The Foils of Laertes and Fortinbras in Hamlet Essay

The Foils of Laertes and Fortinbras in Hamlet William Shakespeare wrote the classic play, Hamlet in the sixteenth century. Hamlet would be a very difficult play to understand without the masterful use of foils. A foil is a minor character in a literary work that compliments the main character through similarities and differences in personality. The audience can identify similarities and differences between any of the characters and Hamlet, however, there are two characters that share so much in common with Hamlet that they have to be considered the most important foils in the play. These two characters are Laertes and Fortinbras. It is the great similarities between Laertes, Fortinbras, and Hamlet that make the†¦show more content†¦Betrayal was also a similarity shared by the two. Hamlet betrayed his father when he speaks spitefully toward his mother in her chambers. Laertes betrays King Claudius in the end when he tells of the plot to kill Hamlet. The two characters had many things in common but they also had d ifferences. The biggest difference between the two was their haste at revenging their fathers. Hamlet thought a lot about how and when to kill Claudius. Hamlet was concerned about much more than just the revenge of his father. He was worried about his own salvation and the salvation of King Claudius. Laertes did not contemplate at all about the revenge of his father. He first thought it was King Claudius that killed his father and brought a rebellion to the castle to kill the King. When Laertes found out that it was Hamlet he just wanted to kill him, it was King Claudius who devised a plan and thought out the murder of Hamlet. The biggest difference in their attitudes toward revenge is shown by the fact that Hamlet would not kill Claudius in prayer because he might go to heaven, but Laertes didnt care and said that he would kill Hamlet in the church. This clearly differentiates the amount of thought put into revenge between the two characters. The similarities between the characters allow the audience to compare them, but the more important use of this foil is the difference. AristotleShow MoreRelatedA Compare/Contrast of Hamlet through his foils - Laertes, Fortinbras and Horatio.1702 Words   |  7 Pagescharacters. Hamlet is by far Shakespeares most compelling character. In Shakespeares play Hamlet, various character traits, exhibited by Hamlet, can be seen through his foils. Similarities with Hamlet and Horatios education, as well as their levels, can be drawn. However, Hamlets character is in constant change and even philosophical. Fortinbras, without question encompasses many of Hamlets qualities. They are both born with nobility, along with a similar lineage. However, Fortinbras is more aggressiveRead MoreFoils Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1130 Words   |  5 PagesA foil is a character who acts as the opposite to another character and consequently highlights important features of that character’s personality . A foil characte r often contrasts with the features of another character. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet , there are obvious foils for the main character, Hamlet. These foils include Horatio, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Laertes. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a an excellent demonstration of character foils. A foil is also known as a literary device that revealsRead MoreHamlet, by William Shakespeare, Play Study734 Words   |  3 Pagesone another? Foils highlight the characteristics of the protagonist by contrasting their behavior to other characters. Hamlet is a foil to Fortinbras, Laertes, Horatio, and Claudius. Hamlet’s father kills Fortinbras’s father, Claudius kills Hamlet’s father, and Hamlet kills Laertes’s father. Each character reacts differently to the situations they are put in. Though similar in some ways, the character differences are magnified when they are challenged. Fortinbras is opposite Hamlet when it comesRead MoreThe Foils of Hamlet Essay646 Words   |  3 PagesA foil is a minor character in a literary work that compliments the main character through similarities and differences in personality and plot. In William Shakespeares play Hamlet, the main character, Hamlet, has three major foils. These foils are his close friend Horatio, Fortinbras, Prince of Norway, and the brother of his love, Laertes. These three characters contradict and enhance Hamlets major characteristics. Hamlets friend Horatio is a foil for him because he brings out the revengeRead MoreHamlet the Avenger1363 Words   |  6 Pagesargued as the fuel for Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras. In the play Hamlet, by William F. Shakespeare; Hamlet, Fortinbras and Laertes are all noble young men avenging the deaths of their fathers. However, the ways these characters went about with their revenge were in complete contrast with each other. While hamlet waits and analyzes the death of his father before seeking revenge, Laertes hears of his father’s death and immediately seeks vengeance on Polonius’ murderer and Fortinbras strives to regainRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Foil Characters868 Words   |  4 Pagesinvolving one or more foil characters. A foil character is one who contrasts the main character so greatly that his/her actions point out opposite qualities in the main character. William Shakespeare uses foil characters in his drama, Hamlet. He portrays Hamlet as a ve ngeful prince who cannot act on his own thoughts and desires. Hamlet’s inability to act becomes more prominent to readers when Shakespeare introduces Laertes and Fortinbras into the play. Both Laertes’ and Fortinbras’ persistent attemptsRead MoreCharacters Of William Shakespeare s Hamlet886 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Hamlet, some specific characteristics of Hamlet’s peers help to show the character of Hamlet to the audience. Horatio supports every bold decision Hamlet makes, and is an authentic loyal friend. Fortinbras is a foil perceived in the play, and he wants to avenge his father s death. Laertes, Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, is passionate and impulsive, who is also identified as Hamlet’s foil. As Shakespeare reveal Horatio’s, Laertes’, and Fortinbras’ traits he also showsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet996 Words   |  4 Pagesas foils to the title characters . In Romeo and Juliet, the unseen Rosaline and the conventional Parris contrast with the heavily featured Juliet and her unpredictable partner, Romeo. In Macbeth, the decisive Lady Macbeth contrasts with her indecisive husband, Macbeth. In Hamlet, Shakespeare creates one of his most polarizing title characters. Detailing Hamlet’s quest to avenge his father’s death, Shakespeare shows how Hamlet contrasts with other characters. Hamlet’s foils Laertes, Fortinbras, andRead MoreSurface, Depth, And A Reflected World Of Hamlet1830 Words   |  8 PagesStevenson Dr. Sigler EN 102 16 November 2015 Surface, Depth, and a Reflected World of Hamlet Although dynamic characters typically develop through solely personal obstacles, William Shakespeare uses the character of Hamlet as a contradiction by illustrating his growth through other characters. In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Shakespeare strategically uses Laertes and Fortinbras in order to foil the character of Hamlet. An extended metaphor of a pond is created and through tangled family ties, internalRead MoreEssay on Hamlet- The Characters766 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet The prince of Denmark, and a student at the University of Wittenberg. At the beginning of the play, Hamlets father, King Hamlet, has recently died, and his mother, Queen Gertrude, has married the new king, Hamlets uncle Claudius. Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncle and disgust at his mother for marrying him. When the ghost of Hamlets father appears and claims to have been murdered by Claudius, Hamlet becomes obsessed with avenging his fathers death

The Jewish Community Of Today - 1147 Words

The Jewish community of today believe that the Pharisees of Jesus time have transformed into a group called rabbinic Judaism after the destruction of the temple in 70 C.E. They are believed to be the Rabbi’s of today, and are living proof, that they all were not against Jesus. Today, all major branches of Judaism claim at least some affinity with rabbinic Judaism of centuries gone by, and perceive Judaism as issuing not simply from the Hebrew Bible but also from the interpretation of those Scriptures by the Pharisees and their successors, the rabbis (Cook, M. J. p. 441). With this in mind, it is believed that we can get a better understanding of the Pharisees and Scribes of when Jesus walked the earth. By using the Gospels and the rabbinic writings one could get a clear picture of this group according to Dr. Cook. There is one account in the Gospel of John were one Pharisee questions Jesus and is trying to understand who Jesus is and what message is he bringing them. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, â€Å"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him† (John 3:1-2). Nicodemus mentions that he is not the only one, and must mean that other Pharisees and Scribes did believe that Jesus was from God. They most likely thought Him to be a prophet and not the Messiah because he did not come and rescue them from their captures.Show MoreRelatedThe Religious History Of Judaism1391 Words   |  6 Pagesis one of three original Abrahamic faiths, including Islam and Christianity. Jewish people believe in god and they keep to god’s laws throughout their entire life. Today there are over 13 million Jews in the world and the majority live in either the United States or Israel. Throughout this paper I will discuss some important historical conflicts in Judaism, the beliefs, and finally some myths about the Jewish community. (History)The religious history of Judaism began over 3500 years ago in the MiddleRead MoreThe Siege Of Jerusalem And Post War Diaspora1380 Words   |  6 Pagestheir status in the community, and the Jews felt like the Romans did not understand. In 66 A.D., revolts started breaking out in Jerusalem. These rebellions scared the Romans because other Roman cities might’ve rebelled as well. So, they had no choice but to react. In 70 A.D., they broke through the walls of Jerusalem, massacred the Jews, and tore down the temple. Despite being 2000 years old, the siege of Jerusalem and post war Diaspora directly influenced the Jewish communities in the modern eraRead MoreThe Jewish Community1104 Words   |  5 PagesThe Jewish community is Kalisz, Poland, was heralded as both the oldest Jewish community and the most populous, numbering at 15,300 Jews in 1939, or 30% of the total Jewish population worldwide. As a result of the Second World War, this no community no longer exists (â⠂¬Å"Jewish Community†). The catastrophic affects of the Holocaust and this war on the Jewish community is virtually uncontested today, however the exact toll it had is difficult to ascertain; exact statistics of the camps and of the exodusesRead MoreThe Pilgrim Festivals By The Jewish People972 Words   |  4 PagesThere are three pilgrim festivals followed by the Jewish people. Shavuot is the second festival celebrated. Shavuot is a holiday that is celebrated by the Jewish community two days in a row each year. Shavuot is followed by the counting of Passover because the months are variable and determined by observation. Though, roughly the days of Shavuot fall on the 5th of Sivan until the 7th of Sivan.On the Gregorian calendar Shavuot is celebrated on Saturday the 11th of June for two days until Monday theRead MoreThe Jewish Neighborhood West Of Toronto887 Words   |  4 Pages On April 8th, 2016, I went to a Jewish synagogue located close to Highway 403 and Erin Mills Parkway in Mississauga. They are called Solel which stands for â€Å"Your Jewish Home West of Toronto†. Solel was established in the 1970’s greatly to serve Jewish Families in Mississauga and the western Greater Toronto Area. This Jewish community is the modernized Jews who prides on welcoming non-Jews into the community and to the religion itself. Their motto is not to get to know you, meaning they welcomeRead MoreRussian Jews During The Immigration Era1055 Words   |  5 Pageshow the immigrants changed the way ethnic groups were, made the societies become equal and diverse, and influenced many cultures in our country. They changed the way Americans history is today. Life during this period for Jews propaganda by government agents led to violent and dangerous pogroms throughout Jewish cities and towns. This increase in violence was the â€Å"push† for many Russian Jews to leave Russia and emigrate elsewhere.This caused Jews to leave the country by sneaking across borders. ThisRead MoreFactors of the Jewish Dispersion715 Words   |  3 PagesThe destination of the Jewish dispersion varied especially based on the occupations of the Jews. The actual Diaspora really took place when thousands of Hebrew elites and craftsmen were deported and dispersed to Babylon. This occurred to concentrate the various skills of the Jewish in separate arenas and to use these individually skilled communities for the benefit of the Babylonians. For example, as previously mentioned the most skilled and elite Jews were dispersed to Babylon—the heart of the BabylonianRead MoreThe Origins And Central Beliefs Of Islam1735 Words   |  7 PagesThree Theologies for Thee The origins and central beliefs of Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity should be common knowledge to understand our world today and its history. Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion that professes that there is only one god. Muhammad is the last messenger of the god Allah. It’s the world’s fastest growing religion and the second largest in the world. Muslims make up 23% of the world’s population. Islam teaches that Allah is peaceful, all-minded, and unique, and he hasRead MoreRitual Dances By Lucile Armstrong1432 Words   |  6 Pagesdance before the god is an important element in the temple ritual†. Ritual dancing bring men as they celebrate their necessities. These necessities include food, shelter, safety, and surviving natural disasters. These ritual dances brought the communities together to celebrate their accomplishments. According to Lucile Armstrong writer of Ritual dances states that â€Å"The first section of will deal with ritual dances not using sticks or swords necessarily, but with similar intent. The second will describeRead MoreHasidism: The Radical Lifestyle and Behavior of Hasidic Jews 793 Words   |  4 PagesTalmud and its application to Jewish lives. Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov and his followers â€Å"created a way of Jewish life that emphasized the ability of all Jews to grow closer to God [in] everything they do, say, and think† (Jewish-Library). He also led European Jewry away from Rabbinism and toward mysticism which encouraged the poor and oppressed Jews of the 18th century to live carefree and hopeful. His methods and style of learning made Jewish life more optimistic. Today, a large majority of Jews reside

Perception of Globalization-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Questions: 1.Has your view on Globalisation changed after listening to Professor Ghemawat? Explain. 2.Consider where you have seen the fears that people have about globalisation. Do you think these fears may subside with some data points that may suggest otherwise? 3.How does the Australian Culture compare to other World Cultures? 4.Do you agree with the Survey results for the Australian culture? Why or why not? Answers: 1.The view on globalization has changed after listening to professor Ghemawat. This is because, the concept of globalization is often overrated and people all around the world have a higher perception about globalization (Ghemawat, 2017). However, in the real world, the phenomenon of globalization is not as much expanded as people think. This overrated statistics is due to the miscalculation in the statistics. For example, if an ipod is being shipped from Japan to China, and then it is shipped to US, it actually ends up being counted twice (Ghemawat, 2017). Thus, the statistics are overrated and miscalculated. The extent of globalization is not as much as we consider it to be. While people perceive the extent of globalization to be 90%, it is actually 20% (Beck 2015). This lecture has changed the idea of globalization and the real picture has been highlighted about globalization (Ghemawat, 2017). 2.The fear about globalization in the people is due to the concern that the local market and the local products might suffer due to the intervention of Globalization. The market place might be flooded with the globalized products, thus decreasing the sale of the local products (Ghemawat, 2017). This fear is justified among the people, with lack of clarity about the extent of globalization (Hirst et al. 2015). The fears are likely to subside, if the actual statistics are highlighted and presented to the common people (Ghemawat, 2017). Since the people are not aware of spread of globalization, hence they fear the loss of the local market and the local products. 3.The 5 dimensions of Hofstede include power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation and indulgence (Bakir et al. 2015). These dimensions help in understanding the culture of any country. According to the online tool to explore the culture of Australia, the results are as follows. Figure 1: Online tool to explore different countries 5 dimension by Hofstede (Source: Geert Hofstede 2017) According to the above-mentioned results, the power distance is 36, out of a scale of 100. Power distance refers to the inequality that exists in a country. Lower power distance index highlights the fact that the organizations have a flatter structure and equality among the people of the higher level and lower level exists. Individualism is 90. This indicates that high value is placed on the time of the people and they prefer freedom as well as privacy (Geert Hofstede 2017). It also indicates that the Australians prefer taking up challenges and expect individual rewards for the hard work. The masculinity score is 61. This indicates that the Australians have strong ego and feelings of pride. Money and achievement is much more important for the people of Australia. The score of uncertainty avoidance is 51. This highlights that the people are conservative and rigid in their outlook. Moreover, they are aggressive and express their emotions openly (Geert Hofstede 2017). Long-term orientat ion score is 21. A low score indicates that the people are religious and nationalistic. Score in indulgence is 71. The people of Australia are optimistic and freedom of speech is essential for them. Comparison with other country- India Figure 2: Australia in comparison to India (Source: Geert Hofstede 2017) The high sore of power distance index highlights that the business organizations as well as the society follow a tall structure, with dependency on the power holder. An intermediate score in individualism highlights that both individualism and collectivism are practiced among the people of India. The masculinity score is 56, which is similar to that of Australia. This highlights that the people of India are also work and success oriented, like that of Australia (Geert Hofstede 2017). The uncertainty avoidance score is 40. This highlights the fact that the people of India are open to changes and have a less sense of urgency. The long-term orientation score is contrast to that of Australia. The highlights that the people of India are pragmatic and modest (Geert Hofstede 2017). Their religion is attached to the work they do. The indulgence score of Indian culture is 26, highlighting the fact that their culture is restrained. They lack freedom of speech and are often pessimistic. Thus, t he culture of Australia varies widely with that of India. 4.The survey results are agreed upon with the culture of Australia. The Australians are more or less similar to the survey results (Geert Hofstede 2017). Thus, the survey results could be relied on. the traits of the Australians that are highlighted are similar to that of the culture of Australia. Conclusion The conclusion from the lecture on globalization by Pankaj Ghemawat highlights that globalization is not as wide spread as people perceive it to be. Moreover, the statistics that are presented are also not accurate, thus creating a wide spread fear among the people. However, the phenomenon of globalization is not as widely spread, as the world perceives it to be. The online tool to explore different countries 5 dimension by Hofstede highlights the culture of Australia and compares it with the culture of India. The online tool highlights the fact that the Australian culture is much different from that of India. References Bakir, A., Blodgett, J.G., Vitell, S.J. and Rose, G.M., 2015. A preliminary investigation of the reliability and validity of Hofstedes cross cultural dimensions. InProceedings of the 2000 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 226-232). Springer, Cham. Beck, U., 2015.What is globalization?. John Wiley Sons. Geert Hofstede, (2017). [online] Available at: https://geert-hofstede.com/australia.htm [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. Geert Hofstede, (2017). [online] Available at: https://geert-hofstede.com/india.htm Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. Ghemawat, P. (2017).Actually, the world isn't flat. [online] Ted.com. Available at: https://www.ted.com/talks/pankaj_ghemawat_actually_the_world_isn_t_flat.html [Accessed 29 Aug. 2017]. Hirst, P., Thompson, G. and Bromley, S., 2015.Globalization in question. John Wiley Sons.

Jordan Baker free essay sample

anonymous 3/11/09 Wilson B3 Honor Bound Vitality of a Woman: An Analysis of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby No two people are the same in the world we live. Some are different shapes and sizes; others maintain a narrow minded perspective. There are many things that differentiate human beings from one other, but Jordan Baker stands out the most. She a major character throughout the novel, and contributes to the story in the highest degree. She embodies the shallowness and arrogance of people during the 1920’s. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Jordan Baker portrays her showy and arrogant attitude through several incidents, and gives the reader a visual of the life of people during the 1920’s. Fitzgerald uses every tool at his disposal to bring the character of Jordan to life, and to show her flamboyant and arrogant personality. He uses certain words and literary phrases that give the reader a true visual of what Jordan is like in the novel. We will write a custom essay sample on Jordan Baker or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The first time we meet Jordan, Nick describes her physical physique very carefully, â€Å"she was a slender, small-breasted girl, with an erect carriage, which she accentuated by throwing her body backward at the shoulders like a young cadet. â€Å"Her gray sun-strained eyes looked back at me with polite reciprocal curiosity out of a wan, charming, discontented face† (11). Fitzgerald uses several sophisticated words in this passage that enhance the visual it gives to the reader. Jordan again shows her arrogant attitude by refusing a cocktail from Daisy because she is â€Å"absolutely in training† (10). Her arrogance is again showed when talking to Nick, â€Å"you live in West Egg,’ she said contemptuously†, this passage is worded the way it is to show Jordan’s view upon Nick’s living arrangements, which are obviously frowned upon (11). Further into the novel, readers will begin to see Jordan’s opinion of herself and how conceited she truly is. While attending one of Gatsby’s many lavish parties, she states she enjoys larger parties much more than smaller parties, because of the large parties’ ability to hold intimacy, in a way that smaller parties cannot. This represents irony because in reality the smaller parties would be the ones where you would find the greatest amount of intimacy. Fitzgerald takes advantage of whenever Jordan Baker is speaking to show her personality and character, thus greatly developing the character throughout the novel. Actions speak louder than words, and define people for who they are, and Jordan Baker understands this to perfection. Jordan deeply takes pleasure in being public and seen by other people, which can be proven time and time again during the many lavish parties. Jordan and Daisy, while lazily chatting at Tom’s house, are wearing extravagant white dresses, which can also prove her need to be seen by others. Then while attending Gatsby’s first of many extravagant parties, Jordan is seen in a whole new light. â€Å"Leaning a little backward and looking with contemptuous interest down at the garden† (42). This proves the point brought forth that implies Jordan being arrogant, and that she thinks too highly of herself. Her physique is that of a stuck up lady who envisions herself a goddess in mortal form. She thrives off attention from others, especially from other men. Jordan has a sensational knack for not telling the truth, especially in the incident involving her cheating at a gold tournament. Being a well-known woman golfer, Jordan received a generous amount of publicity from the media, especially when â€Å"she had moved her ball from a bad lie in the semi-final round† of the tournament (57). She is a fundamental liar who resources to lying and cheating to get her way, something not particularly uncommon for women for this day and age. Jordan Baker’s actions label her character in more ways than one in the novel, and indefinitely define her personality. Nick, the leading protagonist in the novel, views Jordan’s ways of life and personality in many different lights. In the beginning of the book, he views her as a cool woman with much underneath the surface. He begins to admire her for her athleticism, her looks, and her personality, which Nick learns is not the personality for him. Towards the end of the book, Nick is confronted by Jordan after they had broken up and she tells him that she is engaged with another man, which Nick doubts. He doubts this because of Jordan’s ability to toy with the feelings of others, especially other single men. She plays with the feelings of men, while having no intention of getting involved in a relationship. This is confirmed when Nick sees her and describes her as having â€Å"her chin raised a little jauntily†, which again symbolizes her arrogance (177). Nick views her as a self centered person ith a peculiar sense about her, for example when he first sees her wearing a white dress indoors for what seemed like a long time. Finally, Nick finds the errors of his ways and breaks it off with Jordan, ending the damaging toll the relationship had upon Nick’s mental well being. Nick does not recognize her arrogant personality, something he can’t handle, nor does he want to attempt to handle. Early in the story Nick is captured and somewhat intimidated by Jordan but as he begins to understand her true personality, he sees how different she actually is. Jordan’s ostentatious and arrogant personality reflects the life of women during the 1920’s. She is the type of woman, who enjoys being looked at and admired by others, the type of woman whose personality draws all the attention in a room, and a woman whose conceitedness is unmatched by anyone. She is a unique person, a person who continues to impress the people around her. Jordan Baker is a very special woman because of her ability to draw the reader in, desperately searching for more of her intriguing character.

Africa essays

Africa essays Rainforest covers a mere 6 percent of the worlds land mass, yet contains a more varied plant, insect, and animal life than other remaining 94 percent. In addition, the rainforest provides more than 20 percent of the worlds oxygen, and 80 percent of the world's basic foods ("Passport to the Rainforest"). The plant life contributing to these statistics is a particularly interesting aspect of the climate zone, namely those plants indigenous to Africa. The African rainforest is composed of many layers containing thousands of exotic plants, many of which are close to extinction, or that offer valuable medical considerations. The African rainforest is a composite of many different plants, living at varying heights simultaneously. The highest layer of the rainforest is the emergent layer. Here trees tower 200 feet or more from the forest floor. Plant life at these heights mostly consists of hardwood evergreens. The Canopy is the next highest level, consisting of plants from 60 to 90 feet off the ground. Plant life is extremely varied at this level, but consists manly of top-heavy trees with tight leaf formations near the upper 90 percent of the trunk. In addition to trees there are many vines and other "air plants," that do not touch the ground, but entwine themselves in canopy tree branches and trunks. Below the Canopy is the Understory. Plants in this layer receive little light, and as a result rarely grow above 12 feet from the forest floor. These plants mostly consist of shrubs, bushes, and dwarfish trees. The final level in the rainforest is the forest floor. Here there is little to no growth due to an almost complete lack of light. Most plant life in this level consist of the remains of fallen trees, root systems from plants in various other levels, and fruits and berries fallen from higher up plants. Thousands of plant varieties have very different existences in the extremely varied layers of the A ...

How Long Is Long Enough Essay

How Long Is Long Enough Essay How Long Is Long Enough? Essay How long is long enough? Discrimination in its broad meaning is a treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit. Today, most cases of discrimination that are brought to court are related to employment discrimination. The plaintiffs have different reasons for filing a discrimination lawsuit against their employers. Some employees file a lawsuit because they were denied a promotion, other file a complaint because they are paid unequally with their co-workers who have same qualification and job performance as them. Additionally, there are other employees who bring a complaint against their former and future employers because they were fired or could not be hired to a specific job they feel they are qualified to do. However, not anyone can file a discrimination lawsuit. In order to file a discrimination complaint against your employer you have to be a mem ber of a protected class. According to the textbook, title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its amendments prohibits job discrimination against employees, applicants, and union members on the basis of race, color, nation of origin, religion, and gender at any stage of employment. (Cross Miller, 2012) However, seeing that today member of minority groups and women have made enough economic progress in the last several decades compared to 1964, it is fair to ask this question: do members of protected groups still need special legislation to protect them? This is not an easy question to answer because everyone has different opinion on this issue, but regardless of what other people think, it would be fair to ask this question instead: for how long will special legislation that protect minority groups and women last? The truth is that there is still a long way to go since new forms of discrimination keep evolving, like weight discrimination and pregnancy discrimination for instance. According to Svetlana Shkolnikova in â€Å"Weight discrimination could be as common as racial bias; Studies find a surge in reported cases†, weight discrimination, especially in USA society, is increasing and is as common as racial discrimination. Shkolnikova continues by stating that two studies claim this. One study claims that reported discrimination based on weight has increased from 7% to 12% in the USA which is a 66% increase in the last decade. The other study says that such discrimination is common in both institutional and interpersonal situations. It is even dominant than rates of discrimination based on race and gender in some case. Moreover, Shkolnikova says that according to Rebecca Puhl of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, a co-author of both studies, weight discrimination is a very serious social problem that we need to pay attention to. Institutional discrimination according to Puhl involves health care, education or workplace situ ations, such as cases in which people say that they were fired, denied a job or promotion because of their weight. Interpersonal discrimination on the other hand focuses on insults, abuses and harassments from others. Currently there is no Federal laws against weight discrimination exist and Puhl states that weight discrimination will not decrease until attitudes change and laws begin addressing it. (Shkolnikova, 2008) Another example of an increasing new form of discrimination is a pregnancy discrimination that women face. According to Stephanie Armour in â€Å"Pregnant workers report growing discrimination†, the number of women claiming they have been discriminated against on the job because they are pregnant is soaring even as the birth rate declines. Armour continues by stating that according to an analysis of government data by the Washington-based National Partnership for Women Families, from fiscal year 1992 to 2003 pregnancy discrimination complaints filed

Financial Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Strategy - Essay Example Thus, a risk-conscious enterprise already has strategic plans in hand to handle any sort of crises prior to its happening and furthermore, it would inculcate such strategies in its daily working environment which would minimize any foreseen risks so as to avoid danger. To begin with a theoretical point of view a firm that does not prioritize and foresee danger points in the ongoing business lacks the power to cope up with any kind of transformation that a potential risk may bring in the long run. It might overrate its focus upon other profit-making strategies than making alternative strategically workable plans to overcome those risks (Ackermann, pp.5-6, 2008). As a matter of fact, potential risks that big firms and organizations may face are divided into three categories which include hazard risks, operating risks and financial risks (Slywotzky, 2007). The case of Toyota is quite obvious in this regards. In the 90s, though the company enjoyed a very good position and had a well know n repute in the eyes of its consumers with leverage over other competitors, they worried about what future could bring to them since; a period of maturity never lives very long. The foreseeing ability of potential threats of the company made the executives plan for the first ever car of the 21st century by Toyota even a decade ago. They penned down unique characteristics of any comfortable car ever and assigned an engineer, who had never worked for a whole new developmental project, to transform the ideas into concrete proposal. The Japanese automaker lived up to its promises when it launched its breakthrough car Prius in the 90s. The strategy was to lend three years to the task force of the new car to analyze each aspect of the internal working of Toyota and to have the company’s first hand knowledge to produce the new generation of the model. This move worked a lot and the assigned engineer made his team from the most talented engineers whose ages reflected maturity yet eag erness in adaptability. The idea was to introduce hybrid engine in the newly-designed car. Nevertheless, the potential risk was that the competitors were experimenting the same sort of experiments. Assessing the risks, Toyota decided to make their breakthrough as fast as possible so as to be ahead of all (Slywotzky, 2007). One crucial move that Toyota took was to bring the Resident Engineers (REs) during the phase of design development who usually work at the manufacturing plants to take care of the problems that arise in the production stage. This move was taken so as to avoid any possible fault that is probable to happen in a stage where everything is in blueprint. One more strategy that it employed was to create alternative options with regards to engine design and the overall car design so that they may end up choosing one which proves to be the best among all. During the whole process, cross-referencing of the experts continued to be taking place to implement the best given ide a in the making (Slywotzky, 2007). Consequently, the world knows how Prius took over the market in a few period of time. In theory, the Competitive Strategy Theory by Michael Porter talks about certain focus points to be made and implemented by any firm to achieve a sustainable ground in any market in the absence of which the company is prone to serious losses. A firm’s risk consciousness is quite visible if it emphasizes upon planning for ‘differentiation, overall cost leadership and focus’