Dbq on the Medical Field During the 18th Century Essay Example for Free

Dbq on the Medical Field During the 18th Century Essay The medical field during the eighteenth century was comprised of unsanitary, heinous, and uncustomary practices, such as blood letting, trepanation, and the overcrowding of hospitals. Even though these practices didn’t help in the development of the medical field, there were auspicious practices that were beneficial, such as midwifery, ingrafting, and faith in God. Midwifery, during the 1700’s, was one of the most womanized practices of the century. To get the help of a male midwife was a belittlement to the female midwife and it was also a way of disparaging midwifery (Document 2). Also, midwives were expected to obtain the knowledge of caring for and to the skills for the well-being of women in labor(Document 2). While the conditions of a woman giving birth improved dramatically, so did the reputation of midwifery. Ingrafting was one of the most cogent inventions in medicine in the eighteenth century. Diseases as contagious and fatal as the smallpox were almost eliminated with the invention of ingrafting (Document 3). This procedure was so advantageous that Lady Montagu, an English writer, was â€Å"well satisfied of the safety of the experiment,† that she intended to try it on her own son (Document 3). Ingrafting has also evolved into vaccines that now can cure and treat malignant ailments like the flu and cowpox. Faith in God was a way for people to have mental support for their ailments, even though it didn’t cure or treat any ailment, people still turned to God for aspiration. Many people still believe in the power of prayer and in the power of faith to relieve them of illnesses. This is best stated by William Buchan, an Edinburgh physician, because his statement that the Christian religion teach that, â€Å"the sufferings of this life are designed to prepare us for a future state of happiness. †(Document 7) Medical practices, such as midwifery, ingrafting, and faith in God, of the eighteenth century not only advanced to the benefit of the overall health of the people, but also led to the more advanced practices used today. Although these practices were basic, they are the vital parts of the development of medicine.

Consulting Organizations Like Mckinsey Management Essay

Consulting Organizations Like Mckinsey Management Essay Consulting organizations like McKinsey Company, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Boston Consulting Group, not only are leaders in their respective fields of operation but epitomize global reach with their branch offices spread all around the world (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). Such big consulting organizations though are mostly based in the USA, yet they are present in almost all the economic regions. They are considered the harbingers of new managerial and organizational concepts that enjoy global validity. In view of the unprecedented increase in the number of organizations having potential to internationalize, internationality of management consulting has by itself become a means of competence and eminence (Richter et al., 2008). As such, the general trend in future could be that global companies may increasingly require the services of global consulting houses. Therefore, extending reach of the consulting organizations to international clients could become imperative an d present new opportunities of growing globally (Landriscina, 2012). In the UK, only a few consulting organizations exist that enjoy considerable international clout. This is evident from their foreign operations, including those that render foreign consultancy but do not have any branches abroad. In the UK, most of the consulting companies provide services to small and medium organizations. Their prospects in the international arena, the impediments they face, and the steps that can enable them achieve success and grow internationally, are dealt herein (Graubner and Richter, 2003). Donnelly and Dowling, (2010) said that the substance of earlier case studies brings out that foreign operations just depended on chance and the availability of profitable opportunities, and were not because of systematic strategies of operating globally. As such, overseas assignments were considered temporary and the regions were changed as the opportunities arose because of globalization of clients business operations. However, in certain cases, promotional efforts also contribute to the development of consultancy overseas. Generally, proper planning and diligently developing a foreign market is seldom resorted to (Budhwar et al., 2009). Hurdles in the way of developing external markets by establishing subsidiaries are many, and one can anticipate considerable risks when launching operations in new markets, particularly in BRIC countries, that is, Brazil, Russia, India, and China that have over time acquired much significance. If it is aimed to serve local customers also besides the western subsidiaries, it is essential to comply with the local conditions and employ low-wage local staff. It is only then that an organization catering in consultancy services can function successfully. In case of small and medium consultancy organizations, it is these factors that cause difficulties. ALTOMI ASSOCIATES AND ITS INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY The present case study pertains to Altomi Associates, a UK based organization engaged in providing leadership and management training to client companies located in UK but some of them operating internationally also. As such, Altomi also organizes training programs abroad. Its training programs relate to three sectors, such as manufacturing, retail, and public sector. In the beginning, the training services were catered from the domestic setup, but later the company established bases elsewhere also, housing a small team of administrative staff to meet the requirements of clients at those places. As per Balbinot et al. (2010), it is imperative to evolve an internationalization strategy for a company planning to enter international business since it is an important determinant of success. The significance of meticulously evolved strategy of internationalization depends on diligently conducted market research and appreciation of the true meaning of such a strategy. Altomi Associates plan to spread their business to other countries, particularly in BRIC countries where they anticipate considerable growth opportunities. Altomi Associates intend to forge relationships with existing independent local operators in Brazil, Russia, India, and China as franchisees who would cater their training programs to clients there. In the medium term, they propose to put up offices in those areas either as new start-ups or by taking over local training companies or by forming joint ventures. The ultimate aim is to render training services to MNCs across their global facilities. INTERNATIONAL HRM According to Armstrong (2012), many big MNCs are in a position to ably manage their international operations, such as marketing, technology, and finances. However, there are others who have not been able to manage their HR effectively. IHRM is crucial for MNCs for exercising control and addressing cross-cultural issues, internal as well as external. MNCs face many more problems as compared to domestic organizations on account of geographic distances, cultural disparities, international competition, issues related to language, and political parameters (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Stolt (2010) observes that IHRM and HRM do not differ much as their aim is to achieve the same objective of gaining competitive edge for their organizations and in this respect have to confront similar internal and external environmental factors. It is thus necessary for HR managers in MNCs to fully understand the obtaining political environments and legalities concerning labor in host countries. An international HR manager needs to understand the implications of soft and hard HRM as related to domestic business and concerning foreign subsidiaries (Mathur and Gupta, 2011). In case an organization assigns great significance to its employees and places much value to their participation, then the organization is considered to be practicing soft HRM. If the HR manager has adequate understanding of the differences between the two types of HR, then he will be in a position to adopt the right HR policy with respect to each country (Dickmann, 2008). The hard approach, on the other hand, corroborates with strategic HRM, is concerned with reducing costs and is part of the top managements function (Budhwar et al., 2009). Dickmann (2008) describes soft HRM as based on resource perspective of the employees and pertains to egalitarian culture, organic organizational structure, broad particularization of jobs, pay packages as per abilities, sharing of profits, and the existence of a system of direct communication with employees. Hard HRM, on the other hand, relates to such HR policies that follow the prescribed business strategy, practices different approaches as per the categories of workers and according to stringent organizational procedures (Gluesing and Gibson, 2006). Academics, however, have been concentrating on the soft approach for some time. Each country professes characteristics that are specific to it and which have a direct impact on HR practices (Sparrow and Wu, 1997). A UK company establishing a subsidiary in Japan will find it hard to practice soft HRM in that country, as Japanese workers are accustomed to work under hard HRM practices (Barney and Wright, 1997). CONSULTANCY INTERNATIONALIZATION THEORIES The important theories are discussed below: Static theory: This theory comprises such concepts as theory of growth, internationalization theory, and elite system. According to Sparrow (2009), there is no empirical evidence whether these theories are applicable to SMEs since these have been evolved in the context of MNCs. Stage theory: This theory prescribes implementation of the process of internationalization by stages (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Several models are available concerning this theory, such as the Uppasla model, network model, and the model related to innovation. The Uppasla model advocates gradual implementation of internationalization over a time with emphasis on step by step learning and understanding of foreign markets (Griffin et al., 2010). According to Collings (2012), the network approach pertains to the impact of the organizations level of internationalization and the extent of internationalization of the target markets. The innovation related model, as per Dowling et al. (2008), states that innovations in management systems determine the successive stage in the internationalization process. International new venture theory: According to Sparrow (2009), this theory deals with organizations that have internationalized from the very beginning or immediately after the start. The consultancy sector differs from other sectors in that it submits to easy pliability and speedy developments as per the demands of the market wherein both small and big organizations exist (FEACO, 2004). The demand for consultancy services has been developing quite fast resulting in their operations reaching across borders. Organizations rendering consultancy services go international due to several reasons. According to Brett and Kern (2006), the main reasons are location of clients, exploring new markets, or the market being a developing one. There are several approaches that can be deployed while internationalizing, such as export, foreign direct investment (FDI), or entering into cross-border collaboration. As per Graubner and Richter (2003), though export is an important component of internationalization, yet organizations are increasingly adopting the route of FDI. Cross-border collaboration is a preferable mode in case of SMEs since they are not in a position to afford the needed resources and are vulnerable to many risk factors (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). According to Stolt (2010), SMEs not only lack enough resources, but also capital, and managerial expertise. As such, they generally face many hurdles while internationalizing their operations. Such impediments are of three types: liability of foreignness, liability of newness, and the liability of smallness. Therefore, it would be necessary for them to take these liabilities into consideration while internationalizing. As per Graubner and Richter (2003), SME consultancies can also confront the problem of establishing new networks. ISSUES EXPERIENCED IN TRANSFERRING HR POLICIES AND PRACTICES ACROSS BORDERS Schuler and Jackson (2009) consider that organizations operating internationally are often urged to implement HR policies and practices uniformly in all of their global operations. Such a situation arises because of the company having been following HR practices since long in accord with the domestic parameters. It is thus necessary to take into account the domestic as well as foreign country factors while evolving IHRM strategy. There are countries whose laws are oriented to protect employees interests, while many other countries favor employer interests (Griffin et al., 2010). Muller-Camen and Brewster (2008) mention hurdles like lack of experience and understanding, cultural disparity, and inadequate resources that companies generally confront in international markets. As such, it is desirable to implement HR strategies that accord with the legal and political parameters of the host country. IHRM while specifying job profiles and task parameters to be implemented by the foreign subsidiaries, should consider the availability of suitable workers for the specific jobs (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Domestic employees having compatible skills and experience can be deployed but it gives rise to issues related to compensation and reward systems (Stolt, 2010). According to Griffin et al. (2010), people recruited from the host country would be ignorant of the parent companys vision, mission, and objectives. FACTORS RELEVANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENT POLICY Complexity of Operations: The complexity comes into play when operations are spread over many countries and employees belong to different nationalities. These two variables play a crucial role in differentiating IHRM and domestic HRM (Schuler and Jackson, 2009). Cultural Environment: According to Pham and Hongyu, (2012), cultural ignorance can generate adverse feelings about the host country and its people and a desire to return home early. Cultural disparities can be interesting only for some time but in the long run may look shocking to the expatriate. People belonging to diverse cultures harbor varying aptitudes, differing dispositions, and dissimilar beliefs (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). Paying scant attention to these aspects often results in an organizations failure. Richter et al. (2008) advise that an organizations recruitment and related policies should accord with the host countrys culture and HR practices. Working in new cultural environs can create difficulties both for the local workers and the expatriates. Standardizing Pay and Conditions: According to Sparrow (2009), emoluments and working conditions differ from country to country and are influenced by the local market environments. Therefore, MNCs need to ascertain the intrinsic and extrinsic factors obtaining in the host country (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). A significant task before the IHRM is to evolve viable compensation and reward systems for implementation globally. While evolving an international framework of remuneration and reward, an organization should take into account two basic concerns, the first being that of comparability (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). According to these authors, remunerations given to workers should not only be internally comparable but also should conform to market environments. The parameters that influence the fixation of remunerations and salaries comprise the accessibility to expatriates and local skilled workforce, the existing wage structure, and the host countrys regulations. Harzing and Pinnington (2011) opine that an organization should apply different parameters for evolving pay system for each country. Altomi Associates need to develop viable reward systems for their local workforce engaged in rendering services internationally and addressing the issues of standardizing pay and conditions. HR STRATEGY FOR ALTOMI ASSOCIATES An organization or its HR setup has more than one action for aligning HR strategy with the local parameters and integrating it globally. There are four main alternatives that can be thought of along with their respective costs. These are: Local Adaptation International strategy: This strategy is appropriate in cases when foreign business is not much and involves transfer of knowledge from central headquarters at insignificant costs. Multinational strategy: In this case the affiliates enjoy autonomy and their systems are oriented towards local conditions. Benefits of cross-border standardization and learning are meager and coordination expense is the lowest. Global Integration Global strategy: This strategy yields benefits on account of standardization of policies and practices, but is highly centralized, lacks responsiveness, faces hurdles due to fragmentation of markets, cultural disparities, policy implications, and entails high costs. Transnational strategy: It accrues benefits resulting from globalization, local adaptation, and simultaneous cross-border learning. However, the expense involved is the highest. In such a scenario, every organization will have to determine its own approach for global integration depending upon the prevailing environments (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). The approach could vary in case of executive personnel and skilled workers. In todays circumstances, the preferable course of action could be to dispense with local self-determination and domestic country preference (Stolt, 2010). The UK organizations that have achieved success generally followed globally integrated HR policies. Incorporating refinement and effectiveness in the global reward systems, transferring personnel every now and then from one country to another, and instituting training programs with global dimensions, enable transferring crucial expertise, result in achieving speedy transfer of skills, outcomes of innovation, systems of quality control, and cost-effective methods of manufacture (Donnelly and Dowling, 2010). Though at present, the country managers enjoy liberty concerning HR practices, yet the thinking now is to nurture global managers, integrated policies, and foster culture with global dimensions. The suggested HR strategy for Altomi Associates should comprise such a vision and guidelines as are mutually oriented, nurture broad behavior, fosters mutual trust, forges global cooperation. The decision-making process should include decision-making committees that have global perspective, are based on communication between the product, country, and field experts in the network (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). Suitability of staff should be based on qualification rather than on country of origin (Budhwar et al., 2009). Human resource development should be through international networking and incorporate educational advancement, overseas placement, and flexibility in dealing with issues concerning personal maintenance. The strategy should incorporate appraisal systems and cross-border advancement opportunities that are in tune with the international systems and practices. The strategy should also have a policy that corroborates with the main organizational objectives.

Essay --

Proteins control all biological systems in a cell. Some proteins are able to perform their tasks independently; while many other proteins within a cell interact with other proteins to function properly. Protein interactions within a cell regulate cell behavior at a systems level. Thus, elucidating the structure and dynamics of protein interaction networks in vivo is a central goal in biology. The identification of the protein interaction networks (PINs) inside a cell is crucial to understanding the fundamental questions about how a cell is able to organize matter, information and energy transformations to preform specific functions at a biochemical level. The discovery of novel protein-protein interactions and determining how these proteins function in a network is fundamental to understanding biological systems. This new way of studying biological systems is called interactomics. While several genomes of different species have been sequenced, many proteins that are encoded in the genome have yet to have their function or relevance determined. Although there is an increasing importance to map out protein interaction networks, the actual detection of protein-protein interactions is complicated. Proteins have various charges and numerous secondary and tertiary structures they can fold into. Also, there are countless parameters that can change their interactions with other proteins in the cell. Furthermore, many protein-protein interactions can be transient, in that they only are short lived or require specific condition to facilitate their interaction with other proteins. Several Methods have been used to study protein-protein interactions. However, one rarely addressed question is whether protein-protein interactio... ... broad overview of the structural and functional networks within a living cell. However, there are plenty more areas of the interactome that can be explored, such as the dynamics of the interactions as well as how different growth condition affect protein interaction networks. Also, a wide variety of different reporter genes can be used to study temporal and spatial interactions over a comprehensive range of time periods as well as other distresses. Furthermore, since the PCA can provide a reference for spatial dynamics of different protein-complex topologies since it is able to generate a map at 8nm resolution. The integration of the results found using the PCA technique with gene regulation dynamics and protein modification can lead to a better understanding about how cellular processes are organized at a molecular and structural level within a living cell.

The Great Gatsby :: essays research papers

The Great Gatsby Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald with notes and preface by Matthew J. Bruccoli   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book many major characters were introduced some of which include: Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, along with George and Myrtle Wilson. Jay Gatsby is the main protagonist of the story. While being famous for his lavish parties he also portrays a sense of mystery and uncertainty regarding his wealth. Nick Carraway is neighbors with Jay Gatsby and has just moved from Minnesota in hopes to learn the business of bonds and advance even more in his education. Daisy Buchanan is the woman, which Gatsby desperately desires to have. Daisy had promised to wait for Gatsby but her love for luxury and wealth was too great. Daisy then goes on to marry Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker is involved with Nick Carraway romantically; she portrays a new woman of the 1920s and cannot at times be trusted. Tom Buchanan at one point went to school with Nick Carraway. Tom has his suspicions of Daisy’s relationship with Gatsby and questions the possibility of Daisy having an affair. George and Myrtle Wilson are husband and wife but Myrtle has a lover who is Tom Buchanan. George is incredible upset with Myrtle’s death and continues to kill Gatsby who took the blame for Myrtle’s death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The novel takes place in the summer time somewhere around 1922. The location where the story takes place occurs in Long Island and New York City, New York. The mood of the story has an elegant yet emotional feel almost throughout the whole book. The emotional side is perfectly demonstrated by the amount of drama that goes on with Gatsby and Daisy relationship. While the elegant side is clearly demonstrated by the lavish parties thrown by Gatsby himself and the coveted East Egg side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning of the book we learn that Gatsby and Nick Carraway are neighbors and that Nick has connections with some of the people in the East Egg side. Later on Nick attends a dinner with Tom and Daisy Buchanan where he learns details of Tom and Daisy’s marriage. While at the dinner Nick is introduced to a woman named Jordan Baker. Words are passed between the two concerning others relationships. Next Nick engages in a party thrown by Jay Gatsby. During the party Nick learns of Gatsby’s past then he goes on to learn his plans for the near future.

Questions Frequently Asked Concerning the Purchase of a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

Questions Frequently Asked Concerning the Purchase of a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com What are the key motivators for people to buy a website? Before making a decision to purchase a website, a buyer should understand his or her objectives to make sure those objectives can be met by purchasing a particular website. Surveys of people purchasing websites reveal similar responses. Surprisingly, making money is not at the top of the list. Here is a list of the typical answers, in their order of importance: I want to control my own destiny. I would be happier if I worked for myself. My current work does not take advantage of my skills and abilities. I want to make a lot of money. Should I start my own website or buy an existing website? An existing website has a historical track record (good or bad) which can be used to evaluate the website. An existing website has usually shown there is demand for its products or services, and it should have, among other things, detailed financial records. Sometimes, a seller of a website will agree to help to train a new owner. These are important factors because many websites tend to fail during the early stage of their development. On the other hand, there can also be disadvantages to buying an existing website. A buyer will be assuming an established website culture and infrastructure which may make implementing changes more difficult. Also buyers will generally have to pay a premium for an existing website. What should I be looking for in a website? A buyer should only consider a website he or she will feel comfortable owning and operating. The time and effort which will be required is an important consideration as is how much the buyer can afford to pay for the website. The amount of cash the buyer needs to regularly take out of the website is very important, especially if the website is to be the buyer's only source of income. Because many experts believe you should not purchase a website unless you can make it better, it is helpful if a buyer has some definite ideas on how to improve the purchased website. Can I obtain financing to help me buy a website? The availability of outside financing will depend upon the asset base of the website, its operating history, collateral availability and projected cash flow - the same issues considered in all business lending.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee Essay

It is known how the cowboys won the West, as it is seen in so many films and TV shows that it seems impossible that anyone would not know about these tales. White civilized soldiers moving out of the East coast of the USA, having the wild natives and lands tamed. The wild natives who threatened the sovereignty and peace of the white Americans, on the contrary, Dee Brown paints a different picture, a story told from the other side of the fence, this tale is known as Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee was first published in 1970 and contains the history of Native Americans belonging to the West side of America in the late 19th century. The story narrates how the Native Americans were displaced and slaughtered by the Federal Government of United States. Bury my heart at Wounded Knee is the last phrase of a poem called â€Å"American Names† by Stephen Vincent Bennet. Brown starts the book by quoting what Columbus wrote to the Majesties of Spain, â€Å"So tractable, so peaceable, are these people that I swear to your Majesties there is not in the world a better nation. They love their neighbors as themselves, and their discourse is ever sweet and gentle, and accompanied with a smile; and though it is true they are naked, yet their manners are decorous and praise worthy†. (Brown, 5) Though, this did not seem to impress Columbus for long as the author states that Columbus saw this as a sign of weakness on the part of the Native Americans and being a European, he was convinced that the people should be made to work and do everything essential to adopt our ways. The massacre then continued for the next four hundred years until almost the total extinction of the Native Americans culture and civilization had been carried out. The Native Americans who are still alive, are proud cultural people residing in the land consigned to them by the government of USA, the land known as ‘Reservations’. The opening chapter of the book is a broad introduction to the hardship to follow, starting with Columbus and the entrance of Europeans in the Caribbean and down the Eastern seaboard. After the introduction, in which Brown explains that massacres and genocide have deep roots in the history of the American continent, even before the Wild West period, we reach the topic itself. Most of the documented history is of the thirty year period among the 1860s to 1890s. Fresh from the most gruesome era of USA history, when the self caused death count rose to the highest ever the country would experience, the Civil War of America reached a revolving point. As the now unified and stable government had returned, most of the population was charged up with the pioneering spirit and went into the unknown areas of the West, searching for new lives, freedom and quick riches. It was this migration which landed the white man at the doors of an ancient cultured establishment. Even though the Native Americans of the East, who were village based farmers, had been dealt with a long time back, the Native Americans belonging to the West coast were a diverse breed altogether and more dire measures had to be undertaken to deal with them. The Native Americans believes were very dissimilar from the white man’s culture and belief. The Native Americans believed that nothing was ever personally owned by them, as the land, the homes and everything that had been given to him were only loans to him and could be taken back anytime. Therefore, how could the Native American population sell the land that could not be owned by anyone? Yet, the white men took the land anyway, dislocating the Native Americans and setting up their own homes and families and brimming over the land in his place in a sign of greed and bloodshed. The USA adopted such policies making the Native Americans indebted to the government; this was done by transferring the Native Americans to low quality land and reservations and by the methodical destruction of the buffalo. The tribes would have to relay on the supplies from the white government and the only thing the Native Americans had to bargain was the land they resided at. Brown has used ancient manuscripts and actual texts of the white men and dominated Native Americans of that time to portray the route taken to acquire the land of the west by false arrests, kangaroo courts, unprovoked attacks, broken treaties and round-ups of Native Americans, forcing them onto desolate lands. Brown also narrates stories of particular Native Americans using certificated information; the great warrior known as Geronimo who battled the white men and the peaceful leaders of Native Americans known as Black Kettle who would try to sort out treaties through dialog and understanding. Black Kettle would look for ways to preserve the Native Americans’ open lands and at the same time settle the white men in the other areas of the west. Brown breaks down the time of the westward push through time-line, geographic areas, particular tribes and their chiefs and incidents that formed the history of the Native Americans’ termination by the hands of the government of the USA and the white settlers. The author ends the book with descriptions from the Native Americans who survived the carnage at Wounded Knee, a creek in South Dakota. As this was the last major butchery of the Native Americans by the USA soldiers. Many series of misunderstandings and blunders contributed to the mass killing of unarmed Native Americans that took place at Wounded Knee. At that 29th December of 1890, as much as 300 Native American men, woman and children were butchered. The following is a paragraph from the book, describing the events that took place at Wounded Knee Lake. â€Å"A mother was shot down with her infant; the child not knowing that its mother was dead was still nursing†¦ The women as they were fleeing with their babies were killed together†¦ and after most of them had been killed a cry was made that all those who were not killed or wounded should come forth and they would be safe. Little boys†¦ came out of their places of refuge, and as soon as they came in sight a number of soldiers surrounded them and butchered them there†. (Brown, 83) As all 19 chapters of the book narrate the battles, events and certain tribes, it is easy to say that Brown wished to go deep into detail which is also obvious with book consisting of 500 pages. However, some might say Bury my heart at Wounded Knee seems text-book like which bores the reader. Although the book seems to be appealing for me, as little is known about the genocide that took place in the West of USA and therefore, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee seems to be a magnificent and attractive learning instrument. Among Brown’s written Creek Mary’s Blood and Killdeer Mountains which were also about Native Americans, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee seems to be the greatest text of all. The author has included elements such as quotes, songs and portraits throughout the book to attract the reader. These elements play a strong part by breaking the chain of monotony of pages of texts. The quotes seem to be well chosen and positioned, so are the portraits and help present a well informed picture of the history. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee assists us to look into our shady past and examines it; the book explores how the white men tried to fulfill our Christian manifest destiny in American history. The white men are shown as discriminators, murderers and sadists, with the exemption of a few soldiers and civilians. These white men would kill Native Americans despite of gender or age, often mutilating and scalping the bodies, and sometimes even committing horrendous acts such as cutting the genitalia of Native Americans. These extraordinary and appalling revelations give the reader a horrifying image of the birth of the great country known as the USA. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee has its share of drawbacks such as any other book. I believe one of the greatest shortcomings is the language the author has used in some parts of the book. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee becomes complicated and could lose probable readers because of the lack of understanding of the used text. Although the book is an essential for any reader who is interested in history as the book reveals a lot, the vocabulary and writing techniques used may challenge the readers at times. The next drawback is that the book narrates similar tales, just with different tribes, which sends a monotonous tone through the book. Although, by writing in such a way, Brown indicated and clearly conveyed this influential point that no matter where the Native Americans turned to, they were butchered. With the shortcomings intact, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee remains a book which wins the heart of readers by telling a tale that is not really understood or identified, a nasty yet important part of the American history. The book is inclusive, yet only narrates the starting of what was being done in the name of war profiteering and manifest destiny. The author asks the reader to confront our history that may make us feel uneasy. There are always two sides of a story and the author has decided to tell us the story of the side that is rarely heard and spoken of. Brown has indeed achieved the goal he set out when he decided to write an account of this appalling mark of American history in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Dee Brown wrote this book over thirty five years back, to redress and balance the history. This is the tale of the Apache, the Navaho, the Comanche, the Sioux and the story of Sitting Bull, of Geronimo and others. It is hard headedly researched and extremely detailed, at the same time interesting. The author’s sources of quotes were the journals, courts transcripts and other documents of the Native American people. These words indeed carried an intellectual, beautiful and expressive imagery of these cultural people. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a gloomy story of unkindness, racism, ignorance and prejudice you’ll ever read. The immoral perpetrated against the Native American people are of a scale beyond words, certainly ahead of any words of mine, or Brown’s, or even the arrogant, depressing, gorgeous descriptions of the Native Americans themselves. Yet, we must carry on to the future, with our evolving societies, knowing that no one can turn back the hands of time. The Native Americans can’t have their heritage, their land, or their way of life returned to them. Even though there is a need for testament for history and for the preserving of knowledge, customs and culture. There is no other way to learn from the past and go forward to our future if there is nothing to build upon. Bibliography Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West. Pocket Books, United States (1981)

Existentialism of Samuel Beckett Essay

Samuel Beckett was a very astound Existentialist. Beckett’s work was essentially existentialist and consciously or unconsciously, his works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything. Existential philosophy became prevalent in the twentieth century as a symbol of the destruction of culture and tradition following World War II, asserting the hopelessness of humanity and focusing on life in a more honest but pessimistic manner than other socialistic philosophies. The philosophy recognizes the fact that humankind is capable of great evil and has limitless possibilities. Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts. It emphasizes the difference between human existence and that of inanimate objects. Existentialism was a term adopted by Jean-Paul Sartre. Existentialism was identified with a cultural movement that flourished in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s. Heidegger’s 1927 Being and Time, an inquiry into the â€Å"being that we ourselves are† (which he termed â€Å"Dasein,† a German word for existence), introduced most of the motifs that would characterize later existentialist thinking(Edward). One existentialist view is absolute individuality and absolute freedom. The Existentialist conceptions of freedom and value come from their view of an individual. Since we are all ultimately alone, isolated islands of subjectivity in an objective world, we have absolute freedom over our internal nature, and the source of our value can only be internal. I feel Beckett expressed this view in the expelled when the main character got thrown out of his apartment. He had no one he could turn to for help. He just started wondering the city not caring where he was going. He knew getting thrown out wasn’t the end for him because he controlled his own destiny. Another existentialist view is the view of human nature. Existentialism is defined by the slogan Existence precedes Essence. Meaning we have no predetermined nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or what is valuable for us. Human beings have no essential self; they are no more than what they appear. A person is basically born with a blank slate; humans have no uniform, predetermined principles or ethics common to all of mankind. Since there is no preformed essence or definition that exists for what it means to â€Å"be human,† a person must form conception of existence by asserting control of and responsibility for their actions and choices. Consequently, a human being gains essence through individual choices and actions. It is solely through the process of living that one defines one’s self(Existence Precedes Essence). I feel Beckett expressed this point heavily in â€Å"Krapp’s Last Tape†. The character was an older man listening to a tape of when he was younger. He could listen to the way he use to think, act and be as a younger man. He was also able to see how his past had affected his life in the present but he still had no idea what laid ahead of him. That is way he made this tape’s so he could remind in self in the future what he thought lay ahead of him in the past. He knew to always go back and listen to the tapes to ponder on what he had made for himself and no had predetermined it. Existentialist encourage us to consider, in a personal way, the meaning of living authentically and inauthentically(Oaklander). Man is the only known being, according to the philosophers, that defines itself merely through the act of living. First you exist, and then the individual emerges as he makes life decisions. Freedom of choice, through which each human being creates their own nature, is one of the basic themes. Because individuals are free to choose their own way, Existentialist have argued that they must accept the risk they choose to take and responsibility of their actions. Those people that follow this believe they are in a world that does not always make sense, a world that is filled with uncertainty where well-intended actions can become obscure and chaotic. In basic existentialist beliefs, man is the only animal defining itself through life. Without life, there is no meaning. Existentialist believe in life and fighting for it. While fighting for life, each person must face important and difficult decisions with only limited knowledge and time in which to make these decisions. Human life is seen as a series of decisions that must be made without knowing what the correct choice is. They must decide what standards to except and which ones to reject. Individuals must make their own choices without help from external standards. Humans are free and completely responsible for their choices. Their freedom and responsibility is thrust upon them and they are â€Å"condemned to be free†. Existentialist belief people are responsible for their actions, decisions and beliefs which caused them anxiety. They try to escape by ignoring or denying their responsibility. To have a meaningful life one must become fully aware of his true self and his situation and bravely accept it. Yet other existentialist thought dictates every person spends a lifetime changing his or her essence. Without life there can be no meaning, the search for meaning in existentialism is the search for self. In other words, we define ourselves by living, killing yourself would indicate you have chosen to have no meaning. Existentialist believe in living, in fact fighting for life. In Molloy I feel Beckett expressed this believe many times. First, at the beginning when his mother was dying and dead. He stated â€Å"I have her room. I sleep in her bed. I piss and shit in her pot. † this says to me that even though she had died he had to continue living his life. Also in Expelled Becket had traces of this theme. At the end when he left the cabdrivers carriage in the morning. I felt he was portraying that he used the cabdriver. He just needed a place to stay the night. The next morning he got up and left without saying anything. He got what he needed to survive the night then continued on his life. Samuel Beckett always used the Quote â€Å"a step from the cradle to the grave†. I feel this Quote means that you are only a split second away from dying. Even when you’re a new born one thing could go wrong and you’re died. Beckett used this saying in many of his writings. One time he used this saying was in the Expelled. He said â€Å"In what had just happened to me there was nothing in the least memorable. It was neither the cradle nor the game of anything whatever. Or rather it resembled so many other cradles, so many other graves, that I’m lost. † the character could not remember anything in life. He could not till if he was at the cradle of his life or the grave because they are so close together in life. Existentialism was a very big part of way Samuel Beckett was such a great writer. His works were infused with the idea that things have no inherent meaning and that our fallacy is to perceive meaning in everything which is way his stories where so great. He was also one of the last people to write in that form. After researching this subject I plan on studying Existentialism more in depth. Works cited 1. Barsoum Diane. Existentialism and the Philosophical Tradition 2. Edward N. Zalta, Standford encyclopedia of philosophy 3. Existence Precedes Essence: Jean-Paul Sartre’s Existentialism and Human Emotions Online at:http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/186425/existence_precedes_essence_jeanpaul. html? cat=38 4. Grene, Marjorie. Introduction To Existentialism. 5. Oaklander, L. Nathan, Existentialist Philosophy an Introduction.