Development of Complex Societies Essay Example for Free

Development of Complex Societies Essay In the early stages of the development of complex societies, many different factors had a powerful impact on the way the societies developed. In some areas of the world, religion was the primary force that led to the creation of organized societies. Other areas developed on trade routes that made it necessary to develop complex societies to incorporate the growth of different economic classes and the wealth they generated into the structure of the government. In each part of the world where complex societies emerged, the communities were responding to different types of challenges and the complexities each society created forced them to confront new challenges which then led to the great, complex societies of history. The urban society of Mesopotamia developed because of the engineering discoveries that allowed residents of the area between the Tigris and Euphrates to increase food production, while the predictability of the Nile River allowed the Egyptians and Nubians to build large, complex societies around their commercial and religious activities. Many simple early societies were based around farming. Through cultivating crops and the land, people learned they could settle down in one place instead of being nomads and support a larger population of people. These villages needed a social structure, but their sizes were limited by the amount of food they could produce. In Mesopotamia, especially Sumeria and Babylon, there is not much rainfall, but farmers learned they could artificially irrigate their crops using the fresh water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers[1]. The large-scale engineering projects required greater social organization than the simple farming communities that came before, but they also resulted in increased food production that allowed them to build cities. The urban centers that resulted required more sophisticated organization to make sure that the population was productive: that building projects could be completed, that resources were distributed fairly, and that the city could continue to grow[2]. The division of labor also created different economic classes, which resulted in various social classes as well. Some merchants grew wealthy catering to customers who came to the city from other places, and community building projects required supervision, organization, and funding[3]. Such a large society could not exist as small farmers trading with one another. Political authority was needed to maintain order between the citizens and protect the interests of the entire community, especially the cropland that existed outside the city walls. An example of the way that authority influenced society is the codification of laws by Hammurabi, especially as they related to family relationships and how husbands could treat their wives. Upper-class people whose marriages represented political and economic alliances were subject to the same law, so that even if a husband had a right to punish his wife for a suspected affair, he could not do anything to her unless he caught her in the act. If he did act out on his jealousy, he would be punished. Hammurabi’s laws treated women like the property of their husbands and fathers, but they also described certain standards of behavior that citizens should be expected to follow for the sake of stability and to reign in people’s behavior[4]. The innovation of urban development also led to the Sumerian creation of military power, as each city-state had to protect its farmland and irrigation projects from one another and from outside invaders. Once the city-states had organized themselves into relatively peaceful social organizations united under a single government, their growing populations often led them to go out and try to conquer other city-states or areas with more resources to increase their wealth[5]. In Mesopotamia, the social organization created in the first cities led to the establishment of the first empires. Along the Nile River in northern Africa, small city states also emerged due to the increased production of food that agriculture made possible. Agriculture first developed in Sudan, where people first cultivated wheat crops and domesticated animals that roamed the grassland. The growing populations made these cities into cultural and commercial centers, as well, and they also required political authority to keep the peace and maintain the functioning of all of the complex institutions of a city: dividing up resources, keeping the peace, and protecting their resources from other city-states[6]. These cities were often ruled over by Kings who were not only thought of as political authority but were also considered to be divine themselves, so they also held a great deal of religious authority[7]. Over time, the grasslands became desert and agricultural activity centered along the floodplains of the Nile River in Egypt and Nubia. Egypt, particularly, had a very wide and predictable floodplain which attracted immigrants and allowed the population to grow. United under one ruler, who was also considered to be divine, Egyptian society became increasingly complex. Massive amounts of resources, especially wheat from the fertile harvests, had to be dealt with, marketplaces had to be managed, and armies had to be raised to protect the fertile land from invaders. The main organizing force in Egyptian society was its strong religious component. The Pharaoh was considered a god as well as a king, and the religious power he held was just as important as the political power. The colossal building projects that the Egyptians embarked on, such as the pyramids and temples, required a very complex society and highly skilled workers and engineers[8]. They developed a very complex writing system not only to keep commercial records, but also to record their spiritual beliefs and the history of their empire. Harkhuf used it to document his exploration of Nubia and opening of trade routes there, showing the high levels of complexity that each of those societies had risen to[9]. Both the African and Mesopotamian civilizations developed out of small farming communities who practiced small-scale agriculture. In both areas, advances in agriculture led to increased populations living in densely-populated cities, which allowed the people to divide labor and specialize in different things. The division of labor led to advancement in almost every area: from engineering and agriculture to art and, especially, the political organizations that organized the whole society and made all of those things possible. Both civilizations developed writing systems, originally developed to keep records, but soon used to express imaginations, beliefs, and to write down the histories of their nations. While Mesopotamian cultures were organized around the complex building projects needed to irrigate their fields, societies in the Nile River had other pressures. Their cropland was regularly fertilized and irrigated, so their complexity developed out of a need to organize the wealth of the city-state and the empire that came as a result. Without the pressure of constantly trying to keep their crops irrigated, the Egyptians organized around religious beliefs, which they expressed in their greatest building projects and influenced almost everything they did. The pressures that led smaller societies to develop more complex structures were different in each case, but they both resulted in the building of the first great cities which are necessary for the political, social, and technological innovations of complex society. Although the places they lived were very different, the Sumerians and the Egyptians both developed writing to record their progress, political innovations to maintain control of growing populations, and laid the foundations for great building projects and the great civilizations that would come after them. Bibliography Bentley, Jerry H. and Ziegler, Herbert F., Traditions and Encounters Vol. 1 from The Beginning to 1500, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010 [1] Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler, Traditions and Encounters Vol. 1 from The Beginning to 1500, 5th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010), 25 [2] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 27 [3] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 33 [4] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 36 [5] Bentley and Ziegler, Traditions, 29 [6] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 50-51 [7] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 52 [8] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 53 [9] Bentley and Ziegel, Traditions, 56

Analysis of the Australian Fashion Industry

Analysis of the Australian Fashion Industry Australian Fashion Well known Australian designers Lisa Ho, Collette Dinnigan, Sass Bide, Ksubi, Jayson Brunsdon, Leona Edmiston and Kit Willow are taking the world by storm and expanding into the international marketplace. Fashion is one of Australia’s key creative and design industries and there are now over 2000 active fashion exporters delivering their products and services in overseas markets. The export of Australian fashion is not limited to exclusive designers. Street wear, and surf wear are also famous worldwide. Quiksilver, Billabong and Rip Curl are famous for their boardshorts, T-shirts and wetsuits. â€Å"Getting your label overseas is important†, says designer Claus Maus, â€Å"Not only for building your brand but also for growing sales. The key markets include New Zealand, United Kingdom and the USA. Annual textile, clothing and footwear exports are worth $A277 million, of which $A289 million is clothing. This essay will examine the marketing strategies adopted by some of these fashion brands to launch their label internationally. International markets can provide opportunities for growth. To achieve this, companies need to develop and perform marketing activities aimed at their target customer. A detailed analysis of the environment is critical before a company enters an overseas market. This analysis should include cultural, social, ethical economic, technological, political and legal issues. Cultural differences may affect marketing negotiations and product use. Australian fashion is becoming more popular. Australian Fashion Week is one of the first shows of the fashion season which mean Australian designers can be early in setting trends. It was during Australian Fashion Week that Easton Pearson got their start globally. It is all about timing. Fashion does well in neighbouring markets such as New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore. In order to stay competitive in the global fashion market, brand management and positioning is crucial. It is important for designers to have a presence at major international fashion events with an eye to being picked up by overseas retailers and boutiques. It is important to listen to your consumer and listen to your retailer. The retailer will have some very specific requirements – will it turn up on time, it will be price correctly and it will make your consumer feel special. The type of product will obviously determine the right market. For example, red-carpet fashion will do well in wealthy, affluent markets, whereas swimwear will do well in big resort areas. The international fashion industry is tough, competitive and constantly evolving. Fashion can be very market and culture specific, so fashion labels should be aware that what is considered fashionable and stylish will differ considerably between markets. When going international fashion exporters need to consider the lifestyle of the customer they are targeting and adapt colour, garment practicality and fabric choices to suit the target climate, lifestyle and market group Social laws will dictate to what extend certain parts of the body should be covered and even the models displaying products should reflect the target market. Immodest clothes are considered inappropriate for many Middle-Eastern women and in Mexico the colour purpose is associated with funerals. Easton Pearson, a successful fashion exporter had to adapt their sizing and hemlines for markets such as Japan and the Middle East. Successful jeans label Tsubi underwent a brand name change to Ksubi. . A shoe label in the United States called Tsubo claimed the name infringed its trademark and challenged the businesses’ use of the name. This case exemplifies how much a brand name means to the business. Colour can also be associated with a brand. Cadbury unsuccessfully took Darrel Lea to court over their use of a shade of purple. Within every brand there is a product. But not every product is a brand. A product is something tangible, it has physical attributes, styles, features and price. A brand is the total consumer experience of a product, its personality, the trust you have in it, the status it gives you, the experiences you share with it. The cultural aspect of launching a brand can’t be overlooked. Sometimes there are language issues, For example, The Ford Pinto did miserably when first introduced in Brazil, and it was discovered that â€Å"pinto† is slang for â€Å"small male sex organ†. Ford changed the name to â€Å"corcel† which means â€Å"horse† and sales improved. Billabong is now the leading brand in Peru. One of the ways in which they have made this brand so well know in Peru has been through providing sponsorship to leading athletes. They sponsor surfers, skateboarders and snowboarders and host many of the event that make up the surfing World Championships Tours as well as region-specific events. They know their customers well and develop innovative and functional products for them, Breaking into overseas markets is exciting but also challenging. Developing an overseas market gives rise to opportunities to grow and prosper with increased sales and profits, improved domestic competitiveness and a reduced dependence on the Australian market and seasonal fluctuations. To enter the overseas market there are certain strategies that must be undertaken to improve success. Breaking into the international market can be costly in time, money and resources. Thorough preparation is essential. Preparation should include professional advice, the ability to balance domestic and export market, do not assume all markets are the same and modify the product to meet regulations and cultural preferences of other countries. Planning is essential. Companies must be capable and ready to export and must have total commitment from all staff. Research is essential and a thorough analysis should be made of the market, taking into account size and distribution capabilities and competition. Companies should respond to perceived demands in overseas markets such as niche markets and acquire resources and technology. A successful marketing strategy used by Sass Bide to launch their label internationally was having celebrities wear their clothing. Basically they asked people through fashion editors to ‘try their jeans’ and first begun by sending their jeans to all of the editors in New York and London presented beautifully with a covering letter. This strategy worked as out of a dozen gifts sent, 6 would write back saying â€Å"OH, my God, we love this†, and as a result celebrities would endorse them. They just had to get their product to the right people. They took this approach as they did not have the money to spend on advertising and marketing, and thought that word of mouth marketing was the way to go. Working with influential people (celebrities) is an important of word of mouth marketing. â€Å"Nobody counts the number of ads you run, they just remember the impression your make.† (Wiliam Bernbach). Sass and Bide partners, Heidi Middleton and Sarah Clarke spend a lot of time travelling making connections with the customers on a one to one level. They do not want to advertise they are more interested in intimate marketing as well as Public Relations. They relied on word of mouth marketing early on however this has changed over the years. The US market is very competitive so they now have a marketing plan and strategy in place to target the whole of the country. They target celebrities like Naomi Watts and Kylie Minogue. They also do in-store appearances and hold tea parties and invite all the stylists and editors to these tea parties. The SWOT analysis is a tool used to assess a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths and weaknesses come from within the company and are directly controllable. Strengths are attributes of the organisation that are helpful to achieving the objective. If a SWOT analysis does not start with defining a desired objective it may be useless. Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats is essential as steps in the process of planning for achievement of the objective may be derived from them. Strengths include a strong brand name and a good reputation among customers Weaknesses include limited finances and lack of key distribution channels. Opportunities include new technologies, a new international market and loosening of international trade barriers. Threats are shifts in customer’s tastes, new competition and the introduction of new regulations. Firstly, the company has to determine whether the objective of launching internationally is attainable. The organisation should ask how they use each strength, how they can stop each weakness, how to exploit each opportunity and how to defend against each threat. A fashion label needs competitive advantages that give it an advantage in meeting the needs of a targeted market (strengths). To be successful fashion labels need to be an innovative product combined into excellent design that bring together individual style. Brand ambassadors are also a key element in brand acknowledgement overseas. Limitations that a business faces in developing are a weakness. Weaknesses are harmful to achieving the final objective. Limited financial resources can contribute to weakness. The label must be able to generate sales rapidly after the launch. This entails reaching enough people with marketing efforts and creating a retail network. Opportunities and threats exist independently of the business. Opportunities are favourable conditions and business can be rewarded from these benefits if it acts on them properly. Threats are conditions or barriers that may prevent the organisation reaching its objectives. Threats must be acted on or avoided to prevent them from limiting the company’s capabilities. When launching a fashion label internationally it is important to make sure the opportunities are used properly and the strengths made even stronger in order to find new arising opportunities. All the Australian fashion labels entering the international market are in direct competition with one another and are rivals. They all operate in similar fields and their target customers are similar. Billabong and Quiksilver are well established and have loyal followers. Even though competition is very hard it creates opportunity. Competition keeps the companies moving forward. Creating word of mouth marketing campaign can make a big difference in the perception and image of the brand. According to Andy Sernovitz, author of â€Å"Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking† there is a five T method to create efficient word of mouth campaigns. Getting the campaign to function is based on Business to Customer to Customer communication. The real message comes from the customer. The five Ts are Talkers Topics, Tools, Taking Part and Tracking Word of mouth marketing is fully actionable, trackable and plannable. The Internet provides excellent ways to track blogs and other forums. It is very important to identify who and why people are talking about the brand. Find people who will talk about the label and give people a reason to talk. Tools help the message spread faster and further. Track, measure an understand what people are saying. It is important to be successful internationally to find people who will talk about you such as retailers, bloggers and retailers. Also the fashion label should give people a reason to talk through excellent products and great service. They can help the message spread faster and farther by blogs, message boards and the internet. The company itself can take part by posting blogs, answering emails and offering personal service. Also you should measure and understand what people are saying by searching blogs and listening to feedback. The fashion product must also make the most of opportunities. The product image must appeal strongly to people who want to dress stylish but do not want to sacrifice their comfort. With a successful marketing campaign and image building the brand can become very valuable in a short period for time and generate lucrative offers from investors and competitors. Most South East Asiancountries correlate imported brand names and higher prices with superior quality. They generally pay close attention to the country of origin when evaluating quality and making purchasing decisions on apparel products. The average arget age of consumers in South East Asion for imported apparel is becoming younger from people in their 30s to people in their 20s. Given the growth South East Asian casual wear and sportswear market. Australian apparel in these segments has some distinct advantages that provide a good basis for establishing a storng brand image. Designer brands that are successful in the interntional marketplace have a high market potential to be successful in the South East Asian market. Department stores in south east asia are highly positioned and any international fashion brand ensure that is a priority to denter the department stores. Sociuakl Responsibility Socially responsible organisations strive for marketing citizenship by adopting a strategic focus for fulfilling the economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic social responsibilities that their stakeholders expect of them. At the most basic level all, companies have an economic responsibility to be profitable so they can provide a return on investment to their owners and investors, crete jobs for the community and contribute goods and services to the economy. Marketers re also expected to obey laws and regulations. Examples of social responsibility issues include environment, consumerism and community relations. Being socially responsible means an organisation shows concern for the people and environment in which it transacts business. In some cases social responsibility incorporates supporting social causes to help society. For example, some marketers sponsor charity events. Social responsibility does not automatically translate into increased revenue or public image. However, companies who adopt social responsibility tend to have a strong reputation which pays dividends in the form of increased customer loyalty.

All the Kings Men :: essays research papers

The entire King’s Men   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All the King’s Men, written by Robert Penn Warren, is set deep in the south during the 1930’s. This is a story of the rise and fall of a political titan. Willie Stark comes from poverty to become the governor of his state. He forces his enemies into submission by blackmails, repeated threats, and bullies them. He creates a series of liberal reforms that lay heavy tax burdens on the rich and lifts the money issue off of the poor farmers. His foil character Sam MacMurfee persistently searches for way to ruin the career of Willie Starks. Sam MacMurfee has thugs and powerful political allies deep in his pockets. The two characters remind the reader of corrupt figures in politics such as the famous Boss Tweed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Willie Stark’s right-hand man is Jack Burden. He left his eloquent and polite family to work with Willie. Jack is an extremely intelligent historical researcher that uses his abilities to dig up dirt on Willie’s enemies. Willie uses the secrets to blackmail his enemies into his submission. Often corrupt political figures indirectly pay off other individuals to do the â€Å"dirty work† and blackmail their enemies. Although Willie Starks may have been acting corruptly for a good purpose it was still illegal and wrong.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Willie asks Jack to search for secrets on a father figure from his child hood. Judge Irwin was a father figure in Jack’s life as a child. In this situation, Jack’s motivation and responsibility to himself is questioned. Jack discovers that Judge Irwin accepted a bribe and Governor Stanton covers the bribe up. The blackmail influences the suicide of Judge Irwin, makes Adam Stanton accept the position as head of the hospital that Willie is building, and Anne Stanton begins an affair with Willlie. Adam murders Willie when he finds out about Willie and Anne. This horrific event lead to Jack’s retiring from politics forever.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The death of Willie Starks and the circumstances force Jack to rethink the way he thinks. He rethinks a belief that no one can ever be responsible for the evil actions of another individual over time. In a way Jack feels responsible for Willie’s death. Jack eventually marries Anne Stanton and he feels orthodox about his decision to marry her. Jack restarts his long lost hobby of working on a book about Cass Mastern.

Power and Possession in Animal Farm by George Orwell Essay example --

Power and Possession in Animal Farm by George Orwell Have you ever felt that rush of excitement when you can do whatever you want without thinking of the consequences? If so, wasn’t it one of the greatest feelings you’ve ever felt? The feelings that describe us that we are leaders, that we have followers and our every move are important to the people around us? Power is the one possession that everyone desires. It lets you feel that one can do anything he or she wants without the consequences of his or her actions. In George Orwell’s illuminating fable of â€Å"Animal Farm,† he describes how a pig named Napoleon takes over an entire farm. Napoleon, with his sly group of trustworthy pigs, maintains power and takes over â€Å"Manor Farm† by using the concepts of intimidation, fear, and persuasion. Intimidation is a malicious, yet intelligent way to gather up people to join a force. By intimidating someone, one would be too frightened to stand up for his or her self. Thus, he or she would have no other choice but to go along with the event of intimidation. In Napoleon’s case, he uses intimidation by having a group of dogs to stand as his bodyguard. â€Å"Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creature came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon.† (Orwell 68). This shows that the ferocious dogs intimidate the silent and terrified animals. Thus, when the animals are intimidated, they will follow Napoleon’... ...eon work his way to the peak of class. Since Squealer follows Napoleon’s orders, he has helped him persuade the animals to side with Napoleon instead of Snowball for it is said that Snowball had sided with Jones. So in the end, intimidation, fear, and persuasion combined have overcome every move, and knowledge of the animals. In addition to Napoleon’s tactics to maintaining power, the innocent animals of Manor Farm tricked without any precaution, are under control of the great comrade Napoleon. Intimidation, by the use of dogs and torture has compelled the animals to undergo his powers. Fear from Jones has frightened them to give up leisure time to work together and rethink a way to overcome humans. Furthermore, persuasion, with the help of the spectacular Squealer has played a trick in the minds of many helpless, and oblivious animals of Manor Farm. Power and Possession in Animal Farm by George Orwell Essay example -- Power and Possession in Animal Farm by George Orwell Have you ever felt that rush of excitement when you can do whatever you want without thinking of the consequences? If so, wasn’t it one of the greatest feelings you’ve ever felt? The feelings that describe us that we are leaders, that we have followers and our every move are important to the people around us? Power is the one possession that everyone desires. It lets you feel that one can do anything he or she wants without the consequences of his or her actions. In George Orwell’s illuminating fable of â€Å"Animal Farm,† he describes how a pig named Napoleon takes over an entire farm. Napoleon, with his sly group of trustworthy pigs, maintains power and takes over â€Å"Manor Farm† by using the concepts of intimidation, fear, and persuasion. Intimidation is a malicious, yet intelligent way to gather up people to join a force. By intimidating someone, one would be too frightened to stand up for his or her self. Thus, he or she would have no other choice but to go along with the event of intimidation. In Napoleon’s case, he uses intimidation by having a group of dogs to stand as his bodyguard. â€Å"Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had been able to imagine where these creature came from, but the problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. Though not yet full grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon.† (Orwell 68). This shows that the ferocious dogs intimidate the silent and terrified animals. Thus, when the animals are intimidated, they will follow Napoleon’... ...eon work his way to the peak of class. Since Squealer follows Napoleon’s orders, he has helped him persuade the animals to side with Napoleon instead of Snowball for it is said that Snowball had sided with Jones. So in the end, intimidation, fear, and persuasion combined have overcome every move, and knowledge of the animals. In addition to Napoleon’s tactics to maintaining power, the innocent animals of Manor Farm tricked without any precaution, are under control of the great comrade Napoleon. Intimidation, by the use of dogs and torture has compelled the animals to undergo his powers. Fear from Jones has frightened them to give up leisure time to work together and rethink a way to overcome humans. Furthermore, persuasion, with the help of the spectacular Squealer has played a trick in the minds of many helpless, and oblivious animals of Manor Farm.

The Psychological and Emotional Impact of Domestic Violence Essay

Surprisingly enough, domestic violence affects more than just the immediate victim. Domestic violence is a growing, widespread social problem in America. In the majority of all cases, the victim is spousal or intimate. Children that live in a household where domestic violence is prevalent are also affected. Domestic violence not only has short-term effects on the victim, it also has long-term effects. The long-term effect of this violent abuse is usually physical, psychological, and economical. The immediate effects of physical violence are usually obvious, but the long-term effects seem to hide deep within the victim’s body. Many physical injuries sustained by women seem to cause long-term medical difficulties, particularly as they grow older. Many experience arthritis, hypertension, and heart disease because of broken bones, high stress levels, frequent medical deficiencies, and scar tissue from internal damage. The primary and immediate focus for most victims is the physical injury, while the emotional and psychological abuse inflicted has a larger impact overall. Depression, which sometimes leads to suicide, is the most traumatic effect of domestic violence and abuse. In addition, victims may also experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This disorder’s characteristic symptoms are flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and insomnia. Children that live in the violent environment may also fall victim to behavioral or emotional deficiencies, including depression and anxiety. A...

Lessons in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Essay

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels written by Jane Austen which was first published in 1813. It is more than a story of love which revolves around the lives of the Bennett family and the wealthy male visitors of Hertfordshire. Its wide variety of personalities in the story contributed to the novel’s attractive and compelling features; which provides several realizations to its readers and their view of social class, marriage and women status in the 19th century which can be attributed to each character’s personality. The Women and Men of the 19th Century The theme towards courtship and marriage is already explicitly stated in the first sentence of the novel. â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledge that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† (p. 3). In this initial sentence, Austen prepares the readers on what to expect. There is a big probability that the story will revolve in a fascinating chase: either a husband in search of a wife or a woman in pursuit of a husband. Marriage during 18th century was different compared to how marriage is viewed nowadays. It was a challenging and debatable social issue since marriage with love was not a necessity. At that time, marriage consisted of rules and standards that often ignore emotions or feelings. Moreover, community and family were major participants in establishing marriage. From that first sentence, considering the time the novel was created, the readers would expect a witty tone towards marriage and society The novel also portrayed several characters that are stereotypical in the 19th century. The diverse personalities of each character reveals how the era was like for the author and how the status of people were determined through their wealth, fame and gender. Apparently, the primary lesson that this novel has for its readers is the fact that in the past love was not a necessary element of marriage. Women were usually seen as mere wives for men. Nonetheless, in Austen’s story, she made use of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s conflicting characters to refuse the kind of stereotypical 19th century setting that the novel was set in. The two major characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, were clearly different kinds of people who later proved themselves to be the ideal match for each other. Clearly, the transformation of Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters were made possible by their own pride and prejudices against each other. This fact, therefore, illustrates the idea that the character transformation would most likely not occur without the shortcomings and hasty judgments of the two main characters of the Jane Austen’s famous novel. It was quite ironic though that the novel also conveys the idea that people do fall in love under the most unexpected circumstances. There is a short line expressed by the female protagonist Elizabeth Bennett which can be considered somewhat explanatory of the whole novel. â€Å"Books—oh!  No. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings† (p. 82). This is Elizabeth Bennett’s response to Fitzwilliam Darcy when he asked her about her thoughts on books. They were dancing on the ball of the Netherland Estate and trying to create a conversation. Based on Elizabeth’s response and her quick dismissals of the topic that Mr. Darcy brought up, her great dislike towards the wealthy young man was evident. This particular line of Elizabeth Bennett is considered an important line for the novel because it insinuates a symbolic image rather than a literal meaning for the main characters in the story. Her remark about how the topic of books would not be able to create a productive conversation because they probably would have not read the same book or have the same feeling towards it depicts that their personalities—similar or not—can still generate different interpretations. Even the title of the book itself can be considered characteristics that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy both possess, which caused them to make erratic conclusions about each others’ personality. The above statement from Elizabeth depicts that the novel primarily focuses on the theme of misunderstandings, false impressions, and lapses in judgment. Thoroughly reviewing the whole context of the story, the diverse personalities of the characters are what made it possible to provide the picture of the lifestyle of English people in the 19th century. Each character is provided a characteristic that is distinct to other characters. Elizabeth Bennett, an interesting character indeed, possesses traits which are very much different from her sisters. Here is one of her statements to Darcy included in Chapter 19 where she rejects him the first time he proposed to marry her and considered to be one of the pivotal turns in the story which caused the change in both Elizabeth and Darcy’s character: I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. . . I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. . . Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart (p. 97). Elizabeth Bennett’s character speaks much of a strong personality which is extremely opinionated and bold. Unlike her younger sisters, she does not allow social status and wealth to interfere with her standards for love. However, in her statement, prejudices toward Darcy are evident for she has already judged him without knowing him well first. However, at the end of the story, she regrets having misjudged the man upon knowing the real Fitzwilliam Darcy. This theme of wrong first impression is very common in the personality of Elizabeth Bennet as she always seem to misjudge a man’s intent such as that of Darcy and Mr. Wickham. On the other hand, Darcy’s character also reveals how wrong he was on his first impression towards Elizabeth. His statement where she declared Elizabeth as tolerable but not beautiful enough to interest him because of her poor social status discloses how proud he was to avoid being acquainted with such a woman (p. 9). Similarly, he took back his word when he found out how interesting and intelligent Elizabeth was which led him to confess his feelings and offer a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, his first proposal was rejected. Upon the end of the novel, it is reasonable to conclude that Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy actually have similar characteristics which can be considered ironic. Both are intelligent, witty, opinionated, and proud. There are also instances when they have exposed acts of prejudices towards some characters in the story, primarily themselves. Elizabeth deemed Darcy to be an extremely arrogant and proud man when she accidentally heard him say that he was not interested in her due to her poor status in the society. She thought him to be a spoiled wealthy man who is unsociable and selfish. In return, Darcy also showed his prejudices towards her by thinking that she was not right for him because she belonged to the lower class part of the society. Hence, the situation indicates how their impulsive and superficial judgments of each other led them to take back their words and eradicate their pride and prejudices towards each other. They gradually transformed into humble beings who were capable of admitting and accepting their shortcomings. Thus, two people, even with similar characteristics may not have similar outputs and can still be regarded contradictory in terms of beliefs. Like the characters in the story, all have distinct personalities which enabled them to decide the way they did. If Elizabeth did not hastily judged Darcy in the first place which led her into rejecting his first marriage proposal, Darcy would not have humbled himself into further pursuing Elizabeth despite her initial rejection. He would not have rescued her family from social disgrace and reveal his true nature. Simply put, Elizabeth would not have change her opinion about Darcy and most probably reject him still. She would not have fallen in love with him and change her ways of being filled with prejudices. The following scenarios created a huge impact in the maturity and development of the characters in the story which proves that the transformation is indeed dependent on the characters’ actions and decisions. Upon understanding the difference between the main characters’ personalities, it is important to note that the focus of Darcy is to win Elizabeth’ heart to marry her. It is all about marriage from the start of the novel until the end. Austen made it really clear for women in the 19th century how big an issue it was to find someone rich and reputable to marry. Elizabeth’s mother had seemed to push them into marrying by taking them to social balls where rich men were most likely to come and select a wife. Conclusion Clearly, the arguments stated above identify the concept that Elizabeth and Darcy’s character transformation would not have been possible without their mistakes and initial false impressions of each other. This validates the fact that their development as individuals is highly rooted from their decisions and hasty judgments—or rather their own pride and prejudices. In addition, Austen’s ability to inculcate the stereotypes on the characters produced an image of the status of marriage and courtship in the 19th century. It becomes clear to the readers that there was too much consciousness and pressure on the physical attributes and reputations of women than in men. Men were more highly regarded than women as women only seem to serve as partners to men in marriage. The fact that there were balls where men can choose the women they want to marry is already an indication of the restraints that society puts on women. They are merely intended for domestic purposes only.

Key Values of US Culture in any Disney Movie

IntroductionMovies speak volumes about a particular subject. It is even understood that most animated motion pictures even hammer the point much clearer than their non-animated counterparts. It has been a tradition that with every animated movie, a corresponding moral accompanies it to the end of the credits. The ability of animated films to send out messages within the confines of its story has been one of the hallmarks of animated American movies.With The Lion King, the movie stresses the importance of family through the relationship of both Simba and Mufasa. It also clearly does the same with the movie Finding Nemo as the whole story is about a dad clown fish tries to find his lost son, Nemo. There are a lot of subtle undertones and values which are also placed in some animated movies—some even more poignant than the next. This paper aims to shed some light on that fact. Walt Disney’s Aladdin, through the genie of the lamp, depicts equal opportunity and material comf ort, which even solidifies the classic American dream.The American DreamThe great â€Å"American dream† is defined by James Adams as â€Å"the dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement† (Adams, 2001) It has been one of the most treasured features of the United States as the wealthiest nation on the face of this earth. It is in this particular country that â€Å"dreams are made† and where one’s past is quickly covered in prosperity upon reaching this particular land. As grandiose as this claim is, the different testimonies of all sorts of people have given justice to it on more than one occasion. If one looks closely at the Walt Disney animated film, Aladdin, certain aspects of this dream are also embedded in it.The GenieThe genie of the lamp in the animated film Aladdin can symbolize so many different things but more than anything, it is able to sig nify the American values of equal opportunity and material comfort. Gleaning from the genie’s character, it is not as hard to associate material comfort with him. The genie of the lamp is required to fulfill absolutely any three wishes that his owner desires. With the exception of making people fall in love, killing someone or wishing for more wishes, the master of the genie is quite literally powerful beyond measure. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when Aladdin, who is now already Prince Ali, parades across the streets of Agrabah. During the latter part of the song, the lyrics of the song gives testament to how much has changed with Aladdin’s situation:â€Å"Prince Ali!  Amorous he! Ali Ababwa  Heard your princess was a sight lovely to see  And that, good people, is why  he got dolled up and dropped by  With sixty elephants, llamas galore  With his bears and lions  A brass band and more  With his forty fakirs, his cooks, his bakers  His birds that warble on key  Make way for prince Ali!† (Clements, 1992)The former â€Å"street rat† has now become a prince because of the genie. This alludes to the fact that the genie is a very good provider of material comfort, should one choose to get that from him. In the same sense, the land of America is also able to provide material comfort from those who ask and willingly strive to make it happen.The last American value, which is equal opportunity, is much more subtly expressed in the character of the genie. Since the rules of the lamp is that whenever a person gains ownership of the lamp, the genie of the lamp is now bound to serve that person and that person only. All of the wishes of the owner of the lamp are satisfied by the genie. The â€Å"equal opportunity† clause enters here by giving absolutely anyone a fair shot to being â€Å"rich and powerful† The only negative thing about relating this particular equal opportunity clause with the genie is that no one is able to share that equal prosperity in such a way that the genie sort of has an exclusivity clause that does not allow him to grant two separate wishes of two different masters at the same time. (Clements, 1992) One person must be able to wield the lamp in order for the genie to grant their wish.ConclusionLooking deeper at the animated feature film Aladdin, one sees a much more poignant picture of how America essentially is as a superpower and a proverbial land flowing with milk and honey. As the film and as this paper suggests, America is a land where one can prosper materially in terms of wealth and it is also a land where equal opportunity is stressed. As long as someone works hard enough, they will simply have both within their lifetimes. Maybe, just maybe, you really don’t need a magic lamp with a genie after all.ReferencesClements, Ron. (Producer & Director). (1992). Aladdin [Motion picture]. United States: Walt Disney PicturesAdams, J. (2001). T he Epic of America. Phoenix: Simon Publications