various stakeholders, who could be from the external marketing settings. (Korzeniowski, 2001) In the world of today, external marketing environment has gained a lot of essence due to the fact that it brings into picture the real role of the channel members, middle line managers and wholesalers as well as other personnel who do their bit towards completing different activities and tasks, coming directly under the auspices of the organization’s hold. (Applbaum, 2004) What is therefore necessary in such a situation is to be open to all forms of criticisms which could be raised by the various stakeholders and parties hailing from the external marketing environment and the related regimes. This will present the said organization with a host of options when it devises a plan to counter the problems which it is facing at the hands of the external marketing environment and the different players present within the very same environmental settings. Problems stumbled upon by the business at one region or at a local franchise would mean that the company should be ready to bear lo sses of an unimaginable cost. More than that, the company will lose its self-won respect and dignity around which shareholders and owners, etc are revolving around. Long range planning can help a particular company gain so much in accordance with its goals and objectives that had been planned and drafted but in the current times more and more attention and emphasis is making the rounds of the discussion as to whether these plans can actually deliver what was expected of them in the first place. Now we shift to the methodology and rationale behind building competitive advantage. This is something that is build over time and requires synchronization between the

Cross-Cultural Awareness Respond to question Essay - 1

Cross-Cultural Awareness Respond to question - Essay Example adership’ in their areas of expertise.  Both the leaderships of various organizations and the workforce having little influence anticipate free flow of information through participatory communication. At 80 China occupies a higher ranking on the PDI scale. The society believes that social and economic disparities amongst people are normal. The relationship between subordinates and their seniors seems to be ineffective and thus the society is prone to misuse of authority by the high and mighty. Individuals tend to honor formal leadership and orders and are usually upbeat about people’s competence for management initiatives. Chinese believe people should restrain their ambitions to their current position, especially in the corporate world. According to Adler (2008), individualism primarily connotes the level of interdependence amongst members of a society. It involves whether people refer to themselves individually or collectively. In an Individualist system, people are expected to look after themselves and their nearest and dearest only. Collectivist societies on the other hand witness people organize themselves in groups that fulfill their interests in exchange for allegiance. The United States scores 91 on this measure. This means the American culture is highly individualistic. Adler (2008) avers that the American culture is loosely-knit, and as a result people take care of themselves and those who are close to them. Americans have a high affinity to covering large distances and doing business with members of different cultures. In the corporate world, employees tend to be their own bosses, especially in their various capacities or areas of expertise. Good work eventually may earn them promotion. At 20, China is a highly communalist society where decisions are made by groups rather than individuals. In the group scenario, employee hiring and job promotions tend to be based on family and friendship ties.   Employees tend to be less committed to the