Illusion vs. Reality in The Glass Menagerie Essay -- Glass Menagerie e

Illusion vs. Reality in The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams uses the roles of the members of the Wingfield family to highlight the controlling theme of illusion versus reality. The family as a whole is enveloped in mirage; the lives of the characters do not exist outside of their apartment and they have basically isolated themselves from the rest of the world. Even their apartment is a direct reflection of the past as stories are often recalled from the mother's teenage years at Blue Mountain, and a portrait of the man that previously left the family still hangs on the wall as if his existence is proven by the presence of the image. The most unusual factor of their world is that it appears as timeless. Amanda lives only in the past while Tom lives only in the future and Laura lives in her collection of glass animals, her favorite being the unicorn, which does not exist. Ordinary development and transformation cannot take place in a timeless atmosphere such as the apartment. T he whole family resists change and is unwilling to accept alteration. Not only is the entire family a representation of illusion versus reality, each of the characters uses fantasy as a means of escaping the severity of their own separate world of reality. Each has an individual fantasy world to which they retreat when the existing world is too much for them to handle. Each character has a different way of dealing with life when it seems to take control of them, and they all become so completely absorbed in these fantasies that they become stuck in the past. Amanda Wingfield (mother) is the most unrealistic of all the characters. She clings desperately to the past as she repeatedly relives the memories of receivin... ...Unicorn b. Jim 4. Laura's reaction to Jim's engagement 5. Laura's final plunge into illusion C. Tom 1. Tom's desperate desire to escape reality inside home 2. Complaints of job and mother 3. Discussion of outside world 4. Admiration for father 5. Tom's final attempt to escape reality 6. Truth of Tom's attachment to truth of reality D. Jim 1. Jim's understanding of reality versus illusion 2. Reflection of high school memories 3. Impact on Laura a. Convinces Laura to dance b. Kisses Laura 4. Breaks news of engagement to Laura 5. Impact on other Wingfield characters a. Amanda 1. Seen as tender and caring for the first time 2. Comforts Laura with dignity b. Tom 1. Decides to finally break away from reality of Wingfield home 2. Follows in father's footsteps III. Conclusion

Essay and Art Essay

In the essay Pablo Picasso: Living in His Own Shadow, author Ellen Goodman uses fact, emotion and personal experience to illustrate the cycles of creating and aging, living in the limelight and passing on the torch. Goodman captures the sadness and the beauty of being replaced or falling out of fame while using Picasso and his works as an example of how even the most talented of persons must succumb to limitation. Goodman makes a point that some artists graciously recognize when it is time to cease their works but others persist despite the fact that their prime has passed. According to Goodman, Pablo Picasso represents the limitations in which we all must recognize but also the beauty in rebellion and persistence. Goodman juxtaposes Picasso against many famous people who like Picasso grew old and eventually had to admit that they could no longer perform at peak performance. â€Å"It is said that when Picasso was a teenager, his artist-father gave the boy his own palette, brushers and colors, and never painted again, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† This actually seems to be factual. When Picasso was 13-years-old his father gave up painting admitting that his son had surpassed him in skill, (Pablo Picasso, n.d.). It is interesting that Goodman introduced the essay using this example considering the entire essay is about artists and well known figures who did not step out of the spotlight when their time was due.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"We feel sad that Joe DiMaggio sells coffee makers and uncomfortable that Willie Mays ‘stayed too long.’ Few of us know how to deal with the man or woman who ‘used to be’ somebody, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 199).† Goodman describes her personal feelings when reviewing Picasso’s work at an art exhibit. She states that although Picasso was an exceptional artist at every age his later work is lacking in many ways. Goodman uses her observations to express sympathy toward Picasso as opposed to disdain for his later works. â€Å"Yet as we wandered through the last thirty years of his life, you could see it all slip. The exhibit kindly excludes the commercial peace doves and greeting card poster art of the last few years. But still, it is easy to see the versatility turning frenetic – the search turning downhill. There is even a sense that perhaps he began to imitate himself – not just create but to create ‘Picasso,’ (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† In essence Goodman shows contempt for Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays yet for Picasso Goodman expresses a sense of being perplexed and full of wonder, similar to her response to other artists including Frank Sinatra and Tennessee Williams. â€Å"It is something I have thought before. I’ve though of it whenever Tennessee Williams turns up in the news, alive but rarely well, writing poorly in comparison to his own brilliant retrospectives. I’ve thought of it when Frank Sinatra goes on stage, all blue eyes and strained vocal cords. They are pale versions of themselves, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† But was Picasso a â€Å"pale version† of himself? According to Goodman there was a sense of grace and rebellion in the fact that Picasso worked until his death. â€Å"There is something, not sad but remarkable, in this refusal to ‘act his age,’ or retire gracefully. Surrounded by his own collection of his favorite cubist work, he must have known his limits. But out of compulsion or conviction he kept working.† It is true that Picasso worked rigorously until his death. â€Å"Death holds no fear for me,’ Picasso recently told a friend. ‘It holds a kind of beauty. What I am afraid of is falling ill and not being able to work. That’s lost time, (Time, 1973,  ¶ 1).† Picasso, as opposed to Mays and DiMaggio, did not work to make extra funds doing something which reminds us of their failing talents, like sell coffeemakers, Picasso worked to work. He created for the enjoyment of creating. His final work may have been pale in comparison to the masterpieces of his youth but as Goodman points out everything in life pales in comparison with youth. â€Å"Living in your own shadow is a problem of aging athletes and beautiful women and artists and actors and, to an extent, all of us, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† Goodman’s experience at the exhibit for Picasso’s art left her contemplating what it would be like to find oneself living in a world where the past constantly haunts the present. She expresses the sadness of this by using examples of other artists and athletes who have made history and then faced limitations. But living with ones past is part of life and the limitations associated with aging do not have to be stifling. â€Å"Creation,’ Picasso said. ‘Is the only thing that interests me, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 199).† This statement must have been true for Picasso, who spent his entire life creating despite the fact that his later years are not defined as his most influencial in terms of artistic expression. References LoRocco, C., & Coughlin, J. (1995). The Art of Work: An Anthology of Workplace Literature (1st Edition ed.). : Glencoe/McGraw Hill. Pablo Picasso. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan. 4, 2009, from Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com Time, H. (1973, April 23, 1973). Pablo Picasso’s Last Days and Final Journey. Time Magazine, .

Plain View Doctrine Essay

Plain View Doctrine is in essence a weapon for the law enforcement officers to prove the legality of their search and seizure. (â€Å"Plain View Doctrine†) As a rule, law enforcement officers are bound by the 4th Amendment which requires that before they could conduct a search or arrest they must first secure a valid search warrant or arrest warrant. Any object seized in the absence of a search warrant will be inadmissible in evidence. One of the exceptions however to the search warrant requirement is the Plain View Doctrine. The plain view doctrine gives validity to any search and seizure made by law enforcement officers even in the absence of search warrant. Although this doctrine is widely recognized as an exception to the search warrant requirement under the 4th Amendment, in reality, the law enforcement officer who discovers an illegal contraband in plain view does not really conduct a search. Rather, the law enforcement officer merely seizes what was already in his plain view. In applying the plain view doctrine in this fact pattern, I give a qualified answer. There are two issues in this case whether the marijuana cigarettes which the police officer found near the stolen purse is admissible in evidence under the plain view doctrine and whether the powdery substance the police officer found in the baggies on a patio table is admissible in evidence under the plain view doctrine. In the first scenario, I argue that the marijuana cigarettes found on the ground together with the other contents of the stolen purse is admissible in evidence against its owner. The three requirements of the plain view doctrine are present in this case. Firstly, the police officer discovered the marijuana cigarettes using his sense of sight. Secondly, the officer had the right to be in the place where the item was seen. It must be stressed that the police officer who discovered the marijuana conducted a hot pursuit operation of a fleeing suspect. In the course of the chase, the suspect dropped the stolen purse spilling its contents. Thirdly, the marijuana cigarette was found outside the purse and its discovery was not a result of prying or examination of the police officer. Clearly, the marijuana cigarette is admissible against its owner. On the other hand, I argue that the powdery substance or the illegal drugs found in the baggies on top of the patio table is inadmissible in evidence for violation of the 4th Amendment. In this case, the first and third requirements of the plain view doctrine were complied with. The police officer discovered the illegal contraband using his sense of sight and that the discovery of the illegal drugs was not the result of prying or examination. The illegal drugs were merely inadvertently discovered by the police officer when he entered the yard of the owner. However, the second requirement was not complied with. In this case, the police officer had no right to be in the place where he saw the illegal drugs. It must be stressed that the plain view doctrine applies only when a lawful search is in progress or the officer was otherwise legally present at the place of the seizure. Following a long line of jurisprudence, among the possible reasons why a police officer may be considered to be legally present in a particular place is if a) he is serving a search warrant, b) he was in hot pursuit of a suspect; c) he made the entry through valid consent; d) he made a valid arrest with or without a warrant. The officer was not serving a search warrant since he had none. The officer was not also in hot pursuit of a suspect because when he entered the woman’s house the pursuit operation had ceased. At the time, the suspect was able to escape from him. There was no lawful consent coming from the owner when he entered the premises. At the time of the discovery, the police officer was not making a valid arrest with or without a warrant since there was no person to be arrested in the first place. Thus, I believe that this evidence is inadmissible in court. This is consistent with the ruling of the court in the case of Washington v. Chrisman (455 US 1), where the court ruled that the â€Å"The plain view doctrine, however, does not authorize an officer to enter a dwelling without a warrant to seize contraband merely because the contraband is visible from outside the dwelling†¦ the plain view doctrine applies only after a lawful search is in progress or the officer was otherwise legally present at the place of the seizure. The initial intrusion must be justified by a warrant, by an exception to the warrant requirement, or by other circumstances authorizing his presence. †(455 US 1)

Bmw’s Dream Factory and Culture Essay

The culture at BMW is an entrepreneurial culture which emphasizes creativity, risk taking and the bottom-up system of freewheeling ideas. The top-down management style is popular in Germany but not at the BMW. As soon as associates start working at the BMW, they will have the sense of the place, history and the mission of the company. BMW creates a working environment that promotes easier communications between leaders and employees. Every employee can contribute his or her ideas and creations via either formal or informal ways. For example, an employee sees his or her supervisor by chance on the way to lunch, he/she can tell this person of the idea which has just happened in his/her mind. More importantly, their voices and their ideas are heard, welcomed and brought into discussions and consideration. As a result, a car from BMW is often a production of thousands of impromptu brainstorming sessions. Furthermore, BMW cares for the benefits of its employees. It includes all employees in profit sharing. It has a plan that distributes as much as one and a half months’ extra pay at the end of the year to employees. The company also provides a high level of job security for its employees. Lastly, BMW also focuses on high-quality but practical products which meet the demand of consumers and are highly competitive with other auto producers. The company’s near-failure from producing impractical and expensive cars during the postwar time in 1959 was a big lesson for them. This near-failure is always retold and mentioned in all new orientations for the new associates. It helps to remind all employees at BMW of a lesson learned for the company in developing its plans in the future and ensuring that kind of mistake should never happen again. 2. Discuss the model of leadership illustrated at BMW. The model of leadership illustrated at BMW is the consideration model of leadership. The leaders at BMW have close relationships with subordinates that are based on mutual trust, two-way and open communications, and respect for employees’ ideas. The managers at BMW must stay humble and work closely with subordinates and their peers. The Leipzig factory, which looks like an art museum, is a very creative working environment that can make the communications between managers and employees easier. Managers at BMW are the ones who know to make the right questions to ask their subordinates, not the ones who have all the right answers. They also emphasize the satisfaction of their employees’ needs and provide as many benefits to their employees as possible. They are approachable and always willing to listen to their employees. They think if the employees are well motivated, better cars will be produced. . Discuss how the leadership model contributes to the culture. The leadership model at BMW shortens the distance between leaders and subordinates. The relationships between them are built on mutual trust. Employees can feel free to raise their innovative ideas to their managers anytime and anywhere. When the employees see that their voice is heard, they are more encouraged to talk. Moreover, the company cares for the employees’ benefits. In return, the employees are very flexible to contribute their best for the company. The employees do not mind working temporarily for months in another work location which requires them to be far away from their family. They are willing to work for extra hours without being concerned about overtime. In summary, the leadership model at BMW has made it such a culture that is quite distinct from other German companies. 4. Discuss why employees derive high job satisfaction at BMW. The employees of BMW derive high job satisfaction because their benefits are well cared of, their voice is heard and their hard work is highly appreciated. Also, their job security at BMW is high. Any employees, regardless of what grade they are, can contribute their ideas and their innovations to the company’s managers easily. There are no complicated, formal processes or procedures required to send their ideas to their management teams. Furthermore, when the company gets more profits, the employees will also be more benefited. Good working environment is developed and paid attention to. In conclusion, BMW’s employees are highly motivated so they are satisfied and willing to contribute more to the development of the company.

Is the Customer Really King? Essay

The marketing world, much like the financial world, has been in considerable flux. But one thing seems fairly clear, and it has to do with the shifting balance of power between the companies that produce the goods, the retailers that stock and distribute them, and the consumers who are counted on to buy what’s provided. For a good many years, the world largely belonged to the manufacturing and marketing powerhouses that dominated consumer demand through the twin powers of promotion and product development: They sold, you bought. But a few decades ago, there was a sea change in which power transitioned to the retailers. The major retailers controlled what was featured in the stores and what appeared on the shelves and thereby determined what was available for the shopper to buy. Marketplace control went from Procter & Gamble and Sony to Walmart and Best Buy. But now we’re told that we’re in an entirely new age — the â€Å"new normal† — when neither the manufacturer nor the retailer is in charge. Today, the story goes, the customer finally runs the show. There’s a good deal of evidence in support of this. Not too long ago, mighty Walmart reportedly was forced to reinstate about 300 items that the company had eliminated from its shelves in an attempt to streamline its operations. Walmart shoppers apparently weren’t pleased with the disappearance of some of their favorite brands, and they let the company know it. The lesson learned, in the words of former CEO Lee Scott: â€Å"Rule No. 1 in retail, don’t aggravate your customer.† Of course, Walmart isn’t alone in recognizing the need to pay closer attention to customers, whose loyal patronage can’t simply be assumed. Other retailers are also responding to the emergence of the newly empowered consumer. For example, Walgreens announced a renewed emphasis on â€Å"customer centric retailing,† redesigning up to 3,000 of its stores to make them easier to shop and more enjoyable for their shoppers. In the words of one leading industry advisor, retailers today have to take a different approach; they must â€Å"focus on exactly what the customer wants.

750 Word Essay

George Strait was born on May 18, 1952 in Poteet, Texas. George’s father, John Strait, was a junior high school math teacher and his mother was a homemaker. George was in fourth grade when his mother and father divorced. George grew up with only his brother and their father taking care of them. After high school, George eloped to Mexico with his high school sweetheart. When they got back, their families made them have a small ceremony for family and friends to make it really official. George enlisted and began serving in the army in 1971. While in the military he was stationed in Hawaii for three years. Norma moved to Hawaii to be with George. In 1972 George and Norma had their first child, Jenifer who died in a car accident at the age of 13. George taught himself how to play the guitar while in the army, playing country music from hit artists like Merle Haggard, George Jones, Hank Williams, and Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. He started a band that only lasted two months. George found out that the commanding officer was auditioning groups to entertain the base. George was hired and didn’t have to wear a uniform and got to wear western style clothing. After being honorably discharged from the army in 1975, Strait went back to college and got a degree in agriculture. During and after college George played in a band for different bars and honkytonks. This band was known as The Ace in the Hole. George joined this band after seeing their advertisement at college. One of the band member’s grandfather was Pappy Daily who was the manager of George Jones. George began playing for more and more bars and honkytonks. This started his singing career. Don Daily encouraged George and the band to come and record a demo to distribute to record companies. George played at The Prairie Rose (whose owner was Erv Woolsey until he sold it). Erv went back to Nashville and got a job as the promotions head at MCA Records. George went to Nashville and played some songs for promos, but nothing seemed to click. He kept going back and forth from Texas to Nashville with nothing to show for it for the next four years. In 1979 he almost gave up on his dream of becoming a country music singer and signed up for a job working for an outfit in Uvalde, Texas that designed cattle pens. Norma didn’t like George moping around, so she told him to give it another try. He decided to give it one more year. In 1980 George went and talked to Erv Woolsey, and they formed a plan that George would come and record three songs. With the three songs they started shopping for a record deal. Finally, he hit it with MCA Records. When George finally started his career he was considered the hat act, so in the 1990’s every guy in country music tried the cowboy hat. In early country music, cowboy hats weren’t in high fashion, but with George Strait it became a signature style in country music and that led to George being known as the original hat act. In 1981 he released his first single, â€Å"Unwound. † That same year George and Norma had another child: George Harvey Strait, Jr. (Bubba). George then followed â€Å"Unwound† up with number one hits like â€Å"Fool Hearted Memory† and â€Å"Ocean Front Property† time and time again. In 1984, George was announced Top Male Vocalist for Academy of Country Music. In 1985, George was announced Male Vocalist of The Year and had the Album of The Year for the Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM). In 1986 he won Male Vocalist of The Year again for the CMA’s. In 1986 and 1987 he was Top Country Artists for Billboards. In 1988 George won Top Male Vocalist again for the ACM’s. George continued to win these awards year after year until 1990. In 1990 George became Entertainer of the Year, the award he wanted most. He won the award again in 2000. In 1992 George starred in the movie Pure Country. In the opening song to the movie, â€Å"Heartland,† his son, Bubba, sings the beginning of the song and the vocals fades into George Sr. singing the rest of the song. Even though the movie wasn’t as big as his music, the soundtrack to the movie was considered his best album ever. He still continues to produce number one hits and records. In 2006, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. George was announced as Artist of the Decade in 2009. George has had the best track record for country music in history. On February 2, 2012 George became a grandfather with his grandson becoming George Harvey Strait, III. George will be ending his touring career after his The Cowboy Rides Away Tour in 2014, but will still be making and recording country music. George Strait has 59 number one hit records and is known as a living legend and the â€Å"King of Country Music. † I choose to do this paper for the final because I thought it was stronger than my 1500 word paper. This paper to me had more meaning and I was interested in it more than the other one. With this paper I have been given the opportunity to send it to George Strait, himself, to have it signed. I think this paper is going to help me out for a contest to win tickets to one of his shows. This paper has more meaning for me since I am such a big fan.

Generally accepted accounting principles relating to health care Essay

Generally accepted accounting principles relating to health care - Essay Example The standards relating to GAAP have been recognized to be executed by different organizations while compiling their respective financial reports. In general, GAAP is a broadly used accounting procedure of reporting and recording financial information. The accounting standards that have been outlined within the GAAP are â€Å"generally accepted† by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The mission of GASB is to build and develop the financial reporting standards at the level of local governments and state units (Taylor, 2008). Purpose of GAAP The main purpose of GAAP is to represent the financial report that can significantly reflect the financial position of a particular organization. GAAP provides effective support to the organizations in terms of enhancing their capability within the framework of long-term financial decision making process that eventually enables the organizations to accomplish their predetermined financial objectives. Moreover, the other imper ative purpose of GAAP is to enhance the performance of the business organizations through properly maintaining their financial records (Office of Financial Management, 2012). From the perspective of healthcare industry, GAAP performs a major role through delivering transparent financial statements that encompasse all the financial activities of the healthcare organizations. An effective practice of GAAP tends to facilitate the modern healthcare firms and forecast their future financial performance. Proper implementation of GAAP in the financial reporting process can enable an organization to attain competitive position within the growing healthcare industry (Office of Financial Management, 2012). Oversight of Use of GAAP The different standards or the accounting principles belonging to GAAP can be considered as the set of guiding principles that provide effectual accounting solutions for any organization while preparing financial statements. In order to gain a superior oversight reg arding the use of GAAP, it has been identified that the accounting principles concerning GAAP tends to comply with traditional and rule-based methods in representing the financial statements of various organizations. With regard to asset valuation process, GAAP tends to follow historical cost of the assets rather than focusing on fair value of the assets that depicts fair treatment of the items in the financial statements (Rascona, 2011). Description of Each Principle and the Intention behind the Principles of GAAP GAAP mainly contains five types of principles that ensures towards establishing a well-structured financial report which determines the financial stability of a specific organization. The various principles of GAAP relating to healthcare organizations have been discussed hereunder. Going Concern Principle The principle of going concern represents the fact that the healthcare organizations will tend to operate their respective business functions in such way so that they ca n prepare a balanced and well-structured financial statement. Identifying any types of uncertainties in the business processes it has to be noted that going concern needs to be updated in financial reports through rationalizing different standards or the accounting principles belonging to GAAP (Financial Reporting Council, 2009). Matching Principle The matching principle of GAAP defines as a process of recording each item of expense in relation to revenue that must be recorded in