What Does Successful Content Marketing Look Like in 2018

The use of content as a marketing tool shows no signs of slowing down. In 2017, 75 percent of companies increased their budget and staff for content marketing, and 70 percent of marketers planned to produce more content compared to 2016. With 2017 coming to a close, it’s time to look ahead and start planning your content strategies for the future. So here are some trends to keep an eye on as we head into 2018. More Original Content Brands are placing more emphasis on original content. In 2018, Apple plans to spend more than $1 billion on original content, including videos and TV shows. Obviously, smaller companies can’t compete with such giants, but the growing dedication to creating original content shows how much faith big brands have in its marketing power. Tip: Whatever form of content you’re investing in, make sure it’s original and stands apart from the competition. More Focused Content Content that addresses consumers at every stage of their buying journey will become increasingly important. Businesses are not only developing their top-of-the-funnel â€Å"awareness† content, but they’re also refining bottom-of-the-funnel assets to drive conversions. This means you should focus even more on content and channels that drive engagement and build brand loyalty. Tip: Pay more attention to setting goals and tracking your progress. Use your analytics data to discover which areas of your content marketing are actually meeting expectations and delivering real results. Content Diversification People still enjoy reading blog posts, but they’re more hungry for in-depth content. The length of the average blog post has grown in the past few years to around 1,050 words. But to satisfy visual learners, more bloggers are using video. Brands are simultaneously producing content in various formats to satisfy different tastes; the most popular formats are still social media content, blog posts, email newsletters, whitepapers, videos, infographics and webinars. Tip: Repurpose every piece of content into various formats and spread them across different platforms to reach a wider audience. The Growth of Video Businesses are shifting to using video to lead their marketing efforts. According to one study, marketers who use video grow revenue 49 percent faster than non-video users. Videos also attract more attention; blog posts incorporating video attract three times as many inbound links as blog posts without video. Live videos are also growing in popularity. Many consumers like to watch live videos because they’re more authentic and interactive. Live video gives you the chance to interact with your audience in a more personal way. Tip: Experiment with live videos to show your products or your company culture. Ask your audience what they would like to see. Off-Screen Content and Voice Search Devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home are at the forefront of a new trend that marketers cannot ignore. With Apple’s HomePod joining the party in 2018, content marketers need to think about how their content performs off-screen. According to Google, 20 percent of all searches are now conducted via voice, and this is expected to rise rapidly in 2018. Tip: Match more of your web content to search queries that lead to your website. Use an FAQ page to add clear questions and answers about your business. Where are you located? What do you sell? Virtual Reality The total number of active virtual reality users is forecast to reach 171 million by 2018. As VR becomes more accessible, the number of users will continue to grow. This could be a huge opportunity for brands to reach a wider audience. Tip: To start out, look at how you can create 360 degree videos for YouTube. Around 1.3 million people are already subscribed to the YouTube 360 channel. User-Generated Content Brands continue to take advantage of user-generated content (UGC), and this trend is likely to increase in the next few years. Virtually every study shows that UGC has a positive impact on a brand’s reputation, social engagement, web traffic and sales. According to comScore, brand engagement increases an average of 28 percent when users are exposed to a combination of user-generated product videos and professional content. Tip: Use your social media channels to hold video contests. Ask your followers to upload their own content based around a theme, product or season. Greater Transparency As the quantity of branded content increases online, consumers are growing more skeptical, preferring content that shows more transparency and authenticity. This had resulted in the growth of influencer marketing and the importance of genuine reviews and user-generated content. Tip: Prove your company values by showing how you give back to the community. Perhaps you can show where your products are sourced, or use real-life customer stories to build your authenticity. Look to the Future As we head into 2018, brands that deliver more authentic content, experiment with new formats and embrace new technologies are likely to gain the competitive advantage. Anticipating content marketing trends will help you maximize the effectiveness of your content in the future, and deliver the quality your audience expects. These are some of the most significant trends, but it’s important to listen to your audience carefully to see how they prefer to receive content. Keep in mind these eight trends to help your brand stay one step ahead of the competition in 2018.

How a Bill becomes Law essays

How a Bill becomes Law essays THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS This paper deals with how bills in the state of California become laws, otherwise known as the Legislative Process. It will trace the process of a bill from the inception of an idea, to the outcome on a particular bill. Since I am majoring in Electronics Technology, Computer Repair here at American River College, I have chosen a bill related to that field. This bill is Assembly Bill 1710, Liability, and computer failures. The failure being referred to deals with year 2000 date change problem, or Y2K as it has been come to known. The Y2K problem is that of information processing using the incorrect date as a parameter. In order to save on hard disk space and the size (number of bytes or kilobytes) of software, it was decided to only refer to the YEAR part of the date without the '19'. Therefore, the date would read as follows: dd/mm/yy (e.g. 02/12/98). On the turn of the century the date parameter will read as follows: 03/01/00 and the software will misinterpret it as the 3rd of January 1900 and not 2000. This style of programming was adapted and has been used for the past 30 years and up until now. Most financial software purchased by financial institutions was developed using the Cobol (Common Business Oriented Language) with the date parameter used incorrectly or only applicable in the 20th century (using the last two digits of the year). This makes most of the worlds financial software inadequate and incorrect for the new millenium. How is that? The date parameter is used (in the incorrect format) in various crucial calculations such as calculating interest on bonds and pension funds. Hence, 30 years of programming needs to be corrected in a 6th of the time! This is a global task of greater magnitude than ever imagined. Basically all the programming of the last 30 years needs to be corrected in time for the turn of the century. It becomes even more interesting as it ...

Ashton Carter - On California National Guard Soliders Enlistment Bonuses

Ashton Carter On California National Guard Soldiers Enlistment Incentives delivered 26 October 2016, Brussels, Belgium (in ensuring that our service members are treated with gratitude and respect for their service; and that they get all the support they need from the Department of Defense.) Today, I ordered a series of steps to ensure fair treatment for the California National Guard soldiers who may have received incentive bonuses and tuition assistance improperly as a result of errors and in some cases criminal behavior by other members of the California Guard. First, Ive ordered the suspension of all efforts to collect reimbursement from affected California Guard members, and that suspension will continue until Im satisfied that our process is working. Second, Ive asked our top personnel official in the Department of Defense, Peter Levine, to assess the situation and to establish a streamlined and centralized process no later than January 1st of 2017, and to ensure that it it isit is capable at that time of resolving all cases by July 1st, 2017. Our goal is to have a process that honors the commitment of service members and also our responsibility to the taxpayer. Further Reading: https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/987214/carter-tasks-dod-team-with-streamlining-review-process-for-13000-california-gua

Nation State and Transnational Entities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nation State and Transnational Entities - Essay Example This essay stresses that USA is a perfect example of a nation state. Though it is a multicultural society, it is regarded as a nation-state due to the existence of the shared American "culture." It has a territory that is composed of all the states; it also has a government as well as sovereignty. This paper makes a concludion that the European integration process has been characterized by two periods. These are; the Cold War and Second World War. After these two historical events, a majority of the European States recognized the need for cooperation. After the Second World War, Europeans learnt a lesson that encouraged them to test practically benefits that could accrue from European integration. The War had led to reduction of European power. In addition, this decline was an opportunity for the Soviet Union and the US to lead in terms of security, political as well as economic positions. These therefore pushed European leaders to put behind their differences and cooperate. The cooperation was intended to eliminate the causes of war and promote European political as well as economic union. It is worth noting that there were different reasons that motivated them. There was a group made up of states that had been destroyed following the war and were keen on reconstructing their economy as well as reestablish the lost international power. These states were prepared to sacrifice their national sovereignty so as to reach their goals.

Research Paper Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outline - Research Paper Example â€Å"So, parents argue that vaccinations shouldn’t be mandatory for children.† (Hesman). Although vaccinating children can help prevent certain diseases there are still many parent that are refusing to vaccinate their children. Vaccines against disease such as polio and MMR should be mandatory for all children who wish to attend school. These vaccinations can control the spread of deadly diseases, help protect children that are not able to get vaccinated and can save family time and money. Sturm, Lynne A., Rose M. Mays, and Gregory D. Zimet. "Parental beliefs and decision making about child and adolescent immunization: from polio to sexually transmitted infections." Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics 26.6 (2005): 441-452. Smailbegovic, Mirsada S., Gabrielle J. Laing, and Helen Bedford. "Why do parents decide against immunization? The effect of health beliefs and health professionals." Child: care, health and development 29.4 (2003): 303-311. It is always way easier to prevent diseases than treat them. A study carried out in the United States concerning the economic impact resulting from child vaccination shows that the society saves more than five dollars in real cost for every one dollar that is spent on vaccination (Zhou et al.). Fangjun Zhou, Jeanne Santoli, Mark L. Messonnier, Hussain R. Yusuf, Abigail Shefer, Susan Y. Chu, Lance Rodewald & Rafael Harpaz. "Economic Evaluation of the 7-Vaccine Routine Childhood Immunization Schedule in the United States, 2001." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.159(12):1 (2001): 1136-44 . Document. Most of the people who oppose immunization are mostly led by religious reasons with some individuals thinking that vaccination is a western motive to wipe off the religions. Others are against vaccination stating that the use of human tissues to develop vaccines is immoral. Vaccines basically work on a common principle where antibodies are preserved from a healthy individual and introduced to a

Joe’s Fly-By-Night Oil Company Essay Example for Free

Joe’s Fly-By-Night Oil Company Essay †¢ Prepare a ratio analysis for the fiscal year ended Dec 31, 2012. Organize your analysis per the following outline: (1) Liquidity Current ratio: 25,000/17,000=1.47% Quick ratio: 25,000-17,000/17,000=25,000 Comments on liquidity- The results cant really determine how well or bad the company is doing until you compare it to another company. This ratio helps show the ability to pay off short term obligations as they are due. (2) Asset management Total Asset turnover: 10,000/40,000=.25 Average collection period (ACP): 10,000/365=27 3,000/27=111 days Comments on asset management- Each $1 of asset is producing . 25 in sales. Using assest utilization shows why one firm turns over assests more rapied than another. Average collection period states that it’s taking the customer around 111days to pay off their bills. This indicates how long sales stay on companys books. (3) Debt management Debt ratio: 20,000/40,000=50% Times interest earned: 3,000/200=15 times Comments on debt management- Times interest earned shows the number of times that income before interest and taxes covers the interest obligation . The higher the ration the stronger the interest paying ability of the firm . (4) Profitability Net profit margin:1800/10,000= 18% -Return on Assets (ROA): 1800/40,000= 4.5% -Return on Equity (ROE): 1800/20,000= 9.0% Extended Du Pont equation: .25x.18-0.045(4.5%) Comments on profitability to include your comments on the sources of ROE revealed by the Du Pont equation These types of ratios indicate if the firm is making any money, and how much in relation to whats invested. They also give you an indication of how the firm is doing in controlling its costs. Net profit margin sales minus all expenses, including interest and taxes . So the net profit margin ratio measures the proportion of each sale dollar that remains after all expenses are paid for . Joes is at 18% . The ROA should be compared to past years ROA to determine wheather it is good or bad. The ROE is the bottome line which can be compared to other investments and see where they are. It evaluates the return the firm produces. The Du Point equation allows you to understand the source of return but it need to be compared to a similar industry to see truly where the company is. (5) Market value ratios PE ratio: Market price of company stock /earnings per share of stock 50.00/1.80=27.7 Market to book ratio: Share price of stock/book value per share To get the book value per share you take total equity /common shares outstanding 20,000/1,000=20 then you take share price /book value per share 1.80/20=.09 Comments on the market value ratios The M/B ratio gives you an indication of the value of a firm’s intangible non-listed assests. These numbers help you get an idea what it will cost you to get $1 of the firms assets. Stock’s market price represents how much investors are willing to pay today for that claim. I the M/B ratio is higher than 1.0 therefore , you can say that the value of the equity claim has gone up. If you look at the M/B ratio for Joe’s the equity claim has gone up since its at 27.2. For the purposes of this exercise, assume the following data for Joe’s Fly-By-Night Oil: Stock price on Dec 31, 2012†¦$50.00 Number of common shares outstanding on Dec 31, 20121,000

Essay on Taming of the Shrew: Stand by Your Man -- Taming Shrew Essays

The Taming of the Shrew:   Stand by Your Man - The Psychotherapist Perspective  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The universal nature of the themes in The Taming of the Shrew,   beg analysis and social critique. This comedic farce, by William Shakespeare, creates an elegant depiction of a modern life and romantic love with all of its masks and pretensions. It is easy to assume the perspective of a psychotherapist while witnessing the drama of Katherine and Petruchio’s love affair unfolding. Concepts like â€Å"emotional repression† and â€Å"therapeutic catharsis† neatly fit the â€Å"taming† scenario. In fact, this play offers many new insights into what it takes to create an enduring, viable marriage—if one understands it from a very contemporary, psychotherapeutic or even spiritual point of view. If one is distracted by the recent feminist perspectives of this play, it is easy to miss the integrity and practicality expressed in Katherine’s final exhortation to women on how to love their men:    Thy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy keeper, Thy head, thy sovereign, one that cares for thee, And for the maintenance commits his body To painful labour both by sea and land, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.I am ashamed that women are so simple To offer war where they should kneel for peace†¦.. (Act V, ii, (150-153), (165-166)    Viewed through the lens of a one kind of feminist critic, we could ask: wasn’t Kate’s â€Å"taming† the result of a brutal conditioning by a manipulative Petruchio who was a kind of shrewd â€Å"behavioral psychologist?† For at the close of the play, in this passage especially, Kate appears to have metamorphosed from an intractable, ill-tempered woman into a subdued, submissive â€Å"Stepford Wife† for Petruchio. And wasn’t her final speech a humilia... ...nt to creating a deeper, more harmonious relationship involved a mature acceptance of the dark, shadow sides of Kate. The â€Å"baggage† of her wounded past with all of its unmet needs had been waiting to be loved and transformed. In the radical courtship of Kate and Petruchio, all â€Å"buttons† got pressed, character armor was released, and in the mirror of lover and beloved, childhood vulnerabilities eventually diminished freeing up enormous reserves of creative energy.   It is in this light that I appreciate Kate’s final impassioned speech to the other women who, in their selfish defiance of their new husbands had acted immaturely. For here, Shakespeare ironically exposes Bianca as the real, untamed shrew and reveals a very sagacious and loving Katherine. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. David Bevington. New York: Longman, 1997

Political Science Coursework Essay

Newsmap 2A No, the intention of the news aggregator is to be biased because what they are presenting in the website is the biased pattern of news information and presentation. 2B According to them (the owners of the website), â€Å"it [the website] is thought to ironically accentuate the bias of it [news]† (Newsmap). They are biased in that they are showing the biased patterns of news information and presentation by showing the underlying connections and relationships between bits and pieces of news information and putting them altogether to present a tree map. Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 7:48 A.M 4A U.S. Nation: Suspect Arrested in Virginia Highway Shootings 4AA The alleged person responsible for the Highway Shootings in the state of Virginia was arrested by the state’s police department. Reports have confirmed that the suspect is a 19-year-old who is facing a criminal case due to another shooting that happened the day before that in Waynesboro. Slade Allen Woodson is also the singular suspect in the highway shootings in Charlottesville where six vehicles were hit and two people obtained minor injuries. Prior investigation led the police to trace a vehicle that was seen in surveillance tapes at the scene of the crime to be owned by Woodson. (Grynbaum) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 10:01 AM 4B U.S. Business: American to Resume Normal Schedule 4BB Due to inspection and repairs, American Airlines, Inc. was forced to cancel some of their flights yesterday. The airline conducted repairs for four of the planes yesterday morning and continued general plane inspections in the afternoon. According to the airline representative, almost half of the 300 planes needed modifications. Delta Airlines, Inc. has also completed plane inspections; however, they finished earlier than American allowing them to proceed with their Friday flight schedule. Southwest Airlines Co. and American Eagle also conducted the same inspection earlier than the aforementioned two. The inspection is part of the FAA’s program of aircraft safety checks. (East Bay Business Times) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 12:22 PM 4C U.S. Technology: Shuttle Crew Reflects on Marathon Mission 4CC The astronauts from the space shuttle Endeavor has landed earth last Wednesday night. The said mission, composed of seven astronauts, was the longest shuttle expedition. The astronauts shared their enjoyable experiences while they were still in the shuttle and also their trip to earth and their landing after staying for such a long time in space. They all agreed that they find it difficult to adjust to the gravity here on earth. Aside from their previous revelations, they also revealed their experiences while they were still in space. (Malik) Date of Access: Saturday, March 29, 2008 – 10:05 AM 4D U.S. Health: U.S. to Study Drug for Suicide Links 4DD The alleged connection between Singulair and suicide stirred up investigation in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Singulair is product manufactured by Merck, which markets itself for allergies and asthma. Due to numerous attacks on the side effects of the drugs, Merck has placed great efforts in repackaging their product in order to include about several side effects, risks involved, anxiety and depression, etc. in the drug’s literature. The FDA focused on the case as soon as they received numerous reports from people who have used Singulair and have experienced dangerous side effects. The results of the study will be known after nine months of investigation. (The Associated Press) 5 I cannot help but think about the politics involved between business advertising and the media. In the article â€Å"American to Resume Normal Schedule,† there seems to be substantial evidence that proves the link between businesses and media. From the title of the article itself, the article is supposed to be informing the public of the flight schedules in the American Airlines, Inc. Moreover, the article is supposed to reveal why there were flight cancellations and the company should have used the media opportunity to apologize for any inconveniences that they might have caused to the public. These, I think, should have been the content of the article because of its title, and because of the need to inform the public about the issues behind the flight cancellations. However, the article was used as an advertising strategy for the aircraft business, especially the Oakland International Airport (OIA). First, three airlines who serve OIA were mentioned in the article; especially their efforts to adhere to the safety check programs of the FAA. Second, despite added information that the FAA is conducting safety checks for all major airlines, only the airlines that are connected with OIA were mentioned. Third, since Southwest Airlines Co. is the most dominant carrier among the three making it the most bankable airline, it is only strategic to market other airlines, such as the American Airlines, Inc. Thus, the title and that impression that it is trying to exude. 6 Yes, in a political society, being aware of the news and current events is important. 6A Basing from my response to the article about American Airlines, Inc. and advertising, being aware of all the current information that is going on nowadays is very important, especially when looking at a particular issue in a 360-degree angle, because it is instrumental in reading between the lines and understanding what is really going in society. Through the news, people are able to see the politics there is in all aspects of society. Buzztracker 7A The primary objective of Buzztracker is to utilize global news releases to present an illustration of locations that are interrelated. Although places in the world are separated by distance, the buzztracker shows their connection through a diagram and through the news that these countries share. (Buzztracker) 7B Date Accessed: Saturday, March 29, 2008: 12:25 PM Most Prominent Location: Washington 7C The news event that brings Washington to the forefront is the issue published by Express India, wherein it advocated the support the Bush administration should give to the new Pakistani government. For some, this would somehow alleviate harsh judgments on the U.S. government by its relationship with previous Pakistani president, which was tainted with dishonesty and misgivings. The Bush administration’s ability to lean towards democracy and help Pakistan could change how people see the U.S. government. 7D The buzztracker is a great help in understanding the significance of one location to others. It keeps people on track about the global community and gives them a clear understanding of what is happening in society by relating it to external situations outside the country. The top Location is significant in world affairs it enters the news because of the significant role it is playing the world. Washington is the seat of the U.S. government, which we all know is active and influential in almost all parts of the world. Works Cited The Associated Press. (28 March 2008). â€Å"U.S. to Study Drug for Suicide Links.† Retrieved from The New York Times Company. 29 March 2008. . Buzztracker. (2007). â€Å"Buzztracker.† Retrieved from Craig Mod. 29 March 2008. . East Bay Business Times. (28 March 2008). â€Å"American to Resume Normal Schedule.† Retrieved from the American City Business Journals, Inc. 29 March 2008. . Grynbaum, Michael. M. (29 March 2008). â€Å"Suspect Arrested in Virginia Highway Shootings.† Retrieved from The New York Times Company. 29 March 2008. < http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/us/29cnd-virginia.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin> Malik, Tariq. (27 March 2008). â€Å"Shuttle Crew Reflects on Marathon Mission.† Retrieved from Microsoft. 29 March 2008. . Newsmap. (2008). â€Å"Newsmap.† Retrieved from Markos Weskamp. 29 March 2008. .

Comparison of A Doll’s House and A Streetcar Named Desire Essay

Prompt #14: â€Å"Important characters in plays are multi-dimensional. Discuss to what extent this statement is true of important characters in plays you have studied and comment on the techniques of characterization employed by the playwright.† Multidimensional characters can also be defined as dynamic or constantly changing and developing characters. These dynamic characters are not simply important to a play, but are arguably the most important characters because what the playwright intends to communicate to his or her audience is communicated through the changing emotions and behaviors of these characters. Additionally, playwrights use a variety of techniques to highlight the changes an important character may go through. The dialogue, staging and stage directions, setting, music, lighting, and even costumes can all be used to highlight a multifaceted character’s emotional and physical changes. In A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, and A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, the playwrights primarily use costumes, which parallel the emotional and behavioral changes of important dynamic characters, and contrast in dialogue to amplify developments and changes in the characters’ relationships and behavior. Ibsen’s choice of costume design portrays Nora as a dynamic character in A Doll’s House. Ibsen changes Nora’s costume to parallel her behavioral and emotional changes in the play. The â€Å"Neapolitan fisher-girl† costume, for example, represents Nora’s secrets and their restraint on her autonomy (Ibsen 29). Therefore, Nora’s want to â€Å"tear [the masquerade costume] into a hundred thousand pieces† represents her will to be rid of her lies and to take off of the mask she puts on for Helmer (Ibsen 28). The costume facilitates this need throughout the second act of play. When Nora practices the Tarantella dance, she dances wildly and â€Å"her hair comes down and falls over her shoulders† (Ibsen 47). Wild and free hair has connotations of independence and liberation. Therefore, the costume begins to show the audience her will to free herself from the mask she puts on for Helmer. However, she remains in the dress at this point in the play meaning that she is still restricted by the disguise she wears for Helmer’s satisfaction. Again, the dress highlights Nora’s development when it is removed in Act III before Nora gathers the courage to tell Helmer she must leave him to gain her independence. Nora’s masquerade ball costume conveys how Nora’s lies and mask of happiness restrain her freedom and helps to illustrate her eventual escape from them. Therefore, the costume design amplifies the characteristics that make Nora a dynamic character. Williams also uses his costume designs to characterize his dynamic characters in A Streetcar Named Desire. However, rather than connecting a specific costume with a feeling, he associates a general type of costume with specific emotions and actions. For example, the lavish costuming of Blanche represents the extent of her desire for, and delusion of, an extravagant life. As the play opens and Blanche enters, her appearance is described as â€Å"incongruous to [the] setting† (Williams 15). She is introduced being dressed as if she believes she should be somewhere and someone else. Furthermore, her beauty from the â€Å"white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and earrings of pearl† is described as delicate and sensitive to light (Williams 15). This description of Blanche suggests that her rich and royal appearance is purely superficial and does not represent the reality of her life. This connection between costume design and Blanche’s fabricated reality is continued throughout the play. Before beginning to flirt with the young paper boy in Scene Five, Blanche â€Å"takes a large, gossamer scarf from the trunk and drapes it about her shoulders†, and then begins to pretend he is a young Prince and later makes Mitch bow to her (Williams 84). The playwright, Tennessee Williams, connects Blanche’s affluent adornment with her delusions of wealth and importance that develop and grow stronger as the play progresses. In the final scene, Blanche’s illusions blend almost entirely with her reality as she asks Stella to gather a number of elaborate accessories, including a cool yellow silk boucle and â€Å"a silver and turquoise pin in the shape of a seahorse†, and dresses herself in a dress and jacket of a color that Madonna once wore (Williams 132/135). Williams uses this costume to amplify the absurdity of Blanche’s illusion of spending her life on the sea with a millionaire. Therefore, Blanche’s costume choices in A Streetcar Named Desire connect to her developing insanity, which makes her a complex and dynamic character. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen also utilizes tension in dialogue, specifically the tension between Nora’s inward and outward expression of feelings surrounding worth, to portray Nora as a dynamic character. The playwright first creates a contradiction between her internal and external feelings, only to eventually change her apparent expression to match her true feelings. In the first two acts of the play, Nora’s outward expression of a woman’s worth revolves around being a good wife and mother by aiming to please Helmer, her husband. However, her inward feelings portray the opposite. Nora inwardly believes that worth involves being true to herself. Nora is outwardly submissive to her husband by allowing herself to be called by possessive pet names, such as his â€Å"little spendthrift†, his â€Å"squirrel†, or his â€Å"extravagant little person† (Ibsen 2-3). Furthermore, even Nora uses these labels for herself during the first two acts. These names put Nora in a submissive position because they define Nora as a possession of Helmer’s. Therefore, when Nora labels herself a skylark or squirrel, she outwardly submits to the will of her husband, proving her external idea of worth revolves around his happiness. However, whenever Nora yields to Helmer, there are undertones of sarcasm within the dialogue portrayed both by the stage directions and the writing. When Nora first calls herself Helmer’s skylark and squirrel, she does so while â€Å"smiling quietly and happily†, as if she aims to manipulate him with her words (Ibsen 4). This example of irony mixed with manipulation illustrates the contradiction between what Nora outwardly expresses and what she internally believes. Nora’s sarcasm is also present directly in her dialogue with Helmer. In the conclusion of the first act, Nora asks Helmer to â€Å"take [her] in hand and decide† how she should attend the masquerade ball (Ibsen 25). The sarcasm she speaks these lines with is evident when she utilizes hyperboles to appeal to Helmer’s ego, such as telling him â€Å"no one has such good taste† and that she â€Å"can’t get along a bit without† his help (Ibsen 25). Therefore, Nora’s exaggerated submission to Helmer suggests a dichotomy between her internal ideas of worth and her actions. Yet, as the play develops, Nora’s actions begin to match her interpretation of value. She begins to overtly become a subject of her life, rather than the subject of her husband’s. In the final pages of Act III, Nora discards the view she externally portrayed in the first acts of A Doll’s House by explicitly rejecting Helmer’s assertion that â€Å"before all else, [she is] a wife and a mother† (Ibsen 66). She explains to Helmer that she believes that â€Å"before all else [she] is a reasonable human being†¦ [who] must think over things for [herself] and get to understand them† (Ibsen 66). This rejection of blind obedience and assertion of autonomy supports the claim that Nora’s outward expression developed over the course of the final act to match her opinion of worthiness. Because Nora’s expression of merit changed over the course of the play, she is considered a dynamic, or multifaceted character. Therefore, Ibsen’s use of dialogue in A Doll’s House is instrumental in portraying Nora as an important and multidimensional character. Tennessee Williams also uses tension in dialogue within his play, A Streetcar Named Desire, to portray his significant characters as multidimensional. However, rather than creating tension by using contradiction to develop a single character’s dialogue, Williams creates tension by contrasting the dialogue of Stanley and Blanche. This distinction between the two characters, and the way they communicate in the play, causes behavioral changes suggesting that dialogue is responsible for dynamic transformations in the characters’ actions. Blanche’s speech is educated and full of literary illusions. She uses a reference to the gothic poet Edgar Allen Poe to describe her sister’s life and situation by calling her neighborhood â€Å"the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir† (Williams 20). This complexity present in Blanche’s dialogue portrays her as a representation of the old, aristocratic South. In contrast with Blanche’s more sophisticated way of speaking, Stanley uses simple societal based metaphors and commonplace clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s in his dialogue. Rather than using a literary based metaphor for Blanche, Stanley uses one based on politics. Stanley describes her fame in Laurel â€Å"as if she [were] the President of the United States, only she is not respected by any party† (Williams 99). Additionally, the clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s Stanley uses in his speech, such as â€Å"no, siree, bob†, â€Å"boy, oh, boy†, or â€Å"the jig was all up† portrays Stanley as the down-to-earth representation of the New South (Williams 100-101). The contrast between the dialogue of the two characters and the connection it has with the social group they identify with highlights their dynamic characteristics by emphasizing Blanche’s attempt and ultimate failure to integrate herself into the less aristocratic and educated New Orleans. Therefore, the playwright’s effort to contrast the dialogues of Blanche and Stanley facilitates Blanche’s representation as a multifaceted and changing character in A Streetcar Named Desire. Analyzing how a playwright portrays his or her dynamic characters gives insight into what the playwright intends to say through their development. For example, Henrik Ibsen uses a single costume to connect the audience with Nora’s progression into an autonomous woman in order to focus the audience’s attention on a single facet of Nora’s life and desires, while Williams uses many costumes with varying degrees of lavishness, to highlight the degree to which Blanche blends reality with fantasy. Furthermore, Ibsen uses tension in dialogue of a single character to keep the audience’s focus on Nora, while Williams contrasts the speech of two characters to highlight the contrast between two different social worlds, the new and old South. Therefore, the most important characters in a play are always multidimensional characters because most of a playwright’s commentary is included in the development of these characters and analyzing the techniques a playwright employs to distinguish a dynamic character helps to convey meaning. Bibliography Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. Print. Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Signet, 1975. Print.

The Sociological Criticism of The Masque of the Red Death

The Sociological Criticism of The Masque of the Red Death Free Online Research Papers From inside the abbey’s sturdy walls and its maze-like suite of seven rooms specially decorated according to a theme color, come the sounds of laugher and enjoyment. Its iron gate is welded shut, making it impossible for anyone to enter or leave. Clowns, musicians, and dancers amuse the prince and his guests of a thousand knights and ladies selected from his court for six heavy months. But there is one guest not invited. This masquerader, tall and thin, is outfitted as a corpse in a grave. His mask is as stiff and fearsome as a dead man’s face. Deep, red smears on his costume make it clear that he has come in the disguise of the Red Death. Prospero orders the unmasking of the intruder and declares that he will be hanged in the morning from the fortress’s battlements. But no one undertakes the task. The intruder then moves from room to room. Prospero withdraws a dagger and chases him. In the black, final room, the intruder turns and faces Prospero. There is a cr y. The dagger falls to the floor. Then Prospero collapses. Finding courage, Prospero’s friends rush to attack the intruder. To their horror, they discover that there is nothing inside the costume or behind the mask. Edgar Allan Poe ends the story by revealing the identity of the intruder: â€Å"And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all† (47). Edgar Allan Poe, master of horror, writes a chilling tale that can be interpreted using Sociological Criticism. By examining its history and behavior, one can understand society at that time; one can see how society felt and what tragic experiences can do to the people’s views on subjects ranging from decease and disease to its emphasis on the journey of life to death. John Dewey once wrote that society exists in and through communication. What a group of people share that distinguishes them from others is often labeled their â€Å"culture.† A distinctive framework of language and religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, and patriotic categories makes common experiences possible and shareable. Sociological Criticism is criticism directed to understanding or placing literature in its larger social context; it analyzes both how the social functions in literature and how literature works in society. It’s influenced by New Criticism; however, it adds a sociological element and considers literature as an expression of society, one that contains metaphors and references directly applicable to the existing society at that time. Sociological Criticism was introduced by Kenneth Burke, a 20th century literary and critical theorist, whose article Literature as Equipment for Living outlines the details and significance of such a critique. According to Burke, works of art, including literature, are strategic namings of situations that allow the reader to better understand, and gain a sort of control over shared happenings through the work of art (Adams 942). This completely complicates the basic trend of New Criticism, which simply calls for a close textual reading without considering emotional response or the authors intentions. It also rejects historical and biographical study as irrelevant to an understanding of the work in its entirety. While Burke also avoids emotional response and the overall intention of the author, he specifically considers literature as logical reflections of society and its behavior (Adams 957). Austin Harrington outlines in his book, Art and Social Theory, six ways in which art can be approached from a sociological standpoint: 1) humanistic historic approach, 2) Marxist social theory, 3) cultural studies, 4) theory of art in analytical philosophy, 5) anthropological studies of art, and 6) empirical studies of contemporary art institutions (15). The variety of sociological approaches introduced by Harrington confronts traditional approaches to literature. According to Harrington, sociological approaches generally possess a stronger sense of the material preconditions, historical flux and cultural diversity of discourse, practices and institutions of art, (31). Harrington argues that literature art can serve as normative sources of social understanding in their own right, (207); the ways in which these sources make apparent this social understanding is exactly what is of interest to Kenneth Burke. As Harrington observes, there are several methods of regarding literature from a sociological perspective, and considering the sociological element is essential because literature is inevitably full of references and commentaries on the society. Sociological critics are then to look at exactly how such references and commentaries function within the work of literature. In Franco Morettis article, The Dialectic of Fear, he addresses the methods by which Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker highlight the problems and inconsistencies within their societies through their novels, Frankenstein and Dracula. Moretti notes that the fear in Frankenstein lies in the protagonist and not the reader, so as to encourage the reader to reflect on a number of important problems (the development of science, the ethic of family, respect for tradition) and agree rationally that these are threatened by powerful and hidden forces (12). Shelley does this, notes Moretti, by keeping the novel in the past tense, and not hiding any of the monsters qualities, but rather informing the readers totally (12). Stoker, by contrast, wants to scare his readers, and so Moretti recognizes the way in which this is done: the narrative time is always in the present, and the narrative order always paratactic never establishes causal connections the reader has only clues (12). Kenneth Burke wou ld approach these pieces of literature through their statements on society, and push for sociological critics to use methods, like the ones used by Shelley and Stoker, as a way of regarding literature as a function of, and functioning in, society a criticism technique that cut[s] across previously established disciplines (Adams 952). The Red Death had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the faceshut out [its victim] from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow men. [T]he whole seizure, progress, and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour (Poe 41). In writing a story of this nature, Poe would have considered such historical examples in society as the Black Death or the bubonic plague of the Middle Ages, as well as the cholera epidemics that ravaged Philadelphia in the 1790s and Baltimore in his own lifetime. In this story, the plague takes the unusual form of a red death rather than a black one so that blood, the very substance of life, now becomes the mark of death. Poe’s fictional Red Death resembles a real disease that occurred in Medieval and Renaissance Europe– septicaemic plague. A victim of septicaemic plague sometimes got up in the morning strong and healthy, without an ache or a pain, and went to bed in a grave. The disease manifested itself in three forms: bubonic plague, which caused painful swellings (buboes) in the lymph nodes of the armpits and groin; pneumonic plague, which filled the lungs with fluid; and septicaemic plague, which poisoned the bloodstream (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 230). Septicaem ic plague was far less common than the other two forms of the disease. Sometimes one form of the disease killed by itself; at other times, it progressed into another form before claiming a victim. Together, these three manifestations of plague were known as the Black Death because of the purple hue of corpses caused by hemorrhaging underneath the skin (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 234). Cholera’s physical symptoms closely relate to the description of the Red Death’s. The diarrhea associated with cholera is acute and so severe that it could result in severe dehydration, or even death. Writer Susan Sontag wrote that cholera was more feared than some other deadly diseases because it dehumanized the victim. Diarrhea and dehydration were so severe that the victim could literally shrink into a shriveled distortion of his or her former self before death (Briggs and Mantini-Briggs 114-119). Other symptoms include nosebleed, rapid pulse, dry skin, tiredness, abdominal cramps, nausea, leg cramps, and vomiting (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 299). Examining the first paragraph in the story, the reader can see the close resemblance between the Red Death and the real septicaemic plague, or Black Death, and Cholera disease. This demonstrates that society not only feared the plagues that were killing thousands of people, but were terrified of it. It haunted and clouded t he dreams of the people at night, cursing them to fear death and mortality, wondering if the next day will be their last. Society’s emphasis on the journey of life to death is reflected in Poes story, which takes place in seven connected but carefully separated rooms. This reminds the reader of the past significance of the number seven. For example, the history of the world was thought to consist of seven ages, just as an individuals life had seven stages. The ancient world had seven wonders; universities divided learning into seven subjects; there were seven deadly sins with seven corresponding cardinal virtues. Therefore, a reading of this story suggests that the seven rooms reflects the seven stages of ones life, from birth to death, through which the prince pursues a figure masked as a victim of the Red Death, only to die himself in the final chamber of eternal night. The seven rooms are laid out from east to west, reminding the reader of the course of the sun which measures our earthly time. This progression is symbolically significant because it represents the life cycle of a day: the sun r ises in the east and sets in the west, with night symbolizing death. What transforms this set of symbols into an allegory, however, is the further symbolic treatment of the twenty-four hour life cycle: it translates to the realm of human beings. This progression from east to west, performed by both Prospero and the mysterious guest, symbolizes the human journey from birth to death. Poe crafts the last, black room as the menacing endpoint, the room the guests fear just as they fear death. In creating this room, this is how Poe links the color black with death. The significance of time of life to death in this story is seen in the symbol of the gigantic clock of ebony, which is draped in black velvet and located in the final room. It adds to the threatening atmosphere as it tolls the hour with a deep chime that echoes through the winding hallways and unnerves all the guests. The masqueraders are reluctant to enter. Instead, everyone congregates in the other rooms. The overwhelming dar kness of the seventh room, the importance of time, with the clock and the layout of the rooms from east to west, and the masquerader’s attitude towards the final room describes to the reader how society felt about the journey to death; it’s not celebrated like in other populations, but feared with anxiety and apprehension. Using history and the behavior of society at that period in time, Sociological Criticism can interpret the short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death,† by Edgar Allan Poe. The commoner’s fear of death and mortality is seen by the ultimate resemblance of the plague that killed every person in Prince Prospero’s abbey and the plagues and diseases that afflicted society in the past and at the time of Poe’s life. However, the story also indicates that not only can the Red Death kill those of common status, but also those wealthy or noble enough to be in the Prince’s presence for six months. This shows how society felt; that no one is safe from disease or death. Society’s emphasis on the journey of life to death can be grasped through the seven rooms, which reflect the seven stages of life; each one located east to west to signify the sun’s movements and count of our earthly time. Although Sociological Criticism examines how literature re flects society, it has limitations that might not represent the story as a whole. For example, a main part of Sociological Criticism is to not examine the author’s background, the author’s intent, or any emotional response; any of which could alter the views reflected upon by the reader. [S]carlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim indicate the presence of the Red Death (Poe 41). Blood, the very substance of life, becomes the mark of death as it bursts through the pores. Death, then, is not an outside antagonist, to be feared and walled out as Prince Prospero attempts to do; but instead it is a part of each of us and consequently, society as a whole. Its presence is felt in our imaginations as we become aware of the control that time has over our lives. We hear the echoes of the ebony clocks that we carry within. Prince Prospero tries to escape death by walling it out, and by so doing, creates a prison out of his sanctuary. However, the Prince learns that no one can escape death. Death holds illimitable dominion over all. Research Papers on The Sociological Criticism of â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelCapital PunishmentAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionQuebec and Canada The Sociological Criticism of The Masque of the Red Death Free Online Research Papers From inside the abbey’s sturdy walls and its maze-like suite of seven rooms specially decorated according to a theme color, come the sounds of laugher and enjoyment. Its iron gate is welded shut, making it impossible for anyone to enter or leave. Clowns, musicians, and dancers amuse the prince and his guests of a thousand knights and ladies selected from his court for six heavy months. But there is one guest not invited. This masquerader, tall and thin, is outfitted as a corpse in a grave. His mask is as stiff and fearsome as a dead man’s face. Deep, red smears on his costume make it clear that he has come in the disguise of the Red Death. Prospero orders the unmasking of the intruder and declares that he will be hanged in the morning from the fortress’s battlements. But no one undertakes the task. The intruder then moves from room to room. Prospero withdraws a dagger and chases him. In the black, final room, the intruder turns and faces Prospero. There is a cr y. The dagger falls to the floor. Then Prospero collapses. Finding courage, Prospero’s friends rush to attack the intruder. To their horror, they discover that there is nothing inside the costume or behind the mask. Edgar Allan Poe ends the story by revealing the identity of the intruder: â€Å"And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death. He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revelers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. And the life of the ebony clock went out with that of the last of the gay. And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all† (47). Edgar Allan Poe, master of horror, writes a chilling tale that can be interpreted using Sociological Criticism. By examining its history and behavior, one can understand society at that time; one can see how society felt and what tragic experiences can do to the people’s views on subjects ranging from decease and disease to its emphasis on the journey of life to death. John Dewey once wrote that society exists in and through communication. What a group of people share that distinguishes them from others is often labeled their â€Å"culture.† A distinctive framework of language and religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, and patriotic categories makes common experiences possible and shareable. Sociological Criticism is criticism directed to understanding or placing literature in its larger social context; it analyzes both how the social functions in literature and how literature works in society. It’s influenced by New Criticism; however, it adds a sociological element and considers literature as an expression of society, one that contains metaphors and references directly applicable to the existing society at that time. Sociological Criticism was introduced by Kenneth Burke, a 20th century literary and critical theorist, whose article Literature as Equipment for Living outlines the details and significance of such a cr itique. According to Burke, works of art, including literature, are strategic namings of situations that allow the reader to better understand, and gain a sort of control over shared happenings through the work of art (Adams 942). This completely complicates the basic trend of New Criticism, which simply calls for a close textual reading without considering emotional response or the authors intentions. It also rejects historical and biographical study as irrelevant to an understanding of the work in its entirety. While Burke also avoids emotional response and the overall intention of the author, he specifically considers literature as logical reflections of society and its behavior (Adams 957). Austin Harrington outlines in his book, Art and Social Theory, six ways in which art can be approached from a sociological standpoint: 1) humanistic historic approach, 2) Marxist social theory, 3) cultural studies, 4) theory of art in analytical philosophy, 5) anthropological studies of art, and 6) empirical studies of contemporary art institutions (15). The variety of sociological approaches introduced by Harrington confronts traditional approaches to literature. According to Harrington, sociological approaches generally possess a stronger sense of the material preconditions, historical flux and cultural diversity of discourse, practices and institutions of art, (31). Harrington argues that literature art can serve as normative sources of social understanding in their own right, (207); the ways in which these sources make apparent this social understanding is exactly what is of interest to Kenneth Burke. As Harrington observes, there are several methods of regarding literature from a sociological perspective, and considering the sociological element is essential because literature is inevitably full of references and commentaries on the society. Sociological critics are then to look at exactly how such references and commentaries function within the work of literature. In Franco Morettis article, The Dialectic of Fear, he addresses the methods by which Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker highlight the problems and inconsistencies within their societies through their novels, Frankenstein and Dracula. Moretti notes that the fear in Frankenstein lies in the protagonist and not the reader, so as to encourage the reader to reflect on a number of important problems (the development of science, the ethic of family, respect for tradition) and agree rationally that these are threatened by powerful and hidden forces (12). Shelley does this, notes Moretti, by keeping the novel in the past tense, and not hiding any of the monsters qualities, but rather informing the readers totally (12). Stoker, by contrast, wants to scare his readers, and so Moretti recognizes the way in which this is done: the narrative time is always in the present, and the narrative order always paratactic never establishes causal connections the reader has only clues (12). Kenneth Burke wou ld approach these pieces of literature through their statements on society, and push for sociological critics to use methods, like the ones used by Shelley and Stoker, as a way of regarding literature as a function of, and functioning in, society a criticism technique that cut[s] across previously established disciplines (Adams 952). The Red Death had long devastated the country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the faceshut out [its victim] from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow men. [T]he whole seizure, progress, and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour (Poe 41). In writing a story of this nature, Poe would have considered such historical examples in society as the Black Death or the bubonic plague of the Middle Ages, as well as the cholera epidemics that ravaged Philadelphia in the 1790s and Baltimore in his own lifetime. In this story, the plague takes the unusual form of a red death rather than a black one so that blood, the very substance of life, now becomes the mark of death. Poe’s fictional Red Death resembles a real disease that occurred in Medieval and Renaissance Europe– septicaemic plague. A victim of septicaemic plague sometimes got up in the morning strong and healthy, without an ache or a pain, and went to bed in a grave. The disease manifested itself in three forms: bubonic plague, which caused painful swellings (buboes) in the lymph nodes of the armpits and groin; pneumonic plague, which filled the lungs with fluid; and septicaemic plague, which poisoned the bloodstream (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 230). Septicaem ic plague was far less common than the other two forms of the disease. Sometimes one form of the disease killed by itself; at other times, it progressed into another form before claiming a victim. Together, these three manifestations of plague were known as the Black Death because of the purple hue of corpses caused by hemorrhaging underneath the skin (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 234). Cholera’s physical symptoms closely relate to the description of the Red Death’s. The diarrhea associated with cholera is acute and so severe that it could result in severe dehydration, or even death. Writer Susan Sontag wrote that cholera was more feared than some other deadly diseases because it dehumanized the victim. Diarrhea and dehydration were so severe that the victim could literally shrink into a shriveled distortion of his or her former self before death (Briggs and Mantini-Briggs 114-119). Other symptoms include nosebleed, rapid pulse, dry skin, tiredness, abdominal cramps, nausea, leg cramps, and vomiting (Bubonic Plague and Cholera 299). Examining the first paragraph in the story, the reader can see the close resemblance between the Red Death and the real septicaemic plague, or Black Death, and Cholera disease. This demonstrates that society not only feared the plagues that were killing thousands of people, but were terrified of it. It haunted and clouded t he dreams of the people at night, cursing them to fear death and mortality, wondering if the next day will be their last. Society’s emphasis on the journey of life to death is reflected in Poes story, which takes place in seven connected but carefully separated rooms. This reminds the reader of the past significance of the number seven. For example, the history of the world was thought to consist of seven ages, just as an individuals life had seven stages. The ancient world had seven wonders; universities divided learning into seven subjects; there were seven deadly sins with seven corresponding cardinal virtues. Therefore, a reading of this story suggests that the seven rooms reflects the seven stages of ones life, from birth to death, through which the prince pursues a figure masked as a victim of the Red Death, only to die himself in the final chamber of eternal night. The seven rooms are laid out from east to west, reminding the reader of the course of the sun which measures our earthly time. This progression is symbolically significant because it represents the life cycle of a day: the sun r ises in the east and sets in the west, with night symbolizing death. What transforms this set of symbols into an allegory, however, is the further symbolic treatment of the twenty-four hour life cycle: it translates to the realm of human beings. This progression from east to west, performed by both Prospero and the mysterious guest, symbolizes the human journey from birth to death. Poe crafts the last, black room as the menacing endpoint, the room the guests fear just as they fear death. In creating this room, this is how Poe links the color black with death. The significance of time of life to death in this story is seen in the symbol of the gigantic clock of ebony, which is draped in black velvet and located in the final room. It adds to the threatening atmosphere as it tolls the hour with a deep chime that echoes through the winding hallways and unnerves all the guests. The masqueraders are reluctant to enter. Instead, everyone congregates in the other rooms. The overwhelming dar kness of the seventh room, the importance of time, with the clock and the layout of the rooms from east to west, and the masquerader’s attitude towards the final room describes to the reader how society felt about the journey to death; it’s not celebrated like in other populations, but feared with anxiety and apprehension. Using history and the behavior of society at that period in time, Sociological Criticism can interpret the short story â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death,† by Edgar Allan Poe. The commoner’s fear of death and mortality is seen by the ultimate resemblance of the plague that killed every person in Prince Prospero’s abbey and the plagues and diseases that afflicted society in the past and at the time of Poe’s life. However, the story also indicates that not only can the Red Death kill those of common status, but also those wealthy or noble enough to be in the Prince’s presence for six months. This shows how society felt; that no one is safe from disease or death. Society’s emphasis on the journey of life to death can be grasped through the seven rooms, which reflect the seven stages of life; each one located east to west to signify the sun’s movements and count of our earthly time. Although Sociological Criticism examines how literature re flects society, it has limitations that might not represent the story as a whole. For example, a main part of Sociological Criticism is to not examine the author’s background, the author’s intent, or any emotional response; any of which could alter the views reflected upon by the reader. [S]carlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim indicate the presence of the Red Death (Poe 41). Blood, the very substance of life, becomes the mark of death as it bursts through the pores. Death, then, is not an outside antagonist, to be feared and walled out as Prince Prospero attempts to do; but instead it is a part of each of us and consequently, society as a whole. Its presence is felt in our imaginations as we become aware of the control that time has over our lives. We hear the echoes of the ebony clocks that we carry within. Prince Prospero tries to escape death by walling it out, and by so doing, creates a prison out of his sanctuary. However, the Prince learns that no one can escape death. Death holds illimitable dominion over all. Research Papers on The Sociological Criticism of â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†The Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelTrailblazing by Eric AndersonCapital PunishmentAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

Mordern East Asia Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mordern East Asia - Term Paper Example y (economy), and Minds (idea and intellect).   Lampton starts with the reference to the Chinese history well back to 500 BC discussing briefly about the Sun Tzo, then, Chairman Mao and Deng Xiaoping up to the present day.   China has emerged but this is unlike the Soviet Union and Japan, just being a military power and economic giant respectively; Soviet Union was not an economic power, and Japan is not at all a military giant on the other hand.   This is a modern China with globalization, urbanization, and marketization making China the stronger from both parameters, the coercive and economic; in fact, there is also the third parameter being the nonphysical what he calls "ideational power."   According to Lampton the credit for  Chinas coercive power goes to  Chairman Mao, for  it monetary power it goes to Deng Xiaoping, and for todays financial and  idea power it belongs to the current leaders.   About Coercive power, China is explored in comparison with its relationships with the neighbors and the U.S.; Chinese military capabilities are increasing systematically and effectively.   â€Å"The PRC was annually adding between 75 to 120 short-range ballistic missiles (300 to 600 kilometers in range) to  its existing  inventory† (Lampton 50). There is a mutual stronger and growing U.S.-China relationship; and China wants to do all together for the goodness of world problems.   â€Å"China has sufficient nuclear weapons to hold approximately 15-20 million U.S. citizens  at risk† (Lampton 52). This might of China does not mean just arms and weapons; it reflects the concept of Peoples Liberation Army to be the military modernization of the forces along with the development of space capabilities â€Å"that by 2010 aims to establish an earth observation system† (Lampton 56). About Financial or Economic power of China it is an obvious case that this power has increased as a buyer, importer, and investor  in addition to  its old image of being only a powerhouse of selling

Ethical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethical Analysis - Essay Example Vallejo California is an interesting case study of one community effort seeking to supply primary care to the poor. It’s proponents say the clinic is saving local emergency rooms thousands by providing non-emergency care to uninsured patients (many illegals) at low cost or free of charge. Many illegals, without proof of income, are receiving the services free of charge. Many residents want the clinic’s county funding cut to reflect its treatment of illegals who they believe should not be receiving health care at the expense of taxpayers. The problem is twofold and highlights two major issues concerning health care today: â€Å"the un-insured and balooning costs† (Jordon, 2009, para. 4).The tip of a controversial iceberg, if health-care reform goes through the way The U.S. House bill is written, no such clinic, in California or otherwise, will receive any federal funding if it continues to treat illegal immigrants. And from opinions so far, local voters may not approve public funds to do the job. It is a health care conundrum that threatens to drive illegals back to expensive emergency rooms, and/or in denying them clinic treatment, running the risk of them not receiving treatment for diseases they may spread to the entire community. The Pew Hispanic Center reports that half of the twelve million illegal immigrants in the U.S. do not have health insurance and go to emergency rooms where they are bound by a 1986 law to be treated. Emergency-room visits, where treatment costs are much higher than in clinics,† jumped 32% nationally between 1996 and 2006, the latest data available† (Jordon, 2009, para. 5). More than an ethical question for Sutter Solano Medical Center Chief Executive Terry Glubka, Gluba, in pushing for the clinic, was trying to reduce costs at the hospital where the poorer population [including many illegals] were coming to get treated for everything from bug bites to severe injuries. By