Diversity in Gender and Governance

Diversity in Gender and Governance Tuan Pham   Anh Quynh Nguyen INTRODUCTION In the past, women could only be at home and do the household chores while the majority of men went to work. They did not have the rights to work. However, this orthodox view has been changed. In todays society, more and more women are going to work than ever before. The figures from Statistics Canada (2017) show that more than 9 million women in Canada have jobs at the end of 2016. As it can be seen, the number of females in the labor force increased substantially. Not only do women work as employees but they are also employers as well. They hold many important positions in companies such as chiefs, managers, members or the chairman of boards. In Canada, women hold 21.6% of board seats in the Financial Post 500 in 2016 (Catalyst, 2017). According to Catalysts research, it shows that the percentage of women directors in many developed countries has been increasing significantly. For example, in Australia, it represents 23.4% of women on boards in June 2016, which almost tripled than that of 2009. Growth in the number of women allows companies to grow faster and become more successful. As a business student, we are interested in the contributions of women to the economy. They play an important role in developing the firm values. Dr. Mijntje Lu ¨ckerath-Rovers (2011) has investigated that enterprises with female managers run better than those with men only. Moreover, women can bring their unique skills, which male counterparts cannot, to diversify a wide range of the boards expertise (Kim and Starks, 2016, p. 270). They suggest that diversity in gender enhance higher firm values. Even though society makes an endeavor to fight for gender equality, there is no sign that this controversial issue will disappear. In this paper, we provide more in-depth evidence that the presence of women on boards develops companies performance actively and effectively based on personal research and surveys. We will also answer one of the fundamental questions: Will gender dive rsity be encouraged in the future? How would it change: in a good way or bad way? DEFINITION The Dictionary of Business in 1996 (as cited in Walt and Ingley, 2003, p. 219) indicates that diversity in boards is a mix of human capital, where human capital is represented as the skills and knowledge absorbed by a person through the process of learning and experience. In the context of governance, diversity is described as the composition of the board and the combination of the different qualities, characteristics and expertise of the individual members in relation to decision-making and other processes within the board (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 493). Therefore, one of the aspects of diversity is gender on boards. This paper only focuses on gender diversity for several factors. First, gender diversity is one of the major topics which has been fiercely debated for a long time. Secondly, gender is the most easy distinguished demographic characteristic compared with age, nationality, education or cultural background (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 493). Eventually, our research aims to show that diversity in gender makes all the difference in firm performance. BACKGROUND According to a 2017 statistical analysis conducted by Statistics Canada, among women in the labour force, approximately 94% of them are employed (full-time and part-time). This proves that the labour force changed rapidly and there are more rights for women than ever before. European countries now appear to take the lead in the number of women directors (Catalyst, 2017). This survey also shows that many countries, such as Norway, Iceland, Finland and Sweden, are using quotas and setting targets to expanding the number of women on boards. However, in some Asian countries, there are only a tiny number of female directors. Catalysts research series, The Bottom Line, indicates that the more women on boards a company has, the better financial results they receive.   For example, Companies with the most women board directors had 16% higher Return on Sales (ROS) than those with the least, and 26% higher Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) (Catalyst, 2017). WOMENS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CORPORATE BOARDS According to the research in 2013 on gender diversity in SP 1500, which is a stock market index of US stocks made by Standard Poors, about a quarter of its firms still have no female directors. With data from the ISS RiskMetrics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, other smaller firms include SP 600 SmallCap, SP 400 MidCap, and SP 500 indices, the proportion of women on their boards just makes up by a small percentage (only 37%, 21% and 7% respectively have no women on their boards). However, surveys report that women are rated higher than men on the emerging leadership qualities of many aspects. As reported by the 2009 SEC Final Rule No. 33-9089 Proxy Disclosure Enhancements, there are in total 16 functional types recommended as critical skills: Financial, Mergers and Acquisitions, Accounting, International, Operations Technology, Marketing, Risk Management, Human Resources, Research and Development, Sustainability, Corporate Governance, Regulatory/Legal/Compliance, Political/Govern ment, Strategy and Leadership. Results show that adding women directors can enlarge diversity in corporate boards. Women are found to possess more uncommon expertise than men, which are four out of five least reported board skills (Research and Development, Human Resources, Risk Management, Sustainability, and Political Government). This shows that female directors can contribute both unique skills and expertise that are currently in distinction in the corporate boards, which can develop the heterogeneity of board skills. As a result, women directors can increase the value in corporate boards and enhance boards advisory effectiveness by adding these skills. Gender diversity is therefore related to higher firm value, and better director heterogeneity of expertise can increase the development in corporate boards.    DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN AS DIRECTORS Although some studies have found that men and women as directors and leaders do not differ in the way of thinking, orienting tasks and other people, women actually learn how to be a leader more easily than men. The reason for which is that girls are likely to be raised with a more egalitarian way than boys, this could affect the way they participate in their life. Also, as stated above, women have more unique skills than men, which translates into their relatively greater use of participative leader style. Another reason could be that gender stereotypes have somewhat affect female leaders to be more competitive in firms. They would care more about follower expectations and be more interested in complying with it. There are differences between men and women as both board directors and top leaders. As top leaders, men and women tend to have no difference in ages and qualifications. Nevertheless, female directors are more independent due to their better multi-directorships. According to research in Norway, 45% of female directors and 37% of male directors are outsiders. While female directors with an average age of 47.16 years and an average of 1.63 qualifications, male directors hold only average 52.7 years have 1.18 qualifications (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 456). The result shows that women are not only younger but also more educated than their male colleagues. It also reports that one female director in firm has 10 qualifications in average, while that number of other directors is just 3. Men as directors do not have as many resources through serving multiple boards as women, and are less likely to be outsiders than women. Female directors are reported to be younger and have more qualification s than male directors, while there is no significant difference between male and female as CEOs in some specific aspects such as age, qualifications and experience within the boardrooms and the corporations. The gender gaps and the differences between female and male leaders and directors are also affected by gender quota. As stated in www.wikigender.org, gender quotas are used to create equal representation among gender within legislation contribute to the promotion of gender equality, and ease the access of women into positions of government. Gender quotas were first introduced in some public sector entities in the 1980s and were extended in 2003 under legislation requiring at least 40% of women on boards of public limited companies (known as ASA), inter-municipal and state-owned enterprises (Sorsa, 2016). The enactment of the mandatory gender quota became one of the researchers studies since its introduction in Norway in 2005 (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). According to Ahern and Dittmars report in 2011, even though the increasing number of women was found to boost the boards strategy and effectiveness, this has led to the surge in the number of inexperienced women in corporate boards , which could damage the firms performance. However, Matsa and Miller (2011) found that there are positive effects of gender quota on firms, especially on the reductions of workforce and the rise in relative labor costs, compared with a matched sample in Scandinavia countries without gender quotas. The outcome shows that the gender quota in Norway created only a few experienced women as top leaders on their boards based on a number of proxies for influence, such as leadership and multi directorships, though this country has been increasing a large number of women in their firms (Seierstad and Opsahl, 2011). Despite the fact that there are no specific differences between the way women and men lead, gender diversity is still an important factor on boards and it may influence female directors contributions to board decision-making processes (Nielsenand and Huse, 2010). At the same time while having a female leader in the boardroom can make female directors easier to feel comfortable about expressing their opinions, male leaders show respect and openness towards views raised by women (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). They also report that female leaders not only enhance the effectiveness of board decision making but also benefit the operation of the organization. Female board chairs had more qualifications than their male counterparts during the pre-quota period, but this difference vanished after the gender quota had been enacted. This shows that female and male board chairs have similar levels of interlocks and are equally like to be foreigners (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451) during the post -quota period. However, compared the pre- with the post-quota period, female board chairs seem to be more likely to have independent qualifications, more experience and less board interlocks, while male board chairs are older and more experienced after the full compliance of the gender quota in 2008. The average tenure of female board chairs in the pre-quota period, which is 2.04, is significantly lower than the one in the post-quota period (2.98), and female board chairs are more likely to be foreigners in both periods (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 451). This shows that Norwegian firms have talented female top leaders locally, not importing them from other countries. Results shown in these tables indicate that female directors are likely to be more independent and younger and have more qualifications than their male counterparts. Differences in independence status, age and qualifications between men and women as directors did not change after the full compliance in Norway in 2008. Women in the post-quota period are more experienced, have more board interlocks and are more likely to be foreigners than those in the pre-quota period, while male directors seem to be more independent in the pre-quota period than in the post-quota period. The differences between male and female directors also result from gender quota. After the legislation for gender quota in Norway was enacted in December 2005, the Norwegian seemed to be under the pressure of hiring more female directors and therefore it resulted in the large number of inexperienced and low-educated female directors in corporate boards. Figures in Table 2 indicate that the average number of females qualifications decreased than that of male directors. This means that the female directors in sample firms need to have a wider range of qualifications to achieve the fixed gender quota. The effects of gender quota on characteristics of directors in Norwegian firms have reflected that there was no difference between male and female directors, with respect to independence, age and qualification in 2001 and in 2010 (which was 5 years before and after the enforcement of gender quota). However, the differences in age and qualifications seemed to have widened over the period fr om 2003 to 2005, while that in independence seemed to be narrowed over the same period. Firms may have recruited younger but less independent female directors with more qualifications when they had the choice of voluntarily increasing the number of female directors on their boards. Therefore, age and qualifications somewhat have contributed to help corporate governance because the newly nominated female directors would have lacked the experience and independence to monitor firm management well (Wang and Kelan, 2012, p. 460). CONCLUSION With gender equality, having females on boards is an indisputable fact. The heterogeneity among companies is related to higher firm value. The profits women can make for companies are much higher than those without women on boards. We can see that the relationship between gender diversity and governance are likely to be positive. There are several journals, articles and research that show the contributions of women to developing firm value. However, diversity in gender on boards has both positive and negative effects on governance. The question of the relationship between gender diverse boards and firm value has generated considerable debate as well as analyses with conflicting findings and conclusions (Kim and Starks, 2016, p. 270). For example, the impact on decision-making and financial performance related to gender diversity is complex because there are other factors that affect the firms conduct. Moreover, getting companies to commit and change their perceptions would be no easy task. In many countries, their thoughts have not changed since feudalism. For instance, it is difficult to put up with the presence of female directors in Asian companies. They think that having women on boards can waste their money, which leads to a reduction of their productivity because of several reasons: maternity leave, lower retirement age, etc. From our study, we emphasize the mechanism through which director heterogeneity improves firm performance. More female directors on boards can make female employees dedicate themselves to work and improve the performance of the firms (Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, 2011, p. 507). She also proves that companies are more successful in making use of the whole talent pool for competent directors instead of only half of the talent pool. As a consequence, the increase or decrease in the firm value depends on companies choices. REFERENCES Adams, R. B., Ferreira, D. (2009). Women in the Boardroom and Their Impact on Governance and Performance. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1107721 Ahern, K. R., Dittmar, A. K. (2011). The Changing of the Boards: The Impact on Firm Valuation of Mandated Female Board Representation. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1364470 Catalyst (2017). Quick Take: Women on Corporate Boards Globally. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-corporate-boards-globally Kim, D., Starks, L. T. (2016). Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards: Do Women Contribute Unique Skills? American Economic Review, 106(5), 267-271. doi:10.1257/aer.p20161032 Là ¼ckerath-Rovers, M. (2011). Women on boards and firm performance. Journal of Management Governance, 17(2), 491-509. doi:10.1007/s10997-011-9186-1 Matsa, D. A., Miller, A. R. (2011). A Female Style in Corporate Leadership? Evidence from Quotas. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1636047 Sorsa, P. (2016). Gender quotas for corporate boards do they work? Lessons from Norway. Retrieved from https://oecdecoscope.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/gender-quotas-for-corporate-boards-do-they-work-lessons-from-norway/ Statistics Canada (2017). Full-time and part-time employment by sex and age group. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor05-eng.htm Statistics Canada (2017). Labour force characteristics by sex and age group. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor05-eng.htm Walt, N., Ingley, C. (2003). Board Dynamics and the Influence of Professional Background, Gender and Ethnic Diversity of Directors. Corporate Governance, 11(3), 218-234. doi:10.1111/1467-8683.00320 Wang, M., Kelan, E. (2012). The Gender Quota and Female Leadership: Effects of the Norwegian Gender Quota on Board Chairs and CEOs. Journal of Business Ethics, 117(3), 449-466. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1546-5 Wikigender. (n.d.). Debate on Gender Quotas. Retrieved from http://www.wikigender.org/wiki/debate-on-gender-quotas/

The Effects of the Internet on the Future Essay example -- Technology

The Effects of the Internet on the Future If every action has an opposite and equal reaction, then a huge branch-like system connecting information and people scattered into an abyss of nothing encompassed in a piece of desktop hardware and Glorified as "the Web", would actually be the opposite and equal reaction to the brain that sits and stares into it. Artificial Intelligence the demise of our own consumption, Why not? I definitely wouldn't call it a being of the lesser species either. Sure the Internet's soul purpose is to feed us but it feeds us whatever we want. Never again will we have to doubt our selves, instead of saying "I'll bet on it" you can say "hold on a sec." And pull out your pocket device to reference the Great Web. Freedom of information, or just the right amount to help control the masses, you decide. Dormant in the real time world, this artificial opposite yet equal being is very much alive within both the conscious and subconscious mind of the user. It changed the world and like all great tragedies a well delayed after shock has started taking place. October 30th 1938, Orsen Welles, who was 23 at the time, creates mass hysteria over the eastern coast during a radio broadcast on his Mercury Theater of the Air. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the broadcast over a million listeners panicked and fled into the streets. Some headlines include; -Many flee homes to escape gas raids from Mars. -Confusion caused by radio dramatization "War of the Worlds" was evidence radio needs "control by the Government". Senator Herring. The Senator then prepared a bill that would give the Federal Communications Commission permission to pass on every radi... ...er an entire generation of people living inside a world of electronic and neural connections. No more time wasted on the ever so slow method of physical interactions to achieve communications. A world where rumors are made in split second decisions. Like the Oklahoma City bombing being connected to the Waco tragedy and Ruby Ridge. Some of these conspiracy theories have even been acknowledged within the white house. This artificial life we've created might not be the robot many imagined back in the fifty's, but there is definitely signs of life within this infinite tree of brain matter and optical cables. Whether it be a nuclear attack or gas from Mars information will always cause a reaction to every action. I believe that the future has yet to take place and nothing is foretold, therefore anything is possible. The Effects of the Internet on the Future Essay example -- Technology The Effects of the Internet on the Future If every action has an opposite and equal reaction, then a huge branch-like system connecting information and people scattered into an abyss of nothing encompassed in a piece of desktop hardware and Glorified as "the Web", would actually be the opposite and equal reaction to the brain that sits and stares into it. Artificial Intelligence the demise of our own consumption, Why not? I definitely wouldn't call it a being of the lesser species either. Sure the Internet's soul purpose is to feed us but it feeds us whatever we want. Never again will we have to doubt our selves, instead of saying "I'll bet on it" you can say "hold on a sec." And pull out your pocket device to reference the Great Web. Freedom of information, or just the right amount to help control the masses, you decide. Dormant in the real time world, this artificial opposite yet equal being is very much alive within both the conscious and subconscious mind of the user. It changed the world and like all great tragedies a well delayed after shock has started taking place. October 30th 1938, Orsen Welles, who was 23 at the time, creates mass hysteria over the eastern coast during a radio broadcast on his Mercury Theater of the Air. Despite the disclaimer at the end of the broadcast over a million listeners panicked and fled into the streets. Some headlines include; -Many flee homes to escape gas raids from Mars. -Confusion caused by radio dramatization "War of the Worlds" was evidence radio needs "control by the Government". Senator Herring. The Senator then prepared a bill that would give the Federal Communications Commission permission to pass on every radi... ...er an entire generation of people living inside a world of electronic and neural connections. No more time wasted on the ever so slow method of physical interactions to achieve communications. A world where rumors are made in split second decisions. Like the Oklahoma City bombing being connected to the Waco tragedy and Ruby Ridge. Some of these conspiracy theories have even been acknowledged within the white house. This artificial life we've created might not be the robot many imagined back in the fifty's, but there is definitely signs of life within this infinite tree of brain matter and optical cables. Whether it be a nuclear attack or gas from Mars information will always cause a reaction to every action. I believe that the future has yet to take place and nothing is foretold, therefore anything is possible.

The Older Worker Essay -- Employment Jobs Essays

The Older Worker The workplace for older adults is becoming a dynamic space rather than a unidirectional journey leading to retirement. Work life for older adults is situated in a dynamic pattern of periods of active employment, temporary disengagement from the workplace, and reentry into the same or a new career. The new older worker is developing a third stage of working life, the period beyond the traditional retirement age and final disengagement from the work role. The third age of life has been associated with choice, personal fulfillment, and liberation (Soulsby 2000). Using this idea, we posit a third stage of working life where older workers are active agents negotiating various roles within the workspace. The actions, depending on life circumstances, might include the decision to remain in, retire from, or return to periods of part-time, full-time, or part-season work. Thus, although workplaces are searching for ways to increase productivity, older workers are asking for increased career de velopment opportunities and yet are still neglected by most workplaces. This publication discusses some of the misconceptions about older workers and the reality of a more active and involved older adult work force. There Is an Age When One Becomes an Older Worker: The Age Myth There appears to be considerable variation in the concept of older worker as defined by age alone. The term older worker extends from 40 to 75 years of age. When workers at age 40 are referred to as older workers, age is linked to beginning thoughts about retirement decisions (Rosen and Jerdee 1986), the decline in training opportunities (Cooke 1995), the dispelling of myths about the productivity of an aging work force (Kaeter 1995a), or the need for ... ... Express Their Views.† Generations 22, no. 1 (Spring 1998): 34-39. Salomon, A. â€Å"A Trainer’s Guide to Retirement Planning.† Training 19, no. 8 (August 1982): 42, 47. Soulsby, J. Learning in the Fourth Age. Leicester, England: National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, 2000. Stalker, P. â€Å"Wiser Policies for Older Workers.† World of Work no. 12 (May-June 1995): 22-23. Sterns, H., and Miklos, S. â€Å"The Aging Worker in a Changing Environment.† Journal of Vocational Behavior 47, no. 3 (December 1995): 248-268. Sullivan, S., and Duplaga, E. â€Å"Recruiting and Retaining Older Workers for the New Millennium.† Business Horizons 40, no. 6 (November-December 1997): 65-69. Yeatts, D.; Folts, W.; and Knapp, J. â€Å"Older Workers Adaptation to a Changing Workplace: Employment Issues for the 21st Century.† Educational Gerontology 25, no. 4 (June 1999): 338-347.

Discuss Stevensons portrayal of the nature of good and evil and the dual nature of mans personality Essay

Question- â€Å"Discuss Stevenson’s portrayal of the nature of good and evil and the dual nature of man’s personality. What does this show us about Stevenson’s view of Victorian Britain?† Born into the middle-class, prosperous district of â€Å"new† Edinburgh in Scotland, 1850, the young Robert Louis Stevenson’s life was a existence of opposites and contradictions. Just a few miles from his homeland lay the slums of â€Å"old† Edinburgh- a destitute sprawl of old urban living, disease and vice widespread and all to common. The young Master Stevenson was forbidden from this area, instead confined to his bedroom with his fanatic religious nanny- largely in part to his poor health and fragile immune system. His nanny, Alison Cunningham, was a devout Calvinist, a religion with a mixture of both Christian and Folk religion ideals. Calvinism teaches that every human being is born into sin, and thus must take it upon themselves to seek God, going against their natural inclination. This rule, entitled Total Depravity, was taught to the young Stevenson by his nanny, therefore leading the young seven year old to question his every step, paving the way for horrific nightmares of Hell and the fury of the Devil. As Stevenson grew up he found himself swept up in the cultural revolution that was â€Å"Bohemianism.† A now teenage Stevenson found himself attending raucous parties and living a second hand existence in near poverty, as what was expected from any bohemian person. He also found himself increasingly attached to the bottle and, on more then one occasion, visited prostitutes- an act that was seen as greatly immoral in the Victorian era and an action that would certainly have shocked his nanny. This deliberate act of rebellion shocked his parents and they temporarily disowned him and, although, Stevenson kept his attitudes and dislike of religion, the fall-out with his parents made him question the gulf in lifestyle that he and his parents had and the arguments also led him to question just what was right, and what was evil. Whilst travelling Stevenson met a certain Fanny Osborne, a women both older then him and already married. They had a short lived affair before Osborne absconded, leaving her husband for the young Stevenson and the couple soon wed. Second marriages were considered a â€Å"taboo† topic in the Victorian era, and Stevenson once again found himself branded as â€Å"evil† and â€Å"ignorant†, further stimulating Stevenson’s mind on right and wrong. Stevenson’s first wrote â€Å"The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† in 1885 and the book was released a year later. Rumour has it that Stevenson wrote the book whilst heavily drugged; the author had a considerable liking of Cocaine, a mind-altering drug. The drug would have momentarily changed his perceptions and view on the world, and this is perhaps reflected in the book, further strengthening the divide that was beginning to shape his book. The book was fairly popular yet drew heavy criticism from some scholars who read the book as an allegory of inappropriate sexual desires. At the time Stevenson re-buffed the ideas, through fear of the popularity of his book diminishing, but he later admitted that the book could be read as an allegory of the troubles of Victorian society. There are many themes that run deep through Stevenson’s novella, all centred around the line that divides good and evil. This topic of morality particularly fascinated the Victorian audience, largely thanks to the strength of the British Empire. The common Londoner’s heard tales of strange, far-away lands and peculiar, ritual-abiding tribe’s man and started to question their own rituals and actions. Stevenson’s book tapped into this market, asking whether what was considered â€Å"good and evil† was â€Å"good and evil† everywhere, or whether different people had different opinions on the difficult and dividing topic. Stevenson’s story begins with â€Å"The story of the door†, an opening chapter which tells the friendship of Mr Utterson and Mr Enfield, two respectable men who refuse to indulge in the spread of gossip. However they eventually begin to discuss the indecent trampling of a small girl, committed by a mysterious, twisted man, later named as Hyde. The fact that Hyde is introduced before Jekyll keeps the character of Mr Hyde fresh in the mind, and the irregular pattern (time-frame) of the book leads to the resulting conclusion being even more startling, especially for the Victorian audience who wouldn’t have expected anything similar to the actual ending. The chapter is also rich in subtle foreshadowing of opposition and restraint. â€Å"He was austere with himself; drank gin when he was alone, to mortify a taste for vintages;†, is a perfect example of Stevenson’s subtle touch. The fact that Utterson drank Gin when alone, a drink regarded at the time as a â€Å"poor-man’s† drink, a drink that was crude and often associated with criminals and vice, to quench his thirst, nay, desire for rich wine represents Jekyll’s attitude towards Hyde: Jekyll deliberately starves himself of the drug he slowly becomes addicted to, the drug that turns himself into Hyde despite despising Hyde with every bone in his body. Yet Jekyll still feels a craving for the drug and has to substitute himself with other activity’s, despite his attempts at distraction resulting in vain. The setting and atmosphere of Enfield’s recollection of the night when he first met Hyde also reflects the duality of man, a crucial aspect in Stevenson’s book. â€Å"A black winter morning†¦there was literally nothing but lamps† being a prime example of this. This abnormal lighting situation would produce shadows- the shadows representing the underclass of London society, the people that would hug street walls late at night, trying desperately not to be seen as they went about their shady business. The natural image of the black winter morning also juxtaposes the artificial light of the lamps, depicting the fact that, in the Victorian era, the citizens were always trying to triumph over nature, attempting to create social standards that even Mother Nature abided to. The stark contrast between dark and light is almost ignored in this quote, as the blackness of the night and the brightness of the lamps merge seamlessly into one another, thus representing Enfi eld’s confusion. This confusion is epitomised by the quote: â€Å"I got into the state of mind when a man listens and listens and belongs to long for the sight of a policeman,†. Enfield states his nervousness and â€Å"longing† for a policeman, a rather unusual trait as the Metropolitan Police Force was still in it’s infancy and battling many an unfavourable opinion. Also the character was earlier described as a rather dull man, the â€Å"man about town†, an experienced figure who had seen just about every city occurrence. Yet here Stevenson describes him as worried and nervous, determined to find a member of the establishment that was so untrusted around town. As well as this Stevenson implies that he character can sense something is wrong; he has potentially sourced the overbearing threat of Mr Hyde. This demonstrates the main antagonists intimidating nature before we are even introduced to him. This fear of the unknown could be related to Stevenson’s upbringing, surrounded by religion and threat of the Devil. In Christianity, and Calvinism, the Devil is both feared and yet paradoxically respected. His fundamentalist Nanny would have taught him of the threat of the Devil and also of the reason why the Devil was cast into Heaven (most prominently for failing to understand that he was created by God (that he had a dual nature)). This links in with Hyde’s nature and internal struggle- he can never fully become Jekyll because he was created BY Jekyll. The quote: â€Å"like a forest in a fire† is a good example of Stevenson’s views on current society and the changing world that was revolving around him. The simile is used to emphasise the differences between the old, poor row of houses and the new, upper class street- no doubt a product of the industrial revolution that was currently sweeping the country. Forest’s contain nothing but wood, and the single most dangerous thing one could encounter in a forest is fire, where the spitting flames spread from tree to tree. The simile could be linked to the Victorian industrial revolution: Stevenson views it as a hungry flame, sweeping away all of nature’s beauty and all of what the world used to comprise of, for now metal and steel is starting to replace the natural woods used to build shelter, and trees were being cut down to feed machines, which spat out new inventions and ideas. The quote has a negative edge relating to the industrial revolution, which fits in with Stevenson’s lifestyle and ethics. For he was a romanticist, a bohemian- interested in the preservation of nature, which they believed directly fed and influenced literature, poetry and art. The quote symbolises the divide that the industrial revolution was creating, and also questions whether the industrial revolution is good or bad, similarly to how the main theme of the book questions whether humans truly are good or evil. The second chapter, entitled â€Å"The Search for Mr. Hyde† continues with some important quotations regarding the duality of man, â€Å"It was his custom of a Sunday, when this meal was over, to sit close by the fire, a volume of some dry divinity†, being one of these. The â€Å"dry divinity† means a religious book or text, and the reading of these kinds of texts was considered a honourable and dutiful act in the Victorian era. However Utterson describes the text as â€Å"dry†- he finds it boring, dull. Thus the quote informs us that Utterson sticks to conventional Victorian traditionalism, yet aches with boredom in doing so. He yearns to be doing something else, somewhere else but feels compelled to follow his upstanding â€Å"Sunday custom†. This is typical of Victorian society and a crucial element of understanding the â€Å"duality of man†. For the Victorians tried to quench man’s natural instinct and mould him into a figure they determined respectable. Yet in pushing, in repressing people so far man rebelled, and began to question the life he lived under, leading to all of the Victorian â€Å"vices†, sex, alcohol and homosexuality becoming acceptable. Indeed, if it wasn’t for the Victorians oppression of the minority and the poor we probably wouldn’t be living in such a free society. The usage of pathetic fallacy is a common and important tool in Stevenson’s novella. The fog increases in depth and prominence whenever Hyde is near , and the fog clears towards the end of the story when the mystery is close to being unravelled. â€Å"the first fog of the season, a great chocolate coloured pall lowered over the heavens† is a quote from the chapter: â€Å"The Carew Murder Case† and the use of pathetic fallacy has connotations of impending danger as well as connotations of the industrial revolution. The â€Å"chocolate coloured† essence of the fog has implications of the industrial revolution â€Å"poisoning† the fog, changing it’s colour and also the times when the fog appears. The fog is stated as being the â€Å"first of the season†, yet the timeline would mean the fog was unnaturally early, implying the industrial revolution is harming and manipulating Mother Nature. The fog could be interpreted as nothing more then smog, a poisonous relation of the cleaner and more natural fog. The relationship between the unnatural smog, produced by the industrial revolution and the natural fog could also be linked to the relationship between Jekyll and Hyde; Hyde is a less natural side effect of Jekyll’s curiosity, Hyde is the poisonous, dangerous aspect of Jekyll. Jekyll could be interpreted as the influence of nature on Victorian society, an old-fashioned traditionalist being poisoned by new ideas and new beliefs. The murder of Sir Danvers Carew is an important part of the book, and Stevenson’s description adds to the sense of confusion and fear that is created. We are fed the murder from the viewpoint of a maid who was â€Å"romantically given† just before the crime was committed. â€Å"he was trampling his victim under foot†¦under which the bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway† is an extract from the murder description. The description is vivid, Stevenson notes how the maid heard the â€Å"bones shatter†, surely an awful, sickening sound. The murder is incredibly violent, representing Hyde’s anger boiling to the surface- alas; the exact reason for the murder is never truly revealed, leading us to think that Hyde needs violence to satisfy himself when he is allowed to roam free. The phrase â€Å"the body jumped upon the roadway† is also an interesting use of language, possibly representing the violence of the act; the body has been hit and abused so hard it is physically moving away from Hyde, his blows have pushed it away. The phrase adds to the sense of strength Hyde possesses, making him an even more formidable character. â€Å"with indescribable amazement read the name of Gabriel John Utterson† We first learn the full name of Utterson in â€Å"The Last Night†, after Jekyll puts his name on his will. His name could be interpreted as some as incredibly significant to the story. There are many religious connotations in Stevenson’s novella, and Utterson’s first name could be another of these connotations. In the religion of Christianity, Gabriel is the arch-angel of God, and God’s chief messenger. He passes on messages from God to various biblical figures, giving him the title of â€Å"God’s medium†. His role in Christianity is similar to Gabriel John Utterson’s in the â€Å"Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde†, he retells messages between Lanyon and Jekyll, and also uncovers the truth by reading messages intended as replies to another. Utterson’s first name also reveal his â€Å"good† side- he is a constant friend to Dr. Jekyll throughout the novella. Nearly every member of the reading Victorian audience would be familiar with the arch-angel Gabriel, and many readers would have made the link between â€Å"the two messengers†. Stevenson could also of used Utterson’s name as a way of stating that not everyone caught up in evil, is evil. Utterson is confronted with pure, undiluted evil a number of times in the story but he never once loses his sense of moral decency or moral fibre. The final chapter in Stevenson’ story contains the most information regarding the â€Å"duality of man†. The final chapter is in chronological order- right from Jekyll’s childhood to his death. The chapter also informs us of how Jekyll grew up harbouring an â€Å"evil† side. â€Å"Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures† being an example of his youthful, dual personality. A youthful Jekyll realises that, once one enters manhood and the adult world one must learn to conceal any hope or joyfulness for fear of be let down by society or taken advantage of. So we learn that, even from childhood, Jekyll is living a lie and hiding his â€Å"split† personality from the world. â€Å"I was in no sense a hypocrite; both sides of me were in dead earnest† is an example of a slightly older Jekyll’s newly stifled personality. He has forced down his natural, animal-like instincts and replaced them with an acceptable, Victorian type attitude. He has learnt to ignore his impulse and instead confer to Victorian era conformity. He has become emotionally repressed and, whilst he is coping at the minute there will always be a threat of his emotions bubbling over in a â€Å"Jack the Ripper† type emergence. â€Å"My Devil had been long caged, it came out roaring†¦Instantly the spirit of Hell awoke in me and raged† is an example of such an outburst. We know from the story that a drug causes Jekyll’s evil side to emerge but the warning Stevenson writes of is that anybody can be unleashed, any human has the potential to be a crazed mass-murderer, or an evil psychopath if pushed (or oppressed) hard enough. This would of hit a chord with the reading audience who were still recovering from the Jack the Ripper attacks, which left many Londoners wondering just what kind of person could commit such crimes. The answer? Anybody- for the Victorian style of living had the potential to depress, oppress and ultimately, end lives†¦ Overall, I believe Stevenson wrote â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde† as a warning to the Victorian reader. He wanted the audience to realise that everyone, regardless of social stature, finance or credibility, had the potential to be evil. Yet, in his novella, Stevenson almost determines that there is no real definition of â€Å"good and evil†. The human body is a complex machine and, like a snowflake, the human body changes with each individual. Humans realise and readily accept that every human has different fingerprints yet seems to find it harder to link this fact with the human brain. For ultimately, every single human is different thus the guidelines of â€Å"good and evil† change with every single person. And, ultimately, who are we to question who is good and who is evil? There are thousands of different religions, what if they are all wrong and the one, true religion (if there is one) actually determines evil as good, and good as evil. We are just mere mortals, and the human brain is the most complex thing on the planet. Before we even begin to scrape the surface of this complex machine, we must first begin to understand the secrets of the universe, and life. â€Å"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.† So said Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century. I believe that this quote sums up Stevenson’s approach to the dividing line between good and evil. For where other people of the age, fresh from the horrors of the Ripper murders, strived to find a logical answer to the line between good and evil, Stevenson instead â€Å"moved in the opposite direction†. Rather then attempt to answer the question, he questioned the question, asking whether there was an answer to a question that people were still questioning. After all, how can one answer a question that is not even based on fact, or truth, but instead on prediction? Stevenson’s opinion on religion is prevalent throughout the story. The story has a number of biblical links, no doubt harking back to the days he spent locked in his room with Alison Cunningham, whilst being fed awful stories of Hell and the Devil. There are a number of religious links, one of these being: â€Å"This inexplicable incident, this reversal of my previous experience, seemed, like the Babylonian finger on the wall, to be spelling out the letters of my judgment.† This quote mirrors the experience of Prince Belshazzar, a Babylonian prince featured in the book of Daniel. The prince, whilst dining one night, sees a mysterious, disembodied hand floating behind him. As he turned to face it, the hand begun writing in a mysterious code, on the wall. A translator later interpreted the coded writing as: â€Å"Thou art weighed In the balance and art found wanting†. Later that night Belshazzar is murdered in peculiar circumstances, hence the popular saying; â€Å"the writing on the wall†. Jekyll can see his impending doom, due to his evil exploits as Hyde but his good side is still portrayed by Stevenson, the use of religion is used for this. In the book, I believe Stevenson uses religion as a writing technique; when Stevenson wants to signify the emotive nature of people , he uses religious links and connotations. Hyde is forever associated with Hell and the Devil, whilst Jekyll and Utterson is associated with Gabriel, and the â€Å"light† side of religion. Religion is used to measure and signify, to compare and contrast. Religion also represents a divide in beliefs and personality. The end of the Victorian era was the first time, since the beginning of Christianity, that people were beginning to question and doubt religion. â€Å"Jekyll and Hyde† was penned during this time and concerns itself with the duality of man. Stevenson simply used the biggest cultural divide of the day: religion, and weaved it into his book, making the theme of duality more relevant to the reading Victorian audience. Overall, â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† questions and challenges what would have been conventional beliefs in the Victorian era. It makes the reader question his own sense of right and wrong, and challenges religion and science- the two cultures that were so opposed to each other in the Victorian ere. It incorporates the depression that surrounded the Victorian dynasty, the industrial revolution, the Jack the Ripper murders and the strict conformity of living the Victorians imposed. But it also includes the first green shoots of hope that began to surface around the late 1800’s- Charles Darwin’s â€Å"The Theory of Evolution† is integrated through Jekyll’s science and the fact that Jekyll, despite through the persona of Hyde, engaged in activities such as sex and alcoholism sent the message that man can experiment, as long as it didn’t threaten or harm anyone else. The book was aware of the duality and diversity of it’s audience and revelled in this. Stevenson’s book was a revolution in itself. For it changed the conventional type of living and made people question the rules they lived under. And any book that can influence people on this scale is a rare, and beautiful, thing. â€Å"The mark of a good action is that it appears inevitable in retrospect.†

Lady Macbeth, an honoured hostess and a fiend-like Queen Essay

The auditory modality visit a total transformation of peeress Macbeth from a powerful, scheming woman to a sad and lonely wretch. By the end of this tragedy she has nonhing to live for, is riddle with misdeed and has lost every(prenominal) sanity.At the opening of the play the reference depend how fervent her hunger for power and precondition is when she summons malefic liven sate me from the crown to the toe top-full of the direst cruelty ( spiel One, picture show 5, draws 40-41). This statement displays lady Macbeths timbre deeply nefarious, it would perturb the superstitions of the Christian spectators.The audience might also perceive her to be disturbed as in that a alike(p) soliloquy she asks the spirits to, Make thickheaded my blood, At the time that the play was compose thick blood was associated with illness and derangement. It would rush been most horrific for the audience to attend to the char be influenceiveer persisting that she did not necessitate to be womanly, especi any toldy for someone of her precondition is association. Pronouncing that she wished to be unsexed and that she wanted the spirits to Come to my womans breasts, and enlist my milk for gall, would outrage their perfervid Christian views as women were supposed to be paternal and loving w presentas she exercises the oxymoron to intensify her wish to mother corrupt and inhuman.Immediately after she calls the spirits, Shakespeargon returns Macbeth to the stage, scheduling his wife the ideal time to prove her design. doll Macbeth begins to instruct him as she says, formulation like th sinless flower, merely be the serpent on a lower floort. She uses this metaphor to reassure her husband and make cognise to him that others wont realise hed be doing anything wrong precisely at the same time rede him to commit the deed,ergo underlining the way in which it is her annoyance inventions which will destroy Dun dejection. The Shakespearean audience would be very disturbed to impression such wicked schemes emanating from a feminine nature women were particularly governed by societys expectations and considered to be the fairer, gentler sex, leaving political machinations to their male counterparts.Along with manipulating Macbeth into executing all of her schemes, she also is competent to cover up after him when he is vulnerable to suspicion. Without her protagonist and guidance, Macbeth would pee-pee not been able to call for with his feats. After Macbeths first act in which he commits regicide by cleanup plaza his dear pouf Duncan, he is unequal to(p) of coming to terms with his actions and returning with the weapons to Duncans chamber. His ever-dutiful wife finishes the task. Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the at rest(predicate) are alone pictures. Her control here reveals her power and tendency.We see to it her draw a veil over Macbeths deportment again after he has interpreted King Duncans life as Macbe th makes the mistake of killing the guards, when he knows that as a s grayier himself he should interview suspects. After Macduff attempts to question Macbeth on his reasons, doll Macbeth faints ( move 2 crack 3 line 112). This shows her ability to extemporise when the situation requires it. indeed there are several make when noblewoman Macbeth steps in to obviate her husband being put under suspicion.Her role in the banquet horizon after Macbeth sees Banquos ghost has a reason. Macbeth shows signs of weakening before the spirit of Banquo. However, doll Macbeth shows her authority over the proceedings. She instructs all but herself and Macbeth in bet 3 candidate 4 lines 118-9 to Stand not upon the differentiate of your going. But go at once, and then managing to work their estate of all the guests who had been visiting, which would throw been a difficult feat especially for a woman yet her determination impels her capable.We sporadically notice that she is not such a n efarious character, as she would like to believe. An example of her vulnerability is when she needs a drink to give her courage in order to go through with the plan for the murder of Duncan, That which hath do them drunk hath make me bold. If she were truly a fiend she would feel nothing. Similarly, when she is anxious and awaiting Macbeths return she utters that, Had he not resembled my sustain as he slept, I had through with(p)t. Had she been entirely evil she would save distanced herself more and be ineffectual to draw comparisons.The decisive moment merely for Lady Macbeth is when she detects that she is no lengthy needed. Act 3 Scene 3 lines 6-7 picture this further when she asks Macbeth, Whats to be make? and he proves to her that he is no longer the mere student but the mortify as he replies, Be the innocent of the knowledge, dearest put, till thou motion the deed. Macbeths use of dearest chuck would exact been supposed to be prankish however in this context woul d have aggravated his wife and spurred on the doubts that would have been forming in her mind. The quotation is also equivalent to what Lady Macbeth had said to him in Act 1 Scene 5 slightly looking innocent, thus extra create of his imitation of his wifes influence.Lady Macbeths return to the action in Act 5, scene 1 is spectacular in its irony. She is a mere fundament of her former self, unable to sleep and pierce with guilt she re-enacts the role she played in Duncans murder, and in so doing betrays her guilt to her waiting woman and, of course, the audience. The constant washables of her hands and utterances Out damned spot Whod have thought the old man to have so a lot blood serve to expose her crimes, her sentiments in Act Two A fine water cleans me of this deed are shockingly highlighted in the closing Act with poignant irony.Delirious and disturbing outbursts Heres the smell of blood still all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this hand. Oh, oh, oh (Line 44-6) and her use of metaphor amplifies her acute affable deformation and pain, she is a woman so construed by guilt that she loses all sanity.Lady Macbeths downfall, like her husbands, is a tragic one as she ultimately dies from her wonderful crime. Like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth enjoyed reputation and office as the wife of the greatest Scots warrior, much loved and honoured by king and county. However, she is as much Macbeth, guilty of spring ambition and when she succumbs to that fatal flaw she can no longer function. Indeed, so consumed by guilt, Lady Macbeth commits suicide knowing that her crimes have involved interfering with the divine salutary of kings.Interestingly, however, the audience see many measure throughout this drama when Lady Macbeth is not so cold as she is make out to be. We know that she is not a fiend as we see on numerous occasions her inability to carry out acts herself, act 2 Scene 2, line 13-4, Had he not resembled my father as he slept. I had donet. She i s unable to distance herself from the stunt and all the same attend toing to carry out the act she finds difficult as she needs help to bring the courage she needs That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold instructive further how she has some empathy for Duncan. The audience see just how terrible an effect all the events since the witches first met Macbeth have had on her mental state as they hear how she has taken her own life in Act 5 scene 5 from Malcolm.To conclude, it is clear that Lady Macbeth begins her role as honoured she for certain enjoys the wifely role of Scotlands hero. However, through greed and ambition, she forfeits her reputation and status. Certainly her actions are fiend-like but she does betray some junior-grade shreds of conscience and is therefore well awake of her choices. A totally fiendish character would not experience guilt, but Lady Macbeth goes insane simply because she knows she has been immoral and sinful.Lady Macbeth, an honoured hostes s and a fiend-like Queen.

Roman Fever Symbolism

Whartons papistic febri urban center In Edith Whartons roman letters Fever, the screen background takes place in the romantic city of Rome, on the balcony of a casual Roman restaurant. Two wealthy American widows, Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade, be sitting together carrying on a conversation from afternoon to evening. From the restaurant, the two women argon overseeing the ruins of the ancient city of Rome. clothe Ansley and Alida Slades conversation from afternoon to evening, the colosseum, the ancient ruins, and Grace Ansleys knitting all thrust important meanings. The afternoon light is the final stage hours of friendship and kindness that the two ladies let on for individually other.When the two ladies finally capture getting deeper into their conversation they begin to work up an envious relationship that takes place at dawn. The evening darkness is Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansleys entree to the dark secrets and rivalry that they have for each(prenominal) other. The colosse um is symbolic for the battlefield where Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade fought for the man that they loved. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley insure the gladiatorial tradition. In this battle, Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley use their intent of lies, daughters and husbands as weapons to criticize on each other.The ruins of the romantic city of Rome be also significant. The ruins is like Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slades decaying relationship. In the end their friendship collapses. In Roman Fever, Grace Ansley is knitting with inflamed silk throughout most of the story. There ar many different manners in which knitting is used. Mrs. Ansley knitting is a way for her to cover up her agitation and the criminality of her past. The knitting represents the complicated, twisted relationship and keep that these women have. The crimson silk is symbolic for passion and love.

Summary “The Environmental Issue from Hell”

We’re Hot as Hell Is global warming a moral dilemma? Is it the american public policy problem from hell? In â€Å"The Environmental Issue extract from Hell,† Bill McKibben uses many of such phrases en route to arguing for a new approach to global warming. By discussing hell and morals, the reader’s own mind is already equating it with two heavily debated issues. Therefore, we begin to question their existence and how we should  deal  with the subjects. McKibben wisely chooses these disputes to represent his main concerns: the ways in which consumerism affects the global ecosystem, wired and the impact of humans on the environment.Theres an overview of the insights of the chapter.(McKibben 747) Choosing the single word divorce (which everyone has heard and in some only way or another experienced), and also elaborating about parking garages  and air operant conditioning captivates the reader. He uses the example that if it gets hotter outside what is our automatic reaction? We turn the AC up without contemplation. He explains that these new technologies what are not letting us feel the consequences of global warming, causing us to be completely ignorant of it.Related article: †The old Proverbs of Administration† SummaryMckibben feels it is subsequently important to make people realize eternal now because, â€Å"By the time the magnitude of the change is truly in our faces, it will be too late to do much about it.Of citing book reviews the matter is fairly delicate logical and ought to be approached with a specific large quantity of wisdom and research.

Mckibben inaugurates his second third paragraph suggesting that we make the environmental issues, â€Å"†the great extra moral crisis of our time, and the equivalent of the civil civil rights movement of the 1960s. â€Å"(747). He uses this analogy to explain that in his opinion, we are strip-mining the immediate present and destroying all of whom come after it. Thus, leading him to discuss exactly how humans’ materialistic ways have impacted the earth.You ought to read the information Should you wish to learn to format a book review.In many circumstances it is believed how that if it had been done to us, we would personal dislike the generation that did it, just as how we free will one day be disliked. The solution given in the essay on how to handle these environmental issues is to start a moral campaign.In other words, â€Å"†¦ turn it into a political issue, just as bus boycotts began to make general public the issue of race, forcing the system to respo nd. â€Å" (748).Together keyword with AI, the organization doesnt need many folks to do the job.

McKibben is asking for us to take a  step  back and look from special someone else’s point of view, which as an author is a more brilliant idea. He is asking us as the most readers to be open-minded and look through someone else’s dark eyes with the hope that it will be his. Works Cited Mckibben, Bill. â€Å"The Environmental Issue letter from Hell.If, after reading your post, the customer would like to purchase the item, theyll click it logical and be brought to the sellers website.Boston: Learning Solutions. 2011. 746-49. Print.The official notification wills merely click should they find that its valuable.

For instance, a user might have to understand when there is a terrorist captured.In which youre at the short story does inform you.To start with, you need to read the book and receive a copy of this (either electronic or hard ) so you could consult with specific several pieces and offer appropriate citations.1 thing about the book is that its rather simple to read.

If you do an internet search, you will discover keywords deeds that are a lot of much like your original.People dont want to get sold and want to get information.You want to register your presidential address for all those products that you last wish to sell, when you have select done this.It allows us to grow.