Globalization, Technology, and Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization, Technology, and Marketing - Essay Example A manager should be keen on finding out innovative technology according to the requirements of time. As companies are many, consumers will be offered quality goods at cheaper rates, so managers must try hard to retain their existing customers with high variety of want satisfying goods. Though the adoption of machineries and most modern technologies seems to be of much capital expenditure, they will compensate all these and hold good in the long run. In addition to products, the customers are to be provided with most valued services to win their loyalty. The ever changing business environment also demands it. As Saaksvuori and Immonen (2008, pp. 208-211) point out, since a technology based company has rather comprehensive technologic strategy, the management will be concerned about setting up a technological framework which will be distinct from other companies for production and manufacturing in the future. Once the production is completed, goods must reach the market to be distribut ed among the potential customers. A manager must also be prudent enough to seek new modes of transporting before the competitors bring their products to the market.

The Secret by Petrarch Essay Example for Free

The Secret by Petrarch Essay During the Middle Ages, European thinkers began to examine the world of humanistic thought.   While this way of thinking was not new and humanism was pondered by ancient thinkers thousands of years earlier, the thing that made this line of thought so unique in Europe during this time was the strong influence of the Church.   Thinkers like the Italian Francesco Petrarch and borrowed many philosophical elements from the Church and classical humanism, trying to synthesize the City of God with the City of the World.    However, because of their rejection of the synthesis between these two worlds, the Church did their best to ensure that such acceptance of humanistic thought had no place in Church doctrine, and Petrarch was caught between his deep love of faith and his passion for reason. Despite his love of God and his desire to live a life ruled by adherence to reason, Petrarch must seemingly choose between the two and sacrifice his free will for his religious faith, but he instead chooses to attempt to synthesize them; Petrarch’s basic teachings in â€Å"The Secret† seek to reflect that a synthesis between faith and reason is possible and both the City of God and the City of the World knowable, reflecting an emerging line of humanistic thought of his age that increasingly caused tension between the thinkers of the time and the Church.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Petrarch was a renowned fourteenth-century poet and scholar, and his contributions to European culture could end with these accomplishments.   What he contributed to the world of Christian humanism would also go onto inspire generations that followed and lead to the Renaissance.   In his â€Å"Secret Book† Petrarch brings up the classical argument that God gave humans the intellectual potential to figure out the world for themselves. Because of their ability to understand the world through philosophy and reason, Petrarch’s beliefs conflicted with the Church doctrine that human intelligence and capability is limited by God’s will.   Much like the thinkers Marcus Aurelius of Ancient Rome and St. Augustine, Petrarch’s â€Å"Secret Book† sought to explore his faith and his knowledge as it relates to the City of God and the City of the World. Borrowing the spirit of St. Augustine, and with truth as his guide, Petrarch created dialogues that examined his relationship with the worlds of God and man.   The book begins with Petrarch introducing the extent of his spiritual and humanist struggles and how they relate to the afterlife: â€Å"Often have I wondered with much curiosity as to our coming into this world and what will follow our departure† (Petrarch).   The information that he cannot know torments him and he relays his questioning in the form of a dialogue between he and St. Augustine. Petrarch is unhappy and St. Augustine suggests his unhappiness may be caused by his acceptance of the City of the World and his neglect for the City of God.   St. Augustine recalls the words of classical philosopher Cicero: â€Å"They could look at nothing with their mind, but judged everything by the sight of their eyes; yet a man of any greatness of understanding is known by his detaching his thought from objects of sense, and his meditations from the ordinary track in which others move† (Petrarch). Petrarch experienced this detaching as a man of greatness of understanding, and the parallel between his time and thought with the ancient philosopher help show that human intelligence and reason continued to evolve.   The dilemma comes in trying to figure out whether this knowledge is attained by man himself or given by God, and whether the material world and the senses are as valuable as the promise of an afterworld. One of the main problems that Petrarch experiences in his â€Å"Secret Book† is the place of free will within faith.   Augustine reminds Petrarch that he chooses free will even with his faith: â€Å"No man can become or can be unhappy unless he so chooses† (Petrarch).   Petrarch comes to realize that it his choice for things in the City of the World, including his love for women and material things, and the only thing that makes these bad is that they prevent him from knowing the eternal City of God. To both Augustine and Petrarch, reason did not necessarily need to erode faith in God, but could go a long way in reinforcing it and in essence proving it correct.   His equal love for both and his desire to retain them as significant aspects of his life were keys to understanding his position in his writing.   In his book, Petrarch sought to synthesize his worldly thoughts and action with those of his faith, and his humanistic views were largely frowned upon by the Church, though they were nothing more than a precursor for the thought that would come to dominate Europe. The basic teachings of Petrarch not only borrow from Christian and humanistic thought from the past, but attempt to show that God granted men the ability to reason and free will to be pursued if they so choose.   While man may pursue with passion the many elements of being free, including worldly pleasures outside of faith, they run the risk of alienating themselves from God’s world, which was portrayed by the Church as the only singular dictator of human action.   By stating humans have free will within the confines of religious faith was an extremely controversial and revolutionary line of thinking for his Petrarch’s time, and reflected the growing tension within society. Though the Church’s power was fully realized and would not be relinquished, many people would use Petrarch’s arguments about free will to help liberate them from the often oppressive doctrines of the Church, while still managing to retain the love of God and their religious faith.   Prior to Petrarch’s work, this concept of synthesizing faith with reason was not only frowned upon by church leaders, but almost unheard of in a highly Christianized world. As the lone authority on matters of faith, morality, and will, the Church would continue to fight against any and all lines of thought that remotely challenged the sovereignty of its rule over the citizenry of Europe, but the growing humanism after the Black Death made many men like Petrarch question humanity’s place and purpose in the universe. Because of the legacy of the Church and the importance of religious thinking, there was really only one place such thought could begin from, and religious scholasticism was the foundation for all thought that would eventually supplant it, much like the line of thought espoused by Petrarch.   While Petrarch was seen as challenging the authority of the Church, and even the authority of God as the lone dictator of human freedom, he was also stating that the free will humans enjoyed was granted by the very same God. Petrarch was a devout Christians that also contributed greatly to the growth of humanism.   His personal dilemmas were centered around his beliefs that the City of the World must be known as much as the City of God, and his love for each was too strong to deny one for the other.   While too much knowledge of the City of the World could lead people to avoid learning about the City of God, it was also important to understand the world and the people in it as a way of understanding God’s truth.   Petrarch was also alive during a strange time of great tension, where the Church was largely corrupt and in turmoil, Europe was emerging from the Dark Ages, and the growing humanism was slowly changing the ideas of all people. Petrarch believed in the goodness and potential of people, and had faith in man’s ability to understand the world, which is all he sought to do.   The rejection by the Church of the synthesis of the City of the World and that of God is related to its fear that people will not follow its doctrines, and is nothing more than the last gasps of a power structure that could not hold a monopoly over the will and the faith of men and women across Europe. For men like Petrarch, humans can have a relationship with God and learn his truths by using their own reason and intellect.   The rejection of the synthesis of the two cities is nothing more than an attempt by the Church to keep control over the masses of people.   But, with the help and inspiration of men like Petrarch, people would eventually realize the benefit and power of their own free will and seek to understand the City of God and the City of the World alike. Works Cited: Petrarch, Francesco. â€Å"Petrarch’s Secret.†Ã‚   Francesco Petrarch – Father of Humanism.   Trans. William H. Draper. 1911. 7 Mar 2008. http://petrarch.petersadlon.com/secretum.html.

Operations Management At Mcdonalds Management Essay

Operations Management At Mcdonalds Management Essay What is Operation Management? Operations Management is an activity of management which is concerned with the production and delivery of products and service to an organization. The operations functionis the part of the organization that is responsible for this activity. Every organization has an operations function Operation management is very important for any company. And by this function company can grow-up and moving in right way. For example Mc Donalds Mc Donald Corporation was Born in 1940s. It was the first fast food industry in the world market.   And who started a chain system in the world market. It serves some of the world favourite and famous food like French fries, Big Quarter Pounder, Chicken Nuggets and sausage McMuffin with egg as a breakfast. Mc Donald is the leading global food service retailer with more than 33000 local restaurants served by more than 1.7 million   employees p in 122 different countries. Mc donalds serves more than 49 Million customers around the world each and every day. More than 80% of Mc Donalds restaurant worldwide ran by independent local distributor and local public. Mc Donald corporation is grew from beginners and Every year they produce new product or scheme for   attract a customer. By latest news McDonalds introduce a new product as fruit maple oatmeal in its menu in 2011. Mc donald is using a Operation Management system for be in a International market. McDonld process McDonalds manufacturing process is completely transparent to the customer and in the market. Even A customer can see the process of the fast food and they can judge to hygienic standards at Mc Donalds by allowing them to enter where the process took place. A customer has allow to check the ingredients used in food. Inputs Material-Other procedures where the material use which can called a preparation. We have to prepare for all kind of material for making fast food. And Raw material are arranged acoording to the requirement. Example : Ready all kind of sauce, make a ready all vegetable and salads to ready for serve, burgers, Cheese, Chips and extra. Information -Information could do so to transform their informationalproperties. A change the possessionof the information. Example: Mc Donald research market to sell information. Store information about past experience and data about McDonalds Company. Facilities: McDonald has a all kind of facilities for making a food and preparing a food and servicing facility. They have buildings, equipment, plant and process technology of the operation. They provide a good arrangement for workers, servicing. They provide storage and administrative areas. The facility is designed by traditional techniques, scale plans, diagrams, and travel charring very lower cost. Staff   In the McDonalds the people who operates, maintain, plan and manage the operation. the term ‘staff to describe all the people in the Main operation, and any kind of operation. Transformational process The steps needed to transforming inputs into outputs. This is a Main part of transforming process. By transforming process Mc Donald handle a input and outputs servicing and It and maintain Quality services. Output The output has a required to the product and service by the customer. By output Mc Donald give aGood service to customer and satisfaction. They also believe to provide a quality product to a customer. Quality Management Mc Donald maintaining the quality of the goods and services so It can meet the minimum requirements laid by the corporation. For manage and maintain the quality of the product and services they must adobe a quality checks procedure. Quality in McDonald   is very important. And its depend on two main reasons. One reason that, its a legal requirements of the quality of fast food served. And Secondly ,to Maintain the good reputation about McDonalds Corporation earned over the years. Its   very difficult to maintain an quality of food   and therefore McDonalds carry on a number of practices to Double check that quality food is served. Some of these practices are the visited by the food inspector from the Food and Hygienic, supervisor checks etc. 4v challenges in Mc Donald The volume of their output; The variety of their output; The variation in the demand for their output; The degree of visibility which customers have of the production of the product or service. The volume dimension High-volume hamburger production is McDonalds, and they serve millions of burgers in the world each and every. Volume has most thing to implications for the way McDonalds operations are organized. First reason is the repeatabilityof the tasks people are doing and the systemizationof the worked where standard procedures are fix in a manual, with instructions with big volume of the job should be carried out. Also the tasks are systematized and repeated, it is worthwhile developing specialized fryers and ovens. All this given by low unit costs. Now consider a small local cafeteria serving a few ‘short order dishes. The range of items on the menu may be similar to the larger operation, but the volume will be more less than large operation.   And a degree of repetition will also be far lower. and the number of staff will be less. The variety dimension Mc Donald company offers a high-variety service. It may confine its   different type of   fast foods, servicing of people in the restaurant. In order to offer this variety it must be relatively flexible. Employee must have a good knowledge about customer like and dislike. So they can prepaid for that. The variation dimension MC Donald company has a variation dimension in a year. Basically Mc Donald has variation in products. Like, Hot food, and Cold drinks and Ice creams and different type of cold drinks. And Hot chocolates. Customers like cold drinks in summer times than in the middle of winter. And Customer like to drink Hot chocolates in winter time. They have different breakfast as per seasonal time. The visibility dimension Visibility is a slightly more difficult dimension of operations to envisage. It means how much of the operations activities its customers experience, or how much the operation is exposedto its customers. Generally, customer-processing operations are more exposed to their customers than material- or information-processing operations. But even customer processing operations have some choice as to how visible they wish their operations to be. For example, in clothes retailing, an organization could decide to operate as a chain of conventional shops. Alternatively, it could decide not to have any shops at all but rather to run an internet-based operation. Performance Objectives of every organization There are five performance objectives. Speed Cost Quality Dependability Flexibility Organizational structure of McDonalds, affects its performance and helps it to meet its objectives. The organizational structure of McDonalds has a big impact in helping the restaurant to have an effective performance and also boost it to meet its objectives. The production area of McDonalds by ensuring that there is enough food products, packaging for food in order for the restaurant to operate each day, and to requirement of the customers, and that customers needs are met properly. To do this McDonalds orders the food that it require from the suppliers in bulk whenever needed; this is essential due to McDonalds serving the food over a number of customers every day, the restaurant required to be good equipped with food items and packaging for the food so that it can run successfully and not have customers complaining due to the lack of food this According to my study McDonalds has two main performance objectives. Speed How much the time to customer has to stay for their product and the services its called speed. McDonalds aim for drive-thru is 90 seconds. But that is just regular documentation for the report not for every time. Here speed is main objective for McDonalds drive-thru performance, so they have to be accurate on that. If they cant keep that speed for serve the customer in drive-thru during busy time customer will unhappy with the services. For progress that performance McDonalds need to modify the policy and the system to serve the customer that will consume the time to chase the customers order in-time. For perform excellent process they have to follow the sequencing regulations, like when the customer will come first, than priority for that customer is high than the next customer. According to the sequencing system in McDonalds they wish First-In-First-Out Sequencing rules. Some time it could be change on order. If they make two different queues for serve the customer fast by customer s order number. It means two different queues for big and little order that will be supportive to McDonalds serving speed. Cost Cost is usually main objective for McDonalds. For organization complete in price, cost must be a significant objective. If they produce lower price product than it would be cheap for the customer. Most of the organization spends the money first for staff wages, after that machinery, stuff, tools and services. McDonalds provide low cost product. McDonalds food is very cheaper than other Companies food. Mc Donalds give an offer to customers in a meal deal, Burger, sandwich and   more number of people will be attracted by offer and McDonald average cost will decrease. Mcdonalda in some cost cutting strategy include are also investing in energy-saving to equipment Quality Mcdonalds food quality is as good as at used to be long time,this restaurant is already go through periodic inspections in item of quality food,in mcdonalds improving to tranning process and taking care of employees. Well i think the quality and menu at McDonalds needs to improve. Whats with the quarter pounders meat sticking out of the bun? Bun should be the same size as the meat, baru okay for the price that we are paying. For the past 20 years weve all been eathing the same thing, whats new Fold over, Quarter Pounder, Prosperity Burger, Big and Tasty Samurai Burger, Chicken Mc Deluxe all etc. CONCLUSION: We learn from above assignment that operations management is very important for any company as they have a partnership with the overall strategy of the organisation. Mc Donald used an Operation Management system in there channel. And by using a OM system Mc Donald company grow up year by year. McDonalds believes that the success of the restaurants and the company is achieved through the people it employs. MC Donald has a powerful five performance obejectives.The company aims to recruit the best people, to retain them by offering ongoing training relevant to their position and to promote them when they are ready.OM contributes to the strategy and they helps the organisation to gain competitive advantage. For an immediate basis, process planning can help the organisation reduce cost and gain cost advantages and therefore gain competitive advantage. Therefore the organisations must effectively manage the operations of the business as it has a massive effect on the strategy of the organi sation.

The Meaning of Heritage in Alice Walkers Everyday Use Essay -- Everyd

The Meaning of Heritage in Alice Walker's Everyday Use  Ã‚      Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," is a story about a poor, African-American family and a conflict about the word "heritage." In this short story, the word "heritage" has two meanings. One meaning for the word "heritage" represents family items, thoughts, and traditions passed down through the years. The other meaning for the word "heritage" represents the African-American culture. There are three women in this short story, two sisters and their mother. One of the sisters is named Maggie and the other is named Dee. Maggie and her mother believe that the word "heritage" deals with their family?s traditions. These traditions are the only ones they have ever known and/or cared about. Dee, on the other hand, believes that "heritage" is about African culture, and she wants nothing to do with her family?s heritage until it is in style. Throughout "Everyday Use," there are examples that show Maggie and her mother have knowledge about their family?s heritage. There are also examples that show Maggie and her mother cherish their family?s heritage and Dee does not. Next, there are examples that show Dee is not concerned with her family?s heritage until it becomes stylish. Finally, there are examples that show Dee embracing her African-American heritage instead of her family?s heritage. The narrator of "Everyday Use" is the mother, and the story opens with Maggie and her mother waiting for Dee to arrive. The mother?s description of her family?s yard, "a yard like this is more comfortable than most people know" (Walker 1149), shows that she is happy and content with her current surroundings. This land is a part of their family?s heritage, and the mother is comfortable l... ...ly?s heritage. So ironically, while Dee is looking for her African-American culture, and it lies right in front of her eyes. Her sister, mother, grandmother, and herself are all a part of their family?s heritage, which stems from the African-American heritage that Dee is so desperate to find. Works Cited Allen-Polley, Kathryn. "Dee?s Heritage." Ode to Friendship. Ed. Connie Bellamy. Virginia Wesleyan College, 1998. Baker and Pierce-Baker, Houston and Charlotte. "Patches: Quilts and Community in Alice Walker?s ?Everyday Use.?" Alice Walker: Critical Perspectives Past and Present. Eds. Henry Louis Gates and K. A. Appiah. New York: Amistad , 1993. Callahan, John. "Review of Love and Trouble." Short Story Criticism Vol. 5. (Essay date 1974). Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.

The Printing Press

The Printing Press There have been many important inventions over the past millennium. Many of them have helped shape society into what it is today. None however have contributed as much to the world as the printing press has. The printing press was invented in the year 1440 by Johann Gutenberg of Mainz, Germany. The printing press consisted of a large press which held plates where movable type could be inserted to spell out entire books page by page. The press was either operated by a large screw or lever which pressed the inked letters onto the sheet of paper.Once done the letters had to be rearranged to make the next page and then repeated for each new page in the book. This process however slow was much faster than the old method of hand writing the books and great deal cheaper as well. The invention of the printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium because it spread ideas throughout Europe, forever altered modern society and it gave the common people power and the chance to become literate. The printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium because it allowed many important ideas and opinions to be more easily widespread to the general public.The printing press helped the spread of ideas through the production of books. The ability to mass produce books and pamphlets helped many political leaders spread their views to the public more easily. These views of the political leaders, good or bad were now accessible to the general public. The ability to read leader’s views and form public opinions helped shape the world into what it is today. Printed books also explored ideas on science and technology which helped bring forth scientific knowledge that shaped the scientific revolution.The press gave freedom to the general public in a new form of expression of thought. People now had a new way of recording their thoughts and sharing it with others. This freedom of expressive print was very liberating for o nes message could reach many in a short time. The printing press invention was important to people in many fields for it allowed the political powers to continue to expand, it provides the opportunity to share scientific knowledge and it allowed the public freedom to share in print format. Modern society was affected in many crucial ways because of the printing press.One of the ways that society is affected by this invention from so many years ago is that it brought about the standardization of spelling and grammar. This was and still is important because it brought about the awareness that in order to properly communicate there would need to be a standardized form of spelling and spelling rules. This set standard form of spelling shaped many languages and made the written communication of them easy in the past and still today. The second way that its affects are noted still today is it helped spread religious views to various corners of the world in print format.The importance of t his is that this source of books such as the bible or other religious books allowed religious views to be read about and shared in the home rather than just being a message listened to at church. It provided common written messages and because of this many religions such as Christianity could be spread easier throughout the world. These religious writings formed a common base for religion to be prevalent today. Another way in which society was affected by the printing press is that it helped the world’s technology advance faster.People could afford to buy factual books and educate themselves through reading. The more educated that people became, the more they searched for ways to make life better with their knowledge they had acquired from reading books. Today’s society still largely relies on written print as a way to gain knowledge. Modern society and its advancement in written language structure religious followings and technologies advancement are rooted in the his tory of the printing press and would look much different today if the printing press had not been invented.The invention of the printing press allowed many ordinary citizens the chance to own a book and learn to read. Before the invention of the printing press the cost and time to make a book limited the owning of a book to the very wealthy. However with the invention of the printing press as well as the newly found knowledge of how to make paper from the Arabs printing books became rather inexpensive and much less time consuming. These important advancements made it so average people could now afford to buy books, people began to learn how to read and therefore more opinions and ideas were spread.Literacy rates improved and with this knowledge it allowed the common peasants power to understand what was happening in their country. This power of being literate was important because it provided them opportunity to plan to make life better for oneself. Today books still have an importa nce for having books and being literate is important because if one can read and understand things in their world it gives one choices of how they can interact with others. The printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium.Its effects were important in 1440 to spread political, scientific and technological ideas. Its effects are still important today in spelling and grammar, religion and in nonfiction education. It gave people power to be owners of printed material and it promoted a desire to learn to educate oneself to read. The printing press was crucial in the advancement of society. Power in written form is a document to learn from and expand from. The printing press allowed societies historical events and ideas to be documented and allowed man to learn from the past to progress the future. The Printing Press The Printing Press There have been many important inventions over the past millennium. Many of them have helped shape society into what it is today. None however have contributed as much to the world as the printing press has. The printing press was invented in the year 1440 by Johann Gutenberg of Mainz, Germany. The printing press consisted of a large press which held plates where movable type could be inserted to spell out entire books page by page. The press was either operated by a large screw or lever which pressed the inked letters onto the sheet of paper.Once done the letters had to be rearranged to make the next page and then repeated for each new page in the book. This process however slow was much faster than the old method of hand writing the books and great deal cheaper as well. The invention of the printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium because it spread ideas throughout Europe, forever altered modern society and it gave the common people power and the chance to become literate. The printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium because it allowed many important ideas and opinions to be more easily widespread to the general public.The printing press helped the spread of ideas through the production of books. The ability to mass produce books and pamphlets helped many political leaders spread their views to the public more easily. These views of the political leaders, good or bad were now accessible to the general public. The ability to read leader’s views and form public opinions helped shape the world into what it is today. Printed books also explored ideas on science and technology which helped bring forth scientific knowledge that shaped the scientific revolution.The press gave freedom to the general public in a new form of expression of thought. People now had a new way of recording their thoughts and sharing it with others. This freedom of expressive print was very liberating for o nes message could reach many in a short time. The printing press invention was important to people in many fields for it allowed the political powers to continue to expand, it provides the opportunity to share scientific knowledge and it allowed the public freedom to share in print format. Modern society was affected in many crucial ways because of the printing press.One of the ways that society is affected by this invention from so many years ago is that it brought about the standardization of spelling and grammar. This was and still is important because it brought about the awareness that in order to properly communicate there would need to be a standardized form of spelling and spelling rules. This set standard form of spelling shaped many languages and made the written communication of them easy in the past and still today. The second way that its affects are noted still today is it helped spread religious views to various corners of the world in print format.The importance of t his is that this source of books such as the bible or other religious books allowed religious views to be read about and shared in the home rather than just being a message listened to at church. It provided common written messages and because of this many religions such as Christianity could be spread easier throughout the world. These religious writings formed a common base for religion to be prevalent today. Another way in which society was affected by the printing press is that it helped the world’s technology advance faster.People could afford to buy factual books and educate themselves through reading. The more educated that people became, the more they searched for ways to make life better with their knowledge they had acquired from reading books. Today’s society still largely relies on written print as a way to gain knowledge. Modern society and its advancement in written language structure religious followings and technologies advancement are rooted in the his tory of the printing press and would look much different today if the printing press had not been invented.The invention of the printing press allowed many ordinary citizens the chance to own a book and learn to read. Before the invention of the printing press the cost and time to make a book limited the owning of a book to the very wealthy. However with the invention of the printing press as well as the newly found knowledge of how to make paper from the Arabs printing books became rather inexpensive and much less time consuming. These important advancements made it so average people could now afford to buy books, people began to learn how to read and therefore more opinions and ideas were spread.Literacy rates improved and with this knowledge it allowed the common peasants power to understand what was happening in their country. This power of being literate was important because it provided them opportunity to plan to make life better for oneself. Today books still have an importa nce for having books and being literate is important because if one can read and understand things in their world it gives one choices of how they can interact with others. The printing press was the most important invention of the last millennium.Its effects were important in 1440 to spread political, scientific and technological ideas. Its effects are still important today in spelling and grammar, religion and in nonfiction education. It gave people power to be owners of printed material and it promoted a desire to learn to educate oneself to read. The printing press was crucial in the advancement of society. Power in written form is a document to learn from and expand from. The printing press allowed societies historical events and ideas to be documented and allowed man to learn from the past to progress the future.

The Piano Essay Example

The Piano Essay Example The Piano Essay The Piano Essay Stewart views the Maori with suspicion and hostility . Baines is another settler who assists Stewart,especially in mediating between him and the indigenous Maori whose language and customs Baines has come to know and sometimes share. Stewart cannot apreciatte either the need for the piano. Campions use of the blasted setting for Stewarts house,in pointed contrast to Baines more ecological integrated one ,depicts the tradition and the use of the landscape for symbolic as well as representational differences between the two male characters Stewart and Baines. Unlike Stewart who has built his cottage in a wooden cottage surrounded my bush and mud,Baines is in harmony with his enviroment. Baines moves between the separate worlds of Maori and white,acts as messenger and interpreter. He has long ago given up any attempt to distance himself and the native people. Baines relationship with the Maori is very good. In a way, he has succeed to create a bridge nature and culture in the film through his affinity with the land and his easy relationship with the Maori stand in contrast to Stewart. Stewart makes a bad start and his marriage gets off when he leaves the piano on the beach where Ada and Flora land. He is a capitalist colonizer trying to buy the burial land from Maori and trying to exploit them. Maori blend in the country and move through the landscape in such a way that white people can never match there. Stewart would not be in the country if it were not in the process of being colonized. He is obsessed with owning more and more land and he treats the Maoris like children . Stewart complains to Baines What do they want the land for? They dont cultivate it, burn it back. How do they even know its theirs(pg. 121). Stewart appears as a confused man ,who tries to control his world,his music,his sex ,is emotional deadness with moments of humour when he orders Flora to witewash the indigenous trees after she and some of her friends are caught rubbing up againstthem in a playful way. The Piano for him is an object of no value until it can be exchanged for some land. Value for him is seen in terms of exchanging or buying property of land. Therefore,Baines is a more sympathetic character than Stewart because he is more in touch with the Maori among whom he lives and they in turn are more in touch with the nature in the play. Although Stewart is very conservatively severely dressed,he wants to show that he is a gentleman and he only cares about how he appears to others as we have seen in the play. The camera captures him to comb numerous times his hair and care not so much about the image of his future wife but more about the reflection of his face in the small framed photo where Adas is represented. As opposed to Stewart,Baines is dressed informally,he stays more close to the land,gives not a big emphasis in the outer look but more to his feelings,has softer tones,as also his face marked with the special tatoos moko expressing not only Maoris identity but also his affinity with both Maori and nature,as a white Tarzan of The Piano. He has gone bush and has a strong relationship with the Maori people. He is the natural man that speaks Maori like native. He is not afraid to go down to go down the river and wash his dirty clothes in public in front of the native women there. Baines is more native than civilised with his apperance in the film. When Ada arrives and brings the piano with her,Stewart sees it as invaluable untill Baines puts a value on it . It becomes a commodity with exchange value and Ada learns to bargain her body for her desire, the piano. Stewart puts her in that position . He has no idea of what empathy with the woman means. In falling back on his patriarchal authority , he turns Ada against him permanently, where she sees him like a monster. Baines, on the other hand, thinks always of Ada and the importance of the piano to her . He hears her in her silence, while Stewart does not hear her at all. Stewart is never a husband to Ada. His behavior makes Ada look elsewhere, since he is not prepared to give her anything she needs. Stewart slips easily to the role of tyrrant for Ada,since her father chose him as his daughters partner. He is presented with a puritan patriarch order. The two mens contrasting relations to the Maoris also serve to give us their measure, perhaps a little too obviously: Baines is linked to the natural people and more interested in Ada than in music. Baines is illiterate but not ignorant. Watching Ada play her piano, listening to the music with which she speaks, he can detect a passion in this woman that he too wants to play. Stewart is a man that values have failed him,although he tries to show Ada his patriarchical figure. Most of the cases,he undermines her like a bargain. He has already accepted her muteness and he thinks that she snob. As opossed to Baines,Stewart denies the affection of love. Stewart wanted to know how she looked ,although Baines wanted to know how she felt. Her muteness fascinates Baines but creates dreadful thoughts for Stewart. Baines, a man with no education,without manners and no restraints the antithesis with Ada,but also the only man the appreciates her beauty and respects her autonomy. He has a sensuous play of touch and smell and that is his language with Ada. Their bodies become the dictionaries and instruments of expression,while the piano serves the smell of the salt sea and the sound of the keys. It is so expressive and erotic as Ada is elevating the scale in her piano climax as Baines in the meantime massaging her leg through a hole in her black stocking. Baines has no interest in piano lessons. But he talks Ada, who finds him repulsive, into an exchange. She will earn her piano back, key by key, if she will tolerate his indecent sexual desires while she plays. Ada, forced to submit to unwanted contact with Baines to regain the piano her husband sold without her consent. But Adas need for the piano outweighs her rage and resentment. Adas willingness is enforced as Baines ups the stakes, more keys in exchange for more sexual favors from Ada. However, Baines is ready to drop his pants at almost any excuse,as opposed to Ada that sheds her inhibitions, and her clothes, at a slower pace. Baines seduction of Ada is lengthy, slow, deliberate shown in the film with the help of a warm afternoon sunshine between them. By giving her the power to bargain with him, Baines has liberated something in Ada. He is the one who recognizes the sexual passion contained in Adas piano playing. He and Ada are becoming imprisoned by their passion for each other. His passion for Ada makes him free her not only from the bondage of her father but also from Stewart,whereas Ada builds a better and more balanced relationship with the masculine figure of Baines . He is the man that can admit her feminine elements and she can also in turn accept his masculine in her. Baines is somehow feels sickened about that degraded bargain at a point and he wants Ada only if she wants him, and is prepared to send her away. She must now decide if she wants to give herself to him of her own free will and that is the liberating moment of her sexual passion . After she leaves, Baines is haunted by the echo and odor of a woman that she has left him with awe and lot of thoughts. Stewart makes two attempts to rape her,but she manages to drive him crazy with frustration and unables him to rape her at the end. He feels unable anymore and his only alternative is to imprison Ada and Flora in the home by nailing shut the door and windows. The piano has lost a key and now the wife will lose her finger. The punishment from Stewart symbolically fits the sexual crime. In a rage Stewart chops off Adas index finger with an axe. When he tells Flora to give the wrapped finger to Baines, it it is with the warning that if he ever tries to see her again Ill take off another and another! (Campion, 104). Stewart shows here by cutting her finger his patriarchys brutal denial of female passion in all its liberating possibilities . Afterwards Flora is made to deliver the finger, instead of the piano key, to Baines. Stewart, unable to be a man with his strong wife after that incident , is after finding himself near her bed where he is sexually aroused by her victimized condition and undoes his pants. But when Adas eyes open, Stewart is stopped in his tracks, stopped in his tracks, and hears the voice that sounds in her mind. A man in Stewarts position ,though deeply repressed in his sexuality,expects to be able exercise his rights over his wife,but even there he fails. His hopefulness about winning Adas heart and love is as pitiable as his violence on her is odious. Even Flora does no longer see him as a threat to her relationship with her mother. He understands that he must let her leave with Baines. Sacrifice precedes the powerful resolution of the impossible conflicts in this film. Stewart sacrifices Ada to restore her and he regains himself. Flora finds her own voice when she risks the complete sacrifice of her mothers love. Baines sacrifices land, then the piano, then Ada, and after regaining her, finally sacrifices his old identity entirely for Ada and her love. As far as Adas side, she sacrifices the piano for her love of Baines, for Flora, and for her own will to live. The film ends with ambiguity. Baines, Ada, and Flora move to a town where Ada, is fitted with a metal finger,which has repaired Stewarts assault , gives real piano lessons and is learning to speak. Baines is there to love her and so is Flora. But Ada dreams of still being attached to the piano in the deep sea. Here we return to The Pianos deep structure of imprisonment and freedom. Imprisoned by silence, by passion, by bars, by men, by New Zealand, by Victorian custom, and by the will that was not her own, Ada escapes to freedom and finds her voice. She unexpectedly finds the voice she silenced as a child and the love she perhaps never knew. Show preview only