Van Helsing

The style Stoker uses to write the novel Dracula, in a series of diary/journal entries, newspaper clippings, letters, and other documents, makes the story more horrifying and suspenseful. This is because as written this way, the story becomes personal. The reader gets the feeling that the story he/she is reading is true. The novel takes on the persona of a case file, which makes the story stand out as a true account of actual events. It makes the reader feel that these terrifying events could actually happen. This style of writing contributes to character development because the characters' personalities are unveiled through the writing.For example, when Dr. Seward describes Renfield, one gets a closer look into the psyche of Dr. Seward. In this excerpt, even though the reader receives a description of Renfield, the description is only what Dr. Seward sees and feels. It is a first-hand account of what a character thinks and feels through his own writing. The reader does not learn abo ut Renfield in this excerpt, but learns about Dr. Seward. This is so because Dr. Seward makes certain conclusions about Renfield, which may or may not be true. Dr. Seward states what he sees, perhaps not what Renfield is actually like.Renfield is a patient at Dr. Seward's insane asylum. Renfield is described as a refined gentleman who eats live creatures such as insects and birds. He believes that eating these living things gives him their life-force. Renfield fed the flies to the spiders, then fed the spiders to the birds, stockpiling their life-force. When he was denied a cat to which to feed the birds, Renfield at the birds himself. Renfield was used by Stoker to drive the plot. It was through Renfield that the reader first learned about Count Dracula as a vampire and Count Dracula's dark world.Renfield helped Count Dracula at first, but betrayed him because he was in love with Mina. Renfield protected her, and it cost him his life. Renfield is also an image of the theme of relig ion and eternal life. Renfield ate living creatures in an attempt to reach eternal life. He thought he would live forever if he could steal others' life-force. This is the goal of the Christian faith, to achieve eternal life. However, Renfield wanted to physically live, while Christians look forward to their souls having eternal life. Renfield contributed to the conflict because he helped all of the characters in some way.For instance, Renfield helped Dr. Seward and Van Helsing realize what Count Dracula was. Renfield also helped Count Dracula lure Mina and Lucy to him. He also helped Mina to escape Count Dracula. Without Renfield, their would not be a story. Renfield contributed to the conflict most when he helped Count Dracula in his evil plans. Renfield came under Count Dracula's control when Count Dracula made an offer to give Renfield an unlimited supply of food if Renfield helped him. When confronted by Mina, Count Dracula's obsession, Renfield tells her to run away.Count Drac ula finds out about this and is so angry that he enters Renfield's cell and breaks his neck. Without Renfield, Count Dracula probably would not have been able to do most of the things he did. Religion, as a major theme of the novel, plays a large role. Many items and people are deemed either â€Å"holy† or â€Å"unholy. † For instance, Van Helsing could be considered â€Å"holy† and Dracula could be considered â€Å"unholy. † Van Helsing likens his mission of chasing Count Dracula to one of â€Å"the old knights of the Cross. † (pg. 508) Therefore, Van Helsing could be understood as a righteous man, doing the will of God to rid the world of a monster.Count Dracula is considered a satanic figure and Van Helsing suggests that Christian icons, such as a crucifix, are the most effective weapons against evil. Stoker uses religious symbolism because he intended Dracula to be a cautionary tale, such as an urban legend. Dracula was written at a time when s cientific and social advancements, such as Darwin's theory of evolution and women gaining more liberties, posed a threat to the traditional, religious way of life. Stoker decided to personify this threat in Dracula. In another passage, Van Helsing criticizes Dr.Seward for relying too heavily on reason. It could be argued that Van Helsing is the protector of tradition while Dr. Seward is a man of science. Van Helsing goes so far as to actually blame science for Dr. Seward's logic thinking. Van Helsing believes that one should rely heavily on faith, not science. This might connect to the novel's central theme of the consequences of modernity because science is a threat to religion like Count Dracula is a threat to the other characters in the story. – Stoker, Bram. Dracula. United Kingdom: Archibald Constable and Company. 1897.

Othello vs Iago

It is a known fact that the actions someone makes throughout his/her life fashions the kind of person he/she is, however this is not always the case. Ultimately it was Othello who was in control of his own behaviour though he was highly influenced. Despite the fact that Iago had finished the deed of killing Roderigo, he was more in control of the others thoughts than actions. Together, Iago and Othello were fundamentally in charge of their lives though powerless to their thoughts and actions.Nonetheless only one can be the most responsible for the tragic events that occur in this play. Insecurities have a powerful effect on the human mind, and thats just what happened to Othello, he succumbed to his insecurities. Being a different race and a general could be said to be rare in the time period that this play took place which may have led to why Othello was reacting so irrationally. He allowed his mind to play tricks on him by latching on to anyone who had shown kindness to him during a stressful event which led to his fatal flaw: Pride.Though he loved Desdemona with all his heart, his pride seemed to be a bit more important. He would not listen to his wife because of the newfound tainted picture of her which meant to him to eliminate the one thing that would ruin his image of himself. In the end actions spoke louder than words and he gave in to the murderous ways that ago had planted in his head. With a great minds comes great responsibilities, responsibilities Iago seemed to ignore by allowing his jealousy to take over.Honest Iago truly was honest however, he was also extremely clever. He knew how to twist the thoughts of the people around him turning them into his little puppets in order to keep his hands clean. A highly effective instigator which led to the deaths of all the characters who died by manipulating the people around him. when all is said and done, it was Iago who really Influenced the actions preformed by Othello.

Should GCSE formate be changed over the next few years Essay

Should GCSE formate be changed over the next few years - Essay Example Recently, the education standards in the ‘General Certificate of Secondary Education’ have come under serious debate from educationists and people from the political circles, widely giving rise to the notion that the GCSE examination should altogether be abolished and replaced by another like the E-Bac. GCSE has recently been under heavy fire for leaving teenagers underprepared for University Education. The exam has been failing to train teenagers for the degree level of education (Shepherd, 2012). The gcse has been lagging behind in training students for higher education, especially in subjects like mathematics, geography, chemistry, biology, English and English Literature. GCSE has been found more focused on the results that the exams generate and not a broader prospect of education (Baker, 2012). The amount of course work has also been considerably reduced over the past decade. It has been reviewed by ofqual (regulator of qualification), that GCSE has been becoming in creasingly easier over the past decade, which is suggestive of falling standards of Education (Shepherd, 2012). ... tudents coming to out of the GCSE did not possess necessary skills regarding critical thinking and writing, which were necessarily required for the degree courses (Shepherd, 2012). The poll also revealed that the lecturers teaching the degree level subjects of English, business studies, geography and psychology were unimpressed by the exam standard and wanted more open-ended questions and an independent study orientation (shepherd, 2012). MCQ’s restrict the student’s ability to learn and remember complex forms of data and information, as it focuses on testing the students for parts of information on topics. Many believe that with the passing years the MCQ content of the exams has been greatly increasing while the descriptive essay like questions in the exams have reduced considerably, which are the real indicators of the amount and level of learning. In the 2012 review by ofqual, it was put forth that as compared to 2001, in 2010 human geography exam had fewer questions that tested the scientific knowledge of the students; 2008 biology exam also had an increased number of short answers and MCQ’s as compared to the exam in 2003; the 2010 geography exam was testing the pupils on fewer topics as compared to the exam that was put forth in the year 2001; and for the subject of Chemistry 2008 exam also showed more GCSE level questions as compared to the year 2003 (Shepherd, 2012). The Education Secretary, Micheal Gove says that the system of GCSE was â€Å"for a different age and a different world† (BBC, 2012). Mr. Gove believes the GCSE system to be outdated and that new exam system like E-Bac could help raise the bar again. The education secretary believes that changes in education system are necessary so that there can be â€Å"truly rigorous exams, competitive with the

Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Review - Essay Example The perspectives that are taken in organizational theory should be keenly considered since they determine how people will understand organizations or how they will behave within their contexts. In understanding organizational theory, it is always necessary to make some philosophical assumptions, which act as a guidance tool; however, these assumptions are usually full of contentions since they usually do not have any evidence to support them. Chapter 2: Modernist organizational theory: Back into the future Modernist organizational theory argues that chaos and disorders among human beings can be overcome through human will and intentions, this means that the order can be maintained by creation of systems, bureaucracies and methods of management that aim at restoring order in a disorderly world. In understanding modernist organizational theory, it is important to look at the intellectual environment and organisations as part of systems; these can be looked at in two different ways. One of the ways is looking at the scientific activities that surround them which include development of the organizational theory; the second way is looking at the organizations as complex systems. Modernist organizational theory is more concerned about bureaucracy as a form of organizational and whether it is an agent of disorder and chaos in the world or it works to restore order in the world. Bureaucracy has been adopted in most of the organizations since the beginning of the 20th century as a means for efficient and effective organisations. Neo-modernist organizational theory: putting people first The modernist approach has been overtaken by the neo modernist approach, which puts the welfare of the people at the centre of the organization. The neo modernist organizational theory uses insight and techniques of the social sciences to build up an organizational and managerial presumption that is usable in problems connected with authority in organizational context. The neo modernist o rganizational theory pays special attention to the values and beliefs that individuals have and how they shape their experiences within organizations (Kets de Vries, 2004, p194). In addition, it also concentrates on how individual values and beliefs are shaped by their experiences in organizations, this leads to organizational culture and ways in which people’s needs can be woven in to those of organizations. This theory has two perspectives on how organizations are usually structured; the first perspective is where the management needs to be sensitive to the needs of the employees in order to create a conducive environment for all stakeholders of the organization. The second perspective is for the management of the organization to create a democratic space, which empowers all stakeholders in the organization (Westenholz, 2003, p110; Johnson, 2006). Chapter 6: post modernism as a philosophy: the ultimate challenge to organizational theory? Post modernism as a philosophy aims to disprove the modernist assumption that the world can be understood objectively by disproving the proposition that it is feasible to come up with a rational and generally applicable basis to scientific inquiry that can explain the universe from an objective point of view (Thompson, 2003, p185). Postmodernism has had the greatest impact on

Divine Chocolate; Marketing and Communications Plan Essay

Divine Chocolate; Marketing and Communications Plan - Essay Example They create barriers in the distribution channel by offering attractive bonuses to retailers who surpass their preset targets. Divine also lacks the international economies of scale that the dominators enjoy. In a research conducted in 2007 divine held 0.3% of the total chocolate sales in the UK as compared to 83% market shared by the three dominates. The use of fair-trade certification has contributed significantly to the marketing communications of divine chocolates to the consumers. A research conducted in 2007n proved that most consumers had left other chocolate brands in favor of Divine due to the mark of quality and its splendid taste. It therefore, has been suggested that Divine should develop a marketing plan focused on communicating it product to retailers and final consumers on the basis of fair pricing, product differentiation and emphasis on quality. In conclusion, it has been established that though divine is a small organization it has a high potential of the top of the value chain. It all the features required to get their only solution is adopting a communication plan focusing on the retailers and attaining economies of scale. Divine chocolate company, is a manufacture fair-trade chocolates in UK and United States, marking its first establishment in the UK in 1996. It partners with Kuapa Kokoo cocoa growers from Ghana, comic relief and Christian aid. It has a unique trading system; the farmers are the main shareholders in the company. Its first product, Divine milk chocolate, has been launched in late 1998. Another range of its products include dark chocolate and drinking chocolate; it launched another product in 2000 called dubble, in collaboration with comic relief. The brand was later on launch in the US in early 2007. Currently three main organizations own divine chocolate company. These organizations include Kuapa Kokoo; a group of cocoa producers from Ghana own 45% of the shares, Twin trading

Cultural Differences and People Management ,self reflection Essay

Cultural Differences and People Management ,self reflection - Essay Example During the training session I was able to learn that culture is not just a characteristic of individual but it is a characteristic of individuals that share the same ideas in the group. As culture is learned, I was able to figure out that during time with my friends, colleagues, family and other groups that individual becomes a member of; the individual learns the culture from them in order to have share common ideas and values. I have also learnt that culture plays a dominant role in affecting the motivation level of an individual along with personality and attitude of individual. Since culture helps an individual to change his/her behaviour regarding things, it is considered as an important factor for success in daily life. After understanding the concept of culture, I was able to understand the importance of culture in daily life. The first and the foremost important thing about culture is that it creates bond between people and group. This bond helps in bringing the people together. It is not just a bond but it provides the individual with the identity and helps in building a personality which helps the individual to distinguish himself from others in the community. I have also been able to understand that how culture shapes the standards and behaviour of an individual. For an individual, culture acts as a system of social control. As the life of an individual revolves around the culture learnt from older generation in the form of language, art and religion it helps the individual to make crucial decisions in one’s life. Cultural difference occurs when there is a difference in culture, race or any other factor that might lead to different perception regarding others in the workplace (Gellner, 1983). I have learnt that individual belong from different cultures which help the individual to create his/her unique identity in the group, it is quite important to accept and appreciate others culture. By doing so, an individual can create a bond between

Sino-Soviet Relations, 1958-1962 --- The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis Essay - 2

Sino-Soviet Relations, 1958-1962 --- The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and the Sino-Soviet Split - Essay Example From all outward appearances, the 1950 Sino-Soviet alliance was impenetrable and that the two countries were engaged in a common goal to ensure that Communism was a major influence around the world. There was more than enough evidence to support this perception. Under Mao Tse-tung’s leadership, China formally aligned itself with the USSR. When the Communists in North Korea invaded the Republic of Korea, China intervened and the USSR lent military aid.1 What was perceived as an ideal and threatening partnership would not stand the test of ideological differences. This paper seeks to provide an understanding of how this seemingly ideal partnership was doomed for failure. The events leading up to, during and immediately after the second Taiwan crisis of 1958 are significant in their manifestation of just how far apart the Soviet Union and China were growing. By the 1960s, the Sino-Soviet Alliance was practically shattered as their respective ideologies and polices were increasingly at odds. The office of the US Central Intelligence Agency reported to the US’s administrators in February 1962 that: Sino-Soviet relations are in a critical phase just short of an acknowledged and definitive split. There is no longer much of a fundamental resolution of differences. In our view, the chances that such a split can be avoided in 1962 are no better than ever.2 There are a number of theories put forth by historians and political scientists attempting to understand the driving force splitting the union between the world’s two largest Communist states. Athwal argues that the US’ â€Å"nuclear superiority† put increasing pressures on Sino-Soviet relations and policies by first influencing China to obtain nuclear weapons and by forcing the Soviets to look to the West in a more amicable way. Moreover, both China and the Soviet Union had