On the Origin of Adaptations: Rethinking Fidelity Discourse and Success -- Biologically :: Article Review, Bortolotti, Hutcheon

The article, "On the Origin of Adaptations: Rethinking Fidelity Discourse and 'Success' -- Biologically," written by Gary R. Bortolotti and Linda Hutcheon criticizes the habit of using fidelity as the defining characteristic in deciding if an adaptation is a success or a failure. Bortolotti and Hutcheon posit a new system of evaluation by borrowing from the discipline of evolutionary biology. Namely, the success of an adaptation is to be judged by it's efficiency in perpetuating narrative. In evolutionary terms adaptations are predicated on survival of the fittest -the strongest narratives are the ones that adapt to their environments and replicate: by changing for different mediums, time periods, and societies they better insure the chances that the narrative will survive. The article begins with the claim from the movie Adaptation that, "adaptation is a profound process, which means you try and figure out how to thrive in the world" (443). While the authors acknowledge that the context of the film might give the impression of this being an ironic statement, in truth the opposite is true: adaptation really is pivotal to the continued survival of a narrative. The manifest problem with adaptation theory, according to Bortolotti and Hutcheon is the tendency of critics to judge adaptations as good or bad based upon the level of fidelity they maintain with the source text. Altering a source text is not a bad thing -- it is necessary. Bortolotti and Hutcheon both describe transformation of source texts as, "a common and persistent way that humans have always told and retold stories" (444). Critic Thomas Leitch agrees with this judgment and states, "every text offers itself as an invitation to be re-written" (16). But if re-writing a source text is a necessary and beneficial thing then what system of judgment should be used to replace the fidelity criterion? Bortolotti and Hutcheon suggest embracing the scientific framework of post-Darwin biology to judge adaptations. Biologically changing or mutating is necessary for a the survival of a species: creatures who cannot adapt to new environments or circumstances will die out. As stated in the article both stories and organisms share the common need to, "replicate and change" (446). The question arises, then, on how much change can be made before a story is no longer an adaptation. When does it become its own story rather than the re-telling of a source text. Critics Hutcheon and Bortolotti claim that adaptations may change many things and still maintain their status as an adaptation as long the core narrative remains in tact.

Valkyrie Case Study

Valkyrie Lighting is facing a new challenge within its current operations. This challenge comes in the form of expanding and improving its current supply chain management system. In this new implementation, the Valkyrie management team will need to incorporate three vital concepts to achieve success in the highly competitive market of technical lighting. With this new supply chain management focus, Valkyrie will experience many issues that will need to be addressed to minimize the time it takes to get its expanded supply chain up and flowing smoothly. A number of the issues that Valkyrie experiences can be summarized into three main issues that are currently holding up Valkyrie’s success in this new endeavor. The main issues that Valkyrie faces include: product accessibility, limited communications, and current barriers to its global expansion strategy. With this new focus on supply chain management, Valkyrie must decide between implementation of a production line within Sunshine Product’s facility, or establish a legal binding agreement with Sunshine Products to act as their sole supplier. Currently there is a lack of an integrated computer system that prohibits both Valkyrie and Sunshine to adequately respond to each other’s product demand needs. Due to communication being vital to any business’s success, Valkyrie must look to integrate with Sunshine products to improve communications and information sharing to combat inventory issues and spikes in customer demands. Due to increasing competition within the technical lighting industry, Valkyrie has the opportunity to expand its operations throughout two potentially lucrative markets. Valkyrie must analyze the Southeast Asian market and the European market; the two primary global opportunities. Both options have advantages and disadvantages; which Valkyrie must analyze to achieve global success. Our first recommendation is to establish a legal agreement with Sunshine Products to become our sole supplier. The second recommendation is to establish an integrated computer system between Valkyrie and Sunshine. Our final recommendation is to focus on entry into the European market through a third party contractor. These recommendations will allow Valkyrie to maximize its supply chain, effectively communicate between all supply members and expand its market share; while maintaining its core competency of producing aesthetically designed lighting products. Company Overview Valkyrie Lighting is a manufacturing company with operations mainly in North America. The company’s primary focus is the production and delivery of technologically advanced industrial lighting. Valkyrie Lighting operates in a supply chain with many tiers working together to create a product that serve a number of customers. The majority of their parts come from tier-one suppliers, such as Sunshine Products, that are sent to a manufacturing plant in Denver. In this plant, the products are assembled, stored, and delivered to customers who place orders. The tier-one suppliers contract the manufacturing of parts from tier-two suppliers that are located throughout the world; such as Sunshine Products who contracts in Taiwan. Valkyrie Lighting gained market share in the technical lighting industry due to integrating advanced technology which was superior to the competition.       This technology led to the creation of superior products and the abilityto create custom products that serve different customer needs. Valkyrie Lighting also held a competitive edge with the product design and looks that were more desired than that of the competition. This is currently Valkyrie Lighting’s main competitive edge in the industry. Valkyrie Lighting’s operations are based on a push system that follows forecasts which are revised every quarter. This push system has led the company to produce in batch processes. The constant demand from customers for unique designs requires that Valkyrie Lighting create a certain amount of one product, then switch to create another similar product with minor design differences. The type of operations performed at the Denver plant is completed in two stages. The first stage represents a repetitive operation because the core pieces of the product are assembled by workers to complete only the technical assembly. There are eight different basic assemblies that are created and then the product is moved to the second stage. The second stage is considered more intermittent because the basic assembled products are then finished to customer style preferences and is the source of the variety among customers. Once the product has been completed, the product is stored into stock located in the Denver plant and shipped based on customer orders. This operation represents a make-to-stock strategy where the product is produced based from forecasts; which are held as inventory until the customer demands a product. Valkyrie Lighting is in an industry that was highly competitive until a few major companies dominated the majority of the market. The technical lighting industry is a slow-growing market where the order winners are based on superior technology, product variety, and timely delivery. Pricing and customer service are important factors in maintaining the competitive edge along with having advanced technology. The main trend in this market is the moving away from standard designs and being flexible to create a number of products that serve different needs based from the customer. This is important for any company in this industry because the market consist of primarily of large buyers that could have a significant impact on the market share a company possesses. Currently Valkyrie and two other firms control the majority of the market share. The current market that Valkyrie Lighting operates in is the North American market. This is where Valkyrie operates strongly and is the most competitive. Other markets of interest include Europe, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Each market has its own unique situations and barriers that affect Valkyrie Lighting. Currently, Valkyrie Lighting is taking advantage of the European market by exporting from the USA through a Dutch istributor, but future growth and market power will require manufacturing and distribution in Europe rather than exporting directly from the USA. The Southeast Asian market is difficult because of the strong competition among Asian companies and their ability to provide low costs, a core priority that Valkyrie cannot deliver at this time. The Latin American market is still untouched by Valkyrie Lighting and no long-term operation plans have been developed. Valkyrie Lighting has man y strengths with the current operation model. Their technology is strong enough that they can create a number of superior products and make custom changes to satisfy the customer demands. This is important because the market demands that companies have a wide variety of products to meet customer preferences. Another strength of Valkyrie Lighting is the aesthetics of their products. In the technical lighting industry, products need to be unique and Valkyrie Lighting achieved success by getting their products put into trade shows. This led to a strong following and more business. Another main strength for Valkyrie Lighting and their operation design is the make-to-stock. With customers demanding that companies hold products until orders are placed, Valkyrie Lighting continues to deliver customer satisfaction and is flexible. Despite some of the strengths of the current operations, Valkyrie Lighting’s current operation model contains many disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages is that the company is erratic with delivery times. Because the company continues to use a push system and quarterly forecast, they cannot handle on-time delivery for large orders or higher than expected orders from their larger customers. Valkyrie Lighting has tried to offset this problem by using the make-to-stock process, but this leads to the company holding onto large amounts of inventory that is costly to the company and uses space in the Denver plant. Another disadvantage Valkyrie Lighting faces is the lack of a standard line of communication among the different tiers of suppliers. The suppliers use different forecasts and rely on a push-system. Valkyrie Lighting utilizes a forecast that does not anticipate last-minute changes in demand and this leads to erratic delivery times to customers. Valkyrie’s communication technology is not compatible with its suppliers, which leads to a lack of closeness in communication. These issues affect the supply chain with suppliers running out of materials, Valkyrie Lighting not producing enough products, and customers waiting longer to receive orders. The last issue Valkyrie Lighting is faced with is penetrating new markets in different countries. With the lack of solid communication in the supply chain and the inability to deliver just-in-time, Valkyrie Lighting faces issues in setting up operations in Southeast Asia. Because the company does not directly operate in Asia, it cannot compete with the local firms that can provide products at a lower price. In Europe, Valkyrie Lighting understands their current operation is short-term. To continue to grow and expand market share; Valkyrie understands they must consider expansion into the global market. Current Problems: Although the business has been an industry leader and successful in the past, the Valkyrie management team is challenged to improve their supply chain management as they move forward. This project, supply chain management, is a new concept to Valkyrie. Although the management team has little experience in supply chain management, Rob Brown is confident that his team members are up for the challenge as they all have a stake in the survival and prosperity of the business. The team comes together in this project with various expertise and qualifications, which will allow them to face many challenges that are to come. These challenges range from decisions that will ultimately change Valkyrie’s way of doing business, and quite possibly even the entire technical lighting industry. This will require a new way of thinking and managing to remain successful as they move forward. Valkyrie is currently in a highly competitive industry where until recently there were very few major innovations. Valkyrie moved early to gain a competitive advantage. With this shift to improving their supply chain management, Valkyrie must act in the best interest of its stakeholders, which includes: owners, suppliers, manufacturers, vendors, employees, customers and the competition. Valkyrie must be methodical about the procedures it takes as they need to remain true to their core competency of providing superior technically advanced products with an aesthetic design, which is their top advantage over the competition. Before moving forward too quickly, Valkyrie must identify current problems and potential supply chain hindrances to minimize the frequency of false starts, fully utilize its capacities, and maximize productivity to ensure their product is still a viable and desirable choice for its end users. Major goals that Valkyrie seeks to achieve are to provide better delivery times to their customers, maintain well designed aesthetic products, and regain market share that has been lost due to price wars of the industry’s customers. There are three problems that Valkyrie needs to address initially in order to make their supply chain successful. The first problem Valkyrie must address is its current relationship with Sunshine Products. Sunshine plays a significant role in Valkyrie’s success because of its unique technology. Sunshine provides components to Valkyrie, but due to Sunshine’s production planning procedures, Valkyrie is unable to increase order quantities in fear that Sunshine is operating near capacity. Valkyrie and Sunshine’s current relationship is solid, but informal. Brown, as leader of this project, needs to identify that an informal relationship will hinder his attempts to make the supply chain management successful. Brown needs to look for ways to work jointly with Sunshine in hopes of making Sunshine their sole supplier. A sole supplier relationship will help Sunshine with inventory issues, inventory planning and production forecasts. In today’s business world, the internet is a very useful tool and virtually has very few limitations. Currently, Valkyrie and Sunshine do not have a compatible system, which hinders planning, inventories, and production plans. Both businesses plan production based on their inventory and production schedules, and Sunshine operates on a two-month planning horizon. This current system does not provide either company flexibility with production runs and prohibits them from accommodating spikes in product demand. If this is not resolved, the companies may experience the bull-whip effect and implore tactics that will lead to excess inventories. Valkyrie and Sunshine need to share an integrated system which allows visuals on both companies inventory and re-order points. By addressing the first two problems, Valkyrie will enable itself to take on its major competition by streamlining its components and production plans. To remain competitive, Valkyrie must improve lead times and flexibility to meet market demands. In addition, with the demand possibly stretching globally, Valkyrie needs to determine their expansion strategy based on which markets are most lucrative. The two possible markets that are promising to Valkyrie at this time are the European and Southeast Asia markets. By expanding to one or both of these markets, Valkyrie will be able to change its marketing and sales strategy from a push concept to a pull system due to the ability to fill orders upon the ever changing demands of their product. Valkyrie has alternatives to choose from to resolve these three major issues. By solving these issues first, Valkyrie sets itself up for success. Issue 1: Product Accessability To better understand the problem with Sunshine, we will first look at the present situation. Sunshine serves two other customers in non-competing fields other than Valkyrie and its production facility operates near capacity. The informal relationship between Valkyrie and Sunshine is sufficient when the two companies’ managers adhere to their hand-shake commitment and no competitor steps in. As Valkyrie loses ground in the U. S. market to its two major competitors, Valkyrie’s priority level in Sunshine may not remain if demand drops. Once the company engages in overseas production, Sunshine will not be able to manufacture the additional needed components under the current terms and Valkyrie may need to develop new suppliers. It is obvious continuing with the current informal handshake agreement is not an option for Valkyrie and Sunshine in the long run. In addition, as Valkyrie is exploring market expansion, this action will further necessitate an improved supply chain with Sunshine. Two possible solutions are: †¢ Alternative 1: Place a dedicated production line in Sunshine’s production plant. †¢ Alternative 2: Negotiate a formal contract with Sunshine and make it Valkyrie’s sole supplier. Both proposals will be analyzed in terms of feasibility, cost, and benefit in the section below. Alternative 1: Dedicated Production Line Proposal A dedicated production line proposal suggests Valkyrie place a dedicated production line in Sunshine’s facility. The production line will be provided by Sunshine and paid for by Valkyrie, as it will be exclusively used for Valkyrie’s production needs. The benefit of a dedicated production line is Valkyrie will have flexibility in its production planning and a just-in-time system can be implemented. The new line will provide extra capacity to satisfy Valkyrie’s increasing production need. Production equipment will not be a problem for the dedicated production line proposal since Sunshine either has enough room or it could expand its plant. All costs that occur during the setup of the production line will be covered by Valkyrie. The real problem is in the production and management of the dedicated line. Who should be responsible for the new line? How should wages and pricing be determined? If Sunshine were to provide the front line production workers and administration, they may charge a price premium. An agreement with Sunshine will need to be established for Valkryie to ensure the dedicated line in Sunshine’s facility will become the priority. Alternative 2: Formal Contract and sole supplier Proposal Compared to the dedicated production line, a formal contract is simpler and easier to implement. The contract needs to address the concept of sole supplier and the external factory. By creating a formal contractual relationship with Sunshine, Valkyrie guarantees Sunshine will be its sole supplier. In this contract, Sunshine will need to adjust its production planning procedure to make Valkyrie’s demand their first priority. A formal contract also builds up long-term relationship between the two companies rather than the two managers. With a formal contract, Sunshine becomes a guaranteed service provider. The benefit of such a relationship is information sharing, which is vital to the success of supply chain management. With an open information flow system, Sunshine can respond to production changes faster and reduce lead time. Another benefit of contractual agreement is it provides greater incentive for continuous quality improvement, which benefits both Valkyrie and Sunshine. The most important benefit of a formal contract is the elimination of uncertainty, the risk of losing a strategic partner. Recommendation The absence of a formal contract between Valkyrie and Sunshine places a huge risk on Valkyrie’s long-term success. With its unique technology, Sunshine plays a critical role in Valkyrie’s supply chain. It is clear that Valkyrie needs to include Sunshine in order to implement improvements in the supply chain. Considering both proposals’ pros and cons, we determine that a dedicated production line is neither feasible nor cost effective. The formal contract and external factory proposal fit into the supply chain management requirement and is much easier to implement. Thus, the formal contract and external factory proposal is recommended. Issue 2: The Lack of Computer Integration System Communication is the key to any business’s success. Due to Sunshine’s resistance to computer integration, both companies are experiencing communication problems. An integrated system will increase the productivity of the companies’ information systems, order entry and production system. Information Systems Information systems play a prominent role in any company’s supply chain. Valkyrie needs to share data, such as purchase orders, invoices, and payments, along with information about common information and financial records with all chain members. Sharing systems speeds up the flow of materials, payments and information. It allows companies to reduce the effort and cost of processing such transactions, and enables all members of the supply chain to know expected completion dates and availability of the products. Sharing a computer system allows all members to know when demand changes from the forecast. Any problems encountered that affect availability quantity or delivery time of the products allows the chain members to respond to problems and react to meet delivery commitments. Sharing information, analyzing market feedback and trends between chain members is critical to be successful in today’s dynamic global market. Order Entry Many companies and retailers are using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and/or Point-Of-Sale (POS) systems because it is very convenient for buyers and sellers. By using EDI, the form of computer-to-computer communication is standardized to share business documents such as invoices, purchase orders, shipping bills and product stocking numbers. This helps both buyers and sellers reduce logistical and labor costs and get products to market faster. For example, when suppliers transmit an advance shipment notice to the company for each inbound shipment, EDI systems can be effectively implemented. This notice provides a purchase order number, vendor identification number, product identification number and carton counts for each item in the shipment. The EDI data flows directly from the suppliers’ computers into companies and retailer’s warehouse management system. With this information, Valkyrie’s distribution center can anticipate inbound volume, prepare for receiving, and schedule the appropriate number of warehouse workers. EDI advanced shipment notification is sent from a shipper to a receiver with detailed information about the contents of the shipment. The process mentioned above also eliminates the need to schedule and stage the shipment later, which saves on labor costs. Through the EDI system, suppliers get paid accurately and on time. Furthermore, EDI can eliminate order batching. Companies typically use large order batching because of the relatively high cost of placing an order. Supply chain partners can reduce ordering cost by using electronic data interchange to transmit information. Lower ordering costs eliminate the need for batch order. Similarly, when the retailers use Point of Sale (POS) systems, the information collected by POS allows both Valkyrie and Sunshine to know the product demand information when making replenishment decisions. In addition, EDI and POS are very helpful to counteract the bullwhip effect of erratic replenishment of orders placed on different levels in the supply chain that have no apparent link to final customer demand, and as a result, manufacturers inventory does not coincide with demand. Production system By integrating the two companies’ computer systems and sharing relevant databases, Valkyrie and Sunshine Product can both benefit with a production system that determines what is needed, how much is needed and when it is needed. From Valkyrie’s standpoint, having its orders completed and shipped to the distribution center on time is the vital to maintain customer satisfaction and market share. From Sunshine’s view point, switching from traditional system-push system to a pull system would be a good strategy because it reduces inventory on production and materials. Thus, it helps Sunshine Product to solve the problem on material shortages or production planning system. The disadvantage of combining two companies’ computer system is that data exchange might create some problems in payment process or information flows between two companies. This computer integration also requires the internal consistency and discipline to ensure the process is integrated and information flows accuracy, otherwise it will create errors that bring problems to both companies in the short-run. Issue 3: The Entry to the Global Market At the core of Valkyrie’s global corporate strategy is the need to make a significant lucrative entry into the global market. Rapid expansion into a segment of the global market will make up for the mature market conditions in North America. Alternative 1: The Southeast Asian Market Southeast Asia is identified as a promising market but this market does not share the need for Valkryie’s unique, aesthetic design element. Valkryie’s technical lead is already being eroded boy Alpha products, leaving only the aesthetic design advantage which is not an order winner in Southeast Asia. Valkyrie has an opportunity to leverage the relationship with Sunshine’s established contract manufacturing in Taiwan. This liaison could transition into an opportunity to pursue moving into the Southeast Asia market. Valkyrie will have to establish its own communication and control systems to monitor their third party. They will need to monitor and evaluate the third party’s level of customer service, the efficiency of their operations and inventory investment. Alternative 2: The European Market. Valkyrie’s main competitive advantage is their design element known to be essential to market success in Europe. By moving into the European market, Valkyrie will be able to get a faster response to new customers, provide better service and increase market share. This solution requires learning about the European market and the European custom rules. Profits will be higher and Valkyrie will not suffer a loss of control which might result in poor market performance as opposed to simply licensing in Europe. This alternative helps overcome high fix cost and high tariff duties. A third party contractor will have a European market awareness of customer’s product needs and will be knowledgeable about the competition. The third party contractor would understand the customer service requirements which vary considerably from northern to southern Europe and will assume the responsibility for providing communications. A third party contractor can be counted on to know their local market’s suppliers capabilities and performance. As these other suppliers are less critical to Valkyrie’s success than Sunshine, they could be substituted if they do not perform to standards. Recommendation Our recommendation is for Valkyrie to establish local production, under Valkyrie’s name, by contracting with a third party to manufacture and distribute in Europe. The justification for choosing the European market is this market will require a unique styling of lighting products which is Valkyrie’s primary competitive advantage and core competency. This design element is essential to Valkyrie’s market success in the European market. The commitment to this strategic plan would negate an entry into the Asian market at this time. The third party contractor will need to be an experienced operator who can handle both the manufacturing and distribution. As Sunshine Products will be contractually bound as a single source supplier, their Taiwan plant will transmit orders electronically to the third party contractor who will work with regional suppliers to provide the remainder of the components. Factors to consider when identifying potential third party contractors will include: the company’s ability to partner with Sunshine Products, the ability to identify regional suppliers to provide the remainder of the component parts and the facility’s proximity to customers. The European single point distribution system will be essentially parallel to the US market. In order to meet product demand and service requirements Valkyrie knows that a single point distribution system and negotiating service contracts with carriers to provide distribution is effective. The company knows from experience at their Denver location that deliveries can be made to most major markets even by surface carriers. CONCLUSION: Valkyrie Lighting is venturing into new but potentially lucrative concepts. This new supply chain management will allow Valkyrie to remain competitive in the highly competitive technical lighting industry. By focusing on members of the supply chain, Valkyrie can utilize its resources to compliment its current strengths in creating better business relationships with its supply chain members. To ensure that Valkyrie succeeds in this new endeavor, there must be a formal contract between Valkyrie and Sunshine to ensure that Valkyrie’s demand will be met. Playing into the success is also the implementation of a integrated computer system between its supply chain members. This allows all members of the supply chain to readily see the inventories that are needed to sustain, while minimizing the bullwhip effect. Finally, Valkyrie must focus on its core competency, by manufacturing products that are preferred for the aesthetic design. This focus is one that suggests that expanding into the European market should be the sole focus at the current time. By following our three recommendations, Valkyrie will improve product accessibility, improve communications within the supply chain and increase market share with expansion into the European market.

Analyzing Guy de Maupassants The Necklace

The Necklace is a short story by  19th-century French author Guy de Maupassant, who is regarded as one of the early masters of the short story. Its often studied in English and world literature classes. Maupassant is known for writing about the travails of average people in French society and their efforts to get ahead, often with unhappy results. Read on for a summary and analysis of The Necklace. Characters The story centers on three characters: Mathilde Loisel, Monsieur  Loisel,  and Madame Forestier. Mathilde, the main character, is beautiful and social, and she wants expensive items to match her  sophisticated taste. But she was born into a clerks family and ends up marrying another clerk, so she cant afford the clothing, accessories, and household items that she wants, which makes her unhappy. Monsieur Loisel, Mathildes husband, is a man of simple pleasures who is happy with his life. He loves Mathilde and tries to mitigate her unhappiness by getting her an invitation to a fancy party. Madame Forestier is Mathildes friend. She is wealthy, which makes Mathilde very jealous. Summary Monsieur Loisel presents Mathilde with an invitation to the Ministry of Educations formal party, which he expects will make Mathilde happy because she will be able to mingle with high society. Mathilde is immediately upset, however, because she doesnt have a gown that she believes is nice enough to wear to the event.   Mathildes tears sway Monsieur  Loisel into offering to pay for a new dress despite their money being tight. Mathilde asks for 400 francs. Monsieur Loisel had planned to use the money he had saved on a gun for hunting but agrees to give the money to his wife. Near the date of the party, Mathilde decides to borrow jewelry from Madame Forestier. She picks a diamond necklace from her friends jewelry box.   Mathilde is the belle of the ball. When the night ends and the couple returns home, Mathilde is saddened by the humble state of her life compared with the fairy-tale party. This emotion quickly turns into panic as she realizes she has lost the necklace Madame Forestier lent her. The Loisels search unsuccessfully for the necklace and ultimately decide to replace it without telling Madame Forestier that Mathilde lost the original. They find a similar necklace, but to afford it they go deeply into debt. For the next 10 years, the Loisels live in poverty. Monsieur  Loisel works three jobs and Mathilde does heavy housework until their debts are repaid. But Mathildes beauty has faded from a decade of hardship. One day, Mathilde and Madame Forestier meet on the street. At first, Madame Forestier doesnt recognize Mathilde and is shocked when she realizes it is her. Mathilde explains to Madame Forestier that she lost the necklace, replaced it, and worked for 10 years to pay for the substitute. The story ends with Madame Forestier sadly telling Mathilde that the necklace she had lent her was fake and worth almost nothing. Symbols Given its central role in the short story, the necklace is an important symbol of deception. Mathilde had dressed for the party in expensive clothes and a sparkling but borrowed accessory to briefly escape her humble life by pretending to a station she did not hold. Similarly, the jewelry represents the illusion of wealth in which Madame Forestier and the aristocratic class indulge. While Madame Forestier knew the jewels were fake, she did not tell Mathilde because she enjoyed the illusion of appearing wealthy and generous in lending a seemingly expensive item. People often admire the wealthy, aristocratic class, but sometimes their wealth is an illusion. Theme The short storys theme involves the pitfalls of pride. Mathildes pride in her beauty prompts her to buy an expensive dress and borrow seemingly expensive jewelry, which triggers her downfall. She fed her pride for one night but paid for it over the next 10 years of hardship, which destroyed her beauty. Pride also prevented her friend from acknowledging initially that the necklace was a fake, which would have prevented Mathildes downfall.

Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay - 2118 Words

Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau developed theories on human nature and how men govern themselves. With the passing of time, political views on the philosophy of government gradually changed. Despite their differences, Hobbes and Rousseau, both became two of the most influential political theorists in the world. Their ideas and philosophies spread all over the world influencing the creation of many new governments. These theorists all recognize that people develop a social contract within their society, but have differing views on what exactly the social contract is and how it is established. By way of the differing versions of the social contract Hobbes and Rousseau agreed that certain†¦show more content†¦Limits must be put on freedom and inalienable rights. Hobbes lived in the 17th century, and wrote during the time of the English Civil War. His political views were most likely influenced by the war. Hobbes perceived that by bringing back the monarch, or any other sovereign, there would be an end to the civil war and is â€Å"necessary to peace and depending on sovereign power† (415). The original state of nature, according to Rousseau, is the perfect state for man, where he is born free but is everywhere in chains (The Social Contract, 49). In the original state, man lives alone in innocence where he is virtuous. Rousseau does not agree that man is an aggressive and greedy being in the original state of nature; in contrast, the life of man is â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short† as Hobbes suggests (Leviathan, 408). Rousseau argues that men are truly happy in the state of nature. Only when men become sociable, they become wicked. In Rousseau’s Social Contract, man is depicted as an ignorant, unimaginative animal. Man has no reason or conscience when in contact with others. Possessions begin to be claimed, but the inequality of skill lead to inequality of fortunes. The idea of claiming possessions excites men’s passions, which provoke conflict and leads to war. Rousseau believes men are not perfect in their original state, but have the ability to live in a more perfect society with guidance ofShow MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes And Jean Jacques Rousseau1728 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau are both considered Enlightenment thinkers, their ideas vary greatly in the political continuum. Both of their theories have certain components which may appear to be symmetric, but upon closer examination, their differences stem from the very way in which they view human nature. From there, each man builds up to the creation of a commonwealth in a way that reflects which type of government they support. 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Through Thomas Hobbes world-renowned publication Leviathan and Rousseau’s discourses on basic political principals and concepts, each man validated their thoughts on human nature and what is required for a successful society within their respective government confi nes. The distinct differences between Hobbes and Rousseau’s opinions on the natural state of man frame the argument of theRead MoreThe Seatbelt Law, By Thomas Hobbes, And Jean Jacques Rousseau1262 Words   |  6 Pagesof philosophers Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and whether or not this law is ethical. THOMAS HOBBES Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher who is best known for his work in political ethics. Hobbes had a pessimistic view of the human race, however his theory has been used as a major influence on western political views. In 1651, Thomas Hobbes wrote Leviathan, in which he states that life before government was violent, brutal, and barbaric. Hobbes continues on toRead MoreHuman Nature, By Jean Jacques Rousseau And Thomas Hobbes1711 Words   |  7 Pagescivilized. These constructed categories have put a label on people who do not share the same ideas as one another. These different views of human nature have come to propel change and have come to revolutionized human history. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Michel de Montaigne, and Thomas Hobbes all differ on their ideas of human nature, but they also share common ground. For some of these men the practices of different cultures are categorized as savagery, and for others it has been viewed as noble savagery. TheirRead MoreThe State Of Nature By Thomas Hobbes And Jean Jacques Rousseau1800 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophers, Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau took different stances regarding this issue in their deduction of the state of nature; a concept describing people s lives before the existence of civilized societies and laws. Thomas Hobbes imagines a state of nature where each person is naturally fully free to do whatever he wants and to act as he thinks right regardless what others think. In the absence of authority and laws to put an end to the aftermath disputes, Hobbes imagines thatRead MoreThomas Hobbes, John Locke, And Jean-Jacques Rousseau All1781 Words   |  8 PagesThomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all represent social contract theorists who were influenced by liberalism and the enlightenment respectively. They each offer varying takes and critiques of what exactly is the state of nature and from those discussions of the state of nature, they delve into what the state of government would be if it was born from that same state of nature. Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau can each be compared and contrasted with one another based upon their own definitionRead MoreThe State Of Nature : Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, And Jean Jacques Rousseau902 Words   |  4 Pagesstate of nature. Thom as Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Each theorist had some similar and different views Thomas Hobbes was not a positive person. He believed it was a dog eat dog world, and every man for themselves. Hobbes was no supporter of democratic government. He did not agree with the laws, and believed they shouldn t be enforced. His solution to problems would be to form a monarch. One person is to control who has the given right, such as; a king or queen. Hobbes visualizes aRead MoreComparison of Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay980 Words   |  4 Pages While Hobbes and Rousseau address many of the same issues and topics in both The Leviathan as well as The Discourses, the way that Hobbes and Rousseau look at these issues such as, human nature, the state, and inequality are extremely different from each other. In some cases Hobbes and Rousseau’s opinions on these certain ideas are completely contradicting and opposite of each other. While it is tough to say which viewpoint, Hobbes’ or Rousseau’s is correct, one or the other can be consideredRead MoreThe Political Writings Of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau1772 Words   |  8 PagesThe political writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau focus a great deal of their work discussing various views of the state of nature, and the human nature for the establishment of political authority. These three theorists have many differing opinions of the purpose and reality of the state of nature, the purpose of government and the im pact of founders and how men secure their rights. In the Leviathan, Hobbes believes that the state of nature is a constant state of war

The Role of Justice in Society Essay - 2374 Words

The Role of Justice in Society Through the egalitarian reasoning of John Rawls and the act-utilitarianist perspective of J.J.C. Smart, I will analyze the concept of justice. In accordance with Rawls, I intend to argue that any changes in society that will increase the burden carried by the poorest 5% are unjust, even if these changes increase the average level of happiness for the other 95%. With regard to ethics, justice is defined as fairness, where all situations should be treated alike. For one to exhibit justice, one must portray the quality of being fair and reasonable in all situations. While egalitarians evaluate justice based on equality, utilitarians are only interested in justice as a means to an end. Smart advocates the†¦show more content†¦Rawls concept of ‘justice as fairness’ summarizes how equality between individuals in the original position allows the â€Å"principles of justice are agreed to in an initial situation that is fair†. In this â€Å"initial position of eq uality† citizens lack all knowledge of personal issues, and their social and economic status. The equality achieved by the original position ensures that citizens act behind a ‘veil of ignorance’ when choosing the principles of justice. The ‘veil of ignorance’ and the maxamin rule ensure that the choice of principles is not advantageous to some, and detrimental to others. Once under the veil of ignorance, citizens use the maxamin rule when choosing principles to base their society on. This rule captures the idea that since all citizens are oblivious to their position in the world, they must be prepared to fulfill any role. Therefore, we can conclude that each person will decide on a society where the least fortunate individuals are in the best situation possible. Through the original position, we are able to see the creation of justice. There are two basic principles of justice that Rawls believes would be agreed to by individuals in the ‘original position’. The first principle encapsulates the concept liberty, where each individual should be guaranteed as much liberty as the next individual. The second principle maintains that â€Å"social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that theyShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Justice in Society2403 Words   |  10 Pagesthe concept of justice. In accordance with Rawls, I intend to argue that any changes in society that will increase the burden carried by the poorest 5% are unjust, even if these changes increase the average level of happiness for the other 95%. With regard to ethics, justice is defined as fairness, where all situations should be treated alike. For one to exhibit justice, one must portray the quality of being fair and reasonable in all situations. While egalitarians evaluate justice based on equalityRead MoreThe Notions of Justice in The Republic and Antigone1707 Words   |  7 Pagesnotions of justice are presented plainly. Plato’s The Republic and Sophocles’ Antigone both address elements of death, tyranny and immorality, morality, and societal roles. These topics are important elements when addressing justice, whether in the societal representation or personal representation. Antigone uses the concept of death in many ways when unfolding the tragic story of Antigone and her rebellion. The most obvious way is how death is used as a form of capital punishment and justice againstRead MoreCriminal Justice Trends Essay1572 Words   |  7 PagesThe criminal justice system is a group of institutions that work together to protect a society, prevent and control crime, and maintain justice; enforcing the laws regulated by society. As the years have gone by and society has evolved; so have the criminal justice system and its methods to accomplish its role in society. This short analysis will evaluate the main facts that have been affecting the criminal justice system for decades and have influenced the evolution the justice system is enduringRead MorePlato s The Republic : The Myth Of The Three Metals Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pagesthese metals, each person was born into the role they would presume in society. Gold represents the guardians, who are governed b y reason, making them suitable to rule. Silver depicts the auxiliaries, who are guided by spirit, predisposing them to be guards. The final metals are iron or bronze, which share the same traits. Iron or bronze displays the farmers and other craftsmen, who are led by their appetites, creating the physical laborers in the society. Plato believes that the myth of three metalsRead MoreThe Between Plato And Plato s The Republic And Hobbes Leviathan1324 Words   |  6 PagesHow does a â€Å"just† society operate? What are the roles of the individuals? One of the earlier concepts of justice dates back to Plato and his work the Republic. Plato constructs his ideal state to find the meaning of Justice and dissects human nature and its role in society in doing so. Overall, he described justice in a hypothetical society where every individual does what they are best as. His ideal society is where individuals must perform its appropriate role and each must be in the right position Read More Individuals vs. Society Essay1001 Words   |  5 Pagesindividual’s role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. In Antigone, most of those themes are shown thus a single person’s influence or role on society is very small and complicated to attain. However in The Lottery the society has most of the control and there is not many signs of those characteristics so the role of a person isRead More2.3 Conclusion:. The Aim Of Criminal Law Is To Protect1463 Words   |  6 Pagesto protect the basic rights to life and property. There can be no liberty if no protection of the basic rights of the citizens by the government is provided. Whatever views one holds about the penal law, no one will question its importance to society. This is the law on which men place their ultimate reliance for protection against all the deepest injuries that human conduct can inflict on individuals and institutions. By the same token, penal law governs the strongest force that we permit officialRead MoreSummary : Muller V. Oregon1540 Words   |  7 Pagespatriarchal ideologies that attack the progression of socio-gender equality through legislative action. At face value, the court’s rejection of employee suppression appears to uphold social equality and justice within the workforce; however, the approach taken was rather sexist and gendered. Supreme Court justices ultimately based arguments upon the predisposed ideas of scientific sexism, or the notion that women are biologically different from men, and are thus inherently inferior due to physiology. By determiningRead MoreJustice: Plato vs. Aristotle Essay1024 Words   |  5 Pagesattempts to define justice. Being that Aristotle was a student of Plato, their ideas share many similarities. Both viewed justice as the harmonious interaction of people in a society. However, Plato defined his ideal of justice with more usage of metaphysics, invoking his Form of the Good, while Aristotle took a more practical approach, speaking in terms of money and balance. Although Aristotles ideal of justice may seem superior, upon further inspection, Platos ideal of justice is the stronger. Rea d MoreIndividuals vs. Society1024 Words   |  5 Pagesindividuals role in society can vary with the number themes the characters exhibit. When there are signs of fate, cruelties, weaknesses, and desires for justice and catharsis the role of an individual becomes more complicated. In Antigone, most of those themes are shown thus a single persons influence or role on society is very small and complicated to attain. However in The Lottery the society has most of the control and there is not many signs of those characteristics so the role of a person is

Willowbrook Free Essays

I am going to begin this essay discussing some of the ways the human Services field has changed with the developmental disibilities. I am going to discuss ways it has changed from training classes that I have went to and learned from. Back many many years ago, people with disabilities were looked at in a totally different way then they are today. We will write a custom essay sample on Willowbrook or any similar topic only for you Order Now Today individuals with developmental disabilities are taken very good care of and are watched very closely. Back in the 1930s there was a place called Willowbrook that was built and was a state run facility for individuals with developmental diabilities. Willowbrook was in the Willowbrook neighborhood in Staten Island, NY. It was opened in the 1930s and closed in 1987. Willowbrook was orginally degisned for 4,000 individuals but eventually ib 1965 it had more than 6,000 individuals. In 1965 it was the biggest state run facility for individuals with developmental disibilites. It was a very bad place for these individuals due to questionable medical practices and experiments. Sen. Robert Kennedy even called it a â€Å"snake pit†. In the first decade that it was open individuals were getting hepatitis, it became very common. Most of the individuals developed some type of hepatitis within the first 6 months. In 1965 when the population was over 6,000 individuals Senator Robert Kennedy toured the facility. It was very overcrowed at this time with 2,000 more individuals than the building was designed for. Senator Robert Kennedy gave some recommendations for improving the conditions after he seen they were â€Å"living in filth and dirt, their clothing in rags, in rooms less comfortable and beerful than the cages in which we put animals in a zoo†. Many of the individuals who lived there were abondoned by their families, foster care, and or other system agencies. In 1972 Geraldo Rivera who was an investigative reporter in New York did some investigation. During his investigations he found â€Å"deplorable conditions†. The deplorable conditions were â€Å"overcrowding, inadequate sanitary facilities, and physical and sexual abuse†. Rivera then went onto the Dick Cavett Show and showed some film of indiviuals that lived at the school. On March 17, 1972 a class action law-suit against New York State was filed in federal court. A settlement was not reached until May 5, 1975. It took several years before all of the violation were corrected. Due to the publicity of the case their is now a federal law called the Civil Right of Institutionalized Persons Act of 1980. In 1983 there were plans to close Willowbrook made by the the state of New York. In 1974 it was renamed Staten Island Develpmental Center. By March 1986 the population was at 250. On September 17, 1987 the last individual left the facility. While I was in a training class for my current job, we had to watch a video by Geraldo Rivera about Willowbrook. The conditions named above were so true but reading about it sounds good compared to actually seeing how these individuals actually had to live. Not only were these individuals already abandoned by their loved ones now they had to live in terrible conditions. How to cite Willowbrook, Essay examples

None10 Essay Example For Students

None10 Essay I am not a big fan of the 1990 movie version of William Shakespeares Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson. I feel that while it stands alone as a very well made movie and contains great acting performances throughout, I think that it strays too far from the original text and layout of the play. The omissions and transposing makes the play weaker, and while it is a great screenplay, it fails in comparison to Shakespeares original work. The three things which bother me the most are the omission of Fortinbras and the handling of the, To be or not to be soliloquy and the Get thee to a nunnery scene, and Hamlets Oedipus complex. Omitting the subplot of Fortinbras took away the whole political aspect of the piece. It also weakened the ending. I understand that director Franco Zeffirelli wanted to keep the movie at a reasonable length, but I feel that his omissions took away a lot of the power of the original version. Maybe I am just a purist, but I much prefer the 1996 Kenneth Branagh version, even if some of the acting was weaker in it. But I would rather sit through four hours and see the whole play than sit through two and half and see a butchering of the text. I did not like that some of the long speeches were cut down and that some character said lines written for others. I absolutely love the writing that takes us from the most famous speech ever written to the scene between Hamlet and Ophelia. The intensity of the To be or not to be soliloquy into the Get thee to a nunnery scene is my favorite transition ever written and I think they totally blew it in this film. I felt they through away the Hamlet/Ophelia scene and turned something beautiful into something boring. The only thing that makes it work is the great acting performances of Mel Gibson and Helena-Bonham Carter. Carter is superb as Ophelia, much better than Kate Winslet, who was great in the Branagh version. I was pleasantly shocked at the performance, especially the scene where goes insane after finding out he r father is dead. That is something else that greatly bothers me. I dont like the way Gibson was directed to play the scene in which he kills Polonius. He doesnt even play it like he cares that he did it. That also makes Hamlet seem like a man who does not have a mind. I read somewhere once that Gibson felt the same thing about the scene. Ian Holm gives a very fine performance as Polonius. Alan Bates also shines as Claudius. He gives such a fine performance in the role. I am not a big fan of Glenn Close, but she was wonderful as Queen Gertrude. I just dont agree with Oedipus story line. I dont feel that the original text calls for it to be so played out. Shakespeare hints at incestual activities in a lot of his plays, including between Tybalt and his aunt in Romeo Juliet. But I dont feel it should be taken so literally. It made Hamlet seem as though he really was completely insane. That, to me, keeps the whole play from working. But again, as a movie, it works. Mel Gibson gives a v ery fine performance as the tragic hero. The only times which he falters, it is due to the directing and re-writing by Zeffirelli. Gibson gives a much more true-to-life and honest performance than say Branagh or even Olivier did. He did a truly amazing job. Nathaniel Parker and Stephen Dillane did nicely as Laertes and Horatio. I would have liked to see more from the grave-digger scene. It didnt have the comic relief that Billy Crystals performance in the Branagh version possessed. Considering all the problems I have with it, the movie itself is spectacular. I have a very biased opinion, being that I know the script so well. Speaking of it as a screenplay and film, it is extremely well done. Zefferelli brings a flow of reality to the story and turns it into a fine film. The casting was perfect for his version and one scene .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .postImageUrl , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:hover , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:visited , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:active { border:0!important; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:active , .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43 .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u34c37ec5260be75d40b19878d754fb43:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: "Bringing the Dolls" and "Old Crystals" Analysis Essay