Book Review on 'The Modern Firm' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Book Review on 'The Modern Firm' - Essay Example Thus, these insights can be more readily applied to any developing business firm to achieve the desired level of success. According to the Economist, The Modern Firm is the "..best business book of the year...deserves to be a classic...Nobody, it can now be said, is fully fit to run a modern firm until they have read "The Modern Firm. " (The Economist, 16th December, 2004). Times also agrees with Economist calling the book â€Å"interesting† that is not so in many business literatures. Objective The book’s objective is to explicate some of the core concepts in organizational economics in a language accessible also for the lay people (Fredrick Tell, November 2006). The Wave of Change In this book a strong conceptual framework has been developed to analyze the interrelation between business environment, competitive strategy and organizational design features. According to Fredrick Tell, the essential problem that Roberts discusses is how features of strategy and organizat ion can be modified by a â€Å"designer† so as to achieve higher level of performance in relation to the firm’s context. Industries from all the corners of the globe are introducing new and modern designs for their organizations. They are going in for better and innovative architecture. They are changing their processes and routines. Thus, we find that the total corporate culture is undergoing a dramatic transformation in a bid to maximize their profit. However, all these changes are contributing towards a great upheaval that promises to reconstruct the entire organization. Hence, we can see that the values and beliefs of any organization are greatly transformed with the passage of time. The changes do not stop at the infrastructure level but move on to the power making authorities too. Hence, newer governing bodies are being formed within the organizations that affect the overall decision taking authority. The organizational charts are being redrawn while the manpower is shrunk and made as diverse as possible. Outsourcing is also coming up as a cost effective and simple solution that solves much of the productivity problems. The mechanism to reward and motivate people is being revamped. The information system is also being redesigned to include latest technologies. Hence, the entire organization is suffering a facelift to present the business in a healthier and better way. Compulsory Changes John Robert argues in favor of these changes as he says that they are compulsory for the growth of the industries. He says that these changes would affect the organization in a better way and accelerate the companies’ performance and growth. However, the writer cautions that the change should not be done to the cost of the basic profit formula. The industries that are already successful and showing great monetary returns should continue to embrace that winning formula while affecting the required overall change. The Determinants of Performance Accordi ng to the writer, the performance has three determinants- Strategy, Organization and Environment. Strategy: What merchandise is suitable for which market? Organization: It consists of a collection of workers and the way they are grouped. Environment: Customers, competitors, technology, regulatory and regal context, various social, demographic and political features, and so on. When all three determinants work in accordance with each other then the performance level is maximized that result in a greater level of achievement. PARC PARC is Roberts’

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rhetorically (Crazy Stupid Love) - Essay Example One would notice in the movie how infidelity affects one’s way of life and leads characters into discovering its drastic effects and the host of alternatives people do to cope with the situation. In this regard, the objective of the essay is to present a rhetorical analysis of the movie by expounding on the message of the movie and its effectiveness in establishing audience appeal through logos, pathos and ethos. The conflict in the movie stemmed from Emily’s acknowledgement of cheating on Cal, devastating his perfect perception of his life and facing him in an ambivalent situation. While Cal and Emily had a romantic dinner she asked Cal for a divorce; stunning him and leading him into a situation where ethos is applied. He tried to convince Emily to think of their family and their love. On the other hand, Emily was actually also applying the ethical appeal to present to Cal that her infidelity justifies the divorce and therefore, despite her uncertainty for her true fe elings for the man she slept with, she was convinced that there was no other option but to part ways. In her argumentation, Emily actually used logos by rationalizing and justifying that by committing an unfaithful act through sleeping with a man, other than her husband, the most logical and rational recourse is to file the divorce. The audience’s emotions could actually side on Cal or Emily, depending on the personal perspectives, value system and cultural orientation. For people from the eastern culture who still do not accept divorce as acceptable in their society, the argument of Emily is unacceptable and therefore do not appeal to their emotions (pathos). On the other hand, for people from the western culture, who have learned to accept divorce as a way of life, like the office mates of Cal who even made fun of him when he cried his heart out, the contention that divorce is the only option available after an unfair relationship, is indeed the most appealing recommendatio n (pathos). Another situation worth examining is why, despite Jacob Palmer’s advice to Cal to get over Emily, to move on and start living his life, still is convinced that Emily is the only person for him. It was actually an understandable action at the onset that Cal would listen to Jacob by succumbing to his suggestions of changing his lifestyle by making him look younger, donning new and attractive clothes, and start dating other women to seek fulfilling relationships that would help him forget about Emily. Through the use of logos, Jacob, was actually successful in convincing Cal that if Emily could find somebody to replace him; then by all means, he should likewise find ways and means to forget and replace her. The audience could actually empathize with Cal at this point and through Jacob’s innuendos, he was also effective in manifesting the presence of using pathos to appeal to the emotions of the viewers and share in the journey of transformation for Cal’ s new life. Further, the move was likewise effective as Jacob was able to manifest ethos, or an ethical appeal as he convinced even Emily that she actually made a mistake of suggesting the divorce. By showing personality and traits that exemplify expertise in treating women and being highly competent in dealing with relationships, Jacob assumed a

INFO101 assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

INFO101 assigment - Assignment Example The content of these reports may vary depending on the situations and the needs of the manager requesting the report. Third and last, is exception report. Exception reports are those that deal with data outside ranges considered normal. They exhibit statistics of data beyond the normal range. The report consolidates the unusual conditions such as cost overruns or production down time and reports them differently. Timely reporting of unusual cases enables appropriate action to be taken by the management. Different types of reports cover different issues. Moreover, various circumstances in the business demand appropriate actions, which vary from one scenario to another. As such, it is important to distinguish between the three basic MIS reports so that each can be tailored to the informational need of its users. Clear distinction between the reports also enables the management to take timely actions on issues that require urgent attention. Summary reports are used when managers require quick overview of information on particular area. On the other hand, detailed reports are used for specific activities so as to gage their performances while exception reports are sued to report unusual occurrences in an organization, which need urgent solutions. Decision Support System (DSS) has three fundamental components. These include: data, models as well as user interface. Data is basically the information that is required for decision making. Data is usually kept in a database. Models refer to the models that are utilized in data analysis and the forecasting of outcomes of any particular decision. It also includes software that helps in managing models in DSS. User interface refers to the manner in which the users can use the DSS to facilitate their decision making processes, even if they are not technology experts. In most scenarios, a

Data Communications Essay Example for Free

Data Communications Essay Repairs by Return is a successful company and offers a repair service for various electrical appliances including washing machines, dishwashers etc. The business is expanding, meaning taking on additional engineers who might need on-the-job training. The aim of our group is to advise the owner of Repairs by Return on the new technology and research on how well the technology can make the company more efficient and the communication between the staff and owner better. We will also recommend an appropriate solution. ` MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES Mobile tools and technologies have the capacity facilitate communication, keep employees informed in real-time and reduce hours once spent bound to a desk. However, along with the liberating aspects of an increasingly versatile workplace, mobility presents challenges for todays workers. Below are short descriptions of mobile technologies currently available. SMS Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones that allows the sending of short messages, also known as text messages, or more commonly as SMS, texts or even txts) between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones. Messages must be no longer than 160 alpha-numeric characters and contain no images or graphics. Picture Messaging Picture Messaging is a service, which allows users to send and receive messages that combine pictures with text and sounds from their phones. WAP Wireless Application Protocol is an open international standard for applications that use wireless communication allowing users to access information instantly via handheld wireless device e.g. internet access from a mobile phone, smart phones, two way radios etc. MMS Multimedia Message Service is the evolution of SMS. With MMS, a mobile device is no longer restricted to text-only messages. It can send and receive multimedia messages such as graphics, sound files, video clips or any combination of the above, within certain size limits. GPRS General Packet Radio Service is a protocol for passing data over a mobile phone network. With GPRS connection, the phone is always on and can transfer data immediately, and at higher speeds. 3G 3G is the generic term for third generation mobile phone technologies. It offers high speed connections enabling video conference and other applications which require broadband connectivity to the Internet. PDA Personal Digital Assistants are handheld devices that combine computing, telephone/fax, Internet and networking features. Originally designed as personal organisers but have now become much more versatile over the years. FEASIBILITY STUDY The feasibility study is aimed at viewing the ideas given to us by the owner and assessing whether they will help the company communicate effectively. We will also look at the limitations of the ideas. * Apprentice engineers asking for help silently to senior engineers GPRS allows instant connectivity (as long as there is radio coverage), meaning information can be sent/received immediately. Engineers can take picture(s) of the problem they cannot fix, write a little note with it, send it as an MMS to senior engineers, and receive an immediate reply without the customers realising. The problem with this will be that the engineer on the other side might be with a client and therefore, will not be able to reply immediately. Another problem could be that the reply received from the engineer may be inaccurate and unclear. Drawback of GPRS is the limited bandwidth and is particularly suited for sending and receiving small bursts of data. So when engineers do send pictures, the size of the message and picture will be limited. * Web access to manuals and diagrams GPRS also aims to deliver remote access type applications via a mobile network for businesses including data uploads and synchronisation, document sharing and collaboration, email and web browsing. Ideally, a wide variety of information can be delivered via a mobile device, overcoming the 160 character limitations of SMS. It is usually impossible to directly port a desktop application to a wireless to a handheld device; therefore, directly access most websites using a handheld device is difficult. Another problem the engineers might face is that typing on a cell phones tiny keys can be difficult and time consuming and the size of the screen is limited too. This could be a problem when an engineer is trying to download diagrams, as there will be problems with its clarity. * FAQs facility stored on mobiles One of the drawbacks on using GPRS is that it has slow data transfer rates. Although rates of 115 kbs (or more) have been quoted, the realistic speeds are 20 to 30 kbs can be expected. Applications can be used in a shared environment, and data sharing is made easier effectively like being connected to a Local Area Network (LAN). An important functionality of PDAs is the possibility of synchronising data with a contact database, such as MS Outlook hosted on corporate servers or a personal computer. The synchronised data ensures that the PDA has an accurate list of contacts, appointments and email. Critical to shared data access, synchronisation allows multiple clients to access, edit, and remove data records that a particular group of users may regularly use. As well as that, data input is a lot quicker on a personal computer. Therefore, transferring data to a PDA via the computer is a lot quicker than having to manually input it all on the handheld device. POTENTIAL USEFULNESS OF COMBINED MOBILE PHONES/PDAS, IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS BUSINESS We will now discuss the benefits of mobilisation to the business. * PDA from for capturing progress made A form can be created for the use on the PDA which will enable the engineers to capture progress while they are with clients, which could then be distributed over the network, noting the problems that they could not fix or if any additional parts are required. Each time the engineer collects heir PDA, it is pre-loaded with weeks progress form. Once the form is completed, the engineer can synchronise it when they get back to the office or using GPRS whilst out with the clients. The data can then be fed into a progress database, collecting the data from all the engineers. This will enable you to generate a project progress report automatically. The potential usefulness with mobile phones and PDA There are various other ways the business can use the technology to help their staff. As the workers are apprentices, they can use the technology by using i.e. the intranet to access the help guide. This is a good idea as the staff can learn while on duty and in their free time. It is also a good cost saver as they will not need to pay for a teacher and a class room, and it is also less time consuming. The PDA or some mobiles phones have a satellite navigation system built in to help the staff if they are travelling to any location which they have difficulty finding. It will give them clear directions and pinpoint the location to save time. RECOMMENDATIONS Having considered the ideas that have been brought forward by you, the technology would help to build a better relationship with the staff and also improved customer service. Before purchasing new technology, Repairs by Return will need to invest in training the staff to use the hand held device. We recommend using a mobile phone called the Treo 650 Smart phone; this is a combined technology of some of the features of a PDA and also most of the features of a mobile phone. Of the three ideas, we think that the best idea would be having a server or the intranet to access the manuals and diagrams from the mobile phone. This will give the staff the knowledge to solve any problems and also gives some secrecy as the customer will not realise that the engineer is asking for help. The idea of using the mobile phone to contact other experienced engineers is a good idea but may distract the other staff that may also be with a customer. The idea of having a FAQ database maybe a bad idea as the staff may not always find the most accurate answers to there questions. The database will have answers of the problems that have arose in the past but may not have new problems, this will mean that the information would have to be updated frequently so that it is up to date. The information will have to be stored so will take up the hard drive space which the staff may need to use for other information. This will mean that the business would need to purchase higher mega byte memory cards. This is an additional cost for the business. The intranet would be a good idea as the all the information is there; you do not need to store the information as it is on the intranet saving memory space. Although the information maybe hard to find as the staff would need to go through the manual to find what they are looking for. The technology of the smart phone will help the staff as the phone has the features of browser to search for any words or phrases on the web to located information much faster and have less time consumed looking through the whole manual. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS USED 1) Panko. R., Business Data Communications and Networking, Prentice Hall, 3rd Edition (2000) WEBSITES USED 1) http://www.voiceanddata.com.au/feature_article/item_022003a.asp 2) http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo650/web.epl 3) http://web.ukonline.co.uk/p.boughton/wap.htm 4) http://www.my-xda.com/xda2_closer.html 5) http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews90293.html GROUP LOG Group Names * 21 February 2006 ALLOCATION OF GROUPS 1) Manik Maih 2) Bijal Pandit 3) Ime Udoh All members exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses. We allocated tasks and said that we should research on mobile phones and PDA. Time allocated for research only Manik Miah 7 days Bijal Pandit 7 days Ime Udoh 7 days * 28 February 2006 All the group members conducted sufficient research needed to write the report, within the time given. There were plenty of books and internet print outs. All members looked and read through the research found and divided into files. We divided 3 ideas between us. Manik idea 1 Bijal idea 2 Ime idea 3 We then allocated the tasks of the report and the internet website. Bijal Part 1 and 2 Manik Part 3 and 4 Ime website, contents page, group log We met up every 3 days to check the progress of the report and to help any group members that are having difficulties. * 7 March 2006 All group members attended, and arrived on time. At this stage majority of the work was completed. Each member rotated the work around to ensure there were no more mistakes. We all contributed equally and suggested that the work was fine and additional work that needs to be done should. * 13 March 2006 The group had finished off all there tasks and got together to check over all the work. We then edited the website. Once the final touches were made, we printed out the work. GROUP AGREEMENT 4BIM504 Data Communications We, the undersigned members of this group, undertake to be bound by the following agreement: 1. to attend all group meetings on time, except when agreed by other group members in advance, or where a documented excuse is provided 2. to be well prepared for each meeting, ensuring that all relevant material is adequately researched and presented 3. to be actively involved in the work of the group, by contributing to the best of our abilities 4. to participate in the editing and preparation of the final report We agree that if a group member breaches these undertakings, then the group has the right to recommend a reduced mark for the individual concerned of up to 30% below the group grade. In this eventuality the group would submit reasons in writing to the seminar leader. We accept that the seminar tutor may require further information before making any penalty mark adjustments. We accept that the seminar tutors decision is final in these matters.

Effect of Biological and Social Influences on Development

Effect of Biological and Social Influences on Development Gemma L Sobah Evaluate the contribution of biological and social influences to human psychological functioning Introduction: As humans, our psychological functioning is vital to our survival and succession. So what do we mean by psychological functioning? Psychological functioning is the way in which our minds work. It includes our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Human beings are thinkers and feelers. Our worlds evolve around, our thoughts, our feelings, and our hopes and dreams. How we view the world, and how we feel the world views us. We are driven by our emotions, our morals and our understanding of the people and world around us. Every experience in our life has the ability to impact our psychological functions. In this essay we will be looking at development and sex and gender. Charles Darwin was an evolutionary psychologist. He argued and believed that we have certain behaviours that have evolved and adapted because of how they benefit our survival and there for increased the chances of passing them on genetically. Darwin (1859) demonstrated the idea that genetics and evolution play an important part in influencing psychological functioning through natural selection. Evolutionary psychology claims that our brains (which includes the mind) evolved to be able to problem solve, which many of our hunter-gatherer ancestors encountered. A perspective known as the functionalism perspective was an idea that developed explanations for why people’s behaviour changed. It was believed that it was for an adaptive cause, and therefore has a ‘function’ to serve. Darwin argued that these changed came about because they proved to increase chances of survival and were therefore selectively chosen through evolution. So according to Darwin, we do certain things and act certain ways as we grow, not because we have had certain experiences in our life’s that have impacted us and shaped the way we see things, and have a direct effect on the way we act, but because genetically we have evolved and have certain traits and behaviours that will aid our survival. Therefore, those people displaying behaviours that will have a negative effect on their survival have no developed the necessary traits and skills through natural selection. Although this approach does give insight into how genetically we have been designed to act a certain way, and be certain people, the downfall to it is to the extent to which it can be applied. It does not explain how evolution has genetically changed us to act certain ways emotionally. It doesn’t goes as far to show how a woman who was born a man, can grow to live her life as both genders and it have no negative affect on her mental health. Furthermore it does not give insight as to how she became this way and not something else. But social influences could prove to have contributed to her current state of mind and mental health. From an early age we take in and absorb the things that happen around us, and studies have demonstrated how the social influences in our life at a young age, can affect our adult lives. In 1996, Schaffer, (as cited in Wood et al, pg. 9), explained that social influences, such as our peer or sibling relationships, are very influential in our development. He notes that they spend a lot of time in each other’s company, and in this time they will observe each other’s behaviour, and they will share many experiences, and it has been noted that their relationships are very emotionally based. These kinds of sibling relationships could have all sorts of influences on our development, both positive and negative. Siblings of a similar age may be more likely to have a friendship, because they will be increased in similar things from their age group, giving them more in common with each other. But this could also mean more chance of rivalry, for who has what toy and they may also fight for the attention of their parents. The positive side of this kind of relationship are that they could learn things from the other sibling, such as the meaning of sharing, they experience feelings that they may not if they only siblings much older. For example, two boy’s ages 7, and 9 both seek the attention of their parents, but their parents are too busy wondering where their older sister of 16 is. They can them empathise with one another and understand how each other are feelings. They can also be each other’s company when they want attention. And console one another when they are sad. This could bring out a caring side of them, allowing them to fill roles they would not fill if they only had older siblings or was an only child. In later life, as they develop further, they may then carry with them a caring nurturing side that they experiences as a child. The negative side of this kind of social influence are that there could potentially be a lot of rivalry between them. Which one gets the most parent-child attention, which gets the most/best toys? They could grow up feeling unfulfilled and needy. In 1986, Abramovitch, Corter, Pepler, and Stanthorpe, conducted an observational study on siblings which revealed to them, ‘that their interactions are diverse and multifaceted’. (Wood et al, pg. 9, 2007). As we can see from the example above, and as the observational study shown, there are many sides to a sibling relationship but they all have the potential to affect our future. Biologically there are many differences between a brother and sister, i.e. a girl and boy. The obvious one being our genitals, but as we go more in depth we will find that hormonally we are different, and our bodies have different strengths and weaknesses. But can the biological gender difference create cognitive and behavioural differences too? Money and Erhardt 1972 (as cited in Hollway et al, pg. 141, 2007,) conducted a study to try and answer this question. They conducted a study where they exposed girls to the drug progestin, to look at the masculinization of the girls after taking the drug , compared to girls who hadn’t taken the drug and girls with hyperplasia which affects the level of testosterone. They revealed that the girls with hyperplasia and the ones exposed to progestin, appeared to become more ‘tomboyish’ which means to play like a boy, prefer boys clothing, and that they played more energetically than the girls with no alteration to their hormone levels. So it appeared that the biological changes to the girls involved in the study, slightly altered their preference to ‘girlish’ or ‘boyish’ things. The girls seemed to become more masculine than the unaffected girls. Nevertheless it does pose the question as to the reliability of the results. In this day and age, it is not frowned upon as much for a girl to play with toys that were intended for a boy, and with the changes within the social world, less and less labels are being put on what is ‘for girls’ and ‘for boys.’ The reliability of the test also comes down to what the parents, who gave the report as to the changes in the girls, see as ‘boyish’ or ‘girlish’. It could have been less of a biological influence on the girls and more of a personal evaluation of boyish or girlish. Therefore, in conclusion, there are many perspectives within psychology that try and explain behaviours and their origins but not one has overall explanatory power over the rest, rather they depend on each other and all connect somehow. Only with some types of psychology which contradict each other (nature-nurture debate), connect with each other or expand on one another (biological and social psychologist), can we recognise and generate appropriate solutions when problems arise so we maintain a healthy mind and body. There are many different perspectives which go to show how complex human behaviour is. The evolutionary theory does don’t include the experiences we have as humans, but it concentrates more on being preordained in its methods and ability to provide evidence. The attachment theory concentrates too much on childhood and parental interaction. In doing so, it loses sight of the role biology and how our genetic makeup could account for certain behaviours. The biological perspective sees humans as a set of instruments and physical structures that are obviously important and significant (e.g. genes). Furthermore, it does not consider our conscious minds and how the overall influence of the social world on our behaviour. Our adult lives tend to be a mix of what we experiences and learn as a child, how our genetic makeup develops in us as we grow and how our conscious mind, interprets and understands the world we live in and forms its own reaction to it. We are not influences by just one thing, but many, continually and progressively. Word count: 1,455 References: Hollway, W., Cooper, T., Johnston, A., and Stevens, J. (2007) The Psychology of Sex and Gender in Cooper, T. and Roth, I. (2007) Challenging Psychological Issues, 2nd ed. Milton Keynes. The Open University Wood, D., Littleton, K. and Oates, J. (2007) Life span Development in Cooper, T. and Roth, I. (2007) Challenging Psychological Issues: Lifespan development, 2nd ed. Milton Keynes. The Open University

Infectious Death Through Lack of Living in The Snows of Kilimanjaro by

Infectious Death Through Lack of Living in The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemingway The short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by Ernest Hemingway gives a look into the life of a man facing death in the African savannah as a result of an infection. Exotic locales and predominate dialogue are common in Hemingway’s writings and are evident in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† as well. â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by Ernest Hemingway portrays the theme of death by use of specific narration, the protagonist’s, Harry’s, attitude, and symbolism. Throughout â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro,† Hemingway uses the narration device of the flashback to provide a contrast to Harry’s present state and his life. The present state narration is composed mostly of dialogue and is devoid of Harry’s inner thoughts. The flashbacks are very similar to dreams and express Harry’s emotions and the way he lived life prior to his infectious state. These flashbacks are put into italics, whereas the present state of Harry is in plain type. It is at the end when this narration, writing and type style reveal Harry’s slipping mental state while he enters his death. The reader thinks when the plane comes and picks Harry up it is a â€Å"real-life† situation because of the lack of italicized type, but as the reader reads on it is evident that the rescue was materialized in Harry’s dream world. This meshing of flashback and present-time narration towards the end of Harry’s life shows how he has entere d his dream world, which in fact is his life, and he accepts his death. This blending of flashbacks also shows how a life not only includes experiences, such as Harry’s war experience and travel expeditions, but also includes death. Hemingway provides insight into his theme of death by use narration through flashbacks. Harry’s attitude towards death throughout the story reveals a lot about Harry’s character and opens up stereotypical ways one deals with death. He is calm and quite and does not request much and still wants his wife to be comfortable. His relaxed nature in his death is partly due to the fact he has been around it all the years of his life and his curiosity has been stifled. â€Å"For years [death] had obsessed him; but now it meant nothing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (255). His calm and quite state is also shown when he cites all he needs is a â€Å"whiskey-soda† (255). His need of alcohol in his dying state also contrasts him to... ...acted as a catalyst for Harry’s lost spirituality when after the war, he used them for whoring to forget about the terrible things he saw. Through Helen, Harry’s wife, Harry’s trust in women further vanishes through his artistic destruction through the wealth Helen has provided to him. This destruction of Harry caused by women, makes women death symbols, quite similar to the hyena. The last symbol Hemingway uses is Harry’s rotting leg itself. The rotting leg is a symbol for Harry’s rotting life. It is ironic that a man who has gone to war and has been trough many times of danger is dying because of a small thorn scratch he received while taking photographs in Africa. This irony and symbolism show Harry’s failures are literally and figuratively eating away at him. The use of symbols and their meanings portray the theme of death in â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro†. Ernest Hemingway focuses on the theme of death I his short story â€Å"The Snows of Kilimanjaro† by using the devices of narration, attitude towards death and symbolism. With all these devices into account the reader can see Harry’s mental state and thoughts on death as well as what has led up to his spiritual and physical death.

Essay --

Things fall a part is an outstanding African literature. The author of the novel is Chinua Achebe and presents the culture, society and history of Ibo community. The novel presents the Ibo community as a native African community and brings about the comparison between the community and Christianity. With the introduction of Christianity, the Ibo community was confused since the missionaries wanted them to adapt Christianity and abandon their cultural beliefs and practices (Rhoads 68). An analysis of cultural beliefs and practices of the community, the difference between Ibo and Christianity way of life as well as issues surrounding one of key characters can assist in understanding the content of the novel. The Ibo community practices polytheism; they belief and worship more than one god. The community believes that there is a supreme god known as Chukwu who created the universe and other gods. According to one of the members of the community, Okonkwo, they worship other small gods and when they do not respond accordingly, they turn to the supreme god. Ibo have curved wood which they use as a symbol to represent their gods (Achebe 72). This is because of the fact that they believe in physical god. They also worship the Oracle Hills and Caves as sacred places where their goods lived. The community allowed the practice of polygamy. In this case, men can marry as many wives as they can maintain. Those with many wives were respected and honored members of the community. Okonkwo who is a main character in the novel had many wives and this was as a symbol of strength. In such a family set-up, the man lived in a separate house from all his wives. Each wife had a house of her own where she lived with her children. This was aimed at enhan... ...e committed suicide. The act of committing suicide was not the best option for Okonkwo. This is because he was still energetic and his family was still in need of his support. I would have not committed suicide if I was him. He had done a lot to raise his wealth from scratch and should have waited to enjoy the fruits of the hard work. In conclusion, Things Fall a part is a representation of the differences between an African community and missionaries. The missionaries believed that Christianity and formal education were superior over traditions and hence the Ibo people were to be converted. The conflict which comes about due to the resistance from some members of the community demonstrates how incompatible the two cultural practices are. The title can be related by the situation where Okonkwo,  could not hold it more to see how things have fallen in the community.