Nixon and the Watergate Scandal free essay sample

Watergate Scandal Victoria Daniele Constitutional History May 19, 2013 The Watergate Scandal involved a number of illegal activities that were designed to help President Richard Nixon win re-election. The scandal involved burglary, wiretapping, campaign financing violations, and the use of government agencies to harm political opponents. A major part of the scandal was also the cover-up of all these illegal actions. The Watergate Scandal got its name from the Watergate office complex in Washington, D. C. This large office building was the home of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters, and the site of the break-in that began the largest scandal in American politics. However, even before the break-in, President Nixon had begun illegal operations. In January 1972, G. Gordon Liddy[-gt;0], general counsel to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President[-gt;1] (CRP), presented a campaign intelligence plan to CRPs Acting Chairman Jeb Stuart Magruder[-gt;2], Attorney General John Mitchell[-gt;3], and Presidential Counsel John Dean[-gt;4], that involved extensive illegal activities against the Democratic Party[-gt;5]. We will write a custom essay sample on Nixon and the Watergate Scandal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Mitchell viewed the plan as unrealistic, but two months later was alleged to have approved a reduced version of the plan which involved burgling the Democratic National Committees (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate Complex[-gt;6] in Washington, D. C. The ostensible purpose of this was to photograph documents and install listening devices. Liddy was nominally in charge of the operation, but has since insisted that he was duped by Dean and at least two of his subordinates. These included former CIA officers E. Howard Hunt[-gt;7] and James McCord[-gt;8], then CRP-Security Coordinator; John Mitchell had by then resigned as Attorney General to become chairman of the CRP. WATERGATE RETROSPECTIVE: THE DECLINE AND FALL[-gt;9], Time Magazine, August 19, 1974 After two attempts to break into the Watergate Complex failed to yield information of value, the order for yet another break-in was given to Liddy by Jeb Magruder, either acting on his own or on orders from Dean. Shortly after midnight on June 17, 1972, Frank Wills[-gt;10], a security guard at the Watergate Complex, noticed tape overing the latches on doors in the complex (allowing the doors to close but remain unlocked). He removed the tape and thought nothing of it. Wills returned an hour later and discovered that someone had re-taped the locks, which he then called the police. Five men were discovered and arrested inside the DNCs office. WATERGATE RETROSPECTIVE: THE DECLINE AND FALL[-gt;11], Time Magazine, August 19, 1974 The five men were Virgilio Gonzalez, Bernard Barker[-gt;12], James McCord, Eugenio Martinez[-gt;13], and Frank Sturgis[-gt;14], who were charged with attempted burglary and attempted interception of telephone and other communications. On September 15, a grand jury[-gt;15] indicted them, as well as Hunt and Liddy,Watergate: chronology of a crisis 1. Washington D. C. : Congressional Quarterly Inc. p. 4. ISBN[-gt;16] 0-87187-059-2[-gt;17]. OCLC[-gt;18] 20974031[-gt;19] for conspiracy, burglary, and violation of federal wiretapping laws. The five burglars who broke into the office were tried by Judge John Sirica[-gt;20] and convicted on January 30, 1973. Throughout the next few months this minor break-in turned into a full blown political scandal. When first questioned about the situation in early 1973, Nixon denied all allegations that either he or any White House official was linked to the break-in. Later that year evidence was uncovered that linked several White House officials to the break-in, and/or the cover-up and concealment of the evidence. This information indicated that White House officials had attempted to involve the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the cover-up. The FBI connected cash found on the burglars to a slush fund[-gt;21] used by the Committee for the Re-Election of the President[-gt;22], the official organization of Nixons campaign. Watergate: chronology of a crisis 1. Washington D. C. : Congressional Quarterly Inc. pp. 8 133 140 180 188. ISBN[-gt;23] 0-87187-059-2[-gt;24]. OCLC[-gt;25] 20974031[-gt;26]. This book is volume one of a two-volume set. Both volumes share the same ISBN and Library of Congress call number, E859 . C62 1973The Smoking Gun Tape[-gt;27] (Transcript of the recording of a meeting between President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman). Watergate. info website. June 23, 1972. Retrieved 2013-05-03. In July 1973, as evidence mounted against the presidents staff, including testimony provided by former staff members in an investigation conducted by the Senate Watergate Committee[-gt;28], it was revealed that President Nixon had a tape-recording system in his offices and he had recorded[-gt;29] many conversations. The Watergate hearings: break-in and cover-up; proceedings. New York: Viking Press. ISBN[-gt;30] 0-670-75152-9[-gt;31]. The White House Transcripts. New York: Viking Press. ISBN[-gt;32] 0-670-76324-1[-gt;33]. OCLC[-gt;34] 1095702[-gt;35] Recordings from these tapes implicated the president, revealing he had attempted to cover up the questionable (and illegal) events that had taken place after the break-in. The Smoking Gun Tape[-gt;36] (Transcript of the recording of a meeting between President Nixon and H. R. Haldeman). Watergate. info website. June 23, 1972. Retrieved 2013-04-18. Breach of Faith: The Fall of Richard Nixon. New York: Atheneum Publishers. pp. 7. ISBN[-gt;37] 0-689-10658-0[-gt;38]. In April of 1973, special prosecutor Archibald Cox was appointed to handle the case. Presidential Council, John W. Dean III became the chief witness against President Nixon in the court hearings. In the trial Dean admitted that he was a major part of the scandal and that Nixon did in fact know of the illegal activities being committed by his administration. Dean also testified that Nixon’s Administration had planned to use the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other government agencies to punish people who the White House had placed on a so-called enemies-lists. Dean served four months in prison for his part in the Watergate Scandal, but through his testimony a new door was opened into the scandal. Through further investigation it was discovered by Alexander P. Butterfield that President Nixon had made tape recordings of conversations with White House officials. When asked to release the tapes Nixon refused saying that he had a Constitutional right to keep the tapes confidential. He was later ordered by the court to hand the tapes over. Nixon offered to provide summaries of all the tapes but his idea was rejected and he was again ordered to hand over the original tapes. Infuriated by the court’s decision he ordered his Attorney General and his Deputy Attorney General to fire Cox. For their refusal to dismiss Cox, both Attorney General, Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General, William Ruckelshaus were fired. This series of dismissals by Nixon became known as the Saturday Night Massacre. When Cox was fired, Leon Jaworski was appointed to take his place. The firing of Cox however, did not work to Nixon’s advantage. In April of 1974, Jaworski ordered Nixon to release the tape recordings and documents of sixty-four White House conversations. By the end of April, Nixon had released 1,254 pages of transcripts from White House conversations. Jaworski however, was not satisfied; he wanted the original tapes. After a protracted series of bitter court battles, the U. S. Supreme Court[-gt;39] unanimously ruled that the president had to hand over the tapes to government investigators; and Nixon he ultimately complied. With the tapes at hand, Jaworski began the Watergate trial. In March of 1974, seven of Nixon’s former members of his administration and re-election committee were charged with conspiracy in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. Among the seven were John D. Echrlichman, H. R. Haldeman, and John N. Mitchell. They were all found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury. They were sentenced to two and a half to eight years in prison. Their prison terms were later reduced to just one to four years. G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt were also indicted for their involvement as plumbers and for their involvement in the break-in and cover-up of the scandal. They too were sentenced to one to four years in prison. In July 1974, the House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach President Nixon. They adopted three articles of impeachment: obstruction of justice, abusing presidential powers, and illegally withholding evidence from the judiciary committee. On August 5, 1974 Nixon released the final three transcripts of the White House conversations. These final three transcripts dated back to six days after the break-in. They revealed that Nixon had ordered the FBI to abandon its investigation of the break-in. Nixon ordered them to close the investigation for he feared that the FBI would discover the involvement of his campaign committee. After the release of the final three tapes Nixon lost nearly all his support in Congress and Nixon’s top aides advised him to resign the presidency. On August 9, 1974 President Richard M. Nixon followed their advice and resigned from the presidency to avoid being removed from office. Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn into office the same day. On September 8, 1974 President Ford pardoned Nixon of all federal crimes that he had committed while serving as the President of the United States. With President Nixons resignation, Congress dropped its impeachment proceedings. Criminal prosecution was still a possibility both on the Federal and State level. The Legal Aftermath Citizen Nixon and the Law[-gt;40]. TIME. August 19, 1974. Retrieved 2013-05-03. Nixon was succeeded[-gt;41] by Vice President Gerald Ford[-gt;42] as President, who on September 8, 1974, issued a full and unconditional pardon[-gt;43] of Nixon, immunizing him from prosecution for any crimes he had †¦committed or may have committed or taken part in†¦ as president. Gerald Fords Proclamation Granting a Pardon to Richard Nixon[-gt;44]. Ford. utexas. edu. Retrieved 2013-04-18. In a televised broadcast to the nation, Ford explained that he felt the pardon was in the best interest of the country. Ford also said that the Nixon familys situation †¦is an American tragedy in which we all have played a part. It could go on and on and on, or someone must write the end to it. I have concluded that only I can do that, and if I can, I must. Gerald R. Ford Pardoning Richard Nixon. Great Speeches Collection. The History Place. Retrieved 2013-05-03. Nixon proclaimed his innocence until his death in 1994. In his official response to the pardon, he said that he was wrong in not acting more decisively in dealing with Watergate, particularly when it reached the stage of judicial proceedings and grew from a political scandal into a national tragedy. Some commentators have argued that pardoning Nixon contributed to President Fords loss of the presidential election of 1976[-gt;45]. ( Shane, Scott. For Ford, Pardon Decision Was Always Clear-Cut. The New York Times. p. A1. ) Allegations of a secret deal made with Ford, promising a pardon in return for Nixons resignation, led Ford to testify before the House Judiciary Committee[-gt;46] on October 17, 1974. Silent coup: the removal of a president. New York: St. Martins Press. p. 420. ISBN[-gt;47] 0-312-05156-5[-gt;48]. OCLC[-gt;49] 22493143[-gt;50]. A time to heal: the autobiography of Gerald R. Ford. San Francisco: Harper Row. pp. 196–199. ISBN 0-06-011297-2[-gt;51]. In his autobiography A Time to Heal, Ford wrote about a meeting he had with Nixons Chief of Staff, Alexander Haig[-gt;52]. Haig was explaining what he and Nixons staff thought were Nixons only options. He could try to ride out the impeachment and fight against conviction in the Senate, or he could resign. Nixon’s options for resigning were to delay his resignation until further along in the impeachment process to try and settle for a censure vote in Congress, or to pardon himself and then resign. Haig told Ford that some of Nixons staff suggested that Nixon could agree to resign in return for an agreement that Ford would pardon him. The effect on the 1974 Senate election[-gt;53] and House election[-gt;54] three months later was significant[-gt;55]. The Democrats gained five seats in the Senate and forty-nine in the House. Watergate led to Congress passing legislation making changes in rules for campaign financing. The scandal contributed to Congress amending the Freedom of Information Act[-gt;56] in 1974, as well as to laws requiring new financial disclosures by key government officials, such as the Ethics in Government Act[-gt;57]. While not legally required, other types of personal disclosure, such as releasing recent income tax forms, became expected. Presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt[-gt;58] had recorded many of their conversations, but after Watergate, this practice purportedly ended.

The Pyschodynamic perspective essays

The Pyschodynamic perspective essays Beginning in the latter part of the 17th century and carrying on into the early 1900's a new perspective was being developed to describe a person's personality and the ways that person would act. The origin of these theorists is possibly the most famous of all psychologists in Dr. Sigmund Freud, who characterized personality by conflict. Later Freud would develop a group of followers that would develop their own theories, most notably Carl Jung and his theory of Analytical Psychology. This perspective soon received much appeal from the general public because they were able to explain certain actions and traits to the common man. The godfather of Psychology was none other than Dr. Freud who revolutionized the psychology industry when he introduced his theories on Psychosexual development. The key behind his theories is that every person is controlled by external drives primarily sex and aggression, but also opposing forces that are hidden inside the person. To Illustrate this theory Freud used an image of and Iceberg, saying that only about 10% of the mind is conscious at any one time and that the majority of these forces were controlled by an unconscious force he called the Id, and the only forces a person is aware of is the ego and the superego which are naturally conflicting forces. In more detail, the Id is everything that gives the person pleasure, but it is not organized in any way and Dr. Freud said when translated " The id is Chaos" (Brill 184). The Ego on the other hand is the logical force that drives a person to reason rather than irrational decisions. Lastly the Superego, which develops thr ough your childhood, based solely on how you were raised. Being that you are affected largely by your parents morals and values as well as the traditional values of the society that helped shape your childhood. Freud also stated that because a person was to encounter these conflicts in every single stage of development and a ...

Body Image Research Proposal

I have chosen to study this topic because body image is such a controversial issue in today’s society, especially with adolescent boys and girls. While reviewing select articles on this topic, I noticed that there was a drastic difference in body image between boys and girls. I began to wonder what the reason for this was and through further study of these articles, I realized it had a lot to do with media influences and the role that friends family play in developing body image and so my questions revolve around studying these roles and influences. Much of the media targeted towards girls focuses on portraying only women that fit societys unrealistic expectations of the perfect woman whereas media targeted at men has much more variance in the types of men they portray. According to much of the literature on this topic, this is seen as one of the largest contributing factors to negative body image in adolescent girls. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1) How does the media and advertising contribute to adolescents body image? 2) How do body image issues differ among adolescent boys and girls? What role do family and friends play in developing adolescents’ body image? RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ROLE OF THE RESEARCHER PARTICIPANTS -individual interviews -observation in this situation would be too difficult as it develops over a length of time, not an instantaneous thing -interviews allow to create open ended questions that help the conversation flow to understand how body image has been influenced, types of friends, family involvement, interests, hobbies (are they into pop culture, do they admire celebs, do they spend lots of time watching tv/movies)

(business law) occupiers, liability ACT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

(business law) occupiers, liability ACT - Essay Example The liability of an occupier was first spelt out in the case of Stevenson v Glasgow Corporation*3 where Lord M’Laren explained that â€Å"precautions which have been rejected by common sense as unnecessary and inconvenient are not required by law.† This position was recently cited by Lord Hutton in the case of Tomlinson v Congleton Borough Council*4 where the defendants were not held liable for Tomlison’s injuries, because the injury had come about due to Tomlinson’s choice to undertake a dangerous activity rather than because the premises were dangerous. In the case of Robert Addie and Sons v Dumbreck*5 Lord Hailsham limited the liability of occupiers, especially towards trespassers, when he stated that an occupier would be liable only â€Å"where the injury [was] due to some willful act involving something more than the absence of reasonable care† or when the occupier had demonstrated a â€Å"reckless disregard of the trespasser’s presence .† In the instant case, a child died but the defendant was not held to be liable because the child had received sufficient warning about the dangers on the property. However, subsequent cases have refined the harsh, blanket standard that was applied towards trespassers in general, reducing Occupier liability to an extent where it was negligible. When the claimant for injury is a child, Occupier liability increases in view of a child’s lack of appreciation for danger and their â€Å"ingenuity in finding unexpected ways of doing mischief to themselves should never be underestimated†, as stated by Lord Hoffman*6. The House of Lords ruled against the occupier in the case of Jolley because occupier knew that the boat the victim was repairing was dangerous but did not bother to warn the child. In fact, Section 2 (3) (a) of the Occupier Liability Act specifies that â€Å"an occupier must be prepared for children to be less

The interpretation of Islamic texts is entirely independent of Essay

The interpretation of Islamic texts is entirely independent of historical vicissitudes. Discuss - Essay Example Most of the interpretation of the Islamic texts is based on the historical changes and this is modified in order to suit a particular context whether present or past. It is in this perspective that I will be arguing against the perception that the interpretation of the Islamic texts is entirely independent of historical vicissitudes. The paper will be split into various categories in order to look analytically on the aspects that support my argument. The first section will be a history on Islam in the world. Thereafter I will discuss and argue against the aforementioned topic. This will be done in different contexts like looking at the gender in relation of the Islam; this will be looked at in relation of the treatment of women and men through the interpretation of the Islamic texts. Each concept will be looked at analytically with the support of relevant reading material and credited sources. The last section will be the conclusion of the paper and how each of the said point has bee n relevant during the research for this paper. Each argument will be argued first with me giving my own opinion about it then using the citation from relevant materials and concluding with my own opinion of the said topic. Each stage will have the relevant support references. Introduction to Islam The history of Islam has in most cases been associated with the sole existence of Islamic states and empires. Since the beginning Islam was existing; the spread of the religion was on a community—state basis. It was both a faith and a political order. Within years and centuries after the His death, Muhammad’s local Arabian polity did become a very huge empire going as far as North Africa to Southeast Asia. The advancement and development of Islam and institutions are always intertwined. Islam: The History In the 6th Century in the Arabia brought forward the rise of Islam. The Arabia was the source and congregation of many beliefs. Christianity and also the practice of Judaism was in the region although for the better part of the 6th Century C.E (Common Era) they were overwhelmed by the faction of the tribal deities that practices barbaric activities. Muhammad (pbuh), the Prophet of Islam was born in Mecca in 570 Common Era in what is referred to as Saudi Arabia. His family dealt in trade and by the time He was 25 he was employed by an old woman who was a widow with whom He later married. At 40, He began to experience visions and also auditory revelations, throughout His occasional meditation retreat in the caves. According to Islamic Social Services Association, the angel Gabriel revealed himself to Him and gave Him a book in which he was commanded to â€Å"Read†. In the beginning this revelation was being shared with His friends and family and with instances He congregated on a daily basis with the growing number of people and the meaning of Peace was shared. The message that Muhammad (pbuh) had for Peace was met with resistance thus it made Him run away to Medina. The event is called Hijrah (emigration). Eventually He returned to Mecca and died in 632 in Medina and He also did not leave any male heir. According to Endress (1987), The word Islam is an Arabic word meaning peace, greeting, allegiance loyalty and obedience to the Creator. According to Muslims, Allah chose Prophet

The Road By Aaron Bellam Essay Example for Free

ï » ¿The Road By Aaron Bellam Essay History has had little conscience when it comes to human suffering and struggle. The world has brought us murder, torture, and terror in the packages of war, politics, and everyday human relationships. Religious battles keep racism, greed, and suffering real. The positive is not always apparent when one looks at human existence. Aside from the physical struggle humans had to endure and overcome, emotions also challenge us in hard times. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a story set after an apocalypse, takes the characters beyond physical challenges like cold and hunger. In their dystopia, the characters must also face their emotional struggles. As they journey across the dark, barren land, the boy and his father experience the feelings of desperation, fear and hope. The first emotion that urges the pair on in their journey is desperation. The father and son are desperate for many things; food, warmth, and not to be caught and raped by others. As well; the two are desperate to find and share with other good guys. The man and his emaciated bay have such a strong desperation to find food and food is so scarce that the pair finds â€Å"the bones of a small animal dismembered and placed in a pile, possibly a cat†. (McCarthy.2006.Pg26) This find is proof that other survivors have turned to alternate forms of food to try and give themselves energy for the trek. Warmth is another huge luxury that the father and his boy wish they had. After a find of supplies in an abandoned house, they ‘sat wrapped in the quilt naked while the man held the boy’s feet to his stomach to warm them. (McCarthy. 2006.Pg31). The man is obviously willing to do anything; he is determined to keep his son warm and comfortable, even if it takes away from his own comfort. Hiding from people looking to catch others to eat is a further element of despair the two are forced to cope with. Cannibals roam this dystopia. After finding people in a cellar, some with limbs chopped off, the son is left horrified. The man and the son are desperate to find other ‘good guys’ like them so that they aren’t alone. Moreover, there are many other emotions the trekkers are desperate for; however these four are some of the most pressing. Ironically, this ugly emotion helps to keep the two going. The second, and most important emotion that drives the father and his son forward, is Fear. The apocalypse has given the man and his son reason to be fearful of many  things: Strangers, Starvation, and being alone. The father is so afraid of strangers that every time they come across another person he becomes very hostile. When they came upon a traveler, they followed him, perhaps because â€Å"The traveler was not one for looking back. They followed him for a while and then they overtook him.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg161) The man has changed drastically since his wife le ft him, and he has become very protective of his son. Starvation is another fear that drives them forward; food is very scarce and when they find food they do what they can to keep people from taking it from them. When the pair sees an old man called Ely walking down the street the father says I see and â€Å"the boy turned and looked at him. I know what the question is the man said. The answer is no. What question? Can we keep him? We can’t.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg.164). After the death of his father the boy is discovered by a family that had been following them. Even though the man had taught him to be very cautious around other people, the boy was very lonely and feared having to travel by himself ,so after making sure that they were â€Å"good guys†; he asked them â€Å"are you carrying the fire? Am I what? Carrying the fire. You’re kind of weirded out, aren’t you? No. Just a little. Yeah. That’s ok. So are you? What, carrying the fire? Yes. Yeah we are.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg283/284), he decides to travel with the family. And while fear is one of the most important emotions the pair faces in the book it is also one of the most important that people have faced since we first developed emotions. And even though fear plays a big part in their movement forward there is still another that is just as important. The Third and final emotion that is expressed in the novel is hope. The boy’s character is a sign of hope to the father throughout the book. In the father’s view the boy is almost described as holy, â€Å"if he is not the word of god, god never spoke†, which gives the sense that the boy is precious to the man and that the boy is the father’s hope like a god is a religious person’s hope. The boy also gives a sense of hope to the reader. This is from his sense of goodness and innocence, the way he gave food to the old m an at the side of the road, which in this world the reader gets a sense that goodness and innocence is unheard of. This gives this bleak, horrific, world a feeling of humanity, a feeling that gives the destroyed world a future â€Å"Goodness will find the little boy. It always has. It will again.† In the road there is a repeated reference to ‘carrying the flame’ which is a symbol  of hope. It is a symbol that mankind will always live on throughout any circumstances. When the man dies he tells the boy the he is now carrying the flame which shows the man’s hope of a better future or merely a just a future for the boy. The food is a sign presented by Cormac McCarthy of hope, when the food is low the scene is shown grimly and when the food is plentiful. When they find the bunker full of food, page 146, the text is full of short sentences ‘Canned hams.’, ‘Corned beef’ which show the father’s joy and almost disbelief of how hopeful the future will be with this plenty. Other than the boy the father has hope in very few things. But one thing which is shown throughout The Road is the father’s sense of morals. The father always reassures the boy and himself that they are the good guys, because they aren’t turning to cannibalism, which gives them the hope to keep them going because they are, to the father, keeping goodness in the world alive, ‘carrying the flame’. In the father’s dream, page 2, the father and the son are holding a light, ‘Their light playing over the wet flowstone walls.’ Which could be interpreted as a reference to the ‘carrying the flame’. The mother is a character presenting hope that has been lost. The mother commits suicide as this is what she sees as the brightest option. The mother says â€Å"as for me my only hope is for eternal nothingness and I hope it with all my heart.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg58/59), this shows how the mother has lost all hope of a future and nothingness is better than life on borrowed time. The last paragraph in the road is full of hope for the boy and the earth’s future. Cormac McCarthy presents the theme of hope in many different ways. He shows the lost hope of people in end of the world situations, the mother and the cannibals. The hope for the future, carrying the flame and the last paragraph. The hope for goodness and generosity in the world, the father’s view of the boy and carrying the flame. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a story set in a post-apocalyptic earth, showed the journey off a Man and his son: as they faced physical challenges, such as, Cold and Hunger, they also faced emotional challenges through Desperation, Fear, and Hope. This is a story that shows the perseverance of a man and his son, as they fight to survive.

Cleopatra :: History Biography Cleopatra Essays

Cleopatra Cleopatra VII was known for the love she had of her country, a love so great that would lead her to any means necessary for the good of it. She was born into a Macedonian family who had power and rule over Egypt. They were descended from Ptolemy I, a general of Alexander the Great who became king of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. â€Å"The ptolemaic dynasty was interlocked in goodwill and bad with the other Hellenistic states that had been wrenched out of portions of Alexander’s empire† (Huzar, 187). In this paper I will discuss who she was, and the measures she would she would go to for the good of her country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cleopatra VII was born in 69 BC in Egypt. Her father was Egypt's pharaoh, Ptolemy XII, nicknamed Auletes or "Flute-Player." Cleopatra's mother was probably Auletes's sister, Cleopatra V Tryphaena. She had two older sisters, Cleopatra VI and Berenice IV. She also had a younger sister, Arsinole IV. There were also two younger brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. When their father died in 51 BC, he left the rule of the kingdom to Cleopatra VII and her younger brother Ptolemy XIV. She married him, a twelve-year-old. This was not out of love for him, but out of wanting to rule. In order for her to rule she must have a consort, either brother or son.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cleopatra is one of the most talked about figures in ancient history. â€Å"She possessed many titles. Among them was Thea Neotera, the New Goddess, an echo of that great earlier Cleopatra Thea; and Philadelphus, lover of her brothers. Other titles include Philopator, lover of father, and Philopatris, lover of country. † (Grant1, 198). It was said by some that she was beautiful and irresistible. When portrayed on film she is a ravishing beauty. Others would argue that her beauty was internal rather than external; that her looks are not at all what attracted the great men of her time but her intellect and personality. She was an educated woman who could speak several languages, knew of geography, and could talk of politics. This was rare at the time, for not many women could. â€Å"Cleopatra formed a mighty plan to revive the great Ptolemaic Empire of the past by maintaining associations with two successive leaders, Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius, who both in turn became her lovers.† (Grant, 17).

Neiman Marcus Sales Plan

Neiman Marcus is a premier luxury retailer with distinctive merchandise and superior service. They opened in Dallas, Texas in 1908. Since 1908, Neiman Marcus has opened 40 additional stores. In 2010, the current count is 41 retail stores and 28 clearance centers called Last Call Neiman Marcus. As you can see from the chart, Neiman Marcus sells very diverse items. The largest category is women’s apparel, followed by women’s shoes, handbags and accessories, men’s apparel and shoes, cosmetics and fragrances, designer and precious jewelry, home furnishings and decor and the smallest category is other items. Neiman Marcus’s Mission Statement: â€Å"Neiman Marcus Stores will be the premier luxury retailer recognized for merchandise leadership and superior customer service. We will offer the finest fashion and quality products in an exceptional environment. † For the fiscal year 2010, Neiman Marcus had strong sales numbers. The total sales in the first quarter included the months of August, September, and October. The total sales were $ 869 million. The second quarter included the months of November, December, and January. The total sales were $ 1,102 million. The third quarter included the months February, March, and April. The total sales in the third quarter were $ 895 million. These figures include all 41 retail stores and the Neiman Marcus on-line website. According to the latest annual report from the U. S. Census Bureau the total amount of sales for the U. S. retail industry was $ 4. 13 trillion. This report comes from the calendar year ending in December 2009. Neiman Marcus has three top competitors. They are Barneys New York, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Even though there are many other luxury retailers, only the three listed above can compete with Neiman Marcus’s customer service and diversity of products. Code of Ethics The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. placed a Code of Ethics and Conduct to all its sales associates. The following are only a few examples of the policies that were placed. Protecting Customer Information When it comes to customer information, Neiman Marcus is dedicated to protect their customer’s confidential information. The company places the responsibility of protecting customer information to each sales associate that comes in contact with that information. Not only is certain information protected by state and federal laws, it is also protected by the company’s own data security policies. Sales associates are prohibited from using a client’s personal information on personal PDA’s or any personal computer for future reference. Conflicts Of Interest Neiman Marcus’s Code of Ethics and Conduct describes situations in which sales associates should avoid. According to the Code of Conduct, associates should avoid any situations that their personal interests could conflict to those of the company. The sales associate should avoid lending money to its customers for them to buy from the company nor should he or she use the company’s information or a customer’s confidential information for personal gain. It is also stated that the â€Å"associates should not accept any gifts†. These rules are made to avoid any unethical transactions between its associates and its customers or other parties. Discipline For Violations Neiman Marcus has disciplinary guidelines for sales associates who authorize, condone, or participate in actions that violate not only the company’s policies but the law. This also applies to sales associates who encourage others to retaliate against whistleblowers. Sales associates who withhold information relating to a violation are also at risk of disciplinary action. Sales associates who also submit false reports of violations or suspected violations which are made in bad faith will also receive disciplinary action. Neiman Marcus also prohibits sales associates to share employee discounts. Because the company regards the employee discount as a courtesy and privilege extended to the employee, if discovered, sales associates can have their benefit revoked or be terminated. Recruiting and Selecting Part of how Neiman Marcus selects its sales force is through its interview process. Part of that process is the use of a personality assessment to screen for desirable candidates to fit with Neiman Marcus’s ideology. The screening tests are supposed to help an interviewer have objective information that is not subject to biases. According to the Dalrymple’s Sales Management text â€Å"Testing was found to be one of the most reliable predictors of entry level job success. † Three main tests mentioned are intelligence, personality, and aptitude. The application process is as follows: after a candidate completes a job application on a HRIS (Human Resource Information System) they are then transferred to the SHL system and complete an assessment test. They are then transferred back to the HRIS system. (â€Å"SHL is a company that provides workplace talent assessment solutions including ability and personality tests, and psychometric assessments in more than 50 countries and in 30 languages†. ) A report is then immediately available which enables the interviewer to hire right then and there. As a result of Neiman Marcus adopting this process they make claims of having a reduction in staff turnover by 18%. In locations where the new system is being used, the pay for sales associates have been increased by 15. % and the interview – to- hire cycle was reduced from several days to 24 hours. The criteria selected by Neiman Marcus for a sales associate position is a direct result from the planning process where the company would define the company culture by analyzing the job, analyzing the job description and determining the qualifications they want to invest in a sales force. After receiving that information, the company SHL designed a personality assessment based on key competencies, attitude, and behaviors that applied to top performing sales associates with good employment tenure records. The assessment is simple and easy to use by store managers for the purpose of minimizing the risk of poor interviewing techniques. 30% of businesses that were surveyed showed that they used personality tests in hiring. Many companies consider testing more important than experience or education, while other companies like Universal Studios Theme Park will still interview candidates regardless of test scores just in case there were errors in the assessment. In most cases the results are close to what is surmised in the interview. Long held debates question whether or not personality tests can reduce personality to a set of numbers. Examples of popular tests are the â€Å"The Myers-Briggs type indicators used to match job seekers with jobs based on four qualities of introversion/ extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judgment/perceiving and for careers in positions of authority and trust. Another popular test is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test, which looks for drug abuse or other pathologies. Questions remain unanswered. Could this sort of testing stigmatize applicants who have not committed any wrong doings and could it result in an injustice to innocent people? A survey showed that 49 percent of companies that used computerized hiring systems saw no changes in turnover rates. The American Psychological Association found little evidence that tests purporting to measure honesty are accurate. The danger that lies in these tests is they are not regulated or certified, and anyone can make up a test and make claims as they wish. Companies like â€Å"People Answers† make claims of â€Å"streamlining the recruiting process† and hiring process for hiring managers offer â€Å"full behavioral analysis on every candidate†. They claim they can uncover hidden attributes that reveal a candidates drive for success and can separate out the underachievers. While this procedure may save time and the associated costs of hiring staff, questions arise about these programs of whether they make allowances for people who come from different cultures and minorities. These programs may be set to be too narrow as to not give equal opportunity to deserving candidates. Creativity and innovation cannot be predicted by a computer survey. Also, candidates could gain knowledge on how to beat these tests rendering them useless. While these tests might prove to be a good indicator of the attributes of what a company finds desirable in a candidate, it is being suggested here that there is no substitute for good training and interview skills. Caution is indicated where there could be an over reliance on these procedures and could prove to be a drawback in the long run. Training Since Neiman Marcus’s training programs are decentralized, sales associates are trained at the store location where they will work. This instruction is done in a classroom setting that includes web conferences and online essions. This strategy reduces travel expenses and managers can observe the new employees first hand. The decentralized training for sales associates has worked well for them. One of the things Neiman Marcus has been doing right is their training philosophy and techniques. Much of what they have done has been imitated by others. The contemporary theory of customer service was popularized by Neiman Marcus. Neiman Marcus offers a five day training course to new employees, while Nordstrom has a less formal approach with more emphasis on incentives and providing information. New Sales force employees receive training that covers Neiman Marcus history, policies and procedures. They also receive a course called ‘The Art of Selling† which teaches new sales associates how to give outstanding service to clients. This training offers custom-designed materials and programs to fit the Neiman Marcus philosophy. The material covers product knowledge and how sales process behavior leads to a successful conclusion. Another thing Neiman Marcus does right is their follow up training. They use a variety of methods that include classroom session, video, web conferences, systems training, online resources, lending library, in the job coaching, and in-store/in-facility experiences. Associates receive 200 hours of training their first year and 150 hours of training in subsequent years. This constant training reinforces the Neiman Marcus culture and leads to continual improvement, better selling skills, increased product knowledge, and ultimately better customer relations. Retailers have found that better service often equals higher sales and almost always results in loyal customers. A new topic for sales training is technology based selling skills. This is an area that is changing all the time. Cutting edge technology can give a company a real advantage over the competition when they are early entrants. One new technology is customer relationship management hand held devices. In the past, product information that might only be known by a few specialists with years of experience is now at the finger tips of the entire floor of sales associates. This is the power of being trained in using customer relationship management hand held devices. These devices are called Mobile CRMs. The devices have the power to take customer service to a whole new level. Imagine a sales person being able to access customer data at any time. Sales people can up sell, make suggestions, check inventory availability, and even answer customer’s questions about a specific product without having to run off somewhere to get answers and information. Instead, they can get it on the spot. If a product is not available, they can put the customer on a call list to be notified when a product has become available. This cutting edge technology will free sales associates to make the buying experience as effortless as possible. Sales people can make the transactions for the customer without having to go back to the register counter or point of sale station. Customers can be on their way in just minutes. This type of device helps a sales person improve his/her efficiency by being more competent in carrying out one’s duties which will in turn improve customer relations that result in an increase of productivity that leads to more personal satisfaction resulting in reduced turnover. According to the New York Times article, â€Å"Creating a Better Sales Force†, Mr. Lyon of The Container Store states: â€Å"If you give great service, you make people happier. Not only do employees who are better prepared to sell have a greater sense of accomplishment, they contribute ideas that help the company grow, and they become the next generation of management. † Account Relationships Neiman Marcus prides itself as the premier luxury retailer dedicated to providing our customers with distinctive merchandise and superior service. Former President Stanley Marcus believed in the â€Å"best of the best†, both in products and customer relationships. It was his belief that providing superior customer support through consultative transactions would result in customer loyalty. The sales associates should provide a â€Å"personal shopping† experience with each customer. They assist by knowing where merchandise is located, what? s in stock, what? s coming in, what will meet a customer’s needs, and what will not. Associates build trust with customers by answering the customer’s needs rather than providing the nearest product with a simple solution. For example, if a customer arrived looking for a lightly colored lip gloss, a sales associate would try to determine if the customer was looking for nourishment, a concealer, or an enhancer, because each situation may have a different product as a result. To assist the sales associates, Neiman Marcus partnered with Business Objects in 2002 to redesign a strategic customer relationship application. The new computer system provided sales associates with product information. They are able to know what is in stock and on the floor at all times. The system was also created to include a computer based clientele tracking system. This system can track all sales for each client. Based on the information from the sale, such as designers, colors, sizes, time of purchase, and frequency, a profile can be built for each customer. It will also allow the sales associates to track life events and special occasions for each client to add value and build a meaningful personal relationship. This system will also allow department sales managers to access real time reporting on the sales of each associate in their department based on dollar amount, number of sales, and brands sold. Sales associates are also instructed to build a relationship and create loyalty by maintaining familiarity with InCircle, Neiman Marcus’s loyalty program. Each associate is expected to introduce new customers to the program and provide updates to existing members. To become a member, a customer only needs to open a new Neiman Marcus account. Once opened, they are enrolled and can register their American Express and Diners Club credit cards, the only other cards accepted in stores. Each dollar spent in the store or online will equal one point in the InCircle loyalty program. After the first purchase, members will receive advanced notices of promotions, shows, and invitations to exclusive events. It is these â€Å"soft rewards† that generate Neiman Marcus’s most loyal customers. Sales associates promote the exclusivity of the events to make members feel as though they are included in the most fashionable circles. At the exclusive InCircle events, shoppers mingle with other likeminded members who positively influence their spending. Members are also encouraged to bring a non-member to the events which generate promising new customers. Businesses can also benefit for the quality customer service at Neiman Marcus. Many businesses use the knowledge and reliability of associates to place bulk orders. Often a business relationship can develop over the phone, with products being delivered in person. This service allows minimal interruptions for busy business professionals. This service if often utilized during the holiday season by corporations looking to distribute luxurious gifts to their employees.

Doungy by James Moloney Essay

On the exterior it seems that Dougy, the book, is all about racism. However when you delve further into Dougy, many other strong messages come across. Some that stand out are finding yourself, appreciating what we have and, most strongly, having an open mind. At the beginning Dougy, the boy, is timid, unsure of his life and seems to be in everyone’s shadow. Whilst being trapped in the hall with the floodwaters rising- Dougy comes out of his shell and comes to the rescue. His brave efforts probably save the lives of Gracey and Raymond. These events bring out the best in Dougy and he gains confidence in being able to achieve his dreams. He did, indeed, find himself and this made him, â€Å"bloody lucky.† Do you take things for granted? Dougy showed us that there are so many people out there, to who a new car sparks a cry of delight. Yet do we even blink an eyelid, when we see a new Commodore drive past? Oh no, it’s just another car. These feelings don’t just apply to cars, too- but too everything. We really need to appreciate what we have, not be greedy and just be happy with what we have- so many others aren’t as fortunate as you or me. This message comes out clearly, especially when the family goes to Brisbane. A lot of trouble brews in Dougy from not having an open mind and accepting the opinions and views of others. As you read the book, you will also see the influence that others can have on our feelings. Pay attention to the changed attitudes of the children to Gracey, after their parents have talked to them. James Moloney puts very different personalities into his characters and shows us the different types of people in this world. There are the understanding people, who will listen to both sides of an argument and follow their hearts and minds- shown by Brett. Then there are the obstinate people, who’s views will never change and they will keep on hurting people- shown by Cooper and Co. There are the people who really believe in themselves and won’t let other people get to them- shown by Gracey. There are those who don’t care what others think and can be kind of scary- like Dougy’s Mum. And then there are those people who need something to wake them up to their lives and give  them a little push; to realise their potential and to work towards their dreams- this is just like Dougy. James Moloney gives us so much to think about in such a little book. Dougy will give you plenty to think about, but you need to read between the lines to grasp all the hidden messages. James gives us a lot to think about and reading Dougy should really make you think about your life. Chapter 3 Summary-  · Family travels to Brisbane by train (pretty boring!)  · Dougy is touched by a field of sunflowers  · Pulling into Brisbane was really exciting for them (like the new Commodore)  · They were the only black people in the crowd  · They feel very different and they stand out  · Meet very prejudiced taxi driver who thinks they don’t have the money to pay him  · They are surprised that a black person owns the hotel because in their town there are only white bosses  · Gracey has first training session, but Raymond doesn’t want to go- instead he, Steve (guy from hotel) and Dougy go to see something Raymond really wants to see  · Steve takes them to Lang Park- the home of State Origin games  · The guard doesn’t want to let them in at first, but when he realizes  they’re from the country and harmless- he relents and lets them look around  · Being there means a lot to Raymond  · Raymond says he will play there one day and Dougy doesn’t laugh unlike the other guys  · Another guard comes along, makes them leave, says they’ll probably steal something and he isn’t nice to them  · Dougy isn’t sure what he wants to do in life, but he is scared of becoming like his Dad (just wandering around with no home) Commentary- The author, using something simple and part of Mother Nature- the field of sunflowers, shows that Dougy’s family live in a way out town. It also seems like a rally small town. Dougy also probably hasn’t been anywhere else because he says, â€Å"I think, maybe, there are hundreds of other fantastic things in the rest of the world that I’ll never know about.† This point is also shown by how excited they are when the train pulls into Brisbane. The author shows that things are different in towns and cities (well they were at the time). People in the country aren’t really educated about what life is like in the city. This is shown by Dougy’s uncomfortableness with being the only blacks in the crowd. He thought that it would be just like at home- equal numbers of blacks and whites in the streets. Being uneducated is also shown by the comment that Dougy makes that Steve couldn’t be the manager of the hotel because in their town only white people are own businesses. Dougy and his family thought things would be the same in Brisbane and on some matters, they were caught unawares. Chapter 3 also shows that in a small town people have to stick together no matter what their skin colour- there may be prejudice, but it has to be overcome to get things done. In the city prejudice can be rampant (more of  it), without that much of an effect. James Moloney shows that many people stereotype against Aborigines. They may hear bad stories about them or have one bad experience and then they think that every single Aborigine is the same. It hurts people’s feelings when you stereotype like that- for example the taxi driver thought Dougy and his family wouldn’t pay, just because others hadn’t paid him. (Another example of this is saying that all blondes are dumb.) The scene at Lang Park shows that the littlest things mean a great deal to some people and can really inspire them. Just being at Lang Park and touching the grass inspires Raymond to say that he would play there one day and Dougy knew he wasn’t joking. The very end of chapter 3 shows that if we don’t believe in each other and ourselves- we won’t have the courage or the confidence to do after our dreams. Chapter 7 Summary- A number of things happen in chapter 7. It has been decided that Gracey will go to school in Brisbane. It is the summer holidays, it’s hot and the town is expecting a storm. Melissa Brodie is back in town (to stay) and has found a new pastime, in the form of motorbike riding. Melissa’s Dad has warned all the young blokes not to let Melissa borrow their bikes- or else! However Melissa continues to ride- she borrows Tiny’s bike in secret. Two weeks before Gracey was to leave for Brisbane, her Mum decides they should celebrate- with the whole town. She sets of the hire the hall across the road, which happens to be a big no-no for blacks. The owner of the hall, Mrs England, nearly dies when Gracey’s Mum goes to hire it. Unable to stop her, however, she gives in and the hall is hired. Meanwhile a storm starts brewing up north and the whole town starts preparing for a flood. This is what they were doing when Melissa Brodie is found unconscious in the  sandhills. Not knowing the full story, people start to blame Johnny Warren and trouble brews! Commentary- The beginning of the chapter shows the different attitudes towards the weather and crops, of the people. The white people are constantly worrying that there’ll be no rain, whereas the black people don’t worry so much- this shows that they have faith in the land and this is they way that they are brought up- to have faith in the land. The fact that Melissa borrows Tiny’s bike in secret (after her Dad warned all the other blokes), is really important later on in the story because this unknown fact causes misunderstandings and, really, the whole war. Melissa being able to talk her way into borrowing a bike and also ‘bad-mouthing’ the town without any consequences, show how some people’s attitudes are warped. They will listen to a good-looking and skinny girl and agree and grin, but if a fat and not so nice looking person says something they just look at him or her funny and laugh or tease them. This shown by Tiny- he said he wanted to be a mechanic and people said, â€Å"Fat chance† because he is fat. The little episode in booking the hall shows that some people will never change and they don’t want to, either. However, no matter what stands in our way we need to be determined and believe in ourselves. While Dougy was helping fill sandbags and a guy said, â€Å"Typical, lazy black bastards.† This shows again that our society is affected by stereotypes. That man didn’t notice Dougy’s black hands on the bag, however. So this shows that there may be many stereotypes out there, but they, nearly always, mean nothing. You have to get to know a person before you can really say what they are like- you can’t just look at their skin or hair colour. Chapter seven contains many messages for us to remember. Chapter 11 Summary- At the beginning of chapter 11, Luke doesn’t feel like shooting anymore and his Dad decides to head home. Luke arrives at his grandparents’ house early Friday morning and sleeps till his Aunt calls that his Mum is going home from the hospital. As his aunt talks to him, Luke begins to feel guilty for not visiting his Mum. Therefore he decides to be a good boy and care to the household duties, while his Mum rests. When Alison first wakes, Luke has to lie his way out of the room- about the shooting trip. The next Monday Luke and Alison confront each other. The communication barriers are broken as Luke asks about his Mum’s school life. But these are soon put again as his Mum starts to say what he should and shouldn’t do. Luke gets very upset, storms out of the house, gets on his bike and rides away. Commentary- At the beginning of the chapter, it seems that Luke is growing up and he doesn’t want to shoot anymore. This shows that people can change, as they see the light of a situation. When Luke lies to his Mum, he doesn’t feel comfortable, which shows that lying isn’t a human tendency- unless you let it become that and you make it a habit. The point that Luke doesn’t want to hang around his friends is unusual and can show that he feels uncomfortable with being suspended. From this we can gather that it’s in us to want to do our best. When we fail ourselves, we do feel disappointed. The funny atmosphere between Luke and his Mum is the same in many families today- parents and children aren’t very close due to poor communication. When they start talking its like floodwaters, but this flood of communication soon slows to a trickle, as Alison starts acting like a teacher- according to Luke. What he doesn’t realize is that Alison just  wants what is best for him. Instead Luke runs out and may get into trouble again. This little episode shows us that talking to each other is needed for a stable family. What family members need to realize is that they can’t push their opinions down people’s throats, that they need to be reasonable and willing to compromise. It’s also really important to look out for each other.

Daeth Of A Salesman Essays - English-language Films, Free Essays

Daeth Of A Salesman Essays - English-language Films, Free Essays Daeth Of A Salesman Michael Neppl Page 1 June 17 1999 In the play, Death of a Salesman , Arthur Miller depicts a typical dysfunctional family. This is Arthur Miller's best-known and most important problem play. It is a symbolic and in part expressionistic, and it challenges the American values concerning success. Willy Loman is a salesman who after thirty-four years of being on the road, is slowly starting to deteriorate physically as well as mentally. Upon his being fired, Willy tries to understand why he has failed as a salesman, a father, and as a husband. The word dysfunction defined according to The American Heritage Dictionary is abnormal or impaired functioning. This definition paints a perfect picture of the daily goings on in the Loman household. It can be said that the Lomans are a dysfunctional family due to the lack of communication, respect, and values. The basis for a good relationship is constant communication. Communication was something the Lomans did not practice often, and when they did, it usually ended in a shouting match. Willy has extremely poor listening skills, which is the key component in communication. He constatnly talks over people, and always interrupts whoever is speaking. When Willy went to talk to Howard about getting a job in New York, and not traveling anymore was a perfect example of Willy's poor communication skills. Whenever Howard would start to say anything that Willy didn't think was in his favor, Willy would talk over Howard. Page 2 When Howard left Willy alone in the office to greet other people outside, Willy acknowledged this to himself, saying What the hell did I say to him? My God, I was yelling at him! How could I ? ( Miller 1285). This is a perfect example of Willy's lack of communication skills. It's well known that parents' behavior influences their children. So it's no surprise that Biff lacks communication skills also. Everyone in the family has a habit of interrupting one another as evidenced in this exchange between Biff and Linda talking about Willy's car accidents: Biff: What woman? Linda(simultaneously with Biff) ..and this woman.. Linda: What? Biff: Nothing. Go ahead Linda: What did you say? Biff: Nothing. I just said what woman? (Miller 1272). This is a typical conversation in the Loman household; interrupting each other, not listening to each other, and lack of interest in what one another are saying. Their lack of communication is again apparent when Willy is getting ready for bed with Linda, and he's instructing Biff on his conduct in his meeting with Bill Oliver the next day. Linda cuts him off, and Willy responds Will you let me talk?, cutting Linda off in return. Biff then tells Willy not to yell at Linda, which Willy responds to angrily and sarcastically I wasn't talking, was I ? ( Miller 1276). This is a common path conversation takes with any of the Lomans. All this points Page 3 to their lack of communication, which will breed dysfunction in any atmosphere, especially in a family. Problems communicating and a lack of respect are direct influences on each other. Lack of respect for each other is another reason why the Lomans are a dysfunctional family. Willy's lack of respect for his wife is obvious, due to the fact that he cheats on her during his business trips and thinks nothing of it. When he's caught cheating on Linda by Biff, Willy explains it's because he gets lonely, and tells Biff when you grow up, you'll understand about these things. You mustn't overemphasize a thing like this. (Miller 1306). Willy only cared that he was caught, he didn't think there was anything wrong with the cheating itself. Further, more convincing evidence of the lack of respect existing in the family occurred when Willy met Happy and Biff at the restaurant the day of Biff's meeting with Bill Oliver. This was also the day Willy was fired by Howard. Willy strated having one of his dilusional episodes, and went into the bathroom. Biff and Happy got into an argument about Happy's a pparent disregard for Willy, and Biff stormed out of the restaurant. Happy leaves with the two women while Willy is still in the bathroom, in the middle of a flashback. When the woman asks

Surrealism in Films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Surrealism in Films - Essay Example The essay "Surrealism in Films" discovers the films in the context of surrealism. Though Surrealism as a pure artistic form seemingly died out with the death of Andre Breton, the influence continues prevail in films. Surrealists emphasize the importance of the unconscious dream state and symbolism through the elements of surprise and juxtaposition. Unlike many pure Surrealist films in Europe, American cinema has adapted the influence of Surrealism into a storytelling method and a foundation for the interpretation of dreams and reality. Filmmakers use surrealist concepts and methods to cross the lanes from the conscious reality to the unconscious perceptive plane and attach philosophical statements to matters that are beyond a reflection of what is real. Such examples of Surrealist influence can be found across American cinematic history, in critically acclaimed films such as Spellbound, directed by Alfred Hitchcock; Blue Velvet, directed by David Lynch; and Eternal Sunshine of the Sp otless Mind, directed by Michel Gondry. Surrealism is a style of art that was developed to create an expressive expansion of the dreams of artists so that the internal could be expressed rather than the external repeated. Spanish Surrealist painter Salvador Dali described that the work of the Surrealist is â€Å"based on phantasms and representations brought about by the materializations of unconscious acts†. The style utilizes what is real but puts it into an unreal framework, which is best represented in his sculpture.

Architecture of any civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Architecture of any civilization - Essay Example Architecture is an overt expression of the culture and beliefs of any society. Though the basic principle of manipulation of space in order to control the user of the space is universal, the subtleties may vary with the culture. A study of the various monuments belonging to different cultures that existed at different periods of history will help us understand this idea. We will first travel back to prehistoric times and take a glimpse at the 'Great Stone Tower of Jericho'. By doing so we will try to capture some of the beliefs, priorities and traditions of the people that lived in those times. This monumental structure was built between 8000 and 7000 BC. This tower makes Jericho the oldest known city in the world. The tower also proposes that the people who built it had settled there and were not nomadic food hunters. They also had an organized community in order to carry out such a task. The tower has only one entrance and steps made of well carved stones that lead to the summit. The summit is circular in shape. The structure controls the movement of the user by its single entrance and the steps that allow only up and down movement. The purpose of the tower seems to be defense which appears to be a very important consideration of that community. This could be the reason for building five feet thick walls and ditches around these towers. This shows that the people were in fear of a mighty foe that they had to keep out of their territory, and for the people that built this structure life must have revolved around military and other defense problems of their day. This structure thus gives us a picture of the life of the people in those times. Nothing can match the excellent example of the pyramids when it comes to architecture and space manipulation. The pyramids are also a primary source of information about the life and death beliefs and ceremonies of the people and the kings that ruled them. The primary function of these pyramids was to serve as funerary complexes to the pharaohs who were worshipped as gods. These gigantic monuments speak with the voice of the dead about the enchantment of the people of their times with the afterlife. The preserved body of the pharaoh with the provisions needed for his afterlife was kept in these pyramids. They also served as ceremonial cites and places of worship where the people worshipped the deceased king as God. To this day they stand as an architectural marvel. The size of these structures is massive and the question of how the huge stones were carried up as the building progressed is a mystery. Another interesting part of the pyramid was the Ben Ben which formed the capstone of the pyramid. This was made of shining material like gold or silver. The Ben Ben is believed to represent the rays of the sun. Egyptians worshipped and revered the sun god as the supreme provider of life on earth. The hieroglyphics on the pyramid also talks about the solar eclipse, and other planetary events, telling us how the Egyptians followed the happenings on the sky and related them to life here on earth. The Stepped Pyramid and mortuary precinct of Djoser, Saqqara, Egypt, was built between 2630-2611 BCE. It was built as a grandiose royal tomb. Such monuments represented eternal life after death and were designed to last for. A great amount of money and manpower was pumped in to build these. The shape of the pyramid with the slopes on the four sides