Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart - The Clans Beliefs and Christian Beliefs :: Things Fall Apart essays

Things Fall apart - The Clan's Beliefs and Christian Beliefs There are many differences between the Clan's beliefs and Christian's beliefs. This is illustrated on pages 126-129, in the mention of `the one true god.' Both the tribe and the Missionaries have different perceptions on who this one true god is. The clan has trouble understanding the Christian beliefs as they have lived a tribal existence for so long. They have only ever been aware of their own culture, which makes it hard for them to adjust to the ways of the Christians. On arrival, the missionaries barely understand the tribe. They have very little knowledge of the cultural beliefs or rituals that the tribe revere. It seems inappropriate that they are willing to declare that the villagers' beliefs are false. "He told them that they worshipped false gods, gods of wood and stone." They don't even acknowledge that this too is a successful community, which works well under its method of religious law. They take it upon themselves to change the religion or `make it civilised', not respecting the fact that maybe the villagers were already content with what they had. The missionaries believe in one supreme god. This god is the 'creator of all the world and all the men and women who inhabit the Earth'. They believe that all men go for judgement before him when they die, and that all men who worship `false gods of wood and stone' would be thrown into a fire `that burned like palm oil.' If the lord saves their soul from sin they will have eternal life in heaven with god, who is also eternal. They bury the body of the deceased in the ground, but believe their soul goes up to heaven if they have accepted the lord in their heart. The missionaries believe that Christianity is the only right religion, why else would they be so intent on conversion and spreading the word of Jesus Christ? This creates conflict with the tribe, as the Clan are content with their way of life and do not wish to change. The Clan has a different perception when it comes to the gods.

Novel and Robinson

Religion: A Trivial Conundrum Religion in fiction, much like religion in politics, has grown to be considered taboo. Religious characters are often expected to be comedic and used only as experimental or secondary. Their only true attribute is that of piety, playing on old stereotypes to drive the characterization. In a world where being politically correct gets in the way of day-to-day talk, approaching controversial topics in any form of writing can be seen as potentially unprofitable, too risque. The competitive market of publishing doesn’t allow room for mistakes anymore and it’s easier to stay on the safe route than to stray on alternative, smaller – often more interesting – roads that may or may not lead to success. This makes literature that deals with the religious on a primary level all the more rare and exciting to read. Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead is one such example. Religion is indisputably in the forefront of this tale and, although it may not be the catalyst of the narrator’s writing, it is, without a doubt, one of Gilead’s main themes. The novel’s very format is even done in such a manner that its sole goal seems to emphasize the holy, the divine – religion, in particular, Christianity. The novel is written from the perspective of John Ames, an old Reverend, on his deathbed, writing his final words to his then seven-year-old son in the form of a letter. A writer his entire life, Ames uses his best tool as a measure to insure that his son know something of his life, even if Ames has passed away years before the son ever gets a chance to read the letter. The novel reads somewhat like a diary, a spiritual one at that. At every corner scriptures are referenced or Ames’ faith somehow fits into the narration. Robinson very easily transmits Ames’ constant remembrance of Christianity by plucking in allusions to God, the Church, or his work, not to mention the almost over-usage of the word â€Å"Christlike†. Religion very early on is dealt with as an important subject and as the book continues, it gains more and more time in the spotlight. While initially one could think that the novel would focus less with the nature of Christianity, since Ames even says that he does not with to persuade his son to follow his footsteps in the Ministry – even if he does point out some of its â€Å"advantages†[1] – as it roles forward, the focus drifts ever closer to God and how the world itself reminds Ames of the sacred. The narrator’s descriptive tendencies, in themselves are also a way Robinson finds to allude to the religious. They are Ames’ way of referencing God’s work, attempting to capture the magnificence that he sees in the world, and transmitting it to his son via words, much like God did to Moses. All that is beautiful, all that is right, it would there seem, is thanks to the Almighty. Robinson uses a very poetic tone in her writing of this novel, which helps connect the secular with the divine and emphasizes even more the novel’s religious nature. As Robinson herself said in an interview, â€Å"both poetry and theology push conventional definitions and explore perceptions that might be ignored or passed off as conventional, but when they are pressed yield much larger meanings, seem to be part of a much larger system of reality. † [2] A poetic diction, therefore, lends to the reader more easily identifying with the holy. It is easier to connect with the abstract when using a language that lends itself more readily to emotions and ideology rather than straightforward storytelling and facts. In this manner, the non sequitur tendencies of the novel also lend to the goal of lifting the reader to a theological level. Robinson also has Ames mention poets such as John Donne and George Hebert, stressing the importance of the lyrical. The poetic quality, additionally, is not presented in an overly romanticized fashion, but more as a part of Ames’ view of life. He speaks of the world as God’s masterpiece and, has small details such as, â€Å"smell[ing] the rain†[3] or â€Å"a bubble float[ing] past [a] window, fat and wobbly and ripening toward that dragonfly blue they turn just before they burst,†[4] take on holy connotations to the reader’s. The mortal and divine worlds seem to mesh in Ames’ head – perhaps the consequence of being so close to death. In fact, at times, Ames seems to speak as though he had already passed on, operating from a dead man’s point of view. For instance he says that â€Å"it is actually hard for [him] to remember how mortal [he] is those days. There are pains†¦but not so frequent or even so severe when they come that [he is] as alarmed by them as [he] should be. †[5] As a Reverend, Ames does not fear death, so he allows himself to be swept away with its beauty perhaps a little sooner than he should. His tone is therefore somewhat omniscient, which leads to his sounding rather obnoxious, although that may be a trait that one reserves the right to in old age. The father-son dynamic is also intrinsically important in Gilead. The whole point of Ames’ writing is to find a medium through which to communicate with his son. He aims, through storytelling and somewhat sporadic advice, to give his son some sort of a guide for life. Basically, Ames writes his son his very own, personal Bible. This may seem like a fairly conceited venture for a Reverend to undertake, and one can see from Ames’ voice that he is, even if he denies it, not the humblest of men. At many points throughout the novel, such as when referring to his wife and his grandfather as people God may like to spend time with,[6] Ames ends up comparing himself, to some extent, with Jesus Christ; essentially calling himself Godlike. Humble, he is not. He even reaches the point of informing the reader that in sheer quantity, he has written as much â€Å"Augustine and Calvin. [7] He does so in the calmest of tones, yet still with an undeniable desire to spark some awe in his son. Confusingly, however, he still believes that his life â€Å"does not compare with [his] grandfather’s. †[8] It would seem that a man of the Church would hold God to the highest of esteems, but his grandfather seems to beat out the old white man in the sky at times. Ames views his grandfather in an almost unrealistic idealized view. Even when he criticizes him, the tone is lighthearted and almost playful. At one point Ames goes as far as relating the thunder and lightning striking in the sky with God â€Å"tipping [His] hat to [John Ames’ grandfather]. As if to say, Glad to see you here in the stands Reverend. †[9] Yet, their relationships are hard to pinpoint and Ames’ reverence and faith in God is indisputable; which lends to a quite confusing reading of the book. All the major conflicts and drives in this book seem to regard the father-son relationship. From the desire that leads John Ames’ to write his letter, to the multiple stories about his own father and grandfather, even to Jack Boughton’s struggled relationship with his own dad. Ultimately, it seems that all the referencing to father-son relationships is Robinson’s way of emphasizing the father-son condition human beings have with God. He is the ultimate parent – the nurturer and the punisher, the constant in one’s life. All the various conflicts, â€Å"daddy issues,† and stories in the novel are therefore metaphors and allusions to the larger, more important questions human beings are faced with and their own tribulations and worries with dealing with the theological. Religion is a family affair in the Ames’ household. As John writes his letter, he is already the third consecutive generation of Reverends in his family. He speaks of religion as his vocation, deems himself to have been lucky to have had the Church in his path. The only â€Å"stray† of the Ames is John’s brother, who was initially raised to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, after the brother’s turn to atheism, John seems to take it upon himself to fill his unworn shoes. And now, years later, when John is close to departing this earth, he once again takes it upon himself to continue his family legacy; eternalize his family’s contributions to Christianity in the form of a letter to his son. To John, his family life is undoubtedly linked inherently with his religious one. For example, Ames says that â€Å"A man can know his father, or his son, and there might still be nothing between them but loyalty and love and mutual incomprehension. †[10] Right before this phrase, he speaks of how there are things that he preaches but nonetheless truly does not understand. He very smoothly transitions from religion to family, almost as if in his mind, there were not a clear distinction. This goes to aid the idea that all the familial conflicts in the novel are there as a tool for Robinson to constantly remind the reader of Christianity and its importance in one’s life. Ames writes his letter to his son as his way of carrying on his existence, eternalizing his memory, emphasizing religion’s importance. Ultimately, it does seem that religion is infused in the story not only as plot device and characterization but also with deeper intents from Robinson’s part to spread her faith. The father/son dynamic therefore serves much more as a subtle way of perpetuating the divine in the mundane world. It is much easier for a reader to relate with human emotions and domestic troubles than directly with the divine and celestial. Gilead’s story therefore, is only a means to an end – the glorification of Christianity. While writing this book, Robinson may have very well set out with the intention of spreading the Protestant or Christian word, diffusing is subtly through fiction into the American subconscious. But even if she does, she manages to do so in a peculiar and original manner. She follows the school of the Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop which goes very much against Post-Modernism and believes that a plain style is preferable to an overly decorated one. Nonetheless, Gilead does not have the sound or feel of an obsolete book. The voice is meant to be that of a man from the 1950’s and the novel could have very well been written in that decade, but there is still something quite refreshing and original about Robinson’s style. The tranquility with which she treats the theme of Religion – like it’s just a fact of life – makes so that the preaching really does just sound like fatherly advice. This novel potentially could get quite overbearing with religious undertones but the human-relationships-factor retains enough vitality and presence to overpower it. The metafictional, first person narrative, also brings about the question of reliability. Ames speaks with a certainty that only age brings, he admits ignorance at many points, but they only seem to emphasize his own self-awareness. At some points in the novel, the first-person voice even seems to mix with that of Robinson’s herself. â€Å"I believe I’ll make an experiment with candor here†[11] says John Ames, yet as a reader, I find that Robinson’s own voice resounds through this phrase. It would thus be logical to conclude that Ames’ view of the world, and his desire to spread Christianity onward would coincide with Robinson’s own desires. Even if with ulterior motives, it takes audacity to take a subject as controversial as religion and place it in the limelight of a novel. In an age of Post-Modernism (or is it Post-Post-Modernism? it is almost uplifting to find a piece of work that isn’t trying to take satire and irony to the next level. By strictly following an old-school agenda and format, Robinson manages to be more innovative that most other modern writers – almost in the way fashion repeats itself every few decades and old styles manage to be more cutting edge and modern than that which used to be the next-new-trend. People may criticize Robinson for infusing too much religion and personal agenda into her novel, but in the end, she is still one of the few that manage to do this without sounding overly or even overtly preachy and patronizing. This in itself is modern and forward thinking. Taboo subjects are usually those that are most interesting and worth discussing, so we can’t let public perceptions and social fears impede us of sharing our opinions – whatever they may be. ———————– [1] Marilynne Robinson. Gilead. New York: Picador, 2004. 23 [2] Interview with Missy Daniel. Marilynne Robinson. Religion and Ethics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newsweekly. PBS. 9 Oct. 2006 . [3] Robinson 35 [4] Robinson 9 [5] Robinson 75 [6] Robinson 30 [7] Robinson 19 [8] Robinson 39 [9] Robinson 46 [10] Robinson 7 [11] Robinson 7

School Readiness For Infants And Toddlers - 1038 Words

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My Boyfriend - Personal Narrative Essay - 546 Words

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Patriarchal Society Between Women And Women - 849 Words

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She portrays the impact of the patriarchal English society on women’s lives, the loneliness and frustration of women’s lives that had been shaped by the moral, ideological and conventional

Strategic Management Political and Social

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management for Political and Social. Answer: Introduction: Coca Cola is one of the leading American Multinational Beverage companies which are based out of Atlanta, Georgia. The company is the leading company and marketer of non alcoholic beverage and syrups. The company is known for its flagship product coca cola a non alcoholic beverage which is renowned worldwide and has satisfied almost all the households effectively. The company serves worldwide and is the largest beverage company in the world with strength of 124000 employees and total revenue of $44.294billion as calculated in the last financial year of 2015 (Freeman, 2010). The company started under the presidentship of John Pemberton as Coca Cola around 130 years ago. It has owned some of the top beverage brands around the world like Thumbs Up brand in India and Minute Maid in US. It works around the world but its key markets are US, UK, Australia, India, China et cetera. Over the years the company has developed its products as per the taste and preference of the consumers which has helped the company to stand tall and in spite of exceedingly tough market environment it has experienced monopoly. Even though the company has had wonderful run in the market but in the recent past it has been affected by sheer rivalry by emerging companies in the market and hence analysing the external market of the organisation is extremely important (David David, 2016). Macro Environmental Analysis of Coca Cola The macro environment of the company is basically the external environment which involves different aspects essential to be analyse by the company before launching a product. The Macro environmental analysis consists of different tools like PESTEL and SWOT analysis which will help to understand the external business environment of the organisation. Below the macro analysis of the organisation Coca Cola is done. PESTEL Analysis Political: There are number of political factors which Coca Cola is affected by both in US and abroad but it is not completely limited to the political instability of in the operating country. The pressure of the political groups and lobbying groups affect its business to a large extent. US Food and Drug Administration plays a huge role in the sales of Coca Cola products. All the products that Coca Cola sells will have to be passed through by the FDA in US. Even in the other countries beverage industry like in Australia Coca Cola faces strong opposition from the governmental bodies regards to products if they are not up to the mark. Increase in taxes and changes in labor policies have affected the business of the company in Australia. Globally the company has faced number of problems with its business due to negative political conditions (Hitt et al., 2012) . Economic: The sales of Coca Cola are impacted by different economic factors which are involuntary to the company. The beverage industry is hit by the change in the exchange rates in Australia, revision in the minimum wage policy in the country and tax rates which has increased in Australia in the recent past. Even though the company has a huge financial backup and is comparatively hit less by these factors but its sales have dipped in the recent past. Social: The increase in awareness of the people regarding carbonated drinks and health impacts created by this has created problems for the company especially with its carbonated beverages. The change in lifestyle of people which has shifted to healthier one has reduced the sales of the carbonated beverages but its syrups and concentrated liquid products have not been affected. Coca Cola products have been now only targeted for youths which have gone well for the company (Hill et al., 2014). Technological: Like every other company Coca Cola has been able to focus on the technological advancement very successfully. The use of website and online communication with social media has gone well for the company. Environmental: Coca Cola has been very particular about its activities for less impact on environment. It has stopped using plastics and now recyclable plastics are used. Less usage of paper is promised, and recycling stations have been developed in different places. It also contributes to environmental charity effectively. Legal: Coca Cola tends to use all the possible legislations like the corporation act, minimum wage act and equality acts within its organisation to be fair in its operations (Wheelen Hunger, 2011). SWOT Analysis Strengths Huge brand equity. One of the most valuable companies in the world. Vast global presence. Large market share. Weaknesses Lack of product diversification. No presence of health beverages Water management has been questionable (Eden Ackermann, 2013). Opportunities Developing markets in developing nations Product diversification improvements Introduction of packaged water. Improvement in the online market. Threats Direct competitors Poor raw material sourcing. Huge capital investment in foreign markets. Emergence of new companies (Hill Jones, 2013). Overall it could be said that the external environment of the company is competitive and it will face definite barriers from different competitors, political barriers and social problems regarding changes in the mindset. The company already has huge market share and brand equity which is definitely a plus for them but it will have to combat with the increasing pressure from the direct and indirect competitors and will have to control capital investment which would help the company to place itself better in the market (Thompson Martin, 2010). Competitive Analysis Coca Cola The competitive analysis of Coca Cola will help to understand its immediate competition and its scope for business in the market. Porters five forces will help to understand the position of the company effectively. The analysis is given below: Threats of new entrants: There is a very small chance of new entrants coming in the industry. it could be said that the global market of non alcoholic beverage industry is highly saturated. The new entrants will find it very hard to get benefit of the economies of scale production that is highly utilised by existing players like Coca Cola and Pepsi. Bargaining Power of Buyers: This is comparatively high in the market due to the diversified choice available to consumers. It could be said that the availability of number of products helps the buyer to choose what they like (Wheelen Hunger, 2011). Bargaining power of suppliers: the bargaining power of suppliers depends on the kind of material they supply. Coca Cola uses supplier diversity program which helps to decrease the bargaining power of each supplier and helps the company. Threat of substitutes: Threat of substitute could be considered moderate because it completely depends on the consumers. If they prefer to drink coffee instead of cold drink the market will fall rapidly and hence it could be said that threat of substitute will highly depend on the market structure and taste and preference of the consumers. Competitive rivalry: Competitive rivalry is huge in the market due to the presence of different multinational companies. Pepsi is the biggest threat to Coca Cola. Even in foreign markets there are number of companies like Gatorade and other drinks pose serious challenge to Coca Cola (Eden Ackermann, 2013). Overall to conclude it could be said that Coca Cola will have to be very focused on the constant increase in its competition and accordingly it will have to develop its products in the market. It will have to come up with different products so that it could cope up with increasing competition. Coming up with organic beverages and less use of carbon is likely to increase the preference of the organisation. Overall it could be said that the company has to strategise its movement in the global market as well as regionally (Hill Jones, 2013). References David, F., David, F. R. (2016). Strategic Management: A Competitive Advantage Approach, Concepts and Cases. Eden, C., Ackermann, F. (2013).Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Freeman, R. E. (2010).Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge University Press. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R. (2013).Strategic management theory. South-Western/Cengage Learning. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A. (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E. (2012).Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Thompson, J. L., Martin, F. (2010).Strategic management: awareness change. Cengage Learning EMEA. Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2011).Concepts in strategic management and business policy. Pearson Education India.

The Diary Of Anne Framk Essays - Kim, Literature, Fiction

The Diary Of Anne Framk Angels Gate Title: Angel's Gate Author: Gary Crew Publisher: William Heinemann Australia Publishing Date: 1993 Setting: Angels Gate is set in fairly modern times around about 1980-1990. I know this because of the way the people dress and by the way the people talk. The way the people in the novel talk is very similar to how people talk now but the people in the novel don't use as much slang as most people do now. The way the people in the novel dress is also very similar to how people dress now but the people in the novel wear daggy clothes which are out of fashion now. A good example of how the people in the novel dress similarly but really daggy to people now, is when Julia wore a pink dress with puffy sleeves and silver high heel shoes to a dance. It is set in a country town called Jericho and I think the town is in Australia because the bush landscape around the town is very similar to Tasmania and the trees in the bush are Australian natives such as the gum. I feel that it isn't that important where this book is set as long as it is in a country town with bush landscapes. If it were set in the city it wouldn't be very good because the wild children wouldn't get very wild because there are always people around. Another reason it wouldn't be very good is that the wild children would be found much easier as there are not as many places to hide in the city as compared to the bush. Plot: Angel's Gate is about two children Mickey and Leena who disappear after the murder of their father Patrick Flannagan. The town's people first knew the children were still alive when eggs started to go missing from farm chicken yards on the outskirts of town. The people in the town searched for the children but they didn't find them until one night when Leena got trapped in a chicken yard and was caught. Leena was taken to a house called ?The Laurels? which was a doctor's surgery. Leena was looked after in the surgery where she got to know Julia and Kim who were the children of the doctor. She told them where her brother Mickey was hiding and that he was different. Mickey was eventually caught when Kim and Julia's boyfriend Bobby went camping. They found where Mickey was hiding and trapped him there so the police could get him. Once he was caught they found out that Mickey was the person who killed Patrick Flannagan and it was an accident so the people who were going to be charged for the murder were released. Main Characters: Kim: Kim is about 12 years old and he is fairly popular at school. He can over exaggerate a bit but he is generally truthful and he is very kind and caring. At home he is really nice and always helps doing jobs around the house as well as helping in the doctor's surgery. Kim really likes art and is also a very talented artist. His dream is to have a bike but he is not allowed to have one. Julia: Julia is Kim's sister and she has a boyfriend called Bobby. Julia is rather insensitive towards Kim and her family and all she talks about is Bobby. Julia is in her last year at school and next year she has to go to a private school on the coast. Julia doesn't want to go to the private school, as she wants to become a manager of a hotel. Julia works at a caf? kid who has lived on a farm his whole life. He now works on his dad's farm and he gets paid. He loves cars and has his own shevy ute which he always uses to take Julia for drives in. He is really kind and caring and doesn't care if Kim hangs around him when he is with Julia. Bobby wants to move to the coast once he has earned enough money to get a house. Leena: Leena is one of the wild children and she is the oldest one of the two. She is very nice to Kim but she doesn't like the rest of the family as much as she cares for him. When she was first captured she wouldn't speak to