Tuesday, August 6, 2019
How the arts relate Essay Example for Free
How the arts relate Essay The arts are inter-related because they rely and complement one another. It will be absurd for any of the arts to stand alone. They are all inextricably linked- for example, can anyone dance without music? The simple answer to this is ââ¬Å"no. â⬠Music gives direction to dance. In other words, music inspires the movement involved in dance. The dance steps are in line with the rhythm of the music. Dance is performed in theatres before live audiences or recorded on film so that the people who are not present can view the performance later. Theatre is a special face to face type of communication with a limited audience. However, when productions in the theatre are placed on film, the audience is broadened. Relationship between dance and music Dance involves a lot of body movement. Much of this body movement in dance involves the use of various parts of the human body. These various body movements need to be properly done in order to have an effect on a theatrical audience. Highlights this point when they write that, The dramatic effectiveness of a dance, however, invariably depends on myriad factors-movement dynamics of body parts and torso, movement in space, location on stage, direction of focus, use of weight, muscle tension, and so on (2). As a performance, dance is often creative and novel. When dance fulfils these attributes, it sparks interest in the minds of the audience. These audiences can either be at home or live. Live performances are often held in theatres while recordings on film extend the experience to people who were not present at the time. Dance is often directed by choreographers, while music is written by composers. Over the years, the work of these two groups (choreographers and composers) has been studies in order to unearth the innate relationships between the two. In their analysis of choreographers and composers, Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss find that, In the past, traditional models of collaboration between composers and choreographers have subjugated either dance or music, or sidestepped the question altogether by removing all correlation between movement and sound. â⬠¦one that avoids this conflict entirely by making the work of choreographer and composer interdependent rather than dependent; fused instead of segregated (5). The fusion between dance and music which Joseph B. Rovan, Robert Wechsler and Frieder Weiss state above is also reiterated in computer animations. In the real world music and dance are complimentary. Thus in animations as well, these two forms of art stick together. It is absurd to hear of someone who dances amidst silence, instead of taking step and making body movements according to music playing in the background. Takaaki Shiratori, Atsushi Nakazawa and Katsushi Ikeuchi present an amazing analogy of the relationship between music and dance when they write that, The ability to dance to music is a natural born skill for a human. Everyone has experienced a desire to move their bodies while listening to a rhythmic song. Hip-hop dancers can simultaneously compose a dance motion to the musical sounds they are listening toâ⬠¦. Considering this ability, we are led to believe that dance motion has strong connections with music, (1). Naturally, music moves people to dance. It is often difficult to ignore music especially when it is interesting. Over the years and across many cultures in the world dance steps have evolved according to various types of music. In many places dance schools are set up and certain pieces of music and dance steps have become very popular across the world. Relationship between theatre and film The similarities and differences between theatre and film have been a subject among scholars for a while. According to Susan Sontag, there was a need to ensure, â⬠¦the maintaining and clarifying of barriers between the arts (256). Toward this end Susan Sontag embarked on the task of unearthing the relationship between theatre and film. In a bid to accomplish this task, she raised questions which were meant to challenge, unbridgeable division, even opposition between the two arts (249). However, it is important to note that Susan Sontag was limited by the realities that were present when she undertook the study. A lot has changed since then. Agreed, theatre and film have a lot of similarities and differences but they often go together in many ways. For example, in marketing of artistic productions, theatre box office sales are an important source of revenue. Apart from this source, sales of recorded copies of the production too bring in a lot of money. This analogy raises the question whether there can be a struggle between theatres and film for audiences? In truth there can be a struggle especially when managers and producers do not manage the two effectively. Usually, in marketing, theatre and film complement each other. In theatre, the performance is live, thus there is an intimacy between the performance and the audience. However, in film, the performance is recorded, thus there is no direct connection with the audience. With film, producers are able to include certain effects which may not be possible on a theatrical stage. While live performance in theatres has its advantages, recorded performances too are beneficial in various ways. In this way both theatre and film are complementary. The complementary nature of theatre and film is highlighted when Ralph Hammerthaler talks about the concept of the ââ¬Å"theatre movie. â⬠He writes that, ââ¬Å"If there is a trend in the theatre of the 1990s, then it is the trend to the theatre movie. â⬠According to him the concept of theatre film encourages the incorporation of various forms of art into film such as music films, filmed plays, etc. Apart from the fact that theatre is a recorded performance, it uses a lot of devices and techniques that are used in film production such as sound track, rhythm, fade overs, clips, etc. The relationship between dance, music film and theatre Music is inevitable in film and theatre because it is often used as sound track. Sound tracks have special significance in film and theatrical productions because they heighten the mood. Depending on the sound track used, the audience can feel a sense of shame, fear, pity or suspense. Furthermore, Simon Frith adds that music structures time in film productions. Music performs the same function in theatre as well. Dance on the other hand is often accompanied by music and performed on stage or recorded for a wider audience. Conclusion The arts are inextricably related- each plays an important part in order to yield a wholesome result. Due to this reason, none of the arts can stand alone. It will be absurd to dance without music and where will music and drama be performed if not in a theatre? Furthermore, what happens when other people besides the audiences in theatres are interested in viewing a production? They definitely join the larger body of audiences by viewing the production on film.
Monday, August 5, 2019
SWOT Analysis Of Nandos Restaurant
SWOT Analysis Of Nandos Restaurant Nandos city restaurant is situated in the heart of Aucklands CBD on Queen Street amongst many other food outlets. Nandos is a casual dining restaurant group originating from South Africa with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. Founded in 1987, Nandos operates in 30 countries on 5 continents. Nandos specializes in chicken dishes with either lemon or herb, medium, hot or extra hot Peri-Peri marinades. In some countries, Nandos has other flavor options like mango and lime or Mediterranean. Nandos Restaurants is a brand image in the food industry in South Africa and now they have expanded to many parts of the world. The restaurant opened for the first time in Auckland New Zealand in 2001 and has expanded through franchising. Nandos has touched the lives of every South African living in New Zealand giving them a taste of home. They have improved the quality of their product every day and improved the quality of product and services over the years. So by doing this they deliver their customers an outstanding Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value (QSCV). I choose this company because I have managed the Nandos in Tauranga for 6 months and I have been working at Nandos Queen Street for another 6 months. I have also working in Nandos South Africa for 3 years. The problems I faced while working for Nandos New Zealand was wastage, culture, high turnover of staff and hygiene problems etc. at the restaurant. I applied problem solving models like SWOT analysis. There were concerns with other employees of what type of problems is facing them and how to solve those problems. After researching I came to the result that because of the working environment, work stress, employees belonging to different countries, problems in communication and conflict with management. This all shows that staff needs a good training; management need training for setting rosters, lack of motivation, bad organization structure, less staff on busy shifts. Introduction All the problems which was identified in Assignment Part A will go through research process as we need to find out practical solutions for those problems. The setting for the whole project is described by few tasks or steps: Identified business problem. Need to do research for the reasons behind those problems. Need to find possible solutions. Problems that are facing Nandos are: Cultural Differences. High staff turnover. Lack of communication. Lack of motivation. Less staff in busy shifts. Hygiene problems. Research Questions: After all these problems were identified the next step is to do research and to find what the research questions are. What are the reasons behind these problems? Is there any weakness in the business behind these problems? What are the solutions behind these problems? Value of this research for the company: This research is of real benefit to the organization because they will get reasons for the problems. Our goal is to solve that problem and we will achieve our goal that the business will grow rapidly and the staff will also not get any type of problem. The management concept of principle which will explain this is: Henry Fayol in 1916 As he presented 14 principles and 5 elements which are necessary for management are: Purveyance To organize To command To co-ordinate To control This is the management principle and we can also see the value of research for the organization. Aim and purpose of the study This study has some aims and purpose which are listed below: First to find out the reasons behind those problems To find out the possible solutions for the problems. Purpose of the study: To get more knowledge about solving problems. How to use problem solving models to solve the problems for these types of companies. Methodology This part of the assignment is going to explain the methods to find the solution of these problems. We are suing a research process which includes the interview with restaurant manager, staff and customer feedback. It was carried out both formally and informally. In the end we used SWOT analysis we are going to solve these problems and to find the facts behind these problems and going to get primary data as well. This primary data involve surveys and interviews from different people as well. In the staff surveys we asked staffs what we need to do for improvement and responses we get is staff need more training, motivation and good communication. The same questions were asked to the restaurant manager as well in addition to controlling labor and improving hygiene at the restaurant. We had similar results which are more training, more working hours and motivations is needed. Customers want improvements in service and need more cleanliness in wastage and restrooms. This all comes in qualitative measures. I interviewed: My manager. Staff members. Took surveys from staff. Interview was conducted on 17th May 2011 at 15:00 because at this time they are no so busy. Literature review: This literature is about the research to figure out problems and the possible solutions behind those problems. I am going to do the SWOT analysis. This will help to find the problems and to find the possible solutions for those problems. STRENGTHS Second largest chicken restaurant. Lots of variety than others. Strong financial status. Customer feels flexible while giving orders. Friendly environment Big range of choices at very reasonable prices Big amount of investment has gone into supporting the franchise network. All food on the menu is healthy and nonfattening because it is flamed cooked on a open fire. WEAKNESS Not owned stores just expanded through franchising. Less organized staff. Customers cannot give order online. They do not announce the employee of the month. Nandos has a high turnover of staff and they need to spend more money on training and development Not many people like to eat healthy food all the time. Most of the time quality issues arise across franchising. Food takes too long to cook. Customers get impatient waiting for their food. Cast between the India people causes problems. OPPORTUNITIES New product developments like breakfast and not just a standard menu. Launching new burgers and promotions. Good learning experiences for staff. Increase market shares from their competitors. They can focus on CSR (corporate social responsibilities) THREATS Competition with KFC and other fast food stores. Attracting customers to eat junk instead of coming to Nandos to eat healthy. Customers do not want to wait a long time to place orders and receive orders. Recession and downturn in the economy may affect the retailers sales. Strengths and limitations of the study: This section will show some strength and few limitations which are listed below: As this study involves interviews this comes in qualitative measure. So qualitative measure always gives us deeper analysis of any study. This study creates some limitations as well: Limitations of study: These studies sometimes do not give accurate results. This research can be easily distracted from the purpose of research. I want to give more research keys and those are, episodic analysis and feedback. Now I am going to explain Porters five forces to explain the methodology and its relevance to the theory. THREATS OF NEW ENTRANTS KFC is the main threat for Nandos Queen Street and burgers and chicken offered by newly opened shops that are selling products at lower prices are the main threats.PORTERS FIVE FORCES OF NANDOS RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING FIRMS In downtown there are existing competitions for Nandos. Apart from fast food chains the company has to face a tough competition from other fast food chains like KFC and other new suppliers like world and local food shops DERTERMINAITON OF BUYER POWER Purchasing power of the customer is another force that affects the business. This is affected by the per capita income, income and saving of the customer in the particular ethnic group and region. THREAT OF SUBSTITUE PRODUCT As there are other fast food chains like KFC, Subway and Burger King there is a threat of substitute products offered by these chains and local food shops, restaurants and take away. These products are offered in a wide range at competitive prices. DETERMINANTS OF SUPPLIERS POWER The main factors affecting Nandos are suppliers concentration. The main internals supplier is Tegal Chicken and external supplier is COKE that process the threat forward integration.Results and Discussions As I interviewed restaurant manager and staff members I got some information about Nandos and some primary results as well. There are certain problems that are faced by Nandos Queen Street, these problems are both external and internal. These problems are identified as under: Cultural differences: Everyone belongs to different countries/cast and they do not know how to communicate with each other and how to respect each other. So there is no good work ethics. Lack of motivation: The managers are not acknowledging staff if they have done a good job. Reasons for high turnover Poor training Working environment Work stress Poor management Conflicts with management Poor training: The main reason of the employees high turnover is the lack of skills and knowledge and the partiality by the management. As everyone belongs to different countries and they lose confidence while taking new staff by the existing staff which should not be done in good organizations. Working environment: The working environment is not good for the staff because the staff like to work in a company where they are rewarded for their work or management should motivate them. So because of all this there is lack of motivation as well. Work Stress: Management does not set the roster properly and this leads to less staff in busy shifts and because of this their staff feels work stress. So they cannot manage stress. Poor management: The managers leadership style is wrong they are autocratic they do not listen to what staff is telling them. Conflict with management: Due to lack of understanding in organization staff conflict with management. Analysis of data: I think that the reason behind the cultural differences is staff is very stereotyped. As they belong to different countries they do not give importance to people of other culture. There is a lack of motivation in the company because staff are not awarded or motivated by the management if they have done a good job. Less staff in busy shifts because managers do not set the roster properly like they dont know when the restaurant is going to be busy so there is too much stress on staff on busy shifts. There is no understanding between the management and staff. Managers sometimes do partiality with their staff so there is no understanding between them and the business cannot grow. So those are the reason behind all these problems and now second thing is to give the possible solutions of these problems. On the basis of interviews these are the possible solutions which are given below: Solutions of the culture difference problem: There is only one solution to this problem that is the staff and the management has to change their stereotype nature and have to have good communication with each other. They need to understand other culture so they cannot lose confidence while communication with each other. There should be some activities, they should organize a party one in every two months so they can understand other staff members culture so they can manage everything well while working. Solution to lack of motivation: The solution to this problem is that they should have an employee of the month competition because this will increase the level of staffs performance and reward them for a job well done. Solution to the problem high staff turnover: As there is a problem of poor management because managers do not know how to set rosters for a busy shift so they should get training from head office so that the mangers and company gets well organized. Managers should also get a weekly report from head office so they have an idea of how they are performing. Appropriate training is very important for every organization so the restaurant manager should also give training according to the job description requirements so there is not a high turnover of employees. Work rotation is key in any business to increase interest in other aspects of the restaurant by allowing staff to multitask. They should recruit accurate staff who is energetic and lively. During interviews managers must set down the rules and procedures and job description. They should be fair with employees and if they want improvement in the company they have to give sufficient training to employees. Solution to wastage: Staff needs to use their mentality and to organize and know when they will be busy and at what time and what kind of menu items will be ordered. When I worked at Nandos the busiest time was between 11am to 1pm. The main menu items being ordered consistently for months as Rice, Pitas, Wraps and burgers. So my common sense told me to make more chicken tenders and chicken fillet patties cooked and kept ready and to keep less full chickens. All left over food from the night should be given to feeding charities and not to staff because staff used to cook extra chicken so it can get wasted and they can take it home. Management Theory: Four principles of management theory are: Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling. Planning For motivation we have to make a plan and have to reward them for good work. Organizing It is very necessary to seat a roster properly and should be organized for a good balance in life. Leading Managers should lead staff in a proper way. Controlling As restaurant manager has full control on labor we need to take the feedback from all staff and the manager. I have given the SWOT problem solving model earlier. So all this is an appropriate management theory to explain the meaning of my finding of the result and their relevance. Conclusions and recommendations Conclusion This research comes to an end and lastly I want to say that Nandos Queen Street is facing high problems in culture differences, wastage, high staff turnover because of poor training and poor management. The discussions from all the staff and managers we came to the result that training is necessary with work rotation at work with accurate recruitment system. This solution will help the restaurant to minimize high staff turnover and if employees get proper training they would know what to do at a particular time. They will know about the rules and duties so their work output would be good. Job rotation will help staff to undertake all the transfers as they can do multitasking by handling any task like making burgers, grilling chicken, taking orders and give customers a better service. All these things will make staff more confident and the business will grow rapidly. I have discussed and analyzed each solution for every problem so that shows that both aim and purpose of research activity has been solved. Recommendations: I want to recommend that the restaurant manager should study the details of surveys. They need to organize everything according to the plans. They should arrange a meeting once every month and concentrate on the issues like job rotation for staff and to hire suitable staff. The managers should understand their staff and the need to look after the aspects of the restaurant. They should give them more hours of training. The manager should talk to staff face to face to hear their problems and he should come up with a strong solution to build a good relationship with them. They should not hesitate when talking to the manager. They should implement four principles of management to try out the things that causes problems in the restaurant. References: Class notes Information from Assignment Part A Google
Sunday, August 4, 2019
International Reserve System: Is it Feasible? Essay -- Economics Econo
International Reserve System: Is it Feasible? During the last decade, the world saw some of the most severe economic shocks and crises since The Great Depression of the late 1920ââ¬â¢s. The crises of Mexico in 1994, Russia in 1995, Asian countries in 1997 and even recently in Latin America in 2000 have shown us that the economic shocks have a very drastic and crippling effect on the stricken countries. Rapid capital outflow; firms and banks overwhelm by bad debts; inability to provide loans; bank closures due to sudden capital losses and devaluation of the home currency, all have struck the affected countries simultaneously that their central banks did not have enough sufficient reserves to protect themselves. The realization of the poor central bankââ¬â¢s regulation, also aided by the fact that markets throughout the world are now interlinked, quickly caused panic and similar shocks to spread to neighboring countries and even regions. An international organization, which controls a form of reserve system, could have b een the lender of last resort for these sickened countries in their time of need. A working example of a reserve structure for banks would be the Federal Reserve System currently being used by the United States. This consists of 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks that is coordinated under one main Board of Governors. The main roles of the Fed is to issue new currency, administer discount loans to banks, examine the management of local banks and their financial status and provide a system of standardized banking regulations for banks to follow. Lastly, but most importantly, the Fed acts as a lender of last resort to banks facing financial collapse.[1] This not only provides stability for consumers but also prot... ...y (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1994). 5) Federal Reserves Bank, Boston web site, http://www.bos.frb.org 6) Frederic S.Mishkin, The economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets (New York : World Student Series, 2003) 7) Jorge A. Chan Lau / Zhaohui Chen, ââ¬Å"Financial Crisis and Credit Crunch as a Result of Inefficient Financial Intermediation.â⬠, IMF Working Paper, August 1998 http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/wp98127.pdf or http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/CAT/longres.cfm?sk=2738.0 8) IMF web site, http://www.imf.org 9) The Asian Crises, http://faculty.washington.edu/karyiu/Asia/papers/index.htm 10) Works in International Monetary Fund-Financial Medic to the World?, ed. Lawrence J. McQuillan and Peter C. Montgomery (Stanford: Hoover University Press, 1999) 11) World Bank web site, http://www.worldbank.org
Saturday, August 3, 2019
Essay --
Yossarian is faking his illnesses to avoid the war. While heââ¬â¢s in the hospital he is required to censor letters and he will joke and censor just about anything he reads and signs off as ââ¬Å"Washington Irvingâ⬠. A Texan comes and eventually annoys everyone back into active duty. Yossarian notices that he is the only one who is concerned with the war and claims that everyone is trying to kill him. Everyone else denies that there is a war going on. He later finds out that his Colonel has raised the number of required missions from 45 to 50 when Yossarian was at 44. Orr talks to Yossarian about how he used to walk around with crab apples in his mouth. A general named Peckem hopes to take over command of Yossarianââ¬â¢s unit because the current general is failing at bringing enthusiasm to his subordinates. Yossarian feels sick but Daneeka instead sends him back and recommends acting like Havermeyer, who is a soldier that makes the most of every situation Yossarian talks with Daneeka whose problems are that the war is interrupting his medical practice. Yossarian interrupted educational meetings resulting in a rule that only people who donââ¬â¢t ask questions could ask questions. Private first class Wintergreen caused frustration among his superiors by giving a message out that only said ââ¬Å"T.S. Eliotâ⬠. Yossarian listens to Doc Daneekaââ¬â¢s story about newlyweds who visited his office. Yossarian again attempts to get grounded by claiming he was crazy, which of course proved that he wasnââ¬â¢t. Hungry Joe has flown all of his missions and he is still not allowed to go home because the number of missions keeps rising. Orr attacks Appleby in a game of Ping-pong. Yossarians pilot, McWatt is described in this chapter as the ââ¬Å"craziest combat manâ⬠because o... ... go through with the plan. Orr and Yossarian realize Milos amount of control as he is the mayor and even god in some countries. Nately Yossarian and Hungry Joe arrive in rome where they meet up with Natelyââ¬â¢s prostitute. Nately argues with an old man about how America and Italy were doing in the war. Miloââ¬â¢s company has grown world wide but has a problem selling massive amounts of Egyptian cotton. He was surprised when Yossarian brings the idea of selling it to the government. The chaplain is miserable because no one will treat him as a regular person. He tries to help by seeing major major about the missions but he wont allow anyone in. After Colonel Cathcart periodically throws him out, he begins questioning everything even god. Nately falls in love with his whore while she is annoyed with him. Yossarian and Dunbar change identities but are caught by the Nurses
The Misidentification of The Day We Were Dogs Essay -- Day We Were Dog
The Misidentification of The Day We Were Dogs à à à "The Day We Were Dogs," published in 1993 by Elena Garro, illustrates the common error of misidentification of Magical Realism. The fact that Garro is a Mexican author and that fantasy is so closely related to Magical Realism often causes the reader to associate this particular work with Magical Realism. However, this work also contains fantastic elements as well as sublime characteristics, which make it difficult to classify as a strictly Magical Realist work. As "The Day We Were Dogs" can be interpreted in so many different ways, the explanation of the details of the story become much more difficult. Are the two girls, Eva and Leli, pretending to be dogs or did they actually become dogs for a day? Each reader may have a different view of this important question, and this view may alter how he or she classifies this work. The short story does contain several magical elements and even fulfills several of the characteristics of Magical Realism as described by Faris. Should one assume the girls are actually in the canine form, one should notice that the girls are understood by the people around, even though Toni is not. The servants understand when the girls tell them to prepare lunch for three dogs. The men at the murder scene, as well, understand the "dogs" when they question what the dogs saw. This interspecies communication holds a magical aspect due to its nonoccurance in reality (Faris 167). The communication that exists between the "dogs" and Toni, another dog, one could understand. Toni communicates by some speech, but mostly by his actions. He bares his teeth during lunch so he might take the meat and, therefore, prove himself to be the head of the pecking ord... ...the story goes against its classification of Magical Realism in that hesitation occurs by both the reader and the characters. Where does one classify such a work? That answer truly depends upon one's own interpretation and opinion. Works Cited Faris, Wendy B. "Scheherazade's Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern Fiction." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 163-190. Garro, Elena. "The Day We Were Dogs." Latin American Writers: Thirty Short Stories. Ed. Gabriella Ibieta. New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, 1993: 206-212. Simpkins, Scott. "Sources of Magical Realism/ Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 145-159. Ã
Friday, August 2, 2019
The role of Marketing as being an ‘Initiator’ in identifying, evaluating, recommending and implementing overall retailing strategy
We suggest that marketing, along with Finance, Operation, Human Resource management, Property and System are functions that all contribute to the overall retail strategy. We would develop a strategic marketing plan that will identify customer's based opportunities. The central thrust is to positioning of the company in term of its Merchandise, Services and trading environment offer such that it is clearly recognizable by the customer group to which it is directed/targeted. At the same time, the fundamental requirements of the company can be identified and established as a performance requirements which need to be meet and the critical success factor can then form a planning structure for the company strategy decision. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS 1. Increase sales revenue in real terms. 2. Increase gross profit in real term 3. Containing operation costs throughout the business 4. Increase the productivity of physical & human assets 5. Adding value to the customer offer 6. KEY VARIABLES. Key Variables. 1. Merchandise selection reflects customer requirement for choice, quality, exclusivity etc. 2. Co-ordinate merchandise ranges. Merchandise availability in stores and distribution centers. 3. Merchandise reorder/replenishment 4. Pricing/price competitiveness. 5. Customer perception of total Retail offer. 6. Provision of sales data. 7. Merchandise spaces planning & control. 8. Improve sales forecasting. 9. Research customer expectation. 10. Monitor customer responses, attitude and perceptions of competitive offers. Marketing Activities 1. Increase awareness of the ââ¬Ëoffer' among existing customers and potential customersââ¬âcreate positioning strategy. 2. Increase number of customer visits 3. Influence percentage of visiting customers to buy, 4. Increase size of purchase (buy more) 5. Increase range of purchase 6. Influence those who buy to return regularly and more frequently
Thursday, August 1, 2019
Lord of the Flies: Intelligence and Good vs. Evil Essay
Good versus evil is a common concept used often in storytelling, writing, plays, movies, etc. the basic story line is commonly used and developed to mold different ideals, meanings, and lessons into different types of works. William Goldingââ¬â¢s novel the Lord of the Flies falls into this category of works with the good versus evil story line. Boiling the novel down to its most basic state it is a story of a group of boys. They all start out in a state of innocence, then as they adjust to their new surroundings after being stranded on a deserted island with no adults; they chose whether or not they turn from their innocence. When the boys turn from their innocence they go from being good to evil, or as the interpretation of this novel is commonly perceived the boys go from being civilized boys to savages. It is in this sense that civilized and good can be used interchangeably for this interpretation, and the same for evil and savagery. Golding puts an interesting twist to this basic plot right in the beginning of the story. Golding takes the story from just a simple tale of good versus evil to good versus evil with competing ideas of intelligence. Right in the beginning of the novel we see these ideas of intelligence take form. As the story builds the differences in the types of intelligence grows and becomes more distinct. From there the competition of good versus evil begins. After their plane crashes the boys who were on the plane to escape the warfare in England are scattered on the island. Ralph, the first boy we are introduced to meets another boy named Piggy. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a shell! I seen one like that before. On someoneââ¬â¢s back wall. A conch he called it. He used to blow it and then his mum would come. Itââ¬â¢s ever so valuable-ââ¬Å"(15). With Piggyââ¬â¢s help Ralph uses the conch they found to call out to the other boys on the island. This is the first hint at the two types of intelligence. Piggy is already exhibiting signs of natural intelligence. This type of intelligence is developed based on the sensory analysis of the surroundings. This intelligence is more advanced and enables Piggy to think in more civilized, advanced ways. He is immediately made fun of for his appearance and as the story progresses is mocked as a know-it-all. No one listens to Piggy, even though the conch and the meeting were his ideas no one realizes this, nor do they care. Once all the boys are gathered together there is a vote on who should be chief. A boy named Jack is introduced as the leader of the choir boys and he wants to be chief, but when put to a vote Ralph is elected. Ralph does give the choir to Jack and asks what they would like to be. Jack tells Ralph that he and his choir shall be the hunters. Ralph depicts more social intelligence. Ralph knows how to work a crowd, how to lead a group, and how to gain respect. ââ¬Å"Everybody must stay round here and wait and not go away. Three of us- if we take more weââ¬â¢d get all mixed, and lose each other- three of us will go on an expedition and find outâ⬠(23-24). This act showed that Ralph was able to get the attention of the boys at any time and that the boys would actually listen to him. His ability to be able to accomplish this as quickly as he did really shows his true social intelligence. ââ¬Å"If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fireâ⬠(38). Ralph does show some natural intelligence as well, but not nearly as much as Piggy exhibits. Jack also shows a form of social intelligence. He is able to keep command over his choir and they listen to him no matter what. This shows that in the beginning of the story even though the boys are all different, have different types of intelligence, and have mixed feelings about the situation they are still united together as a whole. ââ¬Å"All day Iââ¬â¢ve been working with Simon. No one else. Theyââ¬â¢re off bathing, or eating, or playingâ⬠(50). The boys begin to slack and begin to realize that there arenââ¬â¢t consequences or punishments for the wrongs they do. Jack and his group of hunters become obsessed with the idea of killing a pig, and are the only ones exempt from helping build shelters, though the other boys donââ¬â¢t really care enough about their orders to help build or gather food. Itââ¬â¢s at this point in the novel where there are serious signs of cracks and issues with the order system the boys have put in place since being on the island. Jack is beginning to slip into a more savage state, and is using his social intelligence to bring other boys down with him. The improvised form of society that the boys have created is already starting to weaken and fall. ââ¬Å"Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her bloodâ⬠(69). ââ¬Å"Look! Weââ¬â¢ve killed a pig-we stole up on them-we got into a circle-ââ¬Å"(69). It is at this point in the novel where the group of hunters, the boys who killed the pig, have turned from innocence. The kill they had obsessed over finally happened and they were proud of themselves for killing. The act of killing a living creature, something they never had done before, was the true turning point for them. There was no turning back from it; the hunters even painted their faces, this sense of wearing a mask, pretending to be someone else enabled them to kill. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËBut theyââ¬â¢ll be painted! You know how it is. ââ¬â¢ Eric says. The others nodded. They understood only too well the liberation into savagery that the concealing paint brought. ââ¬ËWell, we wonââ¬â¢t be painted,ââ¬â¢ said Ralph, ââ¬Ëbecause we arenââ¬â¢t savagesââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Golding 172). Ralph is starting to understand that Jack and the group of boys who follow him are starting to turn to a more evil state. Ralph still tries to use his social intelligence and command over his boys so they donââ¬â¢t go over to Jackââ¬â¢s side. Within Jackââ¬â¢s group the obsession with hunting caused the boys to let the fire go out, and subsequently lose a chance at rescue. The hunters didnââ¬â¢t really seem to care about the fire; they were still overly hyped up about their kill, swearing that they would hunt again and bring back even more meat. As the boys become more and more content with letting go with the rules they get closer and closer to losing their sense of civilization completely. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËIf I blow the conch and they donââ¬â¢t come back; then weââ¬â¢ve had it. We shanââ¬â¢t keep the fire going. Weââ¬â¢ll be like animals. Weââ¬â¢ll never be rescued. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬Å" (Golding 92). As the boys start to fulfill their own wishes of hunting and playing they get sick of listening to Ralph and being controlled by the conch. They donââ¬â¢t want to do work; they just want to have fun. Jack rebels against Ralph and makes his own ââ¬Å"tribe,â⬠where he could be the leader and he would no longer be controlled by the conch. Evil starts to arise rapidly; the majority of the older boys side with Jack and abandon Ralphââ¬â¢s authority. After that Piggy, Sam and Eric are the older boys who remain with Ralph. As the night wears on, some of the ââ¬Å"littleunsâ⬠sneak off to join Jack. This is truly the end of their makeshift society, it has completely failed. After the split of the group it appeared as though things could settle down, but Ralph and his boys find that it is nearly impossible to keep the rescue fire going. They need to ask the others for help but Jackââ¬â¢s boys are too afraid to help them. Jack had taken to using torturous and intimidation methods to keep control over his group. He wears a mask, like he did when he killed the first pig; this seems to allow Jack to give in completely to his ââ¬Å"evilâ⬠savage side. It was while celebrating their savageness and reenacting the kill that they got carried away and got themselves overly worked up. ââ¬Å"The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and clawsâ⬠(Golding 153). The wickedness in all of the boys deludes them into mistaking Simon, the only truly ââ¬Å"goodâ⬠pure boy, as the beastie. Simon was considered to be the ââ¬Å"pureâ⬠boy, the epitome of civilization and innocence. Jack and the other boys had completely given themselves over to their evil sides, giving in to their natural instincts and savagery. Social Intelligence and natural intelligence are both qualities that help a person to be successful in life. However, overall, society puts greater worth in social intelligence. The abilities to work with others, lead and motivate others, and inspire others make a person successful in life. Just like good and evil, social and natural intelligence go hand in hand. One is not greater than the other, but like people believe good is better, people put more stock in social intelligence. In Lord of the Flies the boys put their trust in Ralph, but as time goes on, and rules begin to be broken, the less control Ralph seems to have. Social intelligence will only go so far, it canââ¬â¢t be natural instincts. Natural instincts are hidden behind the rules and expectations of society. When they begin to dwindle and those instincts become more prominent, that natural intelligence becomes important, it can be the intelligence or lack thereof that can make or break a situation. Without one, evil or good, natural intelligence or social intelligence, the other is not really known. Without evil how would we know what good is? If everyone was socially intelligent how would we know what natural intelligence is? The answer is we wouldnââ¬â¢t have a way of knowing. A person cannot know one without knowing of the other. Intelligence and good and evil all work together, as seen in Goldingââ¬â¢s novel. Jack possessed the same kind of social intelligence as Ralph, but when he gave in to evil his social intelligence the power it gave him over the other boys allowed Jack to change the atmosphere of the island and turn the boys away from goodness and civilization. Piggy had natural intelligence but because he lacked any real social intelligence he was shunned, mocked, and in the end killed for this. He came off as a know-it-all and a whiner; this annoyed the other boys and eventually led to his demise. The boys didnââ¬â¢t put any stock in natural intelligence; they put all their stock in social intelligence and natural instinct. Ralph, with Piggyââ¬â¢s help, was able to remain civilized and good. Though he lost his hold on the boys he still had his social intelligence, and even some natural intelligence of his own to rely on. When Ralph was in charge his positive outlook affected the boys as well, they were positive because he was positive. The struggle between good and evil does not just affect the person whoââ¬â¢s battling it within themselves, it also affects those around them, and subsequently can change them too. ?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)