The Namesake

Cultural traditions, migration, family and identity are issues which emerge throughout the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. How have various literary techniques been used to show that these issues play a major role in an individual experiencing a sense of belonging or not belonging. It is evident that a number of issues can greatly affect a person’s sense of belonging in particular personal experiences and cultural background.Throughout Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake a number of these issues emerge and have been presented to play a major role in an individual discovering their true identity while concurrently experiencing a sense of belonging or not belonging. A range of various literary techniques including intertextuality, motifs and juxtaposition have been utilised throughout the novel to illustrate the factors that influence a person’s sense of belonging and in some cases a person’s sense of isolation.The reference to the short story The Overco at written by Ashoke’s favourite author Nikolai Gogol has been used as both a motif and a form of intertextuality throughout the novel. The Overcoat is first mentioned in chapter one when Ashoke recalls his near death experience in a train accident. It is believed that because Ashoke was clutching the pages of The Overcoat in his hand that he was found among the wreckage of the train and ‘reborn’.This personal experience played an important role in shaping Ashoke’s identity which in turn allowed him to develop a great sense of adventure which enabled him to travel to a land far away from his own and be ‘Born twice in India and once in America’. It can also be suggested that this personal experience influenced Ashoke’s ability to experience a strong sense of belonging wherever he goes. The Overcoat is again mentioned numerous times throughout the novel mainly in relation to Gogol Ganguli’s personal sense of belonging.Gogol’ s namesake is in fact Nikolai Gogol and it was the short story which had influenced the naming of ‘Baby boy Ganguli’. Although there is no connection between Gogol Ganguli and Nikolai Gogol, Ganguli’s sense of belonging is greatly affected by Nikolai’s own identity. Gogol Ganguli feels that he must live according to his namesake who was considered ‘insane’ and this concurrently creates a sense of disconnection within Gogol during his high school years. After discovering the true meaning of his name, Gogol asks his father if he thinks of the night he almost died whenever he thinks of him – ‘Is that what you think of when you think of me? , ‘Do I remind you of that night? ’, to which his father reassures him that he does not. However because of this Gogol forms a sense of isolation and regret towards his father while simultaneously realising the importance of life and family.This sense of isolation is then contrasted to the sense of belonging that is developed later in the novel when Gogol Ganguli changes his name to Nikhil Ganguli in order to gain acceptance and a stronger sense of belonging within the American community.The Overcoat is also a motif that is used to symbolise the importance of identity and personal experience and the role these two factors play in securing a person’s sense of belonging or not belonging. It is evident throughout the novel that there are a number of motifs used that represent issues surrounding the main character and his family. The first of these motifs is manifested on the first pages of the novel where Ashima is said to be making a concoction of ‘Rice Krispies and Planters Peanuts and chopped red onion in a bowl’ to which ‘she adds salt, lemon juice, thin slices of green chili peppers’.It is said that this snack created by Ashima is a humble approximation of the snack that is sold for pennies on Calcutta sidewalks and railway plat forms throughout India. This food motif emphasise the isolation that Ashima is currently experiencing as a result of her recent migration to a land foreign to her, America. Although Ashima’s craving of the snack commonly found in Calcutta emphasises her disconnection and isolation from her homeland, this sense of isolation is eventually replaced with belonging as her community of Bengali friends begins to grow later in the novel.Later the food motif is once again made evident through the gathering and sharing of traditional Bengali food between the Ganguli’s and other Bengali families. These recurring references to traditional Bengali foods reinforces the idea that migration, cultural background and traditions plays a major role in creating a sense of disconnection and eventual belonging. Similarly trains are a key motif within the novel and are first introduced in hapter two when Ashoke recalls his near death experience in a horrific train accident which did physicall y immobilize him momentarily but eventually acted as source of independence and crucial motive in his want for a better life away from his homeland. The motif of the train is then manifested when Ashima gains independence for the first time when riding it alone, although she is alone Ashima feels a sense of belonging to the American community to which she now belongs to. This event is eventually contrasted to her leaving behind presents she bought for her deceased father on the train.Because of this Ashima now creates a great sense of loss as well as disconnection from her homeland, culture and family. For Gogol the train acts as a setting for which his most important relationships have been established in turn providing him with a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is then contrasted to the sense of disconnection and hurt he later experiences when he discovers the affair between his wife Moushimi and another man whilst on a train. The key motif of the train within The Name sake can be seen as a symbol for change and advancing.This motif is also used to express how personal experiences and relationships can greatly affect a person’s identity and in turn influence their sense of belonging or isolation. The use of juxtaposition throughout the novel The Namesake to contrast each characters sense of belonging. It is also used to emphasise the affect cultural traditions, migration, family and identity have on a person’s sense of belonging. The American culture is greatly contrasted to the traditional Bengali culture to which the Ganguli’s belong to. The two cultures are vastly different in many aspects of life including food, morals and family simply to name a few.The Ganguli’s diaspora from Calcutta has resulted in their sense of disconnection and isolation from society as well as from their family back home. Their lifestyle back home within the Bengali culture has been greatly compared to the lifestyle which they now live in Am erica. Juxtaposition has also been used throughout the novel to contrast the different identities in which the characters have. It can be noticed that Ashoke has a rather strong sense of identity as does Sonia, however Ashima can be viewed as a person who is torn between two worlds whilst Gogol’s dentity is rather confused. From this it can be gather that each characters identity shapes their sense of belonging and this is once again reiterated through the use of juxtaposition. By utilising literary techniques including intertextuality, motifs and juxtaposition Jhumpa Lahiri has successfully addressed issues such as cultural traditions, migration, family and identity while concurrently demonstrating how such issues play a major role on influencing a person’s sense of belonging or not belonging.It is palpable to acknowledge the fact that personal experiences, relationships, time and cultural traditions play an important role in shaping a person’s personal identit y that can in turn influence a person’s sense of belonging and in some cases not belonging. By using the previously mentioned literary techniques, Jhumpa Lahiri has effectively represented this idea in her award winning novel The Namesake. The Namesake Cultural traditions, migration, family and identity are issues which emerge throughout the novel The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. How have various literary techniques been used to show that these issues play a major role in an individual experiencing a sense of belonging or not belonging. It is evident that a number of issues can greatly affect a person’s sense of belonging in particular personal experiences and cultural background.Throughout Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake a number of these issues emerge and have been presented to play a major role in an individual discovering their true identity while concurrently experiencing a sense of belonging or not belonging. A range of various literary techniques including intertextuality, motifs and juxtaposition have been utilised throughout the novel to illustrate the factors that influence a person’s sense of belonging and in some cases a person’s sense of isolation.The reference to the short story The Overco at written by Ashoke’s favourite author Nikolai Gogol has been used as both a motif and a form of intertextuality throughout the novel. The Overcoat is first mentioned in chapter one when Ashoke recalls his near death experience in a train accident. It is believed that because Ashoke was clutching the pages of The Overcoat in his hand that he was found among the wreckage of the train and ‘reborn’.This personal experience played an important role in shaping Ashoke’s identity which in turn allowed him to develop a great sense of adventure which enabled him to travel to a land far away from his own and be ‘Born twice in India and once in America’. It can also be suggested that this personal experience influenced Ashoke’s ability to experience a strong sense of belonging wherever he goes. The Overcoat is again mentioned numerous times throughout the novel mainly in relation to Gogol Ganguli’s personal sense of belonging.Gogol’ s namesake is in fact Nikolai Gogol and it was the short story which had influenced the naming of ‘Baby boy Ganguli’. Although there is no connection between Gogol Ganguli and Nikolai Gogol, Ganguli’s sense of belonging is greatly affected by Nikolai’s own identity. Gogol Ganguli feels that he must live according to his namesake who was considered ‘insane’ and this concurrently creates a sense of disconnection within Gogol during his high school years. After discovering the true meaning of his name, Gogol asks his father if he thinks of the night he almost died whenever he thinks of him – ‘Is that what you think of when you think of me? , ‘Do I remind you of that night? ’, to which his father reassures him that he does not. However because of this Gogol forms a sense of isolation and regret towards his father while simultaneously realising the importance of life and family.This sense of isolation is then contrasted to the sense of belonging that is developed later in the novel when Gogol Ganguli changes his name to Nikhil Ganguli in order to gain acceptance and a stronger sense of belonging within the American community.The Overcoat is also a motif that is used to symbolise the importance of identity and personal experience and the role these two factors play in securing a person’s sense of belonging or not belonging. It is evident throughout the novel that there are a number of motifs used that represent issues surrounding the main character and his family. The first of these motifs is manifested on the first pages of the novel where Ashima is said to be making a concoction of ‘Rice Krispies and Planters Peanuts and chopped red onion in a bowl’ to which ‘she adds salt, lemon juice, thin slices of green chili peppers’.It is said that this snack created by Ashima is a humble approximation of the snack that is sold for pennies on Calcutta sidewalks and railway plat forms throughout India. This food motif emphasise the isolation that Ashima is currently experiencing as a result of her recent migration to a land foreign to her, America. Although Ashima’s craving of the snack commonly found in Calcutta emphasises her disconnection and isolation from her homeland, this sense of isolation is eventually replaced with belonging as her community of Bengali friends begins to grow later in the novel.Later the food motif is once again made evident through the gathering and sharing of traditional Bengali food between the Ganguli’s and other Bengali families. These recurring references to traditional Bengali foods reinforces the idea that migration, cultural background and traditions plays a major role in creating a sense of disconnection and eventual belonging. Similarly trains are a key motif within the novel and are first introduced in hapter two when Ashoke recalls his near death experience in a horrific train accident which did physicall y immobilize him momentarily but eventually acted as source of independence and crucial motive in his want for a better life away from his homeland. The motif of the train is then manifested when Ashima gains independence for the first time when riding it alone, although she is alone Ashima feels a sense of belonging to the American community to which she now belongs to. This event is eventually contrasted to her leaving behind presents she bought for her deceased father on the train.Because of this Ashima now creates a great sense of loss as well as disconnection from her homeland, culture and family. For Gogol the train acts as a setting for which his most important relationships have been established in turn providing him with a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is then contrasted to the sense of disconnection and hurt he later experiences when he discovers the affair between his wife Moushimi and another man whilst on a train. The key motif of the train within The Name sake can be seen as a symbol for change and advancing.This motif is also used to express how personal experiences and relationships can greatly affect a person’s identity and in turn influence their sense of belonging or isolation. The use of juxtaposition throughout the novel The Namesake to contrast each characters sense of belonging. It is also used to emphasise the affect cultural traditions, migration, family and identity have on a person’s sense of belonging. The American culture is greatly contrasted to the traditional Bengali culture to which the Ganguli’s belong to. The two cultures are vastly different in many aspects of life including food, morals and family simply to name a few.The Ganguli’s diaspora from Calcutta has resulted in their sense of disconnection and isolation from society as well as from their family back home. Their lifestyle back home within the Bengali culture has been greatly compared to the lifestyle which they now live in Am erica. Juxtaposition has also been used throughout the novel to contrast the different identities in which the characters have. It can be noticed that Ashoke has a rather strong sense of identity as does Sonia, however Ashima can be viewed as a person who is torn between two worlds whilst Gogol’s dentity is rather confused. From this it can be gather that each characters identity shapes their sense of belonging and this is once again reiterated through the use of juxtaposition. By utilising literary techniques including intertextuality, motifs and juxtaposition Jhumpa Lahiri has successfully addressed issues such as cultural traditions, migration, family and identity while concurrently demonstrating how such issues play a major role on influencing a person’s sense of belonging or not belonging.It is palpable to acknowledge the fact that personal experiences, relationships, time and cultural traditions play an important role in shaping a person’s personal identit y that can in turn influence a person’s sense of belonging and in some cases not belonging. By using the previously mentioned literary techniques, Jhumpa Lahiri has effectively represented this idea in her award winning novel The Namesake.

Politics of Volkswagen Essay

One can be forgiven for overlooking the categories of cars when asked about politics in one’s country – they seemed too commonplace and mundane to be considered anything political. In the mainstream thought, cars are a means of transportation, to travel from one point to another. Some conservationists may argue on the environmental agenda, while others may think of cars as one of the main industries driving the economy. Nothing more is thought of these mean machines that move the world. Yet, the history cars possess has political backgrounds, given that they were considered technological advancements in their early days. Using Volkswagen as the main case study, this paper will examine cars in a political-visual aspect and the impact they have on the people through the ages. It will also consider the consequences of the car – the economical impact by the car industry, environmental impact by the car and the different law and policies enacted for the car and the us ers. Last but not least, the iconic Volkswagen Beetle will be featured and explained on its influence on the lives of many. As this paper attempts to cover a lot of ground, the focus will be on the impact by Volkswagen on the world. The History of Volkswagen The Fà ¼hrer addressed the nation on the Volkswagen. It is understood that the term ‘Volkswagen’ was a brainchild of Adolf Hitler, the Fà ¼hrer of the Nazi Germany. However, what is less understood is how Volkswagen came about. The supposed ‘People’s Car’ was more than political rhetoric; it was a determination in Hitler’s political ambitions to provide the car to the masses in a time where the Car was out of reach and seemingly for the elite. Although there were cars from the rival companies, like the Mercedes 170H, the Volkswagen was a car company started off from scratch, fueled by the designs by the Chief Designer, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Brought together by a car salesman, Jakob Werlin, both Hitler and Porsche discussed ideas of this new project that the Nazi government was willing to embark on. Though there were strong skepticism from the Society of German Automobile Manufacturers and the preparations were taking longer than usual, the interest for the Volkswagen never died down. Herr Wilhe lm von Opel, the owner of the Volkswagen’s rival Opel, produced a similar car for the mass public in 1936. Hitler quickly doused water on the Opel project by taking its key supplies of iron and steel under the control of Nazi government, thus making the 1,000 Marks Volkswagen Project a possibility. Along with the Nazi might, the Volkswagen project was rolling with estate, funds and supplies from the Nazi Government. The Fà ¼hrer and committee were led around on the inspection of the Volkswagen. The significance of Volkswagen as a car project is of huge importance here. The term ‘People’s Car’ was no longer a catchphrase for the politicians; it was not bait for the people, but something tangible for the people to admire and work towards. This worked well with the Germans – they were under hard times and the conceptualization of a People’s Car would be the best form of motivation to work hard to join the ranks of developed nations after the double fiasco of World War 1 reparations and the Great Depression. Towards the end of the decade, exhibitions of the car prototypes were present throughout every Nazi parade, giving the German people hope that they soon could afford the car. Never has an image of a car fuelled public hopes, this contributed to a fervent support for the Nazi rule. The Prototypes: The three ready-made prototypes for public viewing. The Volkswagen Project was almost dead at the end of the World War, but for a Major Ivan Hirst and Dr. Heinz Nordhoff, who later became the Managing Director of Volkswagen. The Nazi Government no longer existed; the political mantra behind the project was no longer applicable. The name was also no longer linked to the Nazi government, although its history was steeped in the Nazi programs. Yet, despite all these, the Volkswagen brand and group went to influence the world in different ways, sticking strictly to the philosophy behind its name – the People’s Car. Visuals of Volkswagen Throughout the decades of Volkswagen, the strong advertisements and pictorials of Volkswagen proved popular with people around the world, starting with Germany. The early days of Volkswagen was during the Hitler period and he managed to get 300,000 Germans to sign up for the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† (Kraft Durch Freude) savings scheme for the Volkswagen. Although this did not result in any form of Volkswagen supplied, it was an indication on how strong the demand for the Volkswagen was. English translation: 5 Marks a week you need to save, if you want to own a car. The poster all around Nazi Germany was like the above, where the â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† movement was in place. The savings scheme was a motivation to achieve the desired People’s Car and for a lot of the working class Germans, this proved to be hugely popular. English Translation: â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† Calendar 1939. The Calendar was one of the many tools to get the Germans interested in the Volkswagen. After the revival of the company, the phenomenon spread to America, where the impression of Volkswagen was hugely popular with the middle-class folks. This set the impression that the Volkswagen was indeed a People’s Car. The association with diplomats increased the prestige of the Volkswagen. Volkswagen has brought prestige, once associated with the elites, down to the man on the street. Volkswagen was known to have such teasing ad designs in America, and was not afraid to include celebrities or bring in creative artwork with cheeky descriptions. This escalated the Volkswagen brand to a cult, with different subcultures following it, namely the â€Å"Hippies† movement with the Volkswagen Beetle. Volkswagen, with its range of iconic cars, managed to inspire liberalist thinking amongst the people while ensuring the capitalist ideal existed – hard-earned money for a well-deserved reward. The Symbol of Volkswagen The Volkswagen Logo over the years The symbol of Volkswagen has not visibly changed much over the years, as the recognizable â€Å"VW† has been the signature of the brand. The â€Å"Strength-through-Joy† logo had similarities to the Nazi swastika when it first came out, heavily associating it with the brand of Nazi programs. When the British took over, the car logo was kept along with the name, despite it being a Nazi relic as any form of car was not presented to the people under the Nazi rule and no other company wanted to take over the company, given the â€Å"ugly† design of the renamed Volkswagen Beetle. Since then, the Volkswagen brand has become the third largest automobile firm in the world. When people see the Volkswagen logo, they think of the superiority of the car made affordable to the people rather than its Nazi past. The Impact of Volkswagen Through clever marketing and a strong ethos, the Volkswagen philosophy managed to sell well to the people. Yet, there is an underlying political message to be derived from the sale of Volkswagen cars, the ideal People’s Car. Having a Volkswagen on the street would represent the reality of the common man achieving his dreams of finally owning one. This would represent a political message on two different grounds – the governmental and the individual. One of the definitions of the rich was to own a car. The car would represent the luxury of being affluent – the comfort, the convenience and the social status. The masses could only look on with envy as they proceeded on with their daily lives looking at the rich in shiny transportation while the rich looked down on them from high carriages. This impression struck a chord in the common man’s mind while he raged a revolution in different places – turning monarchies into anything but it. As such, governmen ts would like to ensure that the population would not throw a revolution – the symbol of a Volkswagen would provide a perfect crowd pleaser to the population then. For the government these days, the appeal of Volkswagen still exists: the existence of a Volkswagen in many countries still provides the same effect on the people – it’s their car. As long as the Volkswagen is on the street, the government has done their ‘supposed’ job to provide cheap transportation to the people. To the people, beyond the dreams of owning a car, the Volkswagen represents a capitalist dream. The Hitler years notwithstanding, the modern Volkswagen represents a new class of citizens, who will be rewarded with what they have earned thus far. From the above visuals, the brand Volkswagen brings about a new breed of ideal citizens – the ones that capitalism will reward. The individual is now laden with a hope of owning a car and that to own the â€Å"People’s Car†, one will have to abide by the laws of capitalism to achieve the ‘dream’. Working hard to earn the income to pay for the price for the car, it has bro ught about the capitalist dream to the people in the subtlest of ways. Economical Impact of Cars The impact of automobile industry has affected the entire world – whether it’s through the factories that the car firms set up in America, Germany, Japan or Thailand or through the different industries spawned or assisted by the automobile industry. The significance of the economical impact of cars cannot be discounted. With reference to Volkswagen, the understanding of economical impact of cars visually will be split amongst two different groups: the government and the different complementing industries. From the point of view of the government, the car industry presents itself as a huge economy boost. The once-thriving Detroit, the car town of America, was a major industry with huge employment rates, driven by the huge American consumer market, where over three quarters of the 200 million automobiles are cars. The view of fully filled car parks waiting for the export ships to port was a sight to behold – it represented a view of the bustling economy. For Volkswagen, an entire city was constructed for the birth of Volkswagen. Wolfsburg, once a countryside village, was transformed into the headquarters for Volkswagen. Workers came from all over and settled into Wolfsburg to work for Volkswagen, and before long, it was the heart of Volkswagen operations. To build a city from scratch needs planning and labor – this provides employment and opportunity for a lot of people. Thus the sight of a Volkswagen brand has generated economy for the government; in a political way, it has ensured one of the main employment sectors and economic boost. For the other industries, the car industry has provided a suitable complement to their business. The more obvious examples are the petrol industries, where the cars are dependent on them for energy sources. The less obvious examples – the music industry (where radios in the cars are necessary these days), the drive-through industry and the entertainment industry (to launch their new cars) are all part of the economic industry that depends on the car industry for some form of economic dependence. As such, the visual of cars on the streets give the economy a boost, especially with the other industries. Environmental Impact of Cars Cars have a disastrous impact on the environment – being largely responsible for smog and toxic air pollutants, not to mention the world’s increasing dependence on foreign oil makes it one of the top pollutants around the world today. The sight of cars emitting harmful smoke has led to the vocal political opposition in governments worldwide. Despite the best efforts of the car industry, there is no suitable alternative energy fuel to compensate the current form of fuel consumption – diesel and petrol. However, this has created an impetus to search for cheaper and more valuable engines, which will provide better â€Å"miles-per-gallon† formula. For Volkswagen, this has resulted in the TDI technology, where the fuel is consumed when needed. The TDI technology has won accolades for saving fuel – the most efficient cars on the road run on diesel are by Volkswagen TDI Diesel Engine. Volkswagen went one step further – they implemented Volkswagen Think Blueâ„ ¢, a drive to find the cleanest alternative energy consumption that would be sustainable for its engines. Pushing the limit for the fuel consumption while searching for the next alternative fuel for the car, they managed to achieve an understanding of sustainability and progress in environmental terms. This underlines Volkswagen’s environmental considerations while providing progress to the people. The People’s Car is seen under different light – it is environmentally friendly while pushing for progress. And while it may offend the petrol heads, the Volkswagen is trying to be an environmentally friendly car, which puts it in line with the beliefs of the Democrats. Das Auto: Respecting the law. The Volkswagen Beetle was made to travel the Autobahn, the fastest highway on the planet without any speed limit. Hitler’s vision of allowing cheap fast transport for the masses was to be realized with the Volkswagen and the Autobahn. Unfortunately, the rest of the world did not have such laws in place and to regulate the traffic, they installed rules and laws. The first of all traffic laws was the limitation of speed – this was to prevent unnecessary casualty. The introduction of non-horse carriages came to light – the first of all vehicles was a steam-powered carriage – the need for safety of those not driving was present. As such, over the years, the governments sought to reduce speed in all manners – on the highways, on the roads and on the dashboard. As promising as the technology from the car industry, there would be a speed limit for all vehicles. This was to prevent the race for speed and allow the progress of the automobile done safely. Other policies include the limitations of vehicles in densely populated place – the use of ERP and COE in Singapore and the taxes levied on vehicles. These were to prevent the rampant sale of vehicles while keeping the country free from the overcrowding. The Automobile Icon: Volkswagen Beetle The best is kept for last: the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, which has been the longest production vehicle (from 1938 – 2003 on one design) with sales of more than 21 million. This recognizable car has its own movie and spawned movements, along with generations to embrace the Volkswagen Beetle as part of their lives. In this section, the Volkswagen Beetle will be examined politically as a cultural icon with its impact on the political arena. The Volkswagen Beetle â€Å"ugly† design – one that was unconventional different and from the pre-WWII days – was a signature icon that lasted through the decades. Volkswagen’s refusal to change the design of the Beetle led to many modifications from the owners. As seen below, the popular culture took over with the designs in the 60’s. The customizable feature of the Beetle allowed the freedom of expression, in which the Hippie culture of the 60’s took full advantage of. The freedom of expression has always been a part of the American Constitution and it took a liberal turn with the Hippie Culture. Notwithstanding the sex, drugs of that period, the Hippie Culture was a liberalizing process for the population to air their views. These views were of a peace-making, pacifist nature and they were in support of non-violence, civil rights and anti-nuclear armament movements. The Volkswagen Beetles with their decorated colors were a symbol of that political statement. A television series, â€Å"Herbie†, featuring the Volkswagen Beetle as a racing car with human emotions, popularized the car. Although this was not the only car that was featured in films, the very nature of the Beetle shown to have human feelings was a personification of the car. From the television and film series, the character of Volkswagen Beetle was further defined: determined with a colorful personality. This created an impression on the younger generation then that the car was a cool factor – it made them want a car in their lives. The implications were that these children grew up needing cars and created a population who rather give up their voting rights than driving license. The specifications of the Volkswagen Beetle also came into focus. The numerous races and rallies that it went for and achieved results became a cult in its own right. Given that the Beetle was never made for racing, this has led to many thinking that the Beetle is multi-functional despite the ugly nature. The engine, simple yet effective, is also adjustable to modifications. This feature of the car has created a Volkswagen Beetle sub-culture, one where even as the old Volkswagen model is no longer in production, the owners of Volkswagen regularly meet up to showcase their re-tuned and refined Volkswagen Beetles. Translate this into an understanding of visual politics: the cult of Volkswagen Beetle is an example of a loyal following of unwavering belief and given in the previous paragraphs we have deduced that the followers are liberal in principle, the conclusion is that the Volkswagen Beetle is a symbol of liberal views. Conclusion: Having seen the impact of Volkswagen around the world, one would really wonder if Major Ivan Hirst were not to revive the company and let it pass, would the world be the same today? Throughout the years of Volkswagen existence, there have been many movements, many political undertones derived from the sheer existence of Volkswagen on the street. The Hippie Culture, the racing mentality, the liberal ideals and the capitalist principles – all of which points to a subliminal messaging by the presence of a Volkswagen on the street. No other car has invoked so many different views in the world today. There are other aspects of Volkswagen not touched in this paper – especially the impact of Volkswagen in the future. Given that the future of automobiles is very volatile, Volkswagen may have a different feel and visual understanding in the future. As of now, the brand of Volkswagen is still the People’s Car, one that all should have if they work hard enough for it. Thus, it is apt that the tagline of Volkswagen today is Das Auto – the Car. Bibliography: Books Cited: Anderson, Curtis D., and Judy Anderson. Electric and Hybrid Cars: a History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2010. Print. Ginsburg, Douglas H., and William J. Abernathy. Government, Technology, and the Future of the Automobile. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980. Print. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971. Print. Keller, Maryann. Collision GM, Toyota, Volkswagen and the Race to Own the 21st Century. New York: Currency Doubleday, 1993. Print. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000. Print. Packer, Jeremy. Mobility without Mayhem: Safety, Cars, and Citizenship. Durham: Duke UP, 2008. Print. Paterson, Matthew. Automobile Politics: Ecology and Cultural Political Economy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2007. Print. Redshaw, Sarah. In the Company of Cars: Driving as a Social and Cultural Practice. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008. Print. Pictures Used: Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Websites: US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Incidentally, he was the man behind another great car company, Porsche, with a similar rear-engine car model. [ 2 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 62 – 67 [ 3 ]. Ibid, pp 96 – 97 [ 4 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 5 ]. Volks World (29th January 2009) Adolf Hitler – Rare Photos, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 6 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 142 – 152 [ 7 ]. Ibid, pp 98. [ 8 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 9 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 10 ]. Hippie Culture [ 11 ]. http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/18/evolution-of-car-logos/ [ 12 ]. Case in point: the countries in Central and South America. [ 13 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from [ 14 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 9 [ 15 ]. Hopfinger, K. B. The Volkswagen Story. Henley on Thames: Foulis, 1971, pp 106 – 112 [ 16 ]. The higher the value for mpg – the better the fuel consumption of the vehicle. [ 17 ]. Volkswagen, TDI Academy: Tackling TDI technology, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 18 ]. US Department of Energy, 2011 Best and Worst MPG Cars, Retrieved 31st October 2011, from [ 19 ]. Luger, Stan. Corporate Power, American Democracy, and the Automobile Industry. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge UP, 2000, pp 12 [ 20 ]. Great VW Ads, â€Å"Remember those great Volkswagen ads?†, Retrieved 15th October 2011, from

Ethnic Images in American Film and Television Essay

This literature review seeks to examine ways in which gender ethnic stereotypes in the media have been reviewed and the conclusions that have been observed regarding the negative continuance of gender ethnic stereotypes in the media. In addition, this paper includes research on the influence the media has to shape women’s attitudes through numerous resources of gender stereotyped images and language use. The term media in this research paper will be used very loosely, allowing me to cover areas in which gender ethnic stereotypes occur. The most common stereotypes are from film, television, internet and print media’s. With all the media outlets, viewers are noticeable to portrayal of what and how people of certain ethnicities act. The cultures I decided to focus on are African- Americans, European Americans and Hispanics. These ethnic groups tend to be in the lime-light for numerous accounts whether it’s positive recognition or backlash. Most often in film African- Americans characters are stereotyped as being the slaves â€Å"Djanjo and 12 Years a slave†, or being a Brash woman. European Americans on television tend to be inferior, and have leading roles, money, guns and the hot men. Lastly, Hispanics are stereotyped as Spanish speakers, and are typically the ones cleaning houses in the movies. Stereotyping occurs any time there is a need to generalize a particular group of people order to make an otherwise complex environment easy to understand (Lester, P., M., and Susan D. R., p12). A particular trait is used as the basis for stereotyping. In essence, society stereotypes humanity by race or gender. Some groups are associated with some unique traits that the society uses to generally define it. It does not matter that individuals in that group are unique and do not subscribe to the label given to them. When it comes to stereotyping, every individual in that particular group is made equal. From the ethnicity point of view, some ethnic groups are given so much value whereas others are devalued (Lester, P., M., and Susan D. R., p22). This is because of the hierarchy that the society creates to define races and ethnic groups. Stereotyping can be positive or negative. When it is positive, the stereotyped group feels good. When it is negative, the stereotyped group feels offended and may even go to an extent of retaliating. It is also important to note that repetition in the stereotyping leads to normalization of the same, because when stereotypes are repeated, they become perpetuated and ultimately validated. Stereotypes are taken to be truths because they have a connotation of some truth about the members of that particular group in general. The most dangerous form of stereotyping is negative racial stereotyping. It leads to strife and war. Gender stereotyping is also very explicit. Media has not been left behind in propagating stereotype. The media use stereotypes to define people from different backgrounds. It generalizes the complex nature of people to a one general bracket so that it is easy to understand that particular group of people. It also has helped propagate gender stereotyping. Given the cove rage of the media in the society, it can be said that stereotyping has taken another level where every person is aware of it unlike in the past. Various illustrations of how the media influences gender and ethnic stereotyping                      Television has become the key propagator of ethnic stereotyping. According to Srividya R. and Saunders, M. S., (p1), African-Americans and Latino-Americans are always undermined; underrepresented, demeaned and marginalized when it comes to the mainstream media. All this happens in the lines of stereotyping. For instance, African-Americans are portrayed in such a manner that demeans them completely. They are represented as big, mean and big-mouthed. In addition, they are portrayed as lazy and unreliable. They assume the roles that demonstrate ruthlessness to stereotype them as so. Moreover, they are represented as unintelligent and loyal slaves who submit stupidly. With regard to the Latino-Americans, the media as portrayed them with derision. They are portrayed as lazy people who are unintelligent. In addition, they are taken to be oversexed and extremely promiscuous. They are stereotyped to be very violent and always being associated with criminal activities. They assume the roles that pertain to breaking laws. The media portrays these minor groups in America so negatively. The audience is left with the impression that that is how every African-American or Latino-American. Furthermore, Srividya, R., and Saunders, M. S., (p1) explain how the news stories are covered in the America. They cut out groups ethnically against the backdrop of ethnic stereotyping. When watching news over the television, it is easy to observe how stories relating to social class are framed. The minority groups take blames for their assumed laziness and criminal activities. The Blacks and the Latinos are viewed as non-contributors in the nation economy. Television enter taining programs are also based on the stereotyping. The minority groups are used to represent the unwise characters in the name of entertaining the audience. Crime dramas also represent the Blacks and Latinos as law-breakers. The media has been so keen on recording and televising issues that pertain to the aspects of stereotyping when dealing with the African-Americans and Latino-Americans. According to Lee, M.J et al., (p4), journalists pay little attention on the problems that affect these people. They do not highlight their plight. Instead they run after them whenever issues that concern such things as drug abuse and criminal activities have been mentioned. They put keen interest to the conflicts that touch on the racial aspects as well as the surrounding controversies. They make these the breaking news and literally ignore the true nature of the lives of these people. The audience is left wondering who the Blacks and Latinos are. For the majority, the impression that they make about these minority group of people in America is that they are drug barons and criminals. The riots that happened in Los Angeles in 1992 give a vivid illustration of how the media tends to portray the Blacks and the Latinos (Lee, M.J., et al., p 5). While covering the story, the Black community was made to appear as the people responsible for the riots and the subsequent disturbances. Hispanics were also implicated at a greater degree. Most of those arrested came from the minority groups. This is a clear indication that due to failure of the media to give the true background of the conflicts, and hence generalizing the event, led to many Blacks and Hispanic arrests. The negative image painted about these people following that incident was demeaning. In addition, it is important to state here that whenever cases of riots erupt, the culprits are the Blacks, the Latinos and the Hispanics, thanks to the extensive level of media role in stereotyping. Another illustration is the films such as the â€Å"Boys in the Hood† and â€Å"Menace II Society†. These films have portrayed young blacks as criminals. As such, they have attracted a lot of audience and consequently, they have sold a lot in America (Saunders, M. S., and Sirvidya, R., p3). The audience has been tuned by the media to believe and like stories that demean the minority groups around America. Whenever a black-American is seen, he is seen as a threat to the security of the society. Considering the case of beating of Rodney King in 1991 (Miller, R.M., p32) the effects of this stereotyping is observed. During the trial, the defense team composed of four police officers said that they decided to beat Rodney because they feared that he could have been harmed. The fear in this sense signifies what every white person feels whenever they encounter a Black in America. The excuse given is the order of the day whenever the whites are defending themselves against the B lacks. In most movies, male characters have always dominated the female characters (Saunders, M. S. and Srividya, R., p35). This is an extension of gender stereotyping. The society already has a notion that a woman is subject to the man. When the media in the form of movies portray women as inferior to men, then they serve to reinforce that already existing belief. In addition, in most of the American movies where Black females appear as characters, most of the cases the women are made to use vulgar language (Jefferson, S. T., p 3). They are also portrayed as violent. Are the Black women always violent? Is it true that they use vulgar language most of the time? The clear answer is no. the reason they are portrayed as such is to serve the interests of the white audience. The society has been shaped to like stories that negatively impact the Black community at the advantage of their white counterparts. The white audience is happy when they learn that their women, for instance, are more intell igent and better than the Blacks, at least according to the movies and media in general. Moreover, the Blacks have been used in the movies and film industry to take the roles that pertain to servitude and slavery. For instance, in the movie â€Å"12 Years of Slavery† it is a Black young lady who takes the role of the slave (Jefferson, S. T., p6). She serves a white family that often mistreats her. This is not an isolated case. In most other movies, the roles that require a slave character, the directors of the movie will more often than not choose to use a black character than a white character. They back their reasoning by saying that a black person portrays the role well. Why? It is because the audience feels more satisfied by a black slave than a white slave. Even crime scenes in the movies are taken up by the black characters most of the times. The print media has also been implicated in the propagation of the stereotyping. According to Lester P.M and Susan D. R., (p65), in the advertising segment, the Blacks are portrayed as unintelligent as compared to the white counterparts. The Hispanics are used to represent comic characters in their role. The Latinos are used mostly in cases of promiscuity. The White Americans are used when referring to the wise community, and often associated with status of affluence. The minority groups are portrayed as people who are poor and uneducated. The newspapers also portray the Blacks, Hispanics and Latinos as criminals when covering acts of crime. The bias created goes a long way to victimizing innocent people on the grounds of false beliefs created by the stereotypes. The media has portrayed African-Americans, Latino-Americans and Hispanics very negatively. It is not that all African-Americans are criminals. In fact, most of them are law-abiding citizens in America. It is not true that all Blacks in America are uneducated. As a matter of fact, there are blacks in America who are highly educated compared to the white Americans. Also, contrary to the way media depicts Blacks as poor people, there are Blacks that live affluent lives with every luxury that a White person can wish for. The same truth applies to the Latinos and Hispanics as well. Therefore, the media does not give the true picture of the minority communities. In essence, the media highlights the aspects that they think will raise the eyebrows of the audience who are the whites. Since the media in America seeks to serve the white audience at the expense of other communities living in America, stereotyping forms a part in racism. The overall result is racial discrimination that has penetr ated even in the job markets so that members of the minority group are not getting employments. For the audience, it is important to realize that not all that is portrayed by the media about others is truth. References Jefferson, Shani  T. â€Å"Occupational role portrayals of African-American women on prime-time television.† Ethnicity in America 2.1  (2005): 1-7. Print. Lee, Moon  J., Shannon  L. Bichard, Meagan  S. Irey, Heather  M. Walt, and Alana  J. Carlson. â€Å"Television Viewing and Ethnic Stereotypes: Do College Students Form Stereotypical Perceptions of Ethnic Groups as a Result of Heavy Television Consumption?† Howard Journal of Communications 4.3  (2009): 3-6. Print. Lester, Paul M, and Susan D. Ross. Images That Injure: Pictorial Stereotypes in the Media. Westport, Conn: Praeger,  2003. Print. Miller, Randall M. Ethnic Images in American Film and Television. Philadelphia, U.S.A: Balch Institute,  1978. Print. Sanders, Meghan  S., and Srividya Ramasubramanian. â€Å"An Examination of African Americans’ Stereotyped Perceptions of Fictional Media Characters.† Howard Journal of Communications 6.3  (2012): 4-8. Print. Source document

Study of Post Acquisition Staff Retention within Business Dissertation

Study of Post Acquisition Staff Retention within Business Organisations - Dissertation Example The analyzed quantitative studies show that Kraft did not have some knowledge practices of staff retention after taking over Cadbury, which could enable it to retain some of the most skillful and knowledgeable staff. The study recommended the adoption of a knowledge retention framework to be embedded in the Kraft’s knowledge management policy. INTRODUCTION Staff retention is the process that ensures that employees are retained or kept within a company (Kearney, 2010). This happens particularly to employees who have needed or valued skills or experience in a critical/scarce field where recruitment is quite difficult. Staff retention stems from the process of employment (Batellan, &Van Essen, 2010). It also occurs in mergers and acquisitions (Bourantas, & Nicandrous, 2012). Post-acquisition and merging, like employment are an important process, which should receive sufficient and careful attention to ensure it realizes its goal. After two or more companies merge, strategies empl oyed to ensure staff of the associated companies are retained determines  the successful operation of the merged company (Bourantas, & Nicandrous, 2012). This means that the recruitment, placement, replacements, and selection processes play a crucial role in predetermining the effectiveness of the retention strategy of the companies involved. According to Bower (2013) for such companies to succeed in staff retention, their retention strategy should be linked positively to the practices and processes of selection, placement, recruitment, development, remuneration, training, and performance appraisal. Retaining knowledge is often the prime goal for many organization that decide to merge (Hambrick, & Cannella, 2011). Studies indicate that knowledge, and skill retention is the prime reason why most organization opt to retain staff. Knowledge is identified as a resource that is strategic in providing competitive organizations advantage (Capron, 2010). Even though organizations have ide ntified the knowledge value, few of them have started to manage the efficiency of knowledge effectively (Capron, 2010). The management of knowledge for the creation of value is still a concern of any management. Even though different organization’s operations like finance, marketing, supply chain or sales, are appropriately mastered, the effective management roadmaps of knowledge is still under investigation. Managing knowledgeable, and skilled employees has increasingly become the key challenge for most organizations (Mitchell, Capron, & Dussuage, 2012). According to Samuel and Chipunza (2011) retaining high performing employees is a challenge to many organizations because these employees who are high skilled frequently shift jobs to seek for attractive jobs. The management of knowledge includes the identification of knowledge, development, sharing, acquisition, utilization, retention, and distribution (Montgometry. & Collis, 2010). Generally, employee turnover has become a major area of research from both practical, and theoretical stand point. From the theoretical stand point, understanding key causes of turnover may not only provide an overview of where specific turnover problems for the retailers lies, but also from the theoretical perspective, understanding the fundamental causes of turnover can provide an overview as to how to control this growing problem and identify where a retailers specific turnover

Atlantic Computer Pricing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Atlantic Computer Pricing Strategy - Essay Example Jowers finds that pricing is significant where the market impact, profit results, or both, of price variations, is great, and where firms have considerable discretion over the prices charged. In many instances, pricing decisions are severely constrained and are sometimes relatively unimportant. Large purchasers of industrial goods, like Atlantic Computer, may specify prices at which they will buy, determine product specifications, and send specifications to suppliers for competitive bids. This, it will prevent the company from effective competition and can lead to decrease in sales. The alternative solutions are status-quo pricing, competition-based pricing, cost-plus pricing and value-in-use pricing. Analyzing these strategies, Jowers takes into account competitors reaction and market positioning of Atlantic Computer. He supposes that frother products price may not be a relevant factor. In some technical areas where products require much research and development and involve much uncertainty, a cost-plus scheme may be used. In other situations, sellers may be almost completely free to set prices, while in still others, they may only be able to decide whether or not to sell at a price. Thus, the proposed pricing strategies have a negative or neutral impact on PESA and its strategic position on the market. The main requirements for the product are minimal acquisition costs, minimal possession costs, and the possibility to process many information requests. Introduction of the PESA is a crucial step for Atlantic Computer to gain market share and attract more client s. The plan of action will involve analysis of sales force and their ability to introduce the PESA, customers purchasing power and analysis of the first sales. Buyers are concerned not only with price, in their purchases, but also with service, status, and image. Low price alone does not result in a transaction.

Earned Value Management (EVM) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Earned Value Management (EVM) - Term Paper Example The business organisations engaged in competition strives to take an upper hand position in the market by achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. In this regard, they aim to utilize effective management tools and techniques to strengthen their position in terms of finance, market share, operational efficiency etc (Huggins and Izushi, 2011, p.227). To achieve a sustainable growth and development, managements must strive to manage their assigned projects in a systematic way for optimum outcomes. Efficient and effective Project management is a challenging task which includes multiple activities, and management generally uses certain specific techniques, tools and systems for handling a project. Earned Value Management (EVM), an approach for project management is the most popular and widely used technique for project management (Dinsmore and Cabanis-Brewin, 2010, p.107). This report will attempt to present importance and use of EVM for analysing and assessing planning, scheduling, costing, budgeting, evaluating and performance monitoring of a project. 2. Management of a Project An organisation including profit making or non-profit making performs a number of tasks. Each group of tasks have a certain specific goal and this group of tasks can be termed as ‘project’. Organisations get themselves engaged in the multiple projects to achieve the common and overall goals and objectives. Therefore, successful completion of project is very vital for the organisational success and project management has evolved as key process in business related activities. With increasing pressure of the workloads, project management is gaining recognition in all types of organisation including SMEs and multinational enterprises. In simple terms, project management can be defined as â€Å"the task of managing work† (Cooke and Tate, 2005, p.1). In case of business management, a project can involves any types of tasks e.g. product development; implementing new machi nes or system in operation for increasing efficiency; or marketing promotions and advertisement. Generally, the project management can be completed through a set five sequential processes. These five processes are initiation, planning, execution, controlling and closure (Choudhuri, n.d. p.3). However, in each process there are various tasks that strive to support each of the aspects and criterions in the course of project management. Cost management, risk and quality management, budgeting, operational management, scheduling etc are the example of these tasks. The above sated tasks can also be termed as project management knowledge that includes nine areas and each of them are crucial of the effective project management. These nine areas also include certain tasks and these areas are explained in the following chart. Figure 1: Project Management Knowledge Areas (Source: Choudhuri, n.d. p.4) 3. Background of Earned Value Management (EVM) In the previous section, the tasks involved in a project management have been discussed, and each of these tasks is critical having direct influence on the profitability and organisational growth. If the project management team is able to complete these tasks efficiently, they are able to meet the goal of a project. In the course of these tasks, maintenance of efficient, accuracy, and reliability are key factors for the success.

Pollution & the Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pollution & the Environment - Essay Example Water may be polluted when pollutants come from point or non-point sources. Non-point sources include those sources that are non-discrete or that do not originate from one discrete source. Non-point pollution arises from the cumulative effect of contaminating agents in little quantities over a large area. When nitrogen compounds found in fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other agricultural products leach out, it can easily cause pollution. Sheet flow over land used for agriculture may lead to pollution of water as the nutrients that were present in soil runoff in storm water. Point sources of pollution are those sources that come from discrete sources. For example, when a manufacturing company discharges hot water from its cooling system into a river, lake or other water body making the water body to become warm, pollution occurs from a point source. There are a wide range of agents that may cause water pollution. Some of these pollutants include pathogens, chemicals, and physical changes to the natural characteristics of water. While some minerals naturally occur in water, when their concentration in the water goes beyond the natural limit, the water is considered to be contaminated. Also, when substances that cause oxygen to be depleted in water such as man-made chemicals, grass and leaves, water pollution occurs. Pathogens or disease causing organisms such as Salmonella, Giardia lamblia, Burkholderia pseudomallei, and Cryptosporidium parvum may get into the water when waster water or sewage is not adequately treated (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservatio, 2002). Chemical contaminants of water may include detergents, petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), products used for disinfection and waste from tree logging operations. Inorganic water pollutants include sulphur dioxide that is

New Jersey Health Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

New Jersey Health Care - Assignment Example New Jersey has a mandatory overtime law for a number of reasons. According to the State of New Jersey (n.d), Workers in a health institution are not allowed to work overtime so that they can protect and maintain their physical conditions in regard to fitness, competence, their overall welfare, and also ensure that they maintain the health and safety of their clients. An example of an unforeseeable emergent circumstance whereby a nurse may be required to work overtime is an accident such as a terrorist attack. In such a case, a health institution may have more patients reporting with serious injuries than the staff can handle. A hospital nurse in New Jersey can agree or opt to work for more than the agreed hours per week if she wants to. A nurse is at liberty to choose. In emergency cases, the management should give a nurse utmost one hour to organize or plan the care of dependants such as an infant or an elderly individual (State of New Jersey, n.d). In my opinion, this is a moral obligation for the health institution since a nurse is more likely to be motivated by her duties when she contends that her family dependants are well taken care of. Having an alternative to discipline program for impaired nurses is of significance as such may affect the manners of the conduct of a nurse as well as her decision making. The law does not allow discrimination of any individual on the basis of his/her physical and mental impairment. Such an alternative discipline program ensures that the needs of the impaired are considered in disciplinary actions. Under the NJ violence prevention in health care facilities act, all health institutions are ought to institute plans of action geared towards deterrence of aggression and also institute an aggression deterrence team (Isele, 2008).

The role of the law in guaranteeing equality and justice for all Essay

The role of the law in guaranteeing equality and justice for all extends far beyond the narrow scope of the Equality Act 2010.Discuss with reference to the following area.Hate crime - Essay Example Laws are universal and apply to people of different spheres of lives, across gender, races, etc. The law of equality and justice influence individuals’ ability to amass endowments and enjoy proceeds from such endowments, right to access resources, and enjoy liberty as free agents in the social order. In UK, the law recognizes that equality may occur in many ways.2 The equality principle might impose duties that might be focused on eliminating stigma, redistribution, and accommodation. These duties may include â€Å"formal equality, equality of outcome and equality of opportunity.3† The equality of process involves ensuring uniform treatment for all persons in any given situation. Equality of worth is about giving each the same respect. Equality of outcome entails focusing on similar wealth and educational achievement.4 Finally, equality of opportunity ensures that persons should not be limited from achieving their goals by the circumstances beyond their control. The observation is that in an ideal situation the outcomes are dependent on available opportunities and opportunities for the outcome.5 For example, if a person is from poor a family they are unlikely to realize educational potentials, and because of lower educational achievement the potential for earning better salaries or wages is low.6 Therefore, laws on equality and justice aim at minimizing the gaps between those who are well of and those likely to suffer the worst. The rules of equality and justice are broader than the requirements of Equality Act 2010. Hate crime is a violent crime inspired by biases as a result of group affiliation of the victim.7 These crimes vary in magnitude and may include damages to property, physical assaults, harassment, insults, bullying, offensive graffiti, verbal abuse, etc. The hate crime laws aim at preventing crimes based on bias and protecting the innocent persons from any harm cause by the perpetrators of the crime. Hate crime is harmful

Hypothetical Situation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hypothetical Situation - Assignment Example Indeed, when it comes to making a moral decision, feelings often distract people for the correct option. As a result, her decreased ability to feel should be seen as an advantage of her as an advisor, not a disadvantage. 2. Given the option of choosing either Dekisha or Christina, I believe I would choose the former. First of all, it has already been stated that she is superbly qualified medical professional; so, I trust that she would do anything possible to help me. Secondly, speaking of the peculiarity of her character, namely being dedicated, I am strongly convinced that this is far better than being joyous. I have nothing against the latter; however, I think that medical assistance as an important activity which requires attention and any mistake might cost a life. Contrary to that, a joyous person is more likely to make a mistake if compared to a dedicated one. Finally, it must be noted that the choice that I make will not be affected by the question what person is morally better since this aspect is not involved in any way. 3. It would not be a mistake to suggest that the comparison of an ethical behavior and swinging a golf club is a rather effective one since the author was able to grasp some of the most essential elements of the two activities. Indeed, some people often think that acting morally is difficult; however, many find that it may actually be rather easy as the innate moral compass that everyone has will definitely point out the a person is moving in the right direction. That is why while making a difficult decision, a person should always listen to one’s heart and do as it truly says. The next element which is mentioned in the quotation suggests that acting moral is natural. Indeed, I do believe that all people are originally good and that they will always choose the right option when they have such ability. That is why when one considers different

The Professional Development Programs at Abbott Essay

The Professional Development Programs at Abbott - Essay Example PDPs are highly selective, two-three year assignment and rotation-based programs built around formal learning and mentoring. As a member of the program each employee will contribute as a functioning professional in a specific area within the company, rotate through challenging, demanding and diverse assignments and be paired with a mentor to assist in the development of his / her career. (Abbott) The success of participants in Professional Development Programs is convincing enough to prove that these programs are really helping them to grow in their career. According to Tomlin nearly 25% of participants are now in senior management positions. She says, One of the most popular psychological tests is Myers -Briggs type indicators (MBTI). It helps in knowing how a person feels and tends to think like in different situations. "It identifies individual's preferences for energy, information gathering and life-style" (Raymond Noe). It is highly useful for understanding and practicing different concepts like communication, teamwork, motivation, work styles and leadership. Abbott has developed a very scientific and successful system for its workforce training and development. It has incorporated all the latest methods in assessing the training needs of employees and how best they can learn new skills.

African American Cinema Essay Example for Free

African American Cinema Essay The subject of African-Americans in Motion Pictures provides some of the most interesting studies along with the many controversial interpretations of the roles as actors they played on screen. As far back as the silent films era, African-Americans have been featured in motion pictures playing roles depicting some aspect of acting and being purveyors of a black image. The messages or themes of these movies have over the years presented a mixture of images based upon what was thought to please the viewers of each particular film. Unfortunately, many of those films showed black characters in negative stereotypical roles, which the average African-Americans would never truly identify as being like themselves. Since many of our American icons and heroes have come from our motion picture stars, we need to understand what this narrow view presented and compare it with what we presently see at our local cinema today. The movies Guess Whos Coming To Dinner (1967), Shaft (1971), Do The Right Thing (1989), Boys n the Hood (1991), and Menace to Society (1993) show a thematic style and stereotypes in the way that black films have progressed over the years. The motion picture industry was never too quick to change their approach in presenting African-Americans in realistic roles depicting social or civil conditions in an integrated context. Many of these roles required scenes showing African-Americans in positions of authority or relating to white Americans in a positive way. This Integration Period therefore brought together African-American actors with scenes along side white actors in roles showing both players dealing with racial conflict and resolution. Guess Whos Coming to Dinner was truly a unique film for its time in that Sidney Poitiers character breaks all the stereotypical views of blacks in American Cinema. In the early 1930s blacks were portrayed as lower class, slow-witted figures of entertainment, often showed in menstrual shows. Poitiers character broke all these stereotypes. 1971 brought to the big screen a successive series of superhero black or blaxploitation films. Shaft was released in 1971, and Richard Roundtree was the superman black hero detective. He was compared by many to the white James Bond. Related to Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, Shaft took it up a notch in showing a black man as a hero. Poitiers role was one to equalize whites and blacks in their roles in American cinema, but Shaft showed a black man who was an authoritative figure. Different themes can be mixed in between the two movies. They both show an intelligent black man that has a grip on reality. Both movies showed themes of how integration has struck America. They differ though on a level in that Shaft was a black dominant cast and Guess Whos Coming to Dinner was predominantly white. Do the Right Thing, Boyz n the Hood, and Menace to Society were all produced in a more modern era, hence the fact that they all have similar racial themes. The films all paint a picture of urban Black America in their time period. All three films are thought to be racially reactionary films aimed at the psyche of both black and white viewers. The movies were all a success due to the touched topics of racial situations, ethnic tensions, and human encounters of anger. The superb casts of both black and white actors made the motion picture industry aware of a newer avenue for films and race relations. African-Americans in motion pictures in todays expanding world of visual imagery can be seen on many expanding fronts. We see the making of motion pictures on subjects or themes which can be taken from history, life experiences, music, and unexplored events. Todays markets are open, and African-Americans are taking advantage of these open door opportunities. Actors and actresses are expanding their roles from stage acting to movies to TV miniseries to video cassettes or discs, and roles taken from books, plus movie soundtracks. In our world today African-American actors and actresses will always have a place in American Cinema and their future looks bright and promising.

Finite Element Analysis Of A Load Cell Engineering Essay

Finite Element Analysis Of A Load Cell Engineering Essay In recent years, the various mechanical weighing machines have been replaced by electromechanical industrial and commercial table-top versions. In modern types of weighing machines, an electrical signal that is directly proportional to the weight is provided for further processing by a microprocessor. The conversion from the mechanical quantity of mass or weight into an electrical signal is carried out by the piece of art termed the load cell (Karaus and Paul, 1992). The load cell is a force sensor that is used in weighing equipment. Most conventional load cells, for loads of 1000 kg or more, contain a spring element made from steel, which deforms under the load that is measured by sensor element, as shown in Figure 1.1. Usually, the sensor element consists of number of resistive strain gauges that are glued to the spring element. However, the accuracy of load cells is limited by the hysteresis and creep and to minimise these effects, expensive high-grade steels are required (Wiegeri nk et al., 2000) Figure 1.1 Load cell concept of operation Load cells are used in several industrial weighing applications. As the signal processing and control systems cannot operate correctly if they receive inaccurate input data, compensation of the imperfections of sensor response is one of the most important problems in sensor research. Influence of unwanted signals, non-ideal frequency response, parameter drift, nonlinearity, and cross sensitivity are the major defects in the primary sensors (Karaus and Paul, 1992; Piskorowski and Barcinski, 2008). Load cells have an oscillatory response which always needs time to settle down. Dynamic measurement refers to the ascertainment of the final value of a sensor signal while its output is still in oscillation. It is, therefore, necessary to determine the value of the measure and in the fastest time possible to speed up the process of measurement, which is of particular importance in some applications. One example of processing to the sensor output signal is filtering to achieve response correc tion (Piskorowski and Barcinski, 2008). In this study, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is conducted on a typical load cell. The stress and displacement of the load cell were modeled using the FE package. Moreover, manual calculations were performed and the results are compared with the model predictions. 2. Idealisation The geometry of the load cell is relatively complex. It is therefore, was simplified to ease the construction and utilisation of the modelling techniques. The first phase in idealisation is to implement symmetry in modeling. Also, the upper and lower surfaces of the load cell are assumed horizontal and totally flat to ease modelling process. For the boundary conditions, the load cell is contacting fixed surface through its bottom surface i.e. the seating face. Therefore, the boundary conditions at this contact face are: no allowed any translation motion in x-direction and also in y-direction. Details of idealisation will be discussed in the latter sections. 2.1 Approximate stress calculation As it is known, the Hook s law can be expressed as: (2.1) Thus, the normal stress under tension or compression is directly proportional to the relative elongation or shortening of the bar. The proportionally factor , which links the normal stress with the relative elongation, is called the modulus of elasticity of the material under tension (compression). The greater the modulus of elasticity of a material, the less the bar is stretched or compressed provided all other conditions remain unchanged. It should be borne in mind that Hook s law has been represented by a formula which sums up the experimental data only approximately; it cannot therefore be considered an accurate relation (Quek and Liu, 2003). In order to manually evaluate the stress values, the positions of the neutral axis were firstly evaluated. For any rectangular cross sections, it is found that the neutral axis is to pass at the sections mid point. Therefore, it is considered that the mid section of the tested load cell takes the form of cantilever beam, which is subjected to normal force and accordingly a bending moment as shown in Figure 2.1. It was also considered as an assumption that the left hand side of the mid section of the load cell is restrained in all the degrees of freedom. It was also assumed that the normal force and the bending moment are acting on the right hand side of the simulated load cell s section. Figure 2.1 representation of the section as cantilever beam As the load is acted the result will be the bending moment which can be evaluated using the following expression. (2.2) The action of the bending moment is the expected deformation that will take place. For the clockwise affecting moments, the cross-sections located above the neutral axis will be subjected to tensile stresses whereas the cross-sections at the other side will experience compressive stresses. The area of the cross section can be evaluated from: (2.3) Given that b and h are the width and the height of the beam, the second inertial moment for the cell s cross section (i.e. rectangular shape) can be evaluated from: (2.4) The stress values at the area where the strain gauge is mounted are evaluated for the sections above the neutral axis (+ sign) and below the neutral axis (? sign) as follows: (2.5) Therefore, the stresses for the section above the neutral axis are evaluated at: N/m2 2.2 Approximate displacement calculation By using equation (2.1, the strain can be evaluated as: Given that the Poisson s ratio is expressed as the ratio of the transverse to axial elongations, therefore: (2.6) Therefore: Same procedures can also be applied to evaluate the elongation in the z-direction, as similar value of the strain will be obtained in this direction. 3. Finite Element Model 3.1 Model justification The geometry of the load cell is illustrated in Figure 3.1 and the dimensions are listed in Table 3.1. Three dimensional proper FE model has been created using the commercial SolidWorks package. The load cell has a simple construction with a uniform thickness throughout. The load can be applied via rods screwed into the M10 threads through two holes at the two ends so that the load can be either tensile or compressive. Figure 3.1 (a) 2-D projection of load cell model and (b) basic geometry Table 3.1 Dimensions and properties of the load cell Dimension (mm) Modulus (GN/m2) Ratio (mm) Wherever there is symmetry in the problem it should be made use. By doing so, lot of memory requirement is reduced or in other words more elements can be used with the use of a refined mesh for the same processing time. When symmetry is to be used, it is worth to note that at the right angles to the line of symmetry the displacement is zero (Belyaev, 1979; Rao, 2010). For the load cell simulation in this study, planar symmetry is used, see Figure 3.2. Figure 3.2 Views of planar symmetry as applied to the load cell In the FEA, stiffness matrix of size 1000 1000 or even more is not uncommon. Hence, memory requirement for storing stiffness matrix would be very high. If the user tries to implement the Gaussian elimination straight, he will end up with the problem of memory shortage. So, to reduce memory requirement, according to Belyaev (1979) and Rao (2010), the following techniques are used to store the stiffness matrices: * Use of symmetry and banded nature * Partitioning of matrix (frontal solution). * Skyline storage. 3.3 Stress rising effect In the development of the basic stress equations for tension, compression, bending, and torsion, it was assumed that no geometric irregularities occurred in the member under consideration. But it is quite difficult to design a machine without permitting some changes in the cross sections of the members. Rotating shafts must have shoulders designed on them so that the bearings can be properly seated and so that they will take thrust loads; and the shafts must have key slots machined into them for securing pulleys and gears. A bolt has a head on one end and screw threads on the other end, both of which account for abrupt changes in the cross section. Other parts require holes, oil grooves, and notches of various kinds. Any discontinuity in a machine part alters the stress distribution in the neighborhood of the discontinuity so that the elementary stress equations no longer describe the stress state in the part at these locations. Such discontinuities are called stress raisers, and the regions in which they occur are called areas of stress concentration. The distribution of elastic stress across a section of a member may be uniform as in a bar in tension, linear as a beam in bending, or even rapid and curvaceous as in a sharply curved beam. Stress concentrations can arise from some irregularity not inherent in the member, such as tool marks, holes, notches, grooves, or threads. The nominal stress is said to exist if the member is free of the stress raiser. This definition is not always honored, so check the definition on the stress-concentration chart or table you are using. A theoretical, or geometric, stress-concentration factor or is used to relate the actual maximum stress at the discontinuity to the nominal stress. The factors are defined by Belyaev (1979) as: where is used for normal stresses and for shear stresses. The nominal stress or is more difficult to define. Generally, it is the stress calculated by using the elementary stress equations and the net area, or net cross section. But sometimes the gross cross section is used instead, and so it is always wise to double check your source of or before calculating the maximum stress. The subscript in means that this stress-concentration factor depends on the geometry of the part, see Figure 3.3. So, the material has no effect on and this is the reason it is called theoretical stress-concentration factor. Figure 3.3 Stress concentration factor versus dimensions The analysis of geometric shapes to determine stress-concentration factors is a difficult problem, and not many solutions can be found. Most stress-concentration factors are found by using experimental techniques. Though the finite-element method has been used, the fact that the elements are indeed finite prevents finding the true maximum stress. Experimental approaches generally used include photo-elasticity, grid methods, brittle-coating methods, and electrical strain-gauge methods. Of course, the grid and strain-gauge methods both suffer from the same drawback as the finite-element method (Budynas and Nisbett, 2007). In this study and for the load cell, the simulation demonstrated that the stress is concentrated at two main regions represented at A and B. Stresses are aso concentrated at the threaded holes, as demonstrated in Figure 3.4. As shown, there is a considerably sharp rise of the stress at these locations because the strain gauges at situated at the middle section. Also, this section is of considerably small area compared with the other load cell s cross sections. Figure 3.4 Areas of concern for stress concentration in the load cell 3.4 Restraints justification With the aim of calculating the stress and strain in the middle section of the load cell, the appropriate restraint is used. As we know, the line of action of the applied load, at the upper seat hole, is through a M10 screw. Meanwhile, screw of same size is used to fix the load cell at its bottom base. Accordingly, for the idealisation purposes, it can be said that all the degrees of freedoms (DOFs) are restrained at the location of the hole at the bottom surface, see Figure 3.5. Figure 3.5 Schematics of the first problem Idealisation step In the second step of the problem idealisation, it was assumed that by tightening the screw in the bottom face hole of the load cell will cause all the degrees of freedom to be restrained. Accordingly, this condition can cause decreased simulation lead time and enhance the results, see Figure 3.6. Figure 3.6 Schematics of the second problem Idealisation step As it is clear, different restraint conditions produce variants of boundary conditions. Finally, in the third idealisation, it is assumed that the load cell can rotate about its y-axis to bring the results as close as possible to reality, see Figure 3.7. Figure 3.7 Schematics of the third problem Idealisation step 3.5 Load justification In this section, justifying the applied load is considered throughout the hole of the upper seat. In the first step of the idealisation process, it was assumed that the load is to be applied to affect on the edges of the hole. Therefore, the tension stress transfer to the middle section of load cell where the measurement of stresses and strains are needed, see Figure 3.8. Figure 3.8 First idealisation step required for the load justification The applied force transfers to whole the upper section, there, this points that considering a uniform distributed load in upper section might be a proper assumption. Therefore, to apply the consequent idealisation, uniformly distributed load was allowed to takes an affect directly on the upper section. In the first idealisation, the magnitude of point load was assumed to be 300 N. Therefore, the magnitude of the uniformly distributed load (UDL) is found to be 2.3 N/m2, which is equal to the magnitude of point load, see figure 3.9. Figure 3.9 Application of the uniformly distributed load In the third idealisation, the applied load is assumed to act by means of the M10 screw and throughout the whole upper hole, see Figure 3.10. This assumption is very close to reality and may present very good results which are in good agreement with the hand calculation of stress and strain. Figure 3.10 Applied load act by M10 screw throughout the upper hole 3.6 Element type The largest commercial finite element packages, which have facilities to solve stress and a variety of field problems, might easily have more than one hundred different finite element available for the user. The selection of which element to use by given problem is not as difficult it might first appear, first, the type of problem to be analysis, secondly, the chosen dimensionality of the module restricts range .Before choosing the element type; the engineer should try to predict what is taking place in the problem to be examined. Figure 3.11 shows a typical range of element. Figure 3.11 Typical ranges of elements 4. Discussion of Results 4.1 Aspect ratio The finest accuracy values can be guaranteed with the use of elements meshed using uniform perfect tetrahedral as solid mesh, which has equal length edges. For a general geometry, it is impossible to create a mesh of perfect tetrahedral elements. Due to small edges, curved geometry, thin features, and sharp corners, some of the generated elements can have some of their edges much longer than others. When the edges of an element become much different in length, the accuracy of the results deteriorates. It should be noted that the shape of mesh is critical to analysis as higher density improves solution at the cost of increased computational time. The simple geometry require fewer elements, more complexity requires increased density and the mesh shape is related to the loads and the boundary conditions. The aspect ratio of a perfect tetrahedral element is used as the basis for calculating aspect ratios of other elements. The aspect ratio of an element is defined as the ratio between the longest edge and the shortest normal dropped from a vertex to the opposite face normalized with respect to a perfect tetrahedral (Belyaev, 1979; Rao, 2010). By definition, the aspect ratio of a perfect tetrahedral element is 1.0. The aspect ratio check assumes straight edges connecting the four corner nodes. The aspect ratio check, see Figure 4.1 is automatically used by the program to check the quality of the mesh. Figure 4.1 Aspect ratio checks 4.2 Jacobian check The elements with the parabolic nature can be effectively used with the curved geometry shapes. It is therefore expected to result in more accurate predictions compared with the linear elements even if they are of similar size. In this case, the elemental nodes (on the middle side) of the boundary corners can be situated on the model s real geometry. However, these placements of nodes can cause distorted elements with crossing by edges, in boundaries of very sharp curvature. Accordingly, the Jacobian of such distorted element would be of negative values, which can cause cancelled software operation of analysis. Selected points situated within each model element can be used to perform the Jacobian checks. The software package allows the user to select the Jacobian check limits i.e. using 4, 16, or 29 nodal Gaussian points. The Jacobian ratio of a parabolic tetrahedral element, with all mid-side nodes located exactly at the middle of the straight edges, is 1.0. This ratio increases with the curvatures of the edges. At a point inside the element, this ratio provides a measure of the degree of local elemental distortion. The software calculates the Jacobian ratio at the selected number of Gaussian points for each tetrahedral element, see Figure 4.2. Based on stochastic studies, it is generally seen that a Jacobian ratio of forty or less is acceptable. The software adjusts the locations of the mid-side nodes of distorted elements automatically to make sure that all elements pass the Jacobian check (Belyaev, 1979; Rao, 2010). Figure 4.2 Jacobian ratio checks 4.3 Connectivity of elements and mesh grading To achieve an accurate result we need to check the connectivity of all elements so precisely. Any discontinuity may result in large error in stress or strain or displacement calculation in purposed area. With the aim of this, after checking all the area of the load cell, no dis-connectivity was observed. Also mesh grading illustrated in Figure 4.3. Figure 4.3 Mesh grading checks In areas of the model where there are high stress gradients it is normally necessary to use more elements to obtain a high quality solution. Often this will happen automatically when an automatic mesh generator is used. This is because the mesh generator uses the segments (e.g. arcs, straight lines, surfaces) of the solid model as a starting point for the mesh. Since the high stress gradients will be around geometry that changes within a short distance, these seeding features will be small. However, it may be necessary to control mesh quality either to force smaller elements where they have not been automatically generated or to allow larger elements where the analysis does not need to be accurate. 4.4 Displacement and stress discontinuity The plot representing displacement variations can be utilised for displacement discontinuity checks (Barrans, 2010). This can solely takes place at the elements connected incorrectly. It also takes place for the improperly defined geometries so slivers and small gaps can exist as a blackboard. Checking the displacement of load cell visually shows that there is no displacement discontinuity, see Figure 4.4. Figure 4.4 Displacement discontinuity checks After the nodal displacements evaluation, the code continued to evaluate, for each element, the strain and stress values, separately. The stress was evaluated at specific element points, which are intentionally placed to enable having accurate outcomes and they are termed Gaussian or quadrature. After calculating the stresses at these points, the code calculated the nodal stresses for each element by extrapolation. For an exact solution, all elements should give identical stress values at their common nodes. While the displacement field obtained by FEA was continuous, stress field was discontinuous from an element to another. Different elements give stress values that are generally different at a common node. The code calculated the nodal stress, see Figure 4.5, at common node by averaging the values at the contributing elements (Belyaev, 1979; Rao, 2010). Figure 4.5 Nodal stresses evaluation 4.5 Sensible displaced shape Figure 4.6 shows, and as predicted, the most sensible displaced section is the middle section of the load cell. Figure 4.6 most sensible displaced section 4.6 Approximate stress and displacement As shown in Figures 4.7 through 4.9, the results of the simulation are in good agreement with the hand calculation of stress and strain. Figure 4.7 Manually evaluated stresses are as the marked value (4.92 x107N/m2) Figure 4.8 Manually evaluated strain values are about the marked value (1.46 x10-4) Figure 4.9Justification of stresses matching 4.7 Stress discontinuity In order to evaluate the stress discontinuity, three values are requires for the principle stress, which are the maximum, mid and the minimum value. The dark spots represent the places at which there is stress discontinuity, see Figure 4.10. Figure 4.10 Discontinuity in the values of stresses in the adjacent elements. Stress discontinuity evaluation The values of the principle stresses at different shown in figure 4.11 were evaluated and then used to calculate the stress discontinuity. The stress values and displacement are also shown. Figure 4.11 Values of the stresses in the adjacent elements The stress discontinuity at each node is evaluated from: Stress discontinuity (%) = = Stress discontinuity (%) = 17.12 % It should be noted that the nearly zero displacements at the two nodes used in the calculations proved the right choice of constrains of the complete fixation of the seating face. 4.8 Convergence study displacement and stress Figures 4.12 and 4.13 show the stress and displacement convergence diagrams. These figures demonstrated the convergence with continue solution using the software as plotted against the loop numbers. Figure 4.12 Stress convergence diagram Figure 4.13 Displacement convergence diagram Moreover, Table 4.1 shows the convergence results for Von-Mises stress values at different nodes. Also the presentation of these stresses against the number of elements is given in Figure 4.14. Table 4.1 Stress convergence at different nodes Node Figure 4.14 Von Mises stress versus elemental number Also, Table 4.2 shows the convergence results for the displacement values at different nodes. Also the presentation of these displacement values versus the number of elements is given in Figure 4.15. Table 4.2 Displacement convergence at different nodes Node4 Figure 4.15 Displacement stress versus elemental number 5. Conclusion Load cell unit has been modeled using the finite element software. As well, hand calculations were performed to evaluate the values of the stresses and displacement. The load cell was first idealised so as to ease the modelling processing. The model was built and the predicted results showed that the displacement was higher at the mid sections of the load cell. The predicted results when compared with the manual calculations showed good agreement for the stress and displacement.

Extensive Reading With Young Learners English Language Essay

Extensive Reading With Young Learners English Language Essay In this essay, I will discuss extensive reading with Young Learners, and how extensive reading can be promoted, with reference to young learners in Hong Kong. Children learn to read in English in schools in Hong Kong at an early age, but there is little encouragement for them to read for purposes other than to learn the language. I will examine the benefits of extensive reading, in particular childrens stories, and how these can be used to promote extensive reading with primary learners in my teaching context at the British Council Hong Kong. Why extensive reading? Day and Bamford (1998, 4) contend that the type of reading done in ESL classes bears little resemblance to reading done in the real world, and that in fact students learning to read a second language do not read and they do not like reading. Reading in the classroom tends to be done purely in order to teach or review a language point, or to train students for an exam. However, It is simplistic but true that the more students read, the better they become at it (Day and Bamford 1998, 4). Teachers therefore need to find ways of encouraging students to read that are enjoyable and motivating for them, and more closely resemble the kind of reading that is done outside the classroom. Extensive reading, is any reading that is done either for pleasure or not explicitly for the purposes of teaching reading. (Emery 2009, 38). This can be any type of text, whether fiction or factual. With this type of reading, the readers attention should be on the meaning, not the language, of the text (Day and Bamford 1998, 5). As children focus on meaning when learning a language, extensive reading should then particularly appeal to them as a way of learning English, especially if the texts are of types that they would normally read in their first language. Language learning from reading comes from exposure to the language, but is not the primary aim of extensive reading. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 9) list the following benefits of reading for pleasure; reading attainment and writing ability text comprehension and grammar breadth of vocabulary positive reading attitudes, which are linked to achievement in reading greater self-confidence as a reader pleasure in reading later in life Although their report was regarding native speaker children in the UK, they note that these benefits are equally true for second language acquisition. It appears, then, that extensive reading is crucial for literacy development. In Hong Kong, there is little interest in reading for pleasure, particularly in English (Ho 2008, Leung 2005). Taking into account the above benefits of reading for pleasure, it seems crucial to encourage a love of reading extensively in our students in Hong Kong, both inside and outside the classroom. Why stories? First and foremost, children enjoy stories. Stories are particularly important in the lives of our children à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Childrens hunger for stories is constant (Wright 1995, 3). If we provide children with stories, they will be motivated to read and listen to them. Reading stories in the classroom is a shared event, which encourages social skills, such as cooperation, collaboration, listening and turn taking and helps to create appropriate affective conditions for learning to take place (Read 2008, 7). We can also provide them with the means to read stories for themselves outside the classroom, increasing their exposure to language further. Children are also aware of and enjoy stories in their first language; From their early experience, children are likely to be familiar with story or narrative structure (Cameron 2001, 129). This means that, unlike many classroom activities, the telling or reading of a story will be a familiar activity. Even if reading books and stories are not commonplace in the home, children will have had exposure to stories through a variety of other media, e.g. films and cartoons. Children are therefore more likely to be receptive to a story than an activity which is not so familiar and therefore potentially confusing. Stories fulfill childrens need for security and novelty (Cameron 2001), as there is the security of the familiar structure of the story, with a beginning, introduction to characters, a problem which is resolved, and an ending, and also the novelty of new stories, characters and plot surprises. Stories provide a clear context from which children can find meaning. The meaning and enjoyment of the story are the most important for children, and the meaning of the language is supported by the context. They work out the meaning first and tend not to pay attention to the words that are used to express the meaning (Moon 2000, 5). Stories are a rich source of language. Because stories are designed to entertain, writers and tellers choose and use words with particular care to keep the audience interested (Cameron 2001, 163). Many words and phrases are often repeated throughout a story, increasing students exposure to them, and also helping to create the sense of security and familiarity. Through such exposure to language children are learning new vocabulary, often without realising it (Cameron 2001, 164), and the teacher can also exploit this vocabulary in classroom activities. Moreover, this vocabulary is used within a clear context, so Children have the ability to grasp meaning even if they dont understand all the words (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 8). Heathfield (2009, 17) refers to his own experience of storytelling with elementary Italian learners, who were able to follow and understand the general meaning of stories told in English. Attention can be paid to vocabulary and students accuracy once the context and meaning have been established. Stories provide children with exposure to not only vocabulary, but also to the structure of sentences and the general feel and sound of the foreign language (Wright 1995, 5). If stories are read aloud, children have exposure to the pronunciation of the language, its rhythm and intonation. This exposure helps them with their fluency, both written and spoken, when they are later ready to move to more productive use of the language. Stories also contain a variety of themes and topics which can be interesting and relevant to the students themselves, or can be exploited in the class. These themes can be linked to other subjects across the curriculum. They can also help develop childrens awareness of the world around them, or of different cultures. Stories can also be used as a stimulus for speaking and writing, and exercise the imagination (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 1). Cameron (2001, 160), warns, however, that we should not allow our feelings of nostalgia and fond memories of childhood stories to colour our perceptions of the magic of stories. She notes that the classroom is not the same as the family home, and the teacher is not a parent, so we should adopt a more critical stance to using stories in class, both in our choices of stories and the way that we use them, and to be open to using other text types which may be equally appealing to children. We should also be aware that stories are also available through other media than books, e.g. animated cartoons or TV programmes, and it is very likely that children may be even more receptive to these forms of media than traditional books. Choosing stories The stories used with children should first of all appeal to them (Phillips, 1993, 46), whether it is the theme, the illustrations, or the fact that it is a story which is familiar to them and they know they will enjoy it. A good story à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is simply one that listeners or readers enjoy (Cameron 2001, 166). The story should have interesting characters that the children can relate to and a clear plot, with possibly a surprise at the end. The length of the text should be appropriate, i.e. for beginning readers using books with shorter texts will promote success and motivation. The language used in the book should also be simple enough for them to understand, but also contain some language which is beyond their current level in order to develop learning and language development. The child should be able to build on familiar language with new language, but not be demotivated by reading something beyond their level. A story which uses a lot of repeated structures and vocabulary will help reinforce meaning, and children also enjoy the repetition. The illustrations used in a book are also important, as they not only make the book more appealing to a child, but can also support the meaning of the text and new vocabulary and stimulate their imagination (Hsiu-Chih 2008). The themes of the story can also help children to understand more about the world, but should have appropriate values and portrayals of characters. If a story is being used in class, one could be used which fits the topic of the lesson. There are many graded readers available for young learners, in which language is carefully selected to match the childs level of English. However, the language is often simplified in these readers to such an extent that the language becomes unnatural, for example present tenses are used throughout, whereas in authentic literature a story is nearly always told using past tenses. As Cameron (2001, 166) comments, It seems a pity to deprive learners of opportunities to hear authentic uses of past tense forms à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I can see no intrinsic reason for supposing that use of the past tense would prevent children understanding a story. Cameron also points out that although many text books for young EFL learners contain stories, they often lack the prototypical features of a story, such as a plot with a a problem to be resolved, and a satisfactory ending. These stories are unlikely to capture childrens imaginations in the same way that stories can do (Cameron 2001, 162). Quality storie s have characters and a plot that engage children, often the art work is as important as the text in telling the story, and they create a strong feeling of satisfaction when the end is reached (Cameron 2001, 166). There are many arguments for providing children learning English as a second language with real books offering a rich source of authentic input and challenge (Ellis and Brewster 2002, 8). These stories are more likely to contain the elements necessary in a quality story as described by Cameron, and children can feel highly motivated by being able to understand a story which has not been simplified. There is also such a wide variety of authentic story books which makes it easier to choose something which will appeal to many different children. Ellis and Brewster (2002, 8) note that it can be argued that the language in authentic story books can be too complex for children learning English, while the content may be too simplistic for their age if a book is chosen which has been written for a younger target age. They argue that In a foreign language, however, children are often very happy to accept stories which they may reject in their mother tongue. Although care needs to be taken to select books which will appeal to the child, what is important is the way that the story is exploited and the language learning supported for the childrens particular level. It is what we expect the children to do which determines the proficiency level required, not the story itself (Wright 1995, 3). It is also important that the child, not just the teacher or parent, chooses the books that they would like to read. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 22) stress the importance of children choosing their own reading material on motivation and acheivement. They refer to Krashen, saying that students who choose what they read à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ tend to be more motivated, read more and show greater language and literacy development. Cameron (2001, 164) believes that children may learn vocabulary while listening to stories without realising it, and learner involvement with a story may be what makes a difference à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ letting children choose the stories they want to hear may help maximise the learning that takes place. They will be more likely to choose books that interest them, and therefore be more motivated to understand and engage with the text. It is difficult to place too much emphasis on the role interesting material plays in the desire to read (Day and Bamford 1998, 29). Using stories and promoting extensive reading There are many ways in which extensive reading and reading stories can be promoted both inside and outside of the classroom, which I will discuss in relation to my current teaching context. In the classroom, the teacher can use stories in a variety of ways, both to promote reading and to exploit stories for further language work. Reading stories aloud to the class is an effective way of exposing children to story books and their narrative structure. From listening and watching an adult read aloud, children can see how texts are handled, how texts encode words and ideas, how words and sentences are set out on a page à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Affectively, reading aloud can motivate children to want to read themselves (Cameron 2001, 141). The telling of the story should be an enjoyable experience, and, if possible, the classroom arranged so that all children are sitting around the teacher, maybe on the floor, so that everyone can see the book (Wright 1995). The teacher should take care to hold the book so everyone in the class can see it, and use mime, gestures, facial expressions, the stress and intonation of their voice, and the pictures in the book, to help students understanding (Ellis and Brewster 2002, Read 2008). Students should be encouraged to participate in the story reading through questions which reinforce understanding, e.g. describing the pictures, or making predictions about what happens next. The teacher can help students with new and difficult vocabulary by providing tasks to pre-teach vocabulary, and follow up with activities which consolidate the language and help students to recall the story. Above all, the story and related activities should be enjoyable for the students. Favorable feelings for and experiences with the teacher, classmates, materials, tasks, procedures, and so on, can forge positive attitudes toward reading in the second language (Day and Bamford 1998, 25). At the British Council Hong Kong literacy texts have been incorporated into the syllabuses for the higher level primary classes for students aged 8 and above. These are generally texts which are used in schools in the UK to teach literacy in the British National Curriculum, with accompanying teachers notes and materials these are usually adapted to suit the EFL and local contexts. The texts chosen are for a younger age group than they would be in the UK, i.e. materials for British children aged 8 to 9 are used in classes for Hong Kong learners aged 10 to 11. These have proved to be overwhelmingly popular with teachers, who report that they enjoy using them and find that students also enjoy the stories whilst being stretched, because they can see that the materials are authentic and feel a sense of achievement. Many teachers also use storytelling in class, as story books are readily available in Hong Kong. These teachers appreciate the value of using story books in class, and find storytelling an enjoyable activity in class themselves. Some teachers use story books not just for teaching purposes, e.g. the introduction/consolidation of language or to complement the course book materials, but also for a story time slot. Often at the end of the lesson, the story time slot is used as part of the classroom routine and settles children. The stories are read purely for enjoyment, and if enough books are available (some teachers have their own story book collection) students are able to choose which stories they would like to hear. For younger primary students book boxes are provided with a selection of suitable books, which teachers are encouraged to use with their classes. One advantage of the book boxes is that with a selection of books children are able to choose for themselves what the would like to read, or what they would like the teacher to read. Other ways of encouraging children to choose and read books would be to have a book corner in the classroom or a lending library for children, so that children could enjoy reading by themselves either in class or at home. Unfortunately, neither of these are currently feasible at British Council Hong Kong. The classrooms are used by many different classes, including adults, so it would not be practical to set up a corner of the classroom with books. There is also the issue of funding book corners or a library; with approximately 3,500 primary students currently taking courses at the British Council, the cost of buying sufficient books for either scheme is prohib itive. One scheme which has been successfully introduced for primary classes is a Reading Challenge. Students are encouraged to read books in English and write brief reviews of them. After they have read six they receive a prize of a certificate and a book. The success of the scheme seems to depend largely on how much the individual teacher promotes it, but prizes have been earned by students across a range of classes, not only in the highest levels or older age groups. Clark and Rumbold (2006, 20), in a review of studies examining the effect of reward on motivation, conclude that we cannot be certain that rewarding children for reading actually motivates them to read more, or if they do so, that they are reading purely to get a prize and will not continue to read widely in the future. However, if a reward is given for reading, it appears that literacy-targeted rewards, such as books or book vouchers, are more effective in developing reading motivation than rewards that are unrelated to the activity. The most important factor, however, in developing childrens literacy and enjoyment of reading is the involvement of their parents (Clark 2007, Clark and Rumbold 2006, 24, Wood 1998, 220). The British Council Hong Kong has recently introduced parent workshops to encourage parents to read with their children, emphasising the importance of reading not only for literacy and educational attainment but also social and emotional development. Parents are also shown how to choose appropriate books and how to read them with their children, exploiting the stories and the pictures. These workshops are proving to be very popular with parents, who, while keen to encourage their children academically, had previously not realised the benefits of reading for pleasure. Conclusion There is not on the whole a culture of reading in Hong Kong, but, given the advantages outlined of extensive reading, it is particularly important to encourage our students to read for pleasure, and using story books can be particularly effective. This requires not only access to suitable texts, but also training for teachers and parents on how to read books with children and develop further language use. 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