Mcdonalds Around the World Essay Example for Free

Mcdonalds Around the World Essay Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1955 in the United States. He offered a limited menu of high quality; moderately priced food served fast spotless surroundings. McDonald’s QSCV (quality, service, cleanliness, and value) was a hit. The chain expanded into every state in the nation. By 1983 it had more than 6,000 restaurants in the United States, and by 1995 it had more than 18,000 restaurants in 89 countries. In 1995 alone, the company built 2,400 restaurants, and by 2001 it had more than 29,000 restaurants in 121 countries. In 1967, McDonald’s opened its first restaurant outside the United States- in Canada. Since then, its international growth accelerated. In 1995, the â€Å"Big Six† countries that provided about 80 percent of the international operating income were Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, France, and Britain. Yet fast food has barely touched many cultures. The opportunities for expanding the market are great, as 99 percent of the world populations are not yet McDonald’s customers. For example, in China, with a population of 1. 2 billion people, there were only 62 McDonald’s restaurants in 1995. McDonald’s vision is to be the major player in food services around the world. In Europe, McDonald’s maintains a small percentage of restaurant sales but commands a large share of the fast-food market. It took the company 14 years of planning before it opened a restaurant in Moscow in 1990. But the planning paid off. After the opening, people were standing in line for up to two hours for a hamburger. It has been said that McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow attracts more visitors (on average 27,000 daily) than Lenin’s mausoleum (about 9,000 people), which used to be the place to see. The Beijing opening in 1992 attracted some 40,000 people to the largest (28,000 square foot) McDonald’s restaurant in China at a location where some 800,000 pedestrians pass by every day. Food is prepared in accordance with local laws. For example, the menus in Arab countries comply with Islamic food preparation laws. In 1995, McDonald’s opened its first kosher restaurant in Jerusalem, where it does not serve dairy products. The taste for fast food, American style, is growing more rapidly abroad than at home. McDonald’s international sales have been increasing by a large percentage every year. Every day, more than 33 million people eat at McDonald’s around the world, with 18 million of them in the United States. Prices vary considerably around the world, ranging from $ 3. 81 in Switzerland to $ 0. 78 in Argentina for the Big Mac, which costs in the United States $ 2. 49. The Economist magazine even devised a Big Mac index to estimate whether a currency is over-or undervalued. For example, the $1. 27 Chinese Mac translates into an implied purchasing power parity of $ 4. 22. The inference is that the Chinese currency is undervalued. Here are other price comparisons for the $ 2. 49 U. S Big Mac: Chile $ 2. 16, Euro area $ 2. 37, Hong Kong $ 1. 40, Japan $ 2. 01, Mexico $ 2. 37, Peru $ 2. 48, Singapore $ 1. 81 and Thailand $ 1. 27. McDonald’s traditional menu has been surprisingly successful. People with diverse dining habits have adopted burgers and fries wholeheartedly. Before McDonald’s introduced the Japanese to French fries, potatoes were used in Japan only to make starch. The Germans thought hamburgers were people from the city of Hamburg. Now McDonald’s also serves chicken, sausage, and salads. Another item, a very different product, is pizza. In Norway, McDonald’s serves grilled salmon sandwich, in the Philippines pasta sauce with frankfurter bits, and in Uruguay hamburger with a poached egg. Any new venture is risky and can be either a very profitable addition or a costly experiment. Despite the global operations, McDonald’s stays in close contact with its customers, who want good taste, fast and friendly service, clean surroundings, and quality. To attain quality, so called quality assurance centers are located in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In addition, training plays an important part in customer service. Besides day-today coaching, Hamburger Universities in the United States, Germany, Britain, Japan, and Australia teach the necessary skills in 22 languages with the aim of providing 100 percent customer satisfaction. It is interesting that McDonald’s was one of the first restaurants in Europe to welcome families with children. Not only are children welcomed, but in many restaurants they are also entertained with crayons and paper, a play land, and the clown Ronald McDonald, who can speak 20 languages. With generally aging populations, McDonald’s takes aim at the adult market. With heavy advertising (it has been said that McDonald’s will spend $200 million to promote the new burger), the company introduced Arch Deluxe on a potato-flower bun with lettuce, onions, ketchup, tomato slices, American cheese, grainy mustard, and Mayonnaise. Although McDonald’s considers the over 50 adult burger a great success, a survey conducted five weeks after its introduction showed mixed results. McDonald’s golden arches promise the same basic menu and QSCV in every restaurant. Its products, handling and cooking procedures, and kitchen layouts are standardized and strictly controlled. McDonald’s revoked the first French franchise because the franchise failed to meet its standards for fast service and cleanliness, even though their restaurants were highly profitable. This may have delayed its expansion in France. McDonald’s restaurants are run by local managers and crews. Owners and managers attend the Hamburger University near Chicago or in other places around the world to learn how to operate a McDonald’s restaurants and maintain QSCV. The main campus library and modern electronic classrooms (which include simultaneous translation systems) are the envy of many universities. When McDonald’s opened in Moscow, a one-page advertisement resulted in 30,000 inquiries about the jobs; 4,000 people were interviewed and some 300 were hired. The pay is about 50 percent higher than the average Soviet salary. McDonald’s ensures consistent products by controlling every stage of the distribution. Regional distribution centers purchase products and distribute them to individual restaurants. The centers will buy from local suppliers if the suppliers can meet detailed specifications. McDonald’s has had to make some concessions to available products. For example, it is difficult to introduce the Idaho potato in Europe because of special soil requirements. McDonald’s uses essentially the same competitive strategy in every country: be first in a market and establish its brand as rapidly as possible by advertising very heavily. New restaurants are opened with a bang. So many people attended the opening of one Tokyo restaurant that the police closed the street to vehicles. The strategy has helped McDonald’s develop a strong market share in the fast-food market, even though its U. S competitors and new local competitors quickly enter the market. McDonald’s advertising campaigns are based on local themes and reflect the different environments. In Japan, where burgers are a snack, McDonald’s competes against confectioneries and new â€Å"fast sushi† restaurants. Many of the charitable causes McDonald’s supports abroad have been recommended by its local restaurants. McDonald’s business structures take a variety of forms, with 66 percent of the restaurants being franchises. The development licenses are similar to franchising, but they do not require McDonald’s investment. Joint ventures are undertaken when understanding of the local environment is critically important. The McDonald’s Corporation operates about 21 percent of the restaurants. McDonald’s has been willing to relinquish the most control to its Far Eastern operations, where many restaurants are joint ventures with local entrepreneurs, who own 50 percent or more of the restaurant. European and South American restaurants are generally company-operated or franchised (although there are many affiliates, or joint ventures, in France). Like the U. S franchises, restaurants abroad are allowed to experiment with their menus. In Japan, hamburgers are smaller because they are considered a snack. The Quarter Pounder does not make much sense to people on a metric system, so it is called a Double Burger. Some German restaurants serve beer; some French restaurants serve wine. Some Far Eastern McDonald’s restaurants offer oriental noodles. In Canada, the menu includes cheese, vegetables, pepperoni, and deluxe pizza. However, these new items must not disrupt the existing operation. Despite its success, McDonald’s faces tough competitors, such as Burger King, Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and now also Pizza Hut. Moreover, fast food in reheatable containers is now also sold in supermarkets, delicatessens, convenience stores, and even gas stations. McDonald’s has done very well, with a great percentage of profits coming now from International operations. For example, McDonald’s dominates the Japanese market with 1,860 outlets (half the Japanese market) in 1996 compared to only 43 Burger King Restaurants. However, the British food conglomerate Grand Metropolitan PLC, which owns Burger King, haw an aggressive strategy for Asia. Although McDonald’s has been in a very favorable competitive position, since 2001 the customer satisfaction level has been below that of its competitors Wendy’s and Burger King. In China, KFC is more popular than McDonald’s. Some observers suggest that McDonald’s has expanded too fast and that Burger King and Wendy’s have tastiest meals. It is Mr. Jack Greenberg’s (McDonald’s top manager) task to change things around.

The Barnum effect

The Barnum effect Abstract The Barnum effect is a theory that originated from psychologist Paul Meehl. The Barnum effect represents a type of subjective validation in which an individual finds personal meaning in a statement that could apply to many people (Cardwell, M. and Flanagan, C. 2012). In 1949, Forer went on to study this effect by giving his students an extract form an astrology column, finding that many students endorsed the extract and felt it was trailered to them. I therefore propose an experiment which will explore whether their are different responses in genders to a standardised personality description. The subjects participating are all college students currently studying history. The hypothesis therefore being, women will give a significantly higher accuracy rating than men on the standardised personality description. The null hypothesis is therefore, there will not be a significant difference between men and woman then asked to rate a standard personality description. The Mann-Whitney test will be used to help interpret the findings. Despite there being a minimal difference in the scores with females scoring higher than males, the experiment showed that the results where not significant thus the null hypothesis is supported. Introduction The Barnum effect is a theory that originated from psychologist Paul Meehl, in reference to to P. T. Barnum, an American showman with a reputation as a master manipulator. The Barnum effect represents a type of subjective validation in which a person finds personal meaning in a statement that could apply to many people (Cardwell, M. and Flanagan, C. 2012). If a subject is given statements that appear to have been specifically prepared for them, they often will validate its accuracy, thus giving validly to the means used to create the statement. In 1949 Bertram, R. Forer wanted to study this effect and devised a study using his students to give some incite into the appeal of pseudo-science. Students completed a personality test that he has simply copied out of a newspaper column, and that the results would produce a unique personality analysis. After this the students were asked to rate the analysis form 0 (poor) to 5 (excellent) in terms of how accurate they felt it reflected their own personality. Most of the students endorsed this statement with the average score being 4.26 (Cardwell, M. and Flanagan, C. 2012).This gives us an insight into the popularity of pseudo-science. Many people put great faith in horoscopes and personality tests the truth is that predictions like these only work because we like to hear information about our selves. Another study into gullibility carried out by N.D. Sunberg (1955) asked students to complete a standardised test used by psychologists to evaluate an individuals personality. They were then given results, either written by two experienced psychologists, or a false one. When asked which result was more accurate, 50% of participants identified the fake results as more accurate (Cline, A. 2014). This experiment identified the fallacy of personal validation, whereby an individual cannot be relied on to validate their own character or personality. The outcome of the Barnum effect can however be effected by variables such as education and gender. A study into pseudo-science and peoples beliefs was conducted by Keeports and Morier (1994). Their study looked at a group of students who were studying science and pseudo-science presenting them with a questionnaire at the beginning of the course about their beliefs. After the course the same questionnaire was given to the students and found a significant reduction in their belief of the paranormal. This shows how education can clearly have an impact on peoples belief in the paranormal. It has been generally accepted that there are no gender differences in the Barnum effect phenomenon. However, research carried out by Piper-Terry and Downey (1998) found that under certain conditions, gender could effect the results (Layne, C. 1998). They had their friends administer a personality test to psychology students then preceded to claim that they had interpreted their response based on what they were learning in class. The students rated the interpretations highly in line with the Barnum effect, however women rated these more accurately than men did. Piper-Terry and Downey concluded that woman gave higher accuracy ratings because they wanted to help out their friends whereas men where less inclined to help. Another interpretation could be that women are more open and therefore expect their friends interpretations to be more accurate. Furthermore, an argument can be made for women to be more susceptible of the Barnum effect. Studies have found 65% of church congregations in the UK are made up of women (Thackray, J. 2013). An argument that is used to explain this could be that women are seen to be more emotional, which could lead to greater spiritual openness, and a willingness to accept faith without the need of evidence. However, some simply state that because of the ageing population of the church the number of women in the congregation will increase simply because of their longer life spans. It is therefore the aim of this experiment to compare the susceptibility of men and woman. When asked by a neutral party to rate a standardised personalty description according to its accuracy. The hypothesis therefore being women will give a significantly higher accuracy rating than men on the standardised personality description The null hypothesis is therefore, there will not be a significant difference between men and woman then asked to rate a standard personality description. Method Design This experiment will be a laboratory experiment carried out in a class room with as much done as possible to help limit extraneous variables that may effect the result such as noise distractions or demand characteristics. The experiment will use an independent measure and involve a group of individuals that will conduct the experiment once. The independent variable will be the participants gender The dependant variable will be the participants response to the standardized personalty description. Participants The participants that will be used in this experiment will be students, currently studying history, aged between 19 and 31. The sample will consist of 12 females and 8 males and they will not be known the experamtor. Apparatus: 1 set of standardised instructions. 20 personalty assessment question sheets 20 standardised personalty descriptions. 1 classroom Procedure. The participants were first asked if they would consent to take part in an experiment. carried out by a fictional university into a new type of personality assessment that could give accurate information about an individuals personality. The participants then handed out a standardised questionnaire and instructed to answer each question on the paper. Once all the questionnaires were collected I told them I would return in one week with a personality description for each individual. On my return I handed out the standardised personality description informing them that it was personal and should not be shared with anyone else. I then asked them to rate the description out of 10 with 1 been not at all relevant and 10 been extremely relevant. Once these had been collected in I debriefed the participants and explained the deception. Results Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics Mann-Whitney U test: Discussion The results of the study showed through analysis that using the Mann-Whitney U test it was found that the null hypothesis is shown to be correct. The experimental hypothesis that females will give a significantly higher score than males to a standardised personality description is rejected. However, by looking at the mean results from the two groups we can see that females did give a marginally higher score on the personality description. Although the null hypothesis was supported the Barnum effect was clearly evident in this experiment. A large majority of the participants showed a score of 5 or higher with only one scoring below, as such we can say that the deception needed to conduct the experiment was a success. Moreover, among female participants two gave a score as high as 10 indicating how firmly they believed that the personality description had been trailered to them as individuals. This experiment therefore mirrors the results of the study carried out by Bertram, R. Foster, as the group of students he used also gave relatively high scores to a, after being told it was tailored to the individual. Furthermore, comparisons can be drawn from the experiment carried out by N.D. Sunberg (1995) in which standardised tests, real and fake, were used to evaluate personalities. Both experiments can reinforce the fallacy of personal validation, clearly showing that people cannot be trusted to validate their own personali ty. There are several reasons why the hypotheses was not significantly supported. One of these could have been that the participants used share many similarities, such as studying the same subject which could be an indicator of a certain personality type. Furthermore, the fact that they are students could indicate a certain level of intelligence. Both of these factors would make it hard to generalise the study to the rest of the population and as such lower the ecological validity of the experiment. This problem is shared by others who have been researching the subject including that of Piper-Terry and Downey (1994), who used psychology students for there experiments. One of the factors that could have affected the results is that their were more female than male participants. This could have effected the statistical conclusion that was drawn. The experiment was carried out under laboratory conditions in a college classroom which could have effected the outcome of the experiment. Although this setting allowed for many extraneous variables to be controlled, such as the tiredness of a student or their willingness to give the study their full attention could not be. Furthermore, the placement of the participants sitting around tables instead of individually could have allowed them to see each others question answers or personality description, possibly leading them to alter their answers. Both of these criticisms could lower the internal validity of the experiment. A major strength of this study is the standardised set of instructions that were given to each student. By doing this we can ensure that each of the participants fully understand what they are expected to do as well as leading to the ability to easy recreate the experiment. Furthermore, standardised instructions leads to all the participants being treated the same and so lowers the risk of experimenter effects. With regard to ethics, one of the main concerns was the creation a deception in order for the experiment to be effective. The British Psychology Society state in their guidelines that intentional deception should be avoided whenever possible (Hayes, N. 1993). As a deception was needed steps were taken to ensure participants were deceived as little as possible and that the true nature of the experiment was clearly communicated to them after it was complete . This was done by fully debriefing the participants after the study had been concluded. This involved fully informing them about the nature of the research and reassuring them about their performance within the study, as well as answering any questions that they might have about the experiment. (Lawton, J et al, 2011). Appendix 1: Personal statement While disciplined on the outside you tend to be slightly insecure at times and you have need for other people to like and admire you. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety however you become unhappy when you feel hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. Over the years you have learnt that us wise not to be to frank while revealing yourself to others and that it is best to hold onto your views until you feel that the time is right to express them. At times your outgoing, pleasant to talk to and sociable. However, there are time when when faced with a new situation that you feel slightly cautious and reserved. While some of your future plans may seem out of reach you nevertheless are willing to put in the work to try and make them a reality. Please score the accuracy of this personal statement 0 = very poor – 1 = extremely accurate Appendix 2: Questionnaire Instructions In the table below, for each statement 1-50 mark how much you agree with on the scale 1-10, where 1=disagree, 10 extremely accurate. References Cardwell, M. and Flanagan, C. (2012) Psychology AS: the complete companion: student book: for AQA A. 3rd edn. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Christopher Layne (1998) GENDER AND THE BARNUM EFFECT: A REINTERPRETATION OF PIPER-TERRY AND DOWNEYS RESULTS. Psychological Reports: Volume 83 Cline, A. (2014) Flaws in Reasoning and Arguments: Barnum Effect Gullibility Available at URL http://atheism.about.com/od/logicalflawsinreasoning/a/barnum.htm (Accessed on 09 December 2014) Hayes, N. (1993) A first course in psycholog. London: Harrap LAWTON, J., GROSS, R. and ROLLS, G. (2011) Psychology A2 for AQA (A). Abingdon: Hodder Education. Thackray, J. (2013) Why do more women flock to the Church? Available at URL http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/10035155/Why-do-more-women-flock-to-the-Church.html (Accessed on 10 December 2014)

The Psychology of Parenting Styles Essay -- Psychological Raising Chil

The Psychology of Parenting Styles Would you have come out different if your parents used a different parenting style? If you are considered â€Å"cool† now could you have come out a nerd if your parents would have used a different parenting style? â€Å"Parenting style is one of the primary determinants of your child’s outcome whether he succeeds, achieves, meets the challenges, flounders, gives up, or runs from or fails in handling life.† (6) The purpose of this paper is to describe the outcomes, processes, labor, and techniques of parenting in a psychological point of view. Parenting styles are defined as the â€Å"manner in which parents express their beliefs on how to be a good or bad parent.† (4) Each parenting style has its weaknesses and strengths. All parents incorporate love and limit in their style of parenting. There are four different types of parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, democratic, and uninvolved parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first type of parenting style is called authoritarian. In this parenting style the parents are the boss. They make strict rules and they enforce them. They focus more on restrictions than a loving relationship with their child. They believe it is their job as parents to catch their children being bad and punish them. These parents use external control on their children instead of taking time to tell the kid what they did wrong and why they should not do it again. Something these parents do not realize is that they do not catch their kids being good. Authoritarian parents are firm and unsympathetic. Authoritarian parents love to use discipline. An example can be if Timmy decides he wants to go to a party on Friday. His parents tell him he has to be back by 9:00 pm. He gets angry and decides to come back home at 11:00 pm. When he gets home his parents punish him by beating him with a stick. They do not explain to him why they are hitting him or they do not take the time to ask why he has arrived home late. As a result to this form of discipline the children usually react quickly and do not make an attempt to negotiate with their parents in fear that they will receive more discipline. The outcome of this type of parenting style is that the child usually becomes unfriendly, anxious, distrusted, and withdrawn. Most of them also have a low self-esteem. A positive outcome is that the child becomes academically successful beca... ...d not do it again. All parents want to be good parents. When parents use the parenting style that their parents once used it is usually because they do not know any other parenting style to use. Or they think that since their parent’s parenting style worked on them, then it will work on their children. Making decisions to help mold your child into a good person can be controversial amongst families. The â€Å"lowest point in marriage† is when kids in the family reach teenage years. (2) Think twice next time before you discipline your child. Think about which parenting style is best so that they will grow up to become magnificent people. Works Cited: 1. Galdwell, Malcolm. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Little, Brown & Company. January 2002. 2. Stahl Michael, Phillip. Parenting After Divorce. Psychology, October 2000. 3. Phelan, Thomas. Surviving Your Adolescents Parentmagic, Inc. January 1998. 4. Reichlin, Gail. The Pocket Parent. Workman Publishing Company, Inc. October 2001. 5. http://www.kidsource.com/better.world.press/parenting.html 6.http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%253D150741%2526M%253D50018%2C00.html

Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences Essays -- Engineer

Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences A world without engineering would be a world without cities, highways, cars, or industry. Engineers play a very important role in our society. They are involved in virtually all fields of industry in one way or another, and create the products and solve the problems that make it possible for everyone to enjoy the day-to-day conveniences Americans take for granted. In America, approximately 2 million people are engineers (College of Engineering, 1998). There are various fields of engineering: aerospace, agricultural, ceramic, chemical, computer, construction, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, and civil. Civil engineers are probably the most important field of engineering to the public. Encyclopedia Americana(Okay, we are in college now--no more using the encyclopedia or the dictionary as openings or definitions. Find stronger sources.) (1998) enlightens ones' knowledge of civil engineers: Civil engineering is one of the most diverse branches of engineering. The civil engineer plans, designs, constructs and maintains a large variety of structures and facilities for public, commercial, and industrial use. These structures include residential, office, and factory buildings; highways, railroads, airports, tunnels, bridges, harbors, channels, and pipelinesÉ as well as sewage and waste disposal systems that add to our convenience and safeguard our health. (p. 762) Civil engineering has been a part of our history since the beginning of civilization. The pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of ancient Rome and Greece are classic examples of early civil engineering. Civil M.D. Morris (1974) suggested that "Civil Engineers are creators; Innovators for the commonwealth... ... The civil engineering handbook. New York: CRC Press. College of Engineering. (1998). Civil engineering. ISU college of engineering online: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/about/info/civil.html]. Available ISU online: Directory: The atlantic monthly online: Home page: Departments. Engineering. Tell me about the college of engineering. What do engineers do? Civil engineering. Engineering Career Services. (1998). Engineering career services: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/employers/Spring201998%20Salary.html]. Available engineering career services online: Directory: Engineering career services: Home page. Services to students. Full-time employment. bachelors. Spring 1998. Morris, M. D. (1974). Civil engineers and the world around us. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Petroski, Henry. (1997). Remaking the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences Essays -- Engineer Clarification of Payscales and Regional Differences A world without engineering would be a world without cities, highways, cars, or industry. Engineers play a very important role in our society. They are involved in virtually all fields of industry in one way or another, and create the products and solve the problems that make it possible for everyone to enjoy the day-to-day conveniences Americans take for granted. In America, approximately 2 million people are engineers (College of Engineering, 1998). There are various fields of engineering: aerospace, agricultural, ceramic, chemical, computer, construction, electrical, industrial, mechanical, metallurgical, and civil. Civil engineers are probably the most important field of engineering to the public. Encyclopedia Americana(Okay, we are in college now--no more using the encyclopedia or the dictionary as openings or definitions. Find stronger sources.) (1998) enlightens ones' knowledge of civil engineers: Civil engineering is one of the most diverse branches of engineering. The civil engineer plans, designs, constructs and maintains a large variety of structures and facilities for public, commercial, and industrial use. These structures include residential, office, and factory buildings; highways, railroads, airports, tunnels, bridges, harbors, channels, and pipelinesÉ as well as sewage and waste disposal systems that add to our convenience and safeguard our health. (p. 762) Civil engineering has been a part of our history since the beginning of civilization. The pyramids of Egypt and the ruins of ancient Rome and Greece are classic examples of early civil engineering. Civil M.D. Morris (1974) suggested that "Civil Engineers are creators; Innovators for the commonwealth... ... The civil engineering handbook. New York: CRC Press. College of Engineering. (1998). Civil engineering. ISU college of engineering online: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/about/info/civil.html]. Available ISU online: Directory: The atlantic monthly online: Home page: Departments. Engineering. Tell me about the college of engineering. What do engineers do? Civil engineering. Engineering Career Services. (1998). Engineering career services: [http://www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/employers/Spring201998%20Salary.html]. Available engineering career services online: Directory: Engineering career services: Home page. Services to students. Full-time employment. bachelors. Spring 1998. Morris, M. D. (1974). Civil engineers and the world around us. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers. Petroski, Henry. (1997). Remaking the world. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Jewish Resistance Essay -- essays research papers

Jewish Resistance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We must first realize that resistance was in no way a survival strategy. Yet, even when it seemed obvious that death was near inevitable, why did they not put up a fight? This argument is still puzzling to many holocaust historians, yet the arguments of Raul Hilberg and Yehuda Bauer offer insight to possible reasons why they did not fight and that resistance was more widespread than most people think.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all we will look at Raul Hilberg’s â€Å"Two Thousand Years of Jewish Appeasement,† to give us possible reasons why Jews simply willing followed orders to their death. We must see the destruction in a way that has two role-players: the perpetrators and the victims. We will closely look at the role that Jews played in sealing their own fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hilberg gives us five possible Jewish reactions to the situation they had been confronted with. First of all we will look at the possibility of resistance. It seems as though people would not willingly walk to their death, but 2000 years of appeasement was not easily changed. Along with the history of appeasement, the Jews were totally caught by surprise. They had little organization and so, could not put up a worthwhile fight even if they had wanted to. The SS also did a good job of mental warfare in that any resistance, no matter how significant, the perpetrators knew that the repercussions would affect the whole community and so it was hard to muster support for physical opposition.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second reaction was Jewish attempt to make the struggle more of a mental battle than a physical one. They tried to avert the full plans of the German army by using written and oral appeals. Jews also tried to anticipate German wishes. The SS found that the ghettos could be very productive and tried to milk them for all they could. In this way, the Jews believed that if they were able to be productive, they would be spared long enough because of their economic value for help to arrive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another possible reaction is flight. Only a few thousand Jews escaped from the ghettos in Russia and Poland, and very few escaped from the camps. This was the most viable survival option and yet very few took it. Von dem Bach talked about an â€Å"unguarded escape route to the Pripet Mar... ...was extremely difficult for many reasons. First of all, although there were armed undergrounds in two of the camps, they never acted, and other than this it was impossible to get arms to stage a real resistance. Second of all, the victims were so malnourished that they could not put up any reasonable fight. And lastly, they were in no mental state to fight the SS. They were instead, fighting for their life every second of the day. They had in some ways given up on life and often times willing to obey all orders because it was the easiest way to do things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My immediate reaction is, how could they not resist when they know they are going to die. But, it is easy to say what you would do looking back at the situation. In many cases I believe that they did resist in the best way they knew how. They fought for life and did that by any means necessary. Many times they felt as though if they prolonged their life, that soon enough they would be saved. This seems as a very reasonable thought, so in my opinion I believe that they did resist more than Hilberg gives them credit for, but I believe they did it from lessons they had learned from the past 2000 years.

Media essay comparing Essay

The use of this threat, which suggests cannibalism, something that still horrifies a lot of people, is particularly effective and still used in films such as â€Å"Silence of the lambs†. Pip certainly portrays an effective show of fear. In the 1997 version Finn, rather looks well cared for and certainly able to defend himself. When Robert De Niro enters as Magwitch he does look rather rough and his use of very graphic language is meant to be representative of the fact that he is not well educated where as in the David Lean version even though Magwitch was ill mannered he did not swear. When grabbed by Magwitch Finn doesn’t look quite as scared as he is meant to. He is not able to answer question except to nod or make some gurgling noises as Magwitch’s hand is covering his mouth all the while. As the 1944 version follows the novel closely the convict is able to pick Pip up and place him on a tombstone and tilt him back to a position where he (the convict) is Pip’s only support and the fact that throughout the whole rough treatment he gets from Magwitch he is constantly polite and uses the respectful title â€Å"sir†, when it is quite clear that Magwitch is no gentleman makes the audience feel even more sympathetic towards him. As the 1997 version of the movie is shot at a beach there is no way that Magwitch could have picked Finn up and place him on a tombstone, although in my opinion he could have tilted him back from the boat nearby so that if Magwitch let go he would fall into the ocean. As for body language on the whole I think that Pip was able to demonstrate his fear far better than Finn in the 1997 version. I found the actions and body language of Magwitch equally daunting in both films. In the 1944 version we do not get to see the Convict’s face properly which leads the audience think of him as a very sinister and frightening figure, as on could imagine him in anyway they like. To oppose that we see Pips face quite clearly and the fear etched into it. In the 1997 version we have only a fleeing vision of the convicts face before the camera zooms in on Pips face and w can only see the convict’s hand which is covering his moth. I believe the 1944 version was more successful in creating a Magwitch that was fearsome to all. I believe casting had a hug part to play in this as well, because I had grown p watching Robert De Niro movies and I have seen him appear in many of my favourite movies in the role of many of my favourite characters and it was very hard for me to think of him as the evil and sinister looking Magwitch as I had other impressions from him. On the other hand as the 1944 version was made years before I was born I had no idea who the actors were and I had no impressions of them before I watched the movie and I am sure if I come across a movie with Finlay Currie cast in a different role I would still think of hi as Abel Magwitch. People usually go to movies to escape their reality for a brief spell of time, the fact that David Lean chose to have his cast wearing Victorian customs makes it easier for the audience to feel transported into another era easier than the 1997 version where the director chose to have the costumes modernized along with everything else. On the whole I think that David Leans version of Great Expectations was more successful in creating tension and suspense. The fact that the movie is in black and white and that it portrays grim and harsh surroundings as opposed to the beautiful and sunny location of the 1997 version of the film where it was very hard for me to feel the slightest bit of tension although there was a considerable amount produced by the sudden appearance of the convict I didn’t feel it was enough or that it did any justice to the book which in my opinion is one of the best ever written and nowadays I often come across writers who have tried to reproduce novels the same way Dickens did. I preferred the 1944 David Lean version because I felt it did justice to the book and gratified my expectations in creating a cataclysm of mounting tension. Niloofar Bozorgi 10R 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

The novel Lord of the Flies

Why is evil attractive? Lord of the Flies by William Golding dramatized the primordial evil that is in man’s subconscious. Although normally,   civilized human beings consider evil undesirable and therefore to be avoided, the fact is, many are drawn into it. Evil holds some kind of a seductive quality that less morally discerning people find hard to resist. Setting evil intentions in context In this novel, Golding gave life to various characters that represent the two basic types of people in this world, the good and the bad. Ralph, Piggy, and Simon were the good ones, while Jack and Roger were the evil ones.   Stranded in a deserted tropical island, Ralph and Piggy wanted to establish rules,   build shelters, secure clean water and food. But the tasks to achieve these were boring and   most of the boys wanted just to play and hunt. Jack who was the leader of the hunting party, would soon emerge as the more attractive and powerful leader. Playing and hunting are not evil   in themselves but in the novel, these were seeds of evil that would soon grow into disturbing magnitude. The boys in Jack’s group enjoyed hunting and killing the animals and eventually became obsessed with hunting and killing Ralph. This paper analyzes how evil holds some kind of attraction and why people are drawn into it. There are at least three hypotheses–   (1) Evil is attractive because it gives a pleasurable experience; (2) Evil is attractive because it satisfies bloodlust, considering the belief that there is a murderous inclination in every man; and (3) Evil is attractive because of the opportunity it provides to play God, to be in control, to be powerful. With Golding’s work as point of reference, this paper illustrates how the conflict between good and evil continues to occur in various ways, in different people.   The film by Adrian Lyne,   Unfaithful that starred Diane Lane and Richard Gere is used here as one example. In this film, all the mentioned premises above were   portrayed. Like the English boys in the novel,   Connie and Edward, the couple in the said film were decent, intelligent, and admirable. However, when thrown in a critical situation that tested their character, the evil in them triumphed over the good.   The basic assumption of course is that man is dual, both good and evil. Always man struggles with this internal conflict. Lust for flesh, blood and power In the novel, â€Å"†¦ Jack found the throat and the hot blood sprouted over his hands. The sow collapsed under them and they were heavy and fulfilled upon her.† (Golding) The imagery evoked by this description is   sexual.   A primordial bloodlust was satisfied. In the film, Unfaithful,   Connie was drawn into an affair with Paul because of the sheer pleasure of the experience, despite the fact that she had a good home and a fulfilling marriage. The film seemed to suggest that her motivation was irrational. She had an affair because a strong wind was blowing. She slipped on the road and cut her knee. The irresistible lover-to-be was passing by and offered help, invited her to his apartment to dressed her wound. Later she called to thank him. He invited her for coffee and she accepted.   From there began a series of trysts. Connie’s hubris ( Greek for sin of pride) was assuming she was in control, that she can have an affair and then forget about it and go on with her life. Unfortunately, she kept coming back to his flat and   began to neglect her duties. When Edward, her husband found out,   he also assumed he was in control and attempted to confront Paul, the lover in a civilized way.   However, when Edward saw their wedding anniversary gift in the lover’s bedroom, he lost control and   bash Paul’s head, thus killing him. Connie and Edward eventually became partners in crime as they worked to dispose Paul’s corpse and lied to the police. Connie chose not to channel her passion into something creative. She yielded to her sexual energy instead.. Her pride and   confidence, her sense of adventure overpowered her. She probably knew what she was doing was wrong but went ahead because she had not been very spiritually discerning lately.   She was young, attractive, comfortable, loved, secure. It never occurred to her to pray to be a faithful wife. She assumed she can get away with infidelity, never thought she was putting   her marriage and loved ones at great risk when she chose to give in to lust for flesh. Edward was good and tried to make things right, perhaps persuade the lover to stop seeing his wife. But in a sudden burst of insane rage triggered by the sight of   their wedding anniversary gift that found its way into Paul’s room,   Edward killed the latter..   Suddenly his lust for blood craved to be satisfied. In the end, both wife and husband wanted to assume ultimate control over the evil they have done. Instead of trying to rectify their sins,   regain their worth as human beings and pay for their crime, Connie and Edward chose instead to cover up their evil deed. They have totally given in to the machination of the devil. Man cannot just kill the beast Man, in his foolish naivete, continue to believe the devil’s lies about happiness,   knowledge, and power. In the song, â€Å"Hotel California† by Eagles, a few lines mentioned â€Å"the beast.† And in the master’s chamber They gathered for the feast But with their steely knives They just can’t kill the beast. Man can not just kill the beast in him, and so he has to be alert and spiritually discerning. The evil in man’s subconscious may surface when he least expect it and cause him   to commit a sin   that would destroy him and those around   him.   Always, the attraction of pleasure, bloodlust, and power will entice mankind to commit evil. The antidote is found in the New Testament,   in the book of Ephesians 6: 10-17, about putting on the   helmet of salvation and   the armor of God, consisting of truth as belt, justice as breastplate,   zeal to propagate peace as footgear, faith as shield,   and the word of God as sword of the spirit. Biblography Eagles. â€Å"Hotel Califoria.†   Wea International. May 2006. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. 1954. Lyne, Adrian (Director). Unfaithful. Fox 2000 Pictures. 2002 The New American Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 1971.