The Rationale Behind Rwandan Foreign Policy - 1102 Words

Despite these challenges, it was necessary for me to conduct elite interviews with government policy makers through field research. Intrinsic case study research methodology was the primary instrument in the gathering and interpretation of this thesis. I wanted to study in order to learn, understand and explain the rationale behind Rwandan foreign policy. Rwanda’s horrific history with the inactions of the international community made the case study appear to be very interesting. There are only a handful of modern post-genocide states whose foreign relations is at some level dictated by how the international community responded to the massive human rights violations. For Rwanda, the reaction was minimal during the massacres, but grew†¦show more content†¦This period holds significance in creating an environment of trust between policy makers and me. These early interactions made it significantly easier for me to conduct more targeted interviews during my second resea rch period. Rather than worrying about fraying relationships with interviewees who could stop any future interview, I could fall back on the prior relationship if the interviewee felt irritated about my questions. For example, during an interview with General Joseph Nzabamwita I was able to press him on the subject of a conspiracy against Rwanda. He insisted that there was an international plot of some type conspiring to prevent Rwandan development. When I asked to explain more, he would refuse and instead comment how it was my responsibility to provide validity to Rwanda’s past and current actions. I was able to press General Nzabamwita more on his comments because I did not worry about causing tension and loss my privileges to interview him in the future. The relationship I created with him during the first leg of the field research provided me with a cushion in order to press for answers without fear of repercussions. Examples of this occurred throughout the second period of my field research. After the first period of research finished, I travelled to London in order to collect and review the current literature on Rwandan foreign policy. This in-between field work period focused onShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis and Evaluation of the United Nations Peacekeeping Role in Rwanda2919 Words   |  12 Pages1994 (Shawcross 2000). This systematic killing remains a bitter memory for all who witnessed and survived it. Rwandans killed Rwandans, decimating the Tutsi population of the country and also targeting moderate Hutus. Lamentably the peacekeepers did not prevent the genocide, nor did they stop it once it started. This failure has left deep wounds within Rwandan society, and seriously questioned their relationship with the international community, in particular the UnitedRead MoreAppraisal Techniques of Public Investments and Projects62994 Words   |  252 PagesInvestment Appraisal techniques in its programming of public sector investments. It describes how public sector investments should be assessed at conception or programming stage. The modules introduce the basic concepts behind the appraisal techn iques and their applicability in the Rwandan context. It describes the DCF methodology, the shadow pricing methodology and performance measures and decision criteria, together with financial and economic analysis techniques. By their very nature, public projectsRead MoreUnited Nations Role in Conflict Management in Africa: a Case Study of Darfur11729 Words   |  47 Pagesand international relations among different ethnic groups each of whom is conscious of its origin. In realization of the foregoing, proliferation of diverse ethnicity in different countries of the world has given impetus to understanding the rationale behind the clamour for global peace and security, Therefore, ethnic nationalism and international conflict have been dialectics of irreconcilable opposite. Odewunmi(Ph D) and Olori Patrick identified economic as one of the frequent causes of conflictsRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescolonies after 1870 as a predictable culmination of the long nineteenth century, which was ushered in by the industrial and political revolutions of the late 1700s. But at the same time, without serious attention to the processes and misguided policies that led to decades of agrarian and industrial depression from the late 1860s to the 1890s, as well as the social tensions and political rivalries that generated and were in turn fed by imperialist expansionism, one cannot begin to comprehend the

The Role Of Ethics And Culture On An International...

Abstract Geert Hofstede is one of many sociologists that studied and emphasized the importance of ethics and culture in an international business environment. He contended how the culture of the leaders and staff can help one to determine the achievement or ineffectiveness of that business. Rue Byars described leadership as an ability to influence people and willingly follow one’s guidance or adhere to one’s decisions (Rue, Byars, 2009). The most successful CEO’s and leaders have a well-defined strategic vision, strong passion for the job and the people that work for them and most importantly excellent communication skills. The leaders and managers are the ones the set, define, and shape the culture. They have to be aligned with the culture they intend to lead in order for it to be effective. They must also have a culture that is inseparable from the company they are employed at. Ethics, culture, and global business responsibilities are an integral part of everything the business does. The overall goal is to connect globally and build multinational industries. Unfortunately, due to the number of increasing public scandals international entities have developed various strategies such as policies, processes, and codes of conduct to prevent ethical issues. It’s not only the leader that should be held responsible but the entire corporation. Their lack of responsibility or unethical behavior are one of the many reasons that a business reputation can be damaged. It also preventsShow MoreRelatedEssay about Ethics in International Business1657 Words   |  7 Pages Ethics in International Business Abstract International business ethics challenges the corporate world to deal with questions of what to do in situations where ethical standards come into conflict as a result of the different cultural practices in the nation. Since, there is this dilemma that has progressively troubled the large multinational corporations, international business ethics has arisen to help address these adhesive subject matters. There are several international business ethicsRead MoreEthics in International Environments Essays1348 Words   |  6 PagesEthics in International Environments Introduction Global marketing opportunities usually form the pillar under which viability and profitability of international marketing depend upon. This merged with globalization of market today makes international marketing practices a concern globally that calls for moral responsibility (ethics) in conducting business (Danley, 1983). Ethics in international marketing poses many dilemmas and this is because value judgments differ among different culturesRead MoreChanging Role of Hr Management959 Words   |  4 PagesThe Changing Role of Human Resources Management The ever-changing roles within human resources management (HRM), in response to trends, are from a dynamic environment and the importance of HRM. Every changing organization has a need for a HRM to respond and implement changes. The organizations driven by e-business and technology need to be ready to respond and adapt to the environmental changes and should focus on satisfying the company’s customer needs. In this role, the HRM contributesRead MoreThe Earth Charter : A Declaration Of Fundamental Principles1460 Words   |  6 Pageslong, world-wide, multi-cultural study on common goals and shared values. The Earth Charter can also be viewed as a people’s treaty, because there was little interest among governments in negotiating new and stronger commitments regarding the environment and sustainable development. Thousands of individuals and several organizations from Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East participated in developing the Earth Charter. Forty- five Earth Charter national committeesRead MoreEthics And Ethics Of Globalization1500 Words   |  6 Pages ETHICS OF GLOBALIZATION Ethics are generally accepted set of rules and principles guiding the social and moral interaction among a certain group of people, society, and organization and so on, basically to tackle the issue of biasness when various parties are involved in dealings. Ethics can either be legally binding so any one who goes against is punished by law, or with the option of not being legally binding and get punished by the forces of market interaction. In an organizational setup, theRead MoreSks7000-8 Assignment 31572 Words   |  7 Pagesto expand operations in Asia. In order to be able to do expansion in Asia the XYZ Construction Inc. needs to find out more about the ethical and social issues that may affect the business, project managers and engineers. Moreover, the XYZ Construction Inc. may need to train staff or hire a staff that would fit the culture. Ethical and social issues within the global market of Asia South Asia is one of the most densely populated regions of the world, where despite a slow growth, agriculture remainsRead MoreEthical Challenges Faced By Mcdonald s1338 Words   |  6 Pagesinfluenced international business and ethics to consider a different approach to culture. There are certain perspectives to culture which demand change in the organizational and managerial functions. International companies today formulate separate business plans to strategically overcome cultural and ethical challenges in host countries. 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Ethics play a very vital role in any business and especially in the world of international business. In an international business setting the set of ethically right doings expands greatly due to a particular countries ethics standards. Not all ethics standards are the same especially when dealing with countries across the seas from the United States of America. Due to differentRead MoreInformation On Culture Shock : How Employees Identity Is The Impact By Culture959 Words   |  4 Pagesarchived on culture shock. How employees identity is the impact by culture. Dealing with organizations how training plays an important role on teaching employees how to overcome the negative effects of culture shock. A given explanation would be on how women work in the new environment today. And finally, a brief discussion on what is the work ethic of the new region. What is culture shock? Culture is believed to be a shared system of attitudes, values, beliefs and behavior. Hofstede (2003) culture is learned

AP history Yanamamo tribe Free Essays

The Yeoman’s diet consists of meat, fish, bananas, and fruits that are gathered. Each family is given a plot of land to garden. Bananas, plantains, sugarcane, mangoes, sweet potatoes, papayas, manioc, and corn are Just some of the crops that are grown. We will write a custom essay sample on AP history Yanamamo tribe or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Yeoman’s are one of the last groups of people to practice Polygamy, or when a marriage consists of more than two people. In the Yeoman culture, a woman is in charge of all the domestic duties, chores, and taking care of the children. Basket weaving is a skill that the women of the tribe have perfected. These baskets are used for carrying and storing food. Yeoman children are to help their mothers with the day to day activities. At the age of eight, young boys begin to watch over the male members and learn the duties of a man in the Yeoman community. The language that Is spoken is comprised of four main languages, Yang, Sauna, Homonym and Yeoman. The Yeoman culture Is described as being filled with violence. The Womanly people have a history of acting violently towards other tribes, and each other. They are known to raid nearby villages, and Diana women and children. Violence Is one of the leading causes of Womanly death. Most of Yeoman males die violent deaths In constant conflict between neighboring tribes (Unknown, normally Indians of Brazil†). In the past, the Yeoman have generally attacked Europeans settlers that are Invading their land. This culture had remained almost completely Isolated from outside Influence until the twentieth century. In the asses, several missionaries came to the Womanly territory. With them they brought an abundance of Western goods, medical retirement, and offering to open up schools to the Womanly. Although with many promises to better their culture, the Womanly refused the westernizes and the missionaries failed to convert any of the Womanly people. This was Just one of the many challenges the Indigenous culture has faced from the Invasion of Western society. Although their population Is slowly decreasing, the Womanly people have been able to mammalian their Orlando way of life. AP history Yeoman tribe By Chelsea-Gerard community. The language that is spoken is comprised of four main languages, Yang, Sauna, Homonym and Yeoman. The Yeoman culture is described as being filled with violence. The Yeoman people have a history of acting violently kidnap women and children. Violence is one of the leading causes of Yeoman death. Most of Yeoman males die violent deaths in constant conflict between neighboring tribes (Unknown, ammonia Indians of Brazil†). In the past, the Yeoman have generally attacked Europeans settlers that are invading their land. This culture had remained almost completely isolated from outside influence until he twentieth century. In the asses, several missionaries came to the Yeoman treatment, and offering to open up schools to the Yeoman. Although with many promises to better their culture, the Yeoman refused the westernizes and the missionaries failed to convert any of the Yeoman people. This was Just one of the many challenges the indigenous culture has faced from the invasion of Western society. Although their population is slowly decreasing, the Yeoman people have been able to maintain their original way of life. How to cite AP history Yanamamo tribe, Papers

Language Arts Lesson Plan free essay sample

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and SST Wyle are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Objective (Explicit): Students will demonstrate writing clearly and coherently by developing a friendly or formal letter. Sub-objectives, SWABS (Sequenced from basic to complex): Students will learn parts of a friendly/formal letter and what the difference Is Students will learn the definitions of parts of a friendly/formal letter. Students will learn how to format a friendly/format letter. Students will be able to establish and maintain a letter style. Students will be expected to write a friendly letter to someone to tell of their explorer experience. Students will be expected to write a formal letter to the monarchs to tell them about their explorer experience. Evidence of Mastery (Measurable): Assess Students while they are writing their letters. A completed letter writing checklist. A completed friendly letter or formal letter on a grocery bag. We will write a custom essay sample on Language Arts Lesson Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Key vocabulary: Explorer, Christopher Columbus, expedition, heading (if required, date, salutation or retreating, body of letter, closing, postscript (P. S. ), signature Materials: Sample friendly letter, sample formal letter, letter template, pencils, paper bags, Christopher Columbus Brainpower, Dear Teen Me book By E. Kristin Anderson. Opening (state objectives, connect to previous learning, and make relevant to real life) Ask Students if they have ever written a letter? Who they wrote to? Did they look different? Explain to Students that letters take many forms and serve a variety of purpose. Do you think a letter to your parents would look the same as if you were to write a letter o the President? Explain how letters can tell others about us (how we are doing, what we are doing), request things from others (asking the President to think about passing a bill), and why? Depending on the letters purpose you will decide the format. Today we are going to focus on friendly and formal letters. Instructional Input Teacher Will: Ask Students if they have ever written a letter? If so what kind? Did they look different? Explain to Students that letters take many forms and serve a variety of purpose. Do you think a letter to your parents would look the same as If you were to write a letter to the President? Explain how letters can tell others about us (how we are doing, what we are doing), request things from others (asking the President to format. Today we are going Just focus on friendly and formal. Preview and read a letter from Dear Teen Me book. (Friendly letter example), as well as preview and read formal letter examples. Student Will: Engage in introduction and questions. Preview and listen to the letter from Dear Teen Me book as well as preview and read formal letter examples. Co-Teaching Strategy/Differentiation Have sample letter handouts from the book. Guided Practice Show Brainpower video on Christopher Columbus, after video create a T-Chart on one side label it To Mom and on the other side To Queen and King, call on volunteers to create a greeting appropriate for mom and ask for another volunteer to create a greeting appropriate for Queen and King, continue until the signature part of the letter. While completing the T-Chart ask student if they notice the differences? Explain to Students that they are going to write a letter as if they are in Columbus time; show Students grocery paper bags (pre-cut to standard letter size). Explain that completed letters will be done on the grocery bags. Student Will: Watch video on Christopher Columbus, take Brainpower Quiz about Columbus, Think- Pair-Share about letter ideas and choice, engage and comment on letter T-Chart. Students have letter templates. Students can have handouts of written sample letters. Give Students letter writing checklist. Parts of a letter definition sheet. Independent Practice Direct Students to the T-Chart labels created prior to the video. Explain that they can either write a letter home To mom about their expedition experience or a letter To Queen and King telling them about their expedition. Assess Students as they are developing their letters. Make any suggestions and answer questions about letters. Student Will: Choose a letter based off of T-Chart, develop a letter that once complete will be put Students use letter templates to form their letters. Give Students letter writing checklist and parts of a letter definition sheet. He date. Greeting/Salutation the word Dear and using the persons given name or relationship, or it may be informal if appropriate. Body This is the main text, which includes the message written. The tone is friendly and often includes news and invitations. This short expression is always a few words on a single line. It ends in a comma. Signature Line There is a typed or printed name added here. Postscript If your letter contains a postscript, begin it with P. S. and end it with your initials.

WorldCom an Example by

WorldCom The recent incidents of fraud by respected organizations have brought the issue of organizational ethics especially ethics with respect to data misuse into the focus. WorldCom, a telecom giant, was one of those organizations which used fraudulent accounting practices to show a false picture of its financial position and profitability. Need essay sample on "WorldCom" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The misuse of data by WorldCom WorldCom misused its data to support its decisions for personal gains. The data was misused primarily in two ways: Underrating costs by capitalizing these costs on the balance sheet rather than properly expensing them (bit by bit). These sorts of problems often occur with Financial Institutions when they capitalize costs under the accounting head of Non Performing Loans in the Balance Sheet, however, if it is reported in the balance sheet without proper disclosure, this may create a whimsical in the mind of investor (Cooper, 2004). Inflating revenues with bogus accounting entries from corporate unallocated revenue accounts and this problem is in relation with improper revenue recognition technique. The results of fraudulent practices by WorldCom As a result of its unethical practices, several acquisitions were overvalued. Consequently, profit of $10 billion was shown instead of actual huge losses of around $70 billion for year 2000 through 2002 (Cooper, 2004). All this was done to show an inflated price of its stock. Subsequently, when the fraud was uncovered, the fallout of WorldCom began which impacted not only its stockholders but also its competitors and the telecom industry as a whole. Limitations and significance of the data The accounting practices practiced by WorldCom used the US GAAP, which works on the basis of rules based accounting, conflicting with International Accounting Standards (IAS) and UK GAAP, which takes a "principles-based" approach. Although, accounting practices can be tweaked around to fit the needs of the organization, there are limitations that keeps it difficult to have gross misuse of data (Cooper, 2004). These limitations include bookkeeping controls, review of revision to entries before they are actually made, and approval of changes by internal and possibly external auditors that exceed cumulative thresholds (Belson, 2005). Data was of enormous significance in the case of WorldCom. The tweaks in accounting practices and the concealment of the real picture of the data enabled WorldCom to continue its practices for years and consequently show inflated profitability and shrunken expenses. Ethical implications WorldComs misuse of data was ethically wrong. The fraudulent practices were committed by some of its top executives using creative accounting to cover their losses. Ethical wrongdoings for personal gains by some of its executives lead to its demise and sent shockwaves in the whole telecom industry (Belson, 2005). Leaders set the moral tone of their organizations. And when leaders do not perform their moral duties, the organization surely suffers. Without serving the interests of its stockholders, WorldComs case indicates how lack of ethical concerns can seriously damage the organization itself and its stakeholders and become a menace to the industry. References Moberg, Dennis J. (2006). Ethics Blindspots in Organizations: How Systematic Errors in Person Perception Undermine Moral Agency. Organizational Studies 27, 3: 413-428. Cooper, Cynthia (2004). Cynthia Cooper: WorldCom Whistle Blower. Retrieved August 8, 2008, from Nationwide Speakers Bureau, Inc. Belson, Ken WorldCom's Audacious Failure and Its Toll on an Industry. (2005, Jan 18 ). The New York Times, p. C1.

The eNotes Blog Food for Thought 10 Symbolic Dishes from ClassicNovels

Food for Thought 10 Symbolic Dishes from ClassicNovels Food makes everything better. Using it as a motif, or repetitive symbol, in literature makes reading all the more delicious. Who would  not wish to take a bite out of   Madame Bovary’s ultra-chav wedding’s Savoy cake, or know for themselves exactly how bad that gruel was in Oliver Twist. Check these ten famous literature munchies and see why they make great food†¦for thought! 1. Cucumber Sandwiches Featured in:  The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde Oscar Wildes 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest opens in a glamorous West London bachelors pad belonging to the dandy Algernon Moncrieff.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Algy asks his butler to prepare cucumber sandwiches for his aristocratic aunt, Lady Bracknell. Algy’s best friend Ernest asks, â€Å"Why cucumber sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young?† The issue concludes with Algy’s mindless eating of all of his aunts sandwiches prior to her arrival, only to claim to her later that there were no cucumbers in the market even for ready money. So why are cucumber sandwiches considered extravagant? Although cucumbers originated in India over 4,000 years ago it was not until Queen Victorias appointment as Empress of India in 1877 that the influence of the national products, such as the cucumber, fully entered the British culture. Once the sandwiches hit the royal table for the first time, the upper and middle classes caught wind of it and made them their signature afternoon tea snack. Following the very Victorian tradition of imitating everything that the Queen did, these once-dubbed beautiful people solidified the connection between the cucumber sandwich and â€Å"poshness. 2. Eggs   Featured In: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt In Frank McCourt’s 1987 Nobel prize-winning memoir Angela’s Ashes, the egg symbolizes hope, wishes, and indulgence. This guileless motif is juxtaposed to the dire living conditions of the Irish Catholic McCourt family. Young Frank tells us in chapter IX that he has plans for â€Å"that egg† that he would get the Sunday after his father gets the first paycheck from his new job.   The plan: To â€Å"tap it around the top, gently crack the shell, lift with a spoon, a dab of butter down into the yolk, salt, take my time, a dip of the spoon, scoop, more salt, more butter, [and] into the mouth†. Yummo! Eggs are described with particular candor, as they represent a luxury that the McCourts, with their never-ending financial woes, could hardly afford. Sadly, no one gets any eggs. Malachy, Frank’s father, ends up squandering all of his paychecks, leaving his family to fall deeper into their cavernous money hole. But lady luck helps Frank once he leaves Ireland and reaches America: he gets to work at a restaurant, and hunger is no longer an issue for him! After hunger is satiated in the novel, food becomes a motif for American excesses, complete with dreams of a jumbo shrimp chasing Mrs. Angela McCourt down the street. The novel is not about food, but you get the idea. 3. â€Å"The† Savoy Cake Featured In: Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert A true representative of Flaubert’s style Madame Bovary is a bona fide example of Romanticism. Fast forward to chapter 4 (part 1) and witness the deeply bucolic wedding of Charles and Emme Bovary. The entire chapter is an epicurean dream featuring â€Å"four sirloins, six chicken fricassees, stewed veal, three legs of mutton, and in the middle a fine roast suckling pig, flanked by four chitterlings with sorrel†. Yet, nothing beats the towering Savoy Cake proudly displayed at table. A monster of excess and tackiness, the cake foreshadows Emme’s future state of mind: the hunger for extravagance that will doom her life until the end. Flaubert describes it as a â€Å"dungeon† that was â€Å"surrounded by many fortifications in candied angelica, almonds, raisins, and †¦ oranges†. There is more, my friends: â€Å"†¦on the upper platform a green field with rocks set in lakes of jam, nutshell boats, and a small Cupid balancing himself in a chocolate †¦ real roses for balls at the top†. It will not be the last time in the novel that Flaubert chuckles at the tastes of his country folk. The historical Savoy cake was created in the court of the Prussian empire. It is traced back to court chef Felix Urbain-Dubois, who introduced Russian cuisine to France in 1869. It seems that the Russian court was pretty eccentric, for this sort of dessert was everyday business. The recipe calls for 4lbs of castor sugar, orange sugar, egg yolks, and a pinch of salt. Add regular flour, potato flour, frothy egg whites and you got yourself a batter. The cake is to be baked in three separate parts for over 1 hour using molds greased with kidney fat. This means that the Savoy cake is not only heavy in flavor, but also in texture, weight and, surely, calories: perfect elements for a sumptuous wedding cake. 4. Macaroons Featured In: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Ibsen’s most controversial play, A Doll’s House unveils the deep issues of a 19th century woman who, unbeknownst to her, begrudgingly accepts to embody the epitome of the virtuous Victorian wife. As early as the first scene, it is obvious that Nora’s biggest issue is her domineering husband, Torvald, who is annoying in a passive-aggressive way. He constantly questions Nora on whether she is secretly grazing macaroons: â€Å"Hasnt Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today?† and he scolds her for doing so. However, Nora does not control her love for macaroons. Sometimes it seems as if she eats them on purpose. So, what exactly was Nora eating? A macaroon cookie is made of flour, coconut, vanilla, and sugar. Their history goes back to the reign of Henri II, husband of Catherine of Medici right at the height of the Renaissance period in 1533. Back then, these treats resembled the modern day biscotti; hard and easy to preserve, but still quite a rich snack for steady consumption. At 140 calories for two little ones, macaroons may have endangered Nora’s reign as â€Å"doll† if she really ate as many as the play indicates. According to it, Nora would eat them at any time, for she presumably carried them around all day, hidden from Torvald. This concealment and secret indulgence make macaroons a motif that clearly reflects the quiet yet fiery rebellion that lurks within Nora. They also represent Nora’s many other secrets and confessions, her frustration, and her angst†¦ all the things which she has hidden from Torvald all through their marriage under the guise of domest ic happiness. 5. Gruel Featured In: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Chapter 2 of Oliver Twist describes the shocking reaction caused by Oliver’s famous line â€Å"Please, Sir, I want some more† when asking for a second helping of the workhouse gruel. The dish personifies the extremes of poverty. Gruel is the lifeline of the poor: a weak, tasteless, ugly, gritty lifeline. Such is the reality of which Dickens wanted to make the world aware. The members of the workhouses board contracted with a corn-factor to supply periodically small quantities of oatmeal; and issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and half a roll on Sundays. A mix of hot water, salt, and sop from grains, gruel can be made of millet, rice, or flour. The thinner the gruel, the more watery it would be, hence, the half a roll mentioned in the workhouse contract comes in handy. While Oliver Twist creates awareness for the poor in England during the earlier part of the 19th century, the conditions of the workhouse may not have been as radical as the novel describes. According to the 1835 dietary charts from the Abingdon workhouse, the English Poor Laws suggested six different meal combination samples to feed the growing number of men, women and children entering the workhouse force. In 1834, as cited by the historical Workhouse.org, all of Brightons workhouses, over 300 of them, were serving three meals per day with no limitation in quantity. This is not to say that the workhouse was a good place to be. Jack Londons 1903 book People of the Abyss describes all the miseries in the Londons East End slum district, including suicide attempts made by people who would have rather died than be sent to the workhouse. 6. The Woman Cake Featured In: The  Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood Think 1969.   Margaret Atwood, a leading Canadian figure in the woman’s equality proto-movement gave the world Edible Woman right at the formation of the women’s rights movement. In chapter 30 of the novel, main character Marian has a feminist freak-out because she does not want to get married (she is engaged) nor does she desire to have children. Her role models were all unhappy married women, and her job prospects were awful. As a result, the woman mentally imploded. First, she began to refuse food, as she compared eating with what women go through when our personas are eaten away by marriage. Then, she started getting difficult with her dial-tone boyfriend, Peter. Finally, she decided to to bake a cake molded like a woman; a symbol of herself about to get consumed by society. The cake is described as a sponge cake, completely home- made from scratch, frosted with pink, and brown icing, and one white section. The face was made of candies and bits. She divided the cake into two to make the upper and bottom, and made a head, arms, and legs. She tried bits and pieces of the cake, but the plan was to make Peter eat it. The idea behind the crazy experiment was to envision what her life will be after marriage: Peter will end up consuming her just like the cake, and she will no longer be herself anymore. This proto-feminine novel hashes out all kinds of women issues to include hysteria, dissatisfaction, sex, man-hatin’, slacker mothers, eating disorders, and food. LOTS of it. Everywhere. 7. Bread Featured In: Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm Published in 1821, this German fairytale is about a brother and sister who are thrown out of their home because there is no food to feed them. Lost in the forest, the children use breadcrumbs mark their way around the forest for them to be able to return. However, the birds eat the crumbs, leaving them scared and vulnerable in the forest.   Shortly after, the children are lured by the delicious smell of baking bread and end up entering a candy-covered gingerbread house, where a sweet old lady who offers them all the goodies that they could not get at home first treats them like guests. In reality, she was feeding them well in order to eat them, for the old lady was no sweet little thing: she was a witch! Bread means sustenance. In the story, it also symbolizes the universal need for it; the birds ate it, and now the smell of bread is luring them to yet another place. The oven, which produces the smell of bread that lures them in, also serves as the ultimate symbol of justice. The children are able to throw the witch in the burning oven and run away from her.   Overall it is safe to say that carbohydrates, period, are the motif in the story. Candy, gingerbread, sugar, all of that jazz is at the center of the action and embodies the main idea: if it looks too good to be true, it surely is. 8. Chocolate   Featured In: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier This young adult novel published in 1974 occupies the THIRD position in the American Library Association Top 100 Banned and Challenged Books from 2000-2009. The language is thought to be too mature for young adult literature. Nevertheless, chocolate is the anchor of the novel, mainly regarding our rebellious hero, Jerry Renault. The boy who goes head-on against his school’s head master’s chocolate sale, he comes out as a perfect tragic hero: he is lonely, he is 14, he wants a girlfriend, he wants to make a statement, and he may actually be a bit ahead of his peers in terms of emotional intelligence. The most important symbolism involving chocolate is the death of Jerry’s mom a few months into the story. Her death has seriously affected him, and, at some poignant moment, he chooses to agree to the selling of last season’s Mother’s Day chocolates as long as the â€Å"Mother’s Day† label is ripped off the box. If that is not a statement for grief, what else could it be? The motif of chocolate is not only representative of the macro management of the headmasters, the economic framework of the school, or the sense of team competition. The motif also reaches a deeper meaning that makes chocolate symbolize intense humanity: the need for nurturing, the lack of comfort, the hunger for success, and the need to feel loved in some way or form. 9. More Chocolate Featured In: Chocolat by Joanne Harris The Chocolate War redux? Perhaps. A decadent and charming story  set in the small French village of Reynauld (a-ha! Coincidence, or is this a variant of the name of the main character of The Chocolate War?) the novel is about the enigmatic single mom Vienne and her daughter, who come from out of town to set up a chocolate shop where the town’s old bakery once stood. The motif of chocolate elicits the long-lost pleasures of the village. It reminds the villagers of life’s delights while enticing them to the unthinkable possibility of â€Å"letting themselves go.† The bulk of the story is set during the Easter season, because during this religious period of time we prove our worth as Christians by making sacrifices. Ironically, Easter celebrations involve egg hunts, treats, food, chocolate and sweets everywhere. The rationale behind Harris’s choice of season as setting for her novel is that she wanted to write â€Å"about that conflict between indulgence a nd guilt, with chocolate as its†¦metaphor.† Chocolat gives us much more than just a moral lesson. It gives us rich depictions of ways to prepare the ancient bean, whose Mesoamerican origins as a bitter, magical potion contrasts dramatically with the treatment that we give it today. Mirroring the transformative effects of this over 2,000 year-old Aztec beverage, Joan Harris’s chocolate has almost the same supernatural powers among the people of the village. It taunts them, tempts them, piques their curiosity, and even awakens them to innocent mischief. Harris effectively conveys the literary technique of motif with the use of a universal substance that embodies very human emotions: love, hunger, excitement, curiosity, desire, indulgence, and, most importantly, comfort. It is similar to the use of chocolate as a motif in The Chocolate War. Seems like the almighty cocoa bean makes the world a better place, after all. 10. Tea Featured In: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderlandby Lewis Carroll. Insipid to the American taste bud, the tea leaf has universally starred on plenty stages from literature to politics (remember Boston Harbor). While the formalities of tea are not as strongly enforced in the U.S, there is no question that its protocol is quite the big deal in terms of etiquette and dynamics. In chapter VII of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, we witness a whimsical afternoon tea party hosted by the infamous Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse; an affair which Alice found both, infuriating and â€Å"stupid.† A bona fide Victorian, the up and coming society gal Alice is shocked at the disorganized and silly turn of events,   but she still partakes in  it, taking the bread and butter while arguing about the lack of everything going on. In the end, the event is â€Å"too much of muchness† for Alice, who walks away from it promising herself never to return there again. That aside, this literary motif in the novel known popularly as Alice in Wonderland, represents a conduit: a liquid potion that has the power to transform human relations. Tea is quite the Victorian timestamp. In 1840, the English set up tea leaf plantations in new territories of India as a result of Victoria becoming empress of the land. Hence, tea became both easier to acquire and cheaper to purchase. The result was a boom in consumption that rendered â€Å"tea time† universally recognized as the quintessential English past-time of choice. Tea also represented a form of transformation in the 19th century: it stood for class status, propriety, socialization, and networking. To tea or not to tea WAS the daily question back in the day. While this â€Å"hot water meets plant† infusion’s role in the world rests entirely on those who drink it, it does hold a special significance in the world of Alice’s multidimensional adventure into Wonderland.

How to Make Canoeing a Fascinating and Exciting Hobby Essay

How to Make Canoeing a Fascinating and Exciting Hobby - Essay Example It is the hope of the author that such a close level of discussion and analysis will be useful not only in helping the reader to come to a greater level of appreciation with regards to the complexities and nuances of canoeing but also a greater interest in the hobby and a desire to go outdoors and attempt to master some of these techniques on one’s own.Firstly, prior to going anywhere, it is necessary to consider the structural soundness of the craft in question.   On more than one occasion I have had the misfortune of starting a trip without ensuring that everything was fine with the craft.   Such a level of inspection can and should include an analysis of whether or not all the gunnels are in place, whether or not any leaks are present, and whether or not the craft is rigid enough to allow for the movements that are part of the process of canoeing.   Once this has been ascertained, it is then possible to consider proper flotation devices and ensure that each and every individual that will be going on the trip has a life vest that is suited to their needs, size, and weight.  Once each of these considerations has been made, it is necessary to review whether or not the individuals that will be accompanying the helmsman (an individual who is responsible for the safety and direction of the voyage) to question whether or not any of the participants are experiencing their first time in a canoe.   Such a question is not merely for the sake of conversation; rather, it has to do with warning them of the fact that a canoe is by very definition much less stable than other forms of watercraft and they should be mindful of this fact when seated.   Moreover, a warning not to move around once the craft has set out is also necessary.   Finally, the number of people going must be compared with the safety allowances of the craft and the overall weight limitations provided.   Once all of this has been completed, it is then allowable to pass out the paddles and proceed with the trip.