The Pedestrian free essay sample

This short story is an example of Dystopian fiction – dealing with a society that embodies a flawed perfection – achieved at a cost. In the story, Ray Bradbury attacks a society which is, in effect, a police state – a totalitarian regime. The sole representative of the regime is, appropriately, the police car. Mead is a non-conformist whose ‘crime’ is to walk for pleasure – a most simple and natural activity. The oppressive nature of the regime is emphasised by the fact that such a basic human activity is prohibited and has been eradicated – as indicated by the disused sidewalks. The nature of this soulless society is emphasised again and again by numerous images connected with death: â€Å"dark windows† â€Å"not unlike walking through a graveyard† â€Å"tomb-like buildings† and â€Å"grey phantoms† By contrast the vivid sensory description of Mead’s walk is conveyed through crisp natural images which evoke the senses and show his delight in simple pleasures and sensations: breathing in the cold November air and its â€Å"crystal frost† makes his â€Å"lungs blaze like a Christmas tree inside† the â€Å"branches filled with invisible snow†. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pedestrian or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is a society which (it is implied) is kept docile and uninformed by a diet of poor quality TV programmes (which, we assume from the Police Car’s incredulity when Mead explains that he has no TV, are controlled by the State). The minds of the population have been dulled by the TV they are incessantly and acceptingly fed. Only Mead can see through the banality and predictability of the programmes: †Where are the cowboys rushing? † †A dozen assorted murders† †A comedian falling off the stage† There is nothing to stimulate the intellect of the population here. Despite the (large) number of channels, there is a complete absence of any political programme which might challenge the government. Possibly suggesting brain-washing. If not, it is clear from the way that the population is described that they are not capable intellectually of challenging the government – they are portrayed as automatons – unthinking, unchallenging, uninformed. The suggestion is that the minds of this population are chained and dulled by the government’s actions. Informed, intelligent, alert people would pose a threat and ask awkward questions. Mead is the last of such people and his nightly covert walks are, we presume a way to find like-minded people. His rebellion, if we can call it that, is hardly the most active – he seems to have accepted or resigned himself to the fact that he can no longer pursue his career and seems a broken man at the end of the story. Setting In contrast to the rest of the population, the individuality and free-thinking nature of Mead’s mind is emphasised by natural images. The simile â€Å"only his shadow moving like the shadow of a hawk† conveys both an impression of a hunter and an image of soaring freedom. The fact that â€Å"he could imagine himself upon the centre of a plain, a wintry, windless Arizona desert† highlights his individuality and the sense of emptiness that he feels in a society that is, effectively, dead. The rest of the population and the city itself are portrayed as being dead. The buildings and city are architecturally dead – the â€Å"buckling concrete walk† suggesting decay and â€Å"tomb-like buildings† suggesting that those inside are dead. Even Nature itself seemed outraged by the setting and tried, it seemed, to bury it â€Å"like cement was vanishing under flowers and grass† The Police Car The imagery associated with the police car is harsh, cold, threatening, oppressive, that of hunter and its paralysed prey â€Å"flashed a fierce white cone of light upon him† â€Å"It smelled of riveted steel. It smelled of harsh antiseptic† Images which mirror the nature of the regime which is personified and represented by the car. Frequent use of word-choice linked to metallic, robotic, mechanical ideas. The voice of the police car also sounds robotic: short, sharp peremptory commands contrast with Mead’s fuller more warm and personal replies. The clearest indication of the nature of the regime comes in the interrogation: The lack of recognition of Mead’s profession and the incredulity that he does not have a TV set hint strongly at state control. In this dystopian society, anything connected with the arts: creativity, beauty, the senses†¦ is not recognised. Only that which is manufactured is recognised. Books and writing have no place in this regime. In a similar manner, the police car is unable to comprehend that Mead was simply walking for its own pleasurable sake. â€Å"Walking, just walking, walking? The repetition of walking gives the impression of the car’s brain malfunction. It cannot grasp that anyone would do something simply for the pleasure of it, not without a reason. Only Mead is capable of wry humour (a human quality) Are you married, Mr Mead No Nobody wanted me, said Leonard Mead with a Smile. Irony Mead is to be taken to an asylum – â€Å"To the Psychiatric Centre for Research o n Regressive Tendencies†. Note the use of official sounding language – a euphemism designed to hide the true purpose of such a place – echoing Soviet Asylums in which those who actively opposed the state’s political ideals were sent to an ‘asylum’ to be ‘re-educated’ – brain-washed until they did accept what the state wanted them to believe. The great irony here is that Mead – the only sane man in this insane society is being sent to an asylum. Symbolism. On their way to the asylum through, they pass Mead’s house. It is ablaze with lights in contrast to the dark city. â€Å"electric light brilliantly lit, every window a loud yellow illumination. It is a symbol of hope of vibrant life – light is a universal symbol of hope, but the car is swallowed up once more into the darkness (literally and figuratively). â€Å"The car moved down the empty river-bed streets† natural images of decay and life-lessness. Structure Mead’s capture is represented in stages. Contrast the positive, empowering image of him as a hawk – conveying a sense of freedom with his re action to the car †not unlike a night moth, stunned by the illumination† The short story remains fairly uneventful throughout, therefore the structure reflects this. However, the featurelessness of structure (which in turn reflects the bleakness of the landscape) is broken by the tension created by the interrogation of the police car. The apparent tedium of the walk through the grey town is transformed into a gripping tense episode. Near the end, the short story bursts into another high point of hope with the wonderful climactic symbol of the house ablaze with light – a symbol of hope. Nevertheless, we are again plunged into dark anti-climax as we realise that the house is only one lone point of hope, soon to be submerged within the blanket of darkness everywhere.

Firearms in America essays

Firearms in America essays Firearms in America: An Invitation to Murder Every 2 years since 1988, more Americans are slayed due to gunshot on their own soil than the entire number of American casualties during the Vietnam War. The time has come that we realize the fact that firearms are unnecessary to civilians and should be forbidden. While many pro-gun activists allege that firearm issues need not be dealt with at this time, that everything is fine, they are gravely mistaken. With an estimated two hundred fifty million firearms currently circulating in America, attributed to over thirty-six million deaths per year, it is our obligation as citizens of humanity to put an end to the needless deaths, while we have the chance. These pro-gun activists, such as the NRA (National Rifle Association), are convinced the right to bear arms is inalienable and an important part of the American culture, and should not change. They will also argue that having many guns in a country acts as a deterrent to crime; having iron bars on a window and car alarms can be likened to guns, all being means of protection. In a last attempt to win their argument, one may plead that the simple fact is not that the firearm is bad, but rather the media, which glorifies and ennobilizes the use of firearms against each other. Controversely, any human being possessing a faith in the mental stability of our race would take time out to think and realize that these activists make sense only to the ill-minded. The Amendments to the United States Constitution were written in 1791, and the lifestyles of Americans have made day to night changes in the past two hundred years. In this day and age, when nearly all people live in urbanized areas, the chance of attack by an animal is nearly non-existent. Furthermore, prior to the day when guns became an everyday item, bank robberies did not exist. The minute guns were invented, murder became all the more easy, gi...

Advantages of oligopoly in UK supermarket industry

Advantages of oligopoly in UK supermarket industry Oligopoly in UK supermarket industry Supermarket, which provides a retail sales service, is an indispensable place for people who buy the daily things. The definition of oligopoly is that an economic condition in which there are few independent suppliers of a particular product that competitive pricing does not take place (Answer, 2010). It is manifest that the UK supermarket is under the structure of oligopoly. There are four main characteristics of supermarket in the UK. The first point with respect to this is that all the super markets in the UK sell similar products and produce branded products. Secondly, look at the bar chart on the right, the big companies has larger market share, because the big supermarkets will set high barriers to avoid new supermarket into market. More importantly, the companies must be interdependent. If one large supermarket takes an action, it will directly affect another supermarket. The chairman in the supermarkets has to take into account likely rea ctions of rivals to any change in price and output and the interdependence of sellers can keep the price stability. Finally, non-price competition is a significant strategy for selling, such as the VIP cards, online shopping. The term marketing mix refers to different elements within a strategy designed to create demand for a product (Anderton, 2008; 324). Considering of the marketing mix right for the products means all the important bases are covered in the marketing campaign and it will help the companies gain more profits. This market structure creates both advantages and disadvantages. The lower price and the creative services are the advantages, but in the oligopoly market, the collusion between the companies will have detrimental influence upon the consumers. In oligopoly market consumers can enjoy a lower price for the products. Most of supermarkets in the UK sell the products from the same grocery brands, such as Kellogg’s, Heinz and Walkers Crisps (Which, 2007). The products which be sold in different supermarkets are the same and we called it homogeneous. Mysupermarket (2010) illustrates that the same products in different supermarkets have a similar price. Thus, it means that all the supermarkets need to pay almost the same cost of the products. The larger companies might pay slightly lower than the smaller one, because the quantity of the goods which the larger companies need to buy is more than the small companies so that larger companies will have a bigger discount. The lower cost help the larger supermarkets have superiority in the low price to attract the consumers. Because of the oligopolistic market, all the companies compete on price so that different companies take different measures appeal to the consumers. Figure 2 is a kinked demand curve and it assumes that a firm will reduce its price if a competitor starts a price war, but will leave price unchanged if a competitor raises its price. Thanks for the oligopoly structure, price is rigidity. Tesco promotes the discount coupon to the consumers and they can use these coupons to save their money while they buy goods in Tesco (Couponmountain, 2010). Discount coupon appeals consumers to shopping in this supermarket, thereby making the contribution to marketing. BBC(2006) reports â€Å"Supermarket Sainsbury’s is to sell more than 500 of its own-brand products in compostable packs instead of plastic as it seeks to cut packaging waste†. Sainsbury’s uses new packing way to pack the organic fruit and vegetables. This can reduce the cost of products and it is also a good way for the environment. Providing the low price is in the best interests of consumer.

Social & Emotional Intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social & Emotional Intelligence - Essay Example 2) Which of these if not managed well can de-rail your career? What is the basis for your answer? Self management, if not taken seriously, can derail an individual’s career. This is because self management includes the correct use of one’s time in order to ensure that all tasks are performed at the appropriate time. If one does not ‘self-manage’, then he or she is open to being influenced by any suggestion from others or even him or herself that might not be conducive to achieving personal goals. Many business people have succeeded in spite of not being self-aware. Their inability to relate to the deepest emotions within themselves, however, does not hinder their ability to achieve what they wish. Also, there are many achievers who find that they still have relationship problems even after achieving their life’s dreams. Either way, their lack of relationship management skills has not stopped them from being the best they can be. There are also many s uccessful people in numerous fields whose faults include self-centeredness. This means that they are lacking in an awareness of the needs of others. In spite of this, they are able to attain career firsts. Moreover, there are no people to whom success ‘just happened’- unless they inherited money and good reputation from hardworking parents. Self management is vital for career success. 3) Do you believe Social & Emotional Intelligence is important for managers to understand or is it something only HR Managers and Leaders should pay attention to? Explain. What is the basis for your answer? It is more important for managers to have emotional and intelligence than it is for human resource workers to have it. This is because a manager will need self awareness, as well as the awareness of the feelings of others to be able to sense his own needs as well as those of his workers. Self awareness helps the manager to realize what is wrong with a situation while social intelligence helps the manager to be able to correctly perceive the feelings of his workers (Goleman 285). Self confidence, a vital part of emotional intelligence, will also aid the manager to remain confident while leading the company and maintain a positive outlook which inspires the workers even when the company goes through hard times. 4) The Social & Emotional Intelligence Model that your Instructor referenced is made up of 26 Competencies – as you consider all 26 which three do you believe you have the greatest strength in, and why do you believe that? Which three do you believe are your weakest? Why? I have the greatest strengths in behavioral self-control, resilience, and intentionality. I have noticed that I can withstand hardships for longer periods of time than others can. Owing to this fact, I tend to benefit from better life experiences than most of my peers. For instance, I made the decision to postpone serious relationships until I was sure about who I was and what I wante d in life. This was a hard decision that took a lot of perseverance because I did not just stumble into the revelation of what I wanted out of life after a few days of reflection. Moreover, I know find that when I form relationships, they tend to be more long-lasting than those of the people around me. My weaknesses are in the areas of situational awareness, service orientation, and empathy. This is because

Critical thinking art paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical thinking art paper - Essay Example Such depiction was evident by the use of multimedia that added to the value of the entire art entertainment. Truly, it is evident that the conceptual basis for such entertainment was the modern time that allows almost everyone in all walks of life to relate with. Therefore, the artwork in the event significantly involved computer technology. By being able to use multimedia presentations synchronizing the actors’ performance on stage, the entire show elaborated a truly new form of entertainment that was remarkably aligned with the modern times. It showcased an art that the new generation today with highly advanced technology can eventually appreciate. As already stated, the use of multimedia was enticing viewers to appreciate the whole theatrical event that is truly different from the classical one. Therefore the use of technology alone was a fundamental component of the Blue Man Group Universal that allowed it to be differentiated from the other theatrical and artistic performers. This eventually created a word of mouth, and as a result, many people were encouraged to experience the live artistic performance of the Blue Man Group Universal. Although the presentation of the Blue Man Group Universal still have important elements like those in any other classical theatrical event, what differentiated it from the rest was the level of interaction it tried to create with its target audience. The artistic performance was eventually designed in such a way that people in different walks of life can relate, both young and old. The interaction was able to create appreciation of the advantage of using technology in order to enhance or refine the presentation of the artistic design. Computer arts was remarkable in the presentation, prior to appealing to human emotion by triggering laughter and awe-inspiring creativity that was made possible via the employment of multimedia presentation. In this case, the use of

Xbox Doxing Guide Essay Example for Free

Xbox Doxing Guide Essay How to get agent on: Call 1800-4 After intro message, push 1 then say other and then wait till the robot says please say or enter your home phone number and say agent. When the agent answers they will tell you their name, and may say whats your name or how may I help you? This is your Response: Hello _______, My name is ___________ with the Universal department of xbox support, and I am need of help from a fello agent. I have a customer on the other line that claims his Xbox 360 CONSOLE has been stolen from his House Hold, and he says he just bought a new xbox 360 and is trying to recover his gamertag, but it will nto recover, So what I was going to do was console ban his STOLEN xbox 360, and get the customer through base line verification to help him on his way to getting a password reset. I tryed pulling his account up in CCF to get him past BASE LINE VERIFICATION and as soon as I opened his account my CCF and my system both froze. So I contacted my team lead and she stated that she would come to my office in the next 10-20 mins to help me fix my system and forward this customer to TIER 2 because it is a major case, if you can help me with this I highly appreciate it! Choices: A:Agent Says no, hang up! B:Agent says yes do the following: Say thanks so much, ask him/her if they can pull the account up in their CCF, if agent says yes, say I was told by my team lead to document all information, including your name and the accounts information on paper so I can document later on my system, so i will need to copy down the base line verification info, and that will make it even easier to verify with customer so we do not have to switch back and fourth to see if the information is correct or not. Then just have the agent give you the BASE LINE INFORMATION that he/she is able to see, one bit of information you have to ask for to get is the Date the Customer joined, and this will help the chances of you getting a reset, You also may want to ask for the Console Serial Number, Some times they give it some times they dont/wont, becuase most are to dumb adn do not know how to locate that information. NOTE: Agents cannot see the Secrect Answer nor the last 4 digits of the Credit Card, so do not waste your time asking for it. How ever they can see what payment method they last used, and the PrePaid Card Code.

Effects of Atmospheric Instability on the Anthrosphere :: Geology

EFFECTS OF ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY ON THE ANTHROSPHERE INTRODUCTION The atmosphere rises to 500 km above Earth's surface. The atmosphere is divided into four parts based on temperature change in relation to change in altitude. The four parts are the: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere. This paper will be discussing instability in the Troposphere, the lowest level, since it is where the Earth's weather takes place. Tropospheric instability often times yields severe weather, such as tornadoes. A Tornado is a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and pendent from a cumulonimbus cloud. A tornado's fierce winds have the ability to severely impact the lives of humans by: turning innocent stationary objects into flying missiles, collapsing buildings, and even throwing people hundreds of yards. One researcher summarized tornadoes well when he said "Tornadoes are one of the World's strongest forces, and they will not stop at anything that will get in their way!"(Elias Demakes). FORMATION OF SEVERE WEATHER HOW: Atmospheric instability is the result of air rising in a cloud that is warmer than its surroundings. The heat released by the condensation within the cloud allows the rising air to maintain its relative warmth in comparison to its surroundings. This is characteristic of a supercell, the strongest type of thunderstorm (Supercell). Supercells occur when the warm updraft moves through an overlying stable layer and continues upward into a zone of cool dry air. This process produces fierce vortex motions, a pre-requisite for tornadoes. WHERE: Tornadoes can occur anywhere as long as the conditions are favorable. However, the United States is host to more tornadoes than any other country. And within the United States, geographically, the western plains has the highest frequency of tornado occurences. The western plains has so many that it has become known as "Tornado Valley". One reason that this area receives so much tornadic activity is because here, the warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico converges with the cool dry air from the north. This creates the unstable atmosphere necessary for the formation of a tornado. WHEN: Tornadoes can occur on any day of the year at any hour. However, tornadoes occur most frequently in the spring.