Understanding The House Made of Dawn by Scott Momaday Essay -- House M

Understanding The House Made of Dawn by Scott Momaday      Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1969, N. Scott Momaday became the first Native American to win the Pulitzer Prize in the area of Letters, Drama, and Music for best Fiction.   As Schubnell relates in N. Scott Momaday: The Cultural and Literary Background, Momaday initially could not believe that he had won a prize for a work that began as a poem (93).   Schubnell cites one juror who explains his reasoning for selecting House Made of Dawn as being the work's 'eloquence and intensity of feeling, its freshness of vision and subject, [and] its immediacy of theme' (93).   For these reasons and many more, House Made of Dawn hailed the arrival on the American literary scene of a "matured, sophisticated literary artist from the original Americans" (Schubnell, 93).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many elements influencing and incorporated into House Made of Dawn that the reader will better appreciate by gaining an understanding of their history or significance in Native tradition. Louis Owens's suggests in his work Mixedblood Messages that "before discussing any aspect of Native American literature, it is important to know what literature we are talking about" (15).   Thus, before one evaluates or analyzes House Made of Dawn any further, one should attain knowledge of the author and culture.   Also, it will be prudent for the reader to have background knowledge of such elements as stories and running.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Momaday's life greatly affects aspects of House Made of Dawn.   Navarro Scotte Mammedaty, a mixedblood of Kiowa and Cherokee descent, (as well as European ancestry on his mother's side) was born on February 27, 1934.   Numerous scholars and critics note that from the beginni... ...seems the more one knows, about Momaday, the Kiowa, the Navajo, and people of Jemez, among other things, the more one grasps the full meaning of House Made of Dawn.   It is a work full of possibility and revelations. Works Cited: Momaday, N. Scott. House Made of Dawn. Harper & Row: New York, 1968. The Man Made of Words. St. Martin's Press: New York, 1997. Nabokov, Peter. Indian Running: Native American History and Tradition.   Ancient City Press: Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1981. Owens, Louis. Mixedblood Messages: Literature, Film, Family, Place. University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1998 Owens, Louis.   Other Destinies: Understanding the American Indian Novel. University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1992,1994 Schubnell, Mattias.   N. Scott Momaday, the Cultural and Literary Background.   University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1985

Problems with Immigration Essay -- Cons of Illegal Immigration, Immigr

Problems with Immigration The question is have we given up on turning our immigrants into Americans (Brimelow 30). Undoubtedly, all the hipped-up controversial rhetoric will deter the immigrant population from becoming legal. It has become such a hassle to go through the process that many people choose to cross the border without permission. Before 1960, eighty percent of the immigration to America came from Europe. Since 1960, however, eighty percent has come from places other than Europe (Wishard 153). As a result, immigrant laws have become less accepting of the immigrant community. Long ago, European immigrants were given a job, shelter, and food. Soon, the new immigrants were granted citizenship and voting privileges (Hernandez A1). Today, immigrants are lucky to cross the boarder without being shot--God forbid they become citizens. Contrary to what many believe, many immigrants are not here to become citizens. Many wish to stay for a short time and then return to their home. In fact, many immigrants are reluctant to become legal. Many harbor hopes and dreams of eventually returning to their friends and family back home. Then there are the distinct few who do not wish to decide, and would like have "dual citizenship." To be loyal to more than one country, to vote in both countries, and to travel back and forth easily (Limon). To understand the affects of immigration one must study the state where it is more rampant. California is a magnet for immigrants. As a result, many claim that immigrants are a great economic burden. California does, however, benefit from its porous borders. The succession of immigrant groups has brought the state unparalleled ethnic diversity (Gerston 9). Besides ethnic diversity, California has one of the most diverse economies in the world. Despite its problems, California prevails in agriculture, mining, manufacture, transportation, communication, electronics, construction, and defense. These industries contain a high percentage of immigrants. If California were an independent nation, with a 695.3 billion dollar economy, it would rank eighth in the world (Gerston 8). California's dense population is a direct result of immigration, which accounts for California's great political and economic strength. The unregulated movement of goods, services, and people throughout the states is what ... ... to Raise Fees for Illegal Immigrants." L.A. Times 2 Apr. 1995: A3. Christopher, Warren. "NAFTA: In the overriding interest of the United States." Dispatch 15 Nov. 1993: 785. Fragomen, Austin T. Jr. The Illegal Alien: Criminal or Economic Refugee? Staten Island: Center for Migration Studies, 1973. Gerston, Larry and Terry Christensen. California Politics and Government: A Practical Approach. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1993. Gore, Albert Jr. "North American Free Trade Agreement." C-SPAN. 15 Dec. 1993. Hernandez, Efrain Jr. and Simon, Richard. "Despite Gains, Latino Voters Still Lack Clout." L.A. Times 4 Dec 1994: A1. Limbaugh, Rush. "Open-Line Friday." KFI, Los Angeles. 7 Apr. 1995. Limon, Emiliano. "I want dual citizenship." KFI, Los Angeles. 28 Apr. 1995. McDonnel, Patrick J. "For Them, Prop. 187 is Just the Beginning." L.A. Times 28 Jan. 1995: A1. Olmo, Frank. "Perspective on Immigration; Open the Door to Mexicans." L.A. Times 31 Jan. 1995: B7. Wishard, Van Dusen. "The Wider Vision Seeks to Inspire the Best in People." Vital Speeches 6 (1994): 153. Woo, Elaine. "Immigrants do Well in School, Study Finds." L.A. Times 3 Apr. 1995: A1.

The Book: Boofheads

Essay on Boofheads by Mo Johnson. The book Boofheads is a story based on prejudice. Prejudice is here in every day society. This book was written by Mo Johnson for teenagers that have the same problem. The problem is sexism. The prejudice in the book is sexism and how it can affect people in such ways that they have to give up one of the most important things in life. With the three seventeen year old boys Ed, Steve and Tom sexism is a big problem. In the book Boofheads by Mo Johnson sexism is a problem between young boys and girls. The ‘girl’ saying about girls being smart and boys being dumb. This was a clear demonstration of prejudice in Boofheads. In chapter three the three best-friends Ed, Steve and Tom were all in English class. Their teacher had asked Tom a question about the book ‘Pride and Prejudice’ which the class had been given to read for homework. One of the girls in the class named Amy Jones had spoke up before Tom could start to answer his question. Amy then answered the question correctly and turned to Tom and Steven to comment on how ‘dumb’ they were. Her arguments aim was to prove that girls were clearly smarter than boys and that they were not able to produce a â€Å"single word of half decent English,† Amy had commented. This example explains why this passage from the book has the prejudice of sexism. Boofheads by Mo Johnson has a main story line on three teenage boys pretending to be a 36 year old lady in order to have a column in a teenage girl’s magazine. The three boys Ed, Steve and Tom have had the opportunity to prove themselves right to all the sexist girls in their school. They are going to become a fake lady so that they can answer teenage girls’ problems in Tom’s mother’s magazine. Each month they get an email from Toms mum with problems from girls around the state. They come up with solutions to the problem and send an email back to Toms mum with the answers. They only do this to prove that boys can produce a ‘single word of half decent English’. The girls in the boys’ school are adamant that the boys are dumb and these three boys want to prove that they are not. In Boofheads the seventeen year old boy named Tom has a mother that is a fussy magazine editor. One of the best in the country. She has a messy office and never relies on Tom’s advice. Tom is always giving his mother advice on the look of the magazine, contrasting colours and some fashion ideas. He is usually right as his mother gets the same criticism from her boss. She never even realises that Tom gave the same advice to her rior to her changes. She does not believe that a male has any brain for a magazine and they need to stick to the things that men are supposed to do. Tom could be right on the spelling of a word and she would still not believe him. This shows that women of an older age are still sexist to males when it comes to how smart they really are. In conclusion the book Boofheads by Mo Johnson was a book about sexism. It was mainly based on sexism on males by females. This is why Boofheads is a book about prejudice.

The Power of One Character Analysis

The close of the school year returns our hero to his beloved Nanny who listens to his tale of torture and who introduces the first flavor of Africa to the western reader; she summons the great Inkosi-Inkosikazi, a medicine man who will cure the boy of the â€Å"night water. † Nanny tells the boy's story with all the eloquence of the great storytellers while Inkosi-Inkosikazi and the others listen. Even our hero is in awe: â€Å"I can tell you one thing, I was mighty impressed that any person, most of all me, could go through such a harrowing experience. 6 All is set for the night; the chickens have been put through their magic, our hero has had his sweet potato, and it is time for him to meet Inkosi-Inkosikazi in his dreams. When this happens, our hero is shown a quiet place to which he can return in times of trouble. He does this later in the book when he feels a crisis. In the morning, the night water problem has been solved and Inkosi-Inkosikazi presents the boy with the s crawniest of the chickens. He is named Granpa Chook. This chapter is significant for several reasons. As an introduction to the bildungsroman style, our hero is situated in a time and a place.His early tribulations are addressed and he is given weapons to deal with them. His ability to think things over is revealed, and the chapter ends with one hurdle overcome and the boy set to begin another year at boarding school. This time, though, he has the magic of Inkosi-Inkosikazi and Granpa Chook, â€Å"the first living creature over which I had held power. † 7 He is learning that there are ways to cope with injustice. Just as he had decided to remain invisible, our hero learns that there is strength inside of him and that he can summon that strength when needed.He is able to find ways to survive the Judge and other oppressors. This gives hope to any reader who has felt himself the underdog. As the novel progresses, our hero's ability to rise to the surface despite how different he is to his companions tells the reader that we are all unique and that the power of each one can overcome daunting odds. The above material should serve as the basis for one class discussion. For each chapter, the teacher should examine what is essential to fuel the discussion. This next portion of the narrative will concentrate on the ransitional points in Peekay's development and the instances in which politics affect his life and environment. The remainder of the first section of Book 1, which will be evaluated through a written assessment (see Appendix C) takes Peekay on a journey to his new home in Barberton. Peekay finishes his time at boarding school where he learns to adapt to the Judge and his â€Å"storm troopers† by doing the Judge's homework in hopes that the older boy will graduate and be out of his life. The Judge has carved a crude swastika on his arm.He agrees to allow Pisskop and Granpa Chook live until he passes math and then says Hitler will surely deal wit h them and they will be dead meat. This plan is altered when Pisskop refuses to eat the turds the Judge forces into his hands and Granpa Chook defecates in the howling Judge's mouth. He and the storm troopers beat the bird to death, leaving our hero to bury and mourn his only companion. The school term ends, the Judge departs, and Mevrou, who, interestingly, also addresses our hero as Pisskop, prepares him for the journey to his new home by brusquely informing him that he will take the train alone.Free from the Judge, yet mourning the loss of Granpa Chook, they set out. When they meet Harry Crown, the Jew who sells them tackies, the man is appalled at the boy's name and suggests â€Å"Peekay† which our hero gratefully accepts. Thus far, Peekay has been loved by his Zulu nanny, despised by his Afrikaner schoolmates and subjected to the cruelties of budding Nazis, and treated kindly by a Jewish storekeeper. The next step involves Mevrou's emotionless parting from the boy when s he consigns him to the care of the railway.Then Peekay meets Hoppie Groenewald with whom he travels and who treats him as an individual and a friend. â€Å"Hoppie Groenewald was to prove to be a passing mentor who would set the next seventeen years of my life on an irrevocable course. He would do so in little more than a day and a night. † 8 He introduces Peekay to boxing and brings him to his match where the boy is put under the care of Big Hettie, an aging, overweight Irish women who literally kills herself with food. She is the subject of her own drama which unfolds in the following chapter. Peekay learns from Hoppie that he is a worthwhile person.He learns that there is a goal in each life and to reach that goal one must focus. The most important piece of information he learns, though, is that the power of one can conquer. The child's mind takes in this crucial information along with his heart's response to the genuine kindness of the first person who seems to care about him since Nanny. To his dismay, he awakens the morning after the fight to find a note from Hoppie who has left the train. It contains the advice, â€Å"first with the head, then with the heart,† 9 which Peekay follows in all his future endeavors.This section of Peekay's journey allows characters from several different backgrounds to make their impressions on the boy. The threat of Hitler is somewhat removed, but the marked inequality in the way different groups of people are treated unfolds. From Peekay's embarrassment at Hoppie Groenewald seeing his circumcised penis and fearing that he will despise him because he is English, to hearing the beautiful Indian lady with the diamond in her tooth referred to as a â€Å"coolie,† Peekay is constantly made aware that people in this society are unrelenting in their notion of social hierarchy.This baffles the boy who sees everyone as the same. But how did he become the egalitarian child who grew into the freedom fighter? His be ginnings show him with a bland and ineffectual mother who has a nervous breakdown and is essentially removed from his life. His nanny is the most important person in his small world. Granpa is kindly but vague. These conditions could account for the boy's acceptance of the blacks in his world, but how does it come about that he also accepts the other disdained groups? While he fears the Judge and his henchmen, he does not profess to despise all other Afrikaners.He takes to Harry Crown and is fascinated by the Indian woman. The key to this acceptance is in his nature as a person and his early experiences. At school he is made into the outcast. For no reason other than his heritage, the boy is punished, humiliated, and threatened with death. He is bewildered, not understanding why he has been singled out this way, yet he does not see his treatment as an injustice in the beginning. His reaction is to try to blend in and remain impervious to the tortures with which he lives.The result o f forcing this under the surface is that he becomes a bed wetter. The interesting point here is the cure; Nanny sets out to cure the boy in the only way she knows how. The acceptance into her culture without question or prejudice enlarges the boy's capacity to understand that all humans are part of the same whole. He communes with Inkosi-Inkosikazi in his dream and is linked to the older man's culture. This early understanding of the interconnection between all people is what allows the boy to incorporate anyone he meets into his world, his space, and his family.The people who do not fit well are individuals who have strayed from the whole, those such as the Judge and Lt. Borman. These people must be dealt with but they are not representative of their entire race and do not engender hatred from Peekay as such; he can discern them as blotches on the whole of humanity and deal with them appropriately. This maturity is what all intelligent people strive for, hoping to assess an individ ual and his actions and not mistake the work of one person as representative of an entire race or ethnic group.Peekay seems to exude the feeling of common brotherhood without consciously striving to communicate it, unlike Pastor Mulvery, who is portrayed as being as sincere as he is intellectually able, yet projecting all of his acquired ideals and dogma in a sickeningly conscious manner. Peekay reflects the world around him. He is everyman and everyman is his brother. Through his actions, Peekay speaks to the world around him and those who inhabit it answer him in kind. Throughout the book there are subtle distinctions between the competing Afrikaners and the English, referred to by the Judge as the â€Å"verdomde rooineks,† or â€Å"damned rednecks. Characters toss off ethnic references and racial epithets as a matter of everyday speech, such as, â€Å"I will tell Hoppie Groenewald you behaved like a proper Boer, a real white man,† 10 and â€Å". . . my mother was always getting splitting headaches because she was a white woman and like Nanny said, it was a very hard thing to be. † 11 Peekay is essentially colorblind. To him, his Nanny is the most important person in the world. His mother is simply the woman who gave birth to him. Without a father, his grandfather is an bsent-minded, distant personage who has little influence on the boy's life. All the figures in Peekay's life at this point, save the Judge, are adults, and it matters little whether they are Zulu, Shangaan, Afrikaner, Jewish, Indian, or â€Å"verdomde rooinek. † To Peekay they are all people, each one an entity to examine and understand; sometimes to fear and sometimes to love. The combination of a child's point of view with the adult narrator's reflection on these memories frames the picture for the reader, creating a universal point of view for global readers of all ages.After the disappointment of finding his mother under the religious spell of Pastor Mulvery, Peekay discovers that Nanny has been sent back to Zululand because she would not forsake her beliefs for the Christian religion. Peekay's life would have been unbearably bleak if he hadn't met Doc. Chapter Nine brings a breath of hope, both intellectual and aesthetic, into Peekay's life. Instead of remaining in the stifling company of his mother and Pastor Mulvery with the â€Å"escaping teeth,† Peekay has found a mind and heart to nurture his own.His loneliness birds are at bay, and he realizes, at age six, that one can be alone but not lonely. In this part of the book, organized Christianity is portrayed as something to be avoided. None of the characters who embrace the Apostolic Faith Mission seems to be very bright. The whole question of what happens in heaven is almost funny, except that the only response to the little white girl's query about whether the blacks will still work for the whites is for Pastor Mulvery to tell her that nobody works in heaven.He sidesteps the entire issue of equality and leans toward the â€Å"separate but equal† stance held in the United States. Doc, in contrast, who is a German citizen and therefore perceived as a threat to society, is the most spiritual character in the book; it is he who unwraps the beauty of the natural world for Peekay. In Courtenay's world, those interested in war and politics are definitely less valuable than those who embrace nature. In the second half of Book 1, Peekay grows from age 6 to 12. His relationship with Doc is the longest and most fruitful of any of his mentors.World War II begins and Doc is imprisoned for being an unregistered German. The injustice spreads as Peekay tries to intervene and is kicked in the jaw and touted as a hero who brought down a suspected traitor. When he comes to in the hospital, his broken jaw wired shut, Peekay is appalled at the report and relies on Mrs. Boxall, his friend and the town librarian, to sort it out and vindicate him. Peekay's observation o f the treatment of the prisoners and the racial prejudice of the prison officials only strengthens his feelings of the necessity for equal rights and education for everyone.He does not think of himself as English; he is South African. Doc accepts his internment graciously, as he is allowed full freedom of movement in the prison and is allowed to have a cactus garden. There is a hierarchy among the prisoners as well. In every collection of humans who must coexist at close quarters there will be some order that emerges or that is imposed. Think of Lord of the Flies or The Admirable Crichton. Power struggles exist among any group of people. Seeing the power that Peekay attains without his seeking it points to the power inside him; the power of one person to make a change.This reinforces the notion that the one who should be held as an example is the one who does not seek power. This is more clearly illustrated in later chapters. The character of Geel Piet could fill an entire book. His relevance to the theme of Peekay's story lies in his role as a symbol of the downtrodden, poor bastard. He has lived a life of crime, but he is not all bad. He has learned to function within the system to accept what he cannot change. His legacy is: Peekay's success, the eight-punch combination, and the music that Doc dedicated to him.Peekay's boxing progresses, his musical abilities, although not masterful, proceed, and his academic career flourishes, due largely to his tutoring by Doc, Mrs. Boxall, and extra help from his teacher, Miss Bornstein, on whom he develops a crush. By the end of Book 1, Peekay has realized the enormity of the inequality of his country. His comprehension has grown from his early fear of Hitler coming to kill him and Granpa Chook to a resolve to continue to fight racial hatred and promote equality for all. The Power of One Character Analysis The close of the school year returns our hero to his beloved Nanny who listens to his tale of torture and who introduces the first flavor of Africa to the western reader; she summons the great Inkosi-Inkosikazi, a medicine man who will cure the boy of the â€Å"night water. † Nanny tells the boy's story with all the eloquence of the great storytellers while Inkosi-Inkosikazi and the others listen. Even our hero is in awe: â€Å"I can tell you one thing, I was mighty impressed that any person, most of all me, could go through such a harrowing experience. 6 All is set for the night; the chickens have been put through their magic, our hero has had his sweet potato, and it is time for him to meet Inkosi-Inkosikazi in his dreams. When this happens, our hero is shown a quiet place to which he can return in times of trouble. He does this later in the book when he feels a crisis. In the morning, the night water problem has been solved and Inkosi-Inkosikazi presents the boy with the s crawniest of the chickens. He is named Granpa Chook. This chapter is significant for several reasons. As an introduction to the bildungsroman style, our hero is situated in a time and a place.His early tribulations are addressed and he is given weapons to deal with them. His ability to think things over is revealed, and the chapter ends with one hurdle overcome and the boy set to begin another year at boarding school. This time, though, he has the magic of Inkosi-Inkosikazi and Granpa Chook, â€Å"the first living creature over which I had held power. † 7 He is learning that there are ways to cope with injustice. Just as he had decided to remain invisible, our hero learns that there is strength inside of him and that he can summon that strength when needed.He is able to find ways to survive the Judge and other oppressors. This gives hope to any reader who has felt himself the underdog. As the novel progresses, our hero's ability to rise to the surface despite how different he is to his companions tells the reader that we are all unique and that the power of each one can overcome daunting odds. The above material should serve as the basis for one class discussion. For each chapter, the teacher should examine what is essential to fuel the discussion. This next portion of the narrative will concentrate on the ransitional points in Peekay's development and the instances in which politics affect his life and environment. The remainder of the first section of Book 1, which will be evaluated through a written assessment (see Appendix C) takes Peekay on a journey to his new home in Barberton. Peekay finishes his time at boarding school where he learns to adapt to the Judge and his â€Å"storm troopers† by doing the Judge's homework in hopes that the older boy will graduate and be out of his life. The Judge has carved a crude swastika on his arm.He agrees to allow Pisskop and Granpa Chook live until he passes math and then says Hitler will surely deal wit h them and they will be dead meat. This plan is altered when Pisskop refuses to eat the turds the Judge forces into his hands and Granpa Chook defecates in the howling Judge's mouth. He and the storm troopers beat the bird to death, leaving our hero to bury and mourn his only companion. The school term ends, the Judge departs, and Mevrou, who, interestingly, also addresses our hero as Pisskop, prepares him for the journey to his new home by brusquely informing him that he will take the train alone.Free from the Judge, yet mourning the loss of Granpa Chook, they set out. When they meet Harry Crown, the Jew who sells them tackies, the man is appalled at the boy's name and suggests â€Å"Peekay† which our hero gratefully accepts. Thus far, Peekay has been loved by his Zulu nanny, despised by his Afrikaner schoolmates and subjected to the cruelties of budding Nazis, and treated kindly by a Jewish storekeeper. The next step involves Mevrou's emotionless parting from the boy when s he consigns him to the care of the railway.Then Peekay meets Hoppie Groenewald with whom he travels and who treats him as an individual and a friend. â€Å"Hoppie Groenewald was to prove to be a passing mentor who would set the next seventeen years of my life on an irrevocable course. He would do so in little more than a day and a night. † 8 He introduces Peekay to boxing and brings him to his match where the boy is put under the care of Big Hettie, an aging, overweight Irish women who literally kills herself with food. She is the subject of her own drama which unfolds in the following chapter. Peekay learns from Hoppie that he is a worthwhile person.He learns that there is a goal in each life and to reach that goal one must focus. The most important piece of information he learns, though, is that the power of one can conquer. The child's mind takes in this crucial information along with his heart's response to the genuine kindness of the first person who seems to care about him since Nanny. To his dismay, he awakens the morning after the fight to find a note from Hoppie who has left the train. It contains the advice, â€Å"first with the head, then with the heart,† 9 which Peekay follows in all his future endeavors.This section of Peekay's journey allows characters from several different backgrounds to make their impressions on the boy. The threat of Hitler is somewhat removed, but the marked inequality in the way different groups of people are treated unfolds. From Peekay's embarrassment at Hoppie Groenewald seeing his circumcised penis and fearing that he will despise him because he is English, to hearing the beautiful Indian lady with the diamond in her tooth referred to as a â€Å"coolie,† Peekay is constantly made aware that people in this society are unrelenting in their notion of social hierarchy.This baffles the boy who sees everyone as the same. But how did he become the egalitarian child who grew into the freedom fighter? His be ginnings show him with a bland and ineffectual mother who has a nervous breakdown and is essentially removed from his life. His nanny is the most important person in his small world. Granpa is kindly but vague. These conditions could account for the boy's acceptance of the blacks in his world, but how does it come about that he also accepts the other disdained groups? While he fears the Judge and his henchmen, he does not profess to despise all other Afrikaners.He takes to Harry Crown and is fascinated by the Indian woman. The key to this acceptance is in his nature as a person and his early experiences. At school he is made into the outcast. For no reason other than his heritage, the boy is punished, humiliated, and threatened with death. He is bewildered, not understanding why he has been singled out this way, yet he does not see his treatment as an injustice in the beginning. His reaction is to try to blend in and remain impervious to the tortures with which he lives.The result o f forcing this under the surface is that he becomes a bed wetter. The interesting point here is the cure; Nanny sets out to cure the boy in the only way she knows how. The acceptance into her culture without question or prejudice enlarges the boy's capacity to understand that all humans are part of the same whole. He communes with Inkosi-Inkosikazi in his dream and is linked to the older man's culture. This early understanding of the interconnection between all people is what allows the boy to incorporate anyone he meets into his world, his space, and his family.The people who do not fit well are individuals who have strayed from the whole, those such as the Judge and Lt. Borman. These people must be dealt with but they are not representative of their entire race and do not engender hatred from Peekay as such; he can discern them as blotches on the whole of humanity and deal with them appropriately. This maturity is what all intelligent people strive for, hoping to assess an individ ual and his actions and not mistake the work of one person as representative of an entire race or ethnic group.Peekay seems to exude the feeling of common brotherhood without consciously striving to communicate it, unlike Pastor Mulvery, who is portrayed as being as sincere as he is intellectually able, yet projecting all of his acquired ideals and dogma in a sickeningly conscious manner. Peekay reflects the world around him. He is everyman and everyman is his brother. Through his actions, Peekay speaks to the world around him and those who inhabit it answer him in kind. Throughout the book there are subtle distinctions between the competing Afrikaners and the English, referred to by the Judge as the â€Å"verdomde rooineks,† or â€Å"damned rednecks. Characters toss off ethnic references and racial epithets as a matter of everyday speech, such as, â€Å"I will tell Hoppie Groenewald you behaved like a proper Boer, a real white man,† 10 and â€Å". . . my mother was always getting splitting headaches because she was a white woman and like Nanny said, it was a very hard thing to be. † 11 Peekay is essentially colorblind. To him, his Nanny is the most important person in the world. His mother is simply the woman who gave birth to him. Without a father, his grandfather is an bsent-minded, distant personage who has little influence on the boy's life. All the figures in Peekay's life at this point, save the Judge, are adults, and it matters little whether they are Zulu, Shangaan, Afrikaner, Jewish, Indian, or â€Å"verdomde rooinek. † To Peekay they are all people, each one an entity to examine and understand; sometimes to fear and sometimes to love. The combination of a child's point of view with the adult narrator's reflection on these memories frames the picture for the reader, creating a universal point of view for global readers of all ages.After the disappointment of finding his mother under the religious spell of Pastor Mulvery, Peekay discovers that Nanny has been sent back to Zululand because she would not forsake her beliefs for the Christian religion. Peekay's life would have been unbearably bleak if he hadn't met Doc. Chapter Nine brings a breath of hope, both intellectual and aesthetic, into Peekay's life. Instead of remaining in the stifling company of his mother and Pastor Mulvery with the â€Å"escaping teeth,† Peekay has found a mind and heart to nurture his own.His loneliness birds are at bay, and he realizes, at age six, that one can be alone but not lonely. In this part of the book, organized Christianity is portrayed as something to be avoided. None of the characters who embrace the Apostolic Faith Mission seems to be very bright. The whole question of what happens in heaven is almost funny, except that the only response to the little white girl's query about whether the blacks will still work for the whites is for Pastor Mulvery to tell her that nobody works in heaven.He sidesteps the entire issue of equality and leans toward the â€Å"separate but equal† stance held in the United States. Doc, in contrast, who is a German citizen and therefore perceived as a threat to society, is the most spiritual character in the book; it is he who unwraps the beauty of the natural world for Peekay. In Courtenay's world, those interested in war and politics are definitely less valuable than those who embrace nature. In the second half of Book 1, Peekay grows from age 6 to 12. His relationship with Doc is the longest and most fruitful of any of his mentors.World War II begins and Doc is imprisoned for being an unregistered German. The injustice spreads as Peekay tries to intervene and is kicked in the jaw and touted as a hero who brought down a suspected traitor. When he comes to in the hospital, his broken jaw wired shut, Peekay is appalled at the report and relies on Mrs. Boxall, his friend and the town librarian, to sort it out and vindicate him. Peekay's observation o f the treatment of the prisoners and the racial prejudice of the prison officials only strengthens his feelings of the necessity for equal rights and education for everyone.He does not think of himself as English; he is South African. Doc accepts his internment graciously, as he is allowed full freedom of movement in the prison and is allowed to have a cactus garden. There is a hierarchy among the prisoners as well. In every collection of humans who must coexist at close quarters there will be some order that emerges or that is imposed. Think of Lord of the Flies or The Admirable Crichton. Power struggles exist among any group of people. Seeing the power that Peekay attains without his seeking it points to the power inside him; the power of one person to make a change.This reinforces the notion that the one who should be held as an example is the one who does not seek power. This is more clearly illustrated in later chapters. The character of Geel Piet could fill an entire book. His relevance to the theme of Peekay's story lies in his role as a symbol of the downtrodden, poor bastard. He has lived a life of crime, but he is not all bad. He has learned to function within the system to accept what he cannot change. His legacy is: Peekay's success, the eight-punch combination, and the music that Doc dedicated to him.Peekay's boxing progresses, his musical abilities, although not masterful, proceed, and his academic career flourishes, due largely to his tutoring by Doc, Mrs. Boxall, and extra help from his teacher, Miss Bornstein, on whom he develops a crush. By the end of Book 1, Peekay has realized the enormity of the inequality of his country. His comprehension has grown from his early fear of Hitler coming to kill him and Granpa Chook to a resolve to continue to fight racial hatred and promote equality for all.

Current Trends

The market for projector screens continues to boom as presentations continue in corporate, educational, government, and other settings. Today, many trends co-exist in the development of the market, accounting for the wide variety of product offered. We will consider the emerging trends in the industry. In particular, we will pay attention to how these trends are represented in the product assortment of PCM Ltd.Trends in the IndustryAs more and more business people and other professionals travel extensively, the size of the screen and the projector begin to matter. Smaller screens can be more easily packed in the luggage and transported more effectively. In the case of projectors, a smaller size means most typically a shorter warranty, less brightness and a higher price. However, those that take an airplane to get places may be more willing to undertake this expense. In contrast, those travelling by car can afford to purchase projector technology that is larger in size.In college, in contrast, the projector screens keep getting bigger. A larger screen allows everybody to see what is going on in the classroom and focus students’ attention on the content of the presentation without forcing them to make a special effort to discern the images on the screen. Craig (2006) states that a good campus display system should meet a very important criterion: be â€Å"large enough for everyone to see comfortably†. The next generation of campus projector screens is likely to fluctuate between moderately big and very big monitors.Widescreen is also winning popularity. This trend, already visible in the production of laptops, has now come to influence the world of projector screens. The typical widescreen ratio is 16:9, although this ratio is not consistent as one can come across 15:9 and 16:10, too. The use of widescreen has implications for the overall impression of the presentation. In college settings, â€Å"wide aspect projection screens mean less room in the front for whiteboards, and more encroachment on where the instructor would stand† (Craig, 2006).The growing variety of projectors now includes overhead, LCD, slide, video and movie projectors. This means that it is desirable that manufacturers of projector screens respond to this variety by producing flexible screens that can work with any type of projector. This will make their produce suitable to a wide range of situations and will not induce users to replace the screen when they upgraded to a new type of projector.The advances in the field are numerous. Some of them are really innovative and can represent either breakthroughs that will start permanent new trends, or remain ‘side branches’ of evolution forever. Thus, ASS-60AK NXT SoundVu projection screen, created by Authentic Ltd, can act both as a display surface and a speaker at the same time.The screen â€Å"vibrates at a rate undetectable to the human eye to create sound, is made of Teonex, a material spe cially designed to produce high frequencies other fabrics would absorb† (Horaczek, 2006). In this way, it is similar to acoustically transparent screens used in multiplexes. However, professionals wonder whether this standalone speaker that also serves as projector screen can be of lasting quality.Another impressive innovation is the transparent screen that can accept and display holographic images. Demonstrating a holographic image on its surface, the screen creates the impression that the image is floating in the air. Technologically, the image emerges when â€Å"a projector shines on a thin Holographic screen attached to a transparent surface like glass or plexi-glass† (ProjectorPeople, n.d.). This image can help advertising efforts, for instance, when it is placed in front of a store where is certain to grasp the attention of numerous passers-by.PCM Ltd’s Product MixPCM Ltd maintains operations in China where its goods are produced to be later marketed in Nor th America and Europe by a Canadian company. The company offers a wide range of products in display technology. Its list of products includes projectors, projector screens, presentation easels, display stands, TV wall and ceiling mounts, and literature and catalogue dispensers.Its projector screens are compatible with different projector types. They can display images from overhead projectors, LCD, slide, video and movie projectors (PCM Ltd, n.d.). The screens are available in different formats, including square, video and widescreen. All of them are fire retardant.An example of a widescreen format is the Flexscreen Scissor Support Wall Screen that comes in HDTV format 16:9. The convenience of this format lies in the fact that it adjusts automatically to video, wide video and square format. This screen that comes in three sizes, 145*145 cm, 160*160 cm, and 180*180 cm, will conveniently fit into a variety of office and educational surroundings.Its relatively modest size allows users to place it on many walls in offices of different size. Flexscreen’s ability to display widescreen images makes its consistent with the newest trends that emphasized widescreen, while its conformance to the older video and square standards help it support images that were made in accordance with traditional standards.

Capitalism vs. Socialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capitalism vs. Socialism - Essay Example As the essay discusses capitalism increases competition whereas socialism discourages competition. Every country needs domestic food production for its own national security and independence. Domestic food production can be increased only with the help of competition. In nom-competing economies or in socialist countries, the absence of competition makes people lazy. The resources in this world are fixed whereas the population size is increasing. It is difficult for the increasing population to find better living standards if they adhere to a particular level of productivity. Socialism on the other hand does not believe much in competition. It works on certain impractical principles which may appear good at a glance. This discussion stresses that none of the socialistic world or communist countries succeeded in achieving the objectives of socialism which is the major reason why communism wiped off from Europe and on the verge of destruction in other parts of the world as well. Not only China, even Cuba has recently announced lot of economic reformation policies which were earlier black listed by these countries as the bi-products of capitalist economy. Capitalism utilizes the willpower of individuals, especially entrepreneurs, to foment economic activity. Capitalism is based on the assumption that individuals operate based on self interest; however, by doing so they not only help themselves, but also propel others towards economic success. (Socialism vs Capitalism). One of the major criticisms against capitalism is that it makes two types of citizen in a country; rich and poor. However, it should be noted that even after years of implementation of socialistic principles, countries like China, Cub a and Soviet Union failed to reduce the gap between the rich and poor in their territory. On the other hand, it should be noted that capitalist countries like America and Britain not only remain wealthy, but also succeeded in reducing the gap between t

Kraft Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Kraft Foods - Essay Example The effectiveness of using this website as a marketing tool depends on the extent to which it achieves the desired goals and objectives set by the company. The ultimate objective of designing and hosting a website is to ensure that the company profile reaches out to as many people as possible. The fall of new and improved technologies has enhanced the company’s use of this website. The company reaches to its potential markets at the click of a button. This enhances consumer awareness, which is a fundamental aspect in marketing. The company acknowledges that markets within and without the United States are diverse and dynamic. In this respect, the Kraft Foods’ website offers a variety of product and service packages that suit specific markets in and out of the United States. Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United States are some of the regions that enjoy customized product and service packages (http://www.kraft.com/). However, this does not imply that markets outside these regions are irrelevant to the company. The website is actually open to the global population, and most importantly the global market. An effective marketing tool has to account for the variations in buyer behavior, tastes, and preferences. Considering these aspects influences the performance of any given marketing tool. Kraft Foods’ website highlights the company’s product base and all the services factored in the company’s operations. This allows the consumers to enjoy a wide range of products and services that the company offers. On the same note, the website provides a platform where the user can directly engage and interact with the company, thereby allowing the company to foster functional relations with the target markets. A positive impact on the company’s marketing pursuit is realized in the process. Amid the effective use of the website by Kraft Foods, the customer service aspect could be done better. The direct interaction between