Love Suicides at Amijima Essay

This paper discusses how suicide is viewed in Japanese society, and how a greater understanding can be gained of the Japanese viewpoint on voluntary death by a study of Chikamatsu Monzaemon’s famous drama â€Å"The Love Suicides at Amijima. † The writer provides an overview of Chikamatsu’s life, literary career and the era in which he lived in the second half of the 17th century. The theatrical traditions in which he wrote are described as well. His domestic tragedy, â€Å"The Love Suicides at Amijima,† is described in detail, and the writer explains the social and family obligations in which the protagonists are trapped and which ultimately lead to the double suicide at the end. The theme of the Love Suicides of Amijima respects the differences between American and Japanese culture with regards to views of suicide, duty, and honor, while still remaining accessible to its 21st century American audience. Passion, heartache, and sacrifice are narratives that have existed eternally. Another theme is love and self destruction. What I have from my notes is â€Å"the dichotomy of the beauty and brutality of love transcends place and time. † As â€Å"One of the best ways to understand a different culture is to read the literature it has produced for one is introduced to the world view in which the author operates. After all, each text is made up of the particularities of the world that reflects it. And there is nothing more extreme and intriguing example of such suicides than the love suicides or shinj popularized by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. It is defined as based on a pact between lovers trapped in a web of such intense turmoil they have no recourse save the ultimate destructive act. Although we recognize that the writer’s works originated hundreds of years ago and certainly values, motives and times have changed in the contemporary period, it can still serve as a literary starting point to understand the Japanese concept of suicide. † Furthermore the events, characters, and symbols were all interesting especially Osan’s character because she is fully aware of her husband’s love for Koharu, yet she still decides to stay with him. Her actions seem to baffle me. She comforts Jihei, although he is crying over another women. Also, when she reveals that she sent Koharu a letter asking to end her relationship with Jihei, she immediately asks Jihei to save Koharu instead of forgetting about the request. Furthermore, Osan gives Jihei money, (money that is necessary to be set aside for business and the children) to take care of Koharu’s ransom. I am quite confused as to why she would do this, considering she has been nothing but a loving wife and a caring mother.

Marriage and Families

IntroductionFamilies are central institutions in our society. They are commissioned with the pivotal tasks of children upbringing and providing continuing intimacy and companionship to members. Traditionally, a family consists of persons related by blood, marriage or adoption. Other definitions of a family have specified a common household, economic independency, and sexual and reproductive relations (Lamanna and Riedmann, 2005)Sociologists continue to recognize the family important responsibility in performing necessary social roles such as child rearing, economic support and domestic maintenance. As families are becoming less traditional, the legal definition of a family has become more flexible.   Traditional or modern families have one mission in that they all create a place to belong in at least two ways. They create boundaries, and they serve as a repository or archive of family memories and traditions.Marriage which is a formal agreement between two people is the initial sta ge of forming a family. Our discussion will answer the basic questions on the legal bindings in marriages and outline factors that may affect marital stability.Primary provisions of a prenuptial agreement and personal contractBack in history husbands and wives were prohibited from making any contract between themselves. Still on the same period prenuptial agreements particular those meant to provide property rights following a divorce were prohibited. It was thought that these agreements would encourage divorce. In the recent times this laws have gradually changed to permit husbands and wives to make contracts with each other by which they agree about what assets would be held separately by either of them during the marriage. (Weisman, 2003)In many states, prenuptial agreements and personal contracts are highly encouraged. They preserve assets for children in case there is a divorce or the parents die.Weisman, (2003) comments that for a prenuptial agreement to be enforced, both peop le in the relationship must clearly disclose all the assets they have. Any agreement based on fraud will however not be recognized (pg, 7). The two parties are advised to have a lawyer for representation to ensure that the signing of the agreement is fair and reasonable.In America most states follow the uniform provisions act on prenuptial agreement. The act provides matters that are subject to a prenuptial agreement. (Weisman, 2003). They include; the right and obligation to make a contract in regard to property; the modification or elimination of spousal support; ownership rights and disposition of death benefits from a life insurance policy; The disposition of property upon separation; a break up of marriage, death or the occurrence or any other event and lastly the making of a will, trust or other arrangement.The above provisions for making of a personal contract are important because without such provisions in a prenuptial agreement, may result to fraudulent claims.In the Unite d States people who are old or senior citizens use prenuptial agreement to protect their assets and their children from previous marriages in the event that a spouse goes into a nursing home and Medicaid cover is sought. (pg, 8)Factor affecting marital stabilityAn analysis carried out by (Veroff and Shirley, 2002) describes these factors more schematically according to the process and number of years the couple has been into marriage. The first analysis is based on the factors that occur before getting married and starting a family. This factors are called pre-marriage factors and includes; social status of spouses, pre-marital connections of the couple and family background of the spouses. The pre-marriage factors studied under social status include; father and mother education, owns education, personal income, poverty ratio, race and educational attainment. Under the family background we have; number of siblings, broken home background and presence of older siblingsThe second cate gory discusses personal factors at the time of marriage. They are the characteristics comprising each spouse and their personality. They are; ambitiousness, cooperativeness, orientation of power and Neuroticism.The third analysis is based on interpersonal factors which describe how each individual relates with other people, and how he or she views others. They include; interpersonal perceptions, perceived interacting attitude in compatibility, and actual interactions.There are other factors that people face when they interact with others and they form our fourth category. These factors are referred to as external factors. Stress is one of the factors. Stress is an emotionally disruptive or unsettling gap that may exist between how we would like our life to be and how it actually is. Another external factor is network support which describes how well the family is connected with the outside world. The amount of support they receive from other families and friends.The final factor is the qualitative sense that the couple makes of their life together. These are the integrative feelings which can be both specific and general. Feelings in one year of set the stage for the marital factors in the next year which in turn affect the feelings in that year and so on. These feelings include marital happiness, marital competence, marital control, marital tension and marital equity. This are measured separately for each spouse. (Veroff and Shirley, 2002.pp 5-6)The above factors underline the stability or instability of a marriage.Forms of Marital DisruptionMarital problems are risk factors in a family environment where children are brought up. Marital conflicts that lead to divorce are the most detrimental towards children welfare. Marital disruptions according to (Richardson and Carol, 2002) are after associated with a change in economic circumstances and adjustments to altered linking conditions (pg, 1907). When parents are stressed they affect their parenting practices.A part form divorce parents may disagree but yet remain together. These parents have persistent conflicts that do not end. The end result of such conflicts is that they affect children’s behavior and lower their self esteem.Marital violence is part of marital disruption and involves physical aggression. This form is more upsetting to children than other forms of marital disruption. When children are exposed to marital violence they tend to imitate this in their relationships with others and display violent behavior towards teachers, peers and family members. (Richardson and Carol, 2002) also suggest that where children are exposed to negative emotions, their safely and security may be threatened and therefore they express anger towards their parents. Marital Abuse also results when parents are use violence against each other in marriages. Parents who have no respect for their children and end up abusing them either physically or sexually. Abuse falls under the marital violence Marital disruption may occur as a result of death of one person in a relationship. The irreversible loss of a close companion begins a process of grief and extended transition for the surviving spouse. There is an increased risk for emotional disturbance to bereaved individuals compared to their non-bereaved community counterparts. These effects may persist for second years or more for a significant number of individuals.Epidemiological data has demonstrated that, there is a strong association between marital disruption and poorer health. This is because of the physiological suffering that the bereaved face, especially when their loved ones depart.ConclusionThe family, functions to fulfill six basic human needs; socialization of children, economic production, welfare for the sick and the elderly, recreation and emotional attachment, sexual relationship regulation and reproduction. Through the ages marriages and family has been used to establish basic patterns of inheritance, authori ty, lines of descents and mate selections.These are some of the commonly accepted descriptions and functions of a family. The changing face of families structure has been as a result of certain factors which includes; the higher   expectations for marriage, higher divorce and remarriage rates, expenses on personal fulfillment avoiding economic concerns and increased single parent families.The primary provisions of a prenuptial agreement are important in a family setting whether the couple trust or mistrust each other. Marital stability and instability is part of normal experiences in marriage and family and the factors discussed in the document contribute negatively or positively towards the family. The various forms of marital disruptions described in this text include; death, separation or divorce. Strong marriages are therefore needed for families to be effective.ReferencesLamanna, M.A and Riedmann, A.2005.Marriages & Families: Making Choices in a Diverse, Thomson Wadsworth pub lishers  Richardson, J., Carol, J.2002.Parent Training Program’s for the Management of children, Psych PublicationsVeroff, J. and Shirley, H.2002.Marital Instability: A Social and Behavioral Study of the Early Years, Greenwood PublishingWeisman, S.2003.A Guide to Elder Planning: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Yourself,FT Press

The Progress Of Arab Women In Leadership Research Proposal

The Progress Of Arab Women In Leadership - Research Proposal Example For instance, there are a number of women graduating from colleges and thus finding their way into the workforce; however, little is known for their career advancement in leadership and managerial posts. A number of factors have been hindering career progression of Arab women. A complex of social, organizational and personal barriers explain the reason women fail to progress into organizational leadership and corporate management. These barriers arise from culture-based status and gender roles.The issue raised in this proposal is classified as problematic due to its prevalence in the society. Furthermore, there is no playfield allowing women to advance in their careers. In comparison to other countries especially in Eastern and Western Europe, studies show that there are no barriers preventing women from advancing to these positions. The aspect of gender disparity is likened to cancer in the Arabic States reserving the role of women to homemakers. These notions have been killing the dreams of women with some of them resorting to the status quo that the society brings and advocates.The study of the barriers that hinder the progress of women in corporate management and organizational leadership is of great significance. The study will be critical in future policy formulation regarding gender disparities in the Arabic States. Nevertheless, the research study identifies that women progression to corporate management and organizational leadership is due to anticipated discrimination rather than lack of ambition.

Temporal Analysis in Crime Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Temporal Analysis in Crime Analysis - Assignment Example Analyzing the subject requires time to observe on their changing characters and reasons of change. Crime analysis is a complex task that requires not only adequate time but also resources. It requires human skills and higher level of training to execute this kind of analysis. Other forms of analysis such as qualitative analysis involve using the available data and records to come up with a particular finding and advice on the most appropriate directions to take based on the results of the analysis. In crime analysis, it requires the utilization of numerous strategies/techniques to come up with the most feasible solution to crime related issues. In crime analysis, the analyst should utilize both the available data and also he should also be able to visit the crime scene to correct the necessary data (Bruce, Hick, Cooper & International Association of Crime Analysts, 2004). The crime series entails the flow of events that took place from the time the crime is yet to be up to the time it had been committed. The use of temporal analysis plays a significant role in the analysis of crime series. Good example of temporal analysis is spatial analysis. This is where ellipses are established to help identify the distribution of crime incidence (Weisburd, Groff & Yang, 2012). Bruce, C. W., Hick, S. R., Cooper, J. P., & International Association of Crime Analysts.(2004). Exploring crime analysis: Readings on essential skills (2nd ed.). NorthCharleston, S.C: BookSurge.

Text Analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Text Analysis - Essay Example The paper adopts the thesis Steve jobs speech appeals more to college students than his academic background. Steve Jobs is one of most celebrated inventor, businessperson, philanthropist and personality (Wilson 56). Steve is as one of the cofounders of Apple Company and computerized animation (Pixar animation). However, analyzing Steve Jobs at an academically it a different story. The quagmire of the speech at one of the most respected academic institutions is the fact he openly refers to his academic life standing at the podium. Steve’s speech is well crafted and depicts all the three elements that are necessary to capture the audience attention. Steve Jobs effectively uses irony to introduce the fact that he has never graduated by uttering the words â€Å"†¦This is the closest I have ever got to college graduation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Apple History Channel). Steve speech audience is composed of mostly young graduands from Stanford University. Steve Jobs understands well the level of education of his audience and goes directly to the main points in his speech. The environment and atmosphere that the audience offer Steve Jobs encourages him to continue with the speech. The audience is patient and responds well to Steve Jobs humor and emotional words. The composure of the audience implies they are eager to listen and learn new concepts. The audience responds well to Steve humour and applause him when he is for the first time. Steve Jobs uses tonal variation and posting from time to time giving audience time to comprehend his points. The audience respond during the pauses reveals they are attentive and listening to the speech keenly. There is very little murmuring during the speech, the audience in this case are a matured lot and respect the speaker Steve Jobs. The audience is more rejuvenated and fired up to face life at the end of the spe ech. Steve Jobs success overshadows the fact that he has never graduated from college and effectively

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture Essay

Visible and invisible techniques in the architecture - Essay Example Therefore, the idea for use in this case is exploring the unknown to known using visible spaces. According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (125), spatial boundaries and connection are created by the mind upon conceiving a piece of artworks.   In most cases, space relies on the construction already in place such as a building or the existing natural environment. This is to mean that the idea of using space is not a nouvelle concept in the field of architecture. It is from it that creativity emanated and other ideologies associated with creative construction such as architecture.   When visible and invisible space is used in architecture, it guides in focusing on the right medium since all pieces of art are constructed in space (Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till 3). It complication comes from the designing stage. It is from the presentation that it will influence the viewers for a given piece of artwork.   Space is a reminder that our experience in real life is spatial in show ing connections that exist; therefore, it is evident that beings and the universe are similar.   Ã‚  According to Blundell- jones, Petrescu & Till (143), the unique aspect about invisible and visible space is that they experience a flow as a form of architecture. They indicate imaginary boundaries, which can be shifted in whatever direction depending on the artists and the viewer for the art works. This technique is commonly used in construction of modern buildings. Usually, space flows by sequencing connections shown by the voids present. in a given piece of construction. Consequently, rhythm and tonal variation are the visible elements when considering the creation of space for a piece in architecture. Therefore, artists intending to be compassionate in their architectural works have no obligation but to utilize space in its visible form in order to express the invisible. In construction, the use of space elements wisely, an architect is not supposed to experience distraction by his/ creation. Instead, they should use the template and the construction

Representation of the Yahoos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Representation of the Yahoos - Essay Example mirror many of the human shortages by presenting his audience with two unique sides of life, one dominated by reason and the other dominated by inordinate desire. In this context, it can be argued that Swft’s reasoning in the literary material suggests that humans which he symbolizes with the Yahoos are guided by passion, self fish and seeking their own advantage and satisfaction, preferring gratification and avoiding pain, and the other that to a considerable extent humans are informed by reason and rational decisions. The Yahoos are molded as unruly and having a detestable character placing them closer to the lot of the untamed chimpanzees sort of running amok, satirically a representation of the unruly British natives in the 18th century. The distinctly organized houynhnms probably could be equated to the truly utopian society comprising mainly of the ruling class who are civilized and driven mainly by their conscience and reasoning. However it is somehow questionable that the characters of the houyhnhnms that Gulliver claims to be good could make him hate his fellow humans including the Portuguese captain who helps him in the ship alongside his own family that he merely tolerate his co-existence with despite doing nothing wrong to him, while the houyhnhnms do not tolerate but peacefully co-exist with each other. Moreover, the Yahoos are shown to represent the human race on negative shades which merely represent the shortcomings, for instance Gulliver says that the Yahoos regards more the sexual filth rather than the decency portrayed by the houyhnhnms, mere animals. He says, his honor had observed, â€Å"that a female Yahoos would often stand behind a bank or a bush, to gaze on the young males passing by, and then appear, and hide, using many antic gestures and grimaces, at which time it was observed that she had a most offensive smell; and when any of the males advanced, would slowly retire, looking often back, and with a counterfeit show of fear, run off

Markets Organize Economic Activity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Markets Organize Economic Activity - Essay Example Firstly, a price ceiling happens when prices of commodities and other services are held below the equilibrium, in connection, these prices are not allowed to rise for the benefit of the buyers and consumers. When sellers can possibly add few cents to the current price of bread while maintaining its saleability, the government would prohibit them to do so. Anyway, there are few tactics sellers have used to make money while price has been frozen to a certain level. Some of these tactics are baking low quality breads by not following the exact measurements of several ingredients. But, consumers cannot easily spot these changes. What they have in mind is the â€Å"amount† they will exchange for that commodity. The sellers cost-cutting method can be hidden by the low-priced bread. Nevertheless, even there would cost-cutting measures, the direct result of price ceiling is shortages. When everyone can afford to buy bread, there would occur a shortage of bread supply in the market. Th ere are also instances that richer consumers would buy in excess of their regular consumptions. Secondly, lets talk about the obvious connection of the shortage of bread production to long lines. When prices of commodities are set in a price level below the equilibrium, there are more consumers who are so eager to buy bread. Even its obvious that they have to spend time to wait there turns, they are always willing to fall in line. There are various factors why many people are willing to get starve in the corner standing in the queue, even they have the option to eat in the nearby fast foods where they can be served in less than 10 minutes – they want to save every cents they can because of the inflation. While almost all the prices of products and basic commodities went higher each year, most workers salaries remain the same. There are few announcement of wage increase, however, it cannot cover up the cost of the most upward movements of prices of the major daily needs. Its

Learning Styles and Theories Essay Example for Free

Learning Styles and Theories Essay There are multiple learning styles and theories that apply to individuals in multiple ways. The VARK learning style that my analysis revealed is read/write according to the questionnaire by Fleming (2001-2014). This categorization of my learning style compliments me well and I definitely agree that actually seeing the information spelled out in front of me allows me to better understand the information. The two learning theories that relate to my VARK learning style are behaviorism and constructivism. Behaviorism focusing on a clear goal with an automatic response and constructivism affording me the ability to problem solve. Being an andragogical learner I’m able to apply what I’ve learned during my pedagogical phase to my educational experiences. Let’s take a closer look at what behaviorism entails. Behaviorism focuses on the observable changes in behavior. Moreover, it’s the act of doing something new several times until it’s second nature. A prime example is while completing schoolwork the instructor provides continuous positive reinforcement; depending upon the grade the student will constantly modify their behavior until they receive positive reinforcement. According to Watson (n.d.) behaviorism’s goal is to explain relationships between precedent conditions (stimuli), behavior (responses), and consequences (reward, punishment, or neutral effect). Without the positive reinforcement the learned responses that the student exhibits will diminish. My VARK learning style relates to behaviorism by me receiving positive reinforcement through written praise; additionally, with good grades I will continue performing at the same level. Once I’ve developed an understanding of how a task needs to be accomplished I will tailor my actions towards that behavior to continue to receive that positive reinforcement and it becomes second nature. Along with observable changes in behavior, one-step further looks into constructivism and it’s aim on brain-based learning. Constructivism relies on what the learner already knows and the understanding of the subject at hand. Moreover, building new ideas or concepts are based upon current knowledge and past experiences and amplifies when actively engaged. According to Brunner (n.d.) the three stages of  intellectual development are enactive, iconic, and symbolic. Enactive is learning through actions on physical objects and the outcomes, iconic learning is through models and pictures, and lastly symbolic learning is the ability to think in abstract terms (Brunner, n.d.). Constructivism relates to my VARK learning style in the aspect that learning is ongoing and by reading and writing I’m constantly improving my skills and perception. There can be multiple interpretations of an excerpt of literature, therefore by having someone facilitate the learning process with the knowledge of my baseline understanding of the topic at hand that person can build upon it. Thus, my VARK learning style suggests I write out words repeatedly or read them to myself, which goes along with reviewing information multiple times, and learning takes time according to the principles of constructivism. As an adult learner my identified VARK learning style affects my educational pursuit positively. Falling into andragogical learning realm I have more experiences and therefore I can apply those experiences while learning. Adult learners take on the responsibility to be self-directed, and have a wealth of experience that enables them to transform information into meaningful cognitive and reality-based applications (Minter, 2011, p. 9). In retrospect the pedagogical concept requires the instructor to be more directive, placing students in a more passive role, and that students don’t have the motivation or maturity to be self-directed learners (Minter, 2011, p. 9). Applying active learning concepts such as reading and writing allows me to actively be categorized under the andragogical concept. Moreover, by writing and speaking the words to myself and reflecting to solve problems I’m practicing the concept of self-directed and problem-centered aspects of andragogical learni ng. Therefore, I will be able to apply my VARK learning style to complete my educational endeavors and continue on my path of success. The three learning theories of Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism can be applied to any of the four learning styles (visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic). I feel that we cannot generalize that a student will be classified solely under one learning style, they will adapt and apply what is more appropriate given the information or circumstances.  The learning theory used depends upon the learning situation. Being identified as an andragogical learner I’m able to apply life experiences, need to know, relevance of the subject matter and how it applies to me, and use my motivation to further my educational goals with the guidance of instructors that are more like facilitators. Malcolm Knowles paved the path for educators and students alike that entail specific learning principles to enable learners to thrive educationally and without his significant contribution who knows where we would be today. References Bruner, J. (n.d.). Constructivism Discovery Learning. Retrieved from http://www.lifecircles- inc.com/Learningtheories/constructivism/bruner.html Fleming, N. D. (2001-2014). Retrieved from http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp Minter, R. (2011). The Learning Theory Jungle. Journal of College Teaching and Learning, 8(6), 9. Watson, J. B. (n.d.). Behaviorism. Retrieved from http://www.lifecircles-inc.com/Learningtheories/behaviorism/Watson.html

Impact of Product Price and Brand Name on Quality Perception Essay Example for Free

Impact of Product Price and Brand Name on Quality Perception Essay In ordinary usage, price is the quantity of payment or compensation given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In modern economies, prices are generally expressed in units of some form of currency (For commodities, they are expressed as currency per unit weight of the commodity, e.g. Tshs per kilogram.) Although prices could be quoted as quantities of other goods or services this sort of barter exchange is rarely seen. Prices are sometimes quoted in terms of vouchers such as trading stamps and air miles. Brand is the name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one sellers good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.Initially, Branding was adopted to differentiate one persons cattle from anothers by means of a distinctive symbol burned into the animals skin with a hot iron stamp, and was subsequently used in business, marketing and advertising. A modern example of a brand is Coca Cola which belongs to the Coca-Cola Company. A brand is the most valuable fixed asset of a Corporation. In general, the product is defined as a thing produced by labor or effort In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. 2.0 PROBLEM ANALYSIS 3.0 OBJECTIVES 3.1 general objectives name on customer’s quality perception of product To assess the effect of price and brand 3.2 specific objectives * To assess the effect of price on quality perception * To assess the effect of brand name on quality perception HYPOTHESES Null hypotheses * There is negative relationship between price and quality perception * There is negative relationship between brand name and quality perception Alternative hypotheses * There is positive relationship between price and quality perception * There is positive relationship between brand name and quality perception LITERATURE REVIEW The consumer quality perception has been a debatable topic for the past so many years around the world; previously many researchers have studied this topic and found exploratory findings in different contexts. The central purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of product price and brand name on consumer’s quality perception of the product. The marketer must inspect the consumer buying behavior by consumer psychological behavior and social concerns (Shabbir et.al 2012). According to Kurtulus et al. (2005) the influence of consumer psychographics on their tendency to purchase retailer brands, that must be valid and reliable so the consumers are more price conscious and prefer and purchase retailer brands. Most of the consumers need convenience and quality products that strongly motivate them to buy the same product more frequently in the future (Ahuja, Gupta, Raman, 2003). Ahmad, Vays, (2011) found that the pre-decision time of consumer purchasing behavior recognized solid link with the desire purchasing Behavior of the consumers. Product price The product price factor is always been an important factor in customer/consumer buying process in every context. They always examine price and brand name information differently when they are making judgments on the dimensions of quality: ease of use, usefulness, performance, durability, and status (Brucks, Zeithaml Naylor, 2000). The marketing managers have to think broader to have a common on two factors such as capability control and strategic dynamic pricing policies (Moe Fader, 2009). The customer must be facilitated with some packages in products. Bie Chiao (2001) found that the marketing managers should highlight the service quality as well as but also price fairness in total consumer satisfaction program. According to Chang Wildt (1998) the price has its significant influence on perceived quality when it is the only information indicated available. According the study of consumer prefers to have a price and quality rather than technical aspects in durable goods (Chui et al. 2006). Brand name Another benefit of branding , from the customer view point,is its ability to increase purchase confidence and enhance customer loyality (Aaker,1991 ; chaudhuri amp; holbrook ,2001).Brands work by facilitating the the customers buying decesions process.(Doyle,1990).In a competitive market customer face hundred of products and messages competing for attention.the buying decisions are reliant on their past experience and perception about a product and his habitual buying process is associated with brand loyalty

Gordon Gekko Character Analysis

Gordon Gekko Character Analysis The paper will describe a character, Gordon Gekko from Wall Street (Edwin Stone, 1987) from a psychoanalytic perspective of Dr. Sigmund Freud. This paper will pair several quotes of Gordon Gekko with the appropriate perceived diagnosed disorder. In particular, this will illustrate Gekkos two personality disorders: Antisocial Personality Disorder and the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The paper will conclude by summarizing these faults and then present an opinion of how well these theories describe the person in question. Psychoanalysis of Gordon Gekko Bud Fox, a stockbroker has been relentless in arranging a meeting with his hero Gordon Gekko. He has called his office, every day, for over a month, but his attempts have failed miserably. He notices that it is Gordons birthday and as a final effort to get to the man he admires he pays a visit to Gordons offices in Manhattan. Armed with a box of the finest and most expensive Cuban cigars Bud makes his way to the receptionist. She returns after delivering the cigars and has Bud take a seat. After an hour has passed, she tells Bud he has five minutes with Mr. Gekko. His persistence and desperation to get to the top and work with the person he admires has now come down to this moment. As Bud walks into the office, he notices it is everything he could have imagined. The furniture, latest computer systems and view of downtown Manhattan give him a taste of the life he so desperately wants. Gordon positioned behind his desk is talking on the phone as Bud is admiring his surroundings. Gordon finally acknowledges Bud and asks him his intentions. Bud is there to pitch stocks to Gordon in hopes of landing him as a client, but quickly realizes he is not prepared as Gordon constantly calls his recommendations crap and is unimpressed. He finally tells Bud to give him something or get out. Knowing that he is losing his opportunity, Bud gives Gordon insider information on a stock that he received from his father the day before on an airline business his father works for. Gordon has Bud leave with the understanding he will think about it. Later that day Gordon calls Bud and places an order for the stock. After doing research on Bud, Gordon understands how Bud became aware of the insider information. He is impressed with the move and takes Bud under his wing, but challenges him to find new information at all costs on future stock deals and hostile takeovers. He tells Bud his five hundred dollar suits are not up to par and to invest in new ones. As more inside deals go through, Gordon takes Bud further into his world. The relationship deepens as Bud enjoys the perks and lifestyle he is creating by working for Gordon. Bud becomes wealthy, moves into an apartment, nicer office and gets the woman of his dreams. All of this was obtained through dealings with Gordon, and Mr. Gekko reminds him who the superior man is every step of the way. The relationship takes a turn for the worse when Bud finds out that Gordon is now using the same unethical business practices with his fathers airline company. Bud decides to manipulate the stock in order to push Gordon to sell instead of buy. Even though he knows that by doing this, he will lose everything. After realizing he was played, Gordon confronts Bud in Central Park, and both physically and verbally assaults him. Gordon lets Bud know that he is still the most powerful man on Wall Street, and he is now relegated to nothing. Using Freuds psychoanalytical approach and the incorporation of which therapeutic approach should be employed in concern to the psychoanalysis of Gordon Gekko from the film Wall Street (Edwin Stone, 1987) will be twofold: 1) diagnosis, and 2) practical therapy. First, point out the evident faults; next, create a conscious awareness of these faults and determine a means by which to work around these obstacles. Dr. Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytical approach is fundamentally set around human behaviors and the unconscious. He believes humans are somehow driven by instincts and these all originate in the unconscious (Ridgeway, 2007). Based upon that, from A Glossary of Psychoanalytic Terms and Concepts (Moore, 1967), here are the three applications of Psychoanalysis: a method of investigation of the mind and the way one thinks; a systematized set of theories about human behavior; method of treatment of psychological or emotional illness. With this in mind, Gordon Gekko is now set to experience Dr. Sigmund Freuds psychoanalytical approach. From the following quote within the film a duality of psychoanalytical constituents becomes evident: In the last seven deals that Ive been involved with, there were 2.5 million stockholders who have made a pretax profit of 12 billion dollars. Thank you. I am not a destroyer of companies. I am a liberator of them! The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms: greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987) From the view of the capitalistic mindset, this quote brings two rather evident perspectives together: it takes that perspective of the individual, the independent laborer who must make the utmost priority in watching out for the I, and then straddles that thin line between the better benefit of the group. Humans are social; we only benefit optimally by working together; humans benefit only through interactions with other humans; humans need humans to build such fortresses and provide for those 2.5 million corporate stockholders, right along with all companies and businesses in general. However, Gekko solely advocates the view of the individual while complete disregard to that of any collaborative effort. This is a red-flag to signal psychological disorders. A corporation is a legal entity separate from the persons that form it. It is a legal entity owned by individual stockholders -Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987). Lets start with the most apparent, Antisocial Sociopath Disorder. This illustrates certainly no regard for the concerns of others; people with this affliction will do anything to acquire self-satisfaction and feelings of self-entitlement with no respect for how their actions affect any other person. An antisocial sociopath is utterly indifferent to others around him or her. This person operates under a regime totally unfamiliar to social behaviors, including lying, cheating, and stealing. The conduct of these people goes well beyond any social norm of acceptable behavior, and purely in order to get ahead. Personality disorders typically begin in childhood, and then progress over time into rigid personality traits, obstructing social abilities and acceptable functioning when relating to other people. However, everyone can un derstand and recognize selfish behaviors, even selfish behavioral patterns, but this does not indicate that a person is becoming, has become, or may become an antisocial sociopath; one with this disorder can identify symptoms from childhood. Surely Gordon Gekko carried this affliction from an extremely early age, too. Greed is good -Gordon Gekko, (Edwin Stone, 1987). Like a puppet, greed in this situation pulls the strings motivating Gordon Gekko to operate by this tunnel focus. Yes, this personality disorder is prevalent in what we commonly perceive as spiteful, calculative, and manipulative materialists. Another feature shared by Gekko, particularly the greedy antisocial sociopathic feature of this character, rests in his complete lack of self-identification; antisocial sociopaths bring a sense of self-denial of any of this self-absorption. As much a paradox that this seems, due to the self-sacrifice he perceives because of self-denial, Gekko is so consumed in the self that he executes all his decisions with a complete lack of self-identification. Again, the antisocial sociopath disorder is the most apparent disorder of this character. In detailing how Gordon Gekko portrays the Antisocial Sociopathic qualities, Dr. Robbins conveys these characteristics: Antisocial Personality Disorder: These people generally have no regard for the rights of others; they are exploitative, they see themselves as better or superior, and are very opportunistic. They are deceitful, steal from people around them, and often have trouble with the law. They frequently engage in fraudulent activities, make very good scam artists, and tend to be irritable and impulsive. They often come in as a savior for a church, for example, and end up stealing everything. They have no remorse. Conduct disorder as a child often morphs into antisocial personality disorder. Examples include the Mafia Dapper Don John Gotti, or Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. TV shows such as Dateline or 20/20 are replete with stories revolving around antisocial personality disorders (Robbins, 2005). Gekko also displays features of the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Understood and commonly underplayed as vanity or conceit, this personality disorder, dictates that the narcissist is right, while everyone else is wrong. If an object, ideal, occasion, etc., do not benefit the narcissist, then it is of no worth. We can all think of people who fit this ideal. We all bring these traits to the table, but the difference between a person with either of these clinical disorders and the rest of the normal crowd is that we identify these traits; any person with this clinical disorder cannot. In a nutshell, let us allow Dr. Lawrence Robbins to provide another bit of enlightenment: Narcissistic Personality Disorder: This is less common, and the people see themselves as being above others, they are grandiose, have a lack of empathy, and they feel self-important. There is a true sense of entitlement. They may be extremely vain and constantly require admiration. They are envious, arrogant, exp loitative, and can be very angry. Examples include General George Patton, Nicole Kidmans character in the movie To Die For, Michael Douglas character, Gordon Gekko, in the movie Wall Street, Kelsey Grammers character in Frazier, and the Chief of Medicine, Dr. Robert Romano on the TV show ER (Robbins, 2005). The applicable approach of Psychoanalytic therapy is to allow access to the unconscious. The treatment process can, at times, become blocked by the clients resistance (their unwillingness to provide information). Transference is a condition in which the client begins to consider their therapist in the same emotional way they would consider a person in their lives, such as a parent or sibling. Working with interpretation, resistance, and transference is sometimes called working through, a therapeutic technique in which the therapist helps the client better understand their conflicts and how to resolve them (Depression Guide, 2005). If Gordon Gekko had become a patient of Dr. Freuds I can only guess there would have been a considerable amount of time spent with free association in order to discuss child hood events, dreams or trauma that were repressed in the unconscious. Freud believed being greedy was natural, that we are born with it. He believed the unconscious was a place that consisted of unthinkable wishes and drives that needed to be socialized. Dr. Freud believed that we progressed through psychosexual stages as we grew from child to adult, and greed could be expressed in each of the stages. If you look at these stages it is easy to see where we could associate greed with each one. Oral greed could be in the form of a biting hunger-perhaps the kind that Gekko, who built his companys strategy around chewing up other companies, displayed. Gordon could have expressed anal greed either by keeping all of his money which he did in offshore bank accounts or by spending all of it on the finer things in life. Fi nally, Gordons business greed came from the ambition that characterizes phallic greed and was displayed by his desire to become the most powerful and wealthiest man on Wall Street.

Determination and Instinct in the Brothers Grimms Cinderella Essay

As children, most of our life lessons are acquired through the simplicity of fairy tales. Subliminal messages taught us to always believe in true love and in the eternal victory of good over evil. This is the case in the Brothers Grimm’s â€Å"Cinderella†, a popular fairy tale embodying a classic folk tale myth-element of unjust oppression followed by triumphant reward, where true love conquers all and eventually sets the world right. Cinderella is a fallen princess who finally meets with tough reality, bearing headstrong grit and perseverance. She proves that by entrusting one’s self and instincts, one can then achieve anything they put their minds to. She demonstrates such boldness when dealing with her step-family, sorting out the good lentils from the bad, and finally when making a sudden and unexpected appearance at the ball. At the very beginning of â€Å"Cinderella†, written by the Brothers Grimm, the narrator clearly states that the central character’s name is only descriptive instead of being a proper name. â€Å"And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella† (70). This allows us, the readers, to identify with the protagonist. Abandoned by her father and enslaved by her stepmother, Cinderella proves that kindness will get a person farther in life than hatred ever can. Cinderella manages to overcome her obstacles with the help of her animal friends. These creatures of nature surround Cinderella because she is kind and loving, while the only animal that would even approach the evil stepmother and stepdaughters was their angry spoiled cat. Nevertheless, Cinderella still deals with them with nothing but patience and virtue. She is always the better person and never stoops down to their level. ... ...balls, knowing that her step sisters were literally dying to be in her shoes. By keeping to herself and trusting her instincts, Cinderella winds up marrying the Prince and living happily ever after. Cinderella differs from other princesses in any other fairy tale. She can be portrayed as a heroine in the eyes of the young, as well as the old, which is what makes her such a great and unique character. Cinderella overcomes numerous barriers, never accepting defeat and is kind to all, even those who do not reciprocate her goodness. She deals with her evil stepmother and stepsisters in the best behaviour, and in the end, she is able to obtain what she had worked so hard to achieve. For all these reasons little girls as well as grown women alike can relate to Cinderella in their hardships and can draw power and trust in their own selves from her inspirational tale.

Carrie and Columbine: American Gothic :: essays research papers fc

Carrie, by Stephen King, and the Columbine High School Incident; looked at separately, they are to things that have nothing to do with each other. Carrie was Stephen King’s first major novel and a New York Times bestseller. Columbine was and incident in Colorado that happened in 1999, where two high school seniors orchestrated a bloody massacre at their high school. The two events occurred over twenty-five years apart, but when juxtaposed we can see many similarities between the book ant the incident, the fact that they are gothic in nature in particular. Gothic Literature is a literary style made popular during the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th . This style usually portrayed fantastic tales dealing with horror, despair, the grotesque and other "dark" subjects. Gothic literature was named for the apparent influence of the dark gothic architecture of the period on the genre. Also, many of these Gothic tales took places in such "gothic" surroundings, sometimes a dark and stormy castle as shown in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, or Bram Stoker's infamous Dracula. These stories were romances, due to their love of the imaginary over the logical. Gothic literature gave birth to many other forms, such as suspense, ghost stories, horror, mystery, and also detective stories. Gothic literature wasn't so different from other genres in form as it was in content and its focus on the "weird" aspects of life. This movement began to slowly open may people's eyes to the possible uses of the supern atural in literature. This brings us to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Here we see the emergence of writers such as Edgar Allen Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne. These writers used the gothic format in their writing but tweaked the traditional form to start a new style with an American twist, hence, â€Å"American Gothic†. These stories of darkness occur in a more everyday setting, such as the quaint house where the man goes mad from the "beating" of his guilt in Edgar Allan Poe's â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and the quaint little village in Shirley Jackson‘s â€Å"The Lottery†. The stories often involved farms and farmers and besides having a surprise twist at the end, usually some form of mass murder or death, they also used dark humor had and underlying theme, such as religion and social order. As we move even further down the timeline, we come across â€Å"new-age† gothic writers.

Causes of Stress Among Teachers

a) Generating ideas Excessive workload Causes of stress Inadequate Large class size salaries Societal factors Involuntary transfer b) Focusing c) Supporting Introduction Stress could simply be defined as an unpleasant emotion which arises when people worry that they could not cope with excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them such as anger or depression by a teacher usually accompanied by potentially pathogenic, physiological and biochemical changes resulting from aspects of the teacher’s job.Therefore, it is essential for both pre-service teachers and those already in the profession to identify the causes of stress. Large class size Generally, the most effective classrooms are those in which teachers can communicate and cope with each of the student to meet their needs, thus require full attention of the students. The task become difficult with the increase in size of the class because large class size provides fewer opportunities to interact individually with each student. Hence, the teacher feel less involved and less effective. Inadequate salariesInadequate salaries also one of the factor that face by many teachers and this has also causes stress among teachers. Most of the teachers complain of their low salaries. In addition, parents and society give a high expectations and invest them with an enormous degree of responsibility while politicians continually declare that our children are our nation’s future. In response to such statement, the teachers ask for their financial rewards that equate with such important task. Societal factors Generally, the teachers welcome parental environment in schools but majority of the parents are not supportive to teachers.Unsupportive parents come under two major varieties which are not involved and too involved. Parents whom not involved are those parents who are not available, incapable or uninterested in their children’s education and those who put the whole responsibility of ed ucating their children on teachers. Parents whom too involved are those parents who have decided that the real education is only possible if parents constantly monitor what occurs in the school. Conclusion It is generally accepted that stress is a multi-dimensional and multi-concept.Increasingly it has acquired a negative connotation, implying excessive demand or pressure. It is difficult to distinguish stress from its causes and effects. However, the teachers should fine an effective way to overcome their stress. d) Drafting Stress could simply be defined as an unpleasant emotion which arises when people worry that they could not cope with excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them such as anger or depression by a teacher usually accompanied by potentially pathogenic, physiological and biochemical changes resulting from aspects of the teacher’s job.Stress also has become an integral part of living. For some individuals it is the driving force behind succes sful undertakings and for others it is the cause of their failures. In this ever-changing and fast-paced society, career related stress has become a prevalent term in everyday language. Whether one is a novice or a seasoned veteran in profession, almost all individuals experienced stressful situations in their jobs. Recently, this condition has been more widely explored for a select group of professionals which are our nation’s teachers.Therefore, it is essential for both pre-service teachers and those already in the profession to identify the causes of stress. Generally, the most effective classrooms are those in which teachers can communicate and cope with each of the student to meet their needs, thus require full attention of the students. The task become difficult with the increase in size of the class because large class size provides fewer opportunities to interact individually with each student. Hence, the teacher feel less involved and less effective. Moreover, with t he increase in class size, the classroom management will become more difficult.The teacher might need to use higher voice tone while teaching and giving instructions to students. Furthermore, overcrowded classrooms will make the lesson uninteresting and the students will feel sleepy because the teacher cannot focus on every student while teaching, thus the student will not give full attention to the lesson and this factor will causes stress among teachers. Inadequate salaries also one of the factor that face by many teachers and this has also causes stress among teachers. Most of the teachers complain of their low salaries.Some of them compare their salaries with other professionals group and their work at school level with the teachers at college level. This situations become stressful for the teachers. However, to meet their expenditure they search for other ways. For example, they do a private tuition which is a good way but not the best one because it is not good for teachers to earn from their own school students. In addition, parents and society give a high expectations and invest them with an enormous degree of responsibility while politicians continually declare that our children are our nation’s future.In response to such statement, the teachers ask for their financial rewards that equate with such important task. This shows that inadequate salaries is one of the causes of stress among teachers. The school success is strongly influence by unconcerned parents, parents beliefs, an integral part of the educational process and parental support of children’s work. Generally, the teachers welcome parental environment in schools but majority of the parents are not supportive to teachers. Unsupportive parents come under two major varieties which are not involved and too involved.Parents whom not involved are those parents who are not available, incapable or uninterested in their children’s education and those who put the whole responsibil ity of educating their children on teachers. Parents whom too involved are those parents who have decided that the real education is only possible if parents constantly monitor what occurs in the school. Usually, this parents feel that their child is being overlooked by the teacher and that only constant pressure on their part will rectify the situations.Generally, parents are perceived by the teachers as either unhelpful, unavailable or intrusive although all parents are not of such kind. This societal factors is one of the causes of stress. It is generally accepted that stress is a multi-dimensional and multi-concept. Increasingly it has acquired a negative connotation, implying excessive demand or pressure. It is difficult to distinguish stress from its causes and effects. Large class size, inadequate salaries and societal factor are the causes of stress among teachers.However, the teachers should fine an effective way to overcome their stress such as take control of the situatio ns, figure out what is the most important and set priorities. By practicing these alternative they can reduce their stress and become more relevant in their work. (720 words) e) Revising Stress could simply be defined as an unpleasant emotion which arises when people worry that they could not cope with excessive pressures or other types of demand placed upon them such as anger or depression by a teacher usually accompanied by potentially pathogenic, physiological and biochemical changes resulting from aspects of the teacher’s job.Stress also has become an integral part of living. For some individuals it is the driving force behind successful undertakings and for others it is the cause of their failures. In this ever-changing and fast-paced society, career related stress has become a prevalent term in everyday language. Whether one is a novice or a seasoned veteran in profession, almost all individuals experienced stressful situations in their jobs. Recently, this condition ha s been more widely explored for a select group of professionals which are our nation’s teachers.Therefore, it is essential for both pre-service teachers and those already in the profession to identify the causes of stress. Generally, the most effective classrooms are those in which teachers can communicate and cope with each of the student to meet their needs, thus require full attention of the students. The task become difficult with the increase in size of the class because large class size provides fewer opportunities to interact individually with each student. Hence, the teacher feel less involved and less effective. Moreover, with the increase in class size, the classroom management will become more difficult.The teacher might need to use higher voice tone while teaching and giving instructions to students. Furthermore, overcrowded classrooms will make the lesson uninteresting and the students will feel sleepy because the teacher cannot focus on every student while teach ing, thus the student will not give full attention to the lesson and this factor will causes stress among teachers. Inadequate salaries also one of the factor that face by many teachers and this has also causes stress among teachers. Most of the teachers complain of their low salaries.Some of them compare their salaries with other professionals group and their work at school level with the teachers at college level. This situations become stressful for the teachers. However, to meet their expenditure they search for other ways. For example, they do a private tuition which is a good way. But not the best one because it is not good for teachers to earn from their own school students. In addition, parents and society give a high expectations and invest them with an enormous degree of responsibility while politicians continually declare that our children are our nation’s future.In response to such statement, the teachers ask for their financial rewards that equate with such impor tant task. This shows that inadequate salaries is one of the causes of stress among teachers. The school success is strongly influence by unconcerned parents, parents beliefs, an integral part of the educational process and parental support of children’s work. Generally, the teachers welcome parental environment in schools but majority of the parents are not supportive. to teachers. Unsupportive parents come under two major varieties which are not involved and too involved.Parents whom not involved are those parents who are not available, incapable or uninterested in their children’s education and those who put the whole responsibility of educating their children on teachers. Parents whom too involved are those parents who have decided that the real education is only possible if parents constantly monitor what occurs in the school. Usually, this parents feel that their child is being overlooked by the teacher and that only constant pressure on their part will rectify t he situations.Generally, parents are perceived by the teachers as either unhelpful, unavailable or intrusive although all parents are not of such kind. This societal factors is one of the causes of stress. It is generally accepted that stress is a multi-dimensional and multi-concept. Increasingly it has acquired a negative connotation, implying excessive demand or pressure. It is difficult to distinguish stress from its causes and effects. Large class size, inadequate salaries and societal factor are the causes of stress among teachers.However, the teachers should fine an effective way to overcome their stress such as take control of the situations, figure out what is the most important and set priorities. By practicing these alternative they can reduce their stress and become more relevant in their job. (718 words) f) Final Stress could simply be defined as an unpleasant emotion which arises when people worry that they could not cope with excessive pressures or other types of deman d placed upon them such as anger or depression by a teacher usually accompanied by potentially pathogenic, physiological and biochemical changes resulting from aspects of the teacher’s job.Stress also has become an integral part of living. For some individuals it is the driving force behind successful undertakings and for others it is the cause of their failures. In this ever-changing and fast-paced society, career related stress has become a prevalent term in everyday language. Whether one is a novice or a seasoned veteran in profession, almost all individuals experienced stressful situations in their jobs. Recently, this condition has been more widely explored for a select group of professionals which are our nation’s teachers.Therefore, it is essential for both pre-service teachers and those already in the profession to identify the causes of stress. Generally, the most effective classrooms are those in which teachers can communicate and cope with each of the studen t to meet their needs, thus require full attention of the students. The task become difficult with the increase in size of the class because large class size provides fewer opportunities to interact individually with each student. Hence, the teacher feel less involved and less effective.Moreover, with the increase in class size, the classroom management will become more difficult. The teacher might need to use higher voice tone while teaching and giving instructions to students. Furthermore, overcrowded classrooms will make the lesson uninteresting and the students will feel sleepy because the teacher cannot focus on every student while teaching, thus the student will not give full attention to the lesson and this factor will causes stress among teachers.Inadequate salaries also one of the factor that face by many teachers and this has also causes stress among teachers. Most of the teachers complain of their low salaries. Some of them compare their salaries with other professionals group and their work at school level with the teachers at college level. This situation become stressful for the teachers. However, to meet their expenditure they search for other ways. For example, they do a private tuition which is a good way. But not the best one because it is not good for teachers to earn from their own school students.In addition, parents and society give a high expectations and invest them with an enormous degree of responsibility while politicians continually declare that our children are our nation’s future. In response to such statement, the teachers ask for their financial rewards that equate with such important task. This shows that inadequate salaries is one of the causes of stress among teachers. The school success is strongly influence by unconcerned parents, parents beliefs, an integral part of the educational process and parental support of children’s work.Generally, the teachers welcome parental environment in schools but majority of t he parents are not supportive. Unsupportive parents come under two major varieties which are not involved and too involved. Parents whom not involved are those parents who are not available, incapable or uninterested in their children’s education and those who put the whole responsibility of educating their children on teachers. Parents whom too involved are those parents who have decided that the real education is only possible if parents constantly monitor what occurs in the school.Usually, this parents feel that their child is being overlooked by the teacher and that only constant pressure on their part will rectify the situations. Generally, parents are perceived by the teachers as either unhelpful, unavailable or intrusive although all parents are not of such kind. This societal factor is one of the causes of stress. It is generally accepted that stress is a multi-dimensional and multi-concept. Increasingly it has acquired a negative connotation, implying excessive deman d or pressure. It is difficult to distinguish stress from its causes and effects.Large class size, inadequate salaries and societal factor are the causes of stress among teachers. However, the teachers should fine an effective way to overcome their stress such as take control of the situations, figure out what is the most important and set priorities. By practicing these alternative they can reduce their stress and become more relevant in their job. (718 words) g) Reference 1. Retrieve 15th April 2013 from www. studygs. net 2. Retrieve 15th April 2013 from ukessays. com 3. Retrieve 15th April 2013 from www. jstor. org 4. Retrieve 15th April 2013 from www. netplaces. com

Repression in Russia in the period 1900-1929 Essay

Why did the rulers of Russia so often resort to repression in the period 1900-1929? Repression was used under both Nicholas 2 and the Bolsheviks to control the Russian population. The liberal methods employed preceding both governments (Alexander 2 and the Provisional Government respectively) failed completely and discouraged any other form of liberal or democratic controls. The strict extremist ideologies of both the Tsarist and Bolshevik regimes also necessitated violent repression to ensure total compliance. This was needed due to the major political upheavals taking place – the decline of Tsarism despite Nicholas’ determination to continue his autocratic rule and the rise of Bolshevism to replace it meant that both parties needed to take a very harsh line. This was exacerbated by the fact that neither party came to power with the ‘legitimate vote’ of the public and so faced strong opposition that they wished to eliminate. Conflict, in the form of Civil War and the Great War, was an apparent complication in both regimes. This caused additional economic disarray and social disruption, hindering the plans of the 2 major governments of this era. Consequently this encouraged the use of repression in an attempt to resurrect the country and increase their power. Further difficulties during this period were caused by Russia’s long term long problems, particularly the vast land area and a high percentage of distinct ethnic minorities causing a lack of cohesion and sense of national identity. Bad communications and retardation of industrialisation meant poor social conditions which led to vocal rebellious groups requiring violent put downs i.e. repression. Russia, at this time, appeared ungovernable without resorting to repression and dictation. Repression was seeded by the lack of an alternative available to Russian rulers at this time. The Bolsheviks were further discouraged from democracy by the failure of the Provincial Government after just 6 months in 1917. The refusal of this government to use repression was highlighted by some of the reforms they undertook – abolition of capital punishment and closure of the Okhrana (secret police) and the Cossacks. Lack of army support due to the Petrograd Soviet agreement made control harder as the problems left by the Tsar (economic collapse and rebellious minorities) could not be dealt with. The public began to realise that authority could be easily flouted without the threat of punishment. Consequently, Lenin realised that coercion was required to rule Russia and that repression through the Army could be achieved when his slogan ‘All power to the Soviet’ was realised. Alexander 2, grandfather to Nicholas 2, was seen as the ‘reforming Tsar’- mainly due to his emancipation of the serfs in 1861. He was assassinated by a party representing these very people at the 7th such attempt. Nicholas 2 realised (as the failure of the Provincial Government was to do for the Bolsheviks) that power was questioned when repression was not implemented. Although Lenin also used repression, the similarity in personalities between Nicholas 2 and Stalin meant that both used similar methods. Both were intensely paranoid about the public’s perception that they were weak. To disprove this, both resorted to violent repressive tactics. Repression under Lenin was more calculated – he talked of the ‘coercion’ needed for the ‘transition from capitalism to communism’. Both governments were autocratic and wished to impose extreme ideologies and therefore required total support which they believed was only achievable by quashing any opposition. Total control was to be achieved by the Tsar’s ‘divine right’ to have this and by the Bolshevik’s through their classless, one party state. This was shown when Lenin forcibly disbanded the constitution in 1918, because the Bolsheviks would not have had the majority vote they needed for the total control they sought. As a result Lenin became the leader of the only powerful party- the Communists. Later, Stalin increased his control through purges within his own government – ensuring his role as the absolute leader – reflecting the Tsar’s goal of omnipotence following the Fundamental Laws. The Tsar required repression of the peasantry (80% of the population) whereas the Bolshevik’s faced opposition from the middle and upper classes. Tsarism relied heavily on religion (the Russian Orthodox Church/ROC) to control the people whereas the Bolsheviks saw this as a threat. The ROC taught that the Tsar was ‘God on earth’ in an attempt to indoctrinate the peasantry to such an extent that they would do as he commanded. Important ministers were often associated with the Church e.g. Pobiedonotstev. After the downfall of Tsarism, Lenin proclaimed the Marxist theory that religion was ‘the opium of the people’ and proceeded to turn repression onto the church to rid Russia of this perceived powerful opponent to the communist system. Stalin continued the destruction of religion in Russia through the assassination of any cleric he felt had too much influence. The Tsar and the Bolsheviks both faced threatening opposition. The Tsar’s opponents ranged from the peasant-based Social Revolutionaries (who would later become the Bolsheviks opponents) to the Bolsheviks themselves – supported by the working class. The failure of the 1905 revolution after the intervention of the Okhrana and army showed that the Tsar could not have retained power without repression. The Okhrana were also used to rid Russia of revolutionaries – such as Lenin himself. The Bolsheviks shared the problems caused by the ethnic minorities and their wish for independence. However, The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk weakened this opposition for the Bolsheviks after it removed 25% of Russian land – mainly that housing the minorities. Both regimes faced a wide range of opposition, prompting repression to remove the greatest threats – such as the dissolution of the SR-dominated constitution in 1918. Lenin reduced the power of the elite by taking their property and institutions from them. Stalin continued and extended the use of repression – eliminating any minor threat, including members of the Communist Party in his ‘Great Purges’ Conflict encouraged the rulers during this period to resort to repression. The Tsar faced the Russo-Japanese war and the Great War during his reign. The Bolsheviks had to contend with a Civil War. In both cases, repression was used to evoke loyalty and force unification. The Cossacks and Ohkrana were fundamental to the suppression of objectors to the Tsar, as were the Bolshevik equivalents, the Cheka. The Cheka aided Bolshevik victory in the Civil War and were then used by Lenin to forcibly take grain for the soldiers under the Grain Requisition Act despite the distress caused to the peasants. The Tsar also used repression to keep Russia fighting in the Great War – including the silencing of anti-war parties and also opposition to the mandatory food rationing by a hungry people. Despite these efforts, war finally brought the downfall of Tsarism after mass desertion from the army effectively took away the last prop of the old regime. The Bolsheviks however, emerged successfully from the Civil War allowing them to consolidate their new-found power with the use of additional repression. Retarded Industrialisation was a long-term problem that is still felt by Russia today. The Tsar attempted to improve Russia’s industrial affluence whilst maintaining control by repressing the working classes to prevent them revolting. To do this, he banned trade unions and imprisoned the leaders. The Communists also attempted to improve Russia’s industrial situation- through the conversion from capitalism to communism. The Tsar sought support from other European countries whereas the Communists violently rejected this policy. This meant that the Communists required a greater level of forced labour (i.e. repression) in order to cope without this aid. Stalin hoped to develop Russia into a ‘superpower’ in his 5-year plans. This involved the use of the forced free labour of non-conformists who were imprisoned in labour camps. The Kulaks (wealthy peasants) were among those sent to such a camp. ‘Collectivisation’ was a re-introduction of the Grain Requisition and an attempt to revolutionise agriculture along Communist lines and resulted in starvation of the rural population. This repression of the peasantry was also evident in the Tsarist regime to prevent unrest. The long-term problems experienced by Russia at this time encouraged the use of repression as a means of control. The huge population spread over a vast land area meant that in addition to the communication problems caused by sheer size and the abundance of minority groups, it was impossible for any government to meet the demands made by all of the people. The Tsar attempted to deal with this through the enforcement of Russfication and sending the army to eliminate any protesters e.g. in Uzbekistan. The Bolsheviks also faced the minority opposition with violent repression – millions of Ukrainians were sent to forced labour camps by Stalin. Prejudice against ethnic groups was rife; anti-Semitism caused repression of Jews under both Tsarist and Bolshevic regimes. Although it can be said that the governments of Nicholas 2, Stalin and to a lesser extent Lenin were repressive by nature, the need for control via repression was inherent within the set up of Russia. Until the fall of communism in Russia in the late 20th century, it was clearly evident that the more lenient governments, such as that of Alexander 2 and Provisional Government were less successful than the more repressive ones although they were hardly given chance to do well, so quick were some to take their place at the first sign of weakness. This acted as an encouragement for the major governments between 1900-1929 to use the secret police, army and threat of imprisonment to deter opposition, repress the peasantry and enforce the ideologies of the government. Repression was imperative for both governments; the Tsarist to cling to power and the Communists to snatch it from them. Both had many unpopular economic, political and social reforms to pass. War highlighted the problems of the country and the presence of strong opposition against both governments. In the view of both it increased the need for repression to realign the economic and social structure. Under both regimes the cause and the effect of repression was the same; it resulted in the death or displacement of many. Unfortunately, it was just a prelude to the terror that was to be experienced during the ‘High-Stalinism’ of the 1930’s. During this decade, 7 million died, mostly after being sent to a labour camp for failing to conform to the Communist ideal of ‘collectivisation’.

Coyote Blue Chapter 10~11

CHAPTER 10 Over Easy, Politically Correct Santa Barbara Sam spent most of the night cleaning up the debris from Josh Spagnola's shooting exhibition. Exhausted from the overall strangeness of his day, he went to bed early, but lay awake until well after midnight, first worrying, then trying to understand what was happening to him, and finally fantasizing about the girl. Amid the misery he retained hope, although he could not logically figure out why. She was, after all, just a girl – the goofiest girl he had ever met. Still, the thought of seeing her again made him smile, and he was able to escape into dreamless sleep. When he awoke the next morning, the world seemed a much kinder place, as if during the night the calamities of the previous day had become distant and harmless. Order had returned. At one time he might have met such a day by looking to the rising sun and thanking the Great Spirit for returning his harmony with the world, as Pokey had taught him. He would have looked for rain clouds, felt the promise of the day's winds, smelled the dew and the sage, listened for the call of an eagle, the best of good-luck signs, and in that short time he would have confirmed that he and the world were of one spirit, balanced. Today he missed the rising sun by three hours. He met his day in the shower, washing his hair with shampoo that was guaranteed to have never been put in a bunny's eyes and from which ten percent of the profits went to save the whales. He lathered his face with shaving cream free of chlorofluorocarbons, thereby saving the ozone layer. He breakfasted on fertile eggs laid by sexually satisfied chickens that were allowed to range while listening to Brahms, and muffins made with pesticide-free grain, so no eagle-egg shells were weakened by his thoughtless consumption. He scrambled the eggs in margarine free of tropical oils, thus preserving the rain forest, and he added milk from a carton made of recycled paper and shipped from a small family farm. By the time he finished his second cup of coffee, which would presumably help to educate the children of a poor peasant farmer named Juan Valdez, Sam was on the verge of congratulating himself for single-handedly saving the planet just by getti ng up in the morning. He would have been surprised, however, if someone had told him that it had been two years since he had set foot on unpaved ground. He was writing a note to himself to put a new subliminal message on his computer, SAVE THE WORLD, BUY THIS POLICY, when Josh Spagnola called. â€Å"Sam, did you hear what happened at the association meeting last night?† â€Å"No, Josh, I've been cleaning up my place.† â€Å"The place, Sam. I think this will be an easier transition if you start referring to it as the place.† â€Å"You mean they voted to buy me out? Without even asking me? I can't believe it.† â€Å"I was actually very surprised myself. People seem to dislike you in the extreme, Sam. I think the dog was just their excuse for a general fuck-over.† â€Å"You told them it wasn't my dog, didn't you?† â€Å"I told them, but it didn't matter. They hate you, Sam. The doctors and lawyers hate you because you make enough money to live here. The married guys hate you because you're single. The married women hate you because you remind their husbands that they aren't single. The old people hate you because you're young, and the rest just hate you because you aren't Japanese. Oh, yeah, one bald guy hates you because you have hair. For a guy that maintains a low profile, you've built quite a little snowball of resentment.† Sam had never given his neighbors a second thought, never even spoken to most of them, so now the realization that they hated him enough to take away his home was a shock. â€Å"I've never done anything to hurt anybody in this complex.† â€Å"I wouldn't take it personally, Sam. Nothing brings people together like hate for profit. You didn't have a chance against the clay tennis courts.† â€Å"What does that mean? We don't have clay tennis courts.† â€Å"No, but when they buy your townhouse for what you paid for it, then sell it to someone more suitable at the market rate, the association will have enough profit to build clay tennis courts. We'll be the only complex in Santa Barbara with clay courts. Should raise the value of the property at least ten percent. Sorry, Sam.† â€Å"Isn't there anything I can do? Can't I bring legal action or something?† â€Å"This isn't an official call, Sam. I am calling as your friend and not on behalf of the association, so let me give you my best advice on taking legal action: it's suicide. Half the guys that voted you out are lawyers. In six months you'd be broke and they'd be drinking your blood over backgammon. The time for legal advice was eight years ago when you signed that agreement.† â€Å"Great. Where were you then?† â€Å"I was stealing your Rolex.† â€Å"You stole my Rolex? That was you? My gold Rolex? You dick!† â€Å"I didn't know you then, Sam. It was a professional thing. Besides, the statute of limitations has run out. It's time to forgive and forget.† â€Å"Fuck you, Josh. You'll get a bill for the damage you caused.† â€Å"Sam, do you know how concerned I am about your bill? I don't give a decaying damn, I don't-â€Å" Sam hung up on the security guard. The phone immediately rang and Sam stared at it for a minute. Should he let Josh get the satisfaction of the last word? He looked at the shattered remains of his television, picked up the phone, and shouted, â€Å"Look, you wormy little fuck, you're lucky I don't come down there and pop your head like a pimple!† â€Å"Sam, this is Julia, down at the office. I have Aaron on the line for you.† â€Å"Sorry, Julia, I was expecting someone else. Hang on a second.† He sat down on the couch and held the receiver to his chest while he tried to regain his composure. Too much change, too fast. He couldn't let Aaron catch him with his guard down. His good friend Aaron, his partner, his mentor. And Josh Spagnola was supposed to be his friend, too. What was the deal with Josh? He'd turned on Sam overnight. Why? Sam lit a cigarette and took a long drag, then blew the smoke out in a slow stream before speaking into the phone. â€Å"Julia, you caught me in the shower. Tell Aaron I'll be in the office in an hour. We'll talk then.† He hung up before she could respond. He dialed the number of the Cliffs' security office. Josh Spagnola answered. â€Å"Josh, this is Sam Hunter.† â€Å"Very rude, Sam. Hanging up when I am telling you how little I care is very rude.† â€Å"That's why I'm calling, Josh. I've heard your little speeches before. I want to know what you've got on me.† â€Å"Then you haven't seen the paper this morning?† â€Å"I told you before, I've been patching holes all fucking morning. What goes?† â€Å"Seems that Jim Cable, the diving mogul, was attacked by an Indian outside of his office and had a heart attack. They said he had just finished an appointment with an insurance agent.† â€Å"So, what's your point, Josh?† â€Å"The point is, Sam, that after I ran out of your place yesterday, I went through the apartment next door and ran out on the deck. I thought I could come in from behind the dog and get a shot at it. But when I got there I saw an Indian vaulting over the rail of your deck. The Indian was wearing black, just like the one they described in the paper. Interesting coincidence, huh?† Sam didn't know what to say. Spagnola had half the complex under his thumb for one reason or another, but Sam didn't know how the burglar used his information other than as a license to be rude. Sam didn't want to bring up blackmail when Spagnola might just be in this to watch him squirm. Sam had watched a thousand clients squirm under his own manipulation, but he wasn't sure how to go about it himself. He decided to take a direct approach. â€Å"Okay, Josh,† he said. â€Å"I'm squirming. Now what?† â€Å"Sammy, I love you, kid. You and I are like peas in a pod. You, me, and that Aaron guy at your office.† â€Å"You know Aaron?† â€Å"Just spoke to him this morning when I called your office. Your secretary said that you were no longer with the firm and Mr. Aaron was taking all your calls from now on. Aaron and I had a long talk.† â€Å"Did you tell him about the Indian?† â€Å"No, he told me. Strange thing, Sam, he seems to want you out of the business pretty badly, but not just for the profit. I think he's afraid of the attention you're going to get if it turns out that you're associated with the Indian who attacked Cable. Who do you think has more to lose: you or Aaron?† â€Å"Neither of us is losing anything, Josh. This whole thing is a mistake. I don't care what you saw, I don't know anything about any Indian, and I resent the veiled threat.† â€Å"No threat, Sam. Just information. It's the cleanest commodity, you know? No fingerprints, no fibers, no serial numbers. It's kind of ethereal – religious in a way. People will pay for something that they can't smell, or taste, or touch. It's fucking glorious, isn't it? I should have been a spy.† Sam listened to Spagnola sigh, then to the breathing over the line. Here it was again, the standoff. How many times had he backed down over the years? How many times had fear of discovery caused him to lie low and play the role of the victim? Too damn many. He always seemed to be running from the past and avoiding the future, but the future came anyway. Very softly, barely speaking over a whisper, Sam said, â€Å"Josh, before you become too enraptured, remember the information you don't have.† â€Å"What's that, old buddy?† â€Å"You have no idea who I am or what I'm capable of.† There was a silence on the line, as if Spagnola was considering what Sam had said. â€Å"Good-bye, Josh,† Sam whispered. He hung up the phone, grabbed his car keys, and headed out the door to the Mercedes. As he disarmed the alarm and climbed in the car he realized that he also had no idea who he was or what he was capable of, and for the first time in his life it didn't frighten him. In fact, it felt good. Coyote Gets His Powers One day, a long time ago, before there were any men or televisions, and only animal people walked the Earth, Great Spirit, the first worker, decided that he would give everyone a new name. He told the animal people to come to his lodge at sunrise and he would give each one a new name with all the powers that went with it. â€Å"To be fair,† Great Spirit said, â€Å"names will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.† The Earth was a pretty fair place in those days as long as you showed up on time. Coyote had a problem with this method, however. He liked to sleep until lunchtime and lie around thinking up tricks until late afternoon, so getting up at sunrise was a problem, but he really wanted to get a good name. â€Å"Eagle would be good,† he thought. â€Å"I would be swift and strong. Or if I take the name of Bear I will never be defeated by my enemies. Yep, I got to get me a good name even if I have to stay up all night.† When the sun went down Coyote looked all over for a good espresso bar, but even in those days they were full of pretentious pseudointellectual animal people who sat around in open-toed moccasins and whined about how unfair the world was, which it wasn't. â€Å"I don't have the stomach for that,† said Coyote. â€Å"I think I'll just score some magic wake-up powder and stay wired that way.† Coyote went to see Raven. It was well known among the animal people that Raven had a connection with a green bird from South America and was always good for some wake-up powder. â€Å"I'm sorry Coyote, my friend, but I cannot extend you any credit. I'll need three prairie dogs, up front, if you want the product. And remember, I like my prairie dogs squashed real flat.† Raven was a greasy little prick who thought he was cool because he wore sunglasses all the time, even at night. Who was he to act so high and mighty? Coyote was insulted. â€Å"Look, man, I'll have a new name tomorrow. I'm going to go for Eagle. Just advance me the gram now and I'll give you six prairie dogs in the morning.† Raven shook his head. Coyote slunk away. â€Å"I can stay awake without magic,† Coyote said. â€Å"I just have to concentrate.† Coyote tried to stay awake, but by the time the moon was high in the sky he started to doze off. â€Å"This isn't working,† he said. â€Å"I can't keep my eyes open.† Talking to himself often gave Coyote ideas, which was a good thing, because hardly anyone else would talk to him. He broke a couple of thorns from a cactus and used them to prop his eyes open. â€Å"I'm a genius,† he said. Then he fell asleep anyway. When Coyote finally awoke the sun was directly overhead. He rushed to Great Spirit's lodge and burst through the door flap. â€Å"Eagle! I want Eagle,† he said. His eyes were dry and cracked from being propped open and his fur was matted with blood where the thorns had pierced his eyelids. â€Å"Eagle was the first to go,† Great Spirit said. â€Å"What happened to you? You look like hammered shit.† â€Å"Bad night,† Coyote said. â€Å"What's left? Bear? Bear would be good.† â€Å"There's only one name left,† Great Spirit said. â€Å"Nobody wanted it.† â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Coyote.† â€Å"You're shitting me.† â€Å"Great Spirit is not a shitter.† Coyote ran outside where the other animal people were laughing and talking about their new names and powers. He tried to get them to trade names, but even Dung Beetle told him to get lost. Great Spirit watched Coyote from his lodge and felt sorry for him. â€Å"Come here, kid,† Great Spirit said. â€Å"Look, you're stuck with a lousy name, but maybe I can make up for it. You have to keep the name, but from now on you are Chief of the Without Fires. And from now on you can take on any shape that you choose and wear it as long as you wish.† Coyote thought about it for a minute. It was a pretty good gift; maybe he should work this pity angle more often. â€Å"So that means that everyone has to do what I say?† â€Å"Sometimes,† Great Spirit said. â€Å"Sometimes?† Coyote asked. Great Spirit nodded and Coyote figured he'd better leave before Great Spirit changed his mind. â€Å"Thanks, G.S., I'm outta here. Got to see someone about some sunglasses.† Coyote loped off. CHAPTER 11 The God, the Bad, and the Ugly Santa Barbara During the short drive to his office Sam decided that if Gabriella gave him the least little bit of shit he would fire her on the spot. If his life was going to fall apart before his eyes there was no reason to suffer the slings and arrows of ungrateful employees. There were also twenty younger agents who worked under him, and as long as he held partnership in the agency he held the power to hire and fire. Let one of them mouth off, he thought. Let one of them look sideways at me and they're going to be a distant memory, taillights on the horizon, gone, out, shit-canned, pink-slipped, instantly unemployed. He walked into his office with his temper locked, loaded, and ready to fire, but was immediately disarmed when he saw Gabriella tilted back in her chair, skirt thrown up around her waist, her legs spread wide and high heels alternately pumping in the air and digging into the back of the naked Indian, who was on his knees in front of her, wheeling her chair back and forth, thrusting into her with greedy abandon and yipping with each stroke as counterpoint to the monkey noises that escaped Gabriella in rhythmic bursts. â€Å"Hey!† Sam shouted. Gabriella looked over the Indian's shoulder at Sam and held one finger in the air as if marking a point, then pointed to the message pad on the desk. â€Å"One call,† she gasped. The Indian pulled her to him in a particularly violent thrust and Gabriella grabbed his shoulder with both hands, popping her press-on nails off and across the room like tiddlywinks. Sam shook off his shock, ran forward, and caught the Indian around the neck in a choke hold. The Indian pumped wildly in the air as Sam dragged him off Gabriella and across the outer office. He fell over backward into his office with the Indian still squirming in his grasp and it occurred to him that unless things turned quickly to his advantage he was in serious danger of being humped. He rolled the Indian over on the carpet and pinned him, facedown, while he looked around for a weapon. The only thing in reach was the big multi-line phone on his desk. Sam released the choke hold and lunged for the phone, catching it by the cord. He swung around with it just in time to hit the Indian in the face as he was rising to his hands and knees. The phone exploded into a spray of electronic shrapnel and the Indian fell forward onto his face, unconscious but twitching against the carpet in petit-mal afterhumps. Sam looked at the broom of colored wires at the end of the cord where the phone used to be, then dropped it and staggered to his feet. Gabriella was standing by the door, smoothing her skirt down. Her lipstick was smeared across her face and her hair was spiked into a fright wig of hair spray and sweat. She started to speak, then noticed that one of her breasts was still peeking out of her dress. â€Å"Excuse me.† She turned and tucked herself in, then turned back to Sam. â€Å"I'll hold your calls,† she said officiously, then she pulled the door closed, leaving Sam alone in the office with the unconscious, naked Indian. â€Å"You're fired,† Sam whispered to the closed door. He looked down at the Indian and saw a bloodstain spreading around his head on the carpet. He didn't seem to be breathing. Sam fell to his knees and felt the Indian's neck for a pulse. Nothing. â€Å"Fuck, not again!† Sam paced around the desk four times before he fell back in his leather executive chair and clamped his hands on his temples as if trying to squeeze out a solution. Instead he thought of police and prison and felt hope running through his fingers like liquid light, leaving him dark with despair. A growling noise from the floor. Sam looked over the desk to see the body of the Indian moving. He started to breathe a sigh of relief when he realized that the body wasn't moving at all, it was changing. His eyes went wide with terror as the arms and legs shortened and grew fur, the face grew into a whiskered muzzle, and the spinal column lengthened and grew into a bushy tail. Before Sam could catch his breath again he was looking at the body of a huge black coyote. The coyote got to its feet and shook its head as if clearing its ears of water, then it leapt on the desk and growled at Sam, who rolled his chair back until it hit the wall behind his desk. Sam pushed himself up by the chair arms until he was almost standing against the wall, desperately trying to put even a millimeter more between himself and the snarling muzzle of the coyote. The coyote crawled forward on the desk until its face was only inches from Sam's. Sam could feel the coyote's moist breath on his face. It smelled of something familiar, something burnt. He wanted to turn his head away and close his eyes until the horror went away, but his gaze remained locked on the coyote's golden eyes. He wanted to scream but there was no breath for it and he found his jaw was moving but no sound was coming out. The coyote backed away and sat on the desk, then raised its lowered ears and tilted its head to the side as if perplexed. Sam felt himself take a breath and the strange urge to say â€Å"Good doggie† came over him, but he remained rigid and quiet. The coyote began to shake and Sam thought it would attack, but instead it threw back its head as if to howl. The skin on the coyote's neck began to undulate and surge and took on the shape of a human face. The fur receded from the face, then away from the front legs, which became arms, then down the back legs, which lengthened into crouching human legs. As the fur peeled it lost its black color, turning the burnt tan of a normal coyote. It was as if a human was literally crawling out of a cocoon of coyote skin, the black color becoming black buckskins trimmed with red feathers. A minute passed in what seemed a year as the transformation took place. When it was finished the Indian was crouched on Sam's desk wearing a coyote-skin headd ress that had once been his own skin. â€Å"Fuck,† Sam said, falling back into the chair, his eyes trained now on the golden eyes of the Indian. â€Å"Woof,† the Indian said with a grin. Sam shook his head, trying to get the image to go away. His mind was still rattling around in chaos trying to put this into some sort of meaningful context, but all he could do was wish that he would pass out and that his kneecaps would stop jumping with adrenaline. â€Å"Woof,† the Indian repeated. He jumped from the desk, adjusted the headdress that moments ago had been his skin, then sat in the chair opposite Sam. â€Å"Got a smoke?† he said. Sam felt his mind lock on to the request. Yes, he understood that. Yes, he could do that. A smoke. He reached into his shirt pocket for his cigarettes and lighter and fumbled them out, lost his grip, and sent them skittering across the desk. He was scrambling for them when the Indian reached out and patted his hand. Sam screamed, the high-pitched wail of a little girl, and jumped back into his chair, which rolled back until his head snapped against the wall. The Indian turned his head to the side quizzically, the same way the coyote had, then took the cigarettes from the desk and lit two with the lighter. He held one out to Sam, who remained pushed back in the chair. The Indian nodded for Sam to take the cigarette, then waited while Sam inched forward, snatched it out of his hand, and quickly retreated to his position by the back wall. The Indian took a deep drag on the cigarette, then turned his head and blew the smoke out in rings that crept across the desk like ghosts. Sam had curled into the fetal position in his chair and looked up only to cast a sideways glance at the Indian when he took a drag from his own cigarette. It occurred to him that he should feel silly, but he didn't. He was still too frightened to feel silly. When his cigarette was half gone he started to calm down. His fear was draining away, being replaced with indignant anger. The Indian sat calmly, smoking and looking around the office. Sam put his feet on the floor, scooted the chair back under the desk, and set what he hoped was a hard gaze on the Indian. â€Å"Who are you?† he asked. The Indian smiled and his eyes lit up like an excited child's. â€Å"I am the stink in your shoe, the buzz in your ear, the wind through the trees. I am the-â€Å" â€Å"Who are you?† Sam interrupted. â€Å"What is your name?† The Indian continued to grin while smoke trickled between his teeth. He said, â€Å"The Cheyenne call me Wihio, the Sioux, Iktome. The Blackfeet call me Napi Old Man. The Cree call me Saultaux, the Micmac, Glooscap. I am the Great Hare on the East Coast and Raven on the West. You know me, Samson Hunts Alone, I am your spirit helper.† Sam gulped. â€Å"Coyote?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"You're a myth.† â€Å"A legend,† the Indian said. â€Å"You are just a bunch of stories to teach children.† â€Å"True stories.† â€Å"No, just stories. Old Man Coyote is just a fairy tale.† â€Å"Should I change shapes again? You liked that.† â€Å"No! No, don't do that.† Sam had guessed the Indian's identity the day before when he'd opened the medicine bundle, but he had hoped it would all go away and he would find himself the victim of a childhood superstition. Religion was supposed to be a matter of faith. Gods were not supposed to jump on your desk and snarl at you. They weren't supposed to sit in your office smoking cigarettes. Gods didn't do anything. They were supposed to ignore you and let you suffer and die having never known whether your religion was a waste of time. Faith. Sure, the gods were a badly behaving lot in stories – jealous, impatient, selfish, vengeful, smiting whole races of people, raping virgins, sending plagues and pestilence – and even as gods went, Coyote was a particularly bad example, but they were supposed to stay in the damn stories, not show up and hump your homely secretary until she made monkey noises. â€Å"What are you doing here?† Sam asked. â€Å"I'm here to help you.† â€Å"Help? You ruined my business and got me kicked out of my home.† â€Å"You wanted to scare the diver so I scared him. You wanted the girl so I gave her to you.† â€Å"Well what about all the cats at my condo complex? What about my secretary? How did that help me?† â€Å"If I was not meant to have ugly women and cats they would not be so easy to catch.† It was the kind of backward, perverse logic that had irritated Sam as a child. Pokey Medicine Wing had been a master at it. It seemed to Sam at times as if the entire Crow Nation was trying to define a silicon-chip world with a Stone Age worldview. Sam thought he had escaped it. â€Å"Why me? Why not someone who believes?† â€Å"This is more fun.† Sam resisted the urge to leap over the desk and choke the Indian. It was still â€Å"the Indian† in his head. He hadn't yet accepted that he was talking to Coyote, Chief of the Without Fires. Even with the overwhelming evidence of the supernatural, he searched for a natural explanation for what was happening. A lifetime of disbelief is not easily shed. He tried to find some parallel experience that would put things in order, something he'd read or seen on PBS. Nothing was forthcoming, so he speculated. How would Aaron react if faced with this situation? Aaron didn't acknowledge his Irish heritage any more than Sam admitted his own Crow roots. What if a leprechaun suddenly appeared on Aaron's desk? He'd affect a brogue and try to talk the little fucker into putting his pot o' gold into tax-deferred annuities. No, Aaron was not the person to think of in a spiritual emergency. Coyote smiled as if he had read Sam's thoughts. â€Å"What do you want, Samson Hunts Alone?† Sam didn't even hesitate to think. â€Å"I want my old life back to the way it was before you fucked it up.† â€Å"Why?† Now Sam was forced to think. Why indeed? Every time Sam hired a new agent he glorified his and Aaron's lifestyles. He would take a bright, hungry young man for a ride in the Mercedes, buy him lunch at the Biltmore or another of Santa Barbara's finer restaurants, flash cash and gold cards and expensive suits – plant the seed of greed, as Aaron called it – then give the kid a means to pursue his germinating dream of material bliss while Sam collected ten percent on everything he sold. It was part of the show, one of the many roles he played, and the car, the clothes, the condo, and the clout were merely props. Without the props the show could not go on. â€Å"Why do you want your life back?† Coyote asked, as if Sam had forgotten the question. â€Å"It's safe,† Sam blurted out. â€Å"So safe,† Coyote said, â€Å"that you can lose it in a day? To be safe is to be afraid. Is that what you want: to be afraid?† â€Å"I'm not afraid.† â€Å"Then why do you lie? You want the girl.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I will help you get her.† â€Å"I don't need your help. I need you gone.† â€Å"I am very good with women.† â€Å"Like you're good with cats and couches?† â€Å"Great heroes have great horniness. You should feel what it is like to pleasure a falcon. You lock talons with her in the sky and do it while you both are falling like meteors. You would like it; they never complain if you come too fast.† â€Å"Get out of here.† â€Å"I will go, but I will be with you.† Coyote rose and walked to the door. As he opened it he said, â€Å"Don't be afraid.† He stepped out of his office and closed the door. Suddenly, Sam leapt to his feet and headed after him. â€Å"Stay off my secretary!† he shouted. He ripped open the door and looked into the outer office where Gabriella, her composure regained, was typing up a claim form. Coyote was gone. Gabriella looked up and raised a disapproving eyebrow. â€Å"Is there a problem, Mr. Hunter?† â€Å"No,† Sam said. â€Å"No problem.† â€Å"You sounded frightened.† â€Å"I'm not frightened, goddammit!† Sam slammed the door and went to the desk for a cigarette. His cigarettes and lighter were gone. He stood there for a moment, feeling a flush of anger rise in him until he thought he would scream, then he fell back into his chair and smiled as he remembered something Pokey Medicine Wing had once told him: â€Å"Anger is the spirits telling you that you are alive.†