The Impact of Literature Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Literature Essay It may go without saying that there are those who will never study, appreciate, or even perhaps consider literature as it is known in academic circles. There are those for whom the written word may have, at best, utilitarian purposes, and for whom any piece of writing beyond a technical manual should, at least, be a work of â€Å"non-fiction,† designed to impart a clearly stated morsel of information or worthy opinion. Part of the explanation for this may coincide with the same general reason that some people never consider religion: the proponents of literature – as is sometimes the case with the proponents of religion – sometimes themselves make their cause a used-up, weary, and trying thing, and may remove from it all the beauty and potential which it might, in the proper hands, convey. Much like religion, literature has a transcendent value, and fulfills an essentially universal need. After all, even the most ardent opponent of the usage of literature in his or her own life embraces forms which complete virtually the same need within him; that is, myths, folklore, stories, movies, television, and even song, occupy essentially the same place and function as literature in the human person, albeit in a form often immeasurably more crude. And, as hotly debated as the following may be in the milieu of post-modern and relativist academic circles, the need to convey truths and explore the human person through story and myth may reach its most sophisticated form in literature. That, of course, raises the implied debate as to just exactly what constitutes literature. Some societies view poetry and theater as â€Å"literature,† could not film, or popular songs also be literature? Along that line of reasoning could folk tales or geographically-oriented stories and Maki 2 myths constitute literature? One runs back into the post-modern worldview when considering that, if the songs of Bob Dylan or the films of Bergman can be considered in any context to be literature, then why not the songs of Madonna or the films of Clint Eastwood? These considerations are relevant as the illustrate that: â€Å"literature,† if defined as relating to the exploration of universal truths and the human person through written or performed language, is relevant in daily human experience. The American child utterly unacquainted with the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, or Cinderella, is at a vast disadvantage even in understanding many newspaper headlines (a business’ success story may be a â€Å"Cinderella Story;† a poorly chosen infrastructure may be a â€Å"House of Straw. † The list could go on). But, more importantly – and herein lies the great importance of literature – the child may be in danger of lacking the basic, transcendent lessons that society collectively imparts to its youth through the themes of fairy tales: there is danger in the world; stay on the path; obey your elders†¦they might just know what they’re talking about; shoddy effort will bear out a painful reward; arrogance is often misguided. Again, the list could go on. Even then, fairy tales as literature are only a baby step towards grasping the ultimate value of literature as a whole. While some literature function in a given society as a means of forming the parameters of moral uprightness and, essentially, seek to pass down answers, adult literature at its best instead seeks to ask questions that require considerations beyond the formal and accepted confines of social morality, even if at times literature may function in an effort to pull a society back to its forgotten mores. Literature as genuine art probes the human persona Maki 3 and, in order to function well, requires a reader open to growth and change, open to transformation and to a new and perhaps differing(even uncomfortable) perspective on reality. This is not to say that literature does not propose answers to the questions it asks. In fact, literature, like much psychology, may infer that the answers are perhaps inherent in the questions themselves. Literature, has often catalyzed individual change (and it is perhaps indicative of the vapid individualism of the times that the effect of literature on the individual is so much touted, even in this essay, over literature’s relevance to society at large), but of social change as well. Certainly in modern, western history, literature has helped usher in startling levels of social change, be it new considerations of race via the writings of authors like Twain and Stowe, or Upton Sinclair’s impact on something as seemingly subtle as the issue of food packaging safety. Of all the thousands of tracts circulated about communism during the early years of the cold war, what writings continue to influence readers to the degree that Orwell’s two works of utter â€Å"fiction,† Animal Farm and 1984? What political speech concerning the dangers of modernism, both as philosophy and technical practicality, had the chilling impact of Huxley’s Brave New World? What but the well-told tale could arouse sympathy for a group as collectively ridiculed and resented as Depression-era dust-bowl refugees, as in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath? If one considers artfully written non-fiction a part of the class of â€Å"literature,† the list goes on. It is not treatises but human drama that propel writings like John Hersey’s Hiroshima or Elie Weisel’s Night, to name but a few. What is most relevant about literature in such contexts is that it eschews rational argument in favor of its best representation of human experience, for it is most pointedly in the Maki 4 experience of a thing that the truth of it – the human reality of it – comes to life, and it is through experience that people are most transformed. The experiences presented in the above examples – and they are a microscopic selection of relevant examples – may not be those of the reader, but they, in a sense, become those of the reader, and enable the reader to share in some measure of the stories and experiences of â€Å"the other. † If there were no other value to literature – and certainly there is more value to it than that! – that value alone is worth the effort required of literary pursuits. It may be telling, and perhaps a bit saddening, that it is less and less true that works of literature seem to change the course of social and economic events in the world. The post-modern world is becoming less and less a literate world, and television and film – among other mediums – are replacing the written tale, and even the spoken story, as conveyers of truth and means of questioning what seems set in stone. Were it so that film and television, for example, sought to fulfill the same needs as literature – and indeed, at times they do – perhaps this would not be such a disturbing trend. But film and television, and now, following in their footsteps, much written â€Å"literature,† seek mostly to entertain, to lull viewers into a comfortable despondency and create a sense of need for consumption, all of which perpetuates the success of these mediums. A great many movies have been made based on literature. Now I am not saying that this detracts from the value of moving pictures in society, they just lose something in the translation. Movies have time constraints that do not allow them to explain the hidden meanings of cultural differences that written literature can. The vacuous lack of effort required of the viewer by television points to the factor that may simultaneously be literature’s greatest value and its most daunting hurdle to many potential Maki 5 readers. That is, literature invites readers, at its best, to learn a new set of codes and means of digesting language and tales; it may require, as in (for example) opera, learning an entirely foreign collection of meanings, linguistic cues, symbols, and, in effect, a new kind of listening. But those who seem to most appreciate opera, much like those who seem to most appreciate literature, swear that knowledge and self enlightenment is well worth the toil.

Death Penalty :: essays research papers

This paper will fallow the process of a capital trial from arrest to execution. It will discus the aspects of federal and state law, trial, appeal, and executions. It will go into further detail on arraignment and the trail details of defense and sentencing. The federal law on capital punishment begins with the constitution, which states in the eighth amendment of the bill of rights that, no person shall be subject to cruel or unusual punishment. Despite this and for the reason that it is the government that decides what is cruel and unusual, capital punishment is still federally legal. Under the united states code, title eighteen there are certain crimes that can be punished by death. Section thirty-four of the said title and code says that any crime that results in the death of any person can be punished by death. Section 1512 deals with witnesses, victims, or informants. It states that anyone who kills or atemps to kill another person with the intent to prevent the attendance or t estimony at trail may be punished by death. Section 2332 states that who ever kills a national of the united states while the national is outside the united states is subject to death if the killing is murder as it is defined. Section 36 states that participants in any continuing criminal enterprise dealing with controlled substances may be punished by death. Section 1992 states that whoever willfully derails, disables, or recks any train used in interstate or foreign commerce can be punished by death. Finally section 831 states that anyone involved in prohibited transactions involving nuclear material can be subject to the death penalty. State laws in capital punishment defer from state to state and vary in a wide range of crimes for which it can be imposed. This range usually contains one or more of the fallowing, murder of a law enforcement officer, vehicular homicide while under the influence, contract killings, felony murder, first degree murder, or any murder. No matter the la ws of the state are certain states have and will always use their own discretion in handing down a death sentence. This means that for what ever reason, be it social make up, religious make up, or the simple fact that a death sentence may inhibit the prosecution, in that the jury may be hesitant to take a life no matter what the crime, the death sentence is not always used in all cases that it is allowed in.

Building a Successful Corporation

A preliminary, albeit cursory review of literature on the topic of corporate success indicates that it is a vital element in the process of bringing about a vibrant economy and improved standard of living (Kay, 1995). With this understanding in mind, the researcher arrived at the conclusion that the topic of building a successful corporation merits further research from several different points of view; therefore, this proposal is presented in the interest of additional research.THE PROBLEM The researcher will conduct this study and write the subsequent thesis in order to adequately define and understand the process of building a successful corporation. Indeed, successful corporations are the backbone of the international economy, and add endless value to the human experience; therefore, it is both timely and valuable to better understand how and why successful corporations are created.THE METHOD The researcher will utilize an extensive variety of written works on the subject of outs ourcing as research material, in addition to Internet research and interviews with individuals knowledgeable in the subject matter. Information derived from these sources will be interpreted and presented along with relevant charts, tables and graphs to employ a thorough research method. THE FINDINGSThe researcher will present findings in a sufficiently technical, yet easily interpreted format, designed to allow the thesis to be utilized as a strategic planning tool for other firms. The findings will be presented with thorough documentation and explanation within the text of the thesis. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study is to define what constitutes a successful corporation, examine the case studies of successful corporations within that definition, and provide an overall stronger understanding of this topic.IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY This research is relevant and important because successful corporations are valuable not only to the United States, but to every nation that prides itself on offering people the opportunity to earn a fair wage for their labors; a wage that allows for a comfortable standard of living and the chance to obtain comfortable housing, quality medical care, and all of the other trappings that allow for prosperity and well-being.Undoubtedly, the business community needs to fully understand what success will mean for a corporation, as well as some of the best practices that other firms have used to gain success. OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY The study will center on a balanced analysis of the issue of corporate success to determine if it provides an immediate contribution to the economic, social, and moral prosperity of the United States, or perhaps it is just a step in the evolution of the American economy that will lead to economic growth and prosperity in the long term.The analysis of this phenomenon, by its very nature, will lead the researcher to analyze from a myriad of viewpoints; undoubtedly, there is a political element to the to pic, as well as a â€Å"trickle-down† effect that manifests itself in the buying decisions of individual consumers, businesses and industries. By viewing the topic one of human as well as business interest, a unique perspective will be achieved, adding to the breadth and validity of the research. Bibliography Kay, J. A. (1995). Foundations of Corporate Success: How Business Strategies Add Value. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Montana Wrongful Discharge - 768 Words

Review â€Å"Montana: Wrongful Discharge from Employment Act† in Chapter 2. Please respond to the following: Identify the parts of this law that appear to benefit employees. ⠝â€" An employer can only discharge an employee for a good cause. ⠝â€" Employees can’t be discharged for reporting a public policy violation. ⠝â€" Employees can’t be discharged for reporting employer’s violation of employer’s own written personnel policy. ⠝â€" If employer commits wrongful discharged, employee may be awarded lost wages and fringe benefits up to 4 years from discharge date, and employee may also seek punitive damages. Identify the parts of this law that appear to benefit employers. ⠝â€" Employee can be discharged for good cause and as long†¦show more content†¦Review â€Å"Just pucker and blow: An analysis of corporate whistleblowers† in Chapter 2. Please respond to the following: Describe the conflict faced by corporate insiders who discover unethical or illegal activities within their organization. Corporate insiders must act in good faith and in a manner that they reasonably believe will be in the best interest of the corporation including safeguarding corporate information. Also they have a duty to care for the corporation as they would their own. So in this case, the insider who has to be loyal to his company and may not be able to go to the authorities with information that can damage the company’s reputation also has to care for this same company and in caring means if there is anything unethical going on should be able to whistle blow it, however this creates conflict for the insider. It’s like they are stuck in between, however way you look at, whether they report it or not, they are damned as the book stated because once authorities know, the company might suffer public humiliation and if they don’t report it, the company eventually will collapse due to everything blowing up just like Enron. 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WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION. rmajette on DSK29S0YB1PROD with BILLS 23 (a) RETALIATION PROHIBITED.—No employer may 24 discharge any employee or otherwise discriminate against 25 any employee with respect to his compensation, terms, †¢HR 3962 IH VerDate Nov 24 2008 12:56 Oct 30, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00142 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3962.IH