Dulce et decorum est and An Irish airman forsees his death :: English Literature Essays

Dulce et decorum est and An Irish airman forsees his death Analysis of two war poems I am going to compare the two poems â€Å"Dulce et decorum est† by Wilfred Owen and â€Å"Channel Firing† by Thomas Hardy. The poem by Hardy talks about the great German guns â€Å"Big Berthas† which fired across the channel at the nearest coastal villages, and how the noise of these guns is so terrific that it wakes the dead in their graves. â€Å"Dulce et decorum est† is a poem about a group of tired, worn out soldiers who are making their way back from the front line. They come under a gas attack and Owen describes to us the scene which is presented to him of a fellow soldier and companion â€Å"drowning† in his own mucus. Both poems portray a sense of helplessness to this exposure to the war! In the poem â€Å"Dulce et decorum est† we are being told of the gas attack directly by Owen in the first person plural. It is an immensely vivid description that Owen describes to us and his message is hits the reader right between the eyes with its certitude. In the poem â€Å"Channel Firing†, however, Hardy uses two narrative voices. One is the voice of the dead who describe being awoken by the noise of the great guns, the other is God! IN this the message is more abstract because of the way Hardy jokes with us about the war and Gods views on it. Wilfred Owen's poem "Dulce Et Decorum Est" was written during his World War I experience. Owen, an officer in the British Army, deeply opposed the intervention of one nation into another. His poem explains how the British press and public comforted themselves with the fact that all the young men dying in the war were dieing noble, heroic deaths. The reality was quite different: They were dieing obscene and terrible deaths. Owen wanted to throw the war in the face of the reader to illustrate how vile and inhumane it really was. He explains in his poem that people will encourage you to fight for your country, but, in reality, fighting for your country is simply sentencing yourself to an unnecessary death. The breaks throughout the poem indicate the clear opposition that Owen strikes up. The title of the poem means "It is good and proper to die for your country," and then Owen continues his poem by ending that the title is, in fact, a lie.

Skill and Craftsmanship in the Works of Steinbeck Essay -- Biography B

Skill and Craftsmanship in the Works of Steinbeck      Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony and The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck professes his admiration for the man who displays skill and craftsmanship in his work. A man who does his job exceedingly well is, by extension in Steinbeck's works, a hero who is satisfied in doing his best in affection for his craft - a direct contrast to the multitude of humans who are merely unsuccessful and unhappy dreamers.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The emphasis of skill and craftsmanship is particularly evident in a description of Slim in Of Mice and Men: He moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen.   He was a jerkline skinner, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders.   He was capable of killing a fly on a wheeler's butt with a whip without touching the mule. (97)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbeck makes it clear that the professional prowess of this man is to be equated with his authority, understanding, and compassion. Slim is, for example, the only man who tries to comfort George at the end of the novel when his companion, Lennie dies. When Steinbeck describes Slim as a person whose "authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love" (98), Warren French notes that Steinbeck "breaks his editorial silence...to make it absolutely clear how Slim is to be regarded" (78).   Clearly, Steinbeck regards Slim's morally upstanding character highly enough to consider it prudent to describe outright his feelings toward him. In regard to the other characters, he had been satisfied to let an objective description and an account of each character's actions stand on their own merit.   On a similar note, Bil... ... these character's - Slim's, Billy Buck's, Doc's, and Casy's- tremendous will to achieve the human ideal. Works Cited French, Warren.   John Steinbeck.   New York: Twayne, 1961. . ----------   John Steinbeck.   Boston: Twayne, 1975. Heiney, Donald W.   Essentials of Contemporary Literature.  New York:  Barron's, 1958. Lisca, Peter.   The Wide World of John Steinbeck.   New Brunswick, New  Jersey: Rutgers  Ã‚   University,1958. Mintner, David.   "The Fate of Writing during the Great Depression".   A Cultural History Of the American Novel. http://ocean.st.usm.edu/ ~wsimkins/minter.html>. 19 June 1997.   (5 May 1999). Steinbeck, John.   Cannery Row.   New York: Bantam, 1945. ----------  Ã‚   The Grapes of Wrath.   New York:   Compass, 1958. ----------.   Of Mice and Men.   New York: Bantam, 1955. ----------.   The Red Pony.   New York: Bantam, 1948.

In what ways and to what effect, does Milton use comparison in Paradise Lost Book II? Essay

Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epic poems of the 17th century, written by John Milton. This is a poem of twelve books describing the fall of man in blank verse, in a manner that is at par with Virgil’s Aeneid for the Romans and Homer’s Iliad for ancient Greece. Milton has several ways of using comparison, which he uses profoundly throughout Book II. Allegory, allusions, contrasts, the comparison between heaven, earth and hell, and the different arguments in the book are the most significant and prominent in his poem, and both pertain to his grand style as well as his motifs. Towards the end of book II, Milton presents an allegory of the two figures Sin and Death at the gates of hell who represent their respective abstract ideas and principles, which he develops throughout the entire poem. As they are abstract ideas, they cannot be visualized, thus Milton gives them physical attributes to further allude to the ideas they represent. Sin is described as â€Å"†¦ woman to the waist, and fair, But ended foul in many a scaly fold Voluminous and vast, a serpent armed With mortal sting.† (II.650-53) With this description, it’s clear to see that Sin is an allegory of Eve because Eve is also beautiful and â€Å"fair† on the outside, but deep inside is evil and tempted by a â€Å"serpent†, even if she is not composed of one. Also, Sin explains how she was seduced by Satan, and as a result of their fornication, conceive Death. She then explains how Death raped her â€Å"†¦in embraces forcible and foul† (II.793) and created monsters that are â€Å"hourly conceived And hourly born, with sorrow infinite To me;† (II.797-99) Both Eve and Sin are seduced by Satan, have excruciatingly painful labor, and bring about the beginning of mortality for all of mankind as a result of sin. Milton has created Sin as an allegory of the whole concept of sin, and furthermore, suggested that women accomplish their sin by being seductive and beautiful, yet evil and serpent-like. Death on the other hand, is a shadow-like creature, described as having a â€Å"†¦head The likeness of a kingly crown had on.† (II.672-73) He is allegorically the consequence of both Sin and Satan’s sin. Interestingly enough, Death is in control of his condition, and instead of enduring suffering himself, he enjoys inflicting human pain. This can clearly be seen as a symbolic, comparative representation of death on earth and how it often inflicts human pain, as well as the way in which us humans are not in control of it. The effect of this comparative literary technique enables the reader to stretch the imagination in order to effectively draw symbolic conclusions and make logical deductions. Another effect of this technique is that it introduces multiple interpretations. For example, another interpretation of Sin and Death is that they could be the pathway for humans to enter Hell through Death, and Sin could simply be one who has paved that way by giving birth to eternal mortality, or alternatively they could be an allegory of The Holy Trinity. These different interpretations lead to a deeper understanding of t he poem, and make it all the more intriguing. As well as making allegorical allusions, Milton also makes allusions to other literary works. The first allusion he makes is in the first two lines of Book two; â€Å"High on a throne of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (II.1-2) are an allusion to Ormus and Ind. Ormus is an island in the Persian Gulf, and Ind is an abbreviation for India. He makes reference to these places because they’re highly celebrated for their pearls and jewels. â€Å"Sage he stood, With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear The weight of the mightiest monarchies;†(II.305-7) is another allusion to the Greek mythological figure Atlas, who was able to carry the world. Milton uses references to specific people and places in order to emphasize and reinforce the grand stature of the character(s) he Is referring to, which in the above examples, would be Satan and Beelzebub respectively. Another purpose of his allusions is to further extend the reader’s imagination and understanding, whilst creating vivid imagery in the reader’s mind, through comparisons. Lastly, these allusions are important in his work because they not only make his writing exotic, but they also add a lot of weight and grandeur to his style. Another comparative literary feature that is quite prominent in Milton’s works is the use of contrasts, such as antitheses and oxymoron’s. These figures of speech are important in Paradise Lost because they are used to convey and accentuate vivid, yet unorthodox imagery. â€Å"To that bad eminence† (II.6) and â€Å"†¦this darkness light†(II.220) are among his many uses of oxymoron’s. This poetic device not only extends the imagery of the poem, but it also heightens the message or emotion behind it in a non-literal sense. A powerful example of antithesis which is not in Book II, but was still discussed in class is, â€Å"Hee for God only, Shee for God in him†. This is a powerful example because Milton has conveyed sharply contrasting ideas in an emphatic, yet adorning way. Accompanying this feature are the contrasts between light and dark to convey good or bad. With this, his contrasts also include high and low (in terms of altitude or status), and God and Satan. Milton’s strong imagery of light and darkness to convey these contrary ideas could be attributed to his blindness. Although he describes Satan as a powerful being, he generally describes hell as dark, fiery and very low, as opposed to heaven which is described as light and highly exalted. This can be noted in â€Å"What can be worse Than to dwell here, driven out from bliss, condemned In this abhorred deep to utter woe; Where pain of unextinguishable fire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (II.85) and a few lines later he states â€Å"He from Heaven’s higth†(II.190) Contrasts like these are important because they help us to further extend our understanding of Milton’s paradigms of food and bad, and from this, we can deduce that the absence of light in Hell and in Satan symbolize the absence of God in all his glory. Milton’s contrasts of light and dark, and high and low to convey good and bad are also used to contrast Heaven, Hell and Earth. Milton presents a hierarchy based on the proximity to God. Heaven is at the top of the hierarchy where â€Å"Heaven’s high Arbitrator† (II.359) sits, and the primary quality is light. Hell is at the very bottom of the hierarchy and is portrayed as the antithesis of heaven, which is primarily dark. â€Å"As he our darkness, cannot we his light†(II.269) Is a phrase which best portrays the strong contrasts between the two places. Earth is depicted as the young, vulnerable middle-ground connected to both Heaven and Earth. It is also the battlefield that Beelzebub suggests they try to corrupt because he knows that although there is goodness on earth, it is not at par with that of Heaven’s, and is thus able to be defeated. It is portrayed as the neutral middle-ground by Beelzebub who states that the new race of man is â€Å"To be created like to us, though less In power an excellence, but favoured more Of him who rules above;† (II.349-351) Also, Milton’s geographical description of hell has similar physical features as earth (Mountains, rivers, valleys), however, the only difference is that hell has the worst in nature. Milton describes hell as â€Å"†¦dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land Thaws not,† (II.588-90) with streams â€Å"Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.† (II.581) By knowing that Hell is the degenerated form of nature, and that Earth is the middle-ground, we can deduce that Heaven is the more natural and aesthetically pleasing form of nature. This further highlights the hierarchical contrast between the three places. An interesting observation I made was that Earth is connected to heaven with a gold chain and connected to hell through a dark gulf (Chaos and Night). This shows the contrast between the journey to Heaven and Hell. Milton is implying that throughout life, Man must choose to make the difficult, strenuous journey up the gold chain into Heaven, or take the easy way and perambulate down to Heaven through the wide gulf. These hierarchical contrasts and comparisons not only give clarity to the settings in the poem, but also give us a deeper understanding of the nature of the characters in the story. Most importantly, it provides a philosophical and theological context for the poem and it gives us deeper insight into the beliefs and prin ciples that Milton adheres to, without being persuasive. The hierarchy and balance of good and evil are also portrayed and compared through the different speeches given by arch devils Moloch, Belial, Mammon and Beelzebub. Milton seems to depict a certain balance between good and evil or Heaven and Hell, and from that, it is clear that he believes that good will always reign over evil. The first arch devil to speak is Moloch. He proposes open warfare on a battlefield. He believes they have nothing to lose because â€Å"What can be worse Than to swell here, driven out from bliss, condemned In this abhorred deep to utter woe;† (II.85-87) So he clearly believes that nothing can be worse than living in hell anyway. Lastly, he says even if they are defeated in the battle â€Å"†¦if not victory, is yet revenge†(II.1.5). The second speaker is Belial who disagrees and suggests that they stay in hell in the hope that God will forgives them, or over time, they will grow used to the eternal pain and suffering. He has based his reasoning on the belief that even if God could kill them, he never would, and because he is almighty, he can see everything they are doing, and thus, they might be subjected to an even worse hell. The third speaker, Mammon, disagrees to both proposals and suggests that they build a kingdom in hell that will someday be equal to Heaven, because open warfare would be unavailing, and they would not want to go back to living in heaven eternally anyway. Finally, Beelzebub proposes that they do neither. He states that war will be futile because there is no place where God does not reign, so instead, Beelzebub tells them of a new race that God created called â€Å"Man†, and suggests that they seek revenge against him by seducing Man to their side. This is the decision that is unanimously agreed upon. All these proposal’s present Milton’s views about the balance of good and evil, as well as his theological beliefs. The first proposal is rejected because open warfare between Heaven and Hell would be ineffective as Heaven and righteousness will always conquer evil. Belial’s proposal is dismissed because the fallen angels would never be forgiven by God because evil will never go away, thus, the fallen angels will always exist. Finally, as Mammon suggests, there will never be peace between Heaven and Hell because Hell will never match up to Heaven’s greatness, and although Hell will always exist, it will always be under God’s control. The reason Beelzebub’s proposal is agreed upon is because Milton believes that Earth, and therefore Mankind, is the neutral, middle-ground between Heaven and Hell, Angels and Devils, as well as good and evil. It therefore serves as an effective battleground for good and evil forces on earth, as well as in the souls and consciences of mankind. The effect of these comparisons gives us further insight into the beliefs of the philosophical and theological elements in Milton’s time period, as well as the relative forces of good and evil, and how they effect the lives of mankind. In conclusion, there are various ways that Milton uses comparison in Paradise Lost, which each have different effects that range from the introduction of multiple interpretations, to simply extending our understanding of the story through vivid imagery. The comparisons that Milton uses are so complex that they are all connected in some way or other, and this alone gives us an even deeper understanding of the theological and philosophical messages conveyed in the poem. Ultimately, Milton’s intension was to tell the story of Man’s fall, and with his comparisons, he has managed to do much more than just that.

Poem: “Mr. Bleaney” by Philip Larkin Essay

The poem Mr Bleaney has three characters: Mr Bleaney; the house owner; and the new tenant, but centres around the life of one character, Mr Bleaney. The poem focuses on the house in which Mr Bleaney had a rented room for a number of years, until he moved out, or perhaps died. A new tenant is introduced to the vacated room, and he decides to stay. From the description of his old room and its contents, we are able to paint a picture of Mr Bleaney’s monotonous existence and lifestyle. There is great irony in that he fails to realise that by wanting to live in the marked room of Mr Bleaney, and by acquiring his habits, he is in fact a replica of the figure he contemplates and condemns; although in the last two stanzas there is a suggested subconscious dread that he is following in the same footsteps as Mr Bleaney. ‘Mr Bleaney’ has seven stanzas, each with four lines, formed with an alternate rhyming scheme. It is written in iambic pentameters. The very name Bleaney immediately gives a feel of dull blandness, of dreariness and a lack of energy, spirit, colour and light. A Mr Bleaney would perhaps then be a sad, hopeless man, whose boring life is almost a non-event. We never actually get to meet Mr Bleaney in the poem, but we get to learn a lot about him and are left at the end with the feeling that we have. It says in the poem, â€Å"How we live measures our nature,† and if this is true, then Mr Bleaney certainly deserves his name. The poem centres on a description of the room to let, where Mr Bleaney lived for a number of years. The room has Mr Bleaney stamped all over it: his few possessions (a souvenir plate and ashtray), still litter what little space there is. Alliteration adds to the blandness of the room he lived in, with the phrase â€Å"same saucer-souvenir,† which is effective as it emphasises the blandness and flatness in the room. It has no lampshade nor curtain hook; curtains too short; furnished minimally with merely a bed and upright chair, leaving no place to relax nor put belongings or ornaments; there is no colour, leaving the room void of character and personality. Even the view from the window depicts a barren, derelict and littered building site. This incredibly sad and simple abode would suggest a life of poverty. Line two in  stanza one mentions â€Å"the Bodies,† which is probably a workplace, but connects effectively with the ambiguous phrase one line later: â€Å"Till they moved him,† which could mean that he either got the sack, or died. (hence the connection with ‘Bodies’.) This kind of deliberately mysterious phrasing, which makes you stop and think, adds immensely to the atmosphere. The third stanza begins with another statement describing the basic standard of the room: â€Å"No room for books or bags,† which is immediately contrasted by the new tenant accepting the lease, on the next line. It is now that the new tenant takes over the commentary. In the first stanza it was the house owner who was speaking, and the second stanza was devoted to describing the room. We now learn that Mr Bleaney was a lonely man. He probably lay on his bed most of the day and smoked, just as the new tenant is doing. He gardened, given away by the landlady as she hints for the new tenant to do likewise: â€Å"Mr Bleaney took my bit of garden properly in hand;† he stayed at home a lot, enough to become sufficiently annoyed to get the landlady to buy a radio, so she would leave him alone; he gambled: â€Å"He kept on plugging at the four-aways;† he had a monotonous life, his holidays being annual visits to Frinton and Stoke, not the most exciting places on earth. Mr Bleaney had for sure a dull life, set rigid year in year out: â€Å"Likewise the yearly frame.† From now on, after he moved in, the new tenant devotes his time to finding out about Mr Bleaney, and describing the character who emerges with a critical eye. He looks down the end of his nose at him, mocks his lifestyle and finds a sense of achievement in having deduced so much about him. The irony is immense; we can see this new tenant identifying with Mr Bleaney by adopting the same lifestyle as he: Living in the same abode; stubbing his: â€Å"Fags on the same saucer-souvenir,† (alliterated for the emphasis of monotony,) and actually becoming another Mr Bleaney. And we can stand by and watch the new tenant judge and condemn the very man he is becoming. It is almost hypocritical. In the penultimate stanza, nature is used as a comparison to Mr Bleaney, and ultimately, the new tenant too. Words such as frigid and fusty give an air of restraint and stiffness, and maybe impotence and lack of self belief. Personifying such words builds up a character who is dull, flat, uninspired and pathetic. It fits Mr Bleaney perfectly. The last stanza bears the moral from Philip Larkin, stating that what we do with our lives reflects our character: â€Å"How we live measures our own nature.† Also, the mysteriousness surrounding the disappearance of Mr Bleaney is dredged up again, with the ambiguous â€Å"Hired box,† – meaning either the rented room, or a coffin. At the very end a non committal â€Å"I don’t know.† reminds us of the fact that the new tenant is merely presuming, and that contrary to what it seems, we don’t know Mr Bleaney after all.

Indian Textile Industry

Indian Textile IndustryStructure, Problems and Solutions Subject: Term Paper of Organization Management Under Guidance of Dr. Vinayshil Gautam Written By Jaimeen Rana Entry# 2012SMF6890 1 INDEX a) Introduction 3 b) History 3 c) Structure of Indian Textile Industry 3 d) Communication and Effectiveness 4 e) Problems faced by Textile Industry in India 5 f) Steps taken by government till now 7 g) Strategies for growth 8 h) Conclusion 9 i) References 10 2 a) Introduction Indian Textile and Apparel Industry is second largest manufacturer in the world with an estimated export value of US$ 34 billion and domestic consumption of US$ 57 billion.It stands at number two position in generating huge employment for both educated and uneducated labor in India. Over 350 lakh people are employed in this industry in India. 14% of total industrial production is done by this sector. 4% of India’s GDP is obtained by this sector. It contributes 17% to the India’s total export earnings. Top co mpanies in Textile industry in India: Bombay Dyeing Fabindia JCT Limited Welspun India ltd Lakshmi Mills Mysore Silk Factory Arvind Mills Raymonds Reliance Textiles Grasim Industries ) History India’s textile industry evolved and developed at a very early stage and its manufacturing technology was one of the best ones. India’s manually operated textile machines were among the best in the world, and served as a model for production of the first textile machines in newly industrialized countries like England. Marco Polo’s records show that Indian textiles used to be exported to many Asian countries. Textiles have also comprised a significant portion of the Portuguese trade with India.These included embroidered bedspreads, wall hangings and quits of embroidered wild silk on a cotton or jute ground. A big success of Indian textile industry led to the foundation of the London East India Company in 1600, followed by Dutch and French companies. By 1670, there was serio us demand for their governments to ban the import of these cottons from India. The legacy of the Indian textile industry stemmed from its wealth in natural resources cotton, jute and silk. The technology used was superior and the skills of the weavers gave the finished product a most beautiful and ethnic look. ) Structure of Indian Textile Industry The structure of this industry is very complex with the modern, automated and highly mechanized mill sector on one side and hand spinning and hand weaving (handloom sector) on the other side. The small scale power loom sector, which is decentralized, lies in between of the two. 3 Indian Textile Industry is divided into major 3 segments: 1) Cotton Textiles 2) Synthetic Textiles 3) Others (wool, jute, silk etc) Till today cotton textiles are on top with 73% share in total Indian textiles.Coexistence of old technologies of hand working (spinning, weaving, and knitting) with the advanced automatic spindles and loom makes the structure of cott on textile industry very complex. Indian textile industry consists of small scale, non integrated spinning, weaving, knitting, fabric finishing and clothing enterprises, which is not the case in other countries. This unique structure is because of government policies that have promoted labor intensive small scale operations and discriminated against big scale organizations. d) Communication and effectiveness:The study regarding this was conducted within city of Coimbatore, which is considered â€Å"Manchester of South India†. Six textile organizations (3 small and 3 large) were selected within the city. The objective of the study was to examine the difference between small and large organizations in terms of structure, communication and effectiveness. The difference based on structure, communication and effectiveness between large and small organizations show that the two organizations differ significantly with respect to all dimensions except participation in decision making .Large organizations are more centralized, formalized and employees experience highly routine tasks. With regard to communication pattern, small organizations have more open communication while in large organizations communication is more accurate. With regard to effectiveness, large organizations are more effective with regard to all dimensions except job involvement and job performance which are better in small organizations. The effect of structure and communication variables on organizational commitment, job satisfaction, organizational performance and adaptability are more pronounced in large organizations while moderate in small ones.Participation in decision making process has a strong positive effect on job satisfaction, commitment, organization performance and moderate positive effect on job performance. Task routineness and formalization have low positive effect on job involvement and performance in large firms. In small organizations, centralization has a moderate negativ e effect on job satisfaction. Centralization has a low negative, task routineness has a low positive and formalization has a moderate negative effect on group processes.The effect of communication openness is pronounced on job satisfaction and performance. The negative effect of communication accuracy is high on job involvement and group processes and moderate on organizational performance. 4 e) Problems faced by Textile Industry in India (1) Shortage of raw materials: Raw material determines 35 per cent of the total production cost. The country is short of cotton, particularly long- staple cotton which is imported from Pakistan, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Egypt, Tanzania, U. S. A. and Peru.It is pity that despite largest area under cotton (26 per cent of the world acreage) the country accounts for only 9 percent of the world output of cotton. Fluctuating prices and uncertainties in the availability of raw material cause low production. (2) Obsolete machinery: In India most of the cotton textile mills are working with old and obsolete machinery. According to one estimate in India over 60 per cent of the spindles are more than 25 years old. The automatic looms account for only 18 per cent of the total number of looms in the country against the world average of 62 per cent and 100 per cent in the United States.Obsolete machinery leads to low output and poor quality of goods as a result of which Indian textile goods are not able to face competition in the international market. (3) Power shortage-Textile mills are facing acute shortage of power. Supplies of coal are difficult to obtain and frequent cuts in electricity and load shedding affect the industry badly. This leads to loss of man hours, low production and loss in the mills. (4) Low productivity of labour: Low productivity is another major problem of cotton textile industry. On an verage an Indian factory worker only handles 380 spindles and 2 looms as compared to 1,500-2,000 spindles and 30 looms in Japan. If t he productivity of an American worker is taken as 100, the corresponding figure for U. K. is 51 and for India only 13. Also industrial relations are not very good in the country. Strikes, layoffs, retrenchments are the common features of many cotton mills in the country. (5) Competition in foreign market: The Indian cotton textile goods are facing stiff competition in foreign markets from Taiwan, South Korea and Japan whose goods are cheaper and better in quality.It is really paradoxical that in a country where wages are low and cotton is internally available, production costs should be so high. While certain traditional buyers of Indian textile goods like Myanmar, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Aden etc. are facing severe balance of trade problem some European countries like France, Germany, U. K. and Austria etc. have imposed quota limitations over the Indian textile imports. Acute world recession has badly affected the export prospects. (6) Competition from the decentralized sec tor: An important factor for the rowing sickness of the mill sector is the growth of the decentralized sector. Being a small-scale sector, the Government allowed excise concessions and other privileges. These accompanied with low wages have led to low cost of production in the decentralized sector. 5 As a result of which the share of mill sector is decreasing, while the share of decentralized sector is increasing. So much so that the share of mill sector in the production of cotton fabrics has gone down from 7. 9 per cent in 1994-95 (cf. power looms 69% and handlooms 21. 6%) to 4. 4per cent in 1999-2000 (cf. ower looms 76. 3% and handlooms 19. 3%). (7) Government controls and heavy excise duties: the cotton textile industry has greatly suffered due to wrong and faulty policies of the Government. In the past the Government has sought control of price, distribution of yarn, pattern of production, etc. At one time the price of the cloth was fixed by the Government below the cost of pro duction. Similarly under the yarn distribution scheme of 1972, the Government made it obligatory on all mills to supply 50 per cent of the production of yarn to the decentralized sector at reduced rates.The high import duty on imported cotton, upward revision of the price of the indigenous cotton and heavy excise duty on cotton cloths are other detrimental factors. Another problem of the mill sector is related to the production of controlled cloths wherein mills are incurring huge loss. (8) Sick mills-In India about 130 cotton mills are sick and incurring constant losses. The Government has set up the National Textile Corporation (NTC) to run these sick mills. Although the government has invested huge money to rehabilitate and modernize these mills, but these mills are yet to become profitable.The NTC is facing dual problems of the obsolete machine, y and excess labour in these mills. According to a working group of the Planning Commission the industry needs Rs. 180. 55 crores for r ehabilitation and Rs. 630 crores for the modernization of sick mills. The cotton textile industry of the country is thus facing both short-term and longterm problems. Former includes problems of high prices, shortage of raw materials, liquidity problems due to poor sales and accumulation of huge stocks due to poor demand in the market.The long term problems of the industry include the slow pace of modernization, outdated technology resulting into low productivity, high cost of production, low profitability and increasing sickness of mills. Other small problems are inadequate training facilities in textile sector, fragmented garment industry, structural weaknesses in weaving and processing, rigid labor laws, infrastructural bottlenecks in terms of power, utility, road transport etc 6 f) Steps taken by government till nowThe Government has undertaken a series of progressive measures like introduction of Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC), Technology Up gradation (sp) fund Scheme (TUFS ), Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP), reduction in customs duty on import of state-of-the-art machinery, Debt Restructuring Scheme, setting up of Apparel Training and Design Centers (ATDCs), 100% Foreign Direct Investment in the textile sector under automatic route, setting up of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) etc, for upgrading and strengthening the textile sector in India.From time to time, in consultation with all stakeholders, Government modifies these schemes so as to achieve better results through improved delivery of programs/schemes. These progressive measures have helped the textile sector to achieve improved growth in production; enhanced productivity and a larger share of textile export market in the world. (1) Technology Upgrading Fund Scheme To facilitate technological upgrading in the sector, the Government launched TUFS with effect from 1 April 1999 for five years initially, and which is extended up to 2011/12.The scheme provides for reimburse ment of 5 per cent interest paid on term loans for technological upgrading of textile machinery. In this way, the Government has assisted the Indian textile companies by ensuring that they are not over-burdened by the high interest rate prevailing in the country. (2) Integrated textile parks scheme In order to a world-class infrastructure for textile units as well as facilitate the need for them to meet international social and environmental standards, this scheme envisages the creation of textile parks in the public-private partnership mode.Currently, 30 parks are in various stages of implementation, and 50 more are planned for the next five years. (3) Fiscal rationalization In the 2006 budget, the excise duty on all manmade fibers and yarns was reduced from 16 per cent to 8 per cent. The 2007 budget carried it forward by reducing the customs duty on polyester fibers and yarns from 10 per cent to 7. 5 per cent. The customs duty on polyester raw materials such as DMT, PTA and MEG we re also reduced from 10 per cent to 7. 5 per cent. These measures are expected to make manmade fibers and yarn cheaper and thus increase the competitiveness of fabric and apparel manufacturers. 4) Technology Mission on Cotton In February 2000, the Government launched the Technology Mission on Cotton with the objective of addressing the issues of raising productivity, improving quality and reduction of contamination in cotton. Indeed, cotton 7 production in the past three years has increased substantially and contamination has been reduced, as assessed by independent agencies. (5) Other steps taken to increase competitiveness Earlier, only small-scale manufacturers were allowed to make woven RMG, knitted and hosiery products.While the initial aim was to boost employment opportunities and promote entrepreneurship at the smaller enterprise levels, in practice it rendered the small manufacturers uncompetitive globally. By 2003/04, the sector had been totally freed. In addition, FDI up t o 100 per cent through the automatic route has now been allowed. So that textile industry will have higher amount of foreign investment. And new technology machinery can be used in India by foreign players which can cause local players also to use the new technology. g) Strategies for growth 1) Improving labour laws: One of the main requirements for growth in the apparel subsector is the relaxation/amendment of the labour laws, to ensure an equal chance of success for the country’s exporters and manufacturers in the present global environment. Outdated labour laws have induced inflexibility in the clothing industry, leading both to fragmented operations in order to circumvent these laws and to lost export orders due to industry’s hesitation over expanding when there is an upsurge. Most of the countries competing with India have labour laws that are more flexible.For example, the Chinese apparel industry has highly flexible labour laws that allow for lay-offs during the non-peak season, hiring of contract labour, and a flexible hiring and firing system in SEZ-based units. The Mexican apparel industry allows layoffs during the slack business season. The industry in India is proposing the provision of flexibility to textile exporting units in hiring labour, subject to ensuring 100 days employment to cater to variations in demand. An increase in daily working hours from 9 hours a day to 12 hours a day, and in weekly working hours from 48 hours a week to 60 hours a week, is also being proposed. 2) Decreasing transaction costs: Various studies have established that the transaction costs faced by the Indian industry are very high, which adversely affects its competitiveness. A study undertaken by the EXIM Bank of India clearly showed that although transaction costs in India had declined because of declining procedural complexities, they were still substantially higher if compared with competitors. Transaction costs vary from sector to sector, and are ve ry high in the textiles and garment subsector, ranging from 3 per cent to 10 per cent of export revenue in 2002. These costs, inter alia, are shown in table 2. 3) Improving the general infrastructural conditions: This improvement includes roads, transportation etc. , so that the costs of reaching the nearest port as well as turnaround time at the port are globally comparable, to ensure that Indian exporters are not placed at a disadvantage vis-a-vis global competitors. 8 h) Conclusion Indian textile industry is a huge source of employment for both skilled and unskilled labor of India so it is very important industry as per economic perspective. This industry faces many problems some of which have been overcome thanks to government policies. But, still some problems are yet to be solved.Different strategies have to be implemented for that purpose. Large sections of the textile value-chain still need to be fully modernized, while the export sector has yet to take full advantage of its existing production strength. There are many areas around the world and many product lines where India is very weakly represented. Thus, while the private sector will need to continue its heavy investment in this industry during the next several years, building on the recent positive trends, India also needs to integrate more fully into the global textile and apparel value chain in order to reap the full benefits from its strengths.Only a coordinated effort by all – the Government, industry and individual units – can enable India to achieve its apparently high and stretched targets of the 12th FiveYear Plan. 9 i) References 1) Sharma Milan, â€Å"Textile Industry of India and Pakistan†, A. P. H. Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, 2006 2) Research paper: Organizational structure, communication and effectiveness in Textile industry (January, 2000) Authors: T Chandramohan Reddy and S Gayathri Journal: Indian Journal of Industrial Relations http://www. jstor. org/s table/27767666 ) Article: Indian Textile Industry by Dr. P Chellasamy and N Sumathi http://www. fibre2fashion. com/industry-article/market-research-industry-reports/indian-textileindustry/indian-textile-industry1. asp 4) Article: Indian textile and clothing sector poised for a leap by J. N. Singh http://www. unescap. org/tid/publication/tipub2500_pt1chap6. pdf 5) Article: Indian Textile and apparel sector : An analysis of aspects related to domestic supply and Demand by Badri Narayan G http://www. unescap. org/tid/publication/tipub2500_pt1chap5. pdf 10

Frankenstein: Nature vs Nurture

Twins are commonly used to study the effects of nature versus nurture. Ones immediate surroundings define who they become later on in life. The environment plays a huge role in the development of humanity through cultivating personality, character, beliefs, and many different aspects in a person’s life. Different environmental influences provide for a variety of people. In terms of the literary selection Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the author’s view on Nature vs.Nurture is that the development of an individual revolves around nature. Firstly, the creature conceals wantonly emotions due to the flagrant mistreatment of society. Frankenstein exclaims â€Å"The love of another will destroy the cause of my crimes, and I shall become a thing of whose existence everyone will be ignorant† (Shelley 106). If someone is being shown love and kindness, they will be prone to reciprocate these emotions.As Frankenstein is persuading Victor to create him a female he commiserate s with humanity exclaiming, â€Å"I shall feel the affections of a sensitive being and become linked to the chain of existence and events, from which I am now excluded† (Shelley 106). Long term advantages for learning behavior and for the development of physical and mental health are obtained through stabilizing secure, receptive, and nourishing relationships. The creature learns this is early on in life which is beneficial, so he can carry out illustrious and consistent acts which is the key sustaining the foundation of a prevailing lifestyle.At first, the creature is destitute in expressing himself, however as he matures, he is able to manifest dissimilar emotions. Frankenstein verbally analyzes himself through concluding, â€Å"I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind† (Shelley 104). Learning through the acts of society and constantly being around certain attitudes attaches to the creature’s senses and he adapts. By vir tue of observing and grasping certain ideals of life.

A Study Survey on Home Building Industry

The housing boom kept this country afloat during the darkest moments after September 11, 2001 when other industries like travel, hospitality, entertainment, energy and telecommunications seemed uncertain. One can argue that such a relationship is cyclical; what comes around goes around in the manner of economic trends such as recession and depression but this is not the case with this correlation. People will always need housing. Below are strategies housing providers can implement to continue stimulating growth. Bennett Hecht writes that economic strategies for housing begins on the local level. He writes, â€Å"Housing development is a site-specific, self-sufficiency strategy designed to help developers create jobs and other income-generating opportunities for residents of their properties† (p. 1). This economic development strategy is founded on four objectives: (1)Decrease Cash Outflows from Housing Developments. Whenever possible, developers should purchase goods and services from sources within their housing developments, instead of â€Å"importing† them from other communities. This promotes local growth and activity. (2)Better Use of Space. Housing developers should use available space to sponsor the delivery of much needed services or facilities, such as child care, GED classes, or a convenience store. (3)Increase Cash Inflows. Nonprofit developers should also use available space to increase income to the property and residents by leasing space to paying commercial tenants, by entering into profit-sharing ventures with commercial tenants, or by providing services and products to outsiders. (4)Build Contracting Capacity. The ability to increase cash inflows is directly related to the ability of businesses to compete for work outside of the housing developments. By controlling the awarding of contracts, the developer can â€Å"incubate businesses† by awarding work to residents over a period of time until they can develop the work and contract management experience to, among other things, secure bonding necessary to compete for larger contracts. The beauty of these objectives is that they can be implemented at both the urban and suburban levels. In this respect all parties benefit from the strategy during a time when many housing companies are not planning for the future but riding out the wave of present economic growth. A Study Survey on Home Building Industry The housing boom kept this country afloat during the darkest moments after September 11, 2001 when other industries like travel, hospitality, entertainment, energy and telecommunications seemed uncertain. One can argue that such a relationship is cyclical; what comes around goes around in the manner of economic trends such as recession and depression but this is not the case with this correlation. People will always need housing. Below are strategies housing providers can implement to continue stimulating growth. Bennett Hecht writes that economic strategies for housing begins on the local level. He writes, â€Å"Housing development is a site-specific, self-sufficiency strategy designed to help developers create jobs and other income-generating opportunities for residents of their properties† (p. 1). This economic development strategy is founded on four objectives: (1)Decrease Cash Outflows from Housing Developments. Whenever possible, developers should purchase goods and services from sources within their housing developments, instead of â€Å"importing† them from other communities. This promotes local growth and activity. (2)Better Use of Space. Housing developers should use available space to sponsor the delivery of much needed services or facilities, such as child care, GED classes, or a convenience store. (3)Increase Cash Inflows. Nonprofit developers should also use available space to increase income to the property and residents by leasing space to paying commercial tenants, by entering into profit-sharing ventures with commercial tenants, or by providing services and products to outsiders. (4)Build Contracting Capacity. The ability to increase cash inflows is directly related to the ability of businesses to compete for work outside of the housing developments. By controlling the awarding of contracts, the developer can â€Å"incubate businesses† by awarding work to residents over a period of time until they can develop the work and contract management experience to, among other things, secure bonding necessary to compete for larger contracts. The beauty of these objectives is that they can be implemented at both the urban and suburban levels. In this respect all parties benefit from the strategy during a time when many housing companies are not planning for the future but riding out the wave of present economic growth.