Barn Burning :: Literary Analysis, William Faulkner

Sarty's betrayal of his father in William Faulkner's story "Barn Burning" is justified. The reader is introduced to Sarty's father as he is being tried for burning the barn of Mr. Harris. Lacking evidence, the Justice of the Peace drops the charges against Abner Snopes, Sarty's father, and he is ordered to leave the country. A harsh image of Sarty's father is presented in the line, "he [Sarty] followed the stiff black coat, the wiry figure walking a little stiffly from where a Confederate provost's man's musket ball had taken him in the heel on a stolen horse thirty years ago" (2177). The reader is given insight into Snopes' shady past and learns he has never been a law-abiding citizen. Sarty's inner turmoil centers around his sense of loyalty to his father and his own conflict with knowing his father's actions are wrong. Through Faulkner's use of stream-of-consciousness narration, the reader is aware of Sarty's thoughts. In one instance, Sarty alludes to Mr. Harris as "his father's enemy (our enemy he thought in that despair, ourn, mine and hisn both! He's my father!)" (2176). Upon hearing the hiss of someone accusing his father of burning barns, Sarty feels "the old fierce pull of blood" and is blindly thrust into a fight, only to be physically jerked back by his father's hand and his cold voice ordering him to get in the wagon. As the Snopes' family leaves town, Sarty consoles himself with the hope that this will be the last time his father commits the act that he cannot bring himself to even think of : "Maybe he's done satisfied now, now that he has" (2177). Deep down, Sarty knows his father is not going to end his destructive rampage. Ten-year-old Sarty cannot understand the true reasons for his father's actions: "that the element of fire spoke to some deep mainspring of his father's being," and, even more importantly, the fire served as "the one weapon for the preservation of [his] integrity" (2178). Sarty's thoughts when he realizes he might be questioned regarding the barn burning reflect the fear and despair he experiences: "He aims for me to lie. And I will have to do hit" (2176). Later, Sarty's father violently reminds him that blood is thicker than water when he accuses Sarty of being ready to betray him.

Night World : Black Dawn Chapter 15

Maggie shuffled behind Chamber-pot Emptier,heading back toward the castle. She was carryingpiles of folded linen sheets given to her by Laun dress, and she was doing her best to look like a slave. Laundress had smudged her face artisticallywith dirt to disguise her. She had also sifted ahandful of dust into Maggie's hair to dull the auburn into a lifeless brown, and when Maggie bowedher head over the sheets, the hair further obscuredher features. The only problem was that she wasconstantly afraid she was going to sneeze. â€Å"Those are the wild animals,† Chamber-pot Emptier whispered over her shoulder. She was a bigboned girl with gentle eyes that reminded Maggieof the calves tethered by Laundress's hut. It had taken Laundress a while to make her understandwhat they wanted of her, but now she seemed tofeel obligated to give Maggie a tour. â€Å"They're brought in from Outside,† she said. â€Å"And they're dangerous. Maggie looked sideways at the wicker cageswhere Sylvia and Gavin had walked earlier. Fromone a brown-gray wolf stared back at her with afrighteningly sad and steady gaze. In another a sleek black panther was pacing, and it snarled asthey went by. There was something curled up inthe back of a third that might have been a tigerit was big, and it had stripes. â€Å"Wow,† she said. â€Å"I wouldn't want to chase that.† Chamber-pot Emptier seemed pleased. â€Å"Andhere's the castle. It's called Black Dawn.† â€Å"It is?† Maggie said, distracted away from theanimals. â€Å"That's what my grandpa called it, anyway. Helived and died in the courtyard without ever goingin.† Chamber-pot Emptier thought a moment andadded, â€Å"The old people say that you used to be ableto see the sun in the sky-not just behind theclouds, you know. And when the sun came up inthe morning it shone on the castle. But maybethat's just a story.† Yeah, maybe it was just a story that you couldsee the sun in the sky, Maggie thought grimly.Every time she thought this place couldn't surpriseher anymore, she discovered she was wrong. But the castle itself was impressive †¦ awe inspiring. It was the only thing in view that wasn't dusty brown or pallid gray. Its walls were shinyand black, almost mirror-like in places, and Maggie didn't have to be told that it wasn't built of anyordinary human stone. How they had gotten it tothis valley was a mystery. Delos lives here, she thoughtasEmptier led herup a stone staircase, past the ground floor which was just cellars and storage rooms. In this beautiful, frightening, impressive place. Not only lives init, but commands it. It's all his. She got just a glimpse of the great hall, whereshe'd seen slaves setting a long table yesterday. Chamber-pot Emptier led her up another floor andinto a series of winding corridors that seemed to go on for miles. It was dim in this internal labyrinth. The windows were high and narrow and hardly let any ofthe pale daylight in. On the walls there were candles in brackets and flares in iron rings, but theyonly seemed to add wavering, confusing shadowsto the twilight. â€Å"His bedroom's up here,† Emptier murmured finally. Maggie followed her closely. She was justthinking that they had made it all the way withouteven being challenged, when a voice sounded from a side corridor. â€Å"Where are you going? Who's this?† It was a guard, Maggie saw, peering from underher hair. A real medieval guard, with, of all things,a lance. There was another one in the opposite cor ridor just like him. She was fascinated in the middle of her terror. But Chamber-pot Emptier of the not-so-quickwits reacted beautifully. She took time to curtsey, then she said slowly and stolidly, â€Å"It's Folder fromthe laundry, sir. Laundress sent her with the sheetsand I was told she could help me. There's morework because of the guests, you know.† â€Å"It's Chamber Maid's work to spread sheets,† theguard said irritably. Chamber-pot Emptier curtsied again and said just as slowly, â€Å"Yes, sir, but there's more work because of the guests, you see-â€Å" â€Å"Fine, fine,† the guard broke in impatiently. â€Å"Whydon't you go and do it, instead of talking about it?†He seemed to think that was funny, and he turned and elbowed the other guard in the ribs. Chamber-pot Emptier curtseyed a third time and walked on, not hurrying. Maggie tried to copy the curtsey, with her face buried in the sheets. There was another endless corridor, then a doorway, and then Emptier said, â€Å"We're here. Andthere's nobody.around.† Maggie lifted her face from the sheets. â€Å"You're absolutely wonderful, you know that? You deservean Academy Award.† â€Å"A what?† â€Å"Never mind. But you were great.† â€Å"I only told the truth,† the girl said placidly, butthere was a smile lurking in the depths of her gentle cowlike eyes. â€Å"There is more work when guestscome. We never had them before three years ago.† Maggie nodded. â€Å"I know. Look, I guess you'd better go now. And um-Emptier?† She couldn't bring herself to say the entire name. â€Å"I really hope you don't get in trouble because of this.† Chamber-pot Emptier nodded back, then went toreach under the bed and retrieve a ceramic container. She walked out again holding it carefully. Maggie looked around the room, which was verybig and very bare. It was somewhat better lit thanthe corridors, having several bowl-shaped oil lampson stands. The bed was the only real piece of furniture in it. It was huge, with a heavy wooden frameand carved bedposts. Piled on top of it were quiltsand what looked like fur coverlets, and hanging allaround it were linen curtains. I'm probably supposed to take all that stuff off and put the clean sheets on, Maggie thought. Shedidn't. The rest of the furniture seemed to be largechests made of exotic-looking wood, and a fewbenches and stools. Nothing that offered a hidingplace. But on one side there was a curtaineddoorway. Maggie went through it and found a small anteroom-the wardrobe Jeanne had mentioned. It wasmuch bigger than she'd expected, and seemed tobe more of a storeroom than a closet. Okay. So I'll just sit down. There were two stools beside a figure thatvaguely resembled a dressmaker's dummy. Maggie dropped her sheets on a chest and pulled one ofthe stools close to the doorway. Through the spacebetween the linen curtains she could see almost theentire bedchamber. Perfect, she thought. All I have to do is wait untilhe comes in alone. And then She stiffened. She could hear voices from somewhere beyond the vast bedroom. No, she couldhear a voice, a musical girlish voice. Oh, please, she thought. Not her.Don't let him come in with her. I'll have to jump out and hit herwith something; I won't be able to stop myself†¦ . But when two figures came in the room, she hadno desire to jump out. It was Sylvia, all right, but she wasn't with Delos.She was with Hunter Redfern. Maggie felt ice down her spine. Now, what werethese two doing in Delos's bedroom? Whatever itwas, if they caught her, she was dead meat. Sheheld herself absolutely still, but she couldn't tear herself away from the curtain. â€Å"He's out riding, and he won't be back for another half hour,† Sylvia was saying. She was wearing a dark holly-green gown and carrying a basket.†And I've sent all the servants away.† â€Å"Even so,† Hunter Redfern said. He gently movedthe heavy wooden door until it was almost shut.Not all the way, but enough to screen the bedchamber from anyone outside. â€Å"You really think he's spying on our rooms?† Sylvia turned in a swirl of skirts to look at the tallman. â€Å"He's brightmuch smarter than you give himcredit for. And these old castles have spy-holes and listening tubes built in; I remember. It's a stupidprince who doesn't make use of them.† He remembers, Maggie thought, for a moment too full of wonder to be scared. He remembers thedays when castles were built, he means. He's reallybeen alive that long. She studied the handsome face under the bloodred hair, the aristocratic cheekbones, the mobile mouth-and the quick flashing eyes. This was thesort of man who could fascinate people, she decided. Like Delos, there was a sort of leashed tension about him, a reserve of power and intelligence that made an ordinary person feel awed. He was a leader, a commander. And a hunter, Maggie thought. All these peopleare hunters, but he's the Hunter, the epitome ofwhat they are. His name says it all. But Sylvia was talking again. â€Å"What is it that he'snot supposed to know?† â€Å"I've had a message from Outside. Don't ask how,I have my ways.† â€Å"You have your little bats,† Sylvia said demurely.†I've seen them.† There was a pause, then Hunter said, â€Å"You'd better watch yourself, girl. That mouth's going to getyou in trouble.† Sylvia had her face turned away from him, butMaggie saw her swallow. â€Å"I'm sorry. I didn't knowit was a secret. But what's happened?† â€Å"The biggest news in your short life.† Hunter Redfern laughed once and added with apparentgood humor restored, â€Å"And maybe in mine. Thewitches have seceded from the Night World.† Maggie blinked. It sounded impressive the wayhe said itbut more impressive was the way Sylviafroze and then whirled breathlessly. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's happened. They've been threatening for amonth, but most people didn't believe they'd reallydo it.† Sylvia put a hand to her middle, pressed flatagainst her stomach as if to hold something in.Then she sat on the fur-covered bed. â€Å"They've left the Council,† she said. She wasn'tlooking at Hunter Redfern. â€Å"They've left the Council and everything else.†Ã¢â‚¬ All of them?† Hunter Redfern's fine red eyebrows went up. â€Å"What did you expect? Oh, a few of the blackestpractitioners from Circle Midnight are arguing, butmost of them agree with the liberals in Circle Twilight. They want to save the humans. Avert thecoming darkness.† He said it exactly the way Maggie had heard lumberjacks say, â€Å"Save the spotted owls. Ha!† â€Å"So it's really beginning,† Sylvia murmured. Shewas still looking at the stone floor. â€Å"I mean, there'sno going back, now, is there? The Night World issplit forever.† â€Å"And the millennium is upon us,† Hunter said,almost cheerfully. He looked young and†¦personable, Maggie thought. Somebody you'd vote for. â€Å"Which brings me to the question,† he said smoothly, looking at Sylvia, â€Å"of when you're goingto find her.† What her? Maggie's stomach tightened. Sylvia's face was equally tight. She looked up and said levelly, â€Å"I told you I'd find her and I will.†Ã¢â‚¬ But when?You do understand how important this is?† â€Å"Of course I understand!† Sylvia flared up. Herchest was heaving. â€Å"That's why I was trying to sendher to you in the first place-â€Å" Hunter was talkingasif he didn't hear her. â€Å"If it gets out that Aradia, the Maiden of all the witches,is here in the valley-‘ Iliknow!† â€Å"And that you hadher and let her slip throughyour fingers-â€Å" â€Å"I was trying to bring her to you.I thought thatwas important,† Sylvia said. She was bristling and distraught. Which was exactly what Hunter wantedher to be, Maggie thought dazedly. He really knows how to play people. But the analysis was faraway, in the shallowestpart of her mind. Most of her consciousness wassimply stricken into paralyzed amazement. Aradia. The Maiden of all the witches. So it wasn't Arcadia at all, Maggie thought. She might have mentioned that,after I've been calling her Cady for days. But then she hasn't been conscious much, and when she was we had more urgent things to talk about. Aradia. Aradia. That's really pretty. The name had started an odd resonance in hermind, maybe bringing up some long-forgotten mythology lesson. Aradia was a goddess, she thought.Of†¦ um, sylvan glades or something. The woods.Like Diana. And what Maiden of all the witches was, she hadno idea, but it was obviously something important.And not evil, either. From what Hunter was saying, it was clear that witches weren't like other NightPeople. She was the maiden Bern and Gavin were talkingabout, Maggie realized. The one they were supposed to deliver. So Sylvia was bringing her toHunter Redfern. But Cady herself told me-I mean, Aradiatold me-that she was already coming tothis valley for a reason. Before she could even properly phrase the question, her mind had the answer. Delos. In a coincidence that lifted the hair on Maggie'sarms, Sylvia said, â€Å"She won't get to Delos.† â€Å"She'd better not,† Hunter said. â€Å"Maybe you don't realize how persuasive she can be. An ambassador from all the witches, coming to plead her case †¦ she just might sway him. He has a despicable softspot-a conscience, you might call it. And we know he's been in contact with the human girl who escaped with her. Who knows what messages the little vermin was carrying from her?† No messages, Maggie thought grimly. Not withthis vermin anyway. But I would have carried themif I'd known. â€Å"Gavin said Aradia was still unconscious fromthe truth potion-that she was practically dead,†Sylvia said. â€Å"I don t think she could have given any messages. I'd swear that Delos doesn't know she'sin the valley at all.† Hunter was still brooding. â€Å"The witches have oneWild Power on their side already.† â€Å"But they won't get another,† Sylvia said doggedly. â€Å"I've got people looking for her. All the nobles are on our side. They won't let her get toDelos.† â€Å"She should have been killed in the beginning,†Hunter mused. â€Å"But maybe youhave a soft spotfor herlike you do for that human boy.† Behind the linen curtains, Maggie stiffened. Like you do.Not like you did.And who else couldthe human boy be? She gritted her teeth, listening so hard she couldhear the blood in her ears, willing them to talkabout Miles. But Hunter was going on in his smooth voice,†Or maybe you still have some loyalty to thewitches.† Sylvia's pale face flushed. â€Å"I do not! I'm finishedwith them, and you know it! I may be a spellcaster, but I'm not a witch anymore.† â€Å"It's good to see you haven't forgotten whatthey've done to you,† Hunter said. â€Å"After all, youcould have been a Hearth-Woman, taken yourrightful place on the witch Council.† â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like your grandmother and her mother beforeher. Theywere Harmans, and so was your father.What a pity the name isn't passed through the maleline. You ended up being just a Weald.† â€Å"I wasa Harman,† Sylvia said with muted ferocity. She was staring at the floor again, and sheseemed to be speaking to herself rather than toHunter. â€Å"I was. But I had to stand there and watch my cousins be accepted instead of me. I had towatch half humansbe accepted-be welcomed.They took my place-just because they were descended through the female line.† Hunter shook his head. â€Å"A very sad tradition.† Sylvia's breath came raggedly for another minuteor so, then she looked up slowly at the tall man in the center of the room, â€Å"You don't have to worryabout my loyalty,† she said quietly. â€Å"I want a placein the new order after the millennium. I'm through with the witches.† Hunter smiled. â€Å"I know it,† he said, lightly and approvingly, andthen he started pacing the room. He got what hewanted out of her, Maggie thought. Almost casually, he added, â€Å"Just be sure thatDelos's power is kept in check until everything's decided.† Sylvia bent and lifted the basket, which Maggiehad forgotten about. â€Å"The new binding spells will hold,† she said. â€Å"Ibrought special ingredients from one of the oldestMidnight witches. And he won't suspect anything.† â€Å"And nobody but you can take them off?† â€Å"Nobody but me,† Sylvia said firmly. â€Å"Not eventhe Crone of all the witches. Or the Maiden, forthat matter.† â€Å"Good girl,† Hunter said, and smiled again. â€Å"Ihave every confidence in you. After all, you havelamia blood in you to balance the witch taint.You're my own eighth-great-granddaughter.† Maggie wanted to punch him. She was confused and frightened and indignantand furious, all at once. As faras she could tell,Hunter Redfern seemed to be manipulating everybody. And Delos, Delos the prince and Wild Power,was just another of his puppets. I wonder what they plan to do if he won't join their new order? she thought bleakly. After a few minutes, Hunter turned in his pacingand walked by the door. He paused brieflyasiflistening, then glanced at Sylvia. â€Å"You don't know how happy it makes me just to think about it,† he said, in a voice that wasn't strained, or overly cheerful, or too loud, or anything that rang false. â€Å"To finally have a true heir.A male heir of my own line, and untainted by witchblood. I would never have married that witchMaeve Harman if I had known my son was still alive. And not only alive, but out having sons! Theonly true Redferns left in the world, you mightsay. Maggie, with her teeth set in her lower lip, didn'tneed to guess who was on the other side of thedoor. She watched tensely. And Delos came in, right on cue.

Pericles Funeral Speech and Jefferson Declaration of Independence Essay

September 11, 2001, two planes crash into the World Trade Center, people diving out windows to their deaths, a plane crashes into the Pentagon, hijackers overtaken by passengers and crash the plane into a field in Pennsylvania. December 2003, mass graves uncovered in Iraq, compliments of Saddam Husayn. May, 2004, a web page shows terrorists cutting off the head of Nick Berg. August 2004, over 350 children are executed by terrorists in a school in Russia. Democracy is being threatened by enigmatic zealots all over the world. The United States have fought for Democracy as far back as the Revolutionary War, and both World Wars. Once again our military is being asked to make the ultimate sacrifice in the attack on democracy against these zealots. Fighting for democracy has been the cause of wars since the days of Pericles. Pericles states that â€Å"Our constitution does not seek to copy the laws of our neighbors; we are an example to others, not imitators of them†. During his time there was usually one ruler that had the power over life and death, the mass of people did not matter. In Athens this was far from the case. Athens created its own government, one that was for the people, and benefited the people. Pericles said with conviction, â€Å"As far as public life is concerned, we live as free men†. The people of Athens had a government that supported them; they were all equal in the eyes of the government. The city of Athens stood by itself; it needed no others to help it. She left her gates open to all and did not concern herself with excluding foreigners. Her military stood alone. Athens never advanced into another territory with Allies; she did it alone. He also marvels in the fact that Athens does not live for the fear of war. He states that they live free, but are always ready if in danger. He even goes so far to say that his enemies are happy with a victory over a small part of the army. Pericles praises Athens for her form of government – democracy – because it is only in a democracy that citizens are encouraged to contribute and participate in self-rule. Democracy brings equality, merit brings public success, social and economic mobility is encouraged, and the law protects all: â€Å"We alone consider the man who refuses to take part in city affairs useless,† Pericles announces. And he gets in a  dig at Sparta by proudly proclaiming that â€Å"rather than look upon discussion as a stumbling-block in the way of action, we think it is an indispensable preliminary to any wise action at all.† Pericles encourages his audience â€Å"to realize the greatness of Athens† and enjoy everything the city has to offer: â€Å"Further, we provide many ways to refresh the mind from the burdens of business. We hold contests and offer sacrifices all the year round, and the elegance of our private establishments forms a daily source of pleasure and helps to drive away sorrow. The magnitude of our city draws the produce of the world into our harbor, so that to the Athenian the fruits of other countries are as familiar a luxury as those of his own.† What Pericles talks about in his speech is almost dimmed in importance by how he delivers the message. It is Pericles’ rhetoric that makes this speech famous and the model for so many others in the course of history. Throughout his speech, Pericles holds up glory as the incentive for men to rush to battle for their freedom: Athens is a glorious city because of the sacrifices of previous generations of men, and this generation, too, must shoulder its burden. And while fighting for your country can help bring about a victory, it also has the benefit of bringing you personal glory, something Pericles believes can be gained in no other way than by dying for your country: â€Å"Realize for yourself the power of Athens, and feed your eyes upon her day after day, till you become her devoted lover. Then, when all her greatness breaks upon you, reflect that it was by courage, sense of duty and a keen feeling of honor in action that men were enabled to win all this, and that no personal failure in an enterprise could make them consent to deprive their country of their valor, but they laid it at her feet as the most glorious contribution they could offer. By this mutual offering of their lives made by them all, they each of them individually received that renown which never grows old. For a sepulcher they have won not so much that tomb in which their bones are here deposited, but that noblest of shrines wherein their glory is laid up to be eternally remembered upon every occasion on which deed or story shall fall for its commemoration. For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb.† Pericles’ speech is certainly persuasive. Its passion is based in reality. It is a powerful to see a nation mourn its war dead. In the end Pericles  accomplishes his goal to inspire a city in mass mourning for its lost warriors. Woodrow Wilson was faced with a call to arms when in 1917 he proclaimed American entrance into World War I a crusade to make the world â€Å"safe for democracy.† Pericles, in his funeral oration, talks of valor as being very honorable. He comments that â€Å"Choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting† is a bold and courageous act and it deserves praise and glory. He says the soldiers â€Å"fled only from dishonor, but met danger face to face†. Abraham Lincoln was faced with a similar task. The Gettysburg Address was delivered on November 19, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery. Lincoln’s speech is more humble than Pericles, but just as passionate. He is careful in not mentioning either side of the war; he only speaks of the nation as a whole. â€Å"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether the nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as the final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live.† Lincoln pays tribute to not only the Union army, but the Confederate as well, by saying â€Å"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.† There are obvious parallels between Pericles’ and Lincoln’s speeches. They both set out to accomplish the same thing just in different ways. Another famous writer and scholar with a similar view of Athenian society, Sophocles, chose to voice his opinion through playwright. Specifically in his two great tragedies Oedipus the King and Antigone. Pericles and Sophocles, although coming from different ends of the spectrum (the aforementioned oratory or rhetoric and the latter fictional), both consider the individual and the state in their works and come to similar conclusions with some exceptions. Pericles expresses his views in his â€Å"Funeral Oration†,  where he boasts of the great qualities of Athens, its citizens and soldiers. Sophocles injects his thoughts and ideas into his two masterpieces, Oedipus the King and Antigone. In the following paper, I will compare the men’s ideas and views on the subject of the individual and the state. In particular, their thoughts on the importance of military excellence, honor, courage, and views on women. Both men considered loyalty in battle and involvement in public matters very important. According to Pericles, military achievements and honor make up for anything wrong one does as a citizen (for example, refusing to take part in city affairs). The Greeks obviously looked upon excellence in the military very highly. of all our neighbors, we alone consider the man who refuses to take part in city affairs as useless†¦.For there is justice in the claim that steadfastness in his nation’s battles provides a cloak to cover a man’s other imperfections; the good action blots out the bad, and his merit as a citizen more than outweighs his faults as an individual (Pericles 58-59, 60). Sophocles expresses similar views on the matter in his play Antigo ne, Creon talks of loyalty to the state as having utter importance: As I see it, whoever assumes the task, the awesome task of setting the city’s course, and refuses to adopt the soundest policies but fearing someone, keeps his lips locked tight, he’s utterly worthless†¦.But whoever proves his loyalty to the state – I’ll prize that man in death as well as life (Antigone 48-49). Creon backs up his words with actions. He goes on to talk of Eteocles and Polynices, the two sons of Oedipus: Eteocles will be given a proper burial, since he went down fighting for Thebes, being loyal to his city; Polynices, on the other hand, committed treason and went against everything Creon stands for and believes in, therefore â€Å"he must be left unburied, his corpse carrion for the birds and dogs to tear, an obscenity for the citizens to behold! These are my principles. Never at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot† (Antigone 49). As examined, patriotism was held very highly by the Greeks, as seen in Pericles’s oration and Sophocles’s plays we again come across an intersection in both statesmen’s ideas, this time on the subject of courage. Pericles, in his funeral oration, talks of valor as being very honorable. He comments that â€Å"Choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting† (Pericles 60) is a bold and co urageous act and it deserves praise and glory. He says the soldiers â€Å"fled only from  dishonor, but met danger face to face† (Pericles 60). Do these characteristics bring anyone we know to mind? The answer is yes, and two people come to mind: Antigone and Oedipus. Sophocles’s heroin (Antigone) is the ultimate example of the subject Pericles discusses. True, Antigone was not a soldier, but she went against her uncle’s beliefs and commands, and did what was right according to the gods. In burying her brother and then announcing her actions to the world, she â€Å"fled only from dishonor, but met danger face to face.† Antigone questioned Creon and proudly stated she was the offender, and did not regret her actions. Oedipus, instead of giving in to fate, battled it for as long as he could until fate finally beat him. Although it seems that Sophocles writings parallel Pericles views on women’s inferiority, certain excerpts provide a basis that Sophocles’ views contradict those presented in the Funeral Oration. Pericles states, â€Å"if I must say anything on the subject of female excellence†¦.Great will be your glory in not falling short of your natural character; and greatest will be hers who is least talked of among the men whether for good or for bad† (Pericles 61-62). In an excerpt from Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, it is seen that Oedipus gives great weight to Jocasta’s opinion. Oedipus compares stories with Jocasta on the death of the king. He listens to Jocasta’s side of the story, not putting her in a subordinate position or looking at her as inferior (Oedipus the King 23). In Summation, Pericles and Sophocles (although coming from different ends of the spectrum) both consider the individual and the state in their works and come to similar conclusions with some exceptions on the different aspects of the relationship. They both praise loyalty, involvement in state affairs, and honorable death. To note, in my research I found more expression of Sophocles’s views which correlate with Pericles’s in Antigone and not so much in Oedipus the King. All three of three of the pieces were written in times when the definition of freedom, independence, democracy were still new and not well defined in their respective societies. But still in each piece the message is similar and very clear. That message is that it is necessary and good for people to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs and the good of their society.

Thats What Leaders Are Made Of essays

Thats What Leaders Are Made Of essays A major role in the continuation of modern society is our leaders and the roles they play. They are the ones who will show us the way, so to speak. But who will these people, these leaders, be? What qualities and characteristics do leaders possess? And why is it we the people follow these leaders? But first, what is leadership? Leadership is a process whereby one group member influences and coordinates the behavior of other members in pursuit of the groups goals. This specific group member, the leader, provides guidance, specialized skills, and environmental contacts that help obtain the goals of the group. Some activities, or responsibilities, of the leader are planning, organizing, and controlling group activity (DeLamater and Michener 373). More specific responsibilities will be discussed later in the paper. Now that we know what leadership is and some of what a leaders responsibilities are, lets find out what it takes to be a leader. Think about someone you know whos in a leadership position. What are some characteristics they possess that make them a leader? There are many qualities that make a good leader, but there are four main ones: the leader has a goal and knows what to do to achieve it, the leader is a good decision-maker, the leader is honest, trustworthy, and respectful, and the leader is confident with what s/he does. Lets look at these one at a time. First, the leader has a goal and knows what to do to achieve it. This should be almost self-explanatory and go without saying, because what are you going to do if you have nothing to strive for? There as to be a goal to keeping working for, that way the group continuously moves forward. So say we have a goal. Great!! Now what? What are you going to do to achieve it? Every goal has to have a plan, or blueprint, as to how to accomplish it. A goal without a plan is like trying to cross the ocean without a boat. It do...

Elasticity of Demand Practice Problem

Elasticity of Demand Practice Problem In microeconomics, the elasticity of demand refers to the measure of how sensitive the demand for a good is to shifts in other economic variables. In practice, elasticity is particularly important in modeling the potential change in demand due to factors like changes in the goods price. Despite its importance, it is one of the most misunderstood concepts. To get a better grasp on the elasticity of demand in practice, lets take a look at a practice problem. Before trying to tackle this question, youll want to refer to the following introductory articles to ensure your understanding of the underlying concepts:  a beginners guide to elasticity and using calculus to calculate elasticities. Elasticity Practice Problem This practice problem has three parts: a, b, and c. Lets read through the prompt and questions. Q: The weekly demand function for butter in the province of Quebec is Qd 20000 - 500Px 25M 250Py, where Qd is quantity in kilograms purchased per week, P is price per kg in dollars, M is the average annual income of a Quebec consumer in thousands of dollar, and Py is the price of a kg of margarine. Assume that M 20, Py $2, and the weekly supply function is such that the equilibrium price of one kilogram of butter is $14. a. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of the demand for butter (i.e. in response to changes in the price of margarine) at the equilibrium. What does this number mean? Is the sign important? b. Calculate the income elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. c. Calculate the price elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. What can we say about the demand for butter at this price-point? What significance does this fact hold for suppliers of butter? Gathering the Information and Solving for Q Whenever I work on a question such as the one above, I first like to tabulate all of the relevant information at my disposal. From the question we know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyWith this information, we can substitute and calculate for Q:Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyQ 20000 - 500*14 25*20 250*2Q 20000 - 7000 500 500Q 14000Having solved for Q, we can now add this information to our table:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyNext, well answer a  practice problem. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part A Explained a. Calculate the cross-price elasticity of the demand for butter (i.e. in response to changes in the price of margarine) at the equilibrium. What does this number mean? Is the sign important? So far, we know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyAfter reading using calculus to calculate cross-price elasticity of demand, we see that we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of cross-price elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to the other firms price P. Thus we can use the following equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (dQ / dPy)*(Py/Q) In order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of the other firms price. That is the case in our demand equation of Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to P and get: dQ/dPy 250 So we substitute dQ/dPy 250 and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our cross-price elasticity of demand equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (dQ / dPy)*(Py/Q)Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*Py)/(20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py) Were interested in finding what the cross-price elasticity of demand is at M 20, Py 2, Px 14, so we substitute these into our cross-price elasticity of demand equation: Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*Py)/(20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py)Cross-price elasticity of demand (250*2)/(14000)Cross-price elasticity of demand 500/14000Cross-price elasticity of demand 0.0357 Thus our cross-price elasticity of demand is 0.0357. Since it is greater than 0, we say that goods are substitutes (if it were negative, then the goods would be complements). The number indicates that when the price of margarine goes up 1%, the demand for butter goes up around 0.0357%. Well answer part b of the practice problem on the next page. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part B Explained b. Calculate the income elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. We know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyAfter reading  using calculus to calculate income elasticity of demand, we see that (using M for income rather than I as in the original article), we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of income elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to income. Thus we can use the following equation: Price Elasticity of Income: = (dQ / dM)*(M/Q) In order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of income. That is the case in our demand equation of Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to M and get: dQ/dM = 25 So we substitute dQ/dM 25 and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our price elasticity of income equation: Income elasticity of demand: (dQ / dM)*(M/Q)Income elasticity of demand: (25)*(20/14000)Income elasticity of demand: 0.0357Thus our income elasticity of demand is 0.0357. Since it is greater than 0, we say that goods are substitutes. Next, well answer part c of the practice problem on the last page. Elasticity Practice Problem: Part C Explained c. Calculate the price elasticity of demand for butter at the equilibrium. What can we say about the demand for butter at this price-point? What significance does this fact hold for suppliers of butter? We know that:M 20 (in thousands)Py 2Px 14Q 14000Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*PyOnce again, from reading  using calculus to calculate price elasticity of demand, we know that we can calculate any elasticity by the formula: Elasticity of Z With Respect to Y = (dZ / dY)*(Y/Z) In the case of price elasticity of demand, we are interested in the elasticity of quantity demand with respect to price. Thus we can use the following equation: Price elasticity of demand: (dQ / dPx)*(Px/Q) Once again, in order to use this equation, we must have quantity alone on the left-hand side, and the right-hand side is some function of price. That is still the case in our demand equation of 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py. Thus we differentiate with respect to P and get: dQ/dPx -500 So we substitute dQ/dP -500, Px14, and Q 20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py into our price elasticity of demand equation: Price elasticity of demand: (dQ / dPx)*(Px/Q)Price elasticity of demand: (-500)*(14/20000 - 500*Px 25*M 250*Py)Price elasticity of demand: (-500*14)/14000Price elasticity of demand: (-7000)/14000Price elasticity of demand: -0.5 Thus our price elasticity of demand is -0.5. Since it is less than 1 in absolute terms, we say that demand is price inelastic, which means that consumers are not very sensitive to price changes, so a price hike will lead to increased revenue for the industry.

Integrated Enterprise System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Integrated Enterprise System - Essay Example There are various benefits that are associated with the implementation of ERP system by a business, which include improved network management, enhanced resource sharing, improved data accessibility and reduced infrastructural costs (Ray, 2011 p544). The implementation of ERP may take several models, which could be the workflow ERP implementation model that focuses majorly on the improvement of the channels through which information flows within an organization, or the partial ERP implementation model, which seeks to fix the areas of weakness in the information management system of a business, while retaining some of the traditional methods and approaches to information management, at the expense of overhauling the whole system (Glenn, 2008 p82). The successful implementation of the ERP system requires adherence to certain critical success factors, such as the top management commitment, selection of a competent project and technical team, as well as clear budgeting and goal setting. N evertheless, there are some factors that accounts for some companies tending to successfully implement ERP, while others experience failure. Such factors include the corporate culture of different organizations, inadequate training and the failure to plan properly and set realistic objectives by some organizations (Lam, 2007 p63). Table of Contents Clear budgeting and goal setting 6 Constituting a good team 6 Change management 7 Business process re-engineering 8 ERP implementation models 8 Workflow model 8 Partial implementation model 10 Why some companies tend to successfully implement ERP while others experience failure 11 Inadequate training 11 Corporate culture 12 Inadequate planning, budgeting and unrealistic expectations 12 The benefits of deploying ERP systems 13 Improved data accessibility 13 Saving on infrastructure costs 13 Resource sharing 14 Improved network management 14 Conclusion 14 Appendix 15 References 17 Introduction Information is the fundamental resource for any successful business, considering that it is through the access and use of the available information regarding the product, the customers’ needs, markets, the suppliers and the competitors, that a business is able to strategize its operations, so that the operations will suit into the existing business environment, and thus allow the business to thrive and overcome the challenges posed by the business environment, as well as the competitive forces. The modern business environment has become increasingly competitive, owing to the advancement in technologies, changing customer needs and preferences, stringent legal requirements controlling the business environment, as well as the improved modern infrastructure that allows for easier accessibility to products and services (Leon, 2008 p57). Therefore, the modern business strategies are focused on surviving in the face of stiff competition, through the application of information as the main business resource to meets the needs of the customers, while also fitting into the current business environment. This necessitates the need for a suitable information management system, which allows the business to operate smoothly internally, while also relating productively with the external business environment. It is this need that has seen the emergence and dominance of the

Institutional Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Institutional Investment - Essay Example The discussion will, however, start by providing background information on the two plans. These plans are abstractly simpler and involve the employer (and in some cases the employee) making regular contributions to the retirement account of the employee. The amount of contributions is predetermined, usually a specified fraction of the salary. This fraction is, however, subject to alterations in the course of the employee’s career. In this plan, the both contributions are tax-deductible although the investment income accumulates tax-free. In most cases, the employee decides on his/her choice of account investment. This may include investing in stock markets, bonds or any security that pleases them. At retirement, the employee can either receive an annuity or a lump sum, and the size of this money depends on the value of the accumulated funds in the employee’s retirement account (Poterba et al., 2007). The employee bears the risk of their investment and thus the employer has no any extra obligation beyond contributing to their employee’s retirement pla n account. The valuation of defined contribution plans is simple and involves measuring the market value of the assets created in the retirement account. In most cases, the employee is guided in their personal financial planning by their defined contributions plan’s sponsor (Clark 1999). Unlike the defined contributions plan which focuses more on the value of retirement account’s created assets, defined benefits plan focuses on the flow of benefits received by the employee at retirement. Typically, a defined benefits plan uses the employee’s wage history and the years of service as the determinants of the value of the benefit (Huberman, Iyengar & Jiang 2007). Upon retirement, the employee receives a defined monthly amount that is guaranteed for their life and that of their spouse. In some cases, the plan allows room