Companies and the Customers Who Hate Them Essay

How can customer dissatisfaction lead to higher profits for the company? Companies have found out that ill-informed customers can be beneficial for them in terms of profits. Some companies have abused their customers intentionally, however others unwittingly exploited and took advantage of them. The Slippery slope: There are two major ways in which companies make profits by misleading their customers: * Offering the customers a broad variety of services or products, which can be very confusing, especially when there is lack of transparency. Moreover, if even the information is complete for the customers, the companies can take advantages of consumers’ difficulties in predicting their needs. * Using fees and penalties for offsetting costs and discouraging undesirable customer behavior. These hostile strategies are common from banking and hotel industries to video stores and car rentals. Here particularly 3 industries will be discussed in details: cell phone industry, retail- banking industry and health club industry. Cell phone industry: When a customer signs up for a service plan, he chooses a certain pricing option with different ranges of minutes. These plans can have various restrictions and allowances. However, these varied plans are not a result of customer-centric strategy. They are rather ways to take advantage of customer’s unawareness of which plan to choose, in the result of which customers can be penalized either for using too much time or for not using enough. However, such strategies cannot always guarantee profits for the company. They can increase the dissatisfaction among customers, the proof of which can be thousands of complaints that the U. S. Federal Communications Commission gets annually. These complaints should be worrisome to companies because customers can switch toward a transparent and friendly alternative. Retail-banking industry: Another sphere in which the company-centric strategy is used is retail-banking industry. For signing up in the checking accounts people are offered dozens of alternatives. If the customers cannot precisely predict their needs, they can have losses. Here are some examples of situations when the banks take advantage over the customers’ ignorance * The customers receive less interest when the consumers’ balances are above the minimum of the balance bucket and if the alances fall below the minimum level, they have to pay some penalties. * Banks usually debit the consumers’ checks in the order of size, rather than in a chronological order, for the rest of the checks to bounce and to cause multiple overdrafts, consequently penalties. The company-centric strategy of banks led to the customers’ dissatisfaction and it became so pervasive that New York congresswoman Carolyn Maloney reintroduced the Consumer Overdraft Protection Fair Practices Act to forbid banks charging overdraft protection fees, unless the customers explicitly are informed about the service. Health club industry: Health clubs tempt customers to sign long-term contracts, knowing that they will rarely visit the club. They realize that all their customers will not completely use the facility and therefore sell more memberships than they have the floor space to accommodate. Moreover, an investigation conducted by the New York City Council concluded that 41% of clubs didn’t explain their fees in writing, 81% didn’t give potential members a contract to read at home and 96% didn’t inform customers of all the ways they could legally cancel a contract. In New Jersey a lot of complaints have brought litigation against almost two dozen health clubs that provided fraudulent contracts. Health clubs require to spend more time to attract new customers because their existing ones try to find a way out. Moreover they even encourage ways to retain customers with reward points for members who work out regularly. The warning signs: According to the research most of the executives are acknowledging the negative effects of the functions described above but they mention that those actions do not represent an intentional strategy. The executives know that because of these negative practices the companies slid down the slippery slope and have difficulties for purchasing on the way back up thus becoming vulnerable for the competitors. For avoiding this practice the executives should ask themselves the questions mentioned bellow. * Are our most profitable customers those who have reasons to be dissatisfied with us? * Do we have rules we want customers to break because doing so generates profits? Do we make it difficult for customers to understand or abide by our rules, and do we actually help customers break them? * Do we depend on contracts to prevent customers from defecting? Climbing back into favor: Effective CEOs are able to recognize the opportunities and eliminate the negative effects which make the company vulnerable. The company centric strategies can cause loss of the target market and profitability in a long-term period, thus many companies prefer being economically sustainable.

Mineral and Water Essay

There are over 20 minerals that a person needs to include in their diet to stay healthy. Some of these make up a significant portion of someone body weight, others are found only in minute quantities. The major minerals are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, and sulfur. Minerals that are; and these include iron, copper, zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, and more. Neither mineral is more important than the other. A deficiency of a trace element can be damaging to your health as a deficiency of a major mineral. Minerals contribute to body structure and are involved in the regulation of the processes that maintain life. Many minerals have more than one function. Like calcium is needed to keep our bones strong as well as to keep blood pressure normal, allow muscles to contract, and transmit nerve signals from cell to cell. Some other minerals help regulate fluid balance, others regulate energy production, and some affect gene expression. Many act as cofactors needed for enzyme activity. Just like minerals water plays and important part in our body. Water makes up in adults 60% of body weight, and in children and infants 70%. Water is found in varying proportions in all the tissues of the body; muscles are about 75% water and bone is about 25% water. Water bathes the cells and lubricates and cleanses internal and external body surfaces. Watery tears lubricate the eyes and wash away dirt, synovial fluid lubricates the joints, and saliva lubricates the mouth making it easier to chew and swallow food. Blood, which is mostly water, flows through our bodies, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells and returning waste products to the lungs and kidneys for excretion. Water also functions in chemical reactions and helps regulate body temperature. When the body is releasing more water than it is in taking a person can become dehydrated. Dehydration is a depletion of body water, will cause symptoms more rapidly than a deficiency of any other nutrient. Dehydration can be life threating. When water losses are great enough to reduce blood volume, the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells and remove waste products is affected. From reading the article â€Å"Coconut Water†, the benefits of drinking coconut water are that it is rich with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and growth factors. Coconut water is also used to relieve or ease dehydration, fatigue, constipation, and other digestive disturbances. Coconut water also is used to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Gun Rights Vs. Gun Control - 856 Words

Gun control is an extremely controversial issue in the United States, and the debates around this topic has started many decades ago. According to the article â€Å"Gun Rights vs. Gun control† by Brianna Gurciullo, these debates are fueled by the people who defend the gun rights and the people who advocate in favor of gun control. It has been difficult to prove that gun ownership is directly related to an increase in violence due to the fact that researches tend to disagree on the impact of gun ownership in the American society. These debates tend to be brought to the spotlight whenever there is a mass shooting in the United States, which according to Abbey Oldham, who is a reporter from the PBS News Hour, happens quite frequently. However, organizations, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), defend that the laws for gun control violate the Second Amendment of the constitution, which states â€Å"the right of the people to keep and bear arms† stated Gurciullo. D ue to the distinct interpretations of the constitution and the difficulty to agree on the best approach to tackle the issue, this controversy seem to be almost unsolvable. The people who advocate in favor of gun control have several arguments to support their idea. They defend that gun control would help to reduce the number of mass shootings in the United States and the crimes that are related to firearms. Oldham highlighted that the United States had 372 mass shooting, where 475 were killed and 1870 were injured inShow MoreRelatedGun Control Vs. Gun Rights968 Words   |  4 PagesGun Control vs. Gun Rights With conservatives, liberals, and moderates continuously arguing about what is right for this country or what is morally or politically correct, we are forced to find a compromised middle-ground, because it can be the difference between life and death in many unfortunate cases. Conservatives believe that The Second Amendment allows citizens the right to bear arms and protect their individual, inalienable rights. They believe that there are too many gun control laws andRead MoreGun Control Vs. Gun Rights1099 Words   |  5 PagesReflection Paper One: Gun Control Vs. Gun Rights Whether you gather your information from the newspaper, radio, or a website, you have certainly been exposed to one of the most controversial, current debates. It seems that the media refuses to stop talking about this topic. In fact, as soon as the press over one event disappears another event seems to revive the debate. Some citizens say that we need more restrictive gun laws. Meanwhile, other Americans say that more guns are what is necessary.Read MoreGun Control vs. Gun Rights Essay8911 Words   |  36 PagesRunning Head: GUN CONTROL VS. GUN RIGHTS Gun Control vs. Gun Rights By Robert Marlow For CJ 450 Senior Seminar Dr. Michael Eskey Park University September 2009 Abstract Gun control and gun rights have been an issue that has been debated for decades. Whenever there has been a mass shooting of any magnitude, it seems that the debate heats up even more. Consideration must be given as to what the benefits are of these gun control laws. Gun control laws must also be written asRead More Gun Control vs. Gun Rights Essays477 Words   |  2 Pagesstates â€Å" The right of the people to keep and bear arms†. What does that mean to us, basically and person in the United States is allowed to own and keep a fire arm in house. Gun control advocates believe that right does not extend to ownership of military-style firearms that are otherwise known as assault weapons. To curb gun-related violence certain checks are made, such as mandatory child safety locks, background checks on those wishing to purchase a gun, limits on the number of guns a person canRead More Gun Rights vs Gun Control Essay2049 Words   |  9 PagesStates has caused the gun control debat e to intensify. While anti-gun control advocates say the Second Amendment guarantees each individual the right to bear arms, the pro-gun control group reads the Second Amendment as a collective right to bear arms; meaning organized militia are the only ones with that right. This essay will analyse the effectiveness of several different articles which present arguments for and against gun control. Charles W. Collier’s article, â€Å"Gun Control in America: An AutopsyRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control949 Words   |  4 Pageswould be Gun Control, because I am a gun owner who is a supporter of the second amendment. With shootings and other gun related trouble happening all over our country those who create and maintain our gun laws have a big responsibility to take care of. The policy issue of gun control has both people who support the right to bear arms, while there are others who think all guns should be done away with, and this dispute should be something people care about in a legal context. When gun control is broughtRead MoreGun Rights And Gun Control994 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent times, gun control is becoming a social issue in the US after the many incidents or accident happened related to the gun owner’s kill’s people at the social places. Gun rights means the every person have right to take or carry guns for their self protection is created controversial issue related to criminal justice that needed the requirement for the gun control to stop people from killing each other. Moreover, on 2 Dec, 2015, two suspects those opened fire in a California social serviceRead More Gun Control in America Essay1426 Words   |  6 PagesGun Control in America The American Constitution and the Bill of Rights are amazing documents in their wording. Its writers showed astonishing foresight in some ways, and understanding that they could not accurately predict the future in others. These documents grant specific and vague powers to different departments of the Federal Government. The wording allows for changes to be made in its content and interpretation. One example of all these qualities, is the Second Amendment, and its interpretationRead MoreThe Bill Of Rights Of The United States1557 Words   |  7 PagesThe Bill of Rights lists certain freedoms and liberties that are guaranteed to the people of the United States of America. Because these rights are in the Constitution, they are federal laws that apply to everyone in America. To ensure there was no question as to who the Bill of Rights applied to, the Fourteenth Amendment was passed in 1868 giving anyone born in, or a citizen of, the United States the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The amendment left clauses giving some interpretationRead MorePersuasive Essay On Gun Control928 Words   |  4 Pages Gun violence has risen in America tremendously. According to the White House.com, Over the past decade in America, more than 100,000 people have been killed because of gun violence and millions more have been the victim of assaults, robberies, and other crimes involving a gun. (Office of the Press Secretary). The most recent case where a gun was used to carry out an act of violence was the Las Vegas shooting that took place on October 1st,2017. During a concert, perpetrator Stephen Paddock opened

Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay

Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes symbolism throughout his short story Young Goodman Brown to impact and clarify the theme of good people sometimes doing bad things. Hawthorne uses a variety of light and dark imagery, names, and people to illustrate irony and different translations. Young Goodman Brown is a story about a man who comes to terms with the reality that people are imperfect and flawed and then dies a bitter death from the enlightenment of his journey through the woods. Images of darkness, symbolic representations of names and people and the journey through the woods all attribute to Hawthornes theme of good people sometimes doing bad things. The use of dark†¦show more content†¦He dies a bitter lonely man because he couldn?t handle the truth that good people sometimes do bad things. ?They carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone; for his dying hour was gloom.? (206) Throughout the story Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the names of Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith as symbolic representations. The word ?young? in Goodman Brown?s name gives you the image of an inexperienced, naà ¯ve boy who must take on an adventure instead of staying in the comfort of his surroundings. His wife, Faith, tries to stop him by saying, ?Pray thee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed to-night.? (196) Here you see Faith encouraging Goodman Brown?s quest for knowledge to be done in the light (sunrise) instead traveling through the unknown darkness to gain wisdom. Her fear is made clear through the use of light and dark imagery. The use of the words ?good? and ?man? in Goodman Brown names leaves you to wonder if men are really good. My interpretation is that Goodman Brown is not good at all because he falls into the devils temptation and excepts the baptism. It proves that even the best of men are subject to imperfection. The word faith throughout the story is a play on words. The first use of the word faith is the name of Goodman Brown?s wife. The second use of the word faith describes Goodman Brown?s belief, trust andShow MoreRelatedAllegory and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†1203 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is an excellent example of the use of allegories and symbolism as a form of satire on Puritan faith. According to Frank Preston Stearns, author of The Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"Hawthorne may have intended this story as an exposure of the inconsistency, and consequent hypocrisy, of Puritanism† (Stearns 181). Throughout the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Hawthorne tries to infuse as many symbols and allegories as he can to enhance the overallRead MoreSymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay468 Words   |  2 PagesSymbolism in Natha niel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown is full of symbolism throughout the story. Perhaps the most interesting examples of symbolism include the title character, Young Goodman Brown, as well as his wife, Faith, and the woods that Young Goodman Brown enters on his journey. Included are many allusions to Christianity and also to evil and sin. These references are expressed mainly through characters and settings in the story. TheRead MoreSymbolism In Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Benjamin Goodman Brown995 Words   |  4 Pages12/11/2017 Nathaniel Hawthorne is taken into account to be one in every of the greatest Americas anti-transcendental writers. Redolent symbolism and psychological inquiring into the darker sides of human heart, particularly guilt and sin ar the specialities of his writings. . Young Benjamin David Goodman Brown being the author’s one of the most vital short stories during which his preoccupation with the results of guilt and sin ar combined with a continuing stress on symbolism and allegoryRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown from a Moral Standpoint1352 Words   |  6 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. At the age of four, his father passed away from yellow fever, forcing his family to move in with his uncle. The positively influential Uncle Robert Manning pushed Hawthorne to succeed in school and insisted he go to college. Following his education at Bowdoin College, Hawthorne spent years in isolation mastering the art of writing. It was during those years when Hawthorne discovered that his ancestors were founders and Puritan leaders of the SalemRead MoreShort Story Analysis: Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne851 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Introduction Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is a tale of innocence lost. Set in New England during the Puritan era, the protagonist, Goodman Brown, goes for a walk in the woods one night and meets the devil who tells him. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, to the communion of your race. According to Levin this story is a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the puritan ethic. The Salem witch trialsRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Great Gatsby 1416 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.† A quote said by Nathaniel Hawthorne himself, which employs to anyone and everyone who has the knowledge of combining words to create literature. Hawthorne, born in 1804, in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, the Dark Romanticism author lived with some injuries, such as the death of his father. Yet, the wealth of his uncles helpedRead MoreFiction Essay - Young Goodman Brown and the Lottery1051 Words   |  5 PagesLottery† and Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† reveals that different literary elements, such as tone and setting, are used to convey the characters’ arrival at dark, sinister places. II. INTRODUCTION III. SHIRLEY JACKSON’S â€Å"THE LOTTERY† A. Setting the tone: Peaceful and relaxing B. Irony: Even though the mood is relaxing, there is a premonition of something bad to come C. Ending: The ending is implied IV. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE’S â€Å"YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN† D. SettingRead MoreThe Use of Color Symbolism by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesIs it possible for an author to utilize so much symbolism that it captivates the reader to the extent of paralleling the tale with their own life? The principle of symbolism is quite evident in the story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†. Nathaniel Hawthorn’s work is immersed with symbolism with most of it deriving from his Puritan beliefs. The themes of sin, guilt, innocence, and lust come forth through the uses of color symbolism as well as visual clues. All of these things areRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1065 Words   |  5 PagesWhen it comes to the topic of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown, most of us will readily agree that duplicity is a major theme in the piece, or the idea of different versions of reality. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of whether Hawthorne is imply ing that man is inherently evil. Whereas some are convinced that Young Goodman Brown was good until tainted by the Devil, others maintain that he was evil from the beginning and was completely aware of the evil heRead MoreBiography of Nathaniel Hawthorne1273 Words   |  6 Pageschildren, even the most perfect of families cannot hide their deep, dark secrets forever. Raised as a Puritan, Nathaniel Hawthorne grew up with a devout family intensely immersed in religion. As he matured, Hawthorne discovered that his seemingly pious family was disturbingly flawed, a discovery that would radically change his life. In his short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Puritan family secrets aid in forming symbols of faith and evil and developing the inner complexities of his

The Connotations Of Life And Culture - 979 Words

The connotation of â€Å"life† and â€Å"culture† as Americans know it The way of life and culture in the Americas is very distinctive from others. Around the world, American life and culture is perceived as something more than ordinary. â€Å"American culture [is] the creation of many groups of immagrants.† (Ravitch) In this discussion we are going to examine some of the aspects and qualities that define what is known as American life and American culture by the rest of the world. A few of those things are Traditions, styles, language, and beliefs. They set each nationality apart from one another. â€Å"[In what is thought of as â€Å"American† culture, which in a since, doesn’t exactly exist. If culture is to be thought of as values that the ancestors of the past prospered. In hopes that the future generations would continue.]† (Marin 82) Although sadly that is the generations of the present time, and we have failed to say the least. Because â€Å"the United States has a common culture that is [known as] Multicultural.† (Ravitch 70) Nothing in today’s America other than materialistic things matter. Those things, which hold no ties to the values and meaningful traditions of what shaped Americans classifications for lives of different individuals. In most other cultures, the people are exceptionally the same in a sense. They have the same heritage background so to speak. The same morals. They even have styles that are all significantly similar to one another. That is where America differs. America isShow MoreRelatedIdeological Analysis Of Old Spice Advertising Essay980 Words   |  4 PagesRoland Barthes. In this theory, one can identify three primary tenets in which meaning is thought to be transmitted by mass media (Barthes Lavers, 1993). In this theory of analyzation, the three basic ways to evaluate meaning are detonation, connotation, and myth analysis(Barthes Lavers, 1993). Denotation Denotation is the first step, or basic avenue meaning is transmitted by mass media (Barthes Lavers, 1993). The term denotation refers to imagery, which when seen by an audience, the viewerRead MoreRoland Barthes developed a range of semiotic tools to analyse the cultural meanings1729 Words   |  7 Pagesauthority on the meaning of the image. Although we are all quite similar in what we get from an image, different people will get different meanings. This is due to the experiences we have had throughout life. Barthes says â€Å"no object has a natural meaning.† (Barthes, 1967 p.25) Meanings are defined by culture, so for example, if in the UK someone does the ‘thumbs up’, we take this to mean that everything is okay, but if someone does it whilst standing at the side of the road, it means they want a lift,Read MoreObjectification Is A Word That Has Many Negative Connotations1029 Words   |  5 PagesObjectification is a word that has many negative connotations . Nussbaum identifies objectification â€Å"as a pejorative term, connoting a way of speaking, thinking, and acting that the speaker finds morally or socially objectionable, usually, though not always, in the sexual realm.† Nussbaum’s definition is vague, like many of her other works, and places the connotation of the word itself into the â€Å"speaker’s† own hands. While it is good to allow wiggle room for concepts, an act which allows them to beRead MoreSociology At Bowling Green State University867 Words   |  4 Pagesone grows up actions seem to obtain a connotation, weather it be positive or negative. The symbols or meaning people attach to the actions are influenced by one’s socialization. Edward Alsworth Ross, a progressive American sociologist, eugenicist, and major figure of early criminology, suggested socialization is the development of one’s feelings and the will to act based on an influence by a variety of different circumstan ces and conditions (652). The connotation of an action can differ based on theRead MoreUniformity Vs Conformity751 Words   |  4 Pages Conformity in the land of the free Uniformity. Conformity. These words have negative connotations in the minds of many Americans. However, many believe that the United States is keeping the standard in society of uniformity and conformity. America’s society is based on the model of uniformity and conformity because of minorities not fully being accepted and other citizens not being accepting of other culture. First, minorities are often pushed to the side by the majority of American because of someRead MoreEssay on Alleen Pace Nilsens View of Sexism in English762 Words   |  4 Pagesseemed to tell something about male and female. She soon discovered that language and society go hand and hand. Furthermore, that the language a culture uses is evident in its values and beliefs. Amore careful look at the English language revealed three main points that Alleen Nilsen elaborates more on. The first point Nilsen makes is that American culture values woman for their sexiness and men for their success. She finds supporting evidence for that statement with eponyms. In her research sheRead MoreLight And Dark, New And Old1302 Words   |  6 PagesThis man-made seam immediately makes itself known in Tarfia Faizullah’s book, Seam. The seam that she manages to create in her book is one that separates culture, specifically European culture from the rest of the world, and in particular Bangladeshi. The reason for this seam in the cultures is eurocentrism and the seam has prevented white culture from understanding or caring about what had happened in Bangladesh. Tarfia created the seam by subtly framing eurocentrism, going into detail about an eventRead MoreFormal Learning And Informal Learning Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world. The teaching of the culture and norms that any society holds dear are indeed made possible through informal learning. Here, there is n o need for a classroom which would mean that they can be done any place either a house, under a tree or as people interact in the societal setting. This paper looks into the impacts that the societal and institution constraints have on learning processes of various individuals. It gives much attention to the factual connotations of how these two sets of learningRead MoreSemiotic Study of Vampires and Vampires Lore1678 Words   |  7 Pagesbecause of the realization that society has a desire to create and produce signs because it serves as an important aspect and purpose to life. We are capable of performing semiosis and representation to demonstrate the knowledge in which we come to understand the world, and conversely, it is through the same process that the world becomes familiar with the culture in which we inhabit. (WriteWork, 2003) The vampire is one of the most popular and widely recognised myth/folklore of modern times. TheRead MoreCommunication Between Cultures And Its Impact On Society1671 Words   |  7 PagesCommunication between cultures is heavily impacted by the perceptual sets that individuals have when they are first introduced to other. Although not always openly admitted or even consciously known, stereotypes can impact the way that people view one another. Stereotypes are not always negative in connotation, and can even help people deal with a very complex and dynamic world. However, just like the world is complex and dynamic, so are individuals within a culture. Overgeneralized stereotypes as

Character Analysis of Under the Feet free essay sample

Estrella, throughout the entire novel, serves as the strong base for the family and through the setting established, the audience is able to see her grow in her social, political, economical, and cultural knowledge. Estrella’s mother, Petra, was left a long time ago by her husband. It is her circumstances that the reader is asked to relate with most. Estrella learns from her father’s disappearance that men cannot be trusted or depended on, and that women will usually always be left to take care of the family. Just as Petra has been abandoned physically by Estrellas father, and mentally by Perfecto, Estrella soon will come to be abandoned by Alejo. The fact that Perfecto has not married her mother, furthers this idea of lack of commitment made by the men in her life. â€Å"The eucalyptus trees lined the dirt road like a row of thin dancing girls fanning their feathers. We will write a custom essay sample on Character Analysis of Under the Feet or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Estrella knows the world of men and women through her mother Petra and Perfecto, ‘the man who was not her father’ (3). Viramontes is sympathetic to the men in some ways, but she does emphasize that when the men abandon the family, the women are left to endure for themselves and their children. Estrella and Alejo’s relationship, serves as a major basis for the authors allegation in this idea of suffering. Alejo’s death represents how once again a female is left behind. Estrella is the heart and soul of the novel and her love for Alejo, was more important than Alejo himself or his death. Helena Maria Viramontes Under the Feet of Jesus also portrays the awakening in the characters’ social, political, economical, and cultural knowledge. The book’s main appeal and power is the authors use of Estrella, who serves as the focal point of all the large issues. In one particular scene, we see Estrella playing with one a naked doll. Estrella asks the naked doll if she was okay and then shook the dolls head â€Å"No†. This conversation with the oll can be seen as the sense of denial that takes place in a child’s mind that is not allowed to openly express herself, her fears, her anxieties, and her hopes. She allows the doll to represent her honest feelings about the lifestyle of living she is placed in. She is a unique and interesting individual, who will not grow up to be knocked down by economic issues, difficult labor, and especially men. She is being raised in a world where women are expected to suffer silently and to be at the mercy of their men. However, men were not expected to return this slave-like behavior for the women. This setting of the novel allows the reader to see exactly how treacherous life can be. This suffering is so present in Estrella’s family’s lives, yet she somehow is able to bring the family along no matter how difficult the situation may be. She is still trapped in between two very different worlds: She tried to remember which side she was on and which side of the wire mesh she was safe in (59). Her mother may be taken over by a world of suffering, but she is not so beaten that she cannot pass some of her fighting spirit on to Estrella. Estrella is pushed to mature completely while still a child, and is forced to deal with adult problems and tasks. Estrella is such a strong character in this novel and definitely serves as the focal point of social, political, economical, and cultural growth. Her setting and relationships allow the reader to see exactly how humanity, no matter the age, is able to overcome difficult times. There is a spirit and fire in Estrella, seen through her words and actions, that allows one to see she will not be buried in a life of suffering, but rather make sure to make a successful life for herself. The lack of suffering shown through Estrella’s actions when compared to other characters really shows how powerful and confident of a young lady she really is. The character is definitely one that a reader will remember due to her growth, strength, and positivity when times may seem too difficult to bear. Work Cited Viramontes, Helena Maria. Under the Feet of Jesus. New York: Plume, 1996. Print.

The film Psycho Essay Example

The film Psycho Paper Analyse the ways in which Alfred Hitchcock builds tension and fear in the shower scene in the film Psycho Robert Bloch first released Psycho in 1957 in form of a novel, but it was better known as a film directed and edited by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, and it was first released on big screens in 1960. The film was highly controversial at the time due to the strict morals and ethics enforced by the Motion Picture Association, but escaped the censorship laws due to numerous tricks that Hitchcock deployed, to bend the rules. Hitchcock got around Normans transvestite side, which along with homosexuality was taboo at the time, and by saying that Norman was not dressing up as a woman for sexual reasons so therefore was not a transvestite. These factors plus many more like the verity of camera angles, music and most importantly the plot helped Hitchcock to wheel in his audience to come and see Psycho. Throughout the film Psycho there are numerous techniques used that assisted Hitchcock to keep his audience in suspense and tension. One clear example, in the storyline is in the introduction. Never before on the big screens in the 1960s would the audience have ever dreamt to imagine a semi naked figure on screen, but when that is the dress status of the first two characters the audience are shocked and horrified, and this clever tactic would have kept his audience interested and poised in their seats. Hitchcock took advantage of his stunned audience and used a series of close and long moving shots to move in on Marion. This would have made his audience feel particularly uncomfortable because it would almost seem that they are spying on Marion, and her male companion. We will write a custom essay sample on The film Psycho specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The film Psycho specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The film Psycho specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This different introduction would have lead the audience to believe the film would be about Marion and her male companions relationship. So, Hitchcock developed the story line and plots very cleverly, as the title of the film is called Psycho, the first ten to twenty minutes, the film resembled a romance story but then dramatically changed to a police enquiry, which would have lead to the Hitchcocks audience being engaged with the film as they are eager to find out more about Marion moreover the audience would be trying to figure out what the plot of the film actually was. And it is near the middle of the film the audience started to get vivid image of death, there were two stuffed birds of prey in Norman Bates office, where he offered Marion dinner when she took a pit stop at a motel called Bates Motel. One an owl and the other a crow which both represent death. This is one of the most meaningful and ironic scenes that are seen throughout the whole film. The position of the birds are very important as they are towered over Marion, which suggested perhaps that death is going to come to her soon. The room was very dark and Hitchcock had used dark coloured walls, to give a huge shadow effect on the birds, to give them a scarier and sinister look. A lot of tension was created in this particular scene but then when Marion starts the conversation she found it somehow relaxing. And without noticing Marion gave her real name when earlier she intentionally gave another. When she went into her room, Norman also went into the back of the office, and it is now when suspense in Psycho came combined with suspicion When Norman watched Marion through a peephole, Hitchcock was particularly clever at this point because the audience would brand Norman a weirdo and a pervert but would soon fell very strange, as they would be watching through his eyes, as if they were, the weirdo and not Norman. As Marion took her clothes off, the camera takes a shot of Marion standing in black underwear, which in the 1960s gives a symbol of wanting to have sex. Ironically, in the beginning of the film she was wearing white underwear which is a symbol of purity and cleanliness. This office scene was soon to be followed by an extraordinary and famous shower scene, which took Hitchcock seventy-one to seventy-eight different camera set ups to film. Which suggested that Hitchcock wanted the scene to be perfect. The shower scene took seven days to film and only lasted forty-five seconds. It opened with Marion taking off her robe for a shower. She was located in a white tile bathroom, which was brightly lit. All the natural sounds were emphasised; the toilet being flushed, soap packet being opened, movement of the shower and shower curtains. The audience could not predict a murder was about to happen because everything seemed superficially fine there are no real sign of foreboding. So when Marion took of her dressing gown and stepped into the bath, pulling the shower curtain across, normality was still sustained however the audience start to get a feeling of suspense and tension due to the lack of action. The camera angle at this scene is very important as the camera took a low angle shot and transferred to a high angle shot. The angle illustrated that characters identity was changing. This showed the audience that the character goes from being superior to powerless suggesting that something bad was about to happen. In addition, Marion having a shower suggested that she was washing away all her wrong doings to make herself to the audience as being deeply relaxed as she was smiling. Hitchcock gave tranquillity and calmness to the audience as he made them enjoy her shower. But to their sudden horror the bath room door opened and a figure appeared in the room. An over the shoulder shot was used as it prepared the audience for an attack, because they saw what Marion couldnt and this created a lot of eeriness in the atmosphere. Another over the shoulder shot was used, and suspense is further created as the figure advanced towards the shower, footsteps were not heard because of the loud sound effects of the water, and as the curtains were closed the audience couldnt see the figures face, which made the shot look like a surveillance camera. The calm and normal atmosphere was dramatically changed to being terrified as a shadow entered the bathroom with a large knife. Additionally, the frantic violin sounds added feeling of fear in the audience. And that fear effect was sustained as Marion fought and screamed for her life. Close up of Marions face allowed the audience to see and feel the pain she went through. The thriller genre is clearly identified in this particular scene. Marion soon disappeared off the screen making the audience focus and concentrate on the dark, disturbing figure. Hitchcock made the audience believe that the figure was the mother of Norman due to the shape of the hair, which is shown in silhouette. Rapid shots were shown of the killing, and several of those shots were of Marion moving form side to side and struggling to defend herself to show that she can not stop her killer. The camera swooped in with a high angled shot, which emphasised Marions blood draining away in the bath. The extreme close up of Marions hand allowed the audience to see how slowly and painfully she was dying. This aroused emotional thoughts within the audience. The audience were shocked because they knew Marions been attacked. They see the upper part of the body and her facial expressions. The high angled camera shot of Marion falling forward made Marion appear smaller which lead to her beginning to appear off the screen. This unique scene built up the tension in the audience, and image of her eyes filling the whole screen is frightening as the eye becomes lifeless and emotionless The music and the sound effects in the film Psycho also played and important role in creating tension in the audience. Hitchcock slowed down the tempo of the film, due to the fact it would have made the audience feel more shocked at the sudden death of Marion. The violin and cello in Psycho was so effective because it is used as percussion suggesting the knife strokes. Deep sounds also sound percussive, and the audience could feel them literally piercing their body. This clever method would have sent shivers to the audience. In order for Hitchcock to create fear in the minds of the audience he had to use both the fast camera angle shots and the sharp, high pitch of the music to sustain and capture the audiences fear. This in the 1960 would have made the hairs on the back of the audience stand up, but now in the new millennium the audience are prepared and have seen more horrifying films, to be frightened from Psycho. Consequently Psycho led the path in film history, and it has made horror films what they are now.