Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Rood And Sir Gawain And The Green Knight - 933 Words

The Difference between Faith and Believing In The Dream of the Rood and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both by anonymous writers, touch on Christian faith and believing in a higher power. These two literary text show how one’s beliefs can be tested when put in an unfortunate situation. In The Dream of the Rood, when the first speaker has the dream or vision it breaks down how Christian faith comes into play. The speaker looks at Christ differently, goes from wanting to be with more people, having friends again to giving his all to Christ. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it is the same, Christianity wins over courtly values. When Gawain makes the decision to be a part the Green Knight’s game, taking that treacherous journey from home, he was doing it show how much of a great knight he was, but in the end it was not his sword that helped him make it back home. These tales show how a courtly heroic code of honor contests a Christian model of living. In The Dream of the Rood, the first speaker or dreamer shows you that he chooses Christianity over anything else when he says â€Å"I look forward constantly toward that time the Lord’s rood which I beheld before here on this earth shall fetch me away from this fleeting life and bring me then where bliss is eternal to joy in Paradise..† (Lines 135-140). That vision was like a beacon of hope the dreamer, being alone with nothing and no one, having a hint of something to lean or depend on gives them faith. The story the rood orShow MoreRelatedAn Assortment Of Heroism : Sir Gawain And The Green Knight1171 Words   |  5 Pagestales, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Beowulf and The Dream of the Rood each have particularly strong themes of heroism, though, they each have their own distinct idea of what heroism is, their own flavor one might say. It is partly because of their strong themes and ideas that they are still well-known and read today. A story without a theme or re al purpose has little to no value whatsoever. Perhaps the most notable thing to mention about the gallant character of Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and theRead More Sir Gawain: A Man of Virtue Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesSir Gawain: A Man of Virtue Nobility, honesty, valiance and chivalry are the values instilled in Sir Gawain. He is a respected knight due to these characteristics. Both Sir Gawain and The Green Knight and in The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell present these qualities of Sir Gawain. In both tales, he proves these traits through many events. Sir Gawain and The Green Knight proves Sir Gawain’s nobility and honesty while The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell provides proof of his chivalryRead More Sir Gawain: The Ideal Knight Essay1158 Words   |  5 PagesSir Gawain: The Ideal Knight Throughout the Arthurian legends, Sir Gawain seems to be the epitome of a noble knight. He is always putting his king before himself, repeatedly sacrificing his own life in some way for King Arthur. He is an honorable knight that lives up to his word. This is evident in both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell. In these stories, Gawain lives up to the expectations of a knightRead More Sir Gawain in Transition Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesSir Gawain in Transition Sir Gawain has played a significant role in Arthurian legends since the Middle Ages. His first major appearance in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight depicts Gawain as a warrior rather than a womanizing knight like others from King Arthurs court. Even in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Gawain focuses on his battle with the green knight rather than the advances of Bercilaks wife. During Gawains visit to Bercilaks castle, hisRead More Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay1991 Words   |  8 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight - Character Analysis of Sir Gawain The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell is a medieval romance poem written by an anonymous author. Sir Gawain is one of the major characters in the poem. He is a very likable personality. Sir Gawain represents an ideal knight of the fourteenth century. Throughout the story, we see Sir Gawain portrayed as a very courteous and noble knight, always trying to help King Arthur. The characteristics of Sir Gawain like kindness, generosityRead MoreChaucer And The Roman Catholic Church1994 Words   |  8 Pagesand how they prayed, the Roman Catholic Church obviously had a large influence. We know this today by simply reading the reading the literature from that period, whether it is simple poems like Beowulf or Dream of the Rood, or bigger stories such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. These stories are riddled with Catholic teachings and mentions, whether they re brought up in a good light, or a negative one. Oddly enough, we rarely see the latter. One of the few stories that do show Roman CatholicRead MoreLiterary Group in British Poetry5631 Words   |  23 Pageschronologically; for example, estimates for the date of the great epic Beowulf range from AD 608 right through to AD 1000, and there has never been anything even approaching a consensus.[2] It is possible to identify certain key moments, however. The Dream of the Rood was written before circa AD 700, when excerpts were carved in runes on the Ruthwell Cross.[3] Some poems on historical events, such as The Battle of Brunanburh (937) and The Battle of Maldon (991), appear to have been composed shortly after the events

Friday, December 20, 2019

Analysis Of Steven Levitt And Stephen Dubner And Freakonomics

In researching the important matters in life such as how to best format an online dating profile or finding the reasoning behind why employees in large corporations tend to steal bagels, authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner in their book Freakonomics claim to explore â€Å"the hidden side of everything.† The previous examples provided, including the various other topics that Levitt and Dubner touch upon in their book, are likely unimportant to the average reader and as a whole are without any obvious similarities. The authors even mention the lack of a common theme. They reason it by saying that in doing so, the direction of their book would then be guided by not a set theme, but instead by their curiosities. This is the non fiction version†¦show more content†¦After gaining access to relevant data sets and adjusting for certain variables the authors then interpret the data to arrive to often several conclusions. If possible, a fourth step is added where they incl ude a follow-up to their main idea effectively concluding the chapter. The format of Freakonomics: foundation, data experimentation, interpretation, and follow-up. Previously said, the first chapter of Freakonomics best demonstrates the format of each chapter. Because of that fact, it is also the most effective in analyzing Levitt and Dubner’s central argument of that data holds the power to unveil new truths of the world. To start the argument on the similarities of teachers and sumo wrestlers, the authors, following their format, begin by establishing the foundation of this chapter: incentives. They describe incentives as â€Å"a means of urging people to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing† (Dubner and Levitt 17). And using several examples including experiments on late fees in day cares and small stipends for blood donations, the authors ensure that the reader understands the full effect of incentives: they explain the differences between the three type s of incentives, their applications in daily life, and the possible adverse effects of switching between two types of incentives despite any initial positive intentions. The authorsShow MoreRelatedChapter 3 : Conventional Wisdom1091 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 3: Conventional Wisdom Freakonomics was one of the best novels that I have ever read! I am truly amazed at how Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner compared their study and research to the economy that we live in today. Out of all of the chapters in Freakonomics, Chapter 3: Conventional Wisdom, is the one that stood out the most. This particular topic relates to the world in many different ways. Conventional wisdom is often wrong. Conventional wisdom can be described as the ideas or beliefsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Freakonomics 1027 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage and Composition 3 August 2016 Freakonomics 1. Give the title, author, genre, and date of original publication. Freakonomics is the title of this nonfiction book; it was written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. On April 12, 2005, by HarperCollins. 2. What is author’s purpose for writing the book? Write a paragraph summarizing the main argument or purpose. In this unique book, economist Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist teamRead MoreA Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything By Steven Levitt Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesAfter reading Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, it opened my eyes to the most interesting approach to the world. The book name in itself is an odd and unique title. It defines Steven Levitt’s irregular approach to the world of economics and makes you â€Å"forget your image of an economist as a crusty professor worried about fluctuating interest rates†, says Publishers Weekly. Steven Levitt focuses his attention on relevantRead MoreFreakonomics and Misconceptions of Economy Essay1244 Words   |  5 Pagesamazement: Freakonomics is said to unravel the untold stories of life. Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner break common misconceptions of economics by reveal ing its true science. Freakonomics shatters the view of economics being an arid study of finance and markets. They pull in information to make inferences on past occurrences subtly influence on the present. Freakonomics packs punches with its countless number of tables and figures, serving as concrete data to make their assumptions. Levitt DubnerRead MoreApplication of Freakonomics to Project Management1806 Words   |  8 PagesA Book Review of Freakonomics and Application to Project Management November 2010 Project Management Summary The idea to write Freakonomics began in 2003 when journalist and award winning author Stephen Dubner wrote a profile of economist Steven Levitt for the New York Times Magazine. At the time, Levitt, an Economics professor at the University of Chicago, was focusing his research efforts on answering unique and sometimes controversial questions concerning topics such as crime,Read MoreAnalysis Of Freakonomics958 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie â€Å"Freakonomics† by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner was a great way to bring light into the science of economics. The authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner would give two subjects that are unrelated to each other to give viewers an understanding of Freakonomics. This was a great idea because I would have never thought that a teacher and a sumo wrestler would have anything in common. Additionally, in the beginning of the movie the authors mention three types of incentives, whichRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt1639 Words   |  7 PagesFreakonomics written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Copyright, 2005 by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. A non-fiction book about the intertwining discourses of pop culture and economics. Steven David Levitt is an American economist who is well known for his work that specifically focuses on crime, and the connection between legalized abortion and the effect it has on crime rates. Mr. Levitt is currently the â€Å"William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor of Economics† at theRead MoreSteven Levitt And The Link Between Legalized And Crime Rates1537 Words   |  7 Pages Steven Levitt was born May 29th, 1967 in Chicago. Levitt is an american economist that is known best from his podcasts, and books, Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics co-authored with Stephen Dubner. Steven Levitt is also known to study some very different topics such as crime and the link between legalized abortion and crime rates. Levitt attended the University of Chicago, the Chicago school of economics, and he attended Harvard University to receive his Bachelor s Degree and went on to MIT forRead MoreThe Book Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt2418 Words   |  10 Pages The book Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner consists of a series of essays in which a journalist and an economist work collectively to find, by applying everyday economic principles, how the world truly works, which reveals some fascinating truths about the world. Some background history of the authors, Steven D. Levitt interviewed Stephen J. Dubner for New York Times Magazine and this is where they initially met and became good friends. With them having similar ideals aboutRead MoreAn Analysis of Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt1585 Words   |  7 Pagesthe best way of describing the unconventional method preferred by economist, Steven D. Levitt. While most economists measure social situations and present the data as numbers a nd graphs Levitt takes anomalies within the data to reveal truths obscured. It’s Levitt’s sociological take on economics that has set him apart from his peers with his heavy focus on incentives, choices, and the consequences they have. Freakonomics mirrors Levitt’s method since it’s a collection of stories he has uncovered or

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Zappos.Com Case Essay free essay sample

Company achieved such a success due to its corporate culture and a value of extreme concentration on its customers. In the retail business on of the indicators of retailer success is the level of customer return and Zappos succeed to attain this indicator on a very high level. Corporate culture was about delivering WOW effect through service and hiring people who were passionate about service was the most important concerns of the top-managers. This WOW effect was delivering through many ways: from the speed of site loading, all-round telephone support, allowance for 365 days of return, extensive information about the products and fast site loading. That’s why customers were willing to make purchases more often. In my opinion, service is a very important part of providing sustainable sales growth for the company as it creates an image of reliable company which operates in the internet and helps people to choose between traditional shopping and e-shopping. This image while managed properly was a sustainable competitive advantage for Zappos. As it was mostly mentioned features of a corporate culture which provide this competitive advantage than we can say that corporate culture is a background for it. 2. According to the position of the company to retain loyalty of the customers and provide WOW effect through service, it became more important to use UPS as a reliable logistics provider and organize 1-day air delivery with no extra price. Therefore, I can assume that reducing marketing costs for gaining new customers were the right decision as long-term partnership with previous customers was able to generate profit and new customers in the long run perspective. From another side, Zappos was able to keep transportation costs on the constant level partly from the scale of the collaboration with UPS (as it was mentioned, Zappos has become one of the top three UPS shippers). And as it was estimated, UPS ground shipping was able to reach only 11% of Zappos’ customer within 1 day. Knowing the fact that consumers got used to high qualitative and fast delivery, this could significantly harm the perception of the brand by loyal customers. This is the reason why company didn’t refuse to provide one-day air shipping. . First of all, we should understand that in situation of crisis people are decreasing their spending on high-end products if they previously had opportunities for that. That’s why it can be suggested, that company should concentrate more on mass market products and decrease costs while being very careful about scalable expansion. As it was mentioned in the case, Zappos searched for opportunities to improve its supply chain without harmful effect on customer satisfaction. From this point of view, company can concentrate more on retaining loyal customers and acquiring new customers partly by providing promotional discount actions, but at the same time keep prices on the same level, otherwise it can create a sense of discounter among Zappos clients. 4. The most important concern while expanding such business as Zappos is retaining this WOW effect. There are many factors which could affect this service oriented culture negatively, so that company should understand that rapid expansion in the situation of crisis can be very risky. From the other hand, there is no need to add more product to its product range as its already sell shoes, clothing, handbag, accessories, baby products, beauty, entertainment, eyewear, home, jewelry, sporting goods, and watches. In my opinion, company can diversify its businesses by developing other e-platforms with mentioning that they are powered by Zappos. That means that company could partly avoid risks connected with brand perception and increases sales level by selling more products. 5. The environment of a more cost-conscious consumer can harm the business if it won’t be careful about its costs. The main idea here is to provide at least the same level of quality in service with constant rates. Zappos can lower transportation costs through developing closer relationships with transport companies (for ex. try to reduce shipment costs from UPS or use ground shipment when it won’t extend delivery time). Company can also provide selective discounts (for ex. providing promotion discounts for loyal customers or creating encouraging promotional events). They could also take into consideration competitors’ activities and offers in order to make sure that they provide the best prices or better opportunities for their clients. Zappos must take advantage of its other core competencies to ensure that the customer will choose to buy from Zappos as long as they are not paying more for the product. Probably, other variant to boost sales would be testing the system when customer have an opportunity to enjoy free shipping for a bit higher price, while company could gain profitability from a scope of the shipments. 6. First thing which comes to a mind is preserving Zappos’ corporate culture and brand on the same level as these things made Zappos that successful. In my opinion, it would be better to leave Zappos as an independent entity with its charismatic top-manager and founder Tony Hsieh while his forces led company to the leading position. Another thing to concern is a cost structure. One of the ways that Amazon tries to deliver a great customer experience is by offering low prices, whereas Zappos wasn’t ever been concentrated on price competition. This policy also shouldn’t be excluded from the Zappos future strategy as Zappos brand is more about service, but not a lowest price. Probably, another important step would be Zappos’ access to Amazon’ resources. They could be improvements and access to supply chain expertise, warehouses, suppliers and other advantages. Finally, Amazon could use Zappos for looking upmarket towards higher-priced goods. The high touch model obviously comes with higher costs. It’s much more attractive when selling a $400 pair of boots than a $29 pair of flip-flops. Zappos has already been rapidly expanding their product offerings so greater sales of fashion items like handbags and wallets are already steps in this direction.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

The Men We Carry in Our Minds Summary free essay sample

The Men We Carry in Our Minds is an essay by Scott Russell Sanders on the roles and responsibilities given to men and women in different echelons of society. Writing from his own point of view, the author spends the majority of the essay comparing and contrasting the differing jobs of men and women, and then outlining the effects of those jobs on them. Sanders’ views on the responsibilities of women change over the course of his maturation, but his sympathetic view towards the labours of the common man remains the same despite realizing and even experiencing the plights of the average woman. The essay opens (apart from the retelling of a debate the author had with a friend of his) with a bleak portrayal of prisoners performing backbreaking work in the sweltering heat, with their bodies barely standing the crushing weight of the work. (Sanders, 324) The men are forced onward by shotgun-wielding guards. We will write a custom essay sample on The Men We Carry in Our Minds Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is a metaphor for the situation of most of the men the author knows growing up, as he describes several instances of men working tiring jobs their entire lives, only for their bodies to give out on them. The shotguns at their backs represent the bills to pay and the families to support. The author gives the lone exception of the soldiers he knew as a boy, but acknowledges that they too suffered under burdens; those of boredom, and the very real threat of deployment and death in wars they had no say in nor part in the starting of. As the author puts it, the bleak nature of men is â€Å"killing themselves or preparing to kill others. †(Sanders, 327) The second part of the essay is mainly devoted to women. The author, upon reaching university, becomes aware of the criticisms heaped upon men by the women there. Up until this point, he had thought that women were creatures of leisure, with time to visit friends and read books. He admits that women often â€Å"suffer from the bullying of men,† (327) and how they either fill thankless jobs at restaurants or as secretaries, or they waste away alone in empty houses. However, he ultimately trumps the notion that women have it worse than men, noting that the man carries the need to care for the family, and that any financial troubles are his, stating that he would sooner tend a home and children than a factory floor. His final thoughts are envious, contemplating the wealthy man, and how he seems to have no troubles. (328) Sanders regards this brand of man to be an enemy both to women and to the working class, due to his high station in society and role in creating the toil of men and women found in this essay. These are the two â€Å"men we carry in our minds:†(324) There is the wealthy oppressor thought of by some women, forcing the toiler on, shotgun in hand; and there is the labourer of the mind of the author, working on into decrepitude.