Jungian Archetypes in Rosemary Sutcliff’s Trilogy Essay Example for Free

Jungian Archetypes in Rosemary Sutcliff’s Trilogy Essay This paper will analyze Rosemary Sutcliff’s trilogy – The Sword and the Circle, The Light Beyond the Forest and The Road to Camlann – in light of the Jungian archetypes embedded in the text: the mother, the old wise man, the shadow, and the mandala archetypes. In her trilogy, Sutcliff employed the Jungian archetypes in order to provide a new configuration of the legend of King Arthur, interweaving myth and fantasy with psychological traits. From this perspective, the Arthurian legend appears in a new light, in which the story and the secondary narratives come to represent a particular mise-en-scene of figures of the subconscious. In Sutcliff’s trilogy, King Arthur and many characters achieve a symbolic significance. The author’s main interest is in King Arthur, around whom she constructs a whole series of archetypal motifs, which account for many of the peculiar and otherwise hard to explain characteristics of the story. Traditionally, all the fantastic motifs have been interpreted as subordinated to the fairy-tale logic and such motifs as witchcraft or transgression of taboos have been attributed to the pre-Christian Celtic subtext. However, this paper will argue that the overwhelming presence of archetypal images in Sutcliff’s texts brings a symbolic context to our interpretation of the legend. The Great Mother Archetype In Jung’s definitions, the mother archetype is ambivalent, in that it can both evoke a benign and benevolent figure, but also an evil, witch-like attribute: The qualities associated with it are maternal solicitude and sympathy; the magic authority of the female; the wisdom and spiritual transformation that transcend reason; any helpful instinct or impulse; all that is benign, all that cherishes and sustains, that fosters growth and fertility. The place of magic transformation and rebirth, together with the underworld and its inhabitants, are presided over by the mother. On the negative side the mother archetype may connote anything secret, hidden, dark; the abyss, the world of the dead, anything that devours, seduces, and poisons, that is terrifying and inescapable like fate. The mother archetype can take the shape of a plethora of symbols and can become actualized either as an image of plenitude and abundance, or as a token of dark forces in man. Both meanings appear in Sutcliff’s trilogy. Significantly, Arthur is deprived of a real mother figure from the beginning. His father’s vow to Merlin, which had granted that the latter would be entrusted the child the night he would be born, set Arthur away of his real mother. Moreover, in his foster family, Sutcliff makes little to no reference to a mother figure, focusing on the male side, who was there to rear the future great king of Britain. In this context, the mother figures that appear in Arthur’s life also have the significance of a repressed longing for a mother but, most significantly, serve to inscribe the character in a supernatural lineage. The solar and benevolent mother figure appears in the guise of Nimue, Lady of the Ladies of the Lake, who marks crucial moments in Arthur’s life, endowing him with the symbol of his manhood an kingship – Excalibur – and also receiving him back in her â€Å"womb† ( the lake) upon his death. The circumstances of Arthur’s first encounter with Nimue hint to the protective aspect of the Lady of the Lake and also to her crucial influence on setting Arthur on the righteous path: And looking where he pointed, Arthur saw an arm rise from the midst of the lake, clad in a sleeve of white samite and holding in its hand a mighty sword. And even as he looked, he saw a maiden whose dark gown and hair seemed about her like the mists come walking towards him across the water, her feet leaving no ripple-track upon its brightness. â€Å"Who is that? † whispered Arthur. â€Å"This is the Lady among all the Ladies of the Lake. Speak to her courteously and she will give you the sword. † [†¦] â€Å"It is a sword that I have guarded for a long time. Do you wish to take it? † â€Å"Indeed I do,† looking out across the lake with longing eyes. â€Å"For I have no sword of my own. † â€Å"Then promise me never to foul the blade with an unjust cause, but keep it always as befits the Sword of Logres, and it is yours. † From this passage, we can notice that Lady Nimue acts as a true maternal initiator into Arthur’s symbolic coming into manhood. She has a positive influence on Arthur’s life and gives the ultimate recognition of Arthur as the true great king of Britain. Her mother figure attributes become apparent especially through the symbolism of the lake. According to Jung, the mother archetype can be translated through various motifs, which allude to the mother’s child-bearing and receiving features: â€Å"The archetype is often associated with things and places standing for fertility and fruitfulness: the cornucopia, a ploughed field, a garden. It can be attached to a rock, a cave, a tree, a spring, a deep well, or to various vessels such as the baptismal font, or to various vessel-shaped flowers like the rose and the lotus. † As the Lady among the Ladies of the Lake, Nimue enacts the essential characteristic of the mother archetype as child-bearer and vessel for the child. The lake is a symbol of the womb. Through this lineage, Arthur is belated with an ancestral and supernatural origin. This idea has usually been interpreted as the inclusion in the story of pre-Christian lore of Celtic fairy-tales. However, the uncertain origin of Nimue, as well as her unquestionable attributes of a mother archetype could suggest that the predominant ancient subtext of the story could stand for archetypes of the collective unconscious. Just before arriving to the lake, Arthur and Merlin have to cross the forest, â€Å"following ways that no man might know but only the light-foot deer;† . The forest, as we have seen in the passage from Jung quoted above, can also be associated with the mother archetype. The final, symbolic welcoming of Arthur in Nimue’s womb at the moment of his death, is also very evocative of the mother figure that Nimue incarnates: â€Å"And the barge drifted on, into the white mist between the water and the moon. And the mist received it, and it was gone. Only for a little, Sir Bedivere, straining after it, seemed to catch a low desolate wailing as of women keening for their dead. † Finally Nimue represents the mother archetype par excellence as she weds and represses Arthur’s father-figure: Merlin. There are many other symbols in the text of the mother archetype. As Jung points out: Other symbols of the mother in the figurative sense appear in things representing the goal of our longing for redemption, such as Paradise, the Kingdom of God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Many things arousing devotion or feelings of awe, as for instance the Church, the university, city or country, heaven or earth, the woods, the sea or any still waters, matter even, the underworld and the moon can be mother symbols. In this light, the quest for the Holy Grail could be interpreted as a mother archetype symbol. The double function of the Holy Grail – as vessel and as token of redemption – enacts in the story Arthur’s quest for a maternal figure. As was stated in the beginning of the analysis, the mother archetype is ambivalent in that it also displays a dark, hidden facet which finds its best expression in the witch figure. In Sutcliff’s trilogy, this aspect of the mother archetype is embodied by Queen Margawse . She is Arthur’s sister and they both originate from the â€Å"Little Dark People†, old lords of the land bearing many affinities with Celtic druidism, magic and witchcraft. This heritage is realized in Morgan in its dark, malefic aspect and she becomes an adversary for Arthur, bewitching him one night into bearing her a child. It is interesting that Morgan’s wicked actions are not motivated in the story, they are simply attributed to her witchcraft and to the fact that she abides by the â€Å"old rules†: Why she did it, there can never be any knowing; for she knew, though he did not, what kin they were to each other (but for her, she had never cared for any law, save the law of her own will). Maybe she thought to have a son to one day claim the High Kingship of Britain. Maybe it was just revenge; the revenge of the Dark People, the Old Ones, whose blood ran strong in her, upon the Lords of Bronze and Iron, and the people of Rome, who had dispossessed them. This could imply the fact that Morgan also has a symbolic function in the text, playing alternatively the role of the threatening mother figure and that of Arthur’s anima. The fact that Arthur and Morgan have the same mother is not coincidental: in a way, Morgan is a metonymic symbolization of the darker aspects of the mother archetype. The Old, Wise Man Archetype According to Jung, the old wise man figure. Can appear so plastically, not only in dreams, but also in visionary meditation (or what we call â€Å"active imagination†), that is, as is sometimes apparent in India, it takes over the role of a guru. The wise old man appears in dreams in the guise of a magician, doctor, priest, teacher, professor, grandfather, or any other person possessing authority. The archetype of spirit in the shape of a man, hobgoblin or animal appears in a situation where insight, understanding, good advice, determination, planning, etc. , are needed but cannot be mustered on one’s own resources. In Sutcliff’s trilogy, the wise old man archetype is embodied by Merlin, who acts as a spiritual counsellor and guide both for Arthur’s father and for Arthur himself. From the outset, Merlin is presented as a spiritual force: besides his belatedness with the Old People, from his mother’s side, and his having been raised by a druid, his father is purported to be an (ambivalent) angelic figure. In Arthur’s life, Merlin represents the wisdom and vision which will help Arthur to accomplish his destiny. Once Arthur becomes a true King, Merlin will fade, as his guidance is no longer necessary. In many respects, Merlin can be equated with the most adequate father figure in the text. Like Morgan and Nimue, Merlin is the embodiment of the â€Å"old ways† and laws, which heed no obedience to the Christian values and norms; he seems to embody the agency of fate (by definition, a pre-Christian theme) and represents, even more than a father figure, â€Å"the uncertainty of all moral valuation, the bewildering interplay of good and evil, and the remorseless concatenation of guilt, suffering and redemption. † According to Jung, this is actually the only path to redemption even if it is hard to recognize it. In his interventions, Merlin is never evil, but we cannot say that he is a wholly moral figure either: he is the one who helps Utha deceive Igraine. This is why Merlin is an ambiguous figure too. Merlin’s life is profoundly interwoven with that of Arthur’s: he appears in the story before Arthur’s birth in order to ensure that the child would be safe from internal feuds after his father’s early death, he guides Arthur in all the crucial moments in his life, withdraws when he realizes that Arthur has become a king in his own right, and will allegedly become resurrected the day Arthur and he will be called to save Britain. From this perspective, Arthur and Merlin reiterate the rebirth archetype: And the King opened his eyes and looked at him for the last time. â€Å"Comfort yourself, and do the best that you may, for I must be gone into the Vale of Avalon, for the healing of my grievous wound. One day I will return, in time of Britain’s sorest need, but not even I know when that day may be, save that it is afar off†¦But if you hear no more of me in the world of men, pray for my soul. † We can notice from this paragraph the similarities between Arthur’s vow to return and the Christian story. The Shadow/Anima Archetype. In Jung’s vision, the anima is â€Å"the great illusionist, the seductress, who draws him into life with her Maya – and not only into life’s reasonable and useful aspects, but also into its frightful paradoxes and ambivalences where good and evil, success and ruin, hope and despair, counterbalance one another. Because she is his greatest danger, she demands from a man his greatest, and if he has it in him, she will receive it. † This archetype is symbolized in the story by the figure of Morgan La Fay, Arthur’s fiercest enemy, who demands of him to give the full measure of his authority and courage. Not coincidentally, she is a witch, she appears as the â€Å"veiled lady†, a true seductress. But for the end of the story, we would be inclined to interpret Morgan in a literal sense – simply as Arthur’s wicked enemy. However, the ending complicates this interpretation because Morgan is one of the three women receiving Arthur upon his death: And there, where before had seemed to be only lapping water and the reeds whispering in the moonlight, a narrow barge draped all in black lay as though it waited for them within the shadows of the alder trees. And in it were three ladies, black-robed, and their hair veiled in black beneath the queenly crown they wore. And their faces alone, and their outstretched hands, showed white as they sat looking up at the two on the bank and weeping. And one of them was the Queen of Northgalis, and one was Nimue, the Lady of all the Ladies of the Lake; and the third was Queen Morgan La Fay, freed at last from her own evil now that the dark fate-pattern was woven to it end. Clearly, Morgan La Fay is just as ambiguous as the other archetypes in the story. Her final communion with Arthur suggests the idea that she does indeed stand for his anima and that Arthur has succeeded in completing the challenge that she had set for him. In a way, Morgan is the receptacle of Arthur’s darker side which he had also inherited from the â€Å"dark people†. However, guided by Merlin’s mercurial light, Arthur succeeds in repressing these malign tendencies which surface with a vengeance in the character of Morgan. Mordred, the incarnation of Arthur’s mortal sin, and of his submission to the anima has be to vanquished in order for Arthur to find redemption. The final metamorphosis of Morgan and her reconciliation with Arthur suggest that redemption has been accomplished. The Mandala Archetype In his analysis of the mandala archetype, Jung stated that: [mandalas] are all based on the squaring of a circle. Their basic motif is the premonition of a centre of personality, a kind of central point within the psyche, to which everything isolated, by which everything is arranged, and which is itself a source of energy. [†¦] This centre is not felt or thought of as the ego but, if one may so express it, as the self. Although the centre is represented by an innermost point, it is surrounded by a periphery containing everything that belongs to the self the paired opposites that make up the total personality. This totality comprises consciousness first of all, then the personal unconscious, and finally an indefinitely large segment of the collective unconscious whose archetypes are common to all mankind. In Sutcliff’s trilogy, the most obvious symbol of the mandala is the Round Table. It signifies Arthur’s destiny and enacts the circle of life that he has to complete. Quite significantly, the mandala, also associated with the feminine archetypes, is brought to Camelot as Guenever’s dowry and Merlin is the one who appears to have originated it. The Round Table is the archetype that reunites all the other archetypes, ii is the beginning and the end of Arthur’s quest. The â€Å"archetype of wholeness†, the mandala, or the Round Table reunites the supernatural aspects of Arthur’s life with his terrestrial existence. The overwhelming presence of such archetypes and the great mother, the wise old man, the anima, rebirth and mandala in Sutcliff’s trilogy gives a symbolical turn to the Arthurian legend. In this light we realize the importance of this legend not only for the enrichment of story-telling but also as a universal a expression of the collective unconscious. Works Cited: Jung, C. G. 1973. Mandala Symbolism. Transl. by C. F. Hull, Princeton University Press, NJ. The Essential Jung, Princeton University Press, 1983. Four Archetypes, Routledge, 2003. Sutcliff, Rosemary. 1981. The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, The Bodley Head Ltd. The Light Beyond the Forest, The Bodley Head Ltd, 1981. The Road to Camlann, The Bodley Head Ltd, 1981.

Effect and Impact of Mergers on Employee Morale

Effect and Impact of Mergers on Employee Morale The vital industries of Pakistan banking sector plays immaculate role to proof his growth in different footings. From the beginning till now banks pursues innovations n more service indicators to sustain their existence in the field of banking. Apart from the local banks side so many big foreign international banks also step in as Pakistan Banking sector was hot cake in those days even now. The total illustrated deposit collected by the foreign banks in from the period of 80s to 90s that was around 37000 million in rupees (Article from: Economic Review Article date: October 1, 1990 Author: Haque, Ansarul). The first foreign international bank registered in Pakistan was Doha Bank Ltd and then by Faisal Al-Islami of Bahrain. All the banks are still now completely regulated by State Bank of Pakistan from its complete formation in 1948. The procedure and policies are completely and compulsory followed by all commercial including foreign banks in Pakistan. Banking sector in Pakistan pass out from different phases such as privatization of banks was the big step taken to encourage the banking field to get more flexible and awe-inspiring results. The main reason to encourage these banks becoming privatize to introduce new and sound financial products for both individuals as well as business solutions and they did so as foreign banks such as Citi Bank covers a wide range of financial products to its customers in first. In Recent era now every big bank is offering a wide variation of flexible financial solutions to its customers with the customer needs and attention with the effect of providing good customer services by applying Quality Service Indicators in every branch of every bank. Banks in Pakistan nearly providing same financial solution to the nation but that bank will survive who retains the customer by giving them personal interest through quality services. From last few years back, banks in Pakistan are getting involved in merger and acquisition activities such as in 2006 Standard Chartered Bank acquired Union Bank and in 2007 NIB Bank Ltd acquired the PICIC Bank, and after that ABN Amro bank acquired Prime Commercial Bank which was later acquired by the RBS Bank. And now the RBS Bank is purchased by the Faysal Bank Ltd in October 2010. These merger and acquisition activities shown a rapid change of banking culture but the employees are those who suffer from these M/A stages even mostly lost their jobs due to commitment with new management. The mainly purpose to conduct this study on merger and acquisition of banks and its effect on employee job satisfaction because there has been seen a big change in shape of merger activities after the big financial crises that effects the whole world business strategies in different mode so many employees getting jobless. Every segment of work or business and individuals of the nation is affected by the financial crisis due to the cycle of collecting deposits and lending money chain broken. Peoples do not have the power to save the money in the banks because of less profitability and more expenses that reduced the profitability of the banks too and let them to merge and acquisition themselves with another well-established bank that bear their costs and their existence too. During merger and acquisition activities lots of employees victimize in different terms. They suffer from the stiffed phase of their job. Most of the employees job satisfaction level goes ultimate down as they thin k they will be getting fired or jobless as new management would be come up with new teams of professionals and new procedure of working conditions in this way their morale level affected. Mainly, after merger and acquisition activities, there are two aspects come into headlines which are related to those employees who are coming from different organization with this attitude to adjust themselves in new environment with challenges. So there morale is high due to stress push them to survive in new environment. The other aspect of employees are those who are suffering from merger process that either the organization needs them more or they will be getting jobless due to next management rules (Leigh Richards, Demand Media 2010). This uncertainty let their motivation level down which effect their job satisfaction too. Main objective to conduct this study on the effect of merger and acquisition to employee morale is to identify those factors which let the morale level high or down after merger and acquisition of two or more industries. Mostly it has been seen the negative relation that the merger and acquisition of two sectors impact positively to let the morale level down of employees which result job dissatisfaction too. But this also has been that the merger and acquisition activities will also boost the employee level to survive among the best and hold their position in the changing environment. Low morale employees can also hurt the organization structure too as Bohl (1989) stated that poor morale is contagious. It may begin with one dis-satisfied employee and broaden into a general malaise, or spread from department to department and finally infect the entire organization. Insidious as it may be, poor morale is reversibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬- (p. 52). My research addresses the questions that what relation exists between after the event of merger and acquisition of banks and morale of an employee. Either this relation positively affected or negatively. The other question is to be asked that the significance of that relationship which reveals the facts that either the relation is strongly effect or slightly or normal. Even the research questions include the material which explains the level of effect of those factors effect on employee morale. The other question which needs the explanation most is that the results outcomes occurs from the event of merger and effects on employee morale. Either employee morale goes down or they dissatisfied from their jobs and tend to leave the job to replace themselves in another bank or their morale is too high to put more efforts to achieve the success level from the merger activities. The last but not the least question needs the answer is that the morale level of the employees of RBS Bank after getting acquired by Faysal Bank is getting high to work better or getting low by losing their brand loyalty and organization commitment merge with another and about what extent of ratio resign or fired from the bank or join the bank after merger activity. Business reason to conduct this study is to find out the tendency of those employee who left the job after this merger and acquisition activities that affects their work image, their brand loyalty, their organizational commitment and their change of culture dimensions or to find out that is this business strategy of merger and acquisition of banks is useful to motivate the employees to work in different environment to get the chance be a professional and succesful as they were neglected. From the perspective of management, merger activities are more useful and beneficial to get the cream of professional and other resources and let the others go and start a new and diversified culture but on the other perspective from employees it may be beneficial and may be not because of changing culture and uncertain information about the new rules and procedure for working. The personal reason for this study is to be as a student of management sciences and as an employee of a bank MCB Bank Ltd, s een the stage of merger activities. MCB Bank Ltd purchased the RBS Bank initially even the both bank system was getting merged but due to political issues this deal was cancelled. In that period the thing which was examine that the employees of RBS Bank are not happy to be acquired by another bank as they lost their identity and loyalty. LITERATURE REVIEW: There are number of series of literature review published on merger or acquisition and on employee morale which shows a considerable subject of research. The term merger in context of baking field is when two banks willingly operated as a single identity or operated by a single bank is known as merger as (Greenwood, 1994) define, A merger involves a blend of two companies, rather than mere legal enjoinment or absorption of one firm into another. Merger and acquisition are now means to be more important to achieve the corporate diversity and growth (Cartwright Cooper, 1992). Even merger of two is defines as a process in which the merged company loses his identity to be one firm by the acquirer (Kithinji Waweru, 2007). It has been seen that if there is any change recognized in the organization that affects the individuals (Wilson, 2004). (Tehrani, 2007) changes from merger have seen negative impact on well-being in context to accept that change and can also add the stress on workplac e level. As (Vaananen, 2004) measured change solely through employees perceptions of whether or not their standing at work had changed during the period of a merger. The effect of merger and acquisition on employee moral can have significant impact if the reorganization of the merged firm is not handled successfully. Change from the result of merger can be difficult and leads to the stress that has a negative impact on employee morale (Richards, 2009), and the factor which lead to the stress is lack of communication passes from top level to lower level management during merger times (Pophal, 2009). (Cofer Appley, 1964) Focus on stress by this term stress . Has all but preempted a field previously shared by a number of other conceptsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p. 441) which includes the level of anxiety, conflict, frustration, emotional disturbance, trauma and many other factor discussed under the reference of stress. Through this we easily identify that stress impact on employee morale level. Workplace environment changes make an effect on employee behavior which either downgrade their morale or either upgrades their morale to accept the change for workin g flexibility if provided by that reorganization firm. (Pract, 1998) explains the stress and morale getting poor in the context of general practitioners where this concern is positively seen. (Robertson, Haton, Felce, 2005) also tested the results of stress from workplace change and the level employee morale. This field study also resulted in the context of change of environment. This would entail the fact as the workplace environment change then the stress on well-being affected in any terms. (Deborah, Victor, Callan, Sartori, 1999) in which they discuss the factor of stresson employee adjustment due to the organizational change. As we know the merger activities includes the process of merging two or more organization then the culture clash is obvious thing which is hardly accepted by the employees and this would let their morale down (Pophal, The effects of Merger and Acquisition on Employee Morale, 2009). This have been seen that after merger activities, mostly new management comes up with new policies and the HR role starts to hire the new professional to complete the gap due to this merger activity happened leads to fear of job-less from the organization and this would let their morale down during the merger activities. According to (Sen, 1997) Unemployment can be a major causal factor predisposing people to social exclusion. The exclusion applies not only to economic opportunities, such as job-related insurance, and to pension and medical entitlements, but also to social activities, such as participation in the life of the community, the lack of which may be quite problematic for jobless people. (Difonzo Bordia, 1999) A tale of two corporations: Managing uncertainty during organizational change in which they suggest the reason of ineffective strategies of communication during the organizational change which lead to flourish the rumors and let the employee morale either positive or either negatively. (Difonzo Bordia, 1999)- Human Resource Management, 1998 also find out the in his field study that the employee morale were unanimously drooped down and the level of anxiety has been intense and the comments from the management that youre going to be rid of me, so why should I continue to work so hard? shows the morale level so down. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: The Type of Study: The type of study is deductive in which the variables have been taken from empirical data and other journals and articles. And this study is descriptive in nature which describes the relationship between the variables and their effect on employee morale during the merger activities. Theoretical Framework: Stress Employee Morale Managing Uncertainity MERGER ACQUISITION Competitiveness Anxiety of Jobless Hypothesis Building: Following are the hypothesis testing in this field study on effects of merger and acquisition on employees morale. H1: Merger and Acquisition activities results into higher employee morale H2: Merger and Acquisition activities results into lower employee morale H3: Merger activities results high stress level impact on employee morale level H4: Managing uncertainty has a positive significant impact on handling employee morale level H5: Merger activities increase the competition which results lower the employee morale level H6: Merger activities increase the competition which results higher the employee morale level H7: Merger activities increase the anxiety level of getting jobless which results lower employee morale level Sample size that you have chosen and why you have chosen that sample: The sample size of this field study is based on the survey through questionnaire filled by 150 employees from 6 different branches of RBS Bank acquired by the Faysal Bank Ltd. Large number of questionnaire filled by lower and medium level of employees working in different branches and also filled by the management professionals to see what they observed from this merger and acquisition activity and its effect on employee overall focusing on their morale level too. Data collection tools to be used and why you are using that tool: This field study is based on secondary data collection in which empirical research done on merger and acquisition activities and their effect or impact on an employee morale data includes to find out the significance of relation between merger and employee morale through the level of stress, managing uncertainty, anxiety of jobless, competitiveness and role conflict exists in the study of RBS Bank merger or acquisition by Faysal Bank Ltd while the primary data for this study is gathered by the survey through complete research questionnaire about merger and its effect or impact on employees morale filled by the employees of RBS Bank and even with Faysal Bank Ltd. The questionnaire is based on likert scale from 1 to 5 questions where 1 shows strongly disagree and 2 shows disagree and 3 shows neutral answer and 4 shows agreed and 5 scale shows strongly agreed with the said questions. The main purpose to use these tools to easily find out the relation and impact of merger on employee mor ale through empirical data and that data would be proved through the survey questionnaire from the employees of acquired firm which id RBS Bank. What software would you use and why would you use it: This field study is based on different variables relationship effects on employee morale. First the data has been taken from secondary sources including research articles, journals and also from primary sources through field survey questionnaire from RBS Bank employees then arrange the data and found the co relational analysis done. SPSS 14 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software used for analysis of the attained data. The SPSS software is most useful systematic programmer to find out accurate results by calculating large amount of data easily and in short time. SPSS software gives the values of co relation of variables and regression values in a tabular format. LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH: This field study on the variables effects on employee morale from merger and acquisition activities is limited by so many other factors due to time constraint to get the most accurate results either they influence on results. Even the size of the sample is also limited in number such as billed by 150 employees of RBS Bank in which mostly are lower level working in different branches and some are filled from middle level management professional to gain their opinion too. This sample size was enough to find out co relational values between the relation of merger and its effects and impact on employee morale. The results cannot be truly accurate due to biasness of filling such survey questionnaire but can be rarely happened. The variables have been taken are also limited because to find out most close relationship between their co relation existence. FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTION: There are many areas still undiscovered with the relation of M/A activities and there effect on organization culture and boundaries. In which the effect was only seen with the relation of employees and human capital activities but not with the assets, records, liabilities due, customer feedback, customer acceptance and loyalties. These are still not closely look into with the relation of merger activities of organizations. Such in these activities the questions should be asked from the customer of those banks which are going to be acquired by the other bank that are they happy with this activity of merger, do they seen this thing positive in sense, do they get benefit after this merger activity or not, would they continue to work with the same bank or will shift to another well-established bank. These are the questions still needs answers from the perspective of merger and acquisition activities of banks. Another direction would be in the same context is to find out the after merger activities of banks and role of HR manager to manage the uncertainty level of the employees during merger process. We have seen that there is a lot of stress on employees while merger is in progress but no such communication transfer to the employees which result the employees are unaware from such activities and getting afraid that how the new management treat with them, are they getting jobless due to not fulfilling the set criteria by the new management, or they would be given more work and responsibilities. These rumors or thinking process of employees let their motivation level down due to their job satisfaction effected. For that purpose the role of managers is most required to communicate the employees and ensure them the safety of their job and their professional as well as social value in the organization by using useful tools such as re-screening of employees or through motivational activity tools. Some research may work on it but not deeply inside. WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS STUDY? This study is done for the purpose to find out the relationship of morale after the merger and acquisition process of RBS Bank and Faysal Bank Ltd which would benefit to the management of Faysal bank in the context that now the employees of their organization are truly motivated with high morale or they are not motivated by low morale due to this merger activity. In this way the organization would easily make some managerial tools to utilize their human capital employees such as by motivating them a part of Faysal Bank Ltd which gives them new loyalties and more flexibility of their jobs and work and giving more attention and more rewards program from the previous one. The other would get the benefits mostly are the human resource department which understand the need of communicate the merger policies and terms to clarify the questions of employees. HR department tend to be more ethical and friendly to support their employees by communicating them about the M/A activities. Communicat ion gap from management to lower level employees during merger and acquisition activities have been seen a big issue.

Code of Honor in the Epic of Beowulf :: Epic Beowulf essays

Beowulf: Code of Honor After fighting and winning many battles, Beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, Geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon. For fifty years he has governed his kingdom well. While Beowulf is governing, the dragon "...kept watch over a hoard, a steep stone-barrow" (Norton 55). Under it lays a path concealed from the sight of men. Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. "The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country" (Norton 57). Beowulf is an epic poem that was written in the late tenth-century, at the kingdom of the West Saxons. The two main characters are Beowulf, a young man; and Grendel, a furious dragon. Beowulf's world is a very violent society with wars as a dominant part of daily life. Dragons and monsters are a constant threat to the Danes and the Geats. Warriors are a necessity to this war-like society. Beowulf is a hero as well as a great, and honorable, warrior. After fighting and winning many battles, Beowulf's life enters a new stage when he finally becomes king of his homeland, Geatland. Even in his old age, his code of honor still obligates him to fight against an evil, fiery dragon. For fifty years he has governed his kingdom well. While Beowulf is governing, the dragon "...kept watch over a hoard, a steep stone-barrow" (Norton 55). Under it lays a path concealed from the sight of men. Over centuries no one had disturbed the dragon’s kingdom until one day when a thief broke into the treasure, laid hand on a cup fretted with gold, which infuriated the dragon. "The fiery dragon had destroyed the people's stronghold, the land along the sea, the heart of the country" (Norton 57). Beowulf prepares to fight a dragon with his thane, Wiglaf. Beowulf has no fear of the dragon, because he has fought many enemies that were much more ferocious. One example of Beowulf's great battles is the fight with Grendel. No one other than Beowulf is brave enough or strong enough to volunteer to fight Grendel.

How to Work at Subway :: Process Essays

How to Work at Subway The only thing required to hold a decent job is a little responsibility. Any person who can communicate in English and perform physical activities should be able to hold a job. This is the case at Subway. A person needs no more extra skills to be employed there than one can learn in two days. However, failure to demonstrate responsibility will lead to unemployment. Showing up for work on time is the first thing that a person has to do if working at Subway. When a person goes to work, he or she must be dressed in proper uniform. This includes a Subway brand shirt and hat, a black apron, and black pants (or Subway brand shorts). Anyone who is smarter than a brick can follow these simple rules. Failure tocomply with such easy instructions will result in joblessness. It is indeed amazing that anyone could get fired for demonstrating such a complete lack of dependability. Yet they do. The next and most obvious task one must perform at Subway is the making of sandwiches (plus salads and wraps, but let's not get too elaborate). The first step for making a tasty hoagie is finding out what type of bread the customer wants (typically white or wheat). Next, the employee must ask how large the loaf will be (six or twelve inches). After the initial bread information is gathered, one may commence cutting. Simply slice the entire length of the bread, but do not cut all the way through, to create a hinge effect. The entrà ©e is then ready to be dressed. There is a specific order to the ingredients placed on a Subway sub, which must be adhered to unless the customer requests otherwise. The cheese goes on the sub first. Then the meat (obviously the meat is excluded for vegetarian subs) is placed on top of the cheese. Sauces such as mustard and mayonnaise go above the meat. Vegetables go on next. The order to prompt a person for "veggies" is: hot or mild peppers; pickles, peppers, olives; lettuce, onion, tomato. Finally on the layer of vegetables are applied the other condiments: oil, vinegar, salt, pepper. The lid to the sandwich is situated on top. If the comestible is of the foot-long variety, then it is cut in half before serving. Finally, the edible piece of art is wrapped in paper and delivered to the customer.

Money in Marriage Essay

Money is a vital component for a sustainable and harmony life. Knowing the main function of money in marriage is important for a successful marriage. According to (Loh,2012) a research by Smart Money magazine, cited by shows that 70% of spouses surveyed discuss about money no less than one weekly while 36% of men and 40% of women confess that they lied to their couple about their spending. Many couples do not aware about the importance of money. The ability to pay household and utility bills, the tendency to ensure the children get their rights as well as the chance to have a comfortable and sustainable living are therefore, the importance of money in marriage. One of the reasons why money is important in marriage is to pay household and utility bills. Just like how organizations have their organization’s financial details each year to trace how they spend their money to pay for things married couples also need to record their expenditure and examined them monthly. (Eugene, 2009). A couples need to distribute their money to pay the energy, electrical and telecommunication bills. Electricity is necessary to run all home utilities such as refrigerator, television, radio, including hot water heaters and water pump that allow toilet to work. Besides electrical bills a telecommunication bills also need to be managed well so that we can ensure smooth communication between a family members. The example of communication utilities is such as encompass telephone, satellite television service and Internet service. For instance communication utilities such as internet can be used by the family members especially children who are still study to find information, communicate with their friend, and sharing their opinion. A married couple also need to allocate their money for the household food budget. The monthly budget for the food and groceries of the house should be managed accurately. â€Å"It is significant to give them with a healthy-balanced diet and encourage them to work out frequently† (Vijaindren, 2012). Parents should aware that your child needs a variety of food to fuel his growth, strengthen his immune system and support his brain and nervous system. So it can be conclude that money is important in marriage to have a healthy lifestyle because an apple a day can keep a doctor away. Another importance of money in marriage is to ensure children get their rights. A beneficial education is a necessary for children (Rosmah, 2010). Every child should have an adequate education to secure their future. Money can be used to pay necessary fees regarding the education or study. For example, money can be used to pay an education fees for children who studying at primary, secondary or even children at the college. As an example, money is useful for buying a basic need for children education such as school uniform, stationeries, and of course a books. Every child deserved an additional education such as home tutor or tuition. With money, tuition fees and additional books can be paid consistently. According to Rosmah (2010, as cited in Lim (2010) a marriage that has consistency in money should give their children a well-nourished life. Every parent can make their children more valuable and comfortable with money. For example provide a comfortable shelter such as personal room for their uses. Furthermore with money parents will have the tendency to ensure that children get their rights. As an example, children nowadays will request for an up-to-date gadgets, such as smart phone, tablet, or even an android phone. This can be fulfilled with money. Thus, money is important not only for an adult, but can be very useful for a sustainable in children’s life. One of the other reasons why money is important in marriage is to have comfortable and sustainable life. Najib(2012, as cited in Shuman, 2012) â€Å"My feverent wish is to ensure that each and every one of our young productive adults and, indeed the future generation of Malaysian will have enough savings and financial assets to enjoy their retirement to the fullest†. This pension scheme is one of the ways to have a sustainable life. Many of young married couple do not aware about the importance of this pension scheme it is to persuade and influence people to set aside money for the upcoming and urgent situation. For instance one of the family members having any major health problem such as cancer or heart problem that need to spend a lot of money to heal at least this scheme can support it. Another importance of money is to keep away the future cohort to cope with difficulty and struggle to have a sustainable and comfortable life. Life insurance gives a person chance to propose a consistent financial for his or her family in the event of disaster or poor health problem happen to the family members (Morris, 2010). With the power of money a couple can buy a life insurance for their house, vehicle and family member. For example when a giant Tsunami hits Japan on 2012 many facilities and infrastructure has been demolished, at the same time many victim had lost their family members. So the reason why you need to take out an insurance policy is to look after who’s left behind you especially the ones that you loved. In a nutshell, the importance of money in marriage include chance to have a comfortable and sustainable life, the tendency to ensure the children get their rights as well as the ability to pay household and utility bills. Money is vital asset that are useful for a long time, and can secure the future. Thus, money must be managed well to ensure that the flow of money will run smoothly and can lead to a sustainable life and harmony marriage. Everyone must have their own budget so we can prepare for the unpredictable thing that may occur. Tracking your money expenses, create a monthly budget, prepare for unexpected emergencies, and plan for big expenses are few steps that can be made to managed money well. This can educate a person to become a discipline and independent in his life.

Case Study on Pepsi

IntroductionThis project aim is to analyze the diversification strategy of PepsiCo in 2008. PepsiCo is the largest food and beverage business in the world. The benefits of PepsiCo’s diversification strategies are identified. The business strategy is analyzed to determine its efficacy across PepsiCo’s consumer business segments and product portfolio. The value chain match ups are determined and analyzed to ascertain their relevance to the success of PepsiCo’s strategy. The competitive strengths of PepsiCo’s three structural divisions and six reporting segments are assessed and related to relevant theories and strategy tools.Summary of the casePepsiCo is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient foods and beverages, with revenues of about $39.5 billio n and over 142,000 employees.The company’s portfolio of businesses in 2008 included Frito-Lay salty snacks, Quaker chewy granola bars, Pepsi soft drink products, Tropicana orange juice, Lipton Brisk tea, Gatorade, Propel, SoBe, Quaker Oatmeal, Cap’n Crunch, Aquatint, Rice-A-Roni, Aunt Jemima pan cake mix, and many other regularly consumed products. The company consists of the snack business of Frito-Lay North America and the beverage and food businesses of PepsiCo Beverages and Foods, which includes PepsiCo Beverages North America (Pepsi-Cola North America and Gatorade/Tropicana North America) and Quaker Foods North America. PepsiCo International includes the snack businesses of Frito-Lay International and beverage businesses of PepsiCo Beverages International. PepsiCo brands are available in nearly 200 countries and territories.Many of PepsiCo's brand names are over 100-years-old, but the corporation is relatively young. PepsiCo was established in 1965 through the mer ger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay. Tropicana was acquired in 1998 and PepsiCo merged with The Quaker Oats Company, including Gatorade, in 2001. PepsiCo’s success is the result of superior products, high standards of performance,  distinctive competitive strategies and the high integrity of our people.VisionThe vision of PepsiCo is to be a responsible company that supports continuous improvement of all areas across the globe in which they operate. These areas include the environment, social, and economic conditions creating a better future then the present.MissionPepsiCo’s mission is to be the world's premier consumer Products Company focused on convenient foods and beverages. They seek to produce healthy financial rewards to investors as they provide opportunities for growth and enrichment to their employees, their business partners and the communities in which they operate. And in everything they do, they strive for honesty, fairness and integrity.SWOT AnalysisStrengt hsBranding – One of PepsiCo’s top brands is of course Pepsi, one of the most recognized brands of the world, ranked according to Interbrand. As of 2008 it ranked 26th amongst top 100 global brands.Pepsi generates more than $15,000 million of annual sales. Pepsi is joined in broad recognition by such PepsiCo brands as Diet Pepsi, Gatorade Mountain Dew, Thirst Quencher, Lay’s Potato Chips, Lipton Teas (PepsiCo/Unilever Partnership), Tropicana Beverages, Fritos Corn, Tostitos Tortilla Chips, Doritos Tortilla Chips, Aquafina Bottled Water, Cheetos Cheese Flavored Snacks, Quaker Foods and Snacks, Ruffles Potato Chips, Mirinda, Tostitos Tortilla Chips, and Sierra Mist.The strength of these brands is evident in PepsiCo’s presence in over 200 countries. The company has the largest market share in the US beverage at 39%, and snack food market at 25%. Such brand dominance insures loyalty and repetitive sales which contributes to over $15 million in annual sales for the company.Finance -As one of the leading beverage and food distributors and producers in the world,PepsiCo obviously has very strong financial backing and has been performing especially well. Their basic financial statement is very promising with revenues above Coca-Cola and the highest PepsiCo has ever seen, as well as low debt and liabilities.20 PepsiCo has shown and average of six percent growth since the year 2000 and has accomplished many growth goals by acquired and manufacturing a wide range of products.The pure size of PepsiCo is a competitive advantage because they produce so many commonly used products throughout the world and are minimally leveraged by market ups and downs.Illustrating this point is their increasing ROE, ROA, and ROI ratios that have experienced great increases over the past several years where soda sales have declined Diversification – PepsiCo’s diversification is obvious in that the fact that each of its top 18 brands generates annual s ales of over $1,000 million. PepsiCo’s arsenal also includes ready-to-drink teas, juice drinks, bottled water, as well as breakfast cereals, cakes and cake mixes.This broad product base plus a multi-channel distribution system serve to help insulate PepsiCo from shifting business climates.Distribution – The company delivers its products directly from manufacturing plants and warehouses to customer warehouses and retail stores. This is part of a three pronged approach which also includes employees making direct store deliveries of snacks and beverages and the use of third party distribution services.WeaknessesOverdependence on Wal-Mart – Sales to Wal-Mart represent approximately 12% of PepsiCo’s total net revenue. Wal-Mart is PepsiCo’s largest customer. As a result PepsiCo’s fortunes are influenced by the business strategy of Wal-Mart specifically its emphasis on private-label sales which produce a higher profit margin than national brands. W al-Mart’s low price themes put pressure on PepsiCo to hold down prices.Overdependence on US Markets – Despite its international presence, 52% of its revenues originate in the US. This concentration does leave PepsiCo somewhat vulnerable to the impact of changing economic conditions, and labor strikes. Large US customers could exploit PepsiCo’s lack of bargaining power and negatively impact its revenues.Low Productivity – In 2008 PepsiCo had approximately 198,000 employees. Its revenue per employee was $219,439, which was lower than its competitors. This may indicate comparatively low productivity on the part of PepsiCo employees.Image Damage Due to Product Recall – Recently (2008) salmonella contamination forced PepsiCo to pull Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mix from retail shelves. This followed incidents of exploding Diet Pepsi cans in 2007. Such occurrences damage company image and reduce consumer confidence in PepsiCo products. OpportunitiesBro adening of Product Base – PepsiCo is seeking to address one of its potential weaknesses; dependency on US markets by acquiring Russia’s leading Juice Company, Lebedyansky, and V Wwater in the United Kingdom. It continues to broaden its product base by introducing TrueNorth Nut Snacks and increasing its Lipton Tea venture with Unilever. These recent initiatives will enable PepsiCo to adjust to the changing lifestyles of its consumers.International Expansion – PepsiCo is in the midst of making a $1, 000 million investment in China, and a $500 million investment in India. Both initiatives are part of its expansion into international markets and a lessening of its dependence on US sales. In addition the company plans on major capital initiatives in Brazil and Mexico.Growing Savory Snack and Bottled Water market in US – PepsiCo is positioned well to capitalize on the growing bottle water market which is projected to be worth over $24 million by 2012. Products such as Aquafina, and Propel are well established products and in a position to ride the upward crest. PepsiCo products such as, Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks, Tostitos tortilla chips, Fritos corn chips, Ruffles potato chips, Sun Chips multigrain snacks, Rold Gold pretzels, Santitas are also benefiting from a growing savory snack market which is projected to grow as much as 27% by 2013, representing an increase of $28 million.ThreatsDecline in Carbonated Drink Sales – Soft drink sales are projected to decline by as much as 2.7% by 2012, down $ 63,459 million in value. PepsiCo is in the process of diversification, but is likely to feel the impact of the projected decline.Potential Negative Impact of Government Regulations – It is anticipated that government initiatives related to environmental, health and safety may have the potential to negatively impact PepsiCo. For example, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of food products may be al tered as a result of state, federal or local dictates. Preliminary studies on acrylamide seem to suggest that it may cause cancer in laboratory animals when consumed in significant amounts. If the company has to comply with a related regulation and add warning labels or place warnings in certain locations where its products are sold, a negative impact may result for PepsiCo.Intense Competition – The Coca-Cola Company is PepsiCo’s primary competitors. But others include Nestlà ©, Groupe Danone and Kraft Foods. Intense competition may influence pricing, advertising, sales promotion initiatives undertaken by PepsiCo. Resently Coca-Cola passed PepsiCo in Juice sales.Potential Disruption Due to Labor Unrest – Based upon recent history, PepsiCo may be vulnerable to strikes and other labor disputes. In 2008 a strike in India shut down production for nearly an entire month. This disrupted both manufacturing and distribution.PepsiCo’s ProblemNegligence on employe es – One of the main lacking components of PepsiCo’s values is their employees. Of the many concerns they have about the consumer and clients, little is said about the way employees are treated and what expectations and responsibilities are towards them. Programs exist that help employee’s take part in the community, and also future employees by offering school programs and scholarships. However, little effort is directed towards the responsibility of the company to employees. Coinciding with their values, objectives, and commitment, employees are left out of the  grand scheme and mayeven be considered a means to an end. The limited focus on employees may be a problemin the long-run due to retention issues and resulting lack of quality.Poor business strategy – PepsiCo’s business strategies were working out very well for them except for in their international operations. The international segment had relatively low profit margins which meant that PepsiCo needed to implement a new organizational structure that would better utilize strategic fits between the company’s international operations Low Productivity – In 2008 PepsiCo had approximately 198,000 employees. Its revenue per employee was $219,439, which was lower than its competitors. This may indicate comparatively low productivity on the part of PepsiCo employees.Image Damage Due to Product Recall – Recently (2008) salmonella contamination forced PepsiCo to pull Aunt Jemima pancake and waffle mix from retail shelves. This followed incidents of exploding Diet Pepsi cans in 2007. Such occurrences damage company image and reduce consumer confidence in PepsiCo products.Conclusion and RecommendationOverall PepsiCo is a successful company with substantial revenue, and a large footprint in the marketplace. PepsiCo should continue to expand their growth and take advantage of potential opportunities by continuing to improve on areas at the corporate top level , in the markets that they currently are in, and in new markets and market segments that they wish to expand into and at last PepsiCo should become more proactive in the health food/product market place rather than being reactive to the market trends. They need to improve their responsiveness and future projections to market trends and changes that can therefore allude to different product segments and target markets.

Brave New World Names Just Might have a Deeper Meaning than what Meets the Page - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1315 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Brave New World Essay Did you like this example? Authors frequently insert comical or clever bits and pieces of irony, connections, and allusions throughout their work. Aldous Huxley does so through the names of his characters. The novel’s anti-hero Bernard Marx can be related to George Bernard Shaw and Karl Marx. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Brave New World Names Just Might have a Deeper Meaning than what Meets the Page" essay for you Create order Bernard’s close friend, Helmholtz Watson, appears to be named after the famous German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. Lenina Crowne may be ironically named after the seventeenth-century dramatist John Crowne and/or the revolutionary Russian communist Vladimir Lenin, while Huxley probably chose the name Fanny Crowne to resemble a popular actress of the time, Fanny Brice. John the Savage gives the impression that he may be named after the biblical character John the Baptist. Huxley skillfully exhibits his clever allusion abilities by creating connections between the names of the characters in his best-selling novel, Brave New World, and significant historical beings. To begin, Huxley has named his anti-hero Bernard Marx. The name Bernard originated in the Germanic language as a combination of the words ‘bear’ and ‘hard’ formally meaning ‘Brave’. Initially, the character may be considered brave since he consciously makes an effort to not completely follow the social norms of the World State and act as an individual with his thoughts and opinions.(Webb) However, Bernard shows signs of being a coward as the novel continues. A perfect example of his cowardice is shown in his fail to assist his â€Å"friend† John in an instance of dire need. Hesitant on the fringes of the battle. â€Å"They’re done for,† said Bernard and, urged by a sudden impulse, ran forward to help them; then thought better of it and halted; then, ashamed, stepped forward again; then again thinking better of it, and was standing in agony of humiliated indecision-thinking that they might be killed if he didn’t help them, and that he might be killed if he did. (214) Another meaning for the name Bernard is ‘hardy’, ironic as the character is described as a physically inferior Alpha (Webb, 2012). Huxley may have named the character after the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw that was popular around the same time the dystopia was written. The socialist playwright frequently advocated for women’s rights, which parallels with Bernard’s repulsion toward the common conception of women as sexual objects throughout the novel (â€Å"Telling†). Huxley’s inspiration for Bernard’s last name may have originated from a socialist nineteenth-century German author, Karl Marx. Marx is known for his critique of the capitalist society through his writing. Bernard does criticize the society in which he lives, but he also has an endless dire yearning to fit into the World State society. Karl Marx founded the theory of Marxism, a class system of society that results in tension between the upper and lower classes. Marx believed that this tension would result in the lower classes rising and overthrowing the upper classes and socialism would replace the old system. Ironically, Bernard prefers his luxury upper caste lifestyle rather than handle societal issues. In the novel, the lower castes are too brainwashed and conditioned by the government to be capable of overthrowing the upper castes and government. Aldous Huxley likely named the character Helmholtz Watson after a widely known German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. The physicist was successful in his arena and has multiple equations named after him (Shmoop Editorial Team). The name Helmholtz suits the character perfectly as he is significantly more intelligent than most alphas and cares deeply about his writing. â€Å"Helmholtz rose from his pneumatic chair. ‘I should like a thoroughly bad climate,’ he answered. ‘I believe one would write better if the climate were bad† (229). John B. Watson, an American psychologist known for studying human behavior, is most likely where the character’s surname originated. John B. Watson worked with the idea of using conditioning to alter behavior, just as children are conditioned in Brave New World. The character Helmholtz Watson appropriately works as a lecturer at the College of Emotional Engineering (â€Å"Telling†). Both Hermann von Helmholtz and Jo hn B. Watson both utilized their specific visions and perceptions to their advantage, like the character Helmholtz who sees the world differently from most of the automatons in which he his surrounded. Helmholtz and Bernard both criticized the World State; however, Watson’s criticisms were intellectual and philosophical, while Bernard’s were more immature complaints (â€Å"Brave†). Lenina and Fanny Crowne may be named after the late seventeenth-century dramatist John Crowne. Ironically, Crowne’s works often centered some tale of romantic, heroic love, as Fanny and Lenina were both rather public about their â€Å"dating† life. Huxley may have named Lenina after the Russian revolutionary communist Vladimir Lenin, who became the leader of the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Meanwhile, Lenina is a conformist, completely conditioned and does not question the values of the World State government at the beginning of the novel; therefore, Huxley could have attempted to make the statement that all ‘Leninism’ ultimately results in conformity (â€Å"Tools†). Vladimir Lenin was an incredibly powerful and influential man in his country, while Lenina and Fanny were simply tools of the social system in which they live. The true meaning of the name Lenina is ‘like a lion’ indicating independence and leadership. While Vladimir Lenin exh ibited these qualities, the character Lenina Crowne does not. Huxley relates the character Fanny Crowne to Fanny Brice, a popular actress in the 1920s and 1930s. As Fanny Brice was seen as the perfect woman of the time, Fanny Crowne plays the objectified sexual being that is seen as the ‘perfect’ woman in the World State society (â€Å"Telling†). Huxley cleverly paralleled the name of his character John the Savage to the biblical figure John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist, John the Savage was an immensely spiritual person and believed deeply in his religion, faith, and God (â€Å"Telling†). He spread the word of Christianity and even argued with Mustapha Mond about the importance of God in society. â€Å"But God’s the reason for everything noble and fine and heroic. If you had a God †(237) John the Savage urged. John the Savage spent the majority of the last chapter of the novel attempting to purify himself since living in London had made him impure. â€Å"From time to time he stretched out his arms as though he were on the Cross, and held them through long minutes of an ache that gradually increased till it became a tremulous and excruciating agony; held them, in voluntary crucifixion† (244). Sadly, his last attempt to purify himself and make himself worthy of God wa s taking his own life. Aldous Huxley’s most popular work, Brave New World, was completed with an endless number of clever and ironic connections between the names of characters in the novel and significant historical beings. These characters include Bernard Marx, Helmholtz Watson, Lenina Crowne, Fanny Crowne, and John the Savage among multiple others. Each character represents the historical figure or figures they are named for either in an ironic way or in an accurate presentation of that respected figure. â€Å"History is bunk† (34) says one of the highest esteemed individuals in the World State, Mustapha Mond, to a group of children. Huxley’s irony is unparalleled; one of the World State mottos in his novel is against any recognition of history, yet each and every character in his novel symbolizes a respected historical figure. Works Cited â€Å"Brave New World Characters.† SparkNotes, SparkNotes, www.sparknotes.com/lit/bravenew/symbols/. Buhl, Courtney. â€Å"Name Significance of Characters in Brave New World.† Prezi.com, 19 Jan. 2016, prezi.com/wzvp0xv9kne8/name-significance-of-characters-in-brave-new-world/. Shmoop Editorial Team. â€Å"Tools of Characterization in Brave New World.† Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/brave-new-world/characterization.html. â€Å"Telling Names of Characters from Brave New World.† Brave New World The Bookclub, 4 Sept. 2016, bnwbookclub.wordpress.com/telling-names/. Webb, Victoria. â€Å"Names in Brave New World.† Prezi.com, 28 Nov. 2012, prezi.com/eyoo0xzxj8ny/names-in-brave-new-world/.

Impermanence, Selflessness, And Dissatisfaction Essay

Impermanence, Selflessness, and Dissatisfaction Buddhism is neither a religion nor a philosophy, but rather a way of life. This does not imply that Buddhism is nothing more than an ethical code: it is a way of moral, spiritual and intellectual training leading to complete freedom of the mind. (DeSilva, 1991:p 5). Of the many Buddhist sects, Zen Buddhism places particular emphasis on living ‘the right life, and does not revolve around rite and ritual. Buddhism outlines the three characteristics of existence, which aids one in achieving enlightenment. Impermanence, selflessness, and dissatisfaction are concepts that are easily understood on an intellectual level, but to apply these concepts in ones life is challenging. Impermanence is†¦show more content†¦Impermanence allows one to possess a firm grip upon reality, knowing that there is an ever-changing landscape, encouraging one not to take things for granted. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Related to impermanence, is the concept of selflessness. Selflessness involves the knowledge that there is no immortal soul or eternal Self that exists in each individual (Fadiman amp; Frager, 1994:p 545). The so-called individual is a collection of attributes, all of which are impermanent and constantly changing. According to the Buddha, the person is made up of five basic factors- body, perception, sensation, consciousness, and mental activities. (Fadiman amp; Frager, 1994:p 545) Selflessness enables the individual to focus upon the external with the understanding that ‘I is not of significant priority. In taking the importance away from the individual, it permits one to become concerned with issues not related directly to the self. The fact that the world is constantly changing, and that one does not possess an immortal soul; allows the stage to be set for dissatisfaction, as it encompasses a number of principles. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Dissatisfaction exists, it is not a foreign notion. To this single problem we give different names: economic, social, political, psychological, and even religious problems. Do they not all emanate from that one single problem, namelyShow MoreRelatedThe Shocking Act Of Self Immolation1571 Words   |  7 PagesExistence refer to impermanence, dissatisfaction and no self or ego. Further, the Four Nobel Truths state that suffering is unavoidable (Dukkha), the causes of suffering are attachment (Samudaya) and the cessation of suffering can occur after attachment and desire are eliminated (Nirodha). The act of self-sacrifice is complex in terms of teachings on Buddhist non-violence. Arguably, self-sacrifice can be regarded as the highest form of selflessness. The concept of selflessness can be regarded as