William Morris Research Paper Essay Example for Free

William Morris Research Paper Essay William Morris was a poet, artist, manufacturer, and socialist during the mid to late 19th century. He was most active as a wallpaper and textile designer and later in his life a graphic designer. Morris was born March of 1834 in Walthamstow, which was near to London. He lived with his wealthy family near London and learned to read at a young age. He later attended Oxford where he met is friend, Edward Burne-Jones, who would later become one of the greatest Pre-Raphaelite artists. Morris started at Oxford thinking of becoming a clergyman, but soon joined an aesthetic circle. Morris had a great interest in medieval art and architecture, because it was art that was made by people and for people with great skill and craft instead of art that was made by mass production. After graduating and inheriting his father’s money, Morris started working as an architect. After a few years, Edward Burne-Jones influenced him to become an artist instead. Morris started as a poet and painter, but later in his life became more interested in politics, tapestries, graphic design, and textile designs. â€Å"The Arts and Crafts movement evolved as a revolt against the new age of mechanization, a Romantic effort on part of Morris and others to implement the philosophy of the influential critic John Ruskin, who stated that true art should be both beautiful and useful and should base its forms on those found in nature.† Morris and others fought to return to the simplicity, beauty, and craftsmanship that were being destroyed by the process of mass production. He also became more active as a socialist, and had many writings and leadership roles involving this. La Belle Iseult was the only known and finished easel painting made by Morris. It was made in 1858 and shows his model, Jane Burden, who became his wife in 1859. Jane is modeling as Iseult standing in front of an unmade bed in a medieval room. The painting shows many rich colors, and there is great emphasis on the patterns throughout the painting. These patterns can be seen in many of Morris’s work in his tapestries. Throughout the painting Morris uses textures and patterns to make the piece feel more realistic. In the foreground he places Iseult who is standing and looking towards the left. She is not addressing the viewer and looks as though she has recently arisen from bed. In the middle ground he places an unmade bed with a dog snuggled  in. In the background there is a woman musician playing for Iseult. Morris paints Iseult with illuminating skin and keeps her the main focus with her light white and pink patterned dress. There are many curtains draping from the ceiling echoing the colors in her dress. The room is full of things placing it in medieval times. This painting of Iseult is showing her mourning over her lover, Tristram, who was exiled from the court of King Mark. She was locked in the tower after attempting to kill herself. Now she has been sick almost to the point of death mourning for her lover, and this is also shown in the mood of the painting. â€Å"She stands wistfully in her small chamber, her feelings for Tristram reinforced by the springs of rosemary, symbolizing remembrance, in her crown, and the word ‘DOLOURS’ (grief) written down the side of her mirror.† The greyhound also proves the subject to be Iseult, because it is said Tristram gave her the dog and it is now used as her identifying emblem. There has been confusion on the name of this piece, and it has also been called Queen Guenevere. This is most likely because Morris wrote a poem called The Defence of Guenevere in the same year the painting was made, which is addressing the same character in the painting. Morris struggled for months on this picture and spent more time on embroidery and woodcarving. Many of the furnishings in the picture, such as the Turkish rug, the Persian embroidered cover, and the white work hangings are inspired by his actual collection. Strawberry Thief is a printed cotton furnishing textile that was made to be used as curtains or draperies for a wall. It could have also been used as loose covers on furniture. This pattern is based on the thrushes that Morris would often see stealing his strawberries beside his home in the kitchen garden. This is one of his best known designs and is very colorful with the deep indigo blue he used. â€Å"The pattern was printed by the indigo discharge method, an ancient technique used for many centuries mostly in the East.† Morris liked the depth of the color and clarity in the detail. In May 1883 Morris wrote to his daughter, I was a great deal at Merton last week anxiously superintending the first printing of the Strawberry thief, which I think we shall manage this time. Morris was very pleased with his design and even got it patented. It was the first pattern using this old technique where red and yellow were added to the basic blue and white ground. The entire process was painstakingly long to make and it used very expensive cotton.  Even though it was sold at a high price, the textile was one of the most commercially successful patterns for Morris and one of the client’s favorites. Morris was primarily active as a wallpaper and textile designer. The flower motif was a favorite in his work. He would often make his designs simple and stylized and inspired by traditional folk art. Morris’s emphasis on the importance of skill and craft and making art for the people contradicted his expensive textiles that only the wealthy could afford. Morris worked to restore the art of fine fabric printing and often experimented and researched different methods in making fabrics. Strawberry Thief is a colorful design where Morris used an indigo disch arge technique to create it. â€Å"Morris found that in order to produce a true indigo blue the fabric could not be block printed because the indigo dye oxidizes, changing the color as the fabric dries. Morris reused an early technique of vat-dyeing the entire yardage in indigo. Then, by using either a resist process or through bleach printing, areas of the fabric could be opened (the indigo color removed) and redyed the desired color.† Morris would also study old dye recipes, and would wash his fabric in the nearby river and dry it on the grass to allow the sun to bleach away the residual color. He would use organic materials for his primary colors, and would blend dyes and change the strength of dye solution to get the secondary colors. Morris’s early works and patterns were simpler and were made from a contemporary style with more obvious repetition. His later patterns and designs became more complex with more depth. â€Å"Morris believed that a pattern should not be at once entirely self-revea ling and should hold some mystery for the viewer, being sufficiently complex to maintain his attention.† Daisy Wallpaper was made in 1862 and was hand-printed for the firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner Co. It is a design showing a variety of plants. The colors of plants included are white, red and yellow flowers placed on a pale background with green flecks which represent grass. â€Å"The flat simple frontal motif was adapted from a tapestry shown in an illuminated manuscript at the British Museum; Block-printed in distemper colours, on paper; The second paper William Morris designed, but the first to be issued (1864).† This wallpaper is another one of Morris’s flower motifs and is simple and stylized. This was also inspired by traditional folk art. This wallpaper was hand printed which made it very expensive. This was the first pattern that Morris  issued, which took place in the year of 1864. It is a simple design of meadow flowers, and these forms are very similar to those seen in the late medieval tapestries. This wallpaper has a medieval character that connects Mo rris’s early work with the Pre-Raphaelite painters. Morris also had an interest in making nature into ornament which also helped influence this design. Morris said â€Å"any decoration is futile when it does not remind you of something beyond itself.† William often observed the plants in his garden and studied them which then they would often end up in many of his works. Morris did not intend for his designs and flowers to be taken as literal transcriptions of natural forms, but instead they were supposed to be seen as stylized re-creations. Morris designed over 50 wallpapers, and advised that the choice of wallpaper for the home must take into account the function of the room. Morris still preferred woven textile hangings over wallpaper, and thought of wallpaper as a makeshift decoration. â€Å"Though naturalistic, they were not of the over-blown chintzy floral style generally described as French, then popular with aristocratic and wealthy customers. On the other hand, though many were flat and to a degree stylized, often drawing on medieval sources for their motifs and character, they did not have the severity and the mor al overtones of reformed design.† During the late 1890s, Morris’s wallpapers could be commonly seen in many artistic middle-class homes. He had great success in â€Å"creating structured patterns from natural forms, with a sense of organic growth controlled by a subtle geometry, was his most important design legacy.† He also influenced the skill of making flat and complex patterns, patterns that were stylized organic forms and motifs of nature. He even changed the way the middle-class decorated their homes. Throughout Morris’s career as a designer he worked to bring people away from the commercialization of the Industrial Revolution and he pushed people to come back and reawaken to the romantic ideas of handcraft medieval design. He would often find his inspiration in nature and today many of his designs can be found on tapestries, textiles, wallpaper, stained glass, carpets, and more. He was one of the more influential voices in Victorian art and architecture of the time. Although Morris did so many different kinds of art, there are a few stylistic elements and ideas that he incorporated throughout his work. Morris really emphasized quality in his work, not only in the quality of the  actual design itself, but also in the quality of life. He believed that the two were entwined in a way and he would encourage people around him to make things for themselves. He also used a historic style which played into all of his work. Bibliography Arnason, H. H. History of Modern Art: Painting Sculpture Architecture Photography. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. Print Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European Art. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2012. Print. Cody, David. William Morris: A Brief Biography. The Victorian Web. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/morris/wmbio.html. Fowle, Frances. La Belle Iseult. TATE. N.p., Dec. 2000. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/morris-la-belle-iseult-n04999/text-summary. Mackail, John WIlliam. â€Å"William Morris.† The Dictionary of National Biography. Supp. vol. 3. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1901. 197†203. Print. Marsh, Jan. William Morriss Painting and Drawing. JSTOR. The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1986. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.jstor.org/stable/882655. Oman, Charles C., and Hamilton, Jean. â€Å"Wallpapers: a history and illustrated catalogue of the collection of the Victoria and Alb ert Museum.† London: Sotheby Publications, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78889/strawberry-thief-furnishing-fabric-morris-william/. Whipple, David. Textile Designs and Books by William Morris. JSTOR. Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25159593. William Morris Wallpaper Design. Victoria and Albert Museum. Victoria and Albert Museum, 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/w/william-morris-and-wallpaper- design/. Images of the Works: Title: La Belle Iseult Date: 1858 Medium: Oil Paint on Canvas Size: Support: 718 x 502 mm, Frame: 960 x755 x 61 mm Source: Tate Britain (http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/morris-la-belle-iseult-n04999) Title: Strawberry Thief Date: 1883 Medium: Furnishing Fabric/Textile Size: 60.5 x 95.2 cm Source: Victoria and Albert Museum (http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78889/strawberry-thief-furnishing-fabric-morris-william/) Title: Daisy Wallpaper Date: 1864 Medium: block-printed in distemper colors, on paper Size: Height: 687 mm, Width: 544 mm Source: Victoria Albert Museum (http://thetextileblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/william-morris-and-daisy-wallpaper.html) [ 1 ]. Mackail, John WIlliam. â€Å"William Morris.† The Dictionary of National Biography. Supp. vol. 3. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1901. 197†203. [ 2 ]. Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European Art. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd, 2012. [ 3 ]. Cody, David. William Morris: A Brief Biography. The Victorian Web. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 4 ]. Arnason, H. H. History of Modern Art: Painting Sculpture Architecture Photography. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. [ 5 ]. Marsh, Jan. William Morriss Painting and Drawing. JSTOR. The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1986. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 6 ]. Fowle, Frances. La Belle Iseult. TATE. N.p., Dec. 2000. Web. Nov. 2012. . [ 7 ]. Fowle, Fances. â€Å"La Belle Iseult.† [ 8 ]. Marsh, Jan. â€Å"William Morris’s Painting and Drawing.† [ 9 ]. Fowle, Fances. â€Å"La Belle Iseult.† [ 10 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. [ 11 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections. [ 12 ]. Strawberry Thief. Search the Collections. V A Collections. [ 13 ]. Chu, Petra ten-Doesschate. Nineteenth-Century European

Managing Diversity Essay Example for Free

Managing Diversity Essay 1. Put forward a business case for taking a managing diversity approach at Hinchliffe Cards. Britain now has one of the most diverse workforces in the world, consisting of a wide range of religions and ethnic backgrounds. However, diversity is not just acknowledged in terms of religious and ethnic origin. It can refer to political beliefs, age, sexual orientation, nationality, colour, etc. Therefore, it is absolutely paramount that diversity is managed effectively in parallel with Britain s rapidly changing social society. The need to manage diversity is even greater after the events of 9/11 as the worlds societies have become more politically charged and involved than ever before. Attached to diversity is the concept of equality from which any contentious questions arise. One such issue is the extent to which UK organisations are fair when it comes to offering equality of opportunity to minority groups in employment. There is a wide range of elements involved in managing diversity including legislative considerations, the handling of equal opportunity issues, as well as the aims of making managing diversity work for organisations. The traditional approach has focused on using the legislation driven equal opportunities route in tacking issues of diversity, and the broad aims of managing diversity are similar to that of equal opportunities, but managing diversity has a more internal focus. Many of these aims are bound up with the various legislation that outlaws discrimination on the grounds of sex, pay, race, disability and criminal record: * Sex Discrmination Act 1975 and 1976. * Equal Pay Act (Amended) 1983. * Race Relations Act 1976 (Amended 2000). * Disability Discrimination Act 1995. * Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. So why should organisations make the most employee diversity? Well, as mentioned previously, the make-up of our society is changing, and businesses must reflect this change. Wheatley, (p, 30, 2000) highlights three important trends that exist and are continuing to develop further. Firstly, the UK population is ageing fast. In 2000, there were 1.5M fewer 16-25 year olds entering employment than in 1987. Secondly, ethnic minority groups made up 5.5% of the total UK population at the time of the 1991 census. Thirdly, women now are a large and significant proportion of the UK workforce. Generally, the management of equal opportunity issues involves a social responsibility on the part of the individual organisation, objective consideration when taking selection decisions, develop a reputation for managing diversity, creating a more healthy business environment including high staff morale. Managing diversity also holds huge significance for business growth. Managing diversity also entails issues of organisational culture that refer to an organisations norms, values and beliefs. A diverse organisation in which there is a broad mix of people will add to the social dimension of the organisation and help to reduce the under-representation experienced by minority groups. Managing diversity is an internally driven proactive mechanism that acknowledges the interests of these groups. Moreover, at a strategic level, managing diversity involves: * Board level participation, responsibility and accountability on diversity issues; * Links to all business plans and benefits at all levels; * Employee ownership of diversity objectives; * Commitment of resources for training and research; * A proactive diversity approach to recruitment, marketing and supplier selection; * The building of diversity issues into recruitment, performance and reward systems. Source: Wheatley, (p. 32, 2000) Managing diversity focuses on the individual as opposed to Equal Opportunity (EO) that focuses on treating individuals as groups. Managing diversity (MD) goes beyond the EO perspective. It acknowledges differences in a more positive light. It does this by intending to proliferate staff performance, generating greater flexibility in the workforce and working practices as well as making organisations more equitable. It endeavours to use the differences to the benefit of the organisation. As stated by kandolla and Fullerton, the concept of managing diversity is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone will feel valued, where there talents are fully valued, where there talents are fully utilised, and in which organisational goals are met1. Whilst EO is legally driven, and subject to the achievement of the performance target, MD seeks to accommodate diverse interests. MD will also enable organisations to become a good corporate citizen, by ensuring that the workforce reflects the (local) population. Moreover, having a diverse workforce will help organisations explore new markets or client groups as MD adds to the social dimension of the organisation. This is particularly relevant after the events of 9/11, which require good understanding of race and cultural issues. In a business sense, it is important to have a workforce that understands diverse cultural backgrounds, especially as businesses become more internationalised. As stated above, MD uses individual differences and recognises them as strengths and talents, which help to dismantle barriers which otherwise prevent them from doing so. MD also brings with it in-built proactive measures such as maternity leave, flexible working patterns etc By doing so, organisations can improve their efforts in meeting their customers needs and increase their organisations profile. Under MD, people are acknowledged as the nucleus the organisation, and organisations can benefit from the following: * MD recognises that female managers have distinct managerial styles and abilities; * Mature workers can offer organisations increased reliability, stability, quality, experience and overall efficiency; * Members of ethnic groups can provide a rich and cultural experience at work; * Disabled people can offer highly developed problem solving and analytical skills because they operate in an inaccessible environment; * Individuals can feel confident in their abilities and their contribution to the organisation; * MD will add to the creative side of the organisation; * MD views employees as an invaluable asset; * MD recognises the need for n-going training; * Increased emphasis and responsibility to diversity issues; * Better recruitment, retention and performance systems. MD provides a more transparent and proactive method of dealing with employee diversity. This involves a fundamental transformation of the organisations working practices, making it more staff-friendly, re-consider the management structure and introduce more fairer recruitment and retention procedures. MD eliminates barriers to opportunity by recognising differences of individuals as positive strengths that can be used to develop a culture of diversity. Successful companies are those that are able to monitor and meet shifts in social expectations, to control risks and to anticipate market opportunities. Businesses that have the vision and the will to create an enabling environment for diverse parts of the community will prosper. 2. Analyse how the human resources activities might have to be changed at Hinchliffe Cards and make recommendations based on your analysis. The main problem the company is having is managing diversity while the organisation is evolving. The case study highlights many issues, which are fundamentally flawed in creating a more diverse productive organisation. At present 70 % of Hinchliffe Cards workforce is made up of women. There is only one woman manager within the organisation dealing with HRM, which is not a primarily authorative role. These statistics are very worrying when you consider that projections show that in less than ten years time there will be two million more jobs within the economy 80% of which will be filled by women2. In order to meet with theses changes Hinchliffe Cards would have to consider having more women in leadership and decision making positions. Many factors may have led to this lack of women in senior positions, like discrimination due to family commitments, womens lack of confidence, the attitudes of senior executives or even men seeing women as a threat. Nevertheless organisations which fail to utilise the potential of women managers will be commiting economic suicicde'(Davidson, 1991). As women managers come with many potential benefits i.e, participative and caring management styles . Hinchliffe Cards have also started to use casual labour during the spring months to deal with the Christmas demand. Over this period they use 20 casual workers to help operate some of the more sophisticated machines during this period. This is due to the current shortage of skill within the industry. This has been met by much discontent from the full time worker who doesnt believe they have the same pride in their work, which affects its quality and ultimately the workforces bonuses. Hinchliffe cards should really be working trying providing a positive learning environment for all staff. A positive learning environment is one in which the values of the organisation include the expressed and acted on belief that the development of its human capital through effective learning is necessary or achieving a competitive environment. The existence of such a environment depends on the active encouragement and support of top management, the belief by lie managers that learning and development activities pay off, and the extent to which the workforce are motivated to learn The female workers are also complaining about the opportunities open to them within the company, as they have not been trained on the complex machines. They feel left out as these machines offer the highest rewards in terms of bonus. In addition to this they are also concerned about the long hours they are made to work during peak periods, which is seen to interfere with their family life. This shows discrimination towards the female staff in using more complex machinery. This is bad for Hinchliffe cards because taking action on diversity and equality has many benefits for the organisation. According to government research it can lead to better recruitment and retention- followed with better morale and performance. If this discrimination and unfair treatment can be reduced, it can have a knock on effect on grievances and relations in the organisation. This can reduce absenteeism and labour turnover by enhancing employees attachment to the organisation and have a positive effect on labour productivity. Concerns about being able to balance family life with work is also a major problem. The costs for businesses who dont meet these needs can be striking. According to british industry, sickness and absence costs cost employers around à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 billion a year and 30% of this may be related to stress. In a recent survey, over a fith of women said they would change theyre jobs for more flexible arrangements. Employers may incur additional costs in adopting policies to support work-life balance, including increased managerial worloads. Such costs are however generally outweighed by the gains in achieveing strategic objectives. Hinchliffe have also recently outsourced their work to in home workers to cope with recent demand for handmade products. These workers are mainly women from ethnic groups and the company is experiencing a high rate of labour turnover. Due to this the company is thinking of investing in a team of in house designers employed officially by the firm who can be based in the firms headquarters. However the majority of the women arent interested in this option as they fit theyre work around looking after small children. They believe theyre getting a rough deal from the company as materials are often not delivered on time and theyre has been some talk of covert racism form the company. Senior managers also believe there is position for the company to expand into the EU. The company however would have to be equipped with a workforce with a more diverse range of skills from sales and marketing staff. This would mean being able to speak a different European language and be comfortable dealing with managers from different cultures. The current sales and marketing staff however lack these skills. References 1. Bunderson J S and Sutcliffe K M (2002) Comparing alternative conceptualizations of functional diversity in management teams: process and performance effects, Academy of Management Journal, Oct 1, 2002 v45 i4 p875(19) 2. Caudron, S., (1990) Monsanto responds to diversity, Personnel Journal, 41, 72-80. 3. DNetto B and Sohal A S (1999) Human resource practices and workforce diversity: an empirical assessment, International Journal of Manpower, Volume 20 Number 8 1999 pp. 530-547 4. Jackson, S.E., May, K.E., Whitney, K., 1995, Understanding the dynamics of diversity in decision-making teams, Guzzo, R., Salas, E. and Associates, Team Effectiveness in Decision Making in Organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, 204-61. 5. Jenner L (1994) Diversity management: what does it mean, HR Focus, Jan 1994 v71 n1 p11(1) 6. Kandola R and Fullerton J (1994) Managing the mosaic diversity in action, IPD (1994), p19 7. Morrison, A.M. (1992) The New Leaders: Guidelines on Leadership Diversity in America, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CA. 8. Mullins L J (2002) Management and organisational behaviour, 6th edition, Prentice Hall, Essex 9. Personnel Journal (1994) Diverse networking prompts change, Personnel Journal, August 1994 v73 n8 pS20(2) 10. Personnel Journal (1995) Open the corporate closet to sexual orientation issues, Personnel Journal, August 1995 v74 n8 p42(7) 11. Peters T (1993) Video Management revolution and corporate reinvention, BBC for Business. Cited in Mullins (2002). 12. Schreiber, C.T., Price, K.F., Morrison, A., (1993) Workplace diversity and the glass ceiling: practices, barriers, possibilities, Human Resource Planning, 16, 2, 51-69. 13. Soni V (2000) A Twenty-First-Century Reception for Diversity in the Public Sector: A Case Study, Public Administration Review, Sept 2000 v60 i5 p395 14. Zeffane R M and Mayo G (1994) Career Trends and Staffing Strategies in the 1990s, International Journal of Career Management, Volume 06 Number 5 1994 pp. 30-35 1 Armstrong, M. (2003)A handbook of Human Resource Management practice (9th edition). P133 2 www.dti.gov.uk/bestpractice/assets/bdciv.txt

Waiting For Godot Essay | Analysis of Waiting for Godot

Waiting For Godot Essay | Analysis of Waiting for Godot It is tempting to view Samuel Becketts Waiting for Godot as a play of nothingness, with no value or meaning but that of two men waiting for something or someone to arrive. However, the companionship that the two protagonist characters portray underneath the humour and bleakness of Becketts two part tragi-comedy, clearly offers us something elevating amongst the emptiness of the bleak world that the characters are staged within. As the play progresses and we begin to learn about these two characters lives, it becomes clear that they share a companionship, caring deeply for one another and in many ways a need for each other in order to survive the hostile place in which they are living in. From the very start of the play we become aware of the companionship of Vladimir and Estragon. As the play opens we witness Estragon sitting alone upon a rock, trying to remove his boot and repeatedly failing to do so. As Vladimir enters and replies to Estragons spoken thoughts, as if he had been present all along, we see their friendship for the first time. We are aware that the two characters have been separated overnight, yet at this early point within the play we are unaware as to how they know each other and most importantly how long they have known each other. Now that Vladimir is present Estragons shoe slips off with effortlessness, almost as if to say that he cannot remove it without the company of Vladimir. The ease in which they are reunited gives us, as an audience, an insight, and allows us to become aware of the fact that we are not witnessing two strangers on stage, we are witnessing two friends. This opening is continued as Vladimir states to Estragon Im glad to see yo u back. I thought you were gone forever. (Beckett, 2006:11) This direct line implies that by Estragon leaving it would create a sense of sadness for Vladimir, and the word glad reinforces any doubts that the audience have at this point as to whether or not they share a companionship in one another. In the Royal Court Theatre revival of 1964, Anthony page staged Godot with Becketts presence. Page states that Beckett forever implied that Godot is very much about relationships between human beings. (McMillan,1990:85) Beckett continued to express to Page that moments of the play should be a tender moment of complete understanding between the two characters. (McMillan, 1990:85) And at an instant this made the line work. It is clear from this that Beckett meant for the two characters to share a relationship with one another and when one of the actors decides to set up a hierarchy for the two characters, the force between them becomes unbalanced. When Bert Lahr in the American production insisted that he was top banana and warned Tom Ewell as Vladimir Dont crowd me the balance of the play was disturbed. (McMillan, 1990:62) This implies that they need one another in order for the play to work; that the companionship they portray seeks to be a poignant theme and that altering this in an yway will upset the dynamics of the duo. David Smith for The Observer says of the play, (Waiting for Godot) reveals humanitys talents for stoicism, companionship and keeping going. (Smith, 2009) The pair seem to mirror the society of modern day and it is important to remember their loneliness, their continuous waiting for Godot and I find myself asking whether this has resulted in their strong attachment for one another. Like any companionship they fight and then they make up, yet Vladimir and Estragon certainly share the strongest want for each others companionship. Vladimir: Gogo! Estragon: Didi! Vladimir: Your hand! Estragon: Take it! Vladimir: Come to my arms! Estragon: Your arms? Vladimir: My breast! [They embrace. They separate. Silence.] (Beckett, 2006:70) This passage in Act II portrays the journey of their relationship throughout the play. They question each others actions and the boredom in which they are isolated within may well be responsible for the bickering they sustain, yet no matter what happens they return to each other, embracing each other. Another point which struck me about this passage is the humour in which this is to be performed. Almost as if they are mocking their own friendship they embrace but yet at once they separate again. It is important to realise that they do not always want to be each others friend, and that making up with one another is merely because one wouldnt survive without the other. Their playful nature portrays the humour that Beckett intended for their companionship to have, and makes an audience question the realism of the pair as friends. It is however, these tender moments within the play that I begin to question whether the two characters hold only a friendship, yet this adds to Becketts notion of not giving too much away. The fighting and the making up, the embracing and the separating all hold connotations to that of a married couple. By the end of Act I we, as an audience, become aware of just how long Vladimir and Estragon have known each other Fifty years perhaps (Beckett, 2006: 51) and as Act II begins Vladimir starts to sing and this could parallel the fact that he is aware that Estragon is still around. In the 2001 Michael Lindsay-Hogg of Waiting for Godot for Beckett on film, this moment is played with sheer happiness. The expression on Vladimirs face turns from that of confusion to delight as he realises the pair of boots greeting him as he enters the scene are in fact Estragons. I believe that Vladimir feels as though their companionship may perhaps give his life its greatest sense of meaning. Within their relationship, whether this is just friendship or one of something more, it is easy to pinpoint a two gender relationship within the one sex partnership. The National Theatre in Londons 1987 production of Waiting for Godot with Alec McCowen as Vladimir showed the tender relationship between them fitted easily into the scheme of things, including the touch of nursemaid in Alec McCowens soothing attitude to his partner. (Worth, 1990:79) This nursemaid approach is further highlighted during Act I when Estragon violently says Im hungry. (Beckett, 2006:21) Vladimir cheerfully responds, as if feeding Estragon is his most interesting responsibility, making his life appear worthwhile. This situation plays Estragon as the male, placing Vladimir in the female role, holding connotations that their partnership is portraying that of a married couple. Vladimir is copiously feeding his wife and Estragon is the irresponsible husband, with Vladimir always coming to his aide. Their wants a nd needs match each other perfectly and it could be for this reasoning that Beckett described them himself as a pseudo couple; they dont necessarily always want to be in each others company, yet they recognise each other as a necessary person in order to survive. In order to think about this further, the passage in Act II where they embrace, Vladimir refers to Estragon to embrace his breasts. Again, this holds feminine connotations and is another reason for thinking of the companions as a mixed gender partnership of husband and wife. Smith reiterates this idea further, Estragon and Vladimir are like a married couple whove been together too long, they grow old day by day. (Smith, 2009) As Smith states it appears that Vladimir and Estragon have been together for so long that they no longer see themselves as individuals, they have become one person and therefore if one leaves, so does the other. This enhances Becketts choice of the repeated line Im going, yet neither of them moves, they have physically grown to rely on one another. Vladimir speaks repeatedly of Estragons dependence of him and this not only mirrors the idea of Vladimir taking on the role of the nursemaid as Worth stated, but that although this seems warranted at times, at other t imes it seems as though it isnt the friendship that they are seeking, but simply the need to be emotionally dependent on the presence of another. When looking at Becketts one act theatrical sketch Rough for Theatre I, it is this that allows us to take it and use it to understand the companionship of Vladimir and Estragon further. Rough for Theatre I sees two characters confined on a derelict street corner where everything is in ruins. Much like Waiting for Godot they find themselves alone, with only each other for company. One portrays a blind man, whilst the other remains immobile, stuck within a wheelchair. Just like that of Vladimir and Estragon they find themselves bickering, yet find a common ground through their disabilities. We can begin to look at this is order to help us understand Vladimir and Estragons relationship concerning the fact that the characters named A and B need the other in order to survive one can see and one can walk. In Waiting for Godot the personalities of the characters complement each other, one being absent-minded and forgetful with Estragon asking every so often throughout the play why are we h ere? and Vladimir simply replies with Were waiting for Godot. This once again shows the interdependence within their relationship and I find myself asking: what would Estragon do without Vladimir? And vice versa. When thinking of Waiting for Godot in terms of rehearsal it is helpful to use Rough for Theatre I to understand the frame of mind the characters are in. It is clear that they do not necessarily want to be there, waiting, and Rough for Theatre I allows us to take the notion of need rather than want and apply this when performing the roles of Vladimir and Estragon. Sir Ian McKellen states in his diary whilst working towards performing the production In Godot, Didi, Rogers character, is the provider, the guardian, the one who is trying to work out the plan. (McKellen, 2001) When looking at rehearsing and performing the embracing passage within Act II McKellens words direct us on the roles we should be taking, yet with great care as to not disturb the balance of equality that Vladimir and Estragon uphold. [They embrace. They separate. Silence.] I believe the embrace is to be performed as a quick hold of each other, a reassurance that they are still there for each other yet at once they s eparate, as if to imply that they do not need to be friends the entire time and that by just knowing that one another are there for each other is enough to keep them going; enough to keep them waiting for Godot. In Lindsay-Hoggs film version the embrace is adapted to become a dance. In a mocking way they take hold of each other and dance around in circles, humming a simple tune. I believe that this shows the friendship to their companionship; they are sharing laughter not love, and it is this laughter beyond the dullness of nothing to do that keeps them surviving. Vladimir and Estragon are both characters that are forced to live in a inimical world bearing no material values just the company of one another to pass the time, so it is no wonder that they fight and bicker at times and they often threaten that maybe they are better off apart. However, when the idea of suicide faces them they cannot go ahead with it, they make false statements yet as the day draws to an end they are still by one anothers side. As Vladimir answers Estragons want to hang themselves with I remain in the dark, (Beckett, 2006:18) Vladimir stresses his concerns to the options surrounding the outcome of the situation; what if he goes first? What if Estragon hangs himself and then the bough breaks as Vladimir is about to do so, then he is left alone and, in some senses, in the dark. The isolation of being alone for Vladimir would be a more fatal outcome than Estragons, that of death. As Michael Billington states for The Guardian Becketts play becomes a compassionate metaph or for the human predicament: confronted by a senseless world, the least we can hope for is the solace of companionship. (Billington, 2006) Vladimir and Estragon are not characters looking for friendship, although at times throughout the play we see this blossoming and then they have another argument and they wish to be anywhere but in each others company. Waiting for Godot is exploring human relationships and the play seems to reflect the friendships in society today; Becketts play touches everyone. Yet being together within a static place for fifty years perhaps (Beckett, 2006: 51) has allowed for the two characters to create such a friendship, of being there for someone when they need you most. Vladimirs character shows this as he places his coat over the shoulders of a sleeping Estragon, and at the same time they have created a companionship that has meant that these two characters are really to be thought of as pieces of one personality, they fit together as one. When they reac h the points in life where they feel I cant go on like this (Beckett, 2006: 87) the irony of Becketts play is that they do. And there is something inexpressibly moving about the final image of their shared immobility as they confront an endless series of futile tomorrows, (Billington, 2006) together, as companions. John Hopkins: Constitution of Trusts John Hopkins: Constitution of Trusts A beneficiary under a trust is a volunteer unless he has provided valuable consideration.[1] Where a gift is made, the beneficiary will always be a volunteer as it is by definition made without consideration. The traditional equitable maxim is that equity will not assist a volunteer.[2] This generally means that where a gift is made imperfectly, equity will not enable the intended beneficiary to claim the gift under a trust. However, there are exceptions to the rule. This essay will consider these exceptions and the extent to which the rule has developed from â€Å"equity will not assist a volunteer† to a position of â€Å"equity will not assist a volunteer if, in doing so, it would repair the consequences of a would-be donor’s folly†. The leading case in this area is Milroy v Lord[3] where a voluntary deed which purported to assign 50 shares to Samuel Lord on trust for Milroy. Lord was already acting as Milroy’s agent under a power of attorney. The formalities of the share transfer were not complied with. Milroy therefore sought to establish that a trust had been declared. It was held that an ineffective transfer does not constitute a declaration of trust without there being a clear intention to create a trust. Furthermore, if a voluntary settlement is to be valid and effectual, the settlor must have done everything which was necessary to be done to transfer the property and render the settlement binding upon him.[4] As the shares had not been transferred, no trust was created and no gift made. The case of Milroy v Lord thus provides that for the settlement to be binding there must be either an outright transfer, a declaration of self as trustee, or a transfer of property to a third party as trustee. The facts of Jones v Lock[5] were that a father produced a cheque payable to himself and said â€Å"Look you here, I give this to baby; it is for himself† and placed the cheque in the baby’s hand. He then took the cheque back stating that he was going to put it away for him. It was held that there had been no effective gift because no valid transfer had occurred. Moreover, it was held that a failed gift cannot be construed to be a valid declaration of trust. It was said that the crucial principle is that an owner must not be deprived of his property unless, by making a valid gift or trust, he has demonstrated the seriousness of his intention to dispose of the benefit of his property.[6] However, where the property is vested in the trustees in circumstances outside their capacity as trustees, the trust may be constituted, even though the beneficiaries are volunteers[7] (Re Ralli’s Will Trusts[8]). Other exceptions include the rule in Strong v Bird[9] and Donationes Mortis Causa. As these exceptions are uncommon, the main exception and development as set out below will be the focus of this piece. The case of Re Rose[10] demonstrates the principle that where a donor has done everything they can to transfer title to another but that outright trust has not been completed, an equitable interest will have passed, even where the donee is a volunteer.[11] This principle is therefore an exception to the general rule that equity will not assist a volunteer and is based upon the inequity of reneging on a promise once the donor has purported to transfer title by doing everything necessary for him to do. The principle in Re Rose has recently been extended. In T Choithram International SA v Pagarani,[12] a man lying on his deathbed sought to declare an inter vivos trust over his property. The settlor’s intention was to become one of nine trustees, but he failed to transfer legal title to all nine trustees and as a consequence, under the ordinary law of trusts, the trust would not have been validly constituted. The Court of Appeal thus held that he had neither effectively vested the property in the trustees, nor did his words of gift render him a trustee. Furthermore â€Å"the court will not give a benevolent construction so as to treat ineffective words of outright gift as taking effect as if the donor had declared himself a trustee for the donee†. In the words of Hopkins, the Court of Appeal decided the matter on the basis that â€Å"equity will not assist a volunteer† or â€Å"perfect an imperfect gift†.[13] In allowing the appeal, the Privy Council accepted the maxims but added that â€Å"equity will not strive officiously to defeat a gift†. The reasoning for holding a trust was that the settlor had done all that was necessary to constitute a trust, by declaring himself as trustee. His words that he would ‘give’ could only then mean â€Å"I give to the trustees of the foundation trust deed to be held by them on the trusts of the foundation trust deed†.[14] The case of Choithram may therefore be taken to be support for Hopkins’ statement that that the courts have left behind the well-known equitable maxim equity will not assist a volunteer and have reframed it as equity will not assist a volunteer if, in doing so, it would repair the consequences of a would-be donors folly. This is because, in both Re Rose and Choithram there was no folly in the sense that the donor had not done all that was necessary and therefore, on the basis of the reformulated maxim the trusts were rightly held. Conversely, in both Jones v Lock and Milroy v Lord, the donor had not done all that was necessary, and was therefore acting in folly. However, this is not the end of the developments. In Pennington v Waine[15] A owned 1500 of the 2000 shares in C Ltd. She instructed P, a partner in C Ltd auditors, that she wished to transfer 400 shares to her nephew H and that he was to become a director. A signed the share and P placed it â€Å"on the company’s file†. A made her will a short time later bequeathing the rest of her shareholding but making no mention of the 400 shares transferred to H. Under the traditional law, as seen above, the gift would have been complete only once the signed stock transfer form and the share certificate had been handed to the donee. The Court of Appeal in fact held that the gift was to be regarded as completely constituted, despite the lack of delivery and the fact that there was apparently nothing to stop A from recalling her gift.[16] The Court of Appeal followed the maxim as stated in Choithram that equity will not assist a volunteer but will not strive officiously to defeat a gift. It was held that at the time it would be unconscionable for the transferor to be able to change their mind, equity should hold the gift to be properly constituted. Per Arden LJ: â€Å"If one proceeds on the basis that a principle which animates the answer to the question whether an apparently incomplete gift is to be treated as completely constituted is that a donor will not be permitted to change his or her mind if it would be unconscionable, in the eyes of equity, vis-à  -vis the donee to do so, what is the position here? There can be no comprehensive list of factors which makes it unconscionable for the donor to change his or her mind: it must depend on the courts evaluation of all the relevant considerations. What then are the relevant facts here? [A] made the gift of her own free will: there is no finding that she was not competent to do this. She not only told [H] about the gift and signed a form of transfer which she delivered to [P] for him to secure registration: her agent also told [H] that he need take no action. In addition [H] agreed to become a director of the company without limit of time, which he could not do without shares being transferr ed to him.† It has been argued that this decision was based on a misunderstanding of the decision in Choithram where it was held that it would be as unconscionable for a settlor who had declared a trust when he was one of a number of trustees to subsequently resile from his declaration as if he had declared himself to be the sole trustee.[17] Moreover, it is widely accepted that the decision goes much further than previous law.[18] Examining Hopkins’ statement in light of this development, it is unlikely that the maxim can be said to be redefined to incorporate the donor’s folly, as the present position appears to leave plenty of scope for assisting a volunteer where doing so would correct a donor’s folly. Indeed, Pennington v Waine may well be overruled in the future, but at present, the most apt re-statement of the maxim is: â€Å"equity will not assist a volunteer unless it would be unconscionable not to do so†.[19] Bibliography Delany, H., and Ryan, D., â€Å"Unconscionability: a unifying theme in equity†, (2008) Conv 401 Garton, J., â€Å"The role of the trust mechanism in the rule in Re Rose†, (2003) Conv 364 Halliwell, M., â€Å"Perfecting imperfect gifts and trusts: have we reached the end of the Chancellor’s foot?†, (2003) Conv 192 Hopkins, J., â€Å"Constitution of trusts – a novel point†, (2001) CLJUK 483 Hudson, A., Equity and Trusts, 5th Edition (2007), Routledge-Cavendish Martin, J.E., Hanbury and Martin: Modern Equity, 17th Edition (2005), Sweet Maxwell Morris, J., â€Å"Questions: when is an invalid gift a valid gift? When is an incompletely constituted trust a completely constituted trust? Answer: after the decisions in Choithram and Pennington†, (2003) PCB 393 Oakley, A.J., Parker and Mellows: The Modern Law of Trusts, 9th Edition (2008), Sweet Maxwell Pettit, P.H., Equity and the Law of Trusts, 10th Edition (2006), Oxford University Press Tham, C.H., â€Å"Careless share giving†, (2006) CONVPL 411 Watt, G., Trusts and Equity, 3rd Edition (2008), Oxford University Press Footnotes [1] Pettit, P.H., Equity and the Law of Trusts, 10th Edition (2006), Oxford University Press, pg 104 [2] Hudson, A., Equity and Trusts, 5th Edition (2007), Routledge-Cavendish, pg 26 [3] (1862) 4 De GF J 264 [4] Hudson, supra pg 221 [5] (1965) LR 1 Ch App 25 [6] Watt, G., Trusts and Equity, 3rd Edition (2008), Oxford University Press, pg 121 [7] Martin, J.E., Hanbury and Martin: Modern Equity, 17th Edition (2005), Sweet Maxwell, pg 122 [8] [1964] Ch 288 [9] (1874) 18 Eq 315 [10] [1952] Ch 499 [11] Hudson, supra pg 222 [12] [2001] 1 WLR 1 [13] Hopkins, J., â€Å"Constitution of trusts – a novel point†, (2001) CLJUK 483 [14] Lord Browne-Wilkinson at [12] [15] [2002] 1 WLR 2075 [16] see Morris, J., â€Å"Questions: when is an invalid gift a valid gift? When is an incompletely constituted trust a completely constituted trust? Answer: after the decisions in Choithram and Pennington†, (2003) PCB 393 [17] Oakley, A.J., Parker and Mellows: The Modern Law of Trusts, 9th Edition (2008), Sweet Maxwell, pg 156 [18] Garton, J., â€Å"The role of the trust mechanism in the rule in Re Rose†, (2003) Conv 364; Tham, C.H., â€Å"Careless share giving†, (2006) CONVPL 411; Delany, H., and Ryan, D., â€Å"Unconscionability: a unifying theme in equity†, (2008) Conv 401 [19] Halliwell, M., â€Å"Perfecting imperfect gifts and trusts: have we reached the end of the Chancellor’s foot?†, (2003) Conv 192

Toothbrushes and Tofu :: Short Story Papers

Toothbrushes and Tofu "Yay hyperchocolate hazelnut cake Yay apricot baklava Yay carrot cake and apple crisp Yay periwinkle dining room trim Yay co-ops" - Watermyn house journal, 1986 The co-op is on the corner of Waterman and Governor streets, hunkered there like an old man, into a dilapidated permanence. Two enormous cherry trees occupy the front yard; in the fall their golden leaves are left in peace to coat the lawn until they rot or blow away. A tangled cluster of bicycles clings to a metal sculpture that is perched like an insect under the largest tree. The front garden sprouts renegade tomato plants and Echinacea flowers, long taken over with weeds, and a tin sign hangs feebly from a piece of yellow pipe, its faded letters announcing, "Watermyn Co-op Garden." The newly built front porch smells of wet, cut wood and supports a ratty looking couch, a small mosaiced table, and half a dozen un-opened Wall Street Journals. The Watermyn kitchen never fails to be a stimulating experience. This Sunday night is no exception. Ian and Allison chop vegetables, and the counters swim in piles of mushrooms, carrots, spinach, bowls of crumbled tofu and pans spread with thick pizza dough. Liz Phair plays on the stereo, just loud enough to inhibit a normal decibel of conversation. Old crumpled newspapers litter the two couches beneath the stereo, and rows of red-capped spices, cereal boxes and other assorted dried goods line the racks above the counters. Clippings, sketches and posters plaster the refrigerator and walls. Broken kitchen appliances are stuck above the fridge with black electrical tape and someone has scrawled above them in black marker, "Kitchen appliance graveyard - where all good cooking tools come to die." Ian is tall, with a warm smile and a worn-in look, faded and comfortable like someone's favorite sneakers. He groans as he opens up rotting bags of spinach, "How long has this been in the fridge? I'm not going to use this. Do you think I should use this? No, no one will want to eat this." Allison doesn't offer any suggestions. She smiles unconcernedly and slides an assembled pizza into the oven, holding her long brown hair back with one hand. Dinner is served at 6:30 and in a few minutes co-opers will begin to wander into the kitchen and common rooms, lured by the smell of cooking dough and stir-fried garlic.

The Effectiveness of Sex Appeal in Advertisement Essay -- Sex Media Ad

The Effectiveness of Sex Appeal in Advertisement Sex is everywhere. It's in every magazine, on every television station, and in every movie. Sex appears in advertisements for everything from shoes to food to computers. It is understandable why advertisers use sex appeal since it sets their ads apart from the countless others. Ads with sex can be more memorable, but sometimes too much sex overpowers the ad, drawing attention away from the brand. Overdone sex appeal can offend the target audiences, therefore causing the ad to be ineffective. Sex in advertising also tends to stereotype women and be bias towards men. Overall sex appeal can be effective if used in the correct context, but can also render the ad ineffective if overdone. Many advertisers view sex appeal as one of the most effective marketing practices today. In the endless number of advertisements out there nowadays, ad agencies are desperate to have their ads stand out. Several research studies have found that sex appeal in advertising is attention-grabbing, likable, arousing, and memorable (Severn, B...

Introduces her four major concerns illustrated in Silas Marner †Essay

Introduces her four major concerns illustrated in Silas Marner – namely village life. Within the very first paragraph on the book, Gorge Elliot introduces her four major concerns illustrated in Silas Marner – namely village life (of the late 18th century), superstition and belief, alienation and historical change (in this case specifically that caused by industrial revolution and the ending of the Napoleonic Wars). These concerns are closely woven together in the story (and in some cases real life) as can once again be seen in this opening two paragraphs and often can be looked at in relation to one another. Village life was probably Gorge Elliot’s primary focus when writing the novel and her anthropological investigations provide us with a fair deal of insight into it throughout the novel. The village of Raveloe is the setting for the majority of the story. The third line, while not introducing us to it per se, introduces us to the general idea of villages resembling it. It is said to be â€Å"far away among the lanes or deep in the bosom of the hills†. This is an important introduction, physically and psychologically distancing Victorian readers from Raveloe and making it seem totally different from the world they live in. In many ways, this difference is very real. Raveloe is still untouched by the effects of the industrial revolution that created the town Elliot’s readers are familiar with. It is Elliot’s objective to provide a comparison between Raveloe and such towns – represented in the novel by Lantern Yard. The opening paragraph also describes the villagers. They are described as â€Å"untraveled† and are very much uneducated. Knowledge to them is something suspicious, most likely due to the fact h... ...example of this would have to be the sentence â€Å"how was a man to be explained unless you at least knew somebody who knew his father or mother?† The point is that this is most certainly not true as a complete stranger new not be a dangerous or dishonest person. In this way Elliot lightly pokes fun at the attitudes of the villagers. Thus, it can be seen that within the opening two paragraphs, Elliot sets up the foundations of the primary concerns in this book. While, it is quite obviously not possible to go into anything resembling detail regarding any one of them, the paragraphs provide a platform upon which build up upon. The attitude and tone of the narrator, while not obviously apparent, can also be felt here. This opening basically serves as a generalization to which the life of Silas Marner, as detailed in the rest of the novel, is a specific example.

Ramona and Beezus

Ramona has a very creative imagination but hilariously brings her to many mishaps in school and even at home. She is nine years old and very Jolly who takes things seriously that makes her brain works to create many ideas to solve a certain problem. She has this big sister named Beatrice who is shucked with a nickname Buzzes. According to Ramona, when she was very little and is starting to learn how to speak, she accidentally called Beatrice Buzzes because that's what little children do.They mispronounce words and sometimes get stuck in it. Buzzes and Ramona most of the mime has quarrels and arguments at home. Ramona said that her sister hates her very much because Buzzes calls her a pest. However, Ramona showed great respect for the elders even if they don't listen to what she wants to express and is misunderstood that performs many acts of silliness. Ramona continued her imaginative adventure until a problem in the family gone very far to the extent that their parent's quarrel over small things.What I like most about this movie is that it simply shows what happens at home in reality. Our relationship with our parent's and siblings brings us many memories and lessons in life such as understanding one's emotions, giving comfort, being patient, being kind, and being respectful. In the family, when one doesn't understand another, there'll be quarrelling and arguments which will lead to another problem. This is what I don't want to happen in my own family.Just like Ramona, I want to help my family solve some problems in my own little ways. I want to be productive and not be a problem to them. So, if there's a problem at home, I am really doing my very best to help. I really love Roman's adventures and this inspires me to be sensitive in other people's feelings. The movie also taught me to love my own family no matter what they are and who they are, because the family is the first group of people you can run to in times of trouble/ problem.They are truly God's gift that no other treasures I can compare. Finally, despite of the problems we encounter everyday, we must be like Ramona: Brave and full of Joy. We have to face our problems lightly in order for us to concentrate in seeking possible solutions to it. We have to bear in mind that no problems we can't endure if we only let God help us as what a famous quote says: A family that prays together, stays together.