Utopian Visions in Love in the Ruins :: essays research papers

Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins presents a society that is a direct satire of our 21st century American society. Percy takes what he considers the negative elements and situations from our society, and reproduces them, distorting them in order to point out the negativity of them. It seems, then, that the society presented in the novel would be distinctly distopian. However, the view that Percy gives us includes many different segments and views of the society, some of which are very utopian. Some of these mini-utopias are actually in the society, but many more are only dreams of the characters. This is an accurate reflection of our society, there are many situations that are utopian for certain people, and every one of us creates utopia in our minds from time to time. Paradise Estates, where Thomas More lives, is aptly named. Paradise is a place where everyone gets along well, the liberals and conservatives, the unbelievers and Christians, the Northerners and Southerners. The distribution is not even, there are minorities, but the majority groups are open to the customs of the minorities. Paradise Estates is community at its best. It is not an intentional community, but rather everyone is free to do what they want and there is love and respect and little argument. Intentional community does have its place, however. The Honey Island Swamp is home to a variety of people, including guerrillas, college dropouts, draft dodgers, radicals, and beats. Some of these people, such as Chuck, came from the town, and have given up city, home, family, career, and religion to live in an intentional community. Chuck's community is different from the community of Paradise estates in that there is common ground that holds the community in place, rather than respect for differences. Chuck's community holds ideals of free love, freedom, peace, and God expressed everywhere. This community is very similar to many of the contemporary utopias that can be found in America today. Normally hospitals are not utopian, but this was not the case for More. More considered his time in the hospital to be "the best months of my life" (p. 90). In his fellow patients, More found love that he was not finding in his life outside of the hospital. Also, while in the hospital, he had the time and resources to do the breakthrough work for his lapsometer, which was his passion at the time. Utopian Visions in Love in the Ruins :: essays research papers Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins presents a society that is a direct satire of our 21st century American society. Percy takes what he considers the negative elements and situations from our society, and reproduces them, distorting them in order to point out the negativity of them. It seems, then, that the society presented in the novel would be distinctly distopian. However, the view that Percy gives us includes many different segments and views of the society, some of which are very utopian. Some of these mini-utopias are actually in the society, but many more are only dreams of the characters. This is an accurate reflection of our society, there are many situations that are utopian for certain people, and every one of us creates utopia in our minds from time to time. Paradise Estates, where Thomas More lives, is aptly named. Paradise is a place where everyone gets along well, the liberals and conservatives, the unbelievers and Christians, the Northerners and Southerners. The distribution is not even, there are minorities, but the majority groups are open to the customs of the minorities. Paradise Estates is community at its best. It is not an intentional community, but rather everyone is free to do what they want and there is love and respect and little argument. Intentional community does have its place, however. The Honey Island Swamp is home to a variety of people, including guerrillas, college dropouts, draft dodgers, radicals, and beats. Some of these people, such as Chuck, came from the town, and have given up city, home, family, career, and religion to live in an intentional community. Chuck's community is different from the community of Paradise estates in that there is common ground that holds the community in place, rather than respect for differences. Chuck's community holds ideals of free love, freedom, peace, and God expressed everywhere. This community is very similar to many of the contemporary utopias that can be found in America today. Normally hospitals are not utopian, but this was not the case for More. More considered his time in the hospital to be "the best months of my life" (p. 90). In his fellow patients, More found love that he was not finding in his life outside of the hospital. Also, while in the hospital, he had the time and resources to do the breakthrough work for his lapsometer, which was his passion at the time.

Gender Inequality in The Quiet American Essay

The book The Quiet American focuses on a poor, war-struck, and undeveloped country – Vietnam. In this type of environment, many social problems are accepted, particularly gender inequality. Throughout The Quiet American gender inequality is mostly practiced by men, however it carried out by women as well. Proving that women are unequal to men and woman. Phuong, Fowler’s lover is a specific example of gender inequality. Firstly, Fowler treats her as if she is the stereotypical housewife and servant. Phuong acts as the stereotypical housewife in three ways. She stays home most of the time, waiting for Fowler to return. When she is out of the house then she is out â€Å"haggling for he price of fish over in third street† (pg. 26) because she’s obliged to cook for Fowler. Whenever Fowler comes home every night he has Phuong â€Å"Make me another pipe† (pg. 73) or â€Å"make me a brandy-and-soda† (pg. 117). He treats her as his servant and she accepts the inequality â€Å"she did at once what I asked†¦just so she would have made love if I asked her too, straight away, peeling off her trousers without question† (pg. 116). Secondly, Fowler uses her more as an object for sex and avoiding loneliness than (â€Å"my biggest fear† pg. 57) his lover or girlfriend. Throughout the story they are never seen together doing things that couples would normally do together such as going for walks together and going to the movies. Pyle at one point asked him if he could â€Å"live without her† (pg. 77). He replies â€Å"That’s too emotional, not quite true either† (pg. 77). He only uses her to fulfill his sexual desires. He does not â€Å"care that for her interests. You can have her interests. I only want her body. I want her in bed with me.† (pg. 59) He would much â€Å"rather ruin her and sleep† (pg. 59) than â€Å"look after her damned interests† (pg. 59). Altogether, he treats her as his sex slave â€Å"she did not change; she cooked for me, she made my pipes, she gently and sweetly laid out her body for my pleasure† (pg. 140). Finally, the way Fowler speaks to her is as if he is more superior to her – he speaks down to her. In the quote above (pg. 140), the manner of how he describes how he used the words â€Å"laid out† and â€Å"for my pleasure† has this greedy superior style. The way he has spoken them sounds as if he is the man in charge and is commanding her. When he asks her to do things it is not a question, it is an order. â€Å"Kiss me Phuong† (pg. 116), â€Å"You had better stay here tonight† (pg. 22), â€Å"Wait in the street† (pg. 21). However, Phuong and Fowler are just one example of gender inequality. Phuong is not the only female victim of gender inequality. Throughout the book women continue to suffer from gender inequality. Firstly, there is this motif of men referring women to different objects. In the beginning of the story Granger seems to refer to women as if they are animals. When he saw Phuong for the first time he asked, â€Å"Where did you find her? Didn’t know you had a whistle in you† (pg. 34) as if she was found off the street like stray dog. He continues to refer to women’s animal characteristics â€Å"let’s go find a girl. You’ve got a piece of tail. I want a piece of tail too†(pg. 35). By objectifying women as animals he is saying that they possess the same low standards and competency as a stray animal. Towards the end of the story, Fowler went dive-bombing with a French pilot name Tourin. Tourin’s squadron fly B.26 bombers. They refer to them as â€Å"French Prostitutes† because they have a â€Å"short wing-span† and â€Å"no visible means of support† (pg. 148). This is another example of how men objectify women using different things. Secondly, women are targeted for certain stereotypical gender roles. When Fowler was explaining to Miss Hei (Phuong’s sister) what Pyle does for a living â€Å"He belongs to the American Economic Mission, you know the kind of thing – electrical sewing machines for starving seamstresses† (pg. 41). When Miss Hei asks â€Å"are there any?† he replies â€Å"I don’t know† (pg. 41). When he is describing a charity example he automatically uses women as an example, inferring that they are the ones who are weak. He also associates the women with sewing machines and working as seamstresses. Both are stereotypical jobs for women. Finally, the House of Five Hundred Girls was treated as a detested place. Many of them labeled it as the derogatory word â€Å"Whorehouse† (150). As the women desperately swarmed Granger, Fowler treated these women’s desperation as a game, â€Å"I had learnt a technique – divide and conquer†. He used a woman more as a shield than a real person as he plowed through the â€Å"scrimmage† (pg. 39). Granger seemed to be proud of what he was. He took â€Å"this demonstration as a tribute to his manhood† (pg. 38). He took pleasure out of these women begging all around him. The way Graham Greene describes him as â€Å"flushed and triumphant† shows that he thinks he is superior to these women, as if he is a god. In spite of how people think men treat women unequal there is evidence that women treat women with gender inequality as well. Through the duration of the book it has seemed that it’s the men that act towards inequality of women. However in the case of Miss Hei and Phuong, it is different. It provides a contrast to the customariness of inequality. Firstly, Miss Hei seems to be always trying to setup Pyle and Phuong together. Miss Hei has assumed the role of the â€Å"father† in the family, trying to sell off his (in this case her) daughter to the wealthiest man â€Å"she loves children†¦how olds your father†¦old people love children†. Even though it is now a women in the position of the mans job she is still enforcing gender inequality. It isn’t gender inequality from Miss Hei’s position, but from Phuong’s. She is selling Phuong off to forced marriage like a product. Phuong is not given the right to choose for herself she â€Å"must do the right thing† (pg. 156). In the beginning, She was asking a lot of questions about his wealth â€Å"he looks like a reliable man†, â€Å"What does he do?†, â€Å"Is your father a business man?†. After she finished she started to boast about her sister â€Å"She is the most beautiful girl in Saigon†. Not only men can practice inequality but women can too. The Quiet American is a concise example of how men practice gender inequality. By using the male characters such as Granger and Fowler from the story, Graham Greene shows how they practice inequality towards Phuong and the Vietnamese women. However, The Quiet American is also a rare example of how gender inequality is practiced by women. Miss Hei enforces gender inequality on Phuong by trying to sell her off to marriage, proving that The Quiet American gender inequality is mostly practiced by men, however it is carried out by women as well.

This Is What It Means For Say Phoenix, Arizona - 712 Words

Sherman J. Alexie’s â€Å"This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† has multiple interconnecting themes and symbolic ideas throughout his story. Alexie’s story can be simplified as the death of a father changed his son’s life. However, it is more complex than that throughout the story. There are hidden connections all through Alexie’s work. One hidden connection is the character Thomas Builds-the-fire. Thomas is Victor’s childhood friend, and is the reservations goofball, storyteller. Thomas plays a much larger role in Victor’s life than just a childhood friend. Thomas Builds-The-Fire is Victor’s spirit guide, and knew Victor’s life will change as along he visits Phoenix, Arizona to acquire is father’s ashes. Thomas’s prophetic stories began in childhood. When Victor and Thomas were children, Thomas told a story about Victor’s father. The story expressed how Victor’s father felt toward his own family. He said, â€Å"Your father’s heart is weak. He is afraid of is own family. He is afraid of you. Late at night, he sits in the dark. Watches television until there is nothing but white noise. Sometimes he feels like he wants to buy a motorcycle and ride away. He wants to run and hide. He doesn’t want to be found† (Alexie 181). The story Thomas told was highly important because it was true. Thomas knew that Victor’s father would leave the reservation before anyone else. Furthermore, every story that came out of his mouth, he always closed his eyes. As if he is connected to somethingShow MoreRelatedThis Is What It Means For Say Phoenix, Arizona Essay1691 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona†: The Road t o a New Beginning America, the melting pot country, a country in which every one is equal, unless you are created different. In the short story This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie, two men embark on a journey that improves their lives spiritually and allows them to claim the closure that they are both seeking. Although the author s main purpose is to share a story about a man s journey to find peace, he isRead MoreThis Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona Essay745 Words   |  3 PagesLorisa Qumawunu June 7, 2013 English 102 Essay #1(revision) â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† In the short story, â€Å"This is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona†, by Sherman Alexie, I looked at two characters: Thomas and Victor. Thomas Builds-the-Fire is a storyteller on a reservation who everyone ignores because they think he is crazy. Victor on the other hand is a guy who would not dare be seen talking to Thomas. Thomas knows that Victor is inRead MoreThis Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona: Stereotypes Essay1188 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona† discusses the physical and mental journey of Victor, a Native American man in the state of Washington, as he goes to Phoenix, Arizona to claim his father’s remains and his savings account. While on this journey, Victor learns about himself, his father, and his Indian culture with the help of his estranged friend, Thomas Builds-the–Fire. The author, Sherman Alexie, plays on the stereotypes of Native Americans through the characters of Victor and ThomasRe ad MoreThis Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona By Sherman Alexie924 Words   |  4 PagesBethany Furtado Professor Charbonneau Hess English 102 24 October 2017 Thomas Builds-the-Fire In the story, â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† by Sherman Alexie the two main characters are Victor and Thomas Builds-the-Fire. The story is about Victor and Thomas who are childhood best friends that went on a trip from their reservation to Phoenix, Arizona to collect Victor father’s savings account. Throughout the trip, they experience many flashbacks of when they were friends such as whenRead MoreThis Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie1632 Words   |  7 Pages Benjamin Franklin once said that â€Å"Nothing is certain in life except death...and taxes† (Waliwensky). This phrase has rung in the ears of Americans for many, many years. The phrase has stuck around for an extensive amount of time is because of the irony and actuality behind it. While the expression is meant to focus on the inevitability of taxes, Franklin also makes a point that it is impossible to deny the fact that everyone will eventually die. People get caught up in their day to day lives andRead MoreOmniscient Point of View in â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona2086 Words   |  9 PagesOmniscient Point of view in â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† The story â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† by Sherman Alexie is a fictional narrative that reflects his experiences during his past and present life. The author allows the audience to become the social media that critiques his life when he evokes important episodes of his life through Victor and Thomas Builds-the-Fire liveliness. In this process, Sherman Alexis uses his omniscient point of view to tellRead MoreAnalysis of This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman Alexie1131 Words   |  5 PagesIn Sherman Alexies â€Å"This is what it means to say Phoenix, Arizona† a man named Victor finds out that his father has passed away. Being next of kin, Victor is responsible for gathering his fathers assets together, which requires him to make an out of town trip. In order to accomplish this Victor needs help. This help comes from the town outcast, Thomas Builds-the Fire. Victor and Thomas were childhood best friends but as they grew older, Victor turned his back on the one that always looked outRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s This Is What It Means For Say Phoenix Arizona ``943 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story â€Å"This is What It Means to Say Phoenix Arizona† by Sherman Alexie, the main character Victor is a full blood Native American, whose father recently passed away in Phoenix, Arizona. Victor must take the trip to collect his father s ashes, however due to his current financial situation he is unable to take his journey. An old friend of Victors, by the name of Thomas builds-the-fire, offers to help fund Victors trip on the condition that he go with him. It is because of Thomas that VictorRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Sherman J. Alexie’s This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona779 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† In life, everyone experiences a time of hardship, and for the most part, those affected find methods of overcoming the adversity. The idea of getting through hardship is best reflected in; Sherman J. Alexie’s story â€Å"This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona† (274). In the story, victor whose father had recently died from a heart attack has to travel to phoenix Arizona to reclaim his father’s ashes and his truck. Victor is joinedRead MoreNative Americans Analytical Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pagesminorities who have gone through horrid times and still struggle to preserve their traditions. Their submission to the mainstream Anglo-Americans has led to a lot of issues. These are presented in Blue Winds Dancing by Tom White Cloud, This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona by Sherman J. Alexie, and Black Elk Speaks by Black Elk for comparison. Of all the different narratives, pieces, and poems read about native Americans. These three drew particular atte ntion. The similarities between them share the

Sample Resume Comprehensive Sex Education - 887 Words

Madeline Martinez 08.27.2014 Context Schwab Mentor: Cruickshank BACKGROUND EQ: SHOULD COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION BE TAUGHT IN US PUBLIC SCHOOLS? While abstinence-only sex education discusses solely abstinence, comprehensive sex education provides information about various areas of human sexuality and methods to practice safe and healthy sexual behaviors. To fully understand the controversy surrounding comprehensive sexual education, one need to obtain knowledge about the history of sex education in the United States, legislation, class content, and the effects of sexual education policies on student populations. The first time that sexual education was recognized as an essential part of a national education curriculum was in 1892 by the National Education Association. There were many times in American history that showed progression in comprehensive sexual education and distribution of birth control until the 1970’s. In 1975, twenty state governments voted to place restrictions or completely ban sexual education completely. The Adolescent Family Lif e Act was passed in 1981 to fund programs that promote staying sexually abstinent until marriage. Fifteen years later in 1996, Congress funded $250 million for abstinence until marriage programs. However in 2008, half of the fifty states rejected renewal of government funding of abstinence-only programs because of new research suggesting that only teaching abstinence did not impede sexual behavior in teenagers.Show MoreRelatedUsing The Mixed Method For College Graduates Of Sports Administration Programs Face While Searching For A Job1855 Words   |  8 Pagesgraduation to be in a great position when actively searching for a career. 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The Chicano Subculture Essay - 635 Words

â€Å"Im not Mexican. I am not American. I am not American in USA and Mexican in Mexico. I am Chicano everywhere. I do not have to assimilate anything. I have my own history†, stated the writer and novelist Carlos Fuentes. The Chicano subculture is the mixture of the Mexican and the American cultures. This subculture has its own history and unique characterizations that make it stand out. According to the Merriam Webster dictonary the word subculture is defined as â€Å"a group that has beliefs and behaviors that are different from the main groups within a culture or society†. The Chicano subculture has a history, language, leaders, art, literature, and even their music, and it’s the perfect example for this definition of the word subculture.†¦show more content†¦2). Cesar fought and became known for founding the National Farm Workers Association. He promoted the American labor movement whose purpose was to protest against the unfair farm labor treatment workers were receiving. Chavez accomplished something that seemed almost impossible for thousands who worked in the lands without using violence as a tool but rather unity (Koo-Byoung par. 7). As for the way of life for Chicanos, they have created their own standards, customs, music, and even language. As for their standards and customs, they are a mix of American culture and the Mexican culture. An example of this fusion can be the famous game â€Å"London Bridge† which is also played by Chicanos called â€Å"Và ­bora de la Mar† but in a completely different language and name. Chicano musicians like Lalo Guerrero composed music that attracted all ages and likes. He wrote songs like â€Å"Pancho Claus†, â€Å"There’s No Tortillas†, â€Å"Tacos for Two† and â€Å"Ardillitas† songs that talked about the Chicano culture and incorporated the Chicano language, Spanglish. Spanglish is basically attempts to add the Spanish language to an E nglish word or vice-versa. Words like â€Å"Troka† which means truck, â€Å"Parkear† which means park, â€Å"Mopear† which means mop, â€Å"Puchale† which means push or press. As we can see, the Chicano subculture has their own style and can’t be either Mexican or American. In conclusion, the Chicano subculture has a profound history and is distinct in itself from the otherShow MoreRelatedChicano Men : A Cartography Of Homosexual Identity And Behavior914 Words   |  4 Pages Professor Gutierrez Course 15752 22 October 2015 Chicano Men: A Cartography of Homosexual Identity and Behavior Chicano men identify their sexual identity and sexual orientation based on what is more important to them: To identify as Chicano gay or as a gay Chicano? Chicano gay men emphasize on ethnicity while Chicano Gay men identify with their orientation. The primary difference between a Chicano gay man and a European-American gay man is how they define homosexuality. 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There has never been a clearer case of the automobile being used as an ethnic statement.† Although there are preconceived notions of negativity such as gang involvement with lowriding, that notion is false, and shows how the lowrider community is misunderstoodRead MoreJust Like Us by Helen Thorpe Essay1172 Words   |  5 Pagesand her classmates began to talk about the tensions between U.S. born and Mexican born students at Roosevelt, whom the refer to as â€Å"Mexicanos â€Å"and â€Å"Chicanos†. She begins to talk about how she felt in-between the two social groups. Her achievements were too great fit in with the majority of the school’s â€Å"Mexicanos † yet she didn’t identify with the â€Å"Chicanos† either. Marisela even goes on to say, â€Å"I always stand out: the color of my skin, my accent, my background. But in my family I stand out too. I speakRead MoreSocial Movements Created by Mexican Americans1447 Words   |  6 Pagesplayed with the masculine style, known as the â€Å"Pachucas†. They developed a complementary fashion to that of their boyfriends and brothers, wearing the pegged pants or long drape jackets with short skirts, along with a pompadour. Today’s Pachucas subculture, are being dressed even more provocative than it was in the forties and fifties, wearing short skirts, fishnet stockings and tight sweaters. Some of the pachucas wear suspenders, wide leg pants, and stiletto heels; they also incorporated the styleRead MoreEssay about Film Report On American Me: A Therapeutic Perspective1251 Words   |  6 Pagespersonifies or is knowledgeable of Santana’s ethnic and cult ural traits within the context of his family and community. By the age of 16, Santana’s worldview and identity is well established. He exhibits a strong internalization of his Chicano (a Latino subculture) heritage and has begun to experience and establish an awareness of what Peter Bohmer describes as â€Å"internalized colonialism:† the socially and economically structured practice of securing the labor of non-Whites for the least desirableRead MoreFilm Report on American Me: a Therapeutic Perspective1294 Words   |  6 Pagespersonifies or is knowledgeable of Santana’s ethnic and cultural traits within the context of his family and community. By the age of 16, Santana’s worldview and identity is well established. 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The fact that in 1972 Chicanos constituted only 10% of the U.S.’s population, but accounted for more than 20% of the Vietnam War deaths within the U.S. armed forces is very telling of the social inequality supported by the government (Vargas, 390). The American flag draped over

College Is a Waste of Time and Money Free Essays

In her article â€Å"College Is a Waste of Time and Money†, Caroline Bird attempts to pursued her readers that colleges are overflowing with students who don†t belong there. Her article first appeared in Psychology Today (May 1975). Since this material is outdated, I find it hard to believe that most of the responses by students and parents quoted in the article still hold true. We will write a custom essay sample on College Is a Waste of Time and Money or any similar topic only for you Order Now The author has set out to pursue the readers that college is a bad and unnecessary choice for today†s youth. Yet the author holds a bachelors and a masters degree from two different universities. I would think that if she thought college was really a bad choice and a waste of time and money, she would not have gone back to get her masters degree. I am a college student myself and there were only two things in the whole article that I was in agreement with. One was that colleges try to market themselves. The other was her paragraph on how Americans are looking less and less for great paying jobs and are looking more for job that they like doing. This unfortunately is also a contradiction to her piece of writing, because college prepares, and helps you get a job that you will enjoy. Furthermore, the author†s main ideas were not well thought out or well supported. An example of this might be her money investment idea. She implies that if an eighteen year old invested his/hers college tuition money in a bank, and kept it there till he/she was sixty-four, they would be twice as rich as those who go to school, graduate and work in their field of study. What she fails to mention is that while their money is gathering interest, it can not be touched till their sixty-four, and in the mean time they have to be making a living in another job which they probably hate doing. Overall, Bird†s attempt to pursue her readers that college is a waste of time did not work on me. Students are in colleges because they are told to, or because they still want to be financially depend on their parents and not have to worry about growing up to face the real world. The author in her article writes such ideas. Furthermore, since colleges became a big industry in the 60†³s, and now the number of people attending has fallen, colleges use marketing skills to bring more students in. They try to make college sound as easy as possible to make more people register. Students, once in college are not happy and drop out, or just hang out and finish just because they think it is the right thing to do. The author feels that students are sad because they are unwanted young adults. Since the world is overpopulated, we stick the eighteen-year-olds in colleges to temporarily get rid of them. We also fool ourselves into believing that these actions are good for them. Most of these unwanted young adults eventually learn to like it, and those that don†t drop out. The conservative Carneigie Commission estimated that five to thirty percent of students are in College reluctantly. Also buy giving figures of some surveys that students took, the author states that students think education is less and less important. Parents believe their kids are too young and immature to make a decision by them selves, therefore they pressure their kids into attending college believing it is the best thing for them. The author does not agree with these actions and thinks that students should decide for themselves whether or not they want to continue their education. If students feel that college is not for them, they should not stay there just because somebody expects them to. Furthermore, she states that if everyone got a higher education everybody would be on the same intellectual level, and there would be no difference in people. Some say that college is the greatest investment one can make. The author argues this point by giving examples of investments that greatly outweigh the average income of a graduate. If for example a student were to take his money for a four-year college, and put it in a savings account, by the age of sixty-four he would have twice as much money then if he were to graduate and earn a living with the help of his degree. Another example, which she gives, is based on a supposed Princeton student who liked fixing cars. The student could have put his college money in a bank, and go work for a mechanics shop. And as he was learning all the necessary skills, the money would be gathering interest. In ten years, he would have enough to buy out his boss, and start his own business. Afterwards she states that, although all these scenarios look good on paper, it is hard to put a dollar value on education. Next, the author talks about status, and that this is what attracts some to colleges. Most students that graduate do not necessarily make more money than those without a degree. She states that most people do not go to college for the money but for a career and a job which they will like doing. She gives an example of a guy named Jerry Darring, who quit his well paying family operated job to go back to college and get a degree which will help to prepare him for a less paying job which he will like to do. Most college students, when talking about getting a good job after they graduate, mean a job that will be pleasant for them. This sort of phenomenon is called â€Å"psychic income. † Most jobs, which these graduates will want to be employed in, are scares though. The amount of students in law school studying to be layers is twice as much as is needed. On top of that, graduates might not even work in the same field as they were studying for. Teachers, Engineers, and others were interviewed by the author, and said that they rarely use the stuff that they learned in college. Some also reported that they perform jobs that bear very little to none resemblance of a job which they were preparing for in school. The key that opens a door full of jobs is what a college diploma used to be. Now that attendance in colleges has doubled, a diploma can not even guarantee a job. The author then goes on to identify false statements about college effects on people. She states that colleges do not make people â€Å"intelligent, ambitious, happy, or liberal. It is the other way around. Intelligent, ambitious, happy, or liberal people are attracted to higher education in the first place (49). † Next she talks about learning experience that change a student while he is in college. That these experiences are not though by the college, but through jobs, friends, and time. While concluding her article, Caroline Bird says † We ought to make it possible for these reluctant, unhappy students to find alternative ways of growing up, and more realistic preparation for the years ahead (49). † In the whole article I have found only two specific points that I am able to agree with. One example is the author†s description of colleges trying to market their education. When I was a senior in my high school, a lot of colleges came to recruit us. While talking to some selected recruiters, and asking them why I should pick their college to go to, they were giving me reasons which had nothing to do with getting a good education. A great football team, a huge recreation centers, and stores on campus, were some of the reason I had heard. The other point that I agree with is that Americans put more priority on jobs they like doing than the jobs income. Unfortunately there are far more things I do not agree with in Caroline Bird†s article. First of all, how can she write an article stating that college is a waste of time and money, if she herself is a graduate? Not only that, she graduated with a masters degree. I would understand if she only had a bachelors, her argument could have been that as long as she started college, she should at least get her bachelors. But if college is such a waste of time and money why would she go on to get her masters degree. Furthermore, some points which she uses in her argument are not enough to pursued me. One example would be when she says â€Å"we fool ourselves into believing that we are sending them there for their own best interest. â€Å"(42) In my opinion this is true, true in the case that parents want a better and easier way of life for their kids. My parents send me to college so that I could make more money doing an easier job than they have to do, because they lack a college diploma. She feels that eighteen-year-olds should make their own choice whether to go to college or not. I think that when a person is eighteen, they are too young to make their own decisions. I know this from my own experience. If I had a freedom of choice when I was eighteen, I would not be writing this critique, because I would not be in college. But now that I have grown up and did some thinking I want to stay and get my degree. I feel that kids should at least try college, learn and see a couple of things and then decide whether they should stay or go. Generally, parents without a college education are the ones who put the most emphasis on their kids going to college and making something of themselves, in order to have a better life then they had. The author then goes on to challenge her own ideas by saying that college does prepare you for a job that you actually might like doing, and that is what most Americans want. So then would not college be a good choice for most Americans? How to cite College Is a Waste of Time and Money, Papers

Nintendo Corporate Strategy - Free Sample Solution

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Management of Nintendo Ltd Over the Rivals. Answer: Introduction This report basically discusses about the strategic management about the company Nintendo Company limited. The report will cover the competitive advantage the company has in the market. Along with this, report will also cover functional level, business unit level and corporate level strategies which are adopted by the Nintendo Company limited to compete in the market. The Nintendo Company limited is an electronic company of Japan. It is a multinational company situated in the city Tokyo (Schilling, 2010). The company was founded in 1889 and now it is famous across the world for the revenue. The market value of the Nintendo Company is around US$ 85 billion and this is the reason that it is the third most valuable company in the world. In 2008, the company got seventh position among the worlds most innovative companies. The company has engagement process to bring transparency, improve risk management, targeting customers, providing information and increase efficiencies etc. By the enga gement process, the company is able to set efficient objectives and measure the progress of the business (Thomson Gamble, 2012). Products of Nintendo Company The current gaming console of Nintendo Company is Nintendo Wii. This is a small device made by plastic that can play games in either a horizontal or vertical position. The reason of its biggest sale is the unique motion controller. With the help of this motion controller, consumers can play games wirelessly. This type of features was unique for the gaming industry and it made a great success for Nintendo Company. This feature also differentiated the Nintendo Wii from two biggest competitiors in the market, Sonys Playstation 3 and Microsofts X-box 360. Further, Nintendo released a series of accessories for the Wii (Chapple, 2013). Because of the unique features of Wii, Nintendo Company became able to attract more customers. The Wii balance board includes different features of gaming such as surfing, control skating and snowboarding games by a plastic board (The Economist online, 2011). Popukarity and selling of the Nintendos product in different countries can be seen by the graph: Figure 1: Unit sales of Nintendo (Source: Hitt, et al., 2009) Competitive Advantage of the Company Competitive advantage of the company refers to getting advantage by satisfying customers need and desires compared to other companies in the market place. To remain competitive in the market, the company needs to focus on developing synergy, creating value and core competencies. Basically, competitive advantage can be defined as the ability of the company to perform better than its competitors in the market. The company must focus on developing customer advantages because if customers do not value the company then it will not be able to compete in the market (Hitt, et al., 2009). In the case of Nintendo Company limited, it has been seen that there are few numbers companies in this industry such as Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft and Sega. Despite of less number of companies, there is much competition in the market. There is a great battle in the market for competitive advantage (Nintendo, 2013). Analyzing competition in gaming console market, there are five forces given by Porter that impact on competition: Figure 2: Porter's Model (Source: Sawh, 2013) Potential Entrants: The market of gaming console is regulated by some firms that have new technologies and good brand image among the customers. The new technology and reputation attract the target consumers and create the issues and barriers for those firms who are entering in the market. So, the new comer companies have to face barriers by existing large companies. On the other hand, continuous change in the life style also creates opportunities for the new comer firms (Sawh, 2013). Substitutes: There are ample ranges of entertainment substitutes that compete with the video games now such as mobile phones, PC games, portable consoles etc. All theses substitutes of entertainment can directly impact the new firms. It can affect in targeting and attracting the customers. Buyers bargaining power: Because of competitions from major rivals in the market, customers benefit from bargaining power with the firms. There are also wide ranges of substitutes so; the customers enjoy the bargaining power. There is one more reason of bargaining power that prices of hardware which is used in making video games are very low and it leads the strong bargaining power. Supplier bargaining power: There is oligopoly in the market because of few large firms. But every firm plays an important role in the suppliers bottom line. For getting advantage gaming console companies must have good positions among the suppliers. Industry competitors: Nintendo is not only the most leading firm in the gaming console market but also going to enter in new market segment. This is great opportunity for the Nintendo for targeting new generation and new customers. Thus, there is also a lot of competition of the company with Microsoft and Sony (MarketWatch, 2013). Microsoft was the first company which introduced the seventh generation of gaming console. Company has advantage of developing new software so it is the major competitor in the market. Although Microsoft had late entered in the market but it had introduced Xbox 360 in 2005. By introducing Xbox 360, the company has proved that it has proactive strategy rather than reactive strategy. Thus, Microsoft is still famous company in the gaming industry (Cnet, 2013). On the other hand, Sony is the famous company for its unique designs and hardware. Sony is a strong competitor. This company has experience of current market. Sony has unique strategies for segmenting the target market. The main targets of the Sony are women, children, family and other gamers who have interest in games. That is the reason the company Sony is big player in the industry (MaRS, 2010) Competitive Advantage Despite of many rivalries, Nintendo has got core competency in the market. The company has created values by targeting the market of gamers and unique gaming console. The company has created value for women and family members. It has developed various games which are suitable for the target market and the games developed by the country provide great experience to the users. The strategy of Nintendo is very successful compared with its rivals. One of the important steps taken by the Nintendo for getting success in the market was cutting off the cost of the product and creating more values for the targeted customer. Cutting off the cost is just like a weapon in the market to stay competitive (Nagata, 2009). The competitive strategy of Nintendo against other competitors can be seen by the graph: Figure 3: Strategy of Nintendo (Source: Wesley Barczak, 2010) The company Nintendo has adopted some strategies such as powerful hardware processing, better gaming graphics, and innovative or creative non-gaming function. But implementing these strategies required lots of time and money. So, to reduces expenses and target more customers the Nintendo cut off the cost incurred in unnecessary functions. The company cut off the cost by launching its products simple, resolutions in games with more fun for the customers. This strategy is very helpful for the product Nintendo Wii. The strategy makes the product unique, perfect for the users such as elders, women and family members. The strategy is helpful to the Nintendo for getting competitive advantage in the market. When the Nintendo had launched its product with the strategy of cutting off the prices, both Microsoft and Sony faced loss in the every unit of hardware. On the other hand, the product Nintendo Wii was earning profit of around $ 50 in US. In 2007, Microsoft and Sony faced loss and on the other hand, Nintendo got a big success in the market. With the raising funds and increased brand image among the customers, Nintendo got big success and competitive advantage over its rivals while launching new products (Wesley Barczak, 2010). Strategic Analysis of Nintendo Company The strategic analysis of Nintendo has been done on the basis of corporate level strategy, business level strategy and functional strategy. After realizing the competition in the market, the Nintendo Company has adopted some new strategies. The strategic analysis of the Nintendo is as follows: Business level Strategy: The main business level strategy of the Nintendo is to differentiate its product from the competitors in the market. The purpose of the company by business level strategy is to implement the incorporated cost leadership. The business level strategy can be described as the set of actions which is taken to produce a product or service with an acceptable cost. The product must create value among the customers and must differentiate itself from the competitors. The product Nintendo Wii was well-designed with unique features. It was a small machine which could be controlled by an operator. By this, the games can be played wirelessly by the consumers. It was unique product and it was helpful for Nintendo in getting competitive advantage. The product had wide target, low cost and easily use facility (Mohr, Sengupta Slater, 2009). Corporate level Strategy: In the corporate level strategy, Nintendos has adopted innovation strategy in its products. Innovation strategy has played very important role in getting competitive advantage. The analysis of Nintendos strategy shows that the company has used innovative business model to stay competitive in the market. The aim of the company by adopting innovative business model is to position itself different from the competitors and to understand the customers completely. Along with this, Nintendo has used technological touch to target the gamers (Bainbridge, 2011). Company organized a largest advertising campaign with the cost around $200 million. The company offered easy-to-use and family-family products to the customers. In product innovation strategy, company introduced innovative designs such as Wii-mote and infrared pointer (Farhoomand, Joshia Tsang, 2009) Functional level Strategy: Nintendo is very much focused on the innovative products which are family friendly while Microsoft is focused on the budget gamer and Sony is focused on providing high quality products with high cost. It company Nintendo is much focused on the differentiation strategy. The companys strategy includes open innovation, Wiishop channel, and low cost leadership and Wiiware differentiation (Kendall, 2009). Conclusion From the above discussion, it has been analyzed that the Nintendo is getting competitive advantage in the market. It is surviving effectively over the rivals in the market. The report has covered the competitive advantage the company has in the market. It has also been analyzed that there are functional level, business unit level and corporate level strategies which are adopted by the Nintendo Company limited to compete in the market. The company has engagement process to bring transparency, improve risk management, targeting customers, providing information and increase efficiencies etc. The company introduced unique product named Nintendo Wii and because of this product the major competitors such as Microsoft and Sony faced loss. The sale or profit of Nintendo compared to the competitors is also shown in the table. There is a great battle in the market for competitive advantage. For this, competitive advantage is analyzed by the model of Porter. Nintendo has adopted some strategies such as powerful hardware processing, better gaming graphics, and innovative or creative non-gaming function. It had also done cost cutting strategy for attracting customers. The strategy of Nintendo was very successful compared with its rivals. When the Nintendo had launched its product with the strategy of cutting off the prices, the both Microsoft and Sony faced loss in their sales. So, in the conclusion, it can be said that the company Nintendo has made its position in the market over the rivals. References Bainbridge, W., (2011). Leadership in science and technology: A reference handbook. US: SAGE Publications. Chapple, C. (2013). Game industry worth $83bn by 2016, research claims. Develop. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.develop-online.net/news/42997/Game-industry-worth-83bn-by-2016-research-claims Cnet. (2013). Microsoft may launch Xbox 720 in April. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://crave.cnet.co.uk/gamesgear/microsoft-may-launch-xbox-720-in-april-report-says- 50010502/ Farhoomand, A., Joshia, H., Tsang, S., (2009). Nintendos disruptive strategy: Implications for the video game industry. China: The University of Hong Kong. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, D. R., Hoskisson, R. E., Rowe, G. W., Sheppard, J. P. (2009). Strategic Management. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd Kendall, N. (2009). How Nintendos boss rewrote the rules of the game: The Times. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/technology/article1859555.ece MarketWatch. (2013). Nintendo Co. Ltd. ADS. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/ntdoy MaRS. (2010). Case Study: Changing the game Lessons from Nintendos Wii. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.marsdd.com/articles/case-study-changing-the-game-lessons-from-nintendo-s-wii/ Mohr, J., Sengupta, S., Slater, S., (2009). Marketing of high-technology products and innovations. UK: Prentice Hall. Nagata, K., (2009). Nintendo secret: It's all in the game. Japan Times. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2009/03/10/news/nintendo-secret-its-all-in-the- game/ Nintendo. (2013). Consolidated Sales Transition by Region. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/library/historical_data/pdf/consolidated_sales_e1212.pdf Sawh, M. (2013). Sony Playstation 4. Retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.t3.com/news/sonyplaystation-4-news-reviews-price-rumours-and-release-date Schilling, M. A., (2010). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. The Economist online. (2011). Video games will be the fastest growing form of media.retrieved on 27th October 2016 from https://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2011/12/daily-chart-0 Thomson Gamble (2012). crafting and executing strategy concept and cases (18th). Case 6: Nintendos strategy in 2009: The ongoing battle with Microsoft and Sony Wesley, D., Barczak, G., (2010). Innovation and marketing in the video game industry: Avoiding the performance trap. Gower