Investments Worksheet Essay

Answer the following questions in at least 50 words each: What are the main differences between a 401K and a Roth IRA? One of the main differences between a 401K and an Roth IRA is that a 401k is offered by your employer, while the Roth IRA is something an individual seeks and funds on their own. With a 401K your employer contributes or matches what you are putting into your 401K. How would you explain the difference between a stock, a bond, and a mutual fund? A stock is like owning a piece of a company, you are investing your money into something that is your that can make you more money. A bond is like loaning money to a bank or the government and when they pay you back, they pay you back with interest. A mutual fund is like investing in something with a group of people. Everyone owns a piece of it and benefits from it if it grows. What are the risks and rewards of investing? For investors, risk comes in many forms. There’s the risk of a downturn in stock prices. There’s the risk that inflation will erode an asset’s purchasing power. There’s the risk of political instability affecting international markets, but without risk there is no rewards. Sometimes you have to take a higher risk to get a better reward. They say depending on age should be how much you should be willing to risk.

Porsche Cayenne Case Study Essay

1. Why is Porsche launching the Cayenne product? a. To leverage its brand across a wide range of product categories 2. What are the benefits and risks of the Cayenne launch? a. Risks i. Cayenne would join a competitive and crowded SUV market ii. Potential for new entrants threatens sustainability of Porsche’s sales forecasts iii. Launching a luxury SUV was an expensive bet for Porsche iv. SUVs were under attack in the U.S. by cultural critics v. Potentially damage Porsche brand and turn away loyal customers b. Benefits i. Will diversify Porsche products for protection against potential declines in sports car market ii. Will combine traditional Porsche styling and performance with off-road driving capability and spacious interior iii. Expected to sell 20,000 units per year iv. Will lead to future growth potential in sales, turnover, and earnings v. Open the way to future product diversification for Porsche 3. Does the Cayenne launch change the overall meaning of the Porsche brand? a. Yes; Suburban soccer mom connotation conflicts with Porsche cool factor b. VW responsible for major aspects of production, with only final assembly to be conducted by Porsche c. Assembly in Leipzig put into question its â€Å"Made in Germany† moniker 4. Who are the Porsche consumers? How would you characterize them? What do they want? a. Upper-class drivers who appreciate and desire stylish cars that are fun to drive 5. Should Porsche engage with the online brand community? Why or why not? a. Porsche should take the valuable information provided by the online brand community into consideration to a certain extent b. However, Porsche should not engage with online brand community because it is a home for Porsche  users, not Porsche makers, and this sense of community contributes to Porsche brand c. For example, a college administration engaging with a fraternity interferes with the sense of brotherhood) 6. What can executives learn from Cayenne that could be planned to future new products? a. Remain closer to traditional Porsche ideals when expanding product line (greater involvement of Porsche in assembly and assembly location)

Pestle Factors Essay

PESTEL analysis stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, and Technological, Environmental and Legal analysis†. It is a part of the external analysis when conducting a strategic analysis or doing market research and gives a certain overview of the different macro-environmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. Political factors or how and to what degree a government intervenes in the economy. Specifically, political factors include areas such as tax policy, labor law, environmental law, trade restrictions, tariffs, and political stability. Political factors may also include goods and services which the government wants to provide or be provided and those that the government does not want to be provided. Furthermore, governments have great influence on the health, education, and infrastructure of a nation. Economic factors – Businesses need to make money to continue to exist. They do this by listening to customers to ensure they keep their customers and attract new ones with good services that customers want and need. It is extremely important for businesses to respond to changes in demand from customers. They include economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and make decisions. For example, interest rates affect a firm’s cost of capital and therefore to what extent a business grows and expands. Exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy. Social factors – Society’s habits and tastes are changing. People are more aware of the importance of the environment and becoming ‘green consumers’. Green consumers prefer goods and services that are ‘environmentally-friendly’ and which have less impact on the environment. They include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a company’s products and how that company operates. For example, an ageing population may imply a smaller and less-willing workforce (thus increasing the cost of labor). Furthermore, companies may change various management strategies to adapt to these social trends (such as recruiting older workers). Technological factors – Businesses are continually developing new technologies to provide the best solutions for the market place. Intelligent companies find out what the most appropriate technologies are for their businesses and use them. They include ecological and environmental aspects, such as R&D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. Environmental factors – include weather, climate, and climate change, which may especially affect industries such as tourism, farming, and insurance. Furthermore, growing awareness to climate change is affecting how companies operate and the products they offer-it is both creating new markets and diminishing or destroying existing ones. Legal factors – Legal changes that affect business are closely tied up with political ones. Many changes in the law stem from government policy. They include discrimination law, consumer law, antitrust law, employment law, and health and safety law. These factors can affect how a company operates, its costs, and the demand for its products.

Property law assignment task about self-declaration of trusteeship Essay

Property law assignment task about self-declaration of trusteeship - Essay Example Whereby, courts of chancery may have to strike a balance of conscience between â€Å"equity will not perfect an imperfect gift† and â€Å"equity looks at the intent not the form†. Where the settlor is the sole trustee there is no further requirement that the subject matter of the trust are vested in them, ‘constitution’ is automatic. The duality of ownership principle in this type of trust has been justified by three very prominent cases providing for varied approaches in their reasoning. The House of Lords case of Vandervell v IRC2 held that the settlor’s original equitable interest passes to the Beneficiary by the presumption of its existence ab inito. Whereas Lord Browne-Wilkinson in Westdeutsche Landesbank v Islington LBC3 proposed a different view of this reasoning stating, the original equitable interest as â€Å"dormant† and being â€Å"carved† out of the settlor’s legal interest. Also consider the case of Re DKLR Holdings 4 in the High court of Australia where Brennan J opines â€Å"An equitable interest is not carved out of a legal estate but impressed upon it†. This legal reasoning was also applied by McLelland J in the later case of re Transphere Pty Ltd. Practically these justifications form no part of judicial reasoning in reaching decisions but provide for the legal reasoning behind the creation of trusts. The first certainty the courts are looking to satisfy in an express trust is the certainty of intention i.e. words construed as to be imperative (Knight v Knight)5. Courts may apply deductive reasoning to ascertain or infer an intention but three requirements need to be satisfied to identify it. Firstly, â€Å"what did [the settlor] intend to be the sanction? Was it to be the authority of the court of Justice or the conscience of the devisee?†- LJ Christian (McCormick v Grogan)6. The word ‘trust’ is not important to legitimise the intention of the settlor to create a trust, only his intention of a binding obligation need be conveyed(Re Kayford)7. Secondly, the intention is made manifest (Re Vandervell’s Trusts (No.2)). Precatory words to benefit another are not sufficient (Jones v Lock)8 reaffirmed in Lambe v Eames9. Also the courts may take a different approach in finding such an intention in the contested declaration, it was held in Comiskey v Bowring-Hanbury10 that the courts will consider the context of the words used as important and may infer an intention to create a valid trust. Thirdly, the test of construction of the manifested intent is objective irrespective of the settlor’s actual intentions (Gissing v Gissing)11. As mentioned earlier precatory words are not sufficient to ascertain a valid self-declaration of trusteeship but the courts have not gone so far as to particularize words deemed to be sufficient. In Richards v Delbridge it was stated that the settlor does not need to use particular words: ‘†¦he ne ed not use words ‘I declare myself trustee’, but he must do something which is equivalent to it, and use expressions which have that meaning.’ In Re Cozens, Neville J stated what was required in order to establish that an owner had effectively declared himself trustee of his own property: ‘†¦.in each case where a declaration of trust is relied on the Court must be satisfied that a present, irrevocable declaration of tru

Choosing college majors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Choosing college majors - Essay Example The right college major can land this student a good job or even a career opening pathway for his own self. He will then be able to manifest how and when he needs to maneuver his strengths and how his weaknesses are to be plugged in the shortest possible time. The right college major will help the student to know how he is faring with regards to his counterparts and what his respective study domains mean to him. This is essential to note because the college major will help him decide which course of action to adopt and which one to leave as far as his future endeavors within the study regimes are concerned. The right college major is important to choose for one’s own success as has been proven true through research and evidence of study within the related realms. A college major is essentially the difference between mediocrity and wellness of a student. He can demand a great deal more if the college major is selected in an appropriate way. This will help him to disseminate inf ormation to the people around him as well as for his own realms. The right college major is therefore dependent on the individual under consideration because he can know beforehand what he is delving into, and how he could extract the best possible results out of the related equation (Strasser, 2002). As far as the society is concerning, choosing the right college major would mean that the young ones are on the right path and that there is immense achievement written within their ranks. They are making the best use of their abilities and skills that they have polished through education and in entirety by the college major that they chose for their own selves. It would mean that the society is ready and waiting to derive the potential benefits from such students who will grow up to deliver once they enter within the professional domains. The types of college majors that can be chosen are ranging from law to arts, computing to social sciences, environmental engineering to botany, and so on and so forth. Nearly all fields of education have some majors to choose from and it is totally up to the student what he wishes to have for his own self as far as his future educational undertakings are concerned. During high school, the majors should be given to students based on their intelligence levels because it is their pertinent interest that counts more than anything else. Their grades are not quite representative of the success that they would be able to have within their educational quarters. Therefore intelligence is something that holds fort for them under such discussions. The intelligence cadre is significant because it pinpoints the tilt of the students more than any other facet which comes to the reckoning. It also highlights how intelligence will pave the way for his future growth and development within the professional settings, which remains very quintessential as far as understanding of the college majors are concerned for the sake of the young ones. Howeve r, there are some views which hold fast on to the adage that grades mean everything as far as choosing the college major is concerned. One can understand that there is biasness involved within the making up of such viewpoints because the grades do not justify the basis of success that a student would be able to achieve during his academic career. Intelligence and a

Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Contract Law - Essay Example A contact is reached when one party makes an offer and the other one accepts that offer. It is imperative to note that a deal is considered an offer only when the party making that offer shows intention of being bound. This is different to an invitation to treat (Poole, 2012). Invitation to treat is just an invitation for an offer but it is not legally binding. An example of an invitation to treat is where goods are displayed on a shop. Contacts could be either legal or illegal. An illegal contact cannot be enforced by a court of law according to the English laws. There are laws that offer guidance in determining which laws are legal and which ones are illegal. Forming an illegal contract has its consequences under the English law. This essay will explain the laws that relate to legality of a contract. It will give an explanation of illegal contracts as well as the consequences of forming illegal contracts. The essay will conclude by giving recommendations on the importance of the re forming the laws of contract. Laws relating to legality This section of the law is said to be one of the most confusing are of contract law. One of the major reasons as to why it is never clear is the fact that it lacks structure. It is usually very difficult for authors to classify the various heads of illegality. This area of law is said to be unsatisfactory and is usually very contradicting. According to the principle of legality, all laws are supposed to be clear, they should be easy to ascertain and should not be retrospective. Laws should allow decision makers to be certain in whatever decisions they make by applying laws that are declared before. In addition, laws should allow the decision makers to make decisions without altering the legal situations through discretionary divergence from the established law (Poole, 2012). Contracts which are rendered illegal A contact that does not meet statutory requirement is rendered illegal. Such contracts are regarded as illegal if they are likely to cause harm to the public or to the society (Poole, 2012). Any person who is accused of being involved in an illegal contract is likely to face consequences before the court of law. It is important to note that a contract may be lawful by itself but the parties who make an agreement may do it in an illegal manner. The following contracts are rendered illegal under common law; a) Contracts to commit a crime or to commit a civil wrong There are contracts that are aimed at committing a crime or something that is not according to the law. A contract that is deliberately aimed at committing a crime cannot be enforced by the law. However, there are situations where the parties are not aware that the contract they are about to engage in will lead to a civil wrong. Such a contract is not considered as illegal and is enforced by the law. In addition, there are situation where one party is aware that the contract will lead to a civil wrong and the other party is innocent. In suc h a situation, the innocent party will not be at fault by relying on the contract (Poole, 2012). b) Contracts that lead to corruption acts in public life These are contracts that are aimed at committing a corrupt act in the public office. For instance, it a contract is aimed at selling a public land or public property, then that contract is illegal and is not enforceable. In addition, a contract that is aimed at acquiring a tittle of honour illegally is also considered illegal and is no

Chapter3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter3 - Essay Example This business is affected by regulations that govern the standard of products being produces. There are potential fines if the standard law is not met. Canada is a stable country so the company does not experience frequent changes in laws and regulations. The economic analysis examines how the business is affected by the world’s economy. The non-alcoholic beverage industry in Canada has high sale because of the high economic growth in the country. Social analysis examines how changes in the society affect the organization. Consumers who are around the ages of 37 to 55 are becoming more concerned with nutrition. They are changing their lifestyles to a more healthy habit. Technological analysis examines how emerging technology affects the company (Edwards, 2014). This company has taken advantage of new technology to improve its products in terms of packaging the products and through its marketing strategy. The legal analysis examines how the company is affected by the national a nd world legislation. The company has all the rights that is applicable to the nature of its business. The Environmental analysis examines how environmental issues affect the company. Coca Cola makes sure that all its facilities comply with the environmental laws set by the government. The company understands the importance of studying the PESTLE in its success. Companies operate in very competitive markets where substitutes and competitors keep on emerging. It is crucial for companies to be innovative in order to survive in the industry. One product that faces competition is Colgate. This toothpaste has been in the market for many years and is one of the most trusted brand s in the market. This is also recommended by dentist worldwide for its ability to strengthen the enamel, whiten the teeth and freshens the breathe. However, toothpaste brands have increased significantly in the market over the years. The market is filled with many brands, each with its own

Consumer Behaviour and Segmentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Consumer Behaviour and Segmentation - Essay Example The researcher states that the goal of market segmentation is to identify distinct consumer groups that have homogeneous needs. Tailoring the marketing mix for particular segments leads to better planning and more effective use of marketing resources. Coles and Culley, for example, illustrate how DuPont segmented its market for Kevlar, an aramid fiber that is lighter yet stronger than steel. The company focused the unique needs of consumers in three different segments. Potential fishing boat owners: Kevlar's lightness promised fuel savings, increased speed, and the ability to carry more fish weight. Aircraft designers: Kevlar has a high strength-to-weight ratio. Industrial plant managers: Kevlar could replace the asbestos used for packing pumps. The market segmentation design, based on product benefits, is widely recognized as the state of the art and superior to traditional segmentation schemes based on industry type or consumer size, sustaining a segmentation strategy based on benefits alone is often difficult for the product market. Eventually, in a competitive market, competitors are able to offer equivalent products and the abnormal profits start to deteriorate. This situation is especially prevalent for industrial raw materials and supplies that are difficult to differentiate by functions and features alone. As the product market turns a commodity, price and service become important buying criteria for some consumers.... In this paper the consumer buying behaviour model has been generally applied to segment consumers which can be used by many large industrial companies. In addition, it will be appreciated how segmentation analysis can be used proactively to influence consumers' movements to segments that are mutually beneficial to the seller and buyer. In contrast, previous application work (Moriarty and Reibstein 1986) attempted to uncover existing segments as a way to position products strategically. Consumer Buying Behaviour Model & Market Segmentation The consumer buying behaviour model is derived largely from economic theory of consumer demand and the normative concepts of economic man and rational behaviour. The assumptions of consumer demand specify that buyers, at the point of purchase, possess perfect information about products and prices, are certain of their own stable tastes and preferences, are capable of perfectly processing information, and can express preferences between goods and bundles of goods without cost (Schwartz 1986). The model for the consumer decision process is based on assumptions about the behaviour of economic man who chooses a good for its primary function. The rational decision maker adheres to the tenets of Herbert Simon's three-step model in which one (1) identifies the problem, (2) gathers information, and (3) makes a choice based on the information (Simon 1957). In spite of contemporary consumer behaviour texts resting heavily on the tenets of psychology and sociology to explain attitudes, motivati ons, and behaviour, the discipline holds fast to economic theory. Research on market segmentation offers several bases for segmenting consumers (Frank, Massy, and Wind 1972), including: demographic descriptors such

A Postmodern Paradox Essay Example for Free

A Postmodern Paradox Essay A Postmodern Paradox Postmodernism, a paradox in itself, challenges conformity in countless ways. Taking place after World War II, this movement is mainly characterized by its rejection of social constructs and its challenges to traditional forms of philosophy, literature, art, and religious authority. Ironically, while it defied categorizing, it became a category itself. Nevertheless, this movement has had a profound impact on countless literary, cinematographic, art, and philosophic works. Two works that have been profoundly influenced by postmodernism includes Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Opponent, and the elm and book The Hours, by Michael Cunningham. While both works have been influenced by modernism in separate ways, they ultimately share its key themes: an abstraction of time, a rejection of reality, and a search for higher purpose. Through the use of postmodernism themes and literary techniques, both the movie and book were able to convey that absolute truth does not exist because it is relative, intricate, and blurred. Occurring in the post-World War II era, postmodernism can be considered an intentional departure from previously dominant modernist approaches such as scientific positivism, realism, constructivism, formalism, and tapestries. Through its emphasis and use of power relations, binary classifications, fragmentation, paradox, dark humor, rejection of reality, sociology, linguistics, and subjectivism it constantly attacks contemporary life, art, literature, philosophy, religion, and ethics. In addition, it is characterized by a rejection of reality, claiming that transmutable validity cannot exist since reality is limited by concepts like time and sexuality. It is able to achieve its unique goals in literature and film through numerous literary devices. In literature, there are several devices frequently used by southernism writers to convey some of the main ideas of the movement. Of these devices the use of fragmenting, dark humor, satire, paradox, allusions, mixed point of view and interruption of form are the most frequently used. These devices allow writers to deal with topics like the absurdity of moral, philosophical, political, and authoritative relativism; in addition, these devices provide for a blurring of classifications and boundaries of societal structuring. Ultimately, postmodernists desire to condemn contemporary life, reject reality, and accept relativity and complexity in indefinite answers. The movement of postmodernism came about through a series of meaner. An important factor that contributed to the development was that it followed World War II. Before the war, modernism dominated the current literature of the time. This movement involved rationalism, reason, the scientific approach, optimism for human potential, and a pursuit of absolutely certain knowledge. However, in the wake of both World Wars, the climate was set for postmodernism as confidence in human progress, autonomy, and optimism were destroyed in battle. This permeating and predominantly pessimistic aura of thinking exulted in a series of books, films, artworks, and musical pieces that rejected reality, worldly concepts like time, renounced identity, and questioned the purpose of life. These themes clearly reflect the toll that war had on society; many people desired to marginality the horrors of war in a rejected reality, ostracize human error through a pitiful purpose of existence through fragmented viewpoints. The wars essentially brought about a pessimistic form of modernism that relished in the repudiation of absolute answers; for postmodernists nothing could ever be easily or fully explained. As postmodernist ideals began to develop and conglomerate they were influenced by countless individuals. One extremely influential individual was Linda Hutchison. Hutchison, who wrote several postmodernist works like A Theory of Parody, expressed a great deal of interest in self-reflexive approaches to texts through parodies that both legitimate and subvert that which it parodies (Introductory Guide to Critical Theory). Hutchison also coined the term historiographer metrification, which describes literary texts that assert an interpretation of the past but are also intensely self- flexi; these texts allow a double process of installing and ironing, parody signals how present representations come from past ones and what ideological consequences derive from both continuity and difference (Introductory Guide to Critical Theory). With historiographer metrification, writers can speak constructively about that past in a way that acknowledges the falsity and violence of the past without isolating the present. Many other writers, artists, composers, and directors have had a significant impact on the evolution of postmodernism as well. Key incepts of postmodernism have also developed and evolved through the influence of society and individuals. For example the term kitsch or stratification, which can be defined as the reduction of aesthetic objects or ideas into easily marketable forms, has a more widely accepted definition adopted by famous postmodern philosopher Jean Baudelaire: The kitsch object is commonly understood as one of that great army of trashy objects, made of plaster of Paris [stuck] or some such imitation material: that gallery of cheap Junk?accessories, folksy knickknacks, souvenirs, emphases or fake African masks?which proliferate everywhere, with a preference for holiday resorts and places of leisure (Consumer Society 109-10). Jean Baudelaire also offered a definition for simulacrum, defining it as Simulation is no longer that of a territory, a referential being, or a substance. It is the generation by models of a real without origin or reality: a hyperbole. It is no longer a question of imitation, nor duplication, nor even parody. It is a question of substituting the signs of the real for the real (The Precession of Simulacra 1-2). Postmodernism, like any literary movement, was molded and defined by society and intellectuals involved in its progression. The profound impact postmodernism had on Kurt Evensongs Slaughterhouse 5, through its use of frame-breaking, criticism of worldly concepts like time and war, exploration or reality and truth, simulacrum, and rejection of reality, satire, allowed for the novel to express its ultimate renunciation of an absolute truth in exchange for intricate and indefinable answers. In addition, it was able to express key concepts of post modernism through its use of postmodern iterate devices; many of these concepts included a search for a higher purpose, a renunciation of social structuring, and a rejection of reality. By expressing these concepts, Opponent follows the postmodernist ideals of historiographer metrification, and questioning the absurdity of contemporary life and conventional viewpoints of society. Frame-breaking, the linkage of separate subplots in a novel to unify the intricacies of an entire plot, contributed to the postmodernist impact on the novel by individuality. Frame-breaking takes place in the novel through the employment of Opponent as three characters of differing importance: the narrator, the protagonist, and a supporting character. Through frame-breaking, Opponent demonstrates that even the recount of a war experience does not hold a simple plot; it consists of a web of intermingled plots, ideas, characters, events, and concepts; this adheres to the postmodernist principle of blurred lines of interpretation and absolute truth. In addition, frame-breaking allows for a loss of identity. The loss of identity occurs when Opponent represents an omniscient force narrating the story as he simultaneously lays protagonist Billy Pilgrim, and a seemingly inconsequential supporting character. Opponent as an omniscient force demonstrates the renunciation of religion in postmodernist ideals; Opponent plays god, yet he is as trivial as any other human being. Furthermore, by telling his own story in the perspective of Billy Pilgrim this demonstrates how war results in a loss of identity, or the adoption of an alias. Rather than personalizing the story in a first person perspective, Opponent distances himself from the horrors of his past. Finally, by including himself as a prison mate in Billy Pilgrims story, this demonstrates how in postmodernism, all identities consolidate; the man that represented god and the protagonist is nevertheless a supporting character in the larger plot of the story. By disparaging his ultimate role in the novel, Opponent demonstrates that people are all essentially equal in life and in death- thus a loss of individualism. Through the use of simulacrum, which involves replacing reality with a representation, Opponent is able to criticize worldly concepts like time and war. For instance, by using the simulacrum of Transformable for Earth, e criticizes the necessity of war. Transformable represents a conglomeration of ideals he believes are optimal in achieving peace. However, instead of directly stating those concepts, Opponent employs a narrative and symbolism; this allows for a rejection of reality while criticizing war. Time is also criticized through a simulacrum of time traveling. Through time traveling the distinctness of years is blurred and time loses meaning as it is muddled together. This criticism of time is a unique postmodernist concept that is closely related to the criticism of social structuring. As postmodernist writer, Opponent denounces the traditional concept of time and replaces it with a web of linked yet intricate events. Simulacrum is also used in the plot of Billy Pilgrims Journey; rather than telling the story in the first person perspective, Opponent ostracizes himself thus criticizing the worldly concept of individualism and identity. Contrastingly, he links all frames of the story in the end of the novel to demonstrate that personal identity is futile when people are all equal in life and in death. In addition the concept of death is abandoned as Opponent accepts omelet equality of the human identity. By employing a plot dedicated to the exploration of reality and truth, Opponent demonstrates that the world according to postmodernists is full of blurred lines, undefined edges, and complex networks of relationships. Not only does the novel in its entirety consist of three convoluted interwoven subplots made up of smaller subplots, but it contains episodes of irrationality and science-fiction. This mixture of reality and science fiction represents a renunciation of reality for a combination of philosophy and fantasy; further mistreating that reality does not exist in a state of definable truth, but in limbo higher purpose is an impossibly multifaceted path that nevertheless ends the same as all others do: everything is connected and personal identity is trivial. The Hours, written by Michael Cunningham and directed by Stephen Deadly, has been manifestly impacted by postmodernism through its use of fragmenting, stratification , satire, and renunciation of worldly concepts like death to express postmodern ideals like a loss of identity or interconnection of all things. Through expressing these ideals, Cunningham was able to reject typical social and literary construct and ultimately convey that answers are not simple or absolute. Frame- breaking is employed in the hours through the eventual amassing of all three subplots within the novel to demonstrate the interconnectedness of all human identities. The novel is formatted in three separate spheres to demonstrate how as humans search their lives for purpose, they are unable to see how individualism and identity are inane. The three plots are eventually connected through death- another worldly concept denounced by postmodernists. Through death, the characters become linked to one another and the reader becomes aware of their unity; this demonstrates how death provides enlightenment and is not solely the end of a life. Additionally, frame-breaking allows the criticism of the concept of time. All three subplots take place in completely different eras, yet they have profound impact on one another despite this detriment; this demonstrates that time is merely a concept, rather than an obstacle, and cannot overcome the unity of humanity identity. Stratification and loss of identity are expressed through a variety of literary devices n The Hours to demonstrate that superficiality and identity are ultimately trivial in life. Stratification most chiefly occurs in the novel and film when the concept of love is reduced to a party and flowers; this becomes a criticism of superficiality upon the death of Richard when the party goes to waste. It signifies that the superficial form of love was powerless and inconsequential to Richards death and that death encompasses all. In addition, both Richard and Virgins death represents a loss of identity in that his life and accomplishment were evidently meaningless to them. In he end, they chose the namelessness of death as their path rather than a quest for a higher purpose or discovery of self-identity. Their deaths are a demonstration of the interconnectedness of life in that both writers commit suicide, creating a full circle to the complex web of relationships. Postmodernism, contradicts itself in its essence. Yet its use of paradoxes, satire, criticisms of the conventional, and quest for answers have had a profound impact on the development of literature, art, and society. While postmodernism will be phase in the history of writing, it will not cease to remind rites to question the norm, look past what is conventional, and defy typical form and construction.

Is Willy Loman An Effective Protagonist English Literature Essay

Is Willy Loman An Effective Protagonist English Literature Essay Willy Loman represents an effective protagonist in Death of Salesman as he is an ordinary working class man in keeping with the domestic aspects of tragedy. He possesses many anti heroic qualities by not fulfilling the American dream and glamorising the past when he believes he was successful. Yet in reality he was even a failure then, which demonstrates that he is not the classical tragic hero of high status. A quality which is common throughout all tragic protagonists is hubris. Willy has immense pride, arrogantly thinking he is better than he really is and believing that success can come without hard work. His hubristic aspect is, in effect, his fatal flaw because Willys obsession with being well liked emphasises his superficial pursuit of the American dream, which helps bring up themes like materialism, as a modern audience will recognise. However, Willy fails to become an effective protagonist in a tragic sense as he does not reach an epiphany, instead, settling for suicide. The first aspect of a modern domestic tragedy is the fact it centres on ordinary people. This is done in Death of a Salesman which contrasts with Othello that depicts Othello who is of noble class. Willy is a father and a husband who is head of the family and therefore he does have some responsibility and power over the people around him. Millers aim with his plot may be to reach closer to the audience, thereby showing how anyones fall from grace can be tragic. Also Miller could have chosen the name Willy Loman as the name Loman is similar to low man reflecting Willys true status. Willy Loman is an anti hero which is as you might expect as a protagonist in a modern domestic tragedy. The audience would strive to be everything he is not, for example, his constant reminiscing of the good old days which were not that good as he had to borrow money to have a decent wage. What makes him even more of an anti-hero is the denial that he is really a failure. However, this could possibly make him an increasingly effective protagonist because his anti heroic qualities make him less perfect and therefore more realistic as a character. Conversely, Biffs discovery of Willys affair, which leads to his loss of ambition and respect. You fake! You phony little fake! You fake! is reinforced by the repetition to show Biffs anger. Here Willys actions damage Biff emphasising again his anti heroic qualities. Hubris is typical of protagonists in tragedy and makes Willy Lomans character more dramatically effective. Willys hubris is shown when he dismisses Bernard Bernard dont be a pest! (to his boys) What an anaemic! because he believes that his sons are better than Bernard, instilling arrogance and his hubristic pride into them, shown through the stage direction. Excessive pride is evident in Willys attitude towards jobs, where he turns down a job offer from Charley I dont want your goddam job! . His hubris accentuates the climax of the play as he could have accepted a job that would have guaranteed relative safety of income. The resulting loss of sympathy from the audience heightens the tragic elements of the play. In Act two Willys denial that he was responsible for Biffs giving up with his future What are you trying to do, blame it on me? If a boy lays down is that my fault? is emphasised in the repeated rhetorical questions. The denial shows an excessive pride as he will not admit to being responsible for Biff flunking maths and thus destroying his future. Psychological elements shown in Willys character reflect the modern aspects of tragedy. These signs of mental unease are shown as early as Act 1 I suddenly couldnt drive anymore. The car kept going off on to the shoulder, yknow? indicating that Willy is perhaps struggling to cope with reality. Miller allows the viewers to gain a greater insight into Willys mind which makes him more effective as a protagonist because you can understand to a better extent the reasoning behind his actions. The whole play takes places during the final two days of Willys life, split between flashbacks of the past which increasingly leave him unable to distinguish between past and present. His inability to distinguish past from present adds another dimension to his character which is a more modern characteristic of tragedy, dealing with insecurity and mental breakdown. All of this is shown in the form, effectively demonstrating the downfall of his character. Most of the play revolves around constructs of t he past in his mind which are portrayed as Eden like. The flashbacks represent Willy trying to recreate the past when he believed he was successful. Willys Eden is centred on his time with Biff and Happy in their younger years as he tries to cling to times when his son respected him like Biff in act 2 when I take off my helmet, that touchdown is for you, rather than the present when they are at odds. Another example is when Willy recalls Ben because he views him as a success, highlighting his refusal to face the present and the truth that he has not achieved the American dream. Willy Lomans fatal flaws are in part his hubris and it also his pursuit of the American dream. His idea of the American dream is the root of the problem, believing that you have to be well liked in order to be successful, as he describes Dave Singleman Cause what could be more satisfying than . . . to go at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities . . . and be remembered and loved. However, he may have been well known but Willy misses out the point that he still had to work until he died, highlighting that being well liked is not what the American dream is about. As he dismisses Bernard for being a nerd it shows that Willy thinks you can be successful without working hard. Whilst you could argue that Willy is to blame for his hubris, the reverse side is that society is the villain in the play, making him what he is. Miller shows this theme for example when the Lomans need a new fridge Once in my life I would like to own something outright before its broken! whic h can explain Willys seemingly misguided pursuit of the American dream in the form of materialistic values. Yet because it is broken like many other items it could be a metaphor for the misplaced confidence of Willy in materialism as it lets him down, much like the aspirations for his sons. Miller creates an effective protagonist by connecting him with other aspects in society that are relevant in America at the time. Typical of many protagonists in tragedy is the reaching of a point of revelation. Willy does not reach this as he instead settles for suicide worth more dead than alive. Yet the realisation may not be from Willy but the audience in their perception of the American dream and how it can have disastrous effects on people. Despite not reaching any degree of self truth, his life insurance policy would in his eyes compensate Linda for his affair and he would gain the respect of Biff. Catharsis, it could be said is not experienced by the audience up until the requiem. Charleys speech Nobody dast blame this man. You dont understand for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to life highlights that the pressure of a salesman would have contributed to Willys downfall. It helps induce pity from the audience as it removes blame from Willy. Charley continues to give the audience reason to pity Willy No man only needs a salary which draws attention to the fact that materialistic values cannot sustain a man. Happy reinforces the catharsis as he is inspired by Willys death. However this catharsis could be undermined due to Lindas comment It seems to me that youre just on another trip hinting that the insurance money for Biff may not be put to good use. The recurrence of the flute music symbolically represents Willys misguided pursuit of the American dream. This could mean that the catharsis is not as effective as the world is not cleansed and is just as it was at the start o f the play. From an audiences perspective they could possibly think that Willy is an ineffective tragic hero because it was his own fault that he was not successful. He failed to understand the American dream, in the process hindering his own sons future. The anti heroic features of Willy could serve on their own as a reason the audience lose sympathy for him and possibly deem him ineffective as a tragic hero. However, on the other hand, society could be viewed as the villain of the play because it gives the audience reason to understand his character, thus making Willy an effective protagonist. Willy Loman could be considered an effective tragic protagonist because of his hubris and fatal flaw typical of a tragic hero. Likewise, the psychological aspects introduced to the plot draw attention to the modern characteristics of modern domestic tragedy.