A hotel company I can call home Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A hotel company I can call home - Research Paper Example Corporate Offices The company’s headquarters is based in the US, in Atlanta Georgia, on 4445 Willard Avenue, Suite 800Â  Chevy Chase, Md. 20815. The company runs other 80 luxury hotels and restaurants in 26 countries including Austria, Canada, Bahrain, Chile, Egypt, China, Cayman Islands, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Ireland, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Portugal, Oman, Qatar, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Spain, Singapore, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Virgin Islands and the US (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). In the US, the company runs two luxurious hotels in New York, one at Central Park on 50 Central Park South, and the other at Battery Park on Two West Street (David Kamp, 216). The Ritz Carlton also has partners across Europe that help the company to offer its services in major cities around the continent. These partners include The Ritz London in the UK, Hotel Ritz Madrid in Spain, the BUKGAR Hotels and Resorts in London, and Milan. Key leader s and managers of the Ritz Carlton Hotel include Herve Humler, the President and Chief Operations Officer; Mr. Leeny K. Oberg, the Chief Financial Officer and Mr. Bob Kharazmi, the Global Officer, in charge of worldwide Operations. Public or Private Company The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company LLC is a private company with its headquarters in the US. ... rights to use the name The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company across the world and thus developed the company to operate in various locations around the world. The company has grown to become one of the best managed hotels in the US and around the world, with its great customer service recognized all over the world (David Kamp, 267). Brief History of the Company A renowned Swiss Hotelier, Cesar Ritz and his wife, started the Ritz Carlton. He ran the Ritz hotel in Paris, France and the Carlton hotel in London, UK. He teamed up with one of his best chefs, Auguste Escoffier to form the Ritz Carlton in 1913. Ritz died later on in 1918 and his wife decided to continue the business, opening up more branches under the same name. In 1926, Edward Wyner, a 29-year-old American, formed the Ritz Carlton Hotel in 1927, in Boston. After his death in 1961, his sons continued with the business and later on decide to sell it after it became difficult to run. The company was later on sold in 1983 to William B . Johnson, who moved the company to Atlanta and formed The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC. The company has since then expanded its services in the US, across Europe and Asia with future plans to move to Africa, the Middle East and South America. The company currently operates independently as a division of the Marriott International (The Ritz Carlton Hotel Fact Sheet, 2010). Reputation The company has grown to become a leader in the hospitality industry and currently has a great reputation around the world as one of the best luxurious hotels. The company’s reputation began to grow under the leadership of COO Horst Schulze who revolutionized operations in the company by concentrating on both data driven and personal service. He coined the current employee Credo that is used to guide the

Db1 managing high performance Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db1 managing high performance - Research Paper Example I prefer the free reign type of leadership to the autocratic. Free reign leadership style is motivational to employees, and it gives them room to exchange ideas within themselves and even work towards the same goal. Autocratic does not give the employees room to participate in the decision-making process, exercising of individual leadership styles hence influencing negatively on worker talents and skills (Gino, 2013). While working with Digg Company, I observed the management styles employed by the company director, Mr. Willy to be laissez-Faire. Mr. Willy delegated duties, responsibilities coupled with adequate authority to his junior staff, gave them room to take part in the decision-making process, and without strict supervision. It helped the company meet its set goals within the period; employees felt encouraged and motivated. On the contrary, Mrs. Helena, the sales representative of Frontier Marketers Company, where I started my career, designed an autocratic style that did not achieve success (Benincasa, 2012). She harshly directed her employees, fired and hired without warning. It led to employees feeling inferior, could not contribute much to organization’s development, and soon losses struck the company. Benincasa, R. (2012, JUNE). 6 Leadership Styles, And When You Should Use Them. Retrieved OCT 8, 2014, from FC leadership: http://www.fastcompany.com/1838481/6-leadership-styles-and-when-you-should-use-them Nayab, N. (2011, SEPT 28). Examples of Companies with Autocratic Leadership. Retrieved OCT 8, 2014, from Bride Hub Project Managment:

Investment in the Indian Education Sector Essay Example for Free

Investment in the Indian Education Sector Essay Education is the key to unlocking and building lasting value in a robust economy. For any country to grow and prosper, a well-positioned educated young population is the fundamental requirement to meet the demands of an increasingly global economy and productive value creation. India has amongst the largest student population in the world and a low literacy level of 74. 04% (2011)1. According to census 2011 figures, over 35. 3% of the 1. 21 billion people are between the age group 0-14 years. Additionally, there is shortage of employable manpower in various industry segments. In order to meet this existing and emergent demand, there is huge need of investments in the Indian education sector. Currently, education is primarily handled by the government through its infrastructure and budget outlays. But given the small budget outlays and complex regulatory structure, supply is lagging far behind the demand of education. Expenditure on Education as %age of GDP 6000 GDP in thousnad Crores 5000 3. 64 4000 3000 3. 36 2000 1000 0 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2,098 2,261 2,538 2,878 3,282 3,779 3. 51 3. 45 4,321 4,933 3. 81 3. 74 3. 80 3. 70 3. 60 3. 50 3. 40 % expendutire on education 3. 78 3. 78 3. 90 3. 30 3. 20 3. 10 Source: Ministry of Human resource and Development (MHRD), Government of India REGULATION India’s tightly controlled regulatory structure is the primary reason for shortage of quality education institutions. Being in â€Å"Concurrent list†, education is being governed by both Central and State government with huge variations amongst the state regulations. Currently, the government regulates who you can teach, what you can teach them and what you can charge them. Some of the key bodies regulating education in India are:? Schooling o Department of School Education and Literacy MHRD o Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) o Various State Boards o National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) 1 Census of India, 2011 Page 3 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ? Higher Education o Department of Higher Education MHRD o University Grants Commission( UGC) o All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) o Statutory Councils ? Medical Council of India (MCI) ? Bar Council of India (BCI) ? National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) Voluntary Education and Skill Development o National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) o National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) ? In order to overcome this overlapping nature of various governing bodies especially in higher education, government is planning to come up with National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER). This commission would work as a single regulatory body which would determine, co-ordinate and maintain standards in promotion of higher education and research. It will subsume regulatory bodies such as UGC, NCTE and AICTE, thus making the process more streamlined. KEY POLICY/ACT ? Foreign Educational Institutions(FEIs) o Allows FEIs to setup multi-disciplinary campuses and award degrees o Mandates FEIs to reinvest surplus from Indian operations o Mandates FEIs to invest at least 51% of capital expenditure required o Regulates the admission process, fee structure, period of operation of FEIs Right to Education o Makes access to primary education a fundamental right o Mandates 25% reservation for underprivileged students in schools? BUDGET 2011 HIGHLIGHTS ? ? ? ? ? Allocated an amount of Rs 52,057 Crores for universalizing access to secondary education Allocated an amount of Rs 21,000 Crores for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Increased the total allocation by 24% over the previous year Lack in allocation of funds for Teacher improvement and training Lacked emphasis on the K-12 sector in terms of school improvement, quality control etc. EDUCATION IN INDIA Indian education sector has witnessed a series of changes in the last few years, which resulted in a significant increase in market size of the education industry. With economic growth and enhanced technology it has become necessary to develop the Indian education sector. Funds are a major concern in the market to meet this demand. The government has taken many initiatives for the development of education infrastructure which needs to be supplemented led by private players. The government has also opened the doors for foreign universities by passing Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, which will help in shaping the education industry structure specially pertaining of higher education in India. A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector About 185,000 Indians study overseas and spend USD 4 billion annually. This is almost 10% of the private spend on education, coming from a very small 0. 001% segment of the student population. A number of these students are now returning to India after completing their studies, as job markets in India are more attractive, especially in contrast to weak macro scenarios in the western markets. Entry of leading foreign institutions will enable some of this USD 4 billion spend to stay in India, and also provide a much needed boost to quality. STRUCTURE Indian education system can be divided into formal and informal segments which are further divided into sub-segments. Formal education segment broadly comprises schools and higher education institutes. Schools often classified as K-12(Kindergarten to 12th) caters to ‘3-17 years’ age group. While higher education includes graduate, diploma, professional and post-graduation courses caters to ’18-22 years’ and above age group. On the other hand, informal education segment comprises of preschools, multimedia, ICT, vocational training, books and coaching classes. This segment is free from regulation as opposed to highly regulated formal education segment. Schools (K-12) Formal Higher Education Preschools Indian Education System Multimedia ICT Non-formal Vocational training Books Coaching classes Page 5 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS India is home to several well acclaimed International Schools and is increasing rapidly. This demand has been fuelled by parents looking for a new system of education which is more interesting and less stressful. Also, large number of NRIs resettling in India is also contributing to this demand. Being in India these schools have to adhere to certain requirements of the Indian national system irrespective of the examination system adopted by them. Most of the international schools opt for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Board. However, there are other examination systems like the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination systems which are also present. The IB is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that offers three programs for students aged 3 to 19. ? ? ? Primary Years Programme (PYP) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Diploma Programme -For students aged 3 to 12 -For students aged 11 to 16 -For students aged 16 to 19 In India, most international schools offer IB Diploma Programme. In this students study six courses at higher level or standard level. Students must choose one subject from each of groups 1 to 5, thus ensuring breadth of experience in languages, social studies, experimental sciences and mathematics. The sixth subject may be an arts subject chosen from group 6, or the student may choose another subject from groups 1 to 5. Additionally, the programme has three core requirements that are included to broaden the educational experience and challenge students to apply their knowledge and understanding. The â€Å"extended essay† is a requirement for students to engage in independent research through an in-depth study of a question relating to one of the subjects they are studying. â€Å"Theory of knowledge† is a course designed to encourage each student to reflect on the nature of knowledge by critically examining different ways of knowing (perception, emotion, language and reason) and different kinds of knowledge (scientific, artistic, mathematical and historical). â€Å"Creativity, action, service† requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately. Some of the International Schools in India:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Aditya Birla World Academy-Mumbai American Embassy School- New Delhi Amity Global School-New Delhi D Y Patil International School-Mumbai and Nagpur Dhirubhai Ambani International SchoolMumbai GD Goenka World School-Gurgoan Indus International School-Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune KiiT International School-Bhubaneswar Pathways School-Gurgoan, Noida and NewDelhi Stonehill International School-Bangalore Sharad Pawar International School-Pune Doon School -Dehradun Page 6 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS SEGMENTS BASED ON KEY PARAMETERS. Growth Prospect Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Regulated No Yes Yes No No No No No Scalable Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Possibility to Create Value Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No Preschool Schools(K-12) Higher Education Multimedia ICT Coaching Classes Vocational Training Books GROWTH DRIVERS ? ? Demographic advantage o As per Census 2011 ,35. 3% of the Indian population is under the age of 14 Increasing awareness o Increase in awareness towards education as a priority and essential tool for career growth o Increase in job opportunities and salaries offered making investment in education prudent Human Resource driven economy o Increase in  the demand for an educated skilled workforce by services sector o Share of service sector in GDP increased from 30% in 1950 to 55% in 2007. Technology aided delivery o Increase in penetration of technology resulting in virtual learning and education delivery New employment avenues o Newer employment avenues such as KPO, LPO, retail, aviation, animation etc. demanding highly skilled manpower ? ? ? INDUSTRY FORECAST SCHOOLING. Segment Pre-School K-12 Tutorial Books Stationery Education CD-ROMs Multimedia in School Total 2008 1,200 21,000 5,000 1,700 1,380 120 25 30,425 CAGR 20%-25% 5%-10% 8%-13% 5%-10% 5%-10% 25%-30% 60%-70% 2013 3,500 30,800 8,000 2,400 2,000 390 320 47,410 CAGR 10%-15% 5%-10% 5%-10% 3%-8% 3%-8% 20%-25% 50%-60% 2018 5,800 43,200 11,800 3,000 2,600 1,100 3,300 70,800 (Figures in USD million) Page 7 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector HIGHER EDUCATION. Segment Higher Education Preparatory Total 2008 6,700 1,600 30,425 CAGR 8%-13% 13%-18% 2013 11,200 3,200 47,410 CAGR 7%-12% 10%-15% 2018 18,100 5,900 70,800 (Figures in USD million) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT Segment Child skill enhancement IT training E-learning Finishing school Vocational Teacher training Total 2008 740 195 45 25 1,500 15 2,520 CAGR 20%-25% 35%-45% 35%-45% 50%-60% 15%-20% 50%-60% 2013 2,200 1,050 240 235 3,100 140 6,965 CAGR 17%-22% 33%-38% 33%-38% 45%-55% 10%-15% 45%-55% 2018 5,600 4,700 1,100 1,800 6,200 1,100 20,500 (Figures in USD million) Source: Technopak report on India Education Sector INVESTMENT SCENARIO With an education network of more than one million schools and 20,000 higher-education institutes, the market size of the Indian education system is estimated at more than US$40 billion2 (2009). However, inadequate infrastructure has placed pressure on the sector’s overall development. Education sector is unable to cope with growing market demand and global competition due to constrained investments. Increased private investment is imperative to expand infrastructure and provide greater access to quality education. Also, Government is planning to set up an education ? nance corporation with an investment of around US$4–5 billion, which aims to provide the education sector with long-term, low-cost ? nancing. PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP (PPP) PPP can provide the much needed finance to the education sector while serving as an efficient operating model. Establishing strong partnerships between private and public sector can achieve the growth. POSSIBLE PPP STRUCTURE The educational institute (special purpose vehicle) is set up as a Society or Trust, as per applicable guidelines. The UGC, AICTE or some other central regulatory body approves norms and standards of the institute. The state provides applicable administrative and financial support to the institute. Capital outlays are met by an educational services entity which 2 EY’s Private Equity Round Up April-June 2010 Page 8 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector provides infrastructure. The educational services entity charges a fee for use of facilities by the Society or Trust. Finally, the infrastructure facilities are transferred to the institute after a particular time period. Central Government State Government AICTE, UGC approvals Provision of grants Local approvals Land and utilities Trust/Society Service fees Infrastructure Service Provider Transfer of Infrastructure after prescribed time period Source:-2009 E Y – EDGE 2009 report on Private Enterprise in Indian Higher Education KEY PLAYERS GLOBAL ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Apollo Group (USA) Mcgraw-Hill (USA) Pearson Plc (England) Benesse Corp (Japan) Devry Inc (USA) ITT Educational (USA) Strayer Education (USA) New Oriental (China) Career Education (USA) Corinthian College (USA) Capella Education (USA) Raffles Education ( Singapore) Mega Study ( South Korea) SkillSoft ( USA) Page 9 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector INDIA FORMAL ? ? Preschool o Kidzee o Euro Kids Multimedia in private schools o Educomp o Everonn o NIIT Vocational Training o NIIT o Aptech o Frank Finn Coaching Classes o FIIT-JEE o TIME o Career Launcher Books o Tata Mcgraw Hill o John Wiley o Navneet Publications ? INFORMAL K -12 (School) o Millennium Schools (Part of EduComp) o Kids Zee High o Billabong High (Part of Kangaroo Kids) o GEMS ( Dubai based) Higher Education o Manipal Education o Amity o IIPM o ICFAI ? ? ? ? MAJOR DEALS INVESTMENTS ? ? ? ? Rs10 billion investment plan from educational institutes in Haryana’s Rajiv Gandhi Educational City ( January’11) RS 28. 08 billion investment for setting up 20 IIITs under PPP route ( January’11) Everonn Rs 36 billion investment plan to setup 300 K-12 schools by 2015 (July’10) Educomp Rs 510 million contract to provide computer education in Bihar’s schools (May’10). PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS Education sector has witnessed 29 PE deals (refer Exhibit 1), cumulatively worth US$381 million, between January 2006 and June 2010 (as per Private equity roundup April-June 2010 by Ernst and Young). The majority of these investments have been in for-pro? t corporate entities that are not subjected to any government regulations. In future, with increased government spending and expansion plans of private players, the potential for PE investments in the Indian education sector is significant. Additionally, sector’s less correlation with the broad economic growth makes it more attractive. Page 10 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector SEGEMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF DEALS 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 3 3 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 Vocational Preschool K12 Education technology 4 College/University 3 Coaching 2006 2007 2008 Number of Deals 2009 2010 SEGMENT WISE BREAKUP OF PE INVESTMENTS IN TERMS OF DEAL VALUE 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2006 2007 83 30 74 1 2008 43 2009 2010 12 13 10 37 5 9 23 Vocational 39 Preschool K12 Education technology College/University Coaching 67. Deal Value ( US$ million) Sources: Asian Venture Capital Journal; Dow Jones Factiva; ISI Emerging Market MAJOR ISSUES ? ? ? ? ? Overregulated and under- governed Not for profit structure and all surplus needs to be reinvested High involvement of politicians in higher education industry with no willingness to change the existing structure High land prices and hoarding of land reserved for educational purposes for resale Fragmentation in the sector due to difficulties in achieving scale Page 11 A research report on Investment in Indian Education Sector.

A Cause For Concern

A Cause For Concern Subject of language and identity, which leads to the death of a language, if language dies. Language and identity comes under my course, part 1, under language and cultural context. On the 4th of February 2010, while browsing through BBCs website I stumbled upon a captivating and according to me a very sad article. It read last speaker of ancient language of Bo dies in India, Boa sr.s story saddened me, she died at the age of 85 and for almost thirty years she didnt have anyone to converse with in her native language. Imagine not being able to use English for thirty years, you loose the freedom to express in your first language. As a journalist I knew what it meant for the world to loose a language, its disheartening, in essence a piece of history and culture is lost, I believe it is as important to preserve and save a language as it is to save and preserve the environment, but everyone is not aware of the adverse affects language death can cause. As a journalist, I thought of it as my moral responsibility to throw light on language death and its adverse effects. Thus, I wrote this article and decided on publishing it in a newspaper as it would reach a larger gr oup of people and educate them on why they should preserve their native language. Language death Approximately 7000 languages exist in todays world and this number is rapidly dwindling, is it a cause for concern? As globalization spreads around the world, it is natural that smaller communities would like to move out of their seclusion and seek interaction with the rest of the world. The number of languages dying is sorrowful. People naturally tend to shift their language use due to globalization and they leave behind their native language if it is not spoken by a lot of people. Asking them to hold onto a language they do not want anymore and preserve it, just for the sake of linguists and not the community itself, it is a bit too much to ask for, isnt it?But theres actually more to it than what meets the eye. Why fight this? A national geographic study states that every 14 days a language dies. By 2100 more than half of the languages spoken on the earth may disappear, taking away with them a wealth of knowledge on world history, culture and natural environment. Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going. Rita Mae Brown This quote by the American writer Rita Mae Brown gives us an insight into why preserving a language is of importance. A language defines a culture, through the communities who speak it. Every language has words that portray a particular cultural practice or idea, when translated into another language, the precise meaning might not come across. What we essentially lose is cultural heritage. The way of expressing the relationship with nature, with the world, it is also the way in which people express humor, their love, their life; most importantly communicating effectively with family is lost. Languages are living, breathing organisms holding connections that define a culture. When a language dies a culture is lost. Because of the close links language and identity share, if an individual or group thinks of their language as useless, they think of their identity as the same. This could have adverse effects; it could lead to depression, drug abuse and social disruption. And as parents no longer pass on their language to their children the connection between grandparents and children is lost which leads to traditional values not being handed on and theres a vacuum that remains where people for generations realize they have lost something. Many languages are in danger of extinction that have rich oral cultures with stories, songs, and histories passed on from generation to generation, but with no particular written form. Much of what us humans know about nature is encoded in oral languages. For thousands of years now native groups have interacted closely with the natural world and have insightful understanding on local lands, plants, animals, and ecosystems. Many still are not documented by science itself. Therefore studying indigenous languages proves to be beneficial while learning about the environment and conservation. Sanskrit is one such ancient language that is loosing its prominence and its speakers decreasing everyday. It was said to be the mother of all languages. Sanskrit is not practically used and maybe that is one of reasons of its decline but I believe it should be conserved because of the traditional values it possesses and because of its richness in culture. Take for instance Arthashastra, it is an Indian treatise written in Sanskrit which deals with statecraft, economic policy and military strategy it was written all the way back in 4th century BC. These concepts are not new and modern, they have been around for a long time now, if we do not conserve Sanskrit we will loose all of this valuable knowledge and also lose a piece of history. Another such language dying out is Palenquero. Palenquero is thought to the one and only Spanish-based Creole language in Latin America. Fewer than half of the community speaks it. It is spoken in the village of San Basilio De Palenque. Many children and young adults understand the language and pronounce a few phrases, which is a great sign as the village of San Basilio De Palenque is trying to preserve its language and spread it, the villages resilience is commendable. Looking at the village of San Basilio De Palenque other communities whose languages are endangered, should take inspiration and not loose hope in their endeavor to save their language. Why do languages die out though? Throughout history, the languages of powerful groups and imperial countries have spread while the languages of the smaller cultures and groups have become extinct. This happens due to official language policies and also the allure of speaking a highly prestigious global language such as English. These trends explain why a small country like Bolivia would have more of language diversity rather than a big country like the USA. As big languages spread, children whose parents speak a comparatively smaller language tend to grow up learning the more dominant language. Those children may never learn the smaller language, or they may just fail to recall it as it falls out of use. These trends have occurred throughout history, but what is alarming and worrying is the rate at which languages are disappearing, it has significantly accelerated over the recent years. Associations and initiatives such as Enduring voices, Living tongue, and the endangered languages project by Google are trying to preserve language and that is a sign of hope. The organizations that are involved and that have come up with these ideas are national geographic and Google. The death of a language is an indication of a human crisis: the loss of a store of wisdom, the sense of a community being thrown away. As we try to stop global warming and save the environment, we should also try and save our languages, as they are an integral part of our heritage.

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Of Mice And Men In the masterful story Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck there is a looming theme of loneliness. This theme is told to you through the words and actions of the characters in the story . This story is told through two characters Lennie and George. The setting is 1930’s America. The story involves traveling ranch workers that live only for the one purpose to get paid and waste their money on a few drinks and some pleasure. These men are consumed with loneliness. The care for nothing but themselves. They are very unlike George and Lennie who have each other and a dream. Lennie is a big man with the brain of a child. Lennie never meant to hurt anybody but managed to get himself and his only true friend George into trouble. George is a small smart man who has known Lennie all his life and knows to well that Lennie could not survive on his own lets him travel with him as a favor too Lennie’s aunt Loneliness is defined as Without companions; lone. I will use this definition to describe different aspects of Steinbeck’s treatment of loneliness in this novel. Steinbeck’s use of loneliness is in this novel is very noticeable in some of the dialogue like when Lennie accidentally stumbles into Crook’s home in the stable and they talk. "You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go to the bunk-house and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horse shoes til it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. ‘He whined : ‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long he& amp;#8217;s with you. I tell ya,’ he cried , I tell you a guy gets lonely an’ he gets sick." This shows Crook’s view of the world and how he feels about what his life is about. He feels as though nobody cares for him which is probably true from the quote above. George and Lennie feel they are not alone they have a dream. This dream is what pushes them on. They are often talking of the land they dream of.

Roles of Women During the Renaissance as Seen in Shakespeares Henry IV

Roles of Women During the Renaissance as Seen in Shakespeare's Henry IV      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The plays of Shakespeare can be used as a window upon Renaissance society. However, if one looks through this window and does not leave behind the ideals of a modern society, the view may become distorted and not be as pleasing as it was for Shakespeare's contemporaries. In I Henry IV, the characters of the women are not equally developed as the male characters; but their interaction, or lack thereof, depicts the changing, yet somehow stagnant, roles of women during the English Renaissance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In I Henry IV, the "themes of public and private life are brought together" (Speaight, 163). Elizabethan society was marked by gender seperation, both publicly and privately. Lady Percy does not play an active role outside of Hotspur's private life. To Hotspur, a woman's world was "To play with mammets and to tilt with lips (2. 2. 91), a gentle powerless occupation that did not mix with man's domain of "bloody noses and cracked crowns" (2. 2. 92). Although women writing during this time affirmed that women are "tender foft and beautifull, fo doth her difpofition in minde correfponde accordingly; she is milde, yielding, and and vertuous"(Sowernam, 43), women among the higher social classes began to question their inferiority to men as a result of the new emphasis on education for women. The heightened exposure to Biblical and classical influences among Renaissance women created paradoxical results. "Education was designed to fill specific private functions and responsabilities" (Travitsky, 5). Women were not encouraged to leave their place within the home, but instead were encouraged on the "development of the home as a school of faith" ... ...lewd, froward, and unconstant men, and Husbands. Divided into Two Parts. The first proveth the dignity and worthinesse of Women, out of divine Testimonies. The second shewing the estimation of the Foe-minine Sexe, in ancient and Pagan times: all which is acknowledged by men themselves in their actions. Written by Ester Sowernam, neither Maide,Wife, nor Widdowe, yet really all, and therefore experienced to defend all. London: Printed for Nicholas Bourne, 1617. STC 22974. University Microfilms Reel no 1188. 4. Spaight, Robert. Shakespeare: The Man and his Achievement. London: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1977. 5. Travitsky, Betty, ed. The Paradise of Women: Writings by Englishwomen of the Renaissance. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1981. 6. Watson, Curtis Brown. Shakespeare and the Renaissance Concept of Honor. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1960.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 28

Matt had no idea what time it was, but it was deep dusk under the trees. He was lying sideways in Elena's new car, as if he'd been tossed in and forgotten. His entire body was in pain. This time he awoke and immediately thought, Elena. But he couldn't see the white of her camisole anywhere, and when he called, first softly, then shouting, he got no answer. So now he was feeling his way around the clearing, on hands and knees. Damon seemed to have gone and that gave him a spark of hope and courage that lit up his mind like a beacon. He found the discarded Pendleton shirt – considerably trampled. But when he couldn't find another soft warm body in the clearing, his heart crashed down somewhere around his boots. And then he remembered the Jaguar. He fumbled frantically in one pocket for the keys, came up empty, and finally discovered, inexplicably, that they were in the ignition. He lived through the agonizing moment when the car wouldn't start, and then was shocked to see the brightness of its headlights. He puzzled briefly about how to turn the car while making sure he wasn't running a limp Elena over, then dug through the glove compartment box, flinging out manuals and pairs of sunglasses. Ah, and one lapis lazuli ring. Someone was keeping a spare here, just in case. He put it on; it fit well enough. At last his fingers closed over a flashlight, and he was free to search the clearing as thoroughly as he wanted to. No Elena. No Ferrari either. Damon had taken her somewhere. All right, then, he would track them. To do that he had to leave Elena's car behind, but he had already seen what these monsters could do to cars, so that wasn't saying much. He would have to be careful with the flashlight, too. Who knew how much charge the batteries had left? For the hell of it, he tried calling Bonnie's mobile phone, and then her home phone, and then the boardinghouse. No signal, even though according to the phone itself, there should have been. No need to question why, either – this was the Old Wood, messing with things as usual. He didn't even ask himself why it was Bonnie's number he called first, when Meredith would probably be more sensible. He found the tracks of the Ferrari easily. Damon had sped out of here like a bat†¦Matt smiled grimly as he finished the sentence in his mind. And then he'd driven as if to get out of the Old Wood. This was easy, it was clear that either Damon had been going too fast for proper control or that Elena had been fighting, because in a number of places, mainly around corners, the tire tracks showed up clearly against the soft ground beside the road. Matt was especially careful not to step on anything that might be a clue. He might have to backtrack at some point. He was careful, too, to ignore the quiet noises of the night around him. He knew the malach were out there, but he refused to let himself think about them. And he never even asked himself why he was doing this, deliberately going into danger instead of retreating from it, instead of trying to drive the Jaguar out of the Old Wood. After all, Stefan hadn't left him as bodyguard. But then you couldn't trust anything that Damon might say, he thought. And besides – well, he'd always kept one eye out for Elena, even before their first date. He might be clumsy, slow, and weak in comparison to their enemies now, but he would always try. It was pitch-dark now. The last remnants of twilight had left the sky, and if Matt looked up he could see clouds and stars – with trees leaning in ominously from either side. He was getting toward the end of the road. The Dunstans' house should be coming up on the right pretty soon. He'd ask them if they'd seen – Blood. At first his mind flew to ridiculous alternatives, like dark red paint. But his flashlight had caught reddish brown stains on the roadside just as the road made a sharp curve. That wasblood on the road there. And not just a little blood. Being careful to walk well around the red-brown marks, running his flashlight over and over the far side of the road, Matt began to put together what must have happened. Elena had jumped. Either that or Damon had pushed her out of a speeding car – and after all the trouble he'd taken to get her, that didn't make much sense. Of course, he might have already bled her until he was satisfied – Matt's fingers went up to his sore neck instinctively – but then, why take her in the car at all? To kill her by pushing her out? A stupid way to do it, but maybe Damon had been counting on his little pets to take care of the body. Possible, but not very likely. Whatwas likely? Well, the Dunstans' house was coming up on this side of the road, but you couldn't see it from here. And it would be just like Elena to jump out of a speeding car as it rounded a sharp corner. It would take brains, and guts, and a breathtaking trust in sheer luck that it wouldn't kill her. Matt's flashlight slowly traced the devastation of a long hedge of rhododendron bushes just off the road. My God, that's what she did. Yeah. She jumped out and tried to roll. Jeez, she was lucky not to break her neck. But she kept rolling, grabbing at roots and creepers to stop herself. That's why they're all torn up. A bubble of elation was rising in Matt. He was doing it. He was tracking Elena. He could see her fall as clearly as if he'd been there. But then she got flipped by that tree root, he thought as he continued to follow her trail. That would have hurt. And she'd slammed down and rolled on the concrete for a bit – that must have been agony; she'd left a lot of blood here, and then back into the bushes. And then what? The rhododendron showed no more signs of her fall. What had happened here? Had Damon reversed the Ferrari fast enough and gotten her back? No, Matt decided, examining the earth carefully. There was only one set of footprints here, and it was Elena's. Elena had gotten up here – only to fall down again, probably from injury. And then she'd managed to get up again, but the marks were weird, a normal footprint on one side and a deep but small indentation on the other. A crutch. She found herself a crutch. Yeah, and that dragging mark was the mark of her bad foot. She walked up to this tree, and then around it – or hopped, actually, that's what it looked like. And then she'd headed for the Dunstans'. Smart girl. She was probably unrecognizable by now, and anyway, who cared if they noticed the resemblance between her and the late, great Elena Gilbert? She could be Elena's cousin from Philadelphia. So she'd gone, one, two, three†¦eight steps – and there was the Dunstan house. Matt could see lights. Matt could smell horses. Excitedly, he ran the rest of the way – taking a few falls that didn't do his aching body any good, but still heading straight for the back porch light. The Dunstans weren't front porch people. When he got to the door, he pounded on it almost frenziedly. He'd found her. He'd found Elena! It seemed a long time before the door opened a crack. Matt automatically wedged his foot in the crack while thinking, Yes, good, you're cautious people. Not the type to let a vampire in after you'd just seen a girl covered in blood. â€Å"Yes? What do you want?† â€Å"It's me, Matt Honeycutt,† he said to the eye that he could see peering out of the slit of open door. â€Å"I've come for El – for the girl.† â€Å"What girl are you talking about?† the voice said gruffly. â€Å"Look, you don't have to worry. It's me – Jake knows me from school. And Kristin knows me, too. I've come to help.† Something in the sincerity of his voice seemed to strike a chord in the person behind the door. It was opened to reveal a large, dark-haired man who was wearing an under-shirt and needed a shave. Behind him, in the living room was a tall, thin, almost gaunt woman. She looked as if she had been crying. Behind both of them was Jake, who'd been a year senior to Matt at Robert E. Lee High. â€Å"Jake,† Matt said. But he got no answer back except a dull look of anguish. â€Å"What's wrong?†Matt demanded, terrified. â€Å"A girl came by here a while ago – she was hurt – but – but – you let her in, right?† â€Å"No girl's come by here,† said Mr. Dunstan flatly. â€Å"She had to have. I followed her trail – she left a trail inblood , do you understand, almost up to your door .† Matt wasn't letting himself think. Somehow, if he kept telling the facts loudly enough, they would produce Elena. â€Å"More trouble,† Jake said, but in a dull voice that went with his expression. Mrs. Dunstan seemed the most sympathetic. â€Å"We heard a voice out in the night, but when we looked, there was no one there. And we have troubles of our own.† It was then, right on cue, that Kristin burst into the room. Matt stared at her with a feeling of d ¦j vu. She was dressed up something like Tami Bryce. She had cut off the bottoms of her jeans shorts until they were practically nonexistent. On top she was wearing a bikini top, but with – Matt hastily turned his eyes away – two big round holes cut just where Tami had had round pieces of cardboard. And she'd decorated herself with glitter glue. God! She's only, what, twelve? Thirteen? How could she possibly be acting this way? But the next moment, his whole body was vibrating in shock. Kristin had pasted herself against him and was cooing, â€Å"Matt Honey-butt! You came to see me!† Matt breathed carefully to get over his shock.Matt Honey-butt . She couldn't know that. She didn't even go to the same school as Tami did. Why would Tami have called her and – told her something like that? He shook his head, as if to clear it. Then he looked at Mrs. Dunstan, who had seemed kindest. â€Å"Can I use your phone?† he asked. â€Å"I need – Ireally need to make a couple of calls.† â€Å"The phone's been down since yesterday,† Mr. Dunstan said harshly. He didn't try to move Kristin away from Matt, which was odd because he was clearly angry. â€Å"Probably a fallen tree. And you know mobile phones don't work out here.† â€Å"But – † Matt's mind spun into overdrive. â€Å"You really mean that no teenage girl came up to your house asking for help? A girl with blond hair and blue eyes? I swear, I'm not the one who hurt her. I swear I want to help her.† â€Å"Matt Honey-butt? I'm making a tattoo, just for you.† Still pressed up behind him, Kristin extended her left arm. Matt stared at it, horrified. She had obviously used needles or a pin to prick holes in her left forearm, and then opened a fountain pen's cartridge of ink to supply the dark blue color. It was your basic prison-type tattoo, done by a child. The straggling letters M A T were already visible, along with a smudge of ink that was probably going to be another T. No wonder they weren't thrilled about letting me in, Matt thought, dazed. Now Kristin had both arms around his waist, making it hard to breathe. She was on tiptoe, talking to him, whispering rapidly some of the obscene things Tami had said. He stared at Mrs. Dunstan. â€Å"Honest, I haven't even seen Kristin for – it must be nearly a year. We had an end of the year carnival, and Kristin helped with the pony rides, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mrs. Dunstan was nodding slowly. â€Å"It's not your fault. She's been acting the same way with Jake. Her own brother. And with – with her father. But I'm tellingyou the truth; we haven't seen any other girl. No one but you has come to the door today.† â€Å"Okay.† Matt's eyes were watering. His brain, attuned first of all to his own survival, was telling him to save his breath, not to argue. Telling him to say, â€Å"Kristin – I really can't breathe – â€Å" â€Å"But Ilove you, Matt Honey-butt. I don't want you toever leave me. Especially for that old whore. That old whore with worms in her eye-sockets†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Again Matt felt the sense of the world rocking. But he couldn't gasp. He didn't have the air. Pop-eyed, he turned helplessly toward Mr. Dunstan, who was closest. â€Å"Can't – breathe – â€Å" How could a thirteen-year-old be so strong? It was taking both Mr. Dunstan and Jake to pry her off him. No, even that wasn't working. He was beginning to see a gray network pulsating before his eyes. He needed air. There was a sharp crack that ended with a meaty sound. And then another. Suddenly he could breathe again. â€Å"No, Jacob! No more!† Mrs. Dunstan cried. â€Å"She let him go – don't hit her anymore!† When Matt's vision cleared, Mr. Dunstan was doing up his belt. Kristin was wailing, â€Å"Just youwaaa -hate! Just youwaa-haate! You'll besor- ry!† Then she rushed from the room. â€Å"I don't know if this helps or makes it worse,† Matt said when he'd gotten his breath back, â€Å"but Kristin isn't the only girl acting this way. There's at least one other one in the town – â€Å" â€Å"All I care about is my Kristin,† Mrs. Dunstan said. â€Å"And that†¦thingisn't her.† Matt nodded. But there was something he needed to do now. He had to find Elena. â€Å"If a blond girl does come to the door and asks for help, will you please let her in?† he asked Mrs. Dunstan. â€Å"Please? But don't let any guys in – not even me if you don't want,† he blurted. For a moment his eyes and Mrs. Dunstan's eyes met, and he felt a connection. Then she nodded and hastened to get him out of the house. All right, Matt thought. Elena was headed for here, but she didn't quite get here. So look at the signs. He looked. And what the signs showed him was that, within a few feet of the Dunstan property, she had inexplicably turned sharply right, deeply into the forest. Why? Had something scared her? Or had she – Matt felt sick to his stomach – somehow been tricked into hobbling on and on, until at last she left all human help behind? All he could do was to follow her into the woods.