What You Mean To Me Essays - Music, American Music, Free Essays

What You Mean To Me Essays - Music, American Music, Free Essays What You Mean To Me WHAT YOU MEAN/MEANT TO ME WHEN I SEE YOU WALK BY, WHEN YOU DON'T STOP TO SAY HI, ALL I CAN DO IS SIT BACK AND SY, FOR I CAN'T FORGET THAT TIME, THAT TIME WHEN YOU MADE ME CRY, THAT TIME WHEN YOU LEFT AND SAID BYE BYE, WHAT ABOUT OUR LIVES, WHAT ABOUT THE PAIN I HAVE INSIDE, BABY I'M SORRY FOR ALL MY LIES, BABY YOU LIGHT MY SKY, YOUR AS SWEET AS A BUTTERFLY, AND WITHOUT YOU I WOULD JUST DIE..

Definition and Examples of Linguicism

Definition and Examples of Linguicism Linguicism is discrimination based on language or dialect: linguistically argued racism. Its also known as  linguistic discrimination.  The term was coined in the 1980s by linguist Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, who defined linguicism as ideologies and structures that are used to legitimate, effectuate and reproduce an unequal division of power and resources between groups which are defined on the basis of language. Examples and Observations English linguistic imperialism is one sub-type of linguicism. Linguistic imperialism on the part of the speakers of any language exemplifies linguicism. Linguicism may be in operation simultaneously with sexism, racism, or classism, but linguicism refers exclusively to ideologies and structures where language is the means for effecting or maintaining an unequal allocation of power and resources. This could apply, for instance, in a school in which the mother tongues of some children, from an immigrant or indigenous minority background, are ignored, and this has consequences for their learning. Linguicism is also in operation if a teacher stigmatizes the local dialect spoken by the children and this has consequences of a structural kind, that is, there is an unequal division of power and resources as a result.(Robert Phillipson, Linguistic Imperialism. Oxford University Press, 1992)Systemic linguicism may appear whenever the official education framework impedes individuals belonging t o a particular language group in the exercise of rights enjoyed by other students. Moreover, discrimination may take place whenever the state without an objective and reasonable justification fails to treat differently persons whose linguistic situations are significantly different. On the other hand, a government that has no comprehensive data on the linguistic composition of the state population scarcely can provide evidence for the objectiveness of its language policy. . . .[F]undamentally, linguicism is a matter of depriving people of power and influence due to their language.(Pivi Gynther, Beyond Systemic Discrimination. Martinus Nijhoff, 2007) Overt and Covert Linguicism- There are different forms of linguicism. Overt linguicism is exemplified by the prohibition of the use of particular languages for instruction. Covert linguicism is illustrated by de facto non use of certain languages as languages of instruction, even if their use is not explicitly forbidden.(William Velez, Race and Ethnicity in the United States: An Institutional Approach. Rowman and Littlefield, 1998)- Linguicism can be open (the agent does not try to hide it), conscious (the agent is aware of it), visible (it is easy for non-agents to detect), and actively action oriented (as opposed to merely attitudinal). Or it can be hidden, unconscious, invisible, and passive (lack of support rather than active opposition), typical of later phases in the development of minority education.(Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Linguistic Genocide in Education, or Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights? Lawrence Erlbaum, 2000)Promotion of Prestige Varieties of English[I]n English teac hing, varieties deemed more native-like are promoted as more prestigious for learners while localized varieties are stigmatized and suppressed (see Heller and Martin-Jones 2001). For example, in many post-colonial countries like Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and India, schools insist on teaching British or American English. The varieties used in everyday life, such as Sri Lankan, Chinese, or Indian English are censored from classroom use.(Suresh Canagarajah and Selim Ben Said, Linguistic Imperialism. The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics, ed. by James Simpson. Routledge, 2011) See also: Linguistic ImperialismAccent Prejudice  and  Dialect PrejudiceDrawlEnglish-Only MovementLanguage MythLanguage PlanningMultilingualismNative SpeakerismPrestige

How Do Companies Use Global Strategies to Gain Competitive Advantage Essay

How Do Companies Use Global Strategies to Gain Competitive Advantage - Essay Example There are various firms which used to operate on local basis and the performance f such firms used to be pretty subdued. But those companies entered the international market only to gain competitive advantage and became major multinational companies. The present study has been conducted in order to analyze how companies use the global strategy to gain competitive advantage. Also the essential success factors of firms to succeed in the international business have been discussed. Add to that it has also been discussed that how companies can fail in the international market due to lack of planning and vision. The firms at the focal point of discussion happen to be the largest retailer in U.K. and the second largest retailer in the world Tesco (Henry, 2008, p. 89). Thesis How companies can use globalization strategy to gain competitive advantage? Analysis Global strategy can be defined as the strategic guide of a company to globalization. On the other competitive advantage can be defined as various ways via which a company can get the extra edge over the competitors. An ideal global strategy of a company should address issues such as the extent of presence in the global market, different strategies that can be adopted to develop strong global presence, the probable barriers to entry into the global markets, different modes of entry into the global market as well as the probable targeted international markets. Academic research on the global strategies came of age during 1980s. This included various research work done by Christopher Bartlett, Michael Porter and Sumantra Ghoshal (Kolb, 2008, p. 92). There are various factors that influence a firm to go global. However, one of the most important of the factors is the drive to get... This paper makes a conclusion that In the modern day business environment globalization is inevitable. Companies look to go beyond the domestic borders to enter new markets and target new customers. There is very little doubt that entering new foreign markets are extremely risky. But with high risks the company gets the opportunity of high return. One of the main objectives of entering the global markets is to gain competitive advantage overt the competitors. This essay stresses that one classic advantage of this has been Tesco as the firm used to be 2nd best retailer in U.K. But as the company decided to enter global markets, Tesco not only became the largest retailer in U.K. but also the third largest retailer in the world. However, there are some issues that a company should keep in mind while entering a global market. One of the major issues is the choice of market entry strategy. While Tesco went for a joint venture which seemed to be quite fruitful for China; the same company d ecided to go alone and use Greenfield strategy to enter U.S. which unlike China happened to be a matured economy. Also it had presence of Wal-Mart. And unlike china Tesco failed to make the same impact. Although there were other external factors but the major issues for failure was internal. Hence to conclude it can be said that despite of all the benefits of globalization a company should concentrate on developing appropriate strategy and execution of it to gain competitive advantages.

Engineering Design Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Engineering Design Practice - Essay Example Fires have been among the foremost threats to human life and property. Injuries, deaths and loss of property resulting from fires each year. Such losses can be avoided by applying fire prevention controls and being prepared for emergencies. Fire detection and alarm systems are key features in any dwelling’s fire prevention and protection strategy. NBS has published standards for the protection of individuals and property from the dangers of fire.  The objective of this study was to evaluate fire preparedness of Mr and Mrs Jones proposed new home. It includes an assessment of the following requirements: Means of Warning and Escape Sufficient means of early warning. An adequate number of routes suitably located to enable escape to a place of safety. Adequate protection of routes from the effects of fire. Internal Fire Spread (Linings) Linings will adequately resist the spread of flame over their surfaces. If ignited, linings will have a rate of reasonable heat release. Internal Fire Spread (Structure) In the event of a fire, the stability of the structure will be maintained for a reasonable period. Appropriate measures to inhibit the spread of fire within the building. External Fire Spread External walls of the building will adequately resist the spread of fire.

The OSI model Essay Example for Free

The OSI model Essay Question: Write a 2-3 page paper describing the OSI model and how it relates to a network. Your response should include answers to the following: †¢ On which layers of the OSI model do WAN protocols operate? †¢ What are some of these protocols? †¢ On which OSI layers do switches and routers operate? †¢ If routers reside at more than one layer, what is the difference between the OSI layers? Introduction: The OSI model was introduced in 1984. Although it was designed to be an abstract model, the OSI model remains a practical framework for todays key network technologies like Ethernet and protocols like IP. The OSI model defines internetworking in terms of a vertical stack of seven layers. The upper layers of the OSI model represent software that implements network services like encryption and connection management. The lower layers of the OSI model implement more primitive, hardware-oriented functions like routing, addressing, and flow control. In the OSI model, data communication starts with the top layer at the sending side, travels down the OSI model stack to the bottom layer, then traverses the network connection to the bottom layer on the receiving side, and up its OSI model stack. How OSI model relates to a network: Information being transferred from a software application in one computer system to a software application in another must pass through the OSI layers. For example, if a software application in System A has information to transmit to a software application in System B, the application program  in System A will pass its information to the application layer (Layer 7) of System A. The application layer then passes the information to the presentation layer (Layer 6), which relays the data to the session layer (Layer 5), and so on down to the physical layer (Layer 1). At the physical layer, the information is placed on the physical network medium and is sent across the medium to System B. The physical layer of System B removes the information from the physical medium, and then its physical layer passes the information up to the data link layer (Layer 2), which passes it to the network layer (Layer 3), and so on, until it reaches the application layer (Layer 7) of System B. Finally, the application layer of System B passes the information to the recipient application program to complete the communication process. Interaction Between OSI Model Layers A given layer in the OSI model generally communicates with three other OSI layers: the layer directly above it, the layer directly below it, and its peer layer in other networked computer systems. The data link layer in System A, for example, communicates with the network layer of System A, the physical layer of System A, and the data link layer in System B. The following figure illustrates this example. Figure : OSI Model Layers Communicate with Other Layers On which layers of the OSI model do WAN protocols operate? A WAN protocols is a data communication protocols which is use in the data communications network that covers a relatively broad geographic area and that often uses transmission facilities provided by common carriers, such as telephone companies. WAN Protocol in WAN technologies, generally function at the lower three layers of the OSI reference model which layers are as following: †¢ Physical layer †¢ Data link layer, and †¢ Network layer. Following figure illustrates the relationship between the common WAN technologies and the OSI model. Figure : OSI Model Layers and WAN Technology specification What are some of these protocols? some protocols which are also operated in the WAN technology are PPP, X.25 etc. On which OSI layers do switches and routers operate? The Network Layer of the OSI model is responsible for establishing paths for data transfer through the network and router are the devices which are used to establishes the path for data transfer. So, routers operate at the Network Layer. And Data Link Layer of the OSI model is responsible for communications between adjacent network nodes. Hubs and switches operate at the Data Link Layer. If routers reside at more than one layer, what is the difference between the OSI layers? Routers generally do not reside at more than one layer, because the router devices are operated in the network layer and they can apply the data link headers when they switch the packet interface and put the signals at the physical layer wires . In this way the routers do work on three different levels, but each job is separate and distinct per layer.

Essay --

Introduction: I chose this topic; because I thought it would be fun to make a four-way switch that turns on the same light. I got the idea to make one when I went online to search for the perfect project idea. I found information about a three way light switch and decided that this is what I want to do, but to make it more difficult I decided to create a four way light switch instead. It sounds like the perfect experiment to try. I felt that if I did this project I would learn more about electricity and the way it works. What is a four way light switch? A four way light switch is an electric switch that uses electricity to power a light bulb that can be turned on by four different places and not just one or two. The great thing about a four way light switch is that there can be more then one way to turn on one single light. In order to achieve the perfect four ways light switch the four-way switch must be in the center of two three light way switches in order for the whole p roses to work. A hot wire or wire of 120 volts will connect from a battery to the light bulb. A wire that is neutral will also be connected from the battery to the light bulb. The third wire can’t be neutral or 120 volts (hot wire) and will just float near the 120-volt wire. The third wire that is neither neutral or 120 volts, and 120 volt wire will connect when the switches are turned on and will produce the light. When the light will be turned on the switches should be one circuit in order for the light bulb to turn on and the electrons to travel through the circuit. The switches must be either up or down at the same time in order for the electricity to flow. If one of the switches is up and the other is down the light will not work. If one o... ...ire. When the switch in the center of the hot wire is crossed it must touch both the blue and hot wire. To make the cross switch work you must make sure that when you cross the switch in the center of the hot wire and cross the switch in the center of the blue wire that they both are touching both wires, only then will the four-way switch work. The switches must be made in a way that they make a complete circuit. The electric cells in the battery will cause the electrons to then travel from the negatively charged electricity to power the light. Once it has touched the filament witch is a metal it will conduct electricity. The melting point of 6,580 degrees F happens inside the light bulb when it is turned on. The electricity then continues to travel through the neutral wire so that the energy can go back to the power source or battery and complete the circuit.

A Doll House Vs The Piano Lesson

Writers of the eighteenth and nineteenth century were the voice of the people and from their words; one can feel the smell of revolution against prejudices of the contemporary society.They embossed real life in their words, which they had seen and experienced and showed the majestic human spirit who always find themselves in the midst of conflicts arising partly from the Society and partly from the inner self and consciousness. In the nineteenth century was born among the many writers, a play writer that broke the shackles of the dominant Patriarchy society of the eighteenth century to give voice to the women behind the four walls of their Doll House.A father of modern realistic drama, Henrik Ibsen, was a Norwegian play writer who was charged of being scandalous only because he had examined the realities of life that lay behind many facades and social obequities.Another of the same genere was Wilson who won the Pulitzer Prize of 1992 due to his enduring words that raised the consciou sness of the Blacks. Spent his childhood also in poverty in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he lived with his parents and five siblings, he made his goal to shed the light on the sufferings that their ancestors had to go through among younger generations of blacks.Wilson himself realized this fact that his parents had withheld from them the knowledge of even greater hardships that they had endured themselves. He once told New York Times in 1984, â€Å"My generation of blacks knew very little about the past of our parents, they shielded us from the indignities they suffered.† (Gale Research, Autobiography of Wilson, Para.7). His Piano Lesson was one among his many works that eludes us to the greater revelations- the revelations of ourselves, and our association with our golden heritage.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both Ibsen and Wilson were the mouthpieces of the suppressed and subjugated. In 1871 before Ibsen even started his play, a real incident touched his s oul. One day Ibsen got infatuated by a Norwegian girl named Laura Petersen, whom he called skylark. But in 1872 Laura married a Danish schoolmaster, Victor Kieler, but as soon as she married, her husband Victor contracted tuberculosis, but as they were poor they could not manage to go, so without her husband’s knowledge Laura arranged a loan. With this money they went to Italy and Victor soon recovered. But later the humiliation that Laura suffered was unbearable.When she was forced to tell the truth to her husband regarding the loan, she was abused and Victor straightforwardly found her unfit to be his wife. Laura could not tolerate and she had a nervous breakdown, but in return Victor admitted her in a public asylum.This incident prompted Ibsen to show the Society its true face. Thus emerged from his immense delicate soul, the master the most beautiful play, A Doll House; a play which is a struggle against the tyrannical and dehumanizing oppression of women in a society whi ch frowned upon the women who asserted themselves for individuality.Nora is suppressed in number of ways by her husband Torvald and tyrannical social conventions. Torvald is a smug bank manager and with his job he has number of responsibilities. He treats his wife as if she is her responsibility and a mere product. Torvald is more worried about his reputation but he least cares about her.Though Nora is financial well off yet there is not a single incidence in her life when she does not face rebuke by her husband. On the onset their marriage life seems to be satisfied, yet time and again Nora’s heart was burning like fire seeking Independence from the subjugation of her husband. Yet she fulfills her duty as a wife, and here is the hidden irony. Nora also took loan to save her husband’s life, but instead of credit she gets only rebuke from her husband.As the play moves forward, she realizes how she has to remain subjugated in her parents house and now as a wife too, and how her marriage is only a mere game of a Doll, so unrealistic. So when Helmer tells Nora, â€Å"Because such an atmosphere of lies infects and poisons the whole life of a home.Each breath the children take in such a house is full of the germs of evil,† Nora decides to discontinue her inauthentic role of a doll and closed the doors of domesticity to seek out her individuality, but that too she could attain at the cost of her children.She has to leave her children behind so that they do not get corrupted. In the end of the play, her assertion comes straightaway from her mouth   when she says, â€Å"I've been your wife-doll here, just as at home I was Papa's doll-child.†(1608).This is Nora and theare are Boy Willie and his sister, Bernice in the Piano Lessons who learned to cherish their heritage and assert their rights as human beings. Piano Lesson has a quintessential plot that revolves around a conflict.It appears on the surface that the conflict that is going on is between Boy Willie and his sister, Bernice, but hidden beneath lies the conflict for preserving their heritage and culture, which is in the form of Piano. Boy Willie wants to sell Piano to buy a land for good fortune. What he was visualizing was the future which is the dream of Westernized world of younger generations, whereas Bernice wants to stay firm to her roots, and declines to part with the heritage.The piano was reminder of her past. It was her father’s piano, who died retrieving it from the Sutter’s home. The unique thing about Piano are the engravings of the history of Charles family on it and for Bernice the souls of their ancestors reside in the Piano. It is the Piano only that joins them to their ancestors.The story of Piano dates back to the middle of the nineteenth century, when the Charles family were slaves, their owners Sutters sold two members of the family for a piano. Sutters then got the Charles pictures of Charles family engraved on Piano, but th e carpenter carved whole history of the family into it. This instrument was then stolen by their father who was later killed by the Sutters in retribution.With this piano, August Wilson firmly evokes into the heart of the today’s generation the reality of the   black people in American Society and how they assimilate into the White people, it simply means to give up their black culture and adopt the Westernized ways.When the Doll House was staged in 1879, the spirit of revolution was ravaging like a fire in Europe and writers inculcated in their writings new thoughts and new perceptions of life which totally defied the old conventions. Wth his colloquial language, Ibsen inserts the burning passion of Independent thoughts which allows the A Doll’s house to achieve laurels inspite of criticism.On the other hand, The Piano Lesson was set in Pittsburgh in 1930 when there was Great Depression which became historical background for the play. At that time, the black migrati on was also at the peak. They were migratinog from south to north in search of better life.This all inspired Wilson but inspiration of the play, he got from Romare Bearden painting by the same name. In the painting was shown a teacher and a student in a form of an an allegory which means that how African Americans should associate themselves with their past.Thus in their writings, inconsequent streams   of thoughts, longings, apprehensions, and musings pour out as they arise in the mind of all and thus emerge the consciousness of Individuality, Freedom, and Independence.WORKS CITED1. Gale, â€Å"Biography of August Wilson† Internet (Last Updated: Available: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~awilson/bio.html, May 11, 20072.  Ã‚   Spark Notes, â€Å"The Piano Lesson by August Wilson† Internet Available:http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/piano/context.html, May 11, 20073. Templeton, Joan. Ibsen's Women. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 19974. Wikipedia, â€Å"A Doll's Hou se† Internet (Last Updated May 08, 2007) Available:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Doll's_House, May 11, 2007    A Doll House Vs The Piano Lesson Words from the writers’ literary artifacts touches rhythm of the complexities of life and make us realize what we are and where we stand in this world and in the Society around us.From the words of the Writers, immerses the rich flavor of the real meaning of the life and the voice of the repressed and subjugated. Ibsen and Wilson reveal the majestic human spirit in their capacity of striving and suffering.. On one hand, Doll house is in reality a Doll House for women subjugated and repressed in the Patriarchy society of 18th century and on the other hand is the Piano lesson which is a voice of the Blacks who in the eighteenth century were kept as emotionless and subjugated slaves.In A Doll’s House, Ibsen paints the sacrificial role that woman has to play and the way protagonist of the play has to exert her feeling. In Piano lesson, the real conflict lies in the efforts of the Protagonists to maintain their family, heritage and exploration in the back drop of all the har dships their ancestors have to undergo.The piano is a representative of the culture and heritage and is a center of conflict for the protagonist whether to sell it for buying land previously worked by their slave ancestors or remains in the family’s possession as a heritage.Ibsen presented â€Å"A Doll house† in 1879 in the backdrop of the Victorian Society, the society wherein woman has to subjugate her according to the husband’s will.For the nineteenth century audience, the mere idea of woman leaving aside her marriage wows was considered as sacrilegious and, women abandoning her children were against the basic concepts of womanhood. In the end of the play Society won, as Ibsen was forced to write alternative ending of the play when it was staged in Germany.Nora as a wife of a banker has to maintain her relationship with her kids and her husband who both tries to control the family.In the play, Nora is a financially well off as compared to the other female cha racters in the play, but she leads a very difficult life because society demands dominant partner in Torvald, who issues decrees and condescends to Nora.On the other hand, in their hard times in order to save her husband’s life, she goes to the extent of forging her father’s name on the document for money but hides it from him. When the truth unfolds, he reacts with disgust and horror. He is only worried about his reputation but refuses to accept the fact it was her love that prompted her to do so. And due to this reason, Nora is considered as a cheat and her deception, left vulnerable to Krogstad’s blackmail.It was the real incident in Ibsen’s life that prompted him to write a play. It was 1871, eight years before Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll’s House, Ibsen met a Norwegian girl named Laura Petersen, whom he called skylark and was infatuated by her.In 1872, Laura married a Danish schoolmaster, Victor Kieler, and her nightmares started. Victor contract ed tuberculosis, and his doctors prescribed warmer climate for him but as they were poor, Victor became hysterical. At this Laura arranged a loan without her husband's knowledge. With this money they went to Italy and Victor soon recovered. When the time came for Laura to repay the loan, they did not have the money to pay and Laura tried to send forged check but it was discovered and Laura finally had to tell the truth to her husband, who found her unfit as a wife.She had nervous breakdown, and in return Victor admitted her in a public asylum. Touched by this story, in the notes to The Dolls house, he said, â€Å"A woman cannot be herself in modern society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who assess female conduct from a male standpoint†. (Yurgaitis, A Doll’s House Synopsis, Para. 15).The indifferent attitude of Nora’s husband destroyed her illusions and decides to leave him, her children and house in search of truth. She has realized that he is not the noble man she has supposed him. In the words of Isben â€Å"Depressed and confused by her faith in authority, she loses faith in her moral right and ability to bring up her children. A mother in contemporary society, just as certain insects go away and die when she has done her duty in the propagation of the race.† (Wikipedia, Para 5)August Wilson, was himself a black man and as a black man he realized what hardships the blacks had to endure in their lives and as slaves. As Pulitzer Prize winner, he confided in his students at Dartmouth University, â€Å"My generation of blacks knew very little about the past of our parents.They shielded us from the indignities they suffered,† (Dartmouth, Biography of August Wilson, Sidelights Para1) and in a quest to impart the knowledge to the unspoken African American people, he gave to the world â€Å"The Piano Lesson† and many other plays.The characters Berniece and Boy Willie in the Piano Lessons struggle amo ng themselves, Willie wants to sell a Piano to buy a land but Berniece refuses because she had an attachment towards the piano. It was her father’s piano, who died retrieving it from the Sutter’s home. On the piano is engraved the history of Charles family and is only there ancestral property.The incident happened in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the Charles family was slave, their owners Sutters sold two members of the family for a piano. Sutters then called upon master-carpenter in the Charles family and ordered him to carve out the only faces of the sold slaves into the piano, but the carpenter carved whole history of the family into the piano. This instrument was then stolen by Berniece and Boy Willie's father, but was later killed by the Sutters in retribution.For Berneice, this piano is a â€Å"sacred altar†, considered by ancient African tribes as a crossroad between the living and the dead. It was her belief that by selling Piano, they will loose all the connection with her ancestors and also their protection, which may give the way to Sutter’s ghost to haunt them. Michael Morales too argues that this piano serves as a direct link to the past and is both a â€Å"sacred ancestral altar† and a tool to â€Å"transmit† oral history.Through the songs in a Piano, carvings and the words of Willie, August Wilson makes the audience have a deeper look at their forgotten past. At the end of the play Willie reminds Berniece to continue playing the piano and warns her about the worst consequences if she neglects her past again. And along with that Willie left his mark on the piano, by inscribing on it the history of the family's in readable language with the sole purpose of preservation and continuation of the family's legacy.

Clear Light of Day

Tara and Bim attempt to reconcile their childhood dreams with their adult lives and work to resolve the lingering guilt of past family conflicts. When Tara returns for a visit with Bimla and Baba, old memories and tensions resurface and blend into a domestic drama that is intensely beautiful and leads to profound self-understanding. Their struggles with autonomy and independence are echoed in the backdrop of the newly-partitioned nation Plot summary The book is split into four sections covering the Das family from the children’s perspective in this order: adulthood, adolescence, childhood, and the time perspective returns to adulthood.The book centers on the Das family, who have grown apart with adulthood. It starts with Tara, the wife of Bakul, India’s ambassador to America, greeting her sister Bimla (Bim), who is a history teacher living in Old Delhi as well as their autistic brother Baba’s caretaker. Their conversation eventually comes to Raja, their brother w ho lives in  Hyderabad. Bim doesn’t want to go to the wedding of Raja’s daughter, showing Tara an old letter from when Raja became her landlord, unintentionally insulting her after the death of his father in law. 2] In part two the setting switches to partition era India, when the characters are adolescents in what is now Bim’s house. Raja is severely ill with  tuberculosis  and is left to Bim’s ministrations. Aunt Mira (Mira masi), their supposed caretaker after the death of the children’s often absent parents, becomes alcoholic and dies of alcoholism. Earlier Raja’s fascination with  Urdu  attracts the attention of the family’s  Muslimlandlord, Hyder Ali, whom Raja Idolizes. When he heals, Raja follows Hyder Ali to Hyderabad.Tara escapes from the situation through marriage to Bakul. Bim is then left to provide for Baba alone, in the midst of the partition and the death of  Gandhi. [3] In part three Bim, Raja and Tara a re depicted in pre-partition India awaiting the birth of their brother Baba. Aunt Mira, widowed by her husband and mistreated by her in-laws, is brought in to help with Baba, who is  autistic, and to raise the children. Raja is fascinated with poetry. He shares a close bond with Bim, the head girl at school, although they often exclude Tara.Tara wants to be a mother although this fact brings ridicule from Raja and Bim, who want to be a hero and a heroine, respectively. [4] The final section returns to modern India and showcases Tara confronting Bim over the Raja’s daughter’s wedding and Bim’s broken relationship with Raja. This climaxes when Bim explodes at Baba. After her anger fades she comes to the conclusion that the love of family is irreplaceable and can cover all wrongs. After Tara leaves she decides to go to her neighbors the Misras for a concert and she then decides that she will go to the wedding Amazon. o. uk Clear Light of Day  is an examination of contemporary India and a family history in which two sisters, Bim and Tara, learn that, although there will always be family scars, the ability to forgive and forget is a powerful ally against life’s sorrows. Twenty years ago when Tara married, she left Old Delhi and a home full of sickness and death, while Bim continued to live in the family home taking care of their autistic brother, Baba. Now Tara has returned, her first visit in 10 years, for their niece’s wedding.Bim refuses to attend; she can’t visit their brother Raja who, like Tara, left her many years ago. Instead Bim dwells bitterly on her feelings of abandonment and the impact on her of her country’s recent history: the violent conflict between Hindus and Muslims, the death of Gandhi and the ensuing struggle for political power and the malaria epidemic that killed so many. In Bim’s presence, Tara once again feels â€Å"herself shrink into that small miserable wretch of 20 years ago, both admiring and resenting her tall striding sister†, while â€Å"Bim was calmly unaware of any of her sister’s agonies, past or present†.With language that describes both the harshness and beauty of family and the land, Anita Desai takes the reader with Tara and Bim on their struggle to confront and heal old wounds. —Alex Freeman, Amazon. com From  500 Great Books by Women; review by Holly Smith Clear Light of Day  is both an examination of contemporary India and a family history in which two sisters, Bim and Tara, learn that although there will always be family scars, the ability to forgive and forget is a powerful ally against life’s sorrows.Twenty years ago when Tara married, she left Old Delhi and a home full of sickness and death, while Bim continued to live in the family home, taking care of their autistic brother, Baba. Now Tara has returned, her first visit in ten years, for their niece’s wedding. Bim refuses to attend; she canà ¢â‚¬â„¢t visit their brother Raja who, like Tara, left her many years ago. Instead Bim dwells bitterly on her feelings of abandonment and the impact on her of her country’s recent history: the violent conflict between Hindus and Moslems, the death of Gandhi and the ensuing struggle for political power, and the malaria epidemic that killed so many.In Bim’s presence, Tara once again feels â€Å"herself shrink into that small miserable wretch of twenty years ago, both admiring and resenting her tall striding sister,† while â€Å"Bim was calmly unaware of any of her sister’s agonies, past or present. † With language that describes both the harshness and beauty of family and the land, Anita Desai takes the reader with Tara and Bim on their struggle to confront and heal old wounds. —For great reviews of books for girls, check out  Let’s Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. Ce texte fait reference a une edition epuisee ou non disponible de ce titre. .[5] Desai’s warm and compassionate novel about the ebb and flow of sisterly love, set in Old Delhi against the backdrop of some of India’s most significant historical events (the death of Gandhi, the malaria epidemic that killed so many), does what only the very best novels do: it totally submerges us. It takes us so deeply into another world that we almost fear we won’t be able to climb out again (Anne Tyler, New York Times Book Review).A book where passages must be read and reread so that you savor their imagery (Washington Post Book World), Clear Light of Day is a beautifully written story about family scars, the ability to forgive and forget, and a woman’s reactions to the political events of her time. I consider Anita Desai’s â€Å"Clear Light of Day† as a poetic novel as it considerably deals with symbols and suggestions. Her use of â€Å"the house† imagery is at the center which signifies dust, d ullness and decay. As the novel begins, you’ll notice that the house of the Das family does not change except decays.Like Anita Desai’s other novels, the setting is Old Delhi. The interesting thing you’ll notice is she skillfully synthesizes the image of house with the lives of the Das family. The house is associated with sickness, dust, and disorder. And for that reason, the â€Å"grey† color is described again and again. So, the house reflects the mentality and sickness of the entire Das family. In other words, nobody in the Das household enjoys life, all merely exists! The sickness and disorder pervade in the mind of the family members. This house is exactly in contrast with the house of Haider Ali and that is why Raja gets attracted towards it.For this house of Das family, the symbol of â€Å"web† is described which is apt from every point of view. As I say the house does not change but decays, it is fair to remark that because of such sickness and dusty atmosphere of the house everybody feels â€Å"suffocated† and that is why they try to find escape in one thing or another. For that reason, Raja is attracted towards Haider Ali’s house. Tara often goes to Mira Mansi and finally, she succeeds in escaping completely by marrying off Bakul. Baba seeks escape in music and plays his gramophone all the time.Bimla becomes the professor of history. In this way, the house plays a vital role behind the escapist nature of the Das household. Anita Desai beautifully describes the state of the Delhi city. Sometimes, the whole city seems to be dead and the houses are referred to in the novel as the â€Å"tombs†. The house of the Das family seems to be deserted and therefore, Bimla does not prevent Baba playing his gramophone loudly because she thinks that the silence of the house is more dreadful. For her, the noise produced by Baba’s gramophone gives peace to her. Even when Mr.Das and his wife were alive, the y were just like the outsiders as Mr. Das was known for his entrance. The mother was either engrossed in the cards or confined to the bed. That is why Tara sometimes feels that even the ghost of her father could create the noise of papers and nothing else! The decaying aspect of the house is felt on the Das family and this why the whole family gets scattered and only Bim remains with Baba in the â€Å"dead house†. This is how, the house has symbolic significance, which plays a major role in the actions and deeds of the Das household and becomes the central episode in the novel.

Free Essays on Ww2 Paper

Always, Harry Harry Jackson found comfort in letters from his family. Many times he mentioned not receiving letters from them quickly enough. Letters were taking longer to reach him because he was overseas and not at his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The mail was held up on account of invasions. At one point the airmail had stopped and Jackson was waiting up to two months for letters. Jackson was a captain in the 30th division. He spent time all over Europe, addressing letters from â€Å"Somewhere in Germany†, and â€Å"Somewhere in France†. Jackson wrote to his family, mainly his sisters, Sallie, Bernice, and Juanita. He was very artistic, although modest about his abilities. He wrote, â€Å"trying to lend you my eyes to see the beauty and to help me ignore the ugliness of war† (Sept 12, 1944). Jackson sketched a Gothic church, an ass and wagon, headdresses, helmets, his dug out, cathedrals, a jeep, and some shoes among other things very well. Many of his letters had sketches of his visual surroundings on them. He also talked about hearing airplanes and air raids overhead, and guns and cannons on the ground. Of the new German Screaming Meemies, Jackson wrote, â€Å" There’s no such thing as rank when you’re piled in a foxhole with privates, captains, majors, and colonels† (July 13, 1944). One of Jackson’s jobs was clearing the battlefield of the dead bodies of fellow and enemy soldiers, hoping they were not booby-trapped. He had to bury the bodies of enemy soldiers. It was policy to mark their graves with crosses and hang their helmets. The weather made living conditions worse for Jackson. He wrote, â€Å"The most disagreeable thing about this whole affair is the weather† (July 6, 1944). It had been cold and chilly ever since he had arrived in France, and on July 25, 1944 he went without a jacket for the first time. Jackson thought the French people looked underfed and had hardly any clothing. The children... Free Essays on Ww2 Paper Free Essays on Ww2 Paper Always, Harry Harry Jackson found comfort in letters from his family. Many times he mentioned not receiving letters from them quickly enough. Letters were taking longer to reach him because he was overseas and not at his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The mail was held up on account of invasions. At one point the airmail had stopped and Jackson was waiting up to two months for letters. Jackson was a captain in the 30th division. He spent time all over Europe, addressing letters from â€Å"Somewhere in Germany†, and â€Å"Somewhere in France†. Jackson wrote to his family, mainly his sisters, Sallie, Bernice, and Juanita. He was very artistic, although modest about his abilities. He wrote, â€Å"trying to lend you my eyes to see the beauty and to help me ignore the ugliness of war† (Sept 12, 1944). Jackson sketched a Gothic church, an ass and wagon, headdresses, helmets, his dug out, cathedrals, a jeep, and some shoes among other things very well. Many of his letters had sketches of his visual surroundings on them. He also talked about hearing airplanes and air raids overhead, and guns and cannons on the ground. Of the new German Screaming Meemies, Jackson wrote, â€Å" There’s no such thing as rank when you’re piled in a foxhole with privates, captains, majors, and colonels† (July 13, 1944). One of Jackson’s jobs was clearing the battlefield of the dead bodies of fellow and enemy soldiers, hoping they were not booby-trapped. He had to bury the bodies of enemy soldiers. It was policy to mark their graves with crosses and hang their helmets. The weather made living conditions worse for Jackson. He wrote, â€Å"The most disagreeable thing about this whole affair is the weather† (July 6, 1944). It had been cold and chilly ever since he had arrived in France, and on July 25, 1944 he went without a jacket for the first time. Jackson thought the French people looked underfed and had hardly any clothing. The children...

How the WWII Battle of Stalingrad Was Fought

How the WWII Battle of Stalingrad Was Fought The Battle of Stalingrad was fought from July 17, 1942 to February 2, 1943, during World War II (1939-1945).  It was a key battle on the Eastern Front. Advancing into the Soviet Union, the Germans opened the battle in July 1942. After over six months of fighting at Stalingrad, the German Sixth Army was encircled and captured. This Soviet victory was a turning point on the Eastern Front. Soviet Union Marshal Georgy ZhukovLieutenant General Vasily ChuikovColonel General Aleksandr Vasilevsky187,000 men, rising to over 1,100,000 men Germany General (later Field Marshal) Friedrich PaulusField Marshal Erich von MansteinColonel General Wolfram von Richthofen270,000 men, rising to over 1,000,000 men Background Having been stopped at the gates of Moscow, Adolf Hitler began contemplating offensive plans for 1942. Lacking the manpower to remain on the offensive all along the Eastern Front, he decided to focus German efforts in the south with the goal of taking the oil fields. Codenamed Operation Blue, this new offensive began on June 28, 1942, and caught the Soviets, who thought the Germans would renew their efforts around Moscow, by surprise. Advancing, the Germans were delayed by heavy fighting in Voronezh, which allowed the Soviets to bring reinforcements south. Angered by a perceived lack of progress, Hitler divided Army Group South into two separate units, Army Group A and Army Group B. Possessing the majority of the armor, Army Group A was tasked with capturing the oil fields, while Army Group B was ordered to take Stalingrad to protect the German flank. A key Soviet transportation hub on the Volga River, Stalingrad also possessed propaganda value as it was named after the Soviet leader  Joseph Stalin. Driving towards Stalingrad, the German advance was led by General Friedrich Paulus 6th Army with General Hermann Hoths 4th Panzer Army supporting to the south. Preparing the Defenses When the German objective became clear, Stalin appointed General Andrey Yeryomenko to command the Southeastern (later Stalingrad) Front. Arriving on the scene, he directed Lieutenant General Vasiliy Chuikovs 62nd Army to defend the city. Stripping the city of supplies, the Soviets prepared for urban fighting by fortifying many of Stalingrads buildings to create strong points. Though some of Stalingrads population left, Stalin directed that civilians remain, as he believed the army would fight harder for a living city. The citys factories continued to operate, including one producing T-34 tanks. The Battle Begins With German ground forces nearing, General Wolfram von Richthofens Luftflotte 4 quickly gained air superiority over Stalingrad and began reducing the city to rubble, inflicting thousands of civilian casualties in the process. Pushing west, Army Group B reached the Volga north of Stalingrad in late August and by September 1 had arrived at the river south of the city. As a result, Soviet forces in Stalingrad could only be reinforced and re-supplied by crossing the Volga, often while enduring German air and artillery attack. Delayed by rough terrain and Soviet resistance, 6th Army did not arrive until early September. On September 13, Paulus and 6th Army began pushing into the city. This was supported by 4th Panzer Army which attacked Stalingrads southern suburbs. Driving forward, they sought to capture the heights of Mamayev Kurgan and reach the main landing area along the river. Engaged in bitter fighting, the Soviets fought desperately for the hill and the No. 1 Railroad Station. Receiving reinforcements from Yeryomenko, Chuikov battled to hold the city. Understanding the German superiority in aircraft and artillery, he ordered his men to stay closely engaged with the enemy to negate this advantage or risk friendly fire. Fighting Among the Ruins Over the next several weeks, German and Soviet forces engaged in savage street fighting in attempts to take control of the city. At one point, the average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier in Stalingrad was less than one day. As fighting raged in the ruins of the city, the Germans met heavy resistance from a variety of fortified buildings and near a large grain silo. In late September, Paulus began a series of attacks against the citys northern factory district. Brutal combat soon engulfed the area around the Red October, Dzerzhinsky Tractor, and Barrikady factories as the Germans sought to reach the river. Despite their dogged defense, the Soviets were slowly pushed back until the Germans controlled 90% of the city by the end of October. In the process, 6th and 4th Panzer Armies sustained massive losses. In order to maintain pressure on the Soviets in Stalingrad, the Germans narrowed the two armies front and brought in Italian and Romanian troops to guard their flanks. In addition, some air assets were transferred from the battle to counter the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. Seeking to end the battle, Paulus launched a final assault against the factory district on November 11 which had some success. Soviets Strike Back While the grinding fighting was taking place in Stalingrad, Stalin dispatched General Georgy Zhukov south to begin building up forces for a counterattack. Working with General Aleksandr Vasilevsky, he massed troops on steppes to the north and south of Stalingrad. On November 19, the Soviets launched Operation Uranus, which saw three armies cross the Don River and crash through the Romanian Third Army. South of Stalingrad, two Soviet armies attacked on November 20, shattering the Romanian Fourth Army. With Axis forces collapsing, Soviet troops raced around Stalingrad in a massive double envelopment. Uniting at Kalach on November 23, the Soviet forces successfully encircled 6th Army trapping around 250,000 Axis troops. To support the offensive, attacks were conducted elsewhere along the Eastern Front to prevent the Germans from sending reinforcements to Stalingrad. Though the German high command wished to order Paulus to conduct a breakout, Hitler refused and was convinced by Luftwaffe chief Hermann Gà ¶ring that 6th Army could be supplied by air. This ultimately proved impossible and conditions for Paulus men began to deteriorate. While Soviet forces pushed east, others began tightening the ring around Paulus in Stalingrad. Heavy fighting began as the Germans were forced into an increasingly smaller area. On December 12, Field Marshall Erich von Manstein launched Operation Winter Storm but was unable to break through to the beleaguered 6th Army. Responding with another counter-offensive on December 16 (Operation Little Saturn), the Soviets began driving the Germans back on a wide front effectively ending German hopes for relieving Stalingrad. In the city, Paulus men resisted tenaciously but soon faced ammunition shortages. With the situation desperate, Paulus asked Hitler for permission to surrender but was refused. On January 30, Hitler promoted Paulus to field marshal. As no German field marshal had ever been captured, he expected him to fight to the end or commit suicide. The next day, Paulus was captured when the Soviets overran his headquarters. On February 2, 1943, the final pocket of German resistance surrendered,  ending over five months of fighting. Aftermath of Stalingrad Soviet losses in the Stalingrad area during the battle numbered around 478,741 killed and 650,878 wounded. In addition, as many as 40,000 civilians were killed. Axis losses are estimated at 650,000-750,000 killed and wounded as well as 91,000 captured. Of those captured, fewer than 6,000 survived to return to Germany. This was a turning point of the war on the Eastern Front. The weeks after Stalingrad saw the Red Army launch eight winter offensives across the Don River basin. These helped further compel Army Group A to withdraw from the Caucasus and ended the threat to the oil fields. Sources Antill, P. (Feb. 4, 2005),  The Caucasus Campaign and the Battle for Stalingrad June 1942–February 1943HistoryNet, Battle of Stalingrad: Operation Winter TempestYoder, M. (Feb. 4, 2003), Battle of Stalingrad

The Issue of power in the story The Road To Salvation by Premchand and Research Paper

The Issue of power in the story The Road To Salvation by Premchand and Punishment by Rabindranath Tagore - Research Paper Example In Punishment, on the other hand, Tagore describes the inequalities of gender relations in rural India, which may as well reflect the problem of sexism that continues to put women in a powerless position in society in many parts of the world. While both Tagore and Premchand sharply presents the power relations among humans in society during their respective times though, they also push the concept that unfair or unequal arrangements could be corrected either through fate or through non-violent appeals to conscience of the dominant force. In this regard, both short stories did not dwell on the issue of genuine justice as administered by the legal institutions in society. Although these are quite effective in arousing people about the issue of unfair power relations, these fail to encourage them to seek justice. Instead, both stories have the intention of dousing cold water on any emotional reaction to unjust power structures. However, these also did not provide ideas on the alternative actions that can be taken rather than to simply accept the concept that there are those who are powerful while the rest are fated to be subjugated. These are the reasons why a situation where people are passive and docile despite their oppr ession and exploitation exists. Economic wealth is proportionate to political power and social influence. As portrayed in both short stories, economic status is the basis for the clout that one yields over others in the community, a premise that is not only valid in the historical setting in Premchand’s and Tagore’s works but is also true for the rest of the modern world. Such clout or power, on the other hand, is mainly used to further make one richer and to protect his valuable properties. The perpetuation of one’s power therefore is a necessary step to sustain one’s preferred way of life. Even without an established political