The Profound Ideas of Honore de Balzacs Pere Goriot Essay -- Balzac P

The Profound Ideas of Honore de Balzac's Pere Goriot Honore de Balzac published Pere Goriot in 1834 (1), one of the outstanding novels in his panoramic study of Parisian life, the Human Comedy. Throughout Pere Goriot, Balzac's narrator oscillates between the roles of social historian and moralist. Although the presence of both observer and commentator may initially seem mutually exclusive, it also is a large part of what makes this novel interesting and entertaining. Balzac's readers, as flesh-and-blood humans, do not segregate perception and judgment routinely in their everyday lives. By packaging profound ideas in a way similar to natural human expectation, Balzac's narrator achieves an especially comfortable and effective rapport with readers. One of the central threads of Pere Goriot is the story of Eugene de Rastignac's rise from provincial obscurity to success in Paris. Along the way he learns much about Parisian society and human nature. In the following passage from Pere Goriot, Rastignac pursues success through fashionable dress: Eugene had begun to realize the influence a tailor can exercise over a young man's life. He is either a mortal enemy or a friend, and alas, there is no middle term between the two extremes. Eugene's tailor was one who understood the paternal aspect of his trade and regarded himself as a hyphen between a young man's past and future. The grateful Eugene was eventually to make the man's fortune by one of those remarks at which he was in later years to excel: "I know two pairs of his trousers that have each made matches worth twenty thousand francs a year." Fifteen hundred and fifty francs, and all the clothes he cared to have! At this point the poor southerner felt all doubts van... ...ank and the English mathematician Charles Babbage developed the "analytical engine", precursor to the modern computer. 2 This quote from Henry Reed's 1962 translation, pages 99-100. (Honore de Balzac. Pere Goriot. New York: Penguin Books, 1981) 3 The emphasis is mine. 4 Daedalus was a great inventor in Greek mythology who escaped from prison with his son, Icarus, by flying away on wings of feathers and wax. Not heeding the advice of his practical father, Icarus dared to fly close to the glorious sun. The wax wings melted, and Icarus plunged to his death in the sea below. 5 A corollary is that no one who hasn't been to the "provinces" knows a thing about human life, for a person who lives only in the city will also have a skewed perception. Work Cited Honore de Balzac. Pere Goriot. Translated by Henry Reed. New York: Penguin Books, 1981.

Analysis of Ahab Moby Dick Essay

1. Dictator: Melville describes Ahab as a dictator. He, as the captain, is the most respectful figure in the Pequod. Some critics say that the novel is a metaphor from the world. Everyone depends of one person. It is a political point of view. The Pequod is seen as a small world. He is a â€Å"grand, ungodly, god-like† man. Ahab is ungodly in that he refuses to submit to any higher power. He does not worship or even acknowledge the superiority of forces beyond himself. Ahab is god-like in that he is larger than life. 2. Obsession: Ahab considers Moby Dick the embodiment of evil in the world, and he pursues the White Whale monomaniacally because he believes it his inescapable fate to destroy this evil. He is obsessed with revenge. Moby Dick dominates the personality of Ahab. He gradually goes crazier and crazier, eventually blaming Moby Dick for everything bad that has ever happened to any human being ever since the beginning of time. Melville describes Ahab as a â€Å"monomaniac,† an interesting word because it suggests two things: first, that Ahab’s insanity focuses itself obsessively on a single thing (Moby Dick), and second, that he’s only insane when it comes to that one thing – he can be rational about just about everyone else. 3. Suffering: Ahab believes that his suffering stems from the White Whale known as Moby Dick. . He lost more than leg the first time he fought against Moby Dick: he lost his pride, his free will, and his very being. His sole purpose after this encounter was to kill Moby-Dick, all else was cast aside. His wife, home, friends, and family do not even cross his mind. Ahab basically spends his life alone in the sea. He feels in home when he is in the ocean. He is always looking for Moby Dick, looking along. He has not friends; he is a romantic hero. Ahab is not a happy human being, he is like heroes of Shakespearean tragedy. He is suffering for the pain he has inside from the beginning to the end of the novel. Close to the end of the novel Melville makes a reflection about Ahab’s life, trying to humanize him. He is lamenting everything on his life.

Porter Generic Strategies on Indian Automobile Induatry Essay

PORTER’S GENERIC COMPETITIVE STRATEGY Automobile Sector MARUTHI: Low Cost Product – Differentiated service Product Pricing: Maruthi build high walls of safety against competition by its very competitive pricing i.e. pricing as low as possible for the particular product. Maruthi has also been a company that has strived for sustainable development with their â€Å"three R† framework standing for â€Å"reduce, recycle, reuse† in its plants, so that there is a minimal stress on resources emphasizing on low cost while retaining their promise to the customer. Maruthi Product – Target Market – Pricing As important for low cost provider they are also backed by huge economies of scale as depicted below; Customer Service: In the other hand maruthi has been sought by people for its distribution and service availability across the length and breadth of the nation. â€Å"Yes, you can get lost in India, but chances are there will be a Maruti Suzuki Service Station close at hand. Wherever you go, across the length and breadth of this vast nation, our service network follows.† boasts maruthi relying on its widest service network servicing more than 40,000 cars a day. Maruthi has been No.1 in the J D Power Customer Satisfaction Award for a staggering 13 years in a row. It’s a survey that rates the after-sales service experience, one that no other global car market leader has won even once. Source:Maruthi.co.in TATA: COST LEADERSHIP Tata motors is a part of the conglomerate TATA and their focus is to provide cost effective solution to their customers going in line with their mission of â€Å"To be passionate in anticipating and providing the best vehicles and experiences that excite our customers globally.† Source: Tatamotors.com Focusing on values like Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, Passion for excellence with their focus to provide low cost solution ranging from TATA flag mark product NANO. The following picture gives the price list for the cars, Source: Car pricedhekho.com Their economies of scale are one of the highest in the industry signifying the low cost in production also reuse and less emphasis on design features and these coupled with their unique processing of fixing reverse methodology of pricing the product first and thereby innovating and designing so as to fit the price makes them the leader in providing low cost solutions reaching out the customers. TATA also boasts it service network being wide and reachable in almost all corners of the nation but their main focus and strive is on providing low cost solutions. MAHINDRA: DIFFERENTIATION (BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY) Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) manufactures utility vehicles (UVs), tractors, commercial vehicles (CVs), three-wheelers and gensets. Mahindra was the first mover when it comes to utility vehicles in India and has an indomitable market and place in customer mind when their focus is on performance under optimal price. It is India’s market leader in UVs and tractors and In land, Mahindra has dominant share in all its segments – | Source: SIAM, Company Data, Credit Suisse estimates| Mahindra earns a competitive advantage via a combination of a tractor and UV business in India which face very little or no competition. Mahindra brought in SUV’s in Indian market focusing on raw power and performance with the launch of Bolero and the launch of Scorpio has proven to be a game-changer for the company and has help it transform its image from a people-mover to luxury SUV manufacturer followed by launch of its most-awaited XUV 500 dominating the SUV category with its differentiated products. All this was keenly observed by famous strategist and thinker Mr. C K Prahlad and named the whole milieu as â€Å"FORTRESS MAHINDRA†. Fortress Mahindra means that if you go into a certain mobility business where you can share procurement, where you can share research and development synergies, where you can share logistics, where you can share brand, you can share channel and then create a mobility web where it becomes easier to enter a  mobility business that somebod y else can’t and easier to defend when somebody tries to emulate. Source: Business Today

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1828 †1910)

Type of Work: Tragic love storySetting Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; nineteenth century Plagiarism Detection >Principal Characters Robert Jordan, an American fighting with Spanish Loyalists Anna Karenina, a beautiful young woman Alexey, her cold, vindictive husband Count Vronsky, a young military officer who falls in love with Anna Stepan Oblonsky, Annas spendthrift brother Dolly, Stepans frustrated wife Kitty, Dollys sister Levin, Stepans rusticc friend, and Kittys suitorStory Overveiw Stepan Oblonskys wife Dolly had discovered that her husband was having an affair. With her beauty fading and her household a wreck, she had had enough. Stepan fretfully wrote to his sister, Anna Karenina, asking her to come to Moscow and convince Dolly not to leave him.Later, while working at his job in the entrenched Moscow bureaucracy, Stepan received an unexpected visitor: Levin, an old friend from the university, came to discuss Dollys sister Kitty, whom he wanted to marry. After being inform ed by Stepan that he had a rival for Kittys affections, a certain Count Vronskv of St. Petersburg, Levin resolved that he would propose to Kitty that very night.At that same moment, Anna and Count Vronsky were riding together in a train bound for Moscow. Vronsky noticed the charming woman as he made his way to the first-class compartment that he shared with his mother. He had time to take note of the suppressed eagerness which played over her face as their eyes met, and she remained in his mind. However, upon reaching their destination, the two went their separate ways Anna to her brothers home, Vronsky and his mother to a hotel.Approached by Anna, Dolly at first refused to discuss her husbands infidelity. Everythings lost after what has happened, evervthinqs over! she raged. But finally she relented to Annas plea to keep the family together.Meanwhile, Levin had arrived early at a dinner party hosted by the parents of Kitty and Dolly, determined to make his desires known to Kitty b efore the appearance of the rich and handsome Count. But That cannot be forgive me, Kitty replied upon hearing his stammering proposal. Crushed by the rejection, Levin escaped from the gathering at the first opportunity.A few days later, at her coming-out ball, Kitty couldnt help but notice how Anna and Vronsky kept gazing at each other. Vronskys face had a look that puzzled her . . . like the expression of an intelligent dog when it had done wrong. It was clear to Kitty that the two were in love.Nevertheless, with her task of seeing to Stepan and Dolly completed, Anna boarded the next train for St. Petersburg. She thought of her son, Seryozha, and her husband, Alexey.. Mv life will go on in the old way, all nice and as usual she thought. But she found that she could not easily dismiss Count Vronsky from her mind. And stepping along the way, as Anna stepped out for a breath of air, there he was. You know that I have come to be where you are; I cant help it, confessed the officer. Anna was both delighted and flattered by this, but it was simply unthinkable that anything could come of his attraction to her. After all, she was a married woman.Back in Moscow, Kitty was devastated. Not only had Count Vronsky spurned her, but Levin had also left the city to supervise work on his country estate. Humiliated and distraught, Kitty became so ill with despair that she was soon unable to eat or sleep. Her frantic parents, after finding no restorative medical treatment in Moscow, sent her to Europe to consult various doctors.Meanwhile, life for Anna in St. Petersburg remained strangely unsettled. The happiness that in Moscow had fairly flashed from her eyes, [now seemed] hidden somewhere far away. To her further disquiet, the love-struck Vronsky took every opportunity to see her. One night she knelt and begged him to leave her in peace; but still he persisted: I cant think of you and myself apart. You and I are one to me. And at that moment Anna let her eyes rest on him, full of love.Soon afterward, Alexey Karenina walked into a party and found his wife with Vronsky; but Anna denied any impropriety. Still, she and Vronsky met night after night, with Alexey seemingly powerless or unwilling to stop them. Anna by now felt so sinful, so guilty; but still she could not curb her passion for the Count.The following summer, while staving at her husbands villa outside the city, Anna confronted her lover with an announcement: she was pregnant. Though he understood the gravity of Annas position, Vronsky smiled. This was the turning point he had been longing for.Leave your husband and make our life one, he implored. But Anna shook her head. If she left, Alexey would take sole custody of Seryozha and she would not be allowed to see her son. But Anna did promise Vronsky that she would tell her husband the truth about the child she was carrying.When Anna made her confession, Alexey, instead of showing jealousy or indignation, merely warned his wife against public displays of flirtation. His sole concern was to preserve his social and business reputation; a duel or a divorce would only serve to disgrace him. The family cannot be broken up by a whim, a caprice, or even by the sin of one of the partners in the marriage, he informed Anna Our life must go on as it has done in the past.Anna reacted to his words at first with guilt and shame, but this quickly turned to anger: He knows that I cant repent that I breathe, that I love; he knows that it can lead to nothing but lying and deceit- but he wants to go on torturing me . . . Vronsky also was increasingly anxious to begin a new life with Anna, who would not leave her son. And so, the position was one of misery for all three Kitty had by now returned to Moscow, feeling somewhat better. One morning, just after dawn, Levin caught sight of her in a carriage, as it skirted his estate destined for her familys summer home. The pangs of love, long since buried, welled up in him once more. Months late r, taking advantage of a trip to the city, he called again upon Kitty. It was apparent to both that they cared deeply for each other, and, after a proper courtship, they were united as man and wife. Levin, for years caught up in trying to find out who he was and where he fit in Gods universe, had finally and happily found his place.But in St. Petersburg, relationships were breaking up. The nearer Anna came to the birth of her child, the more demanding and cold Alexey became. Then Anna survived a deadly fever to give birth to a baby girl. Oddly, the difficulty of the birth eased the tensions between herself and her husband. At the other extreme, Vronsky saw no end to the barriers separating him from his lover. Desperate at the prospect of living without Anna, he unsuccessfully tried shooting himself. Still torn, Anna finally did move in with him, and soon the couple left Russia to live in Italy for a time.Meanwhile, Kitty and Levin were living on their estate outside of Moscow. Levin felt gratified to be spiritually sustained by a loving wife. Like Anna, Kitty went through a difficult pregnancy, but it culminated in the birth of a fine little boy. Theirs was an idyllic life.Upon returning from Italy to St. Petersburg, Vronsky and Anna, found themselves ostracized. Gossip followed them everywhere. The couple argued frequently, and Anna, in a burst of depression, finally accused Vronsky of being unfaithful. Even after they moved into a newly-inherited estate, Anna felt alone in the world. She revived her habit of taking a little morphine to help her sleep, a legacy from her pregnancy.Summer turned to winter, and the family relocated again, this time to Moscow. There, the badly strained relationship fared no better. Though Anna pled for Vronsky to love her and give her security, at the same time she increasingly insisted on greater freedom. This is becoming unbearable! Vronsky screamed one day. Why do you try my patience? It has limits. Anna could only gaze at him with terror at the undisguised hatred in his whole face. Vronsky checked himself: I mean to say I must ask what it is you want of me? All I want, she replied, is that you dont desert me, as you think of doing . I want love, and there is none. .. Vronsky vainly protested; he would never cease to love her.Suddenly, Anna turned on Vronsky, cursing him for the sacrifices she had made to be with him her marriage, her son, her social position Delirious with bitterness, Anna had no place to turn; Vronsky, she was convinced, had found another, and she could never return to Alexey. Ambling into the train station, she purchased a ticket. Then, standing on the platform, watching the trains, she said to herself.. I will punish him and escape from everyone and from myself.Measuring both the speed of the oncoming train and her resolve to end her suffering, she jumped. Something huge and merciless struck her on the head and rolled on her back. Lord, forgive me all!Anna Karenina was dead.Comme ntary Leo Tolstoy is considered one of Russias greatest nineteenth-century novelists, an honor he shares with Dostoievsky. Tolstoy, however, focuses his novels on the vicissitudes of the upper-classes rather than on Dostoievskys underprivileged peasants or criminals. Plagiarism Detection >Tolstoy foresaw the end of the aristocracy in Russian society. Serfs had already been set free; the working class was beginning to expand in power. Moreover, new mores and morals were being imported from the West, and societys upper crust was the first to feel the strain of these changes a strain running an undercurrent throughout Anna Karenina.The novel reads like a soap opera, with the exhaustive cast of characters continually creating their own problems. Contrast Annas tragic quest for love and personal fulfillment with the spiritual odyssey of Levin. Through hard work and the support of an understanding family, his search is rewarded by happiness. Thus, Tolstoys gripping masterpiece revolves a round the dissimilar paths of these two characters, allowing a forum for the authors commentary on Russias maze-like social system, fraught with unresolved incongruities.

Critical thinking Assignment # 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical thinking Assignment # 1 - Essay Example According to me justice needs to aim at preventing the crime by deterring criminals and upholding the rule of law, while assuring public order and ascertaining that the actual offenders get commensurately punished in consonance with the gravity of their crime in a way and manner that brings closing to the extended family of the offended, and expressing appropriate public and state denunciation for the committed crime, thereby bolstering the public confidence and establishing law and order in the society. As per my personal opinion, the purpose and objective of justice is not merely to assuage the ethical requisites like fairness and protection, but also to instill a sense of peace, confidence and certainty in the larger society in which a crime is committed. Each criminal case does define as to how justice presents itself to the larger society. In the light of this personal and larger definition of justice, justice is not being met in case of the twin brothers’ case being discussed here. The system is not extending a just and valid treatment to both the twin brothers here. Though it may not be true, yet it is quite possible that at least one of the twin brothers and one’s friends and relatives are taking advantage of the likeness in the looks of the two brothers to hoodwink and bypass the criminal justice system. The way criminal justice system is going soft on the perceived offender, going by the fact that he has an identical twin who looks and dresses up like him and was also present at the scene of crime is sending a message to the society that the criminals who do have a look alike could confuse and dither the criminal justice system. A more just approach in this case will be to take both the brothers within the loop of this murder case, because if one of them committed the actual murder, the other one is surely playing an active role in confusing the

The Life of Langston Hughes and his use of Religion, Rite of Passage, Research Paper

The Life of Langston Hughes and his use of Religion, Rite of Passage, and Family in his short stories - Research Paper Example Because of racism, he provided a remarkable authority on the black all through the US in the era referred to as the Harlem Renaissance. He was among the most inexhaustible and most recognized black poets of the renaissance. He was among the few that broke the barriers that several artists had achieved before. His articulation not only endorsed African American civilization, but also endeavoured to bring notice the predicament of African American anguishing from injustice and oppression (Baraceros, 118). In his book essay, salvation Hughes retells an experience concerning religion. He narrates that, he was salvaged from sin, when he was turning thirteen, but was not truly saved. This experience affected how he dealt with situations in religion in the future. The start of the story has a tone that excites the reader and makes them inquisitive and hopeful. However, eventually the tone disappoints the readers making them culpable and non-believers. A restoration that gains thrust for day s is a climatic flat line for Langston leaving him an agnostic. His aunt tells a curious Langston that, grand things will occur at revitalization, at the cathedral of his Auntie Reed. He is told that he will experience an incredible feeling within and will be delivered. Had this before from others and does not deem it right to question his aunt. He is hopeful that, at the revival, Jesus will call children. The children are called up, and he takes a pew on the bench waiting for Jesus to reveal himself. He waits for a long time, but Jesus never appears. There are only two children left on the bench and the other child decides he will meet Jesus to end things but a hopeful Langston waits (Baraceros, 234). Langston is disillusioned that Jesus did not come to assist him when all eyes were focused on him. This made to lie to his aunt that he had seen when he cried that night out of disappointment. He has heard several people older people discuss what happens when one goes to Jesus. This m ade to be hopeful, curios and excited, but at the end, the complete opposite is the outcome. These two extremes lead to Langston to be a non-believer. Another Hughes’ significant story is â€Å"Thank you Ma’m.† This story is about an elderly woman walking alone in the dark when suddenly a boy attempts to grab her purse. Nonetheless, during the effort, he loses his steadiness and slides on the pavement and the annoyed woman picks him up and teaches him a thorough lesson. She takes the boy to her home so that he could wash his face and have a pleasant e meal, before she hands him some money to buy blue suede shoes he has always wished for a long time. This story appears to be written around the 1930s when racism was a prodigious topic in the southern states, during those times numerous African Americans had problems looking for a job. During this period, many blacks had to fight for their freedom. From Rogers' perception, children went through a rough period as we ll during that era. He is dirty and frail and a street rogue. He depicts the life of many children of that time. Mrs Washington Jones, the elderly woman sympathises with Roger even though he tries to steal from her. She depicts a different side of the poor neighbourhood; a sturdy woman who depicts kindness to a stranger one would not expect her to be bothered. Many children in poor neighbourhoods had little to go home to,

Why is freedom important Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why is freedom important - Essay Example Society has lived this way for eons and, although there have been efforts from certain sectors to try to curb these logical and natural freedoms, we have always lived our lives free of any constraints. Unfortunately, we oftentimes fail to acknowledge this fact which is why we end up taking the freedoms that we have in our lives for granted. While other countries struggle for a semblance of democracy and their people are crying out for freedom, we simply go about our free lives without a worry or care in the world. That is why there is a need for us, as a collective society, to come to an understanding as to what the true meaning of freedom is and why it is important to all of us. It is perhaps best to begin the discussion of the importance of freedom on the basis of the Harm Principle. According to Oliviera (2006), under this principle, the actions of individuals should only be limited once it is proven that the person will cause great harm to those around him. This is the basis of t he laws that govern our land. I cannot stress the importance of the Harm Principle in our daily lives for this is the principle upon which all our other freedoms are based upon. I do not doubt that this is also the principle upon which arrest and imprisonment of people doing harm to others comes from. After all, if you cause harm to another human being, you end up in jail. That is what the Harm Principle is all about and that is why it is the most important basis of our most basic freedoms in our society today. The Harm Principle presents us with a maxim that has allowed people to develop their sense of freedom in a responsible manner. This is known as the Liberty Principle which, allows people to develop their individuality through freedom of choice. By allowing people to have options in life, a person is forced to view the pros and cons of his possible decisions and then go with the decision that he feels will best serve his individual identity. He has the freedom to choose from a ny number of outcomes, hence the Liberty Decision. He makes his decision free of guilt and responsibility to others. His sole responsibility in this respect, it only to himself thus making his decision absolute. Without the Harm Principle to consider, we would not have encountered the need for positive and negative liberty among our people. Carter (2011) thoroughly explains that the Harm principle is possibly what gave way to the emergence of the positive and negative liberties of man. Simply put, the negative liberty is one that offers no obstacles to living a life secure in the freedom that he is experiencing. It was Isaiah Berlin (Carter, 2011) who explained that negative freedom is simply the absence of obstacles in life that prevent one from living life. Negative freedom is a sense of liberty that we all experience if there are no external interferences from groups that could hamper our freedom of movement and choice. Whereas positive freedom is one that exists due to need to c ontrol a certain situation or event due to the internal factors being the basis for individuals and groups to act independently of each other. Having said that, it seems only logical, after having developed an understanding of the importance behind positive and negative liberty, we come to a discussion Rousseau's Theory of freedom. As per Simpson's (2006), understanding of Rousseau's Theory of Freedom, there are actually 4 kinds of freedom that should be deemed relevant to politics. These freedoms are: 1. Natural freedom 2. civil freedom, democratic freedom, 3. moral freedom. This is supposed to be the social contract that supposedly binds us all to humanly treating each other regardless of personal sentiment. It is believed that the aforementioned freedoms are the basis that we as a people use to