A Sociological Perspective On Male And Masculinities...

Introduction In this paper I will summarise Sports, Males and Masculinities written by Richard Pringle and Queer(y)ing Masculinities in Schools: Faggots, Fairies and the first XV written by Shane Town. It is important to note that these readings are complex and have many ideologies but I have summarised only the key ideas and claims the author’s draw on. The summary of the first reading focuses on these key points, first, to analyse on how the relationship is developed between sport, masculinities and gender relations. Second, is the importance of rugby in schools and the effects of masculinities and third, the author draws on Foucault’s theories to understand power relations. In the second reading I have selected the three key heteronormative practices and these are silence, pathologisation of homosexuality and deterrence. Then I will offer a critical reflection focusing on the ideas encountered on both readings. I will turn the sociological imagination on myself in-order to reflec t in a sociological view on hegemonic masculinity attitudes that leads to insights of the male world, and how homophobic bullying is influenced by socialisation processes. Sports, Males and masculinities by Richard Pringle In the first reading: Sports, Males and masculinities, Pringle (2007) analyses how the relationship is developed between sport, masculinities and gender relations. First, historically, modern sport developed in the 1800s in male only English public schools. In Western

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 4-6 Free Essays

string(29) " nursed by the goddess Isis\." CHAPTER 4 Captain Bezu Fache carried himself like an angry ox, with his wide shoulders thrown back and his chin tucked hard into his chest. His dark hair was slicked back with oil, accentuating an arrow-like widow’s peak that divided his jutting brow and preceded him like the prow of a battleship. As he advanced, his dark eyes seemed to scorch the earth before him, radiating a fiery clarity that forecast his reputation for unblinking severity in all matters. We will write a custom essay sample on The Da Vinci Code Chapter 4-6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Langdon followed the captain down the famous marble staircase into the sunken atrium beneath the glass pyramid. As they descended, they passed between two armed Judicial Police guards with machine guns. The message was clear: Nobody goes in or out tonight without the blessing of Captain Fache. Descending below ground level, Langdon fought a rising trepidation. Fache’s presence was anything but welcoming, and the Louvre itself had an almost sepulchral aura at this hour. The staircase, like the aisle of a dark movie theater, was illuminated by subtle tread-lighting embedded in each step. Langdon could hear his own footsteps reverberating off the glass overhead. As he glanced up, he could see the faint illuminated wisps of mist from the fountains fading away outside the transparent roof. â€Å"Do you approve?† Fache asked, nodding upward with his broad chin. Langdon sighed, too tired to play games. â€Å"Yes, your pyramid is magnificent.† Fache grunted. â€Å"A scar on the face of Paris.† Strike one.Langdon sensed his host was a hard man to please. He wondered if Fache had any idea that this pyramid, at President Mitterrand’s explicit demand, had been constructed of exactly 666 panes of glass – a bizarre request that had always been a hot topic among conspiracy buffs who claimed 666 was the number of Satan. Langdon decided not to bring it up. As they dropped farther into the subterranean foyer, the yawning space slowly emerged from the shadows. Built fifty-seven feet beneath ground level, the Louvre’s newly constructed 70, 000-square-foot lobby spread out like an endless grotto. Constructed in warm ocher marble to be compatible with the honey-colored stone of the Louvre facade above, the subterranean hall was usually vibrant with sunlight and tourists. Tonight, however, the lobby was barren and dark, giving the entire space a cold and crypt-like atmosphere. â€Å"And the museum’s regular security staff?† Langdon asked. â€Å"En quarantaine,†Fache replied, sounding as if Langdon were questioning the integrity of Fache’s team. â€Å"Obviously, someone gained entry tonight who should not have. All Louvre night wardens are in the Sully Wing being questioned. My own agents have taken over museum security for the evening.† Langdon nodded, moving quickly to keep pace with Fache. â€Å"How well did you know Jacques Sauniere?† the captain asked. â€Å"Actually, not at all. We’d never met.† Fache looked surprised. â€Å"Your first meeting was to be tonight?† â€Å"Yes. We’d planned to meet at the American University reception following my lecture, but he never showed up.† Fache scribbled some notes in a little book. As they walked, Langdon caught a glimpse of the Louvre’s lesser-known pyramid – La Pyramide Inversee – a huge inverted skylight that hung from the ceiling like a stalactite in an adjoining section of the entresol. Fache guided Langdon up a short set of stairs to the mouth of an arched tunnel, over which a sign read: DENON. The Denon Wing was the most famous of the Louvre’s three main sections. â€Å"Who requested tonight’s meeting?† Fache asked suddenly. â€Å"You or he?† The question seemed odd. â€Å"Mr. Sauniere did,† Langdon replied as they entered the tunnel. â€Å"His secretary contacted me a few weeks ago via e-mail. She said the curator had heard I would be lecturing in Paris this month and wanted to discuss something with me while I was here.† â€Å"Discuss what?† â€Å"I don’t know. Art, I imagine. We share similar interests.† Fache looked skeptical. â€Å"You have no idea what your meeting was about?† Langdon did not. He’d been curious at the time but had not felt comfortable demanding specifics. The venerated Jacques Sauniere had a renowned penchant for privacy and granted very few meetings; Langdon was grateful simply for the opportunity to meet him. â€Å"Mr. Langdon, can you at least guess what our murder victim might have wanted to discuss with you on the night he was killed? It might be helpful.† The pointedness of the question made Langdon uncomfortable. â€Å"I really can’t imagine. I didn’t ask. I felt honored to have been contacted at all. I’m an admirer of Mr. Sauniere’s work. I use his texts often in my classes.† Fache made note of that fact in his book. The two men were now halfway up the Denon Wing’s entry tunnel, and Langdon could see the twin ascending escalators at the far end, both motionless. â€Å"So you shared interests with him?† Fache asked. â€Å"Yes. In fact, I’ve spent much of the last year writing the draft for a book that deals with Mr. Sauniere’s primary area of expertise. I was looking forward to picking his brain.† Fache glanced up. â€Å"Pardon?† The idiom apparently didn’t translate. â€Å"I was looking forward to learning his thoughts on the topic.† â€Å"I see. And what is the topic?† Langdon hesitated, uncertain exactly how to put it. â€Å"Essentially, the manuscript is about the iconography of goddess worship – the concept of female sanctity and the art and symbols associated with it.† Fache ran a meaty hand across his hair. â€Å"And Sauniere was knowledgeable about this?† â€Å"Nobody more so.† â€Å"I see.† Langdon sensed Fache did not see at all. Jacques Sauniere was considered the premiere goddess iconographer on earth. Not only did Sauniere have a personal passion for relics relating to fertility, goddess cults, Wicca, and the sacred feminine, but during his twenty-year tenure as curator, Sauniere had helped the Louvre amass the largest collection of goddess art on earth – labrys axes from the priestesses’ oldest Greek shrine in Delphi, gold caducei wands, hundreds of Tjetankhs resembling small standing angels, sistrum rattles used in ancient Egypt to dispel evil spirits, and an astonishing array of statues depicting Horus being nursed by the goddess Isis. You read "The Da Vinci Code Chapter 4-6" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Perhaps Jacques Sauniere knew of your manuscript?† Fache offered. â€Å"And he called the meeting to offer his help on your book.† Langdon shook his head. â€Å"Actually, nobody yet knows about my manuscript. It’s still in draft form, and I haven’t shown it to anyone except my editor.† Fache fell silent. Langdon did not add the reason he hadn’t yet shown the manuscript to anyone else. The three- hundred-page draft – tentatively titled Symbols of the Lost Sacred Feminine – proposed some very unconventional interpretations of established religious iconography which would certainly be controversial. Now, as Langdon approached the stationary escalators, he paused, realizing Fache was no longer beside him. Turning, Langdon saw Fache standing several yards back at a service elevator. â€Å"We’ll take the elevator,† Fache said as the lift doors opened. â€Å"As I’m sure you’re aware, the gallery is quite a distance on foot.† Although Langdon knew the elevator would expedite the long, two-story climb to the Denon Wing, he remained motionless. â€Å"Is something wrong?† Fache was holding the door, looking impatient. Langdon exhaled, turning a longing glance back up the open-air escalator. Nothing’s wrong at all, he lied to himself, trudging back toward the elevator. As a boy, Langdon had fallen down an abandoned well shaft and almost died treading water in the narrow space for hours before being rescued. Since then, he’d suffered a haunting phobia of enclosed spaces – elevators, subways, squash courts. The elevator is a perfectly safe machine, Langdon continually told himself, never believing it. It’s a tiny metal box hanging in an enclosed shaft! Holding his breath, he stepped into the lift, feeling the familiar tingle of adrenaline as the doors slid shut. Two floors.Ten seconds. â€Å"You and Mr. Sauniere,† Fache said as the lift began to move,† you never spoke at all? Never corresponded? Never sent each other anything in the mail?† Another odd question. Langdon shook his head. â€Å"No. Never.† Fache cocked his head, as if making a mental note of that fact. Saying nothing, he stared dead ahead at the chrome doors. As they ascended, Langdon tried to focus on anything other than the four walls around him. In the reflection of the shiny elevator door, he saw the captain’s tie clip – a silver crucifix with thirteen embedded pieces of black onyx. Langdon found it vaguely surprising. The symbol was known as a crux gemmata – a cross bearing thirteen gems – a Christian ideogram for Christ and His twelve apostles. Somehow Langdon had not expected the captain of the French police to broadcast his religion so openly. Then again, this was France; Christianity was not a religion here so much as a birthright. â€Å"It’s a crux gemmata† Fache said suddenly. Startled, Langdon glanced up to find Fache’s eyes on him in the reflection. The elevator jolted to a stop, and the doors opened. Langdon stepped quickly out into the hallway, eager for the wide-open space afforded by the famous high ceilings of the Louvre galleries. The world into which he stepped, however, was nothing like he expected. Surprised, Langdon stopped short. Fache glanced over. â€Å"I gather, Mr. Langdon, you have never seen the Louvre after hours?† I guess not, Langdon thought, trying to get his bearings. Usually impeccably illuminated, the Louvre galleries were startlingly dark tonight. Instead of the customary flat-white light flowing down from above, a muted red glow seemed to emanate upward from the baseboards – intermittent patches of red light spilling out onto the tile floors. As Langdon gazed down the murky corridor, he realized he should have anticipated this scene. Virtually all major galleries employed red service lighting at night – strategically placed, low-level, noninvasive lights that enabled staff members to navigate hallways and yet kept the paintings inrelative darkness to slow the fading effects of overexposure to light. Tonight, the museum possessed an almost oppressive quality. Long shadows encroached everywhere, and the usually soaring vaulted ceilings appeared as a low, black void. â€Å"This way,† Fache said, turning sharply right and setting out through a series of interconnected galleries. Langdon followed, his vision slowly adjusting to the dark. All around, large-format oils began to materialize like photos developing before him in an enormous darkroom†¦ their eyes following as he moved through the rooms. He could taste the familiar tang of museum air – an arid, deionized essence that carried a faint hint of carbon – the product of industrial, coal-filter dehumidifiers that ran around the clock to counteract the corrosive carbon dioxide exhaled by visitors. Mounted high on the walls, the visible security cameras sent a clear message to visitors: We see you.Do not touch anything. â€Å"Any of them real?† Langdon asked, motioning to the cameras. Fache shook his head. â€Å"Of course not.† Langdon was not surprised. Video surveillance in museums this size was cost-prohibitive and ineffective. With acres of galleries to watch over, the Louvre would require several hundred technicians simply to monitor the feeds. Most large museums now used† containment security.† Forget keeping thieves out.Keep them in.Containment was activated after hours, and if an intruder removed a piece of artwork, compartmentalized exits would seal around that gallery, and the thief would find himself behind bars even before the police arrived. The sound of voices echoed down the marble corridor up ahead. The noise seemed to be coming from a large recessed alcove that lay ahead on the right. A bright light spilled out into the hallway. â€Å"Office of the curator,† the captain said. As he and Fache drew nearer the alcove, Langdon peered down a short hallway, into Sauniere’s luxurious study – warm wood, Old Master paintings, and an enormous antique desk on which stood a two-foot-tall model of a knight in full armor. A handful of police agents bustled about the room, talking on phones and taking notes. One of them was seated at Sauniere’s desk, typing into a laptop. Apparently, the curator’s private office had become DCPJ’s makeshift command post for the evening. â€Å"Messieurs,† Fache called out, and the men turned. â€Å"Ne nous derangez pas sous aucun pretexte. Entendu?† Everyone inside the office nodded their understanding. Langdon had hung enough NE PAS DERANGER signs on hotel room doors to catch the gist of the captain’s orders. Fache and Langdon were not to be disturbed under any circumstances. Leaving the small congregation of agents behind, Fache led Langdon farther down the darkened hallway. Thirty yards ahead loomed the gateway to the Louvre’s most popular section – la Grande Galerie – a seemingly endless corridor that housed the Louvre’s most valuable Italian masterpieces. Langdon had already discerned that this was where Sauniere’s body lay; the Grand Gallery’s famous parquet floor had been unmistakable in the Polaroid. As they approached, Langdon saw the entrance was blocked by an enormous steel grate that looked like something used by medieval castles to keep out marauding armies. â€Å"Containment security,†Fache said, as they neared the grate. Even in the darkness, the barricade looked like it could have restrained a tank. Arriving outside, Langdon peered through the bars into the dimly lit caverns of the Grand Gallery. â€Å"After you, Mr. Langdon,† Fache said. Langdon turned. After me, where?Fache motioned toward the floor at the base of the grate. Langdon looked down. In the darkness, he hadn’t noticed. The barricade was raised about two feet, providing an awkward clearance underneath. â€Å"This area is still off limits to Louvre security,† Fache said. â€Å"My team from Police Technique etScientifique has just finished their investigation.† He motioned to the opening. â€Å"Please slide under.† Langdon stared at the narrow crawl space at his feet and then up at the massive iron grate. He’s kidding, right? The barricade looked like a guillotine waiting to crush intruders. Fache grumbled something in French and checked his watch. Then he dropped to his knees and slithered his bulky frame underneath the grate. On the other side, he stood up and looked back through the bars at Langdon. Langdon sighed. Placing his palms flat on the polished parquet, he lay on his stomach and pulled himself forward. As he slid underneath, the nape of his Harris tweed snagged on the bottom of the grate, and he cracked the back of his head on the iron. Very suave, Robert, he thought, fumbling and then finally pulling himself through. As he stood up, Langdon was beginning to suspect it was going to be a very long night. CHAPTER 5 Murray Hill Place – the new Opus Dei World Headquarters and conference center – is located at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City. With a price tag of just over $47 million, the 133, 000- square-foot tower is clad in red brick and Indiana limestone. Designed by May Pinska, the building contains over one hundred bedrooms, six dining rooms, libraries, living rooms, meeting rooms, and offices. The second, eighth, and sixteenth floors contain chapels, ornamented with mill- work and marble. The seventeenth floor is entirely residential. Men enter the building through the main doors on Lexington Avenue. Women enter through a side street and are ‘acoustically and visually separated’ from the men at all times within the building. Earlier this evening, within the sanctuary of his penthouse apartment, Bishop Manuel Aringarosa had packed a small travel bag and dressed in a traditional black cassock. Normally, he would have wrapped a purple cincture around his waist, but tonight he would be traveling among the public, and he preferred not to draw attention to his high office. Only those with a keen eye would notice his 14-karat gold bishop’s ring with purple amethyst, large diamonds, and hand-tooled mitre-crozier applique. Throwing the travel bag over his shoulder, he said a silent prayer and left his apartment, descending to the lobby where his driver was waiting to take him to the airport. Now, sitting aboard a commercial airliner bound for Rome, Aringarosa gazed out the window at the dark Atlantic. The sun had already set, but Aringarosa knew his own star was on the rise. Tonight the battle will be won, he thought, amazed that only months ago he had felt powerless against the hands that threatened to destroy his empire. As president-general of Opus Dei, Bishop Aringarosa had spent the last decade of his life spreading the message of â€Å"God’s Work† – literally, Opus Dei.The congregation, founded in 1928 by the Spanish priest Josemaria Escriva, promoted a return to conservative Catholic values and encouraged its members to make sweeping sacrifices in their own lives in order to do the Work of God. Opus Dei’s traditionalist philosophy initially had taken root in Spain before Franco’s regime, but with the 1934 publication of Josemaria Escriva’s spiritual book The Way – 999 points of meditation for doing God’s Work in one’s own life – Escriva’s message exploded across the world. Now, with over four million copies of The Way in circulation in forty-two languages, Opus Dei was a global force. Its residence halls, teaching centers, and even universities could be found in almost every major metropolis on earth. Opus Dei was the fastest-growing and most financially secure Catholic organization in the world. Unfortunately, Aringarosa had learned, in an age of religious cynicism, cults, and televangelists, Opus Dei’s escalating wealth and power was a magnet for suspicion. â€Å"Many call Opus Dei a brainwashing cult,† reporters often challenged. â€Å"Others call you an ultraconservative Christian secret society. Which are you?† â€Å"Opus Dei is neither,† the bishop would patiently reply. â€Å"We are a Catholic Church. We are a congregation of Catholics who have chosen as our priority to follow Catholic doctrine as rigorously as we can in our own daily lives.† â€Å"Does God’s Work necessarily include vows of chastity, tithing, and atonement for sins through self-flagellation and the cilice?† â€Å"You are describing only a small portion of the Opus Dei population,† Aringarosa said. â€Å"There are many levels of involvement. Thousands of Opus Dei members are married, have families, and do God’s Work in their own communities. Others choose lives of asceticism within our cloistered residence halls. These choices are personal, but everyone in Opus Dei shares the goal of bettering the world by doing the Work of God. Surely this is an admirable quest.† Reason seldom worked, though. The media always gravitated toward scandal, and Opus Dei, like most large organizations, had within its membership a few misguided souls who cast a shadow over the entire group. Two months ago, an Opus Dei group at a mid-western university had been caught drugging new recruits with mescaline in an effort to induce a euphoric state that neophytes would perceive as a religious experience. Another university student had used his barbed cilice belt more often than the recommended two hours a day and had given himself a near lethal infection. In Boston not long ago, a disillusioned young investment banker had signed over his entire life savings to Opus Dei before attempting suicide. Misguided sheep, Aringarosa thought, his heart going out to them. Of course the ultimate embarrassment had been the widely publicized trial of FBI spy Robert Hanssen, who, in addition to being a prominent member of Opus Dei, had turned out to be a sexual deviant, his trial uncovering evidence that he had rigged hidden video cameras in his own bedroom so his friends could watch him having sex with his wife. â€Å"Hardly the pastime of a devout Catholic,† the judge had noted. Sadly, all of these events had helped spawn the new watch group known as the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN). The group’s popular website – www odan.org – relayed frightening stories from former Opus Dei members who warned of the dangers of joining. The media was now referring to Opus Dei as† God’s Mafia† and† the Cult of Christ.† We fear what we do not understand, Aringarosa thought, wondering if these critics had any idea how many lives Opus Dei had enriched. The group enjoyed the full endorsement and blessing of the Vatican. Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Pope himself. Recently, however, Opus Dei had found itself threatened by a force infinitely more powerful than the media†¦ an unexpected foe from which Aringarosa could not possibly hide. Five months ago, the kaleidoscope of power had been shaken, and Aringarosa was still reeling from the blow. â€Å"They know not the war they have begun,† Aringarosa whispered to himself, staring out the plane’s window at the darkness of the ocean below. For an instant, his eyes refocused, lingering on the reflection of his awkward face – dark and oblong, dominated by a flat, crooked nose that had been shattered by a fist in Spain when he was a young missionary. The physical flaw barely registered now. Aringarosa’s was a world of the soul, not of the flesh. As the jet passed over the coast of Portugal, the cell phone in Aringarosa’s cassock began vibrating in silent ring mode. Despite airline regulations prohibiting the use of cell phones during flights, Aringarosa knew this was a call he could not miss. Only one man possessed this number, the man who had mailed Aringarosa the phone. Excited, the bishop answered quietly. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Silas has located the keystone,† the caller said. â€Å"It is in Paris. Within the Church of Saint-Sulpice.† Bishop Aringarosa smiled. â€Å"Then we are close.† â€Å"We can obtain it immediately. But we need your influence.† â€Å"Of course. Tell me what to do.† When Aringarosa switched off the phone, his heart was pounding. He gazed once again into the void of night, feeling dwarfed by the events he had put into motion. Five hundred miles away, the albino named Silas stood over a small basin of water and dabbed the blood from his back, watching the patterns of red spinning in the water. Purge me with hyssop andI shall be clean, he prayed, quoting Psalms. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Silas was feeling an aroused anticipation that he had not felt since his previous life. It both surprised and electrified him. For the last decade, he had been following The Way, cleansing himself of sins†¦ rebuilding his life†¦ erasing the violence in his past. Tonight, however, it had all come rushing back. The hatred he had fought so hard to bury had been summoned. He had been startled how quickly his past had resurfaced. And with it, of course, had come his skills. Rusty but serviceable. Jesus’ message is one of peace†¦of nonviolence†¦of love.This was the message Silas had been taught from the beginning, and the message he held in his heart. And yet this was the message the enemies of Christ now threatened to destroy. Those who threaten God with force will be met with force.Immovable and steadfast. For two millennia, Christian soldiers had defended their faith against those who tried to displace it. Tonight, Silas had been called to battle. Drying his wounds, he donned his ankle-length, hooded robe. It was plain, made of dark wool, accentuating the whiteness of his skin and hair. Tightening the rope-tie around his waist, he raised the hood over his head and allowed his red eyes to admire his reflection in the mirror. The wheels are in motion. CHAPTER 6 Having squeezed beneath the security gate, Robert Langdon now stood just inside the entrance to the Grand Gallery. He was staring into the mouth of a long, deep canyon. On either side of the gallery, stark walls rose thirty feet, evaporating into the darkness above. The reddish glow of the service lighting sifted upward, casting an unnatural smolder across a staggering collection of Da Vincis, Titians, and Caravaggios that hung suspended from ceiling cables. Still lifes, religious scenes, and landscapes accompanied portraits of nobility and politicians. Although the Grand Gallery housed the Louvre’s most famous Italian art, many visitors felt the wing’s most stunning offering was actually its famous parquet floor. Laid out in a dazzling geometric design of diagonal oak slats, the floor produced an ephemeral optical illusion – a multi- dimensional network that gave visitors the sense they were floating through the gallery on a surface that changed with every step. As Langdon’s gaze began to trace the inlay, his eyes stopped short on an unexpected object lying on the floor just a few yards to his left, surrounded by police tape. He spun toward Fache. â€Å"Is that†¦ a Caravaggio on the floor?† Fache nodded without even looking. The painting, Langdon guessed, was worth upward of two million dollars, and yet it was lying on the floor like a discarded poster. â€Å"What the devil is it doing on the floor!† Fache glowered, clearly unmoved. â€Å"This is a crime scene, Mr. Langdon. We have touched nothing. That canvas was pulled from the wall by the curator. It was how he activated the security system.† Langdon looked back at the gate, trying to picture what had happened. â€Å"The curator was attacked in his office, fled into the Grand Gallery, and activated the security gate by pulling that painting from the wall. The gate fell immediately, sealing off all access. This is the only door in or out of this gallery.† Langdon felt confused. â€Å"So the curator actually captured his attacker inside the Grand Gallery?† Fache shook his head. â€Å"The security gate separated Sauniere from his attacker. The killer waslocked out there in the hallway and shot Sauniere through this gate.† Fache pointed toward anorange tag hanging from one of the bars on the gate under which they had just passed. â€Å"The PT Steam found flashback residue from a gun. He fired through the bars. Sauniere died in here alone.† Langdon pictured the photograph of Sauniere’s body. They said he did that to himself.Langdon looked out at the enormous corridor before them. â€Å"So where is his body?† Fache straightened his cruciform tie clip and began to walk. â€Å"As you probably know, the Grand Gallery is quite long.† The exact length, if Langdon recalled correctly, was around fifteen hundred feet, the length of three Washington Monuments laid end to end. Equally breathtaking was the corridor’s width, which easily could have accommodated a pair of side-by-side passenger trains. The center of the hallway was dotted by the occasional statue or colossal porcelain urn, which served as a tasteful divider and kept the flow of traffic moving down one wall and up the other. Fache was silent now, striding briskly up the right side of the corridor with his gaze dead ahead. Langdon felt almost disrespectful to be racing past so many masterpieces without pausing for so much as a glance. Not that I could see anything in this lighting, he thought. The muted crimson lighting unfortunately conjured memories of Langdon’s last experience in noninvasive lighting in the Vatican Secret Archives. This was tonight’s second unsettling parallel with his near-death in Rome. He flashed on Vittoria again. She had been absent from his dreams for months. Langdon could not believe Rome had been only a year ago; it felt like decades. Another life.His last correspondence from Vittoria had been in December – a postcard saying she was headed to the Java Sea to continue her research in entanglement physics†¦ something about using satellites to track manta ray migrations. Langdon had never harbored delusions that a woman like Vittoria Vetra could have been happy living with him on a college campus, but their encounter in Rome had unlocked in him a longing he never imagined he could feel. His lifelong affinity for bachelorhood and the simple freedoms it allowed had been shaken somehow†¦ replaced by an unexpected emptine ss that seemed to have grown over the past year. They continued walking briskly, yet Langdon still saw no corpse. â€Å"Jacques Sauniere went this far?† â€Å"Mr. Sauniere suffered a bullet wound to his stomach. He died very slowly. Perhaps over fifteen or twenty minutes. He was obviously a man of great personal strength.† Langdon turned, appalled. â€Å"Security took fifteen minutes to get here?† â€Å"Of course not. Louvre security responded immediately to the alarm and found the Grand Gallery sealed. Through the gate, they could hear someone moving around at the far end of the corridor, but they could not see who it was. They shouted, but they got no answer. Assuming it could only be a criminal, they followed protocol and called in the Judicial Police. We took up positions within fifteen minutes. When we arrived, we raised the barricade enough to slip underneath, and I sent a dozen armed agents inside. They swept the length of the gallery to corner the intruder.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"They found no one inside. Except†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He pointed farther down the hall. â€Å"Him.† Langdon lifted his gaze and followed Fache’s outstretched finger. At first he thought Fache was pointing to a large marble statue in the middle of the hallway. As they continued, though, Langdon began to see past the statue. Thirty yards down the hall, a single spotlight on a portable pole stand shone down on the floor, creating a stark island of white light in the dark crimson gallery. In the center of the light, like an insect under a microscope, the corpse of the curator lay naked on the parquet floor. â€Å"You saw the photograph,† Fache said,† so this should be of no surprise.† Langdon felt a deep chill as they approached the body. Before him was one of the strangest image she had ever seen. The pallid corpse of Jacques Sauniere lay on the parquet floor exactly as it appeared in the photograph. As Langdon stood over the body and squinted in the harsh light, he reminded himself to his amazement that Sauniere had spent his last minutes of life arranging his own body in this strange fashion. Sauniere looked remarkably fit for a man of his years†¦ and all of his musculature was in plain view. He had stripped off every shred of clothing, placed it neatly on the floor, and laid down on his back in the center of the wide corridor, perfectly aligned with the long axis of the room. His arms and legs were sprawled outward in a wide spread eagle, like those of a child making a snow angel†¦ or, perhaps more appropriately, like a man being drawn and quartered by some invisible force. Just below Sauniere’s breastbone, a bloody smear marked the spot where the bullet had pierced his flesh. The wound had bled surprisingly little, leaving only a small pool of blackened blood. Sauniere’s left index finger was also bloody, apparently having been dipped into the wound to create the most unsettling aspect of his own macabre deathbed; using his own blood as ink, and employing his own naked abdomen as a canvas, Sauniere had drawn a simple symbol on his flesh – five straight lines that intersected to form a five-pointed star. The pentacle. The bloody star, centered on Sauniere’s navel, gave his corpse a distinctly ghoulish aura. The photo Langdon had seen was chilling enough, but now, witnessing the scene in person, Langdon felt a deepening uneasiness. He did this to himself. â€Å"Mr. Langdon?† Fache’s dark eyes settled on him again. â€Å"It’s a pentacle,† Langdon offered, his voice feeling hollow in the huge space. â€Å"One of the oldest symbols on earth. Used over four thousand years before Christ.† â€Å"And what does it mean?† Langdon always hesitated when he got this question. Telling someone what a symbol† meant† was like telling them how a song should make them feel – it was different for all people. A white Ku Klux Klan headpiece conjured images of hatred and racism in the United States, and yet the same costume carried a meaning of religious faith in Spain. â€Å"Symbols carry different meanings in different settings,† Langdon said. â€Å"Primarily, the pentacle is a pagan religious symbol.† Fache nodded. â€Å"Devil worship.† â€Å"No,† Langdon corrected, immediately realizing his choice of vocabulary should have been clearer. Nowadays, the term pagan had become almost synonymous with devil worship – a gross misconception. The word’s roots actually reached back to the Latin paganus, meaning country-dwellers. â€Å"Pagans† were literally unindoctrinated country-folk who clung to the old, rural religions of Nature worship. In fact, so strong was the Church’s fear of those who lived in the rural villes that the once innocuous word for† villager† – villain – came to mean a wicked soul. â€Å"The pentacle,† Langdon clarified,† is a pre-Christian symbol that relates to Nature worship. The ancients envisioned their world in two halves – masculine and feminine. Their gods and goddesses worked to keep a balance of power. Yin and yang. When male and female were balanced, there was harmony in the world. When they were unbalanced, there was chaos.† Langdon motioned to Sauniere’s stomach. â€Å"This pentacle is representative of the female half of all things – a concept religious historians call the ‘sacred feminine’ or the ‘divine goddess. ‘ Sauniere, of all people, would know this.† â€Å"Sauniere drew a goddess symbol on his stomach?† Langdon had to admit, it seemed odd. â€Å"In its most specific interpretation, the pentacle symbolizes Venus – the goddess of female sexual love and beauty.† Fache eyed the naked man, and grunted. â€Å"Early religion was based on the divine order of Nature. The goddess Venus and the planet Venus were one and the same. The goddess had a place in the nighttime sky and was known by many names – Venus, the Eastern Star, Ishtar, Astarte – all of them powerful female concepts with ties to Nature and Mother Earth.† Fache looked more troubled now, as if he somehow preferred the idea of devil worship. Langdon decided not to share the pentacle’s most astonishing property – the graphic origin of its ties to Venus. As a young astronomy student, Langdon had been stunned to learn the planet Venus traced a perfect pentacle across the ecliptic sky every four years. So astonished were the ancients to observe this phenomenon, that Venus and her pentacle became symbols of perfection, beauty, and the cyclic qualities of sexual love. As a tribute to the magic of Venus, the Greeks used her four-year cycle to organize their Olympiads. Nowadays, few people realized that the four-year schedule of modern Olympic Games still followed the cycles of Venus. Even fewer people knew that the five-pointed star had almost become the official Olympic seal but was modified at the last moment – its five points exchanged for five intersecting rings to better reflect the games’ spirit of inclusion and harmony. â€Å"Mr. Langdon,† Fache said abruptly. â€Å"Obviously, the pentacle must also relate to the devil. Your American horror movies make that point clearly.† Langdon frowned. Thank you, Hollywood.The five-pointed star was now a virtual cliche in Satanic serial killer movies, usually scrawled on the wall of some Satanist’s apartment along with other alleged demonic symbology. Langdon was always frustrated when he saw the symbol in this context; the pentacle’s true origins were actually quite godly. â€Å"I assure you,† Langdon said,† despite what you see in the movies, the pentacle’s demonic interpretation is historically inaccurate. The original feminine meaning is correct, but the symbolism of the pentacle has been distorted over the millennia. In this case, through bloodshed.† â€Å"I’m not sure I follow.† Langdon glanced at Fache’s crucifix, uncertain how to phrase his next point. â€Å"The Church, sir. Symbols are very resilient, but the pentacle was altered by the early Roman Catholic Church. As part of the Vatican’s campaign to eradicate pagan religions and convert the masses to Christianity, the Church launched a smear campaign against the pagan gods and goddesses, recasting their divine symbols as evil.† â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"This is very common in times of turmoil,† Langdon continued. â€Å"A newly emerging power will take over the existing symbols and degrade them over time in an attempt to erase their meaning. In the battle between the pagan symbols and Christian symbols, the pagans lost; Poseidon’s trident became the devil’s pitchfork, the wise crone’s pointed hat became the symbol of a witch, and Venus’s pentacle became a sign of the devil.† Langdon paused. â€Å"Unfortunately, the United States military has also perverted the pentacle; it’s now our foremost symbol of war. We paint it on all our fighter jets and hang it on the shoulders of all our generals.† So much for the goddess of love and beauty. â€Å"Interesting.† Fache nodded toward the spread-eagle corpse. â€Å"And the positioning of the body? What do you make of that?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"The position simply reinforces the reference to the pentacle and sacred feminine.† Fache’s expression clouded. â€Å"I beg your pardon?† â€Å"Replication. Repeating a symbol is the simplest way to strengthen its meaning. Jacques Sauniere positioned himself in the shape of a five-pointed star.† If one pentacle is good, two is better. Fache’s eyes followed the five points of Sauniere’s arms, legs, and head as he again ran a hand across his slick hair. â€Å"Interesting analysis.† He paused. â€Å"And the nudity?† He grumbled as he spoke the word, sounding repulsed by the sight of an aging male body. â€Å"Why did he remove his clothing?† Damned good question, Langdon thought. He’d been wondering the same thing ever since he first saw the Polaroid. His best guess was that a naked human form was yet another endorsement of Venus – the goddess of human sexuality. Although modern culture had erased much of Venus’s association with the male/female physical union, a sharp etymological eye could still spot a vestige of Venus’s original meaning in the word† venereal.† Langdon decided not to go there. â€Å"Mr. Fache, I obviously can’t tell you why Mr. Sauniere drew that symbol on himself or placed himself in this way, but I can tell you that a man like Jacques Sauniere would consider the pentacle a sign of the female deity. The correlation between this symbol and the sacred feminine is widely known by art historians and symbologists.† â€Å"Fine. And the use of his own blood as ink?† â€Å"Obviously he had nothing else to write with.† Fache was silent a moment. â€Å"Actually, I believe he used blood such that the police would follow certain forensic procedures.† â€Å"I’m sorry?† â€Å"Look at his left hand.† Langdon’s eyes traced the length of the curator’s pale arm to his left hand but saw nothing. Uncertain, he circled the corpse and crouched down, now noting with surprise that the curator was clutching a large, felt-tipped marker. â€Å"Sauniere was holding it when we found him,† Fache said, leaving Langdon and moving several yards to a portable table covered with investigation tools, cables, and assorted electronic gear. â€Å"As I told you,† he said, rummaging around the table,† we have touched nothing. Are you familiar with this kind of pen?† Langdon knelt down farther to see the pen’s label. STYLO DE LUMIERE NOIRE. He glanced up in surprise. The black-light pen or watermark stylus was a specialized felt-tipped marker originally designed by museums, restorers, and forgery police to place invisible marks on items. The stylus wrote in a noncorrosive, alcohol-based fluorescent ink that was visible only under black light. Nowadays, museum maintenance staffs carried these markers on their daily rounds to place invisible† tick marks† on the frames of paintings that needed restoration. As Langdon stood up, Fache walked over to the spotlight and turned it off. The gallery plunged into sudden darkness. Momentarily blinded, Langdon felt a rising uncertainty. Fache’s silhouette appeared, illuminated in bright purple. He approached carrying a portable light source, which shrouded him in a violet haze. â€Å"As you may know,† Fache said, his eyes luminescing in the violet glow,† police use black-light illumination to search crime scenes for blood and other forensic evidence. So you can imagine our surprise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Abruptly, he pointed the light down at the corpse. Langdon looked down and jumped back in shock. His heart pounded as he took in the bizarre sight now glowing before him on the parquet floor. Scrawled in luminescent handwriting, the curator’s final words glowed purple beside his corpse. As Langdon stared at the shimmering text, he felt the fog that had surrounded this entire night growing thicker. Langdon read the message again and looked up at Fache. â€Å"What the hell does this mean!† Fache’s eyes shone white. â€Å"That, monsieur, is precisely the question you are here to answer.† Not far away, inside Sauniere’s office, Lieutenant Collet had returned to the Louvre and was huddled over an audio console set up on the curator’s enormous desk. With the exception of the eerie, robot-like doll of a medieval knight that seemed to be staring at him from the corner of Sauniere’s desk, Collet was comfortable. He adjusted his AKG headphones and checked the input levels on the hard-disk recording system. All systems were go. The microphones were functioning flawlessly, and the audio feed was crystal clear. Le moment de verite, he mused. Smiling, he closed his eyes and settled in to enjoy the rest of the conversation now being taped inside the Grand Gallery. How to cite The Da Vinci Code Chapter 4-6, Essay examples

A Separate Peace by John Knowles Dealing With Your Feelings And Summary Essay Example For Students

A Separate Peace by John Knowles: Dealing With Your Feelings And Summary Essay Dealing with enemies has been a problem ever since the beginning of time. In A Separate Peace by John Knowels, the value of dealing with your feelings and dealing with your enemies is shown by Gene Forester, a student in Devon during World War 2 dealing with few human enemies, but his emotions create a nemesis far greater than any human enemy. I never killed anybody, Gene had commented later in his adulthood, And I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy. Because my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at Devon; I killed my enemy there. Now about the enemies that Gene had put into his own life. Gene had a best friend, his name was Finny, they were roommates and did many activities together. Finny was never the source, but the core of most of Genes feelings, both good and bad. First, one of the biggest problems that Gene had, that is jealousy. Gene was jealous of Finnys confidency, openness, modesty, superb athletic abilities, his natural leadership skills, his ability to deal with stress easily, his care free attitude, his people skills and, of course, his good looks. Early in the story Finny demonstrated his openness by when asked for his height, he said 5 foot, 8ÂÂ ½ inches, while Gene replies 5 foot, 9 inches. Finny pointed out that they were the same height and you shouldnt be ashamed to tell anybody your real height. Later that day, they skip dinner to go swimming in the river, by Finnys choice, and are asked where they were on return. Finny quickly replied that they were swimming in the river, something that is forbidden, right down to the last detail, and they got away with it. Gene said that the rules are very bent during the summer session, but it was actually Finnys people skills that had kept them out of trouble. Finny was very bold, as Gene many a time wished he was, on one occasion Finny wore a bright pink shirt symbolizing the first U. S. bombing in Europe. Gene called him a faerie but really envied him. Later Finny wore the school tie as a belt and when questioned he claimed that it represented Devon in the war. Gene was hopeingly awaiting a scolding for Finny, but again, he got in no trouble. Another day the two were walking and came across a plaque near the pool claiming that A. Hopkins Parker held the record for swimming across the pool the fastest, Finny took one look at and thought he could beat it, so without any practice at all he plunged into the pool, Gene timed him and he beat it, just like that. Gene wanted to get an official scorekeeper so Finny could get a plaque but Finny said no, in my head I know that I did it, thats all that matters, thus demonstrating that Finny is very modest and secure. The next day Gene and Finny went to the beach, which wasnt allowed. This was done at Finnys request, Gene was going to study for a test, but he felt that he cant say no to Finny so hey went. At the beach Gene noticed a lot of people looking at them, he knew they were looking at Finny because of his well built body and his golden tan but Finny said that they were looking at Gene. Before they return, Finny calls Gene his best pal and Gene wanted to reply, but he wasnt sure about it himself and he also has a hard time expressing his true feelings. That was his first enemy, now the next, anger. Genes anger isnt too bad alone but when jealousy and anger are lurking in the same domain, they prove to be a deadly combination. Gene was angry about such things as Finnys ability not to get in trouble, and Genes unwillingness to say no to Finny, but the real war started when he got the idea that because Finny has low grades, he wanted to lower Genes grades as well so he will better than Gene. Gene believed that Finny was trying to wreak his studies with games, an organization they had formed-the Secret Suicide Society, going to the beach and all this youre my best friend stuff. Other than that, there is little anger between Finny and Gene. One day, Finny wanted Gene to come jump off a high limb into the river with him, as they have been doing for several weeks now, and he claimed that Leper, the school nerd, would be jumping today as well. Gene burst out angrily at the idea because he was studying, and thought Finny was trying to wreak his studies, so he said no. The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald EssayIn a few days later in the evening, Brinker, who has changed quite a bit since earlier in the book, came into Gene and Finnys room with some of his friends and took the two to the auditorium in the first building. There were several other boys waiting and made the two sit down, Brinker rambled on a bit and then started to question Gene and Finny on where Gene was when Finny was about to jump off the limb, at first Gene and Finny agreed that Gene was on the ground, going up the tree as Finny fell but Finny remembers that they were going to jump together, and Gene was on the limb with him. Due to this unclarity, the boys go to get Leper, who was also there, and he remembers that both Gene and Finny were on the limb and that he say someone bounce up and down, but he would not reveal who fell that day. Finny has finally collected all this information and stormed off in a rage out the door and down the steps to their room but he didnt make it down the steps safely, he fell and broke his other leg. They get the wrestling coach, who knew first aid and eventually the doctor who took him away to the infirmary. They carried Finny out in a chair which reminded Gene of an tragic, exalted personage. Gene, who was in a very unstable state of mind went to the infirmary and stood outside Finnys window while the Doctor and wrestling coach do a little work on Finny, by now Gene is hysterical, he cant stop laughing, he just cant. After the Doctor leaves and it is just Finny in the room, Gene jumps up to the window and tries to talk to Finny but Finny reacts in anger saying come to break more of my bones, but Gene has the sense to stay outside and he finally says Finny, Im sorry. Over and over again: Finny Im Sorry. Gene makes his way to the stadium and falls asleep under the bleachers. The next morning he wakes up and returns to his room to find a note on the door asking him to bring Finnys clothes and toilet articles to the infirmary, so he packs them and brings them to Finny. When he got there a phrase came to mind: this is it very appropriate for the challenge he now faces. Gene enters and places the suitcase on Finnys bed, Finny sorts through his things quietly and than says to gene that he has tried to enlist in every branch of the army. ut because of his leg, no branch will take him. Gene replies to him that he would be no good in the army because he would confuse everybody and doesnt have the heart to kill. At this point Finny has a 100% realization that Gene intentionally had caused the accident at the tree and he tells him you have already shown me, I believe you. Those are Finnys last words to Gene symbolizing the forgiveness that has taken place. Gene later returns to the infirmary and the doctor tells him that finny has died, his heart was stopped by a piece of bone marrow, and that he died peacefully. Finny never cried, not then, not at the funeral, because he was an extension of Finny and you cant cry at your own funeral. Gene did enter the war, but he never saw any action, and was never in any fighting, but he realizes, as Brinker pointed out, that when Finny said that the war is just a joke made up by old men, he was right, it is a game, and their sons are playing in that game and they are dyeing not for their country, but for the sins of others. He realized it but didnt believe it, Gene feels that wars are made by something ignorant in the human heart. Gene was ready for the war now, he was ready to face new problems, new enemies, Finny took problems a little at a time, and thats how Gene has changed-he is taking that same approach also. Hate, anger, fear jealousy, and the enemies in the human heart are gone from Gene now, Finny has taken them with him to his grave.

Smartest Guys in the Room

Introduction Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room was a documentary film showing the real story of the largest business scandal in the U.S. where top executive officers in Enron Corporation squandered over one billion American dollars while the Corporation investors and employees lost everything. Enron Corporation was a leading commodity, and Service Company established in Houston, Texas.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Smartest Guys in the Room specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was the seventh largest companies at the time. The executive officers included Ken Lay, the CEO, Chief Operating Officer, Jeffrey Skilling, Chief Financial Officer, Andy Fastow and the Accounting Firm, Arthur Andersen. The film was based on the 2003 award-winning book, The Smartest Guys in the Room by Fortune reporters, Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind. It also featured insider accounts and fire-raising corporate videotapes audios, interviews with former Enron executives and employees, reporters, former Governor of California and stock analysts. The film significantly examined the collapse of Enron Corporation in 2001. It showed how smart and powerful men were driven by greed, which brought shame to themselves and severely affected innocent investors and employees (Gibney 1). In 2006, the film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature and consequently won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature. Enron Natural Gas Pipeline Company was formed in 1985 as a result of the merger of Houston and Omaha, Nebraska’s and InterNorth, natural-gas companies. By 2000, Enron Natural Gas Pipeline Company had grown and dominated the North America natural gas industry and Jeff Skilling pioneered its expansion to a different range of products that included coal, steel, and water. This resulted to skyrocketing of the company’s stocks and Jeff Skilling was considerably named CEO of the company. Many people invested in the company and with the increase in the range of products, and consequently, the number of employees had to be increased. Meanwhile, Skilling accounting results put Enron’s earnings at 53 million dollars a deal with no profits (Independent Lens 1). Summary of what happened at Enron Jeff Skilling declared the company’s earnings of $53 million dollars in a deal that yielded no profits. Essentially Enron faked its bookkeeping to report profits that never existed. The company operated on corrupt and closely-guarded mismanagement by Enron executive officers.Advertising Looking for case study on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Enron came up with a scheme to artificially increase electricity demand at the West Coast. As a result, many California citizens experienced blackouts, and unfortunately, two people lost their lives while Enron’s West Coast desk pocketed huge profits. E nron also used ghost companies to hide the massive company losses that later toppled the company. Enron crafted to sell products that did not exist and its balance sheets never balanced. Inexperienced and innocent employees who had dedicated their financial lives to Enron were surprised when Enron Corporation experienced prolonged fallout without their knowledge. About 20,000 employees lost their jobs. The company’s insurance covers crashed, Enron stocks and retirement accounts were equally devalued with urgency. Similarly, many criminal accusations were prosecuted against several Enron company’s top executive officers. Additionally, Arthur Andersen’s accounting firm collapsed, the 2006 convictions of Ken Lay, Jeffrey Skilling and Chief Financial Officer, Andy Fastow also fell. This was followed by the death of Ken Lay the CEO, two months later. Organization-related Problems at Enron Organizational related problems are the problems that come up from a group†™s influence. They include the shared beliefs and shared values. Being a well-established company, Enron ought to have had proper records, book keeping, financial statements open to public scrutiny and compliant with all financial standards. Though Enron was applauded for being innovative, it had various organizational problems. Because Enron was dealing with many cash transactions, entered into future contracts, and acted as a bank for many commodities, it was necessary for them to generate cash flows which they never did. Their reliance on borrowed cash for their dairy transactions was not a good organization technique. Enron similarly dealt with inexperienced employees, credits, debts and diverse businesses instead of being specific, which brought about organization problems. The idea of Enron dealing with all types of businesses both simple and complex made it impossible for employees to have the required expertise hence resulting to organizational problems. The entry of Enron into trading activities that were unfamiliar to the employees was an organization problem. As trading expanded, Enron’s, financial status became complex, and unfortunately, they abandoned budgetary controls. The organized structure and policy of Enron clearly did not prevent unscrupulous activities like the artificial electricity scheme (GUIDESTAR 1).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Smartest Guys in the Room specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Enron did not have a mission or a strategic plan, and that can be viewed as an organization lapse. The top management and auditors of Enron were not professionally and psychologically up to the huge task in the company and were more concerned with earnings and hence could not realize eminent business risks (Cunningham and Harris 33). Root cause of the organizational problems, values, ethical, reward systems, perceptions and leadership Many companies like Enron ha ve voluntary codes of ethics that prohibit executives from being involved in other business entities that do business with the company they are working for. However, the executive officers of Enron chose not to follow this code of ethics. Enron executives, like some other companies, were allowed to manage their own employee pension funds, which unfortunately, they messed up. The diverse businesses involved in by Enron left no space for specialization and expertise hence creating organizational problems. The schemes and conspiracies developed by Enron’s executives were unethical and poor show of leadership traits. The fact that Enron hired and paid its own auditors brought a conflict of interest into the legal and financial system which created an organizational problem. The legal and regulatory structure that allowed firms like Arthur Andersen to provide both consulting and auditing services developed a conflict of interest and thus resulting to an organizational problem. The senior management at Enron did not receive extensive ethical training and as such did not have enough knowledge to arrive at concrete decisions. Corporate governance and leadership solely relied on the state of mind, will power and personal relationships of management. However, rules were skillfully, cunningly and willfully ignored though they were in place. The fact that the law left considerable discretion to managers and executives to exercise their own business judgment about what was in the best interests of the company, enabled the executive officers of Enron to mismanage and practice corruption. Finally, the shareholders of Enron were not allowed to vet the management of the organization (Markkula Centre for Applied Ethics 1). Detailed Analysis of the Problems Identified Every corporate organization operates under its own set of code of ethics. The code of ethics details how employees, employers and company business should be transacted. Once this code of ethics is followed, smooth running of a company is guaranteed.Advertising Looking for case study on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, since this code is voluntary, top management in most cases ignore it and hence create organizational problems in a company. The executive officers in Enron ignored the code of ethics and conspired, mismanaged and engaged in corrupt activities that crushed the company. Training of management team and employees ensures a good understanding of the business and required expertise. However, no such training was offered or sought in Enron, and thus it can be said that employees did not understand the newly introduced trading activities in the organization. The diverse business activities deny a company a sense of specialization and hence no mission. This leads in business being executed in any way and thus there is no perfection. The loopholes in the legal framework are used by the wise to defraud companies. The fact that the law allowed the senior management to make personal decisions they saw fit for the company, also gave them a chance to do the opposite. Hence, the law can pr otect or be used to suit the highly ranked in a company. Senior management should at all times demonstrate good governance in a company where the interest of the company should come before personal interests. In a situation where personal gains prevail, the shareholders and employees feel the wrath as in the case of Enron. Conflict of interest destroys all company plans. In a position where an auditor is hired and paid by the management, chances of auditors giving decisions that suit the employer are high. External auditors are recommended in a public company to display the true financial position of a company. Organization behavior theories that led to problems at Enron and how they relate to the Event at Enron Organization behavior theories relate to ethics that dictate how companies should be run. For many years, philosophers have in literature stated and analyzed different theories that form the basis for ethics in business. Technological theories of ethics put more emphasis on the results of an action and can be classified into egoism and utilitarianism. In this case, egoism defines what is correct and what is wrong with respect to oneself. In such a case, when required to give any business decision, an egoist will put self-interest first. This theory is believed to lead to illegal behavior. In the case of Enron, the management put self first in the west coast where they leaped a lot of profits as employees lost their jobs while some lost their lives due to the artificial electricity demand scheme. Utilitarianism theory, on the other hand, puts more emphasis on the overall amount of good that might be produced by an action or a decision. In this case, a company might decide to expand its business physically or across the borders. Utilitarianism will analyze the amount of good that can be derived from this action. In the case of Enron, the management decided to introduce other trading activities like coal and water on top of the initial natural-gas busines s. This act was well rewarded since Enron stocks skyrocketed to generate high revenues in a short period of time. Deontological theories of ethics put more emphasis on: the rights of all individuals, and the intentions of the person(s) performing an action. It cannot harm some to benefit others but treats all equally. In the case of Enron Corporation, the government declared the corporation bankrupt, prosecuted all that mismanaged the company and participated in corrupt deals that severely affected the employees and investors. By doing this, it treated everybody accordingly. A Justice-based theory of ethics is concerned with the perception of fairness of actions. To determine the fairness of an action; distributive, procedural, and/or interaction rules are used. A just action treats all fairly and consistently in accordance with the set ethical or legal standards. In the case of Enron Corporation event, the court delivered justice on the criminal proceedings against the corrupt mana gement officials and the accounting firm. Relativism theory of ethics dictates that there are no universal principles of ethics and that right and wrong must be determined by each individual or group. It observes that standards of right and wrong may change with time and cultures. And hence the rights and wrongs are subject to interpretation (Barnett 1). Conclusion Any of the above listed problems will obviously befall a company if not checked well in advance. Enron Corporation was highly affected by organizational problems to the point of a closure and bankruptcy declaration of their accounting firm. The schemes demonstrated by the management were a sign of poor leadership, bad governance, greed for money, and self-centeredness. Mismanagement affects the employees, investors and the management itself. In the case of Enron, more than 20, 000 lost their jobs, two people died out of the faked electricity demand, senior management was taken to court, investors encountered losses, accou nting firm declared bankrupt and the sudden fall of Enron Corporation. But since some of these problems are due to ignorance, lack of personal will to do right, bending the law, and selfish interests, personal conscience and good governance are required to protect the interests of all in a company. Governments should prescribe stiff penalties for all forms of mismanagement, corruption and conspiracy in a public owned company. As of such, managers and directors in such companies should be vetted before assuming management positions to ensure transparency and professionalism. Works Cited Barnett, Tim. Ethics, Reference for business, Encyclopedia of business. Reference for Business, 2011. Web. Cunningham, Gary and Harris Jean. â€Å"Enron and Arthur Andersen: The Case of the Crooked E and the Fallen A.† Global Perspectives on Accounting Education 3.1 (2006): 27-48. Gibney, Alex. Enron The Smartest Guys In The Room. HDNET FILMS, 2005. Film. GUIDESTAR. How Ethical Is Your Nonprofi t Organization? GUIDESTAR, 2011. Web. Independent Lens. Enron: the smartest guys in the room. Public Broadcasting Service, 2011. Web. Markkula Centre for Applied Ethics. What Really Went Wrong With Enron? Santa Clara University, 2011. Web. This case study on Smartest Guys in the Room was written and submitted by user Ember Waller to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"A date that will live in infamy," (Snyder 33) was what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called December 7, 1941. It was a calm Sunday morning at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. Then two U.S. soldiers saw an oscilloscope signal on their mobile radars. They immediately called this in to their commanding officer but he told them to ignore it because the base was expecting a squadron of friendly B-17's to be coming from the mainland. Thirty minutes later the first bomb fell and almost killed a courier boy who was trying to deliver a message to Pearl Harbor Naval Base that the Japanese Imperial Navy was going to attack them. The Japanese bombers caught the base by surprise due to the Americans' tradition of not working on Sunday's. As the bombs fell, so did all the chances of the United States not joining the Allies in the second world war that was raging in Europe and the western Pacific. Up to that point the U.S. had just been supporting the Allies but they weren't technically at All throughout the first two years of the war, President Roosevelt focused on making life difficult for the Japanese. One way he did this was by creating various policies that would deter the Axis powers from being able to maintain the needs necessary to wage war on the Allies. One of these policies was the American financial and economic embargo, which supported China in its fight against Japan. It also, somewhat, forced neutral countries to side with the U.S. because it threatened that if any country would aid one of the Axis countries then that country would no longer be given aid packages from the United States. A second policy imposed by Roosevelt was the "moral embargo" of July 1938. This banned neutral countries from exporting planes and equipment to countries who engaged in the bombing of civilians. This made the U.S. look like the good guys because they were prote...

Ancient Olmec Trade and Economy

Ancient Olmec Trade and Economy The Olmec culture thrived in the humid lowlands of Mexicos Gulf coast during the Early and Middle Formative periods of Mesoamerica, from about 1200–400 BCE. They were great artists and talented engineers who had a complex religion and worldview. Although much information about the Olmecs has been lost to time, archaeologists have succeeded in learning much about their culture from excavations in and around the Olmec homeland. Among the interesting things they have learned is the fact that the Olmec were diligent traders who had many contacts with contemporary Mesoamerican civilizations. Mesoamerican Trade Before the Olmec By 1200 BCE, the people of Mesoamerica- present-day Mexico and Central America- were developing a series of complex societies. Trade with neighboring clans and tribes was common, but these societies did not have long-distance trade routes, a merchant class, or a universally accepted form of currency, so they were limited to a down-the-line sort of trade network. Prized items, such as Guatemalan jadeite or a sharp obsidian knife, might well wind up far from where it was mined or created, but only after it had passed through the hands of several isolated cultures, traded from one to the next. The Dawn of the Olmec One of the accomplishments of Olmec culture was the use of trade to enrich their society. Around 1200 BCE, the great Olmec city of San Lorenzo (its original name is unknown) began creating long-distance trade networks with other parts of Mesoamerica. The Olmec were skilled artisans, whose pottery, stone tools, statues, and figurines proved popular for commerce. The Olmecs, in turn, were interested in many things that were not native to their part of the world. Their merchants traded for many things, including raw stone material such as basalt, obsidian, serpentine and jadeite, commodities such as salt, and animal products such as pelts, bright feathers, and seashells. When San Lorenzo declined after 900 BCE, it was replaced in importance by La Venta, whose merchants used many of the same trade routes followed by their forebears. Olmec Economy The Olmec needed basic goods, such as food and pottery, and luxury items such as jadeite and feathers for making ornaments for rulers or religious rituals. Most common Olmec â€Å"citizens† were involved in food production, tending fields of basic crops such as maize, beans, and squash, or fishing the rivers that flowed through the Olmec homelands. There is no clear evidence that the Olmecs traded for food, as no remains of foodstuffs not native to the region have been found at Olmec sites. The exceptions to this are salt and cacao, which were possibly obtained through trade. There appears to have been a brisk trade in luxury items such as obsidian, serpentine and animal skins, however. The Gulf Coast Olmec blossomed at a time when there were at least four other islands of expanding civilization in Mesoamerica: the Soconusco, the Basin of Mexico, the Copan Valley, and the Valley of Oaxaca. The Olmec trading practices, traced through the movement of goods produced or mined elsewhere, are key to understanding the Early and Middle Formative histories of Mesoamerica. Characteristics of the Olmec trading network include: baby-faced figurines (essentially, portable versions of the Olmec stone heads);distinctive white-rimmed blackware pottery and Calzadas Carved wares;abstract iconography, especially that of the Olmec dragon; andEl Chayal obsidian, a translucent to transparent banded black volcanic stone. Olmec Trading Partners The Mokaya civilization of the Soconusco region (Pacific coast Chiapas state in present-day Mexico) was nearly as advanced as the Olmec. The Mokaya had developed Mesoamericas first known chiefdoms and established the first permanent villages. The Mokaya and Olmec cultures were not too far apart geographically and were not separated by any insurmountable obstacles (such as an extremely high mountain range), so they made natural trade partners. The Mokaya adopted Olmec artistic styles in sculpture and pottery. Olmec ornaments were popular in Mokaya towns. By trading with their Mokaya partners, the Olmec had access to cacao, salt, feathers, crocodile skins, jaguar pelts and desirable stones from Guatemala such as jadeite and serpentine. Olmec commerce extended well into present-day Central America: there is evidence of local societies having contact with the Olmec in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. In Guatemala, the excavated village of El Mezak yielded many Olmec-style pieces, including jadeite axes, pottery with Olmec designs and motifs and figurines with the distinctive ferocious Olmec baby-face. There is even a piece of pottery with an Olmec were-jaguar design. In El Salvador, many Olmec-style knick-knacks have been found and at least one local site erected a man-made pyramid mound similar to Complex C of La Venta. In the Copan valley of Honduras, the first settlers of what would become the great Maya city-state of Copn showed signs of Olmec influence in their pottery. In the basin of Mexico, the Tlatilco culture began to develop about the same time as the Olmec, in the area occupied by Mexico City today. The Olmec and Tlatilco cultures evidently were in contact with one another, most likely through some sort of trade, and the Tlatilco culture adopted many aspects of Olmec art and culture. This may have even included some of the Olmec gods, as images of the Olmec Dragon and Banded-eye God appear on Tlatilco objects. The ancient city of Chalcatzingo, in present-day Morelos of central Mexico, had extensive contact with La Venta-era Olmecs. Located in a hilly region in the Amatzinac River valley, Chalcatzingo may have been considered a sacred place by the Olmec. From about 700–500 BCE, Chalcatzingo was a developing, influential culture with connections with other cultures from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The raised mounds and platforms show Olmec influence, but the most important connection is in the 30 or so carvings that are found on the cliffs that surround the city. These show a distinct Olmec influence in style and content. Importance of Olmec Trade The Olmec were the most advanced civilization of their time, developing an early writing system, advanced stonework and complicated religious concepts before other contemporary societies. For this reason, the Olmec had a great influence on other developing Mesoamerican cultures with which they came into contact. One of the reasons the Olmec were so important and influential- some archaeologists, but not all, consider the Olmec the mother culture of Mesoamerica- was the fact that they had extensive trade contact with other civilizations from the valley of Mexico well into Central America. The significance of the trade is that the Olmec cities of San Lorenzo and La Venta were the epicenter of the trade: in other words, goods such as Guatemalan and Mexican obsidian came into Olmec centers but were not traded directly to other growing centers. While the Olmec declined between 900–400 BCE, its former trading partners dropped the Olmec characteristics and grew more powerful on their own. Olmec contact with other groups, even if they did not all embrace the Olmec culture, gave many disparate and widespread civilizations a common cultural reference and a first taste of what complex societies might offer. Sources Cheetham, David. Cultural Imperatives in Clay: Early Olmec Carved Pottery from San Lorenzo and Cantà ³n Corralito. Ancient Mesoamerica 21.1 (2010): 165–86. Print.Coe, Michael D, and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.Rosenswig, Robert M. Olmec Globalization: A Mesoamerican Archipelago of Complexity. The Routledge Handbook of Archaeology and Globalization. Ed. Hodos, Tamar: Taylor Francis, 2016. 177–193. Print.

Jeremy Bentham Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jeremy Bentham - Essay Example Utilitarianism is probably the greatest work by Jeremy Bentham. The ethical foundations he laid down are still widely accepted by the general public. Bentham based his moral philosophy of Utilitarianism in public good and happiness. He argued that people should act in a way so as to maximize public good for the maximum number of people (Bentham, 3). The moral philosophy of Bentham became famous because it was representative of human nature. Before Bentham moral philosophy was based on complex principles and there was a divide between moral philosophies and the general public. Bentham brought moral philosophy and ethics within the grasp of the general public. The concept of maximum good for the maximum people is quite easy to understand and this is one reason why people still discuss and apply this theory when facing ethical dilemmas. Jeremy Bentham got his bachelors and masters degree from The Queen’s College, Oxford. He was from an educated family therefore he got all the necessary training and education from his family. Bentham presented many social reforms related to prison system, women, and economic freedom. He was an ardent proponent of women’s right and thought that women should get equal right to men. The aim of Bentham’s philosophy was to maximize the public benefit and minimize the pain of the people. All of the social reforms and changes in the legislature suggested by Bentham were based on the principle of maximum utility of the society. He thought that laws should be aimed to benefit the public in general so that overall happiness of the society can be increased. Pleasure and pain according to Bentham were the main motivators of human action therefore his ethics is based upon increasing pleasure and reducing pain of the maximum number of people in the society. Contribution of Jeremy Bentham to the subject of ethics is great because his theory of utilitarianism is stills studied in every ethics related course all over the globe.

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth Essay

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a youth mentor in a formal setting Evaluate with reference to two examples - Essay Example A mentor concentrates on creating a positive relationship with the youths under mentorship, as well as following the goals identified for the mentoring program towards the success of the mentee. The creation of a quality program for youth mentoring is majorly based on effective practice elements. According to the findings by Young and Wright (2001) on the positive effects of youth mentorship, quality practice standards are instrumental in fostering the desired outcomes for the participating youths. In essence, the formal youth mentoring practice is important in enhancing the emotional well-being and social skills of the youths. The youths also benefit from the improved cognitive skills through listening and dialogue, as well as serving as advocates and role models (Whitmore, 2002). The increased number of the mentoring programs has equally compromised the quality of the programs over the long time. According to Trzesniewski (2008), not all mentoring programs and relationships are beneficial to the mentees. In these findings, the mentoring programs that have stronger infrastructure can potentially produce greater positive impacts, since the infrastructure directly relates to the impact of the mentor on the mentees. The solidity of the relationship between the mentor and the mentee is essential towards the improvement of the attitudes of the mentees, together with their performances and behaviors (Tsangaridou, 2008). The formal mentorship programs, for instance, are important in providing the settings for maintaining and developing a solid relationship between mentees and the mentors. Literature highlights particular elements that are considered critical for the effectiveness of a mentorship program. Among the important elements exhibited in the formal mentorship program is the screening process, which facilitates the identification of the most effective personnel to act in the

United States Declaration of Independence and British Soldiers Essay Example for Free

United States Declaration of Independence and British Soldiers Essay 1. Examine the factors that led to the colonies’ declaration of independence from England. Make sure to explain WHY the colonies decided to break from their mother-country as well as any risks that doing so might have entailed. Also include your interpretation of whether or not breaking away from England was a good idea for the colonies. After the French and Indian War, Great Britain gained lots of territories but lost lots of money. Great Britain did not want to quickly occupy this territory so they decided to make the Quartering acts. The first quartering acts basically said that British Soldiers can board free at inns and stay at abandon houses. In order to make up for the loss of money. Great Britain put lots of taxes on imports and exports as well as other laws that limited Port Cities like Boston from making money off their ports. Taxation without representation was the main factor which led the American colonies to declare their independence from Great Britain. The Sugar Act was the first in the series of British Colonial taxation acts that provided fuel for revolutionary mood in American colonies. Shortly thereafter came the British Stamp Act. This time the new tax burden took form of official stamps that colonists had to purchase and that were required for legal contracts, newspapers, and other official paperwork. The protests in the colonies started as the news broke. This led to the creation of The Sons of Liberty. Under John Adams they organized riots and violent attacks to intimidate tax collectors. The Sons of Liberty decided to harass a couple of British Soldiers Stationed at Boston. The Soldiers had no choice but to fire on the crowd killing a few people, this was called the Boston massacre. Later a British Official decided to confront John Hancock for smuggling tea. Later the sons of liberty destroyed an entire shipment of British tea. This Caused Great Britain to bring in even harsher laws. These included the following, British soldiers and officials are to be tried in a British Court and not in the colonies. British Soldiers are to quarter any houses they want and board in them without the permission of the owner. The Colonies were prohibited from having their own town council meetings. This caused the Colonist to form the Continental Congress. John Adams, who represented Massachusetts, tried to convince the rest of the colonist to fight but he had trouble convincing other colonies, mostly Pennsylvania. A few meetings later with the help of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, Thomas Jefferson Wrote the Declaration of Independence. After years of fighting the Parliament and the King finally recognized the colonies as their own separate country. Although, breaking from their mother-country would make The British Empire, the largest in the world at the time, become their enemies, the Colonies would be free of obeying any laws set out by the British, could create their own democracy and get France as an ally.

Critical Analysis on The Scream by Edvard Munch Essay example -- a cri

Critical Analysis on The Scream by Edvard Munch Edvard Munch was born on December 12 1863 in Loten Norway. He moved to Christiana, and spent most of his childhood there. Both his mother and his oldest sister suffered from tuberculosis and died before he reached the age of 14. At 18 he became more serious about his art and started attending art school. Edvard finally found a release for the pain he felt from his sister’s death. In 1886 he painted â€Å"The Sick Child†. The painting was so emotionally charged that it received a lot of criticism from the press and the public. However some of his artist colleagues began to recognize his talent. The same year another tragedy struck. His father died in November. Edvard received some scholarships that allowed him to spend the next few years in Paris. Although he would return to Norway during the summer, his style was that of a French Impressionist. In 1892 Munch submitted a series of paintings into a major Berlin art show. His exhibit was titled â€Å"The Frieze of Life†. This show caused an even larger uproar than his previous work. Edvard became a celebrity overnight and he painted such paintings as â€Å"the sick child† â€Å"the scream† and â€Å"vampire†, which showed his true emotion feelings. Edvard Munch had been through a lot of trauma, hurt and heartbreak in his life and his art work and painting helped him to expressive his feelings. I am going to be analysing and studing the Painting â€Å"The Scream†. Edvard Munch was an Impressionist painter. Expressionism is movement in the arts during the early part of the 20th century that emphasized subjective expression of the artist's inner experiences. This may ... ...e of the loneliest, scariest, and the most amazing place were we can escape to, and were no one else can know what you are thinking. I have seen how to symbolise certain things by colours and shapes and how to give a certain impression and mood. I can see how amazing dreams and nightmares are because they are not in this world, but they are only true portraits our ourselves and our lives so anything is possible and even our darkest and saddest feelings that we bury away inside us can show and come to life in our dreams. I have learnt to make a straightforward piece of art turn into an emotional and deep feeling that every person has different views and feeling about depending on their own lives. I can now see how this piece of artwork is truly individual, remarkable and unique as it shows that emotions of a broken man.

Food Intake

| 3 Day Food Intake| Nutrition| | Moneka Goff| 3/4/2013| Jessica Marshal SCI/220 | Food IntakeA well balanced diet plays a major role in attaining a long healthy life the major nutrients for the body are protein, carbohydrate, and fats these nutrients provide the body with energy for various functions such as heart, health, and activity of the brain , and muscle health one must choose foods from each foods groups to achieve a balanced diet everyday eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables will ensure that the right amount of nutrients all healthy diets should have a few things in common such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber and protein intake.Over the past 3 days I recorded my intake of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. I think I ate a balanced diet for these 3 days. Most of the foods I ate provided protein each day such as the black eyed peas, shrimp gumbo, fried chicken, beef steak, and eggs. I received carbohydrate from rice, grits, potatoes, and bread. I received lipids from black eyed peas, shrimp gumbo, Reese peanut butter cups, and ham steaks. Most of the food I ate these 3 days contained the recommended amounts of protein. My daily recommended daily intake was below the recommended range for two of the 3 days I recorded my meals for these days.For example, on day 2 I achieved the recommended protein but on Friday and Sunday I didn’t achieve what I needed. That is because I either did not finish the meal or it took me longer than usual to eat the meal. My recommended protein intake should be between 62-218 gram, achieved 73 grams on each day. I did not receive the recommended daily intake of carbohydrate for these 3 days. My recommended carbohydrate intake should be 281-405 grams but I received 242grams on each day. My lipid in take varied from day to day. Some days I did not finish the whole meal.I was surprised to find out that I was getting the recommended amount of nutrients for these days because I normally eat once a day. Are the t hree main nutrients that one’s body need to strive. Macro nutrient is important for the growth and development of the body. Macro nutrient needs to be consumed at each meal. My macro nutrient intake was within normal recommended range for these 3 days. Macronutrients included carbohydrate, dietary fats, and protein. One must consume the right amount of all the nutrients. It is harmful, to consume too little for these nutrients.Protein is important to have in any diet because it helps to maintain energy levels. Proteins assist in the production of antibodies, enzymes, and hormones. Eating too little protein can lead to dehydration, increased fat storage, and kidney stories. Carbohydrate is important for my energy level. Carbohydrates are important for its glucose properties. Glucose is important to help build muscles in the body. Without carbohydrates the body will have muscle tissue depletion because the body cannot regain glucose that is used for energy. Lipids or dietary fa ts are also important for the body.According to the US government guidelines, fats should constitute 30% of a person’s daily calorie intake. Lipids are important for energy levels, metabolism, and glycemic system. Fiber is important to the digestive system and can help an individual to fell full longer or curb one’s appetite. Fiber can also be associated with lowering the risk of certain cancers such as colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers. My fiber in take did not meet the recommended range that I need daily. According to WebMD, women need 25 grams of fiber daily, my intake varied day to day but it was still below recommended range.On Friday, I only received 7 grams of fiber for the whole day. It is recommended that since I have not received the recommended daily fiber in take t should gradually increase my fiber intake to avoid diarrhea. My food intake did not meet the minimum number of servings of food that contain fiber. According to the CDC, fruits and vegetables are on excellent source of fiber. Fruits and vegetables are critical to good health and should be consumed at each meal. Most of the food I for these 3 days provided me with some type of fiber. My diet is not the best diet for losing weight or maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Some days I tend to miss meals or not eat anything at all. When I finally do eat I omit certain foods because I am always on the go. I understand that I need to consume all five food groups daily but I may only consume two of the recommended food groups a day. I need to change my diet to include every food group and meet my recommended daily calorie intake. Most days I only consume less than 1300 calories for a day. I will try to eat more leafy greens vegetables and fresh fruits to boost my fiber intake. My meals do not include beans or peas daily but I do try to eat them at least twice a week.If I switch from fruit juice to fresh fruit I will intake a better quality of vitamins and minerals. Fru it juice contains more sugars than fresh fruit. By consuming insufficient or excessive amounts of proteins, carbohydrate, fats, or fiber can limit the body’s immunity and body’s ability to rebuild itself. It can cause one to have bowel problems, infections, and decreases one’s ability to think and remember things. References: Nutrition for Everyone retrieved from https//:www. cdc. gov/nutrition Why Count Your Macronutrient retrieved from http//:www. ezinearticles. com

Concept of Dynamics in Music

Imagine you are listening to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros close their concert with 0m Nashi Me, and the whole band stops right in the middle of the song. Or you are watching The Avett Brothers open up their concert with Paranoia In B Flat Major, and by the end of the song, they are playing nearly twice the volume they started out at, and the crowd grew right alongside them. Music has the ability to produce feelings and energy that few things are capable of reproducing.There are any different elements that bring life to these feelings, but dynamics are something that possess the power to change the mood of a song, and the person listening to It. Simply put, dynamics are â€Å"variation and gradation in the volume of musical sound. † (Merriam-Webster) They are what make it possible for a song to be barely audible at the beginning, and crescendo into a powerful and moving composition. They can also change suddenly and drastically, for example a, sforzando.Sudden changes I n dynamics can be notated by adding the word subito (Italian for suddenly) s a prefix or suffix to the new dynamic notation. Accented notes , which are notes to emphasize or play louder compared to surrounding notes, can be called sforzando, sforzato, forzando or forzato (abbreviated sfz or fz). There are two Italian words that are used to show gradual changes in volume, which are the opposite of accented notes. Crescendo, abbreviated cresc. , translates as â€Å"gradually becoming louder†, and diminuendo, abbreviated dim.. means â€Å"gradually becoming softer†.The alternate decrescendo, abbreviated to decresc. also means â€Å"gradually becoming softer†. In addition to all of the volume Indications have mentioned, the execution of a given piece, for example the stylistic choices of staccato or legato are part of dynamics also. (Dynamics, music) When written in musical notation, for example in a band or orchestra piece, they are what allow for the whole band to be given very specific instructions on what the composer intended for an individual part to sound like† making dynamics Just another word in the beautiful language that music is.Although dynamics seem to be what makes music possible, music actually existed before the Introduction of different dynamic levels. The harpsichord†which Is â€Å"a keyboard instrument, precursor of the piano, in which the strings are plucked by leather or quill points connected with the keys†, (Merriam-Webster) could play only â€Å"terraced† dynamics, which are either loud or soft, but not In between. (Dynamics, music)To get around this dilemma, composters would use the trick of layering chords together to create a contrast In sounds, without a single note having to be louder or ofter.The Renaissance composer Giovanni Gabrieli was one of the first composers to Indicate dynamics In music notation, and since him, It Is hard to find a song that doesnt have variations in volume writt en in. (Dynamics, music) But, music is often left open to some interpretation by the performers or director, and dynamics are no exception to this rule. Dynamic indications are relative, not absolute. Mp does not indicate an exact level of volume; it just indicates that the part marked as such t Of3 snou10 De a llttle louder tnan p ana a llttle quleter tnan mT.Ine ty to aec10e wnat would be appropriate or best contribute to the sound as a whole group is part of what makes music great. Counting Crows has a very wise song called Big Yellow Taxi that describes perfectly the idea of appreciating things more after the absence of them. The song says, â€Å"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got til its gone. † (Big Yellow Taxi) I think this song applies to music Just as it applies to the seasons during the year.When you're listening to a song that is very quiet, and radually or suddenly grows loud, that makes a much larger impact on the emotion of the song than if it had Just started at the louder volume. Or, if you are listening to a song that has unexpected loud notes, that instantly makes it more interesting to listen to. This applies to the seasons, especially in Minnesota, that you think you appreciate summer weather, but after a long winter, you realize how much you had missed it and welcome it much more. Contrast and diversity are what make things beautiful in all things.Whether its music, weather, people, religion, or any other xample. There is much to be learned from diversity of appearance, beliefs, experience, sound, or qualities. Early on, composers realized the power of dynamics and many uses of them in compositions have become iconic in a sense. An example is when John Cage took a chance and composed a song in 1952 that instructed the musician to go to their instrument and be silent for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. (4†² 33†²)The idea was that in the absence of what the audience was expecting, they would hear all t he environmental noise around them, and appreciate everyday sounds as music.Another example of an iconic use of dynamics is in Beethoven's 5th symphony, which was written between 1804 and 1808. (Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)). The song starts out really intense with the 4 note fgure that everybody seems to know– regardless of their music taste. It remains intense for about a minute only to back off, then build, alternating between loud and soft and finally end with an impressive crescendo. This constant variation makes it very interesting and emotional. Another iconic example is when Count Basie and his Orchestra performed All of Me in 1965.It starts with a mooth piano and percussion line, then about a minute into the piece, almost startlingly sudden, the horns Join and instantly add life and excitement to the song. (Basie, Count) These musical geniuses, though they composed during very different stages of the development of music, all appreciated the effect dynamics could have on music. Music as definitely evolved over the years, as has the use of dynamics. There is a wide variety of musicians and bands that make dynamics a key element to their music.