Murasaki and Medea Essay -- Euripides Medea Essays

Murasaki and Medea        Ã‚   Although The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu, is set in late tenth-century Japan, the plights of the characters are universal. In Chapter 12, Genji leaves his wife, who is named after the author, and goes into exile. Desperately in love with Genji, Muraskai is similar to Euripides' Medea in the play of the same name. She suffers because her husband, Jason, abandons her for a princess. Shikibu and Euripides seem to have shared the same worldviews about women's emotional dependence on their mates.    Women often rely on men to whisk them away from their old lives and to take the place of their father. Genji brings Murasak at age ten from a convent to his world at the Japanese court and raises her as the perfect wife. As an adopted daughter, Murasaki gradually becomes "closer to Genji than her own father" (2143). As for Medea, she kills her father and replaces him with Jason, who then takes her away to Corinth (474-475). The main difference is that Murasaki, since she was only a child, does not choose Genji as a replacement, but rather is forced...

A Woman’s Place Is In the Home Essay

The saying â€Å"A Woman’s Place Is In the Home† seems extremely provokative to me. I refuse to accept this idea. I strongly believe that a woman should develop some professional skills and have a job. Anyway, the question ‘to work or not to work’ is quite often raised in many families because the issue is not so clear. In my presentation I’d like to dwell on the advantages and disadvantages of the situation in which a woman has to combine family and career. I will start with the drawbacks the family may suffer from. I’ve singled out 5 of them. 1. It’s very hard sometimes to juggle family and career. A woman experiences lack of free time, lack of sleep which may lead to stress and problems with health. 2. A woman may start paying less attention to her husband and her children. As a consequence, they may get dissapointed, they may even feel that their wife and mother doesn’t love them any more. 3. Because of stress a woman may start pouring all her worries to her spouse thus irritating him. It may result in divorse. 4. A woman may retire into herself and her career thus provoking the possibility of adultery on her husband’s part who may seek endearment elsewhere. 5. In case a woman’s career is more successful than that of her spouse it may put a strain on the marriage. Some men just can’t put up with the fact that their wife earns more than they do. Now I will pass to the benefits which the family may have if a woman works. I’ll mebtion 10 of them. 1. Financial aspect – more income. 2. A woman’s self-esteem and fulfillment are developed.   3. Communication with other people beyond the family circle meets social needs of a human being. 4. Family relationships become more balanced, a husband respects his wife, doesn’t reproach her. Equality. 5. A woman feels more affection and love for her family because she misses them. 6. Children become more independent with an internalized sense of responsibility. 7. A woman becomes better groomed and better dressed thus feels happier. 8. Social benefits (insurance policy, social security). 9. Financial independence. A woman becomes a productive and contributing member of the family. 10. A job generates self-discilpline, sets order in life and makes a woman a perfect time-manager. Summing it all up I’d like to  say that I’m absolutely convinced that the benefits mentioned above prevail all the disadvantages. It worths taking risks and truing at least. In my opinion a woman’s place is not only in the home because a woman is a much more talanted and gifted creature than many men believe.

Divorce, the Cause and Effect

The divorce rate in America is at an all time high with approximately 41% of the first time marriages and 60% of second marriages ending in a divorce, which I am a statistic of both. Two major causes that lead to a rise of divorce rates is lack of communication and financial problems; the overall effect of a divorce is a person’s general happiness. One of the primary reasons why people cannot stay married is a lack of communication. Communication is a vital element in a marriage couples need to discuss their problems with one another. If a couple does not discuss how they feel, their spouse will never understand what they are feeling. Open communication will allow each other to know the situation he/she does not like, so that maybe they will be more considerate of the others feelings, and will adjust to accommodate the other spouse. We should also listen to what our spouse is trying to tell us; sometimes we hear, but we do not listen. For example, if we find ourselves arguing over the same topic over and over again, that means one of us was not listening. Communication is a vital key to a successful marriage and without communication; the marriage is doom to fail. I can personally attest to this. I have been married three times, the first was a cause other than communication, but the second was defiantly due to the lack of communication and one not being able to accept what the other one was saying. The second cause of divorce is financial problems. Sometimes when there is financial hardships due to the loss of a job, economy, or illness, a spouse will lose control oppose to keeping their composure and supporting a loved one. Just because you spouse got laid off from work does not mean that everything is going to crumble. This is the time a spouse should be supportive of the other spouse in a new job search. If the financial problems are due to over spending and living beyond one’s means, then the two spouses shall sit down and discuss their spending habits and ways to correct the problem. Effects of a divorce can be general happiness. Some people after a divorce can be severely depressed because they feel they have lost everything. People realize the places and things they used to do were as a couple. A person feels isolated and alone at a married friends house, a person especially females no longer feel the financial stability, and security. Some people need a companion all the time; so the loneliness leads to depression and they cannot cope without having someone with them, leading to medication or alcohol to try to overcome the depression. In conclusion, I believe that if a couple communicates with each other and will support one another financially through difficult times they will have a successful marriage. If a person has a successful marriage, then they should be a happier person. The divorce rate would be lower if people would sit down and take the time to realize what they want and what their spouse wants. Before a couple gets married they need to learn to communicate and be financially supportive of each other, then that is when a couple knows that they are ready for marriage.

John Dewey-Role of the Teacher Essay

John Dewey An American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer, John Dewey (October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was one of the recognized founders of Pragmatism and a leader in progressive movement in U. S. education during the first half of the 20th century. The individual being, its relationship with the organizational or societal dynamics as well as the reason or logic around it is the essence of progressive philosophy of John Dewey. Cooper (1995) in Wells (2006) states that problem solving and creating skills, needed for in today’s world is emphasized in a progressivist curriculum which should be built around the students’ needs and personal experiences and it is a must for a teacher to present lessons that simulate a real-life situation to their students. Teachers’ understanding of an individual should be based on critical analysis evaluation using practical or realistic verification. Dewey (University of Albany, 2006) states that a person using the â€Å"problem solving approach† and the â€Å"experimental focus† of scientific method to govern their own life was the building block of how reasonable and ethical organizations operate and that school should be â€Å"child centered† with the curriculum and instruction tailored to facilitate the development of the individual. According to Sidorsky (1977), Dewey called as oppressive the elementary and secondary schools for they do not promote exploration and growth, thus, through his works a number of reforms in schools around the U. S. were implemented to enhance the development of free personalities. Dewey’s belief (1938) that schools should teach its students how to think rather than learning rote lessons and develop analytical approach in problem solving in real life situations. According to Campbell (1995), Dewey espoused judgment focus schools rather than knowledge should be developed and used in order for school children to become mature persons and can give sound judgments on the problems of human living. Further, he believes that schools, as an institution, should inculcate in the minds of the students and put to practice the learned techniques on how to live and work cooperatively and harmoniously with others. As Dewey’s beliefs focused on the learner’s right to participate on any decision that will affect their learning, he was more concerned with teachers’ rights as well as their academic freedom. Flanagan (1994) states that Dewey’s aim was to create a laboratory school where children are free to learn for themselves with an able tutelage from a professional mentor. It was in the old school according to Dewey (Flanagan, 1994) that the teachers forced the learners against their will or interest in order to learn the structured or established subjects. There were two main teacher functions according to John Dewey. First, the teacher must guide the young learner through life complexities and give them opportunities to learn in the natural way by means of solving relevant problems. Second, a teacher must also enable the young learner to adequately cope with contemporary conditions and the new tasks, which an unforeseeable future may bring. In Dewey’s type â€Å"classroom,† the teachers should plan its lessons in order to arouse students’ curiosity and push them to a higher level of knowledge thus encourage them to learn by doing and to interact with one another, and develop cooperation and tolerance as a virtue. Also, they are encouraged to solve problems on a variety of actual situations which they may encounter outside the four walls of the classroom and in the process develop flexibility in problem solving as well as in acquiring needed tools necessary for adulthood (Wells, 2006). Progressivists’ Dewey according to Wells (2006) believes that this approach to education is a perpetually enriching process of ongoing growth. The critical thinking skills development can be best achieved through soliciting queries from students. In a progressive classroom, the teacher creates practical activities that would guide the students through problem solving and show its relevance to their lives outside of the classroom. Wells (2006) also states that these teaching methods also include guided discovery and hands-on learning. She stated that not only do the students discuss what they are learning, but they also experience it through role-playing. Finally, according to Wells (2006), the progressivist teacher believes that in â€Å"hands-on† approach, children will learn better. Dewey (1938) in Flanagan (1994) wrote that teacher’s school presence as community member was to select the influences that will affect the young learner and to assist them in the appropriate responses to the given influences and not to impose upon them certain ideas or to form certain habits. Further, the teacher’s business is simply to determine, on the basis of varied experiences and sound wisdom, how the disciplines of life shall develop the personality of the child. According to Dewey (1938) it is the primordial obligation of an educator to comprehensively understand the nature of human experiences otherwise they will fail in their responses to young learners. In Neil (2005), it was stated that experience arises from the interaction of two principles — continuity and interaction as conceptualized by Dewey. In sum, individual’s present experience is a function of the interaction between one’s past experiences and the present situation. Finally, an environment full of socially-interacting relationships coupled with relevance and responsive to young child’s needs is the key to learning. The students, in this type of environment, create relationship between their classmates, friends or between them and their teachers thus facilitate their learning. These relationships make the children more comfortable and safe and in return they receive good learning needed in their lives. References: Campbell, J. (1995) Understanding john dewey. Nature and co-operative intelligence, Chicago: Open Court. Dewey, J. (1938) Experience and education, New York: Collier Books. Dewey, J. (1938/1997). Experience and education. Macmillan. Flanagan, F. (1994). John Dewey. The great educators,’ First series. Minerva – An Internet Journal of Philosophy. Volume 1. Retrieved March 15, 2006, from http://www. ul. ie/~philos/vol1/index. html Neill, J (2005). 500 Word summary of dewey’s â€Å"experience & education. † Retrieved March 15, 2006, from http://www. wilderdom. com/ experiential/SummaryJohnDeweyExperienceEducation. html Sidorsky, D. (1997). John dewey: the essential writings. New York: Harper and Row, 1977. Wells, C. (2006). My teaching philosophy. Retreived March 15, 2006, from www. webpages. csus. edu/~sac40265/teaching. htm.

International Marketing Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Marketing Theories - Essay Example The theory that is most applicable for companies that produce fast moving consumer goods is Quelch and Hoff who suggest that it is better for companies to achieve economies of scale by concentrating on the total demand of a number of countries; this can help them achieve a higher learning curve through an accumulated experience. Companies like Procter & Gamble have concentrated their detergent production for example in fewer plants thus taking advantage of lower costs because of economies of scale. But, like products many companies can also use a global communication approach by standardizing the product and also the promotion technique at both ends. Same ads can be used to target similar markets, thus economies can be achieved if expensive commercials are used. And we see popular examples like Lux which is truly an international brand name and the same premium position that its focus is. Similarly as products grow in their life cycle national brands also go global. These global bran ds capture the global customers as its market in the sense that it really sees the customers similarity and wipe out any differences that it may see to target then with a single stick.

International Finance (The problem with Fair Trade Coffee) Essay

International Finance (The problem with Fair Trade Coffee) - Essay Example Are the advantages liable to encompass a high mass of growers and communities on a worldwide basis? The assignment of deriving answers to these questions is although a long term task, there is also necessity of accomplishing this assignment as soon as possible. Considering the urgency, this paper has been prepared and presented as a move towards finding answers to the above mentioned questions. The barriers to the effective implementation of the fair trade movements all the time act as the reason of the power loss of the entire system. Considering in-depth review of the case of fair trade coffee, it has been observed that the biggest challenge being faced by the fair trade movement is when it does not allow the grower co-operatives to negotiate prices for coffee with the importers from foreign countries when at the same time, the world prices are at high level. The consequence of the situation is that the co-operatives ultimately have to buy coffee at higher prices from the farmers a nd they are bound to sell the same coffee at lower prices to the importers of the foreign countries (Jeff, 2011). Another major challenge of the fair trade movement as identified from the Fair Trade coffee case is that of the lack of knowledge being preserved by the producers of coffee. The reason of the lesser knowledge among producers is primarily the co-operatives’ organization and processes. The producers possess almost zero or minimal knowledge about the fair trade movements because they seldom receive any training from the representatives of the Fair Trade. In certain cases, the producers themselves are the catalysts who worsen the situation of lesser information. This happens through their reluctance towards attending assemblies of the co-operatives and other similar events. As the market of coffee is cyclical, the prices of this commodity fluctuate greatly. With the growth in the rates of conventional coffee, the obligations towards the channels of Fair Trade deterior ate. The Fair Trade Coffee depicts that with this scenario in concern, the producers fail to operate effectively because the difference between the prices cited by the co-operatives and that prevailing in the market decreases (Murray, Raynolds, & Taylor, 2003). The reasons for the losing of power of the successful economic justice models are also due to the facts that prove the models’ ineffectiveness in their operations. The experts have criticized the models’ operations recently with the evidence that a few members of the Fair Trade movement are dispatching their intensions of having large corporations or the companies as the members of the movement. It has also been claimed by the critics that there are even certain companies which have received special facilities from the various agencies. With this evidence, the justice models such as that of the FLO and Fair Trade was enquired of providing unequal treatment to their members and as a consequence they all remained unanswered (Munoz, 2011). The mission of the Fair Trade USA and FLO which is to provide empowerment to both the farmers and the workers across the world through eradicating their poverty has also been criticized by the critics and this can be another probable reason for the loss of power of the economic justice model (Haight, 2011). The criticism has been against the models’ proclamation that it aims to eradicate farmers’ poverty. The creation of the Fair Tr

HL1003N Reading Twentieth Century Fiction Essay

HL1003N Reading Twentieth Century Fiction - Essay Example During the course of the evening, Gretta is reminded of a man named Michael Furey, a man who is not her husband, but whom she once loved many years ago. In the first occasion she is reminded of the town of Galway, where she had her relationship with Furey. Second, she listens to a song by Mr. DArcy which is the same song Furey sang on their long walks through the countryside. This too takes her away to different time and place. Gabriel for his part does not pay much attention to his wife. He did not really want to go to the dance and feels alienated from the people there. He doesn’t know how to talk to them and doesn’t really seem to want to talk to them. When he leaves to go back to the hotel with Gretta he thinks, â€Å"they had escaped from their lives and duties† (169). He doesn’t like it there. Only then does he see that Gretta is in a different kind of mood. Not only was she not paying attention to much of the party, but she was lost in the past†”thinking mostly of a dead man who had influenced her life so much. She finally tells Gabriel about how Furey had died as a young man after catching cold while standing outside of her window in the rain shouting up to Gretta that he did not want to live without her. After his wife has gone to bed, Gabriel thinks about his own life and about his wife; he feels like he leads a passionless existence. At first he was angry at Furey, but finally he begins to see that the passion that motivated Furey focused and encouraged a good life. He looks at his sleeping wife: â€Å"He thought of how she who lay beside him had locked in her heart for so many years that image of her lover’s eyes when he had told her that he did not wish to live† (176).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The dead are everywhere in this story. They are, for example, the subject of Gabriels speech at the dinner after the