Slaughterhouse Five Essay Essay Example for Free

Slaughterhouse Five Essay Essay Kurt Vonnegut wrote the book Slaughterhouse-Five in order to express his feeling of disgust towards the brutality of World War II. It was written as a general statement against all wars. Vonnegut focuses on the shock and outrage over the havoc and destruction man is capable of reeking in the name of what he labels a worthy cause, while learning to understand and accept these horrors and ones feelings about them. Through his character, Billy Pilgrim, he conveys not only these feelings and emotions, but also the message that we must exercise our free will to alter the unfortunate happenings that might occur in our lives. Vonnegut had tremendous difficulty writing this novel. He says, I thought it would be easy for me to write about the destruction of Dresden, since all I would have to do would be to report what I had seen (Vonnegut 2). He did not count on his emotions interfering with his attempts at a factual and logical report of such atrocities. It took Vonnegut twenty years to directly face his private demon of the firebombing of Dresden in the form of this novel. He had trouble recalling any memories of substance about his time in Dresden. It could be said that he was blinded by the firebombs of Dresden. It was not until Vonnegut returned to the sight of the bombing twenty years later, along with one of his war buddies, that he was able to recall the disastrous and horrific incidents in Dresden. The novel served as a form of therapy for Vonnegut; it enabled him to examine the events of the past that impacted on his life, and to come to terms with them. Vonnegut chooses to focus the novel on events surrounding the firebombing of Dresden, Germany.

Stress In The Workplace Essay examples -- Effects of Stress in the Wor

An increasing number of employers are becoming aware of the adverse affects that stress can have on an employee's performance and are offering different programs to help employees manage stress in their lives. This approach is proving to increase workplace performance, as well as improve employee loyalty and retention in the long run. What Causes Stress? Causes and Concerns Stress has been defined as a physiologic reaction to uncomfortable or unaccustomed physical or psychological stimuli. The biological variations that can result from stress of the sympathetic nervous system include a heightened state of alertness, anxiety, rapid heart rate and sweating. Not surprisingly, everyone has different triggers that cause stress in their lives and according to a number of surveys, work related stress tops the list for most people. In fact, forty percent of employees in the United States reported that they regularly experience work-related stress and a rising number of them are reporting that work is the largest stress in their lives. This is creating health and economic problems, not just for the American workforce but globally as well. Effects of Stress on Employees Physical and Emotional Individuals under stress at work have been known to experience fatigue and/or low motivation which can directly influence an organization’s morale and decrease overall productivity. Any professional with an M.A. in Industrial Organizational Psychology will tell you that str...

Macbook Consumer Behaviour Analysis

Business 4274F Consumer Behaviour Individual Assignment Oct, 26, 2012 General Information MacBook Air is a series of laptop created by Apple Inc. which makes the product distinguished and remarkable due to its ultraportability and thinness and elegant style. It was originally introduced and released in Jan 29, 2008 by Steve Jobs, the previous CEO of Apple Inc. The company typically releases new models for this series annually. The most recent release was in Jun 11, 2012, which has two models, one has an 11’’ screen, and the other gets a 13’’ screen.The series of MacBook Air has been very successful since its inception. Its success is not only reflected in the vast profit it made for Apple, but also in the inspiration it gives to the whole PC manufacturing market to make ultraportable and elegant-style laptop which can also balance performance. Hardware The most important factor which makes the MacBook Air so successful, in my opinion, is the great balance of portability and power of the product.The laptop features a unibody design which makes possible to significantly reduce thickness and weight, and also it integrates with the latest CPU of Intel (3rh generation Core i5 and i7), and SSD (Solid State Drive) to give more power and capability to use. The design is another factor. The machined aluminium casing and backlit keyboard make it look elegant and handsome. This design also delivers inspiration to the PC manufacturer. Many PC manufacturers copied the design and used it to re-design their own laptop, and they call them â€Å"Ultrabook†, which is targeted the same consumers and market as the MacBook Air.Software Compared with the hardware, the software is a more distinguished component of the product. MacBook Air, as well as other Mac series, is using the Macintosh system (also called OS X system). Unlike the PC industry where manufacturer buy the system license from Microsoft, which separates the hardware and software, OS X system is solely designed by Apple with the intention to work perfectly with the hardware. The trackpad on the laptop is the best over other laptops. People can use multi-touch gestures which enables them to control the laptop naturally and smoothly as they are using the iPad.And also, the system has come with many apps designed by Apple, so that those apps have uniform style with the system and great features. Involvement I have high-involvement attitude toward MacBook Air, referring to the ABC Model of Attitude. Before I got the feels about the product, I have got some beliefs of it, as follows: 1. The logo of Apple for me has been a label of â€Å"good design† and â€Å"user-friendly† 2. I had bought iPod and iPad, so I’m sure the Mac will be suit me as the other two products do 3. A friend who also has the products told me the laptop changed his life 4.The OS X system is more beautiful than the Windows system 5. Portability is the priority because I want t o carry it with me everywhere, and Mac has it 6. The system has faster response and less virus threats than Windows 7. Mac has very good synergy with other Apple products, so it can work well with my iPad I evaluated those beliefs according to my values, which is, referred to textbook, a belief that some conditions is preferable to its opposite. My values are the preferences of efficiency, elegant style, and reliable performance.Those beliefs give me a feel that the laptop is worth buying, though it’s more expense than other laptops. And then the feel gives me the behavior, which is the intention to pay for that. This is a high-involvement attitude toward the product, because the choice process is very careful and comprehensive. This also yields a great brand loyalty to Apple, and makes me wipe all the Windows-based laptop out from my buying list. Means-end Chain Analysis Attribute-value Table Attribute Fast response Portability Elegant style Less virus threatsBenefit I can u se it anytime I need it I can carry it with me I feel happy when I see the beautiful thing I feel safe and less worries Value A more efficient life A comfortable life Pleasure Safety Synergy with my iPad More efficient to use my iPad and the Mac Efficiency Associative Network of Knowledge The associative network of knowledge starts at the laptop, which is the class-level decision, and Apple’s laptop is the most favorable product for me, because it has the most links with the positive end states.The laddering technique illustrates the most important end state is efficient and comfortable. Cheap Windows system Microsoft PC Familiar Product Comfortable Laptop Good taste Elegant Apple Thin and light Portability Expensive Safe Synergy with other product Fast response Good CPU Carrying it with me SSD Efficient Advertisement In this advertisement, the MacBook Air was put on a file bag. The comparison of the Mac and the bag makes me believe the laptop can be placed into the small bag easily.The message the ad delivers to me is very clear: the product is very handy and portable. The message delivery is very efficient, because this is what I concern about. The picture let me think about the portability of the laptop, which is the attribute of the product, and then I would think about the benefits the portability can give me, for example I can carry it with me everywhere and I won’t be tired by its weight. Last, I compared the benefits with the end values of mine, if those benefits meet the values, it yields positive attitude and feel about the product.

Barn Burning 4 - 1497 Words

â€Å"Barn Burning† William Faulkner In most stories one reads there is going to be a protagonist and an antagonist. The protagonist is the character in the story that is usually considered the good guy. The antagonist is usually considered the bad guy and clashes with the protagonist. In the story â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner he has a clear protagonist and antagonist. The protagonist of the story is Sarti. The antagonist of the story is Sarti’s father Abner. Faulkner makes this a very interesting story to read because of the relationship between Sarti and his father. Sarti shows us in the story how scared he is of his father through what he says and his actions. The idea of Sarti ever standing up to him just doesn’t seem possible†¦show more content†¦Or he could go against his father and go and tell DeSpain what his father was planning on doing and stop his dad from burning down the barn. This is so hard for Sarti to decide because of how afraid he is of his father and he also doesn’t want to let his father down. This becomes the crucial life changing decision in Sarti’s life that he is going to have to make. Sarti realizes that the best decision he can make is to go tell Major DeSpain what his father is planning on doing and stop him from doing it. He decides to do this for multiple reasons. The first reason is he wants to protect his father from getting in any more trouble. Even though he doesn’t really like his father and is very scared of him he is still his father and he loves him very much. Another reason that he wants to tell Major DeSpain is because he has become close with him and feels some responsibility to tell him. He likes Major DeSpain and feels like he is a good guy and wants to protect him from his father burning down his barn. The critical approach that Faulkner used in this story was Psychological Criticism because of the way that the father treats his son. The treatment that Sarti receives from his father instills so much pressure in Sarti that he does not know how to handle at such a young age. Abner is the reason for this pressure because of his irresponsible mistakes. The way thisShow MoreRelated Setting in William Faulkners Barn Burning Essay1584 Words   |  7 PagesCritical Viewing on Barn Burning William Faulkner’s use of a setting in a short story, such as â€Å"Barn Burning†, effected the entire outcome of the story from start to finish. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, a young boy must face his father and face the reality of a harsh world. He must also discover for himself that his father is wrong and learn to grow up the right way in a racial environment. Faulkner’s setting is one of the most important literary elements that help the audience understand theRead MoreBoth sides of the Coin in William Faulkner’s short story, Barn Burning812 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Faulkner’s short story, â€Å"Barn Burning,† the character Abner Snopes, who is Sarty’s father as well as a main character of the story, stands out the most compared to other characters because of Faulkner’s description with a sense of irony and critic. Faulkner presents multifaceted characteristics in Abner Snopes that makes the readers think beyo nd the view of the narrator based on logics and circumstances in Abner’s conditions. The setting of ‘‘Barn Burning’’ is the post-Civil War South, theRead MoreCharacter Analysis: Jewel Essay913 Words   |  4 Pages but Faulkner shows that he is an honorable person. Jewel is often viewed incorrectly because he shows his affection rather than talks about it, and Marc Hewson says that â€Å"Jewel’s love for Addie may also may be based more on doing than saying† (4). Jewel shows his love for Addie after she is dead in many ways. When they start for Jefferson, Jewel is willing to carry Addie’s coffin alone when the rest of the family is moving too slowly. Cash wants help to carry the coffin but Jewel will notRead MoreBarn Burning by William Faulkner894 Words   |  4 PagesIn the tale Barn Burning, the author William Faulkner formally known for his short stories with a constant theme of Southern Renaissance, racism and modernism uses these themes as a constant reference throughout the story. Faulkner focuses in depth on the antagonist, Abner Snopes and his actions and how they impact other characters throughout the story. I believe Abner was continuously portrayed as a negative character throughout the short story by Abnerâ €™s aggressiveness towards everyone he comesRead MoreWilla Cathers Issues with Realism and The Barn Burner, Paragraphs1059 Words   |  4 Pages1. Willa Cather 2. Willa Cather and the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne 3. The Barn Burner 4. A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner 1. Willa Cather seems to take issue with the bland and boring nature of realism above all else. She notes that realism is not in itself an artistic expression, yet so many art forms from literature to paintings—particularly from her time period—portray little more than the realism of our world. In her mind, the literalness that is realism can be successfullyRead MoreWilliam Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning†: The Destructiveness of the Human Ego965 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† symbolizes the destructiveness of the human ego through the character, Abner Snopes. Throughout the story, Snopes functions and communicates based on his own logic. He has no regard for his family, superiors, or the judicial system. His unrelenting effort to live according to what he deems as â€Å"right† creates an atmosphere of fear and oppression. Following the barn trial, Snopes’ demeanor towards his son, Colonel Sartoris, clearly demonstrates his use of fearRead MoreBarn Burning By William Faulkner1357 Words   |  6 PagesHenry Award winning short story, â€Å"Barn Burning† was written in 1938 and published by Harper’s in 1939 (â€Å"William,† par. 12). In many ways the story is a product of â€Å"both a turbulent time in America’s history and Faulkner’s personal history† (Parker 101). America was emerging from the Great Depression just in time to see World War II looming on the horizon while Faulkner was struggling with â€Å"finances, a drinking problem, and a new mistress† (Parker 102). In â€Å"Barn Burning† Faulkner makes extensive useRead MoreThe Importance of Literary Elements in Barn Burning1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Literary Elements in Barn Burning Understanding literary elements such as patterns, reader/writer relationships, and character choice are critical in appreciating William Faulkners Barn Burning. Some literary elements are small and almost inconsequential while others are large and all-encompassing: the mothers broken clock, a small and seemingly insignificant object, is used so carefully, extracting the maximum effect; the subtle, but more frequent use of dialectalRead MoreEssay on The Importance of Literary Elements in Barn Burning1478 Words   |  6 PagesThe Importance of Literary Elements in Barn Burning  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Understanding literary elements such as patterns, reader/writer relationships, and character choice are critical in appreciating William Faulkners Barn Burning. Some literary elements are small and almost inconsequential while others are large and all-encompassing: the mothers broken clock, a small and seemingly insignificant object, is used so carefully, extracting the maximum effect; the subtle, but more frequent use of dialectalRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Barn Burning By William Faulkner1105 Words   |  5 PagesWhen reading the short story â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner, understanding literary elements such as patterns, word choice as well as reader/writer relationships are essential in appreciating Faulkner’s literary piece. Some of the literary elements found in the story are small and are almost immaterial while others are large and all-encompassing. For example, the mother’s fragmented clock, a small and insignificant object, is used so carefully in order to extract the maximum effect from the viewers;