National Space Centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

National Space Centre - Essay Example Marketing entails the executive process of discovering and predicting customers’ needs in an attempt to satiate them, and thereby make profits from this undertaking. Furthermore, wise investors must know the exact consumer requirements, and device marketing stratagem that will satisfy them, while being able to overcome their opponents. The entrepreneurs must also apply the seven P’s available in the marketing mix. When properly implemented, these aspects give an entrepreneur an upper hand over their competitors. Conversely, while planning for any business experience, one must ensure that he or she employs all aspects of the 7Ps. It is apparent that leaders neglect some of their clients’ needs when they make vital business decisions concerning marketing. This is detrimental, since the clients’ needs are the real reason for any business undertaking. This document will look into this, and mull over pricing, another key aspect in marketing. Introduction Market ing is a crucial aspect in any business organization’s survival. ... are conversant with their clients’ requirements and see to it that it is economically viable to provide these products (and services) to the market. Besides, products can be either commodities or services provided in the market. The competitive nature of the markets today prompts entrepreneurs to employ the seven P’s in their marketing campaign. As a result, this manuscript will consider two of the seven P’s of marketing (price and people), and their influence on the success of National Space Centre in the Science Fiction field. In this manuscript, products will vastly depict services. People as an aspect of Marketing Mix Originally, the business people of the mid 1900s came up with 4P’s that tried to illustrate the business market situation in relation to competition. These included the Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. However, as business expanded with the incorporation of technology, 3 more P’s had to be in operation. These included Physical Evidence, People and Process (Balram & Ghuman 2007, p. 80). Business entailed sale of products and services. During trade, it was evident that the 4Ps benefitted the traders of products more than it did to those in the service business line. Besides, contemporary traders may apply more P’s than the current 7 in determining their market mix. However, this document will only reflect on two P’s, which are Price and People (the clients of the space centre will represent the people). The Leicester’s National Space Centre is about to hold an event. This will commemorate the success of its recent film that entails the experience of astronomers in space and their life in space. Their work has been triumphant because of careful application of the seven P’s crucial in the current, competitive environment. For

Theatre †HL “Habit” †David Mamet Wordcount Essay Example for Free

Theatre – HL â€Å"Habit† – David Mamet Wordcount Essay In this excerpt of his book â€Å"True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor† David Mamet is discussing the importance of habitual behavior in relation to success in theatre and our daily lives. In my opinion, he does this in a very mechanical kind of way, matching certain places (e.g. â€Å"rehearsal†, â€Å"home† and â€Å"the stage†) with certain activities (e.g. â€Å"work†, â€Å"reflection† and â€Å"action†). This might work as a technique of creating places of concentration and inspiration for some people, but will definitely not work for everyone; therefore Mamet shouldn’t be stating it as a generally applicable formula for successful acting and theatre. Another deficiency of his theory is that he solely takes into account the technical part of theatre, giving immense importance to qualities such as bounteous punctuality and knowing your lines by heart. I do believe in the importance of these practices, seeing as they support the development of meaningful theatre, but by no means are they responsible for its creation. Being on time and knowing your lines will create space and time for you to settle in, calm down, concentrate and forget the troubles of your private life. Being structured and organized will enable you to be genuine and emotional on stage. These character traits create room for the truly important aspects of theatre and thereby characterize a responsible actor. It will simplify and facilitate the procedure of rehearsal, saving time and making the process more efficient. However, an individual that has no talent and passion for acting, won’t develop into a ‘good’ actor merely by being early for rehearsal and knowing all of his lines perfectly. The reason why these traits are relevant to me is because they emphasize the role of an actor not only as an individual but also as a member of an ensemble. Knowing your lines and being on time demonstrates professionalism and respect towards your colleagues. Mamet mentions the importance of habits that are more spiritual though as well, such as cultivating a â€Å"love of skill† or â€Å"the habit of mutuality† or â€Å"the habit of truth† in one self. Depending on your definition of theatre, cultivating these habits can affect your theatre positively. This applies when your goal of producing theatre is to improve conditions in the world in a greater sense and wanting your audience to leave your production with a positive feeling or determination to change/improve conditions they live in. Another thing Mamet discusses in this excerpt is the role of an actor to society, his true occupation being that of a philosopher and his task being telling the truth – even in â€Å"the moment when the audience would rather not hear it†. This supports my view of theatre, which is that theatre should be having an educating and awakening effect on its audience – on society.

Personality Interests And Career Suitability

Personality Interests And Career Suitability The purpose of this report is to examine my suitability for the career I wish to pursue as well as look at other areas that maybe more suited to my personality and interests. I will highlight my suitability to the career in which I have chosen through self-awareness and career exercises. I will be analysing these findings and determining my suitability for my chosen career as well as the implications that I may face. I will then review potential career opportunities of interest to me and why I have chosen this particular career as well as reviewing the selection procedure that I would have to go through in order to join the Metropolitan police service. Finally, I will produce an action plan for the next 5 years based on my career and life goals and the steps I would need to take in order to achieve my goals. Throughout this report I will be referring to material that I have used that can be located at the end of this report in the appendixes. A Future on the Front Line Initial Reflections In my Career Planning Preparation Questionnaire  [1]  (See Appendix I), I outlined occupations that I was considering. After further thought into this, I have decided that my main goal is to join the Metropolitan Police Service, although I will be conducting research into Mi5 as a back up option if I was not successful in joining the Police service. The report was very accurate in that it stated that I was a very confident person and knew what interests me and what sort of career I would like to pursue which I believe will be evident throughout this report. In the comments section at the end of each section I set my self tasks to complete, I have done all of these I purchased the book stated, this proved useful when completing assignment one in for which I got a very good grade. I have completed the Prospects Planner  [2]  (Appendix V) and this will be referred to throughout. I have also conducted extensive research into the Metropolitan Police service and Mi5. Self- Awareness Analysis and Reflection Following the Type Dynamics Indicator  [3]   In order to understand the type of person I am and what sort of job my personality would be best suited to and that implications that may arise I conducted the Type Dynamics Indicator Exercise (Appendix II) After answering a number of questions, the indicator suggested that I preferred the style of co-ordinator. This is one of the most organised and responsible of the types. A more detailed analysis can be found in the appendix. When I read the report and compared it to how I view myself and how this would fit into the police force, I found it to be very useful and insightful. Throughout my career I have always preferred an ordered and disciplined work environment, hands on roles rather than office based work, and I loathe work which is unstructured or wastes time. My preferred style also explains why creative writing and performing arts have never interested me, as this is not typical of a co-ordinator. I enjoy taking responsibility in teams, which is evident throughout my academic and voluntary roles. I was form representative throughout secondary school, college and university. I was also chair of Basildon Youth council for 3 years. According to the report, the above elements are very typical of a co-ordinator. I can be a very tough leader. I am very organised and ensure everyone has a task and a deadline by which to complete it by. I will also put equal if not more work into the task as well and respect those who do too. Many co-ordinators are found in the police force. This is because they are organised, traditional, loyal and efficient and the job gives them a role where duty, courage and a sense of responsibility are the foundations and together with purpose, direction and delivery. I think my preferred style is very suited to a career in the Police force. Although areas I may wish to improve are flexibility, allowing people to do things in their own way and being more appreciative to other peoples feelings. My Strengths and Weaknesses I used the activity How Well Do You Know Yourself  [4]  to help me highlight my strengths and weaknesses. I had to select five words that described me, including at least one weakness, I asked two of my house mates whom I have lived with for 2 years to do the same. The results are outlined below. How I see myself: Outgoing Moody Driven Reliable Authoritative How others see me: Aggressive Outgoing Confident Driven Authoritative It appears that I see myself very similar to how others see me. Both my friends and I also stated that I was driven which hopefully will stand out when I go for through the selection process and promotions. One of my weaknesses that I put down was that I can be moody, this was not picked up on by my friends by they did state that I can be aggressive. This may prove a problem when in the police force and so I should try to be less aggressive and abrupt when dealing with people as this may aggravate situations, instead I will be more authoritative as this will also resolve situations. Because I have been involved in voluntary work from a young age this is also one of my major strengths as not only do the police view those who have undertaken voluntary work very highly I have also worked in a wide range of different teams with different police and developed numerous skills such as communication, presenting, leadership, teamwork, delegation and compromising. The work I have also undertaken with the police with add to my strengths further as I have a more in depth knowledge of the workings of the police that not a lot of other candidates will. Analysis of Career Interests To assist me to identify my career interests I used the John Holland Career Interest Inventory  [5]  . My Results stated that my code was ESI. A description of the different aspects is below. Realistic Investigative Artistic Social Enterprising Conventional People who have athletic or mechanical ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors. People who like to observe,learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems. People who have artistic, innovating or intuitional abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity. People who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, help, train, or cure them, or are skilled with words. People who like to work with people, influencing, persuading, performing, leading or managing for organizational goals or economic gain. People who like to work with data, have clerical or numerical ability, carry out tasks in detail or follow through on others instructions 6 My most popular interest area was enterprising. A more detailed analysis of this on the same website, said that I am self confident, assertive, ambitious, popular and extroverted  [7]  which are similar qualities to those highlighted in my strengths and weakness section. It also stated that I enjoy heading meetings, evidence of which is my 3 years as chair of Basildon Youth Council and achieving awards, something that of course I always enjoy. Occupations that matched my code included, computer operators, paramedic and stoke brooking, although none of these careers has ever interested me. A police officer matches the Holland code of SER. I matched the social and enterprising aspect but lacked in the realistic aspect as in the description it stated that the interests include working with machinery, plants, and tools which is something that does not appeal to me. I still believe my interests match closely with that of a Police officer and that my interests will still be fulfilled. Analysis of Career motivators and Drivers I completed an exercise  [8]  developed by Dave Francis in order to highlight my career drivers (Appendix III). The two highest scoring elements were material rewards and power/influence. I was not surprised by the power/influence element as I enjoy taking on responsibility and believe I perform better in teams that I am leading. I was surprised by the material rewards element. I have never considered myself a material person, but that maybe because I have never been in a strong financial position as I am from a low-income background. My need for a better life where I do not have to worry about money maybe what is driving me to succeed and may be why I have chosen to take a degree in order to be able to apply for the high development scheme within the police force to aid my promotion prospects. I maybe further motivate to gain promotion because power and influence drives me to succeed. I dont think I would be happy in a career which does not allow me to develop or where there is no opportunity for promotion. Prospects Planner Results I completed a personal profile on the prospectus website  [9]  (Appendix IV). In the skills area I matched 100% in three areas, counselling, social and guidance services, human resources and employment and legal services. I believe this is a good match to me as I have been involved in a lot of youth and community engagement work through my voluntary roles and I enjoyed this very much. I also undertook a 4-week work placement while I was at school with McCormacks Criminal Defence Solicitors that I enjoyed too. I was surprised that I scored so highly on human resources as this is an area I have never considered or interested me before. My highest scoring on my interests and motivations was again counselling at 71% and teaching at 69%. I was surprised that I scored highly on teaching as this is another area that has never interested me. My combined profile matched most highly with counselling with legal services very close behind. Both of these have interested me throughout my life and I would consider a career in these areas if I were unsuccessful in my original career plans or wanted a change of career later in life. Appendix V demonstrates how well my combined profile matches the job of a police officer. My overall match was good however; there are some areas that I scored ok or poorly in. After looking at the report the areas in which I have said I would like to avoid or be a minor part of my job are those that I would not mind incorporating into my career. They are things I am competent at so I do not think they will prevent me from enjoying or performing my role as a police officer My Career and Life Goals Pass my driving test Have a degree with a 2.1 or first class classification Successfully gain employment with the metropolitan police service Gain promotion Career opportunities Although a large part of this report will be based on the Police force I have also conducted research into Mi5 as I will need a back up option if I were not successful in joining the police. Mi5 Graduate Positions Graduate positions within Mi5 are advertised on their website (http://www.mi5careers.gov.uk) a specification of a job that would appeal to me is attached to this report  [10]  (Appendix VI). Before you apply for the job you are invited to complete a short test  [11]  of scenarios with possible responses which you have to select in order to test your suitability to the role. I conducted this exercise and a copy of my results can be found under appendix VII. Eligibility Criteria In order to join you have to be at least 18 years old, you must be a British citizen and one of your parents also has to be. You have to have been resident in Britain for at least 9 out of the last 10 years prior to your application. This does not apply to those who have been serving abroad with HM Forces. You also have to be of good mental and physical health. Depending on the role you apply for you may have to meet other requirements such as degree classification or previous experience. Recruitment Process The recruitment process is quite lengthy and can last up to 6 months. The first step is to get an application form from one of the services external recruitment agencies. If your application meets the required standard you will then be shot listed and the best candidates on the short list will be invited for a competency based interview with the services graduate recruitment team. If successful you will then attend a one day assessment centre where a range of competencies will be tested. Successful completion of this will lead onto another interview this time with the services vetting section. This will last for at least 2 hours and will involve personal questions about your background and lifestyle to ensure you are suitable to having access to sensitive material. Those who pass this element will return for a final interview with the final selection board. If successful the vetting process is then complete and a job offer will be made. Depending on what role you are applying for you may need to do additional assessments such as fitness tests, medical examinations and in the case of the vacancy attached to this report you also have to do a 2 hour driving assessment. Training Once you have been appointed you undertake a week long initial induction course prior to taking up then post and then you will undertake a two-year training programme. Metropolitan Police Service Graduate Positions The recruitment process is open to everybody and is not limited to graduates only. In order to apply for the Metropolitan Police Service you have to complete an application form, in which it asks you to give examples of a number of competences. The only way you can get one is to attend one of the recruitment events that are held throughout the year in various different areas of London, details of the events can be found on their website http://www.met.police.uk/careers/events.html. This is to assess your dedication to the force to which you are applying. Eligibility Criteria In order to join the police you must be a British Citizen, a citizen of the EU or other states in the EEA, or a Commonwealth citizen or foreign national with indefinite leave to remain in the UK. The minimum age is 181/2 but you can apply to join at 18. There are no formal qualifications needed although you will be required to be able to pass the tests. You must also be physically and mentally fit enough to perform the duties of a police officer. Recruitment Process The recruitment process can take in excess of 12 months. If you are successful in the application stage, which 65-75% of people are not due to poorly filled out application forms  [12]  , you will be sent notification of your assessment centre date and information regarding the process. While at the assessment centre, you will be a customer service officer and the scenarios and exercises will be based around a fictitious shopping centre called the Westshire Centre. During the assessment centre, you will undertake two 20 minute written exercises, which could be a report and a letter for example. This will test your problem solving, communication and written skills. The interview is the next part. It generally last 15-20 minutes and you will be asked 4 different questions and you will have to provide examples of things you have done in the past to demonstrate you competency in different areas. You will then go through four interactive role-play stations. At each station you will be given five minutes preparation time at each station in which to study the background information to the role play and make any notes which you can take in with you. When the five minutes are up you will enter a room, interact with a role-play actor, and deal with the situation for five minutes. The last exercise you complete at the assessment centre is the Police Initial Recruitment Test, which consists of two papers; Numeric (12 minutes), and Verbal Logical Reasoning (25 minutes). You will receive results of your assessment centre within 14 days. Each of the competencies tested will be graded between A-D, D being the lowest. If you have passed, you will also be sent details of the next stage of the assessment, which is the fitness tests and medical. Firstly, you will undergo a medical in which your hearing, vision, blood pressure, body fat etc will be tested. Your height and weight will also be taken. If you pass the medical, you can progress to the fitness test. The first stage of the fitness test will measure your upper body strength. There is two parts pushing and pulling, these will both be measured on a Dyno machine. You need pull at 35kg and push at least 34kg to pass. The next test is a bleep test. In this test, you will run between two points 15 meters apart. You will run to one end turn around wait for the beep and run back to the other end before the other beep. As the test, progresses the beeps will get closer and closer together through the levels. You will have to reach at least level 5.4 to pass. Once you have completed this section successfully you will go through the final vetting and reference checks, if this is successful you will then be formally offered employment and fitted for your uniform. Training When you start, you will initially undertake a 5-week module at Hendon Recruit Training School after which you are designated a borough where you will carry out a remaining 26 weeks training as part of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme.  [13]   Every recruit will undergo a 2-year probationary period before they will become a fully trained constable. High Potential Development Scheme Those who show potential during training will automatically be invited to join the High Potential Development Scheme, you can also apply to join the High Development Potential Scheme after one year with the service, you do not need to have a degree to apply, but you must be able to cope with the academic demands. It is anticipated that there will only be 60 places on the scheme in the Metropolitan Police Force for 2009  [14]  . In order to apply you will have to fill out an application form when they become available, you can find out when they are available from your boroughs HDPS representative. If you are successful the assessment takes place in three stages. Stage one an in-force assessment where candidates will demonstrate the ability to meet the high level eligibility criteria. Forces will be asked to recommend their very best officers. Stage two is a series of ability tests, including tests of your verbal, numerical and non-verbal ability, and a test of your judgement and decision making in a range of managerial scenarios. These tests are designed along the same lines as the selection tests used for the Strategic Command Course, they will ensure that candidates have the ability to deal with the required academic programme. However, dependent on how many people are recommended, these tests may also be used to select the best officers on merit to attend the assessment centre at Stage 3. Stage three is an assessment centre incorporating; written exercises, interactive exercises, an oral briefing exercise and a competency-based interview. Candidates will also take a personality questionnaire. The feedback from the questionnaire will only be used to give all applicants developmental feedback; it is not part of the selection process  [15]  . If you are successful, you will then embark on a two-year development programme leading to a postgraduate diploma related to policing in which you will be assessed throughout the whole process. Workplace support and development is also available. Those who are successful at this stage and still show potential to reach Chief Officer level can go onto the next level where they will undertake further development leading on to a masters. Promotion will be given to those who can show the Chief Officer that they are competent in the next rank and pass the relevant exams; the advantage to this is that they do not have to wait for vacancies to come up and therefore move through the ranks quicker than those who are not on the scheme. Even those who are not on the Scheme can still apply for promotion once they have completed their 2-year probationary period. There are numerous opportunities to specialise further. There are various different departments that you can work in such as the dog section, CID, Scenes of Crime, Intelligence, Terrorist Division, armed response, air support etc. Pay and Benefits During training you will be paid  £28,497 and after completion of training this will rise to  £31,068  [16]  .A more detailed break down of the salary for officers at all different levels can be found as Appendix VIII of this report. You will also have access to a comprehensive pension scheme and free travel within your borough. Why the Police Service? When I was 10 I attended an open day at the local police station. I was amazed at the variety of work they undertook and the job really appealed to me. I started getting involved in volunteer work I became a member of the Basildon Youth Council and this lead on to further opportunities to work closely with the police where I learnt a lot about the force and the job. I continued aiming to become a police officer and decided to study Public Services at college. I wanted a vocational course that enabled me to learn more about the jobs within the police as well as giving me opportunity to work with the police and other organisations. Now I am at University studying the degree of Policing and Criminal Investigation. I chose this I get to study various aspects of the work of the Police in detail as well as learn English law in great depth too. The degree will also assist me when I join the police and apply for the High Development Potential Scheme. A career in the police force appeals to me, as I would like a job that is both challenging and rewarding whilst giving something back to the community and making a different in the lives of those around us. Although it does have some drawbacks. It is a very dangerous career as you are the first response to most violent incidents, some incidents you attend can also be very traumatic. Because of the shift patterns it can leave very little time for a social life and plans which you make may have to be cancelled due to more pressing work. Action Plan I am now going to create an action plan for myself based on my career and life goals previously mentioned. Pass my driving test By the end of summer 2009 I will have passed my driving test. I am going to achieve this by taking a week long crash course in Blackpool, costing around  £1000; this cost will include 40 hours worth of driving, my theory and practical test costs as well. This will assist me when applying for Mi5 and the police service. Have a degree with a 2.1 or first class classification By then end of summer 2010 I hope to have gained my degree with a 2.1 classification or higher. I will achieve this by attending all my lectures and seminars, conducting extra reading and research. Planning assignments in advance and conducting extensive research and reading to enable me to complete my assignments to the best of my ability. I will also be continually revising throughout the year to ensure I am ready for my exams. Successfully gain employment with the Metropolitan Police Service During my last semester at university I will regularly check the metropolitan police website to see where the recruitment events are where I can obtain an application form. After obtaining this I will spend a lot of time filling this out correcting with good examples. If I am successful at this stage I will then conduct practise for the assessment centre by rehearsing interviews studying the information regarding the assessments and build on my fitness. Gain Promotion If I gain employment with the police service I will continually work hard to show my willing and ability to join the High Development Scheme. I will request an application form when they become available and if I am successful in joining the scheme I will work hard to complete the exercises that are required of me and continually show my enthusiasm and capabilities, Conclusion After completing the self-awareness and career tests, I discovered that my personality would be very suited to a job in the police force. In the Type Dynamics Indicator  [17]  , my preferred style was a co-ordinator and one of the better suited occupations to this style is a police officer. My strengths that were highlighted in the how well do you know yourself  [18]  exercise will assist me while I am in the Police force as both my friends and I said I was authoritative. Although being moody and aggressive were my weaknesses I can work on these issues and they shouldnt pose a problem when I join the Police force. Although my career interests inventory did not match exactly with that of a Police Office I still had two elements, social and enterprising, that matches a police office so I still will be a good match for the job and my interests do not differ majorily. My career drivers, material rewards and power and influence, will help motivate me and encourage me to go for promotions and which is why I want to apply for the High Potential Development Scheme in the police force which I discussed earlier in the report. Finally, whilst my prospects planner results did not highlight the police force as being one of the best matches the occupations I did match had elements that were needed in the police force and when I matched my profile with a police officer it proved a good match. Overall, I believe the exercises did not highlight many implications for my career choice. After conducting research into Mi5 and the Metropolitan Police Service I decided that I will defiantly be applying for the Metropolitan Police service as my first choice employer and if I were successful in gaining employment I will be applying to join the High Potential Development scheme as well. Although, if I were not successful I believe Mi5 will also provide me with just as an exciting and challenging career that I would be happy in. In conclusion, I will work towards the targets that I have set myself in this report and hopefully I will be successful in reaching my career aims.

Abercrombie & Fitch Essay -- History Background Essays

Abercrombie & Fitch In America today, there are many different clothing stores. There are stores setting images for all ages, and styles. The majority of the upper-class stores are setting the American image for the young adult population. Many of the advertisements for these stores are somewhat similar. I have spent the last year and a half working in a clothing store called, â€Å"Abercrombie and Fitch†. Seeing this store change and grow with its image of vintage American clothing, I have found many rhetorical issues. Within this essay I will be discussing the many rhetorical issues of the clothing company â€Å"Abercrombie and Fitch†. Abercrombie and Fitch, a clothing company, that advertises, to the American young adult population, was founded in 1892 by two men; David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch. David T. Abercrombie was born in Baltimore and was a former inventor and taper. Ezra Fitch was a successful lawyer. David convinced Ezra to become his partner in 1892, when the company was founded. By 1904 Abercrombie was the largest outdoor equipment and clothing store in the US. Today A&F is one of the biggest clothing companies, selling the â€Å"all-American† vintage look. When Abercrombie advertises a new season, the company goes all out. Whether it is fall, winter, spring or summer, the advertisements are all promoting the same things. These advertisements are full of either slim or buff young adults, modeling the A&F clothing line. Posters of models are hung all around the store. Abercrombie catalogs are made available to purchase in the store, and there is also the option to receive the catalog in the mail. The shopping bags even have these characteristic models on them. Not only do these magazines, pos... ...son. I realize that when advertising clothes for a company that a company want the image to look good and appealing. I think that A&F has so many problems with their company, because of the people they use as their models. Not just anyone can model for A&F. The standards are very high, which makes becoming an Abercrombie model challenging. I really don’t have a problem with the way A&F advertises their company, but I can see where some people might think that it is wrong. Abercrombie is setting this image of what the look should be for the men and women wearing the clothing. A&F is mainly trying to sell to the young adult era, not the teeny bobber era. Using beautiful people, to set the â€Å"all American† vintage image, season after season is something that is part of the A&F Company. It sets a fun and comfortable look for the young men and women of America today.

At I essentially am not in madness Essay

â€Å"That I essentially am not in madness, But mad in Craft† Consider the importance of pretence and acting in Hamlet. Do you entirely agree with Hamlet’s claim? The idea of a character feigning madness is commonplace in great literary works; many authors use it to show the sanity of a character. Shakespeare has used this idea throughout the play, Hamlet. In this masterpiece, there is much debate around the protagonist, Hamlet, and whether his madness was real or feigned: literary scholars have debated this for more than four hundred years. Shakespeare uses a theme of madness in this play to illustrate how one must use deception in order to deceive others to reach the truth. Thus, in this play, the tragic hero contemplates his own moral judgements and in the process is considered mad. Hamlet claims to feign his madness, as he says to Horatio and Marcellus in Act 1 Scene 5, â€Å"How strange or odd some’er I bear myself- As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To Put an antic disposition on. † This quote illustrates how Hamlet intends to pretend to be mad in order to reach the truth within this court, which Hamlet describes as, â€Å"out of joint,† which once again highlights the disordered state of affairs. However, society has an even greater effect on Hamlet because his madness could be a sign of his inability to determine between right and wrong and to make appropriate decisions in the context of his society. Towards the opening of the play, in Act 1 Scene 2, Hamlet says to his mother, Gertrude, â€Å"Nay it is. I know not what ‘seems’. † Thus, Hamlet is saying he does not what it is to pretend because he only knows what it is to be. This quotation is ironic because it is the crux of the scholarly dispute: if Hamlet only knows what it is to be, then his madness must be genuine. In Shakespearian society, it was commonly believed that when an individual told a lie they ended up believing it so strongly that they eventually started to live that lie. In this way, Hamlet is a young man who has suffered a series of unfortunate circumstances that could have propagated a descent into madness. Initially his attempt to feign madness could be considered as a method by which he can camouflage his inability to find an emotional catalyst to thrust him into a frenzied state of revenge: his response to the ghost’s revelation is relatively passive considering the repercussions it will have within the court. Thus, it would seem that perhaps his feigning of madness actually manifests itself in reality, as Hamlet struggles to distinguish between all the lies he is forced to tell and enters the spiralling mendacity within the court. In contrast to Hamlet, Ophelia subsequently develops a certainly genuine sanity due to the death of her father. Throughout the play, Ophelia is manipulated by Shakespeare, as a symbol of innocence because she is not part of the scheming, manipulative court; thus, her madness illustrates the effect on the innocent by those manipulating power. Ophelia herself says, â€Å"I was the more deceived,† talking with Hamlet of their love. Her madness may also be, to some degree, a product of her seemingly unrequited love for Hamlet. In Act 3 Scene 1, the parted lovers each illustrate their frustrations with the world and their argument may be responsible for sending both further into madness. Ophelia says, â€Å"O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown,† which alludes to Hamlet’s emotional unbalance that has been poignantly reflected via Shakespeare’s change from his regular verse for Hamlet’s preceding tirade. This could be demonstrative of a whirlwind within Hamlet’s mind that causes him to abandon all rhyme and reason both mentally and in his expression of his thoughts. His rudeness and the confused emotions, which he presents before Ophelia may also lead to her later insanity and therefore, Hamlet may feel some guilt that further enhances his own mental instability. Hamlet’s claim in Act 3 Scene 4 to his mother, â€Å"That I essentially am not in madness, But mad in Craft,† would suggest that Hamlet still retains his purpose and motivation and has not started to live his lie. However, it could also be the ramblings of a lost and confused man, caught up in a spiral of emotions. The use of the word â€Å"craft† implies Hamlet’s cunningness in his approach to revenge. He appears to think he has manipulated himself so that he retains the upper hand: this can be reinforced by Shakespeare’s use of a play within a play in Act 3 Scene 2. The concept of a play within a play reinforces the idea of pretence and seeming. Hamlet’s directions to the players serve to illustrate the subtle balance acting and being. Hamlet feels that the â€Å"purpose of playing† is â€Å"to hold as ’twere the mirror up to nature: to show virtue her feature. † Therefore, acting in Hamlet’s eyes would be replicating emotions exactly, as though they were real. This is where Shakespeare manipulates the audience because Hamlet’s definition of successful playing may, also, therefore, be reflected in his pretence of madness. In order to feign madness, he must reflect nature exactly and it is here where the distinction becomes blurred because Hamlet himself is treading a fine line, as he attempts to sustain a pretence and thus, it becomes increasingly difficult to determine whether or not he is in fact still pretending as the play progresses. Shakespeare’s choice to make Hamlet conduct his own play is clearly an attempt to demonstrate Hamlet’s manipulative abilities and to a certain degree to still suggests that he has retained his sanity because it allows him to gauge the response of King Claudius before engaging in revenge. Therefore, this would suggest that Hamlet is a sly and slightly devious character, perhaps as much so as the rest of the court: however, fundamentally, it might indicate that he is acting logically and methodically via the theatre as his chosen medium. This innate subtly of his manipulation would suggest there is a certain â€Å"craft† to his revenge that is carefully calculated and thus, it is only his method which may seem extreme and it is not a reflection of his sanity. A defining scene that stimulates much scholarly dispute is Act 3 Scene 4, where the ghost reappears to Hamlet in the presence of his mother. The source of the dispute lies in whether on this occasion the ghost is real or simply a figment of Hamlet’s imagination because it is evident that Gertrude cannot see the ghost, â€Å"This is the very coinage of your brain. This bodiless creation ecstasy Is very cunning in. † Shakespeare could here be using Gertrude as a mouth piece, to lead the audience into believing Hamlet is now no longer feigning his madness. However, an important contrast with Ophelia’s madness is that she rambles and appears to have no rhyme or reason in the words she utters, whereas Hamlet maintains purpose and retains his factors of motivation, such as his resentment towards his mother and women in general. This scene is poignant in leading the audience towards their interpretation of Hamlet’s mental disposition and it is important to recognise that this can also be manipulated by the actors themselves and the way they perform this scene. It is a very emotionally charged scene and the use of dramatics and theatrical stage devices will have a certain influence on how Hamlet’s madness is perceived. In conclusion, Hamlet is an unbalanced individual thrown into a state of turmoil, as he has had his fears confirmed by the appearance of his father’s ghost. However, it would seem that Shakespeare, perhaps intentionally, has left a large degree of the interpretation of Hamlet’s â€Å"antic disposition† to the audience and to the artistic licence of the actors. Whilst this may not have been Shakespeare’s intention, as he is renowned for his perfectionism and influence on the performances of his plays, it has created a play that is still subject to much literary discussion and intense analysis, in order to settle one of literature’s greatest disputes: one that is likely never to be settled. However, by studying the text it seems that Hamlet is feigning his madness throughout the play but his exuberance and authenticity progresses along with the play. It is an insight in a mind filled with a whirlwind of emotions and Hamlet’s use of a play would appear to simply reflect his preference to use words rather than actions, as can be seen my many of the play on words he uses in his speech. Hamlet himself says that acting must be an accurate reflection of nature and therefore, Ophelia’s insanity may have provided inspiration, rather than sending him even further into his own madness. The most influential aspect of the play that has lead to this personal response is the contrast between Hamlet and Ophelia’s madness. Throughout the play he maintains a high level of thought and emotional complexity and responds to all the actions of those around him, which would suggest that he is not in a world of his own created by insanity. Instead he is continually able to refute allegations of insanity when he wants be listened and adhered to, â€Å"My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time, And makes as healthful music. It is not madness That I have utter’d. † Thus, it is difficult to reach a resounding decision on his â€Å"antic disposition† due to Shakespeare’s accurate portrayal of a complex web of emotions; however, ultimately, it would seem he desired to reflect the potential for confusion of emotions whilst maintaining the coherency of his tragic hero. Bibliography â€Å"Hamlet† by Shakespeare, edited by Roma Gill, M. A. Cantab. , B. Litt. Oxon. Published by Oxford University Press, 2002. Aniela Baseley 13Fo English Coursework 2005/6.

How to Write a Great College Application Essay Title

How to Write a Great College Application Essay Title Your application essays title is the first thing the admissions folks will read. Although there are many ways to approach the title, youll want those words at the top of the page to make the proper impression. Why a Title? Lets start with the  basics: Is your essay about something? Do you want your reader to know what its about? If so, your essay needs a title. Ask yourself which work youd be more excited to read: The Casque of Amontillado or Some Random Story by Edgar Allan Poe Thats About Something that Youll Figure Out After You Read It. If you dont provide a title, you dont give your reader any reason to be interested in beginning your essay other than a sense of duty. Make sure the college admissions folks are motivated to read your essay by curiosity, not by the necessity of their assigned drudge work. Picture a newspaper in which every article lacks a title. What article do you want to read? Which ones sound interesting? Clearly a newspaper without titles would be ridiculous. Application essays arent that different. Your reader wants to know what it is that he or she is going to read. The Purpose of an Application Essay Title Weve established that you need a title. But what makes a title effective? First off, think about the purpose of a title: A good title should grab your readers attention.Related to #1, a title should make your reader want to read your essay.The title should provide a sense of what your essay is about. When it comes to #3, realize that you dont need to be too detailed. Academic essays often have titles that look like this: Julia Camerons Photography: A Study of the Use of Long Shutter Speeds to Create Spiritual Effects. For an application essay, such a title would come across as over-written, pompous, and ridiculous. Consider how a reader would react to an essay with the title,  The Authors Trip to Costa Rica and How It Changed His Attitude Towards Biodiversity and Sustainability. After reading such a long and belabored title, the admissions folks wouldnt feel like they need to read the actual essay. Sample Good Essay Titles In general, there are no concrete rules for titles. Good titles can take a variety of forms: A good title can be clever or play with words. See, for example, Porkopolis  by Felicity or Buck Up  by Jill. Porkopolis is a nonsense word, but it works well for an essay on becoming a vegetarian in a meat-centric world, and Buck Up employs both a literal and figurative meaning of the phrase. As youll read below, however, you dont necessarily want to try to be too clever. Such efforts can backfire.A title can be provocative. As an example, a student who wrote about encountering new foods while abroad titled her essay Eating Eyeballs. If your essay focuses on a humorous, shocking or embarrassing moment in your life, its often easy to write an attention-grabbing title. Titles such as Puking on the President, Romeos Ripped Tights, and The Wrong Goal are sure to peek your readers interest.An essay title can be concise and straight-forward. Dont feel that you need great wit and alliteration in your title. Simple and direct language can be quite effective. Consider, for example, The J ob I Should Have Quit  by Drew,  Wallflower  by Eileen, and Striking Out  by Richard. These titles dont play with words or reveal great wit, but they accomplish their purpose perfectly well. In all of these cases, the title has provided at least a partial sense of the essays subject matter, and each has motivated the reader to continue reading. What the heck does Porkopolis mean? Why did you eat eyeballs? Why should you have quit your job? Avoid These Title Mistakes There are some common missteps that applicants make when it comes to titles. Be aware of these pitfalls: Vague language. Youll be off to a remarkably bland start if your essay is titled Three Things That Matter to Me or A Bad Experience. Bad (or good or evil or nice) is a painfully subjective and meaningless word, and the word things might have worked well in Tim OBriens The Things They Carried, but it rarely adds anything of value to your essay. Be precise, not vague.Broad, overly general language. This is a continuation of the vague language problem. Some titles try to cover far too much. You dont want to call your essay My Life Story or My Personal Growth or An Eventful Upbringing. Such titles suggest that you are going to attempt to narrate years of your life in a few hundred words. Any such effort is doomed to failure, and your reader will be doubting your essay before beginning the first paragraph.Overblown vocabulary. The best essays use clear and accessible language. When a writer attempts to sound intelligent by adding unnecessary syllables to every word, the reading experience is often torturous. When an essays title is My Utilization of Erroneous Rationalizations During My Pupilage, the readers immediate response is going to be pure dread. No one wants to read 600 words of that garbage. Strained cleverness. Be careful if youre relying on wordplay in your title. Not all readers are fans of puns, and a title may sound ridiculous if the reader doesnt understand a supposedly clever allusion. Cleverness is a good thing, but test out your title on your acquaintances to make sure it works.Clichà ©s. If your title relies on a clichà ©, youre suggesting that the experience that you are narrating is unremarkable and commonplace. You dont want the first impression of your essay to be that you have nothing original to say. So if you find yourself writing When the Cat Got My Tongue or Burning the Midnight Oil, stop yourself and reevaluate your title.Misspellings. Finally, nothing is more embarrassing than a misspelled title. There, at the top of the page in bold letters, youve used the word its instead of its, or you wrote about patients instead of patience. We all make these mistakes, but take extra care with your application essay. An error in the title is a sure way to elim inate any confidence your reader has in your writing ability. A Final Word About Application Essay Titles Many writers- both novices and experts- have a difficult time coming up with a title that works well. Dont hesitate to write your essay first and then, once your ideas have truly taken shape, go back and craft the title. Also, dont hesitate to seek help with your title. A brainstorming session with friends can often generate far better titles than a solitary session of pounding your head on your keyboard. You do want to get your title right- its going to make an immediate impression on the admissions folks who read your essay, and you clearly want them to enter your essay in a curious and eager state of mind. Finally, if youre writing your essay for the Common Application, keep in mind that your title will go in the text box with the rest of the essay, and the title will count toward your essays overall word count.

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero

Biography of El Cid, Medieval Spanish Hero El Cid (1045–July 10, 1099), whose birth name was Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar), is a Spanish national hero, a mercenary soldier who fought for the Spanish king Alfonso VII to liberate parts of Spain from the Almoravid dynasty and eventually captured the Muslim caliphate of Valencia and ruled his own kingdom. Fast Facts: El Cid Known For: National hero of Spain, mercenary soldier against Christian and Muslims, ruler of ValenciaBirth Name: Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar (or Bibar)Born: c. 1045 near Burgos, SpainParents: Diego Lainez and a daughter of Rodrigo AlvarezDied: July 10, 1099 in Valencia, SpainEducation: Trained in the Castilian court of Sancho IISpouse: Jimena (m. July 1074)Children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar was born into a chaotic period in Spanish history when much of the southern two-thirds of the Iberian peninsula had been conquered by Islamic forces during the Arab conquest beginning in the 8th century CE. In 1009, the Islamic Umayyad Caliphate collapsed and disintegrated into competing city-states, called taifa. The northern third of the peninsula was broken into principalities- Leà ³n, Castile, Navarre, Barcelona, Asturia, Galacia, and others- who fought each other and their Arab conquistadors.  Islamic rule in Iberia varied from place to place, as did the borders of the principalities, but the last city to be liberated by the Christian Reconquista was the Emirate of Granada in 1492.   Early Life El Cid was born Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar or Ruy Dà ­az de Vivar in the town of Vivar in the Castilian principality near Burgos, Spain in about 1045. His father was Diego Lainez, a soldier in the battle at Atapuerco in 1054, which was fought between the brothers King Ferdinand I of Leà ³n (Ferdinand the Great, ruled 1038–1065) and King Garcà ­a Snchez III of Navarre (r. 1012–1054). Some sources report that Diego was a descendant of Lain Calvo, a legendary duumvir (magistrate) in the Court of Ordoà ±o II (King of Galacia, ruled 914–924). Although her name is not known, Diegos mother was a niece of the Castilian diplomat Nuà ±o Alvarez de Carazo (1028–1054) and his wife Doà ±a Godo; she named her son after her father, Rodrigo Alvarez. Diego Laniez died in 1058, and Rodrigo was sent to be the ward of Ferdinands son Sancho who resided at his fathers court in Castile, then part of Leà ³n. There Rodrigo likely received formal schooling in the schools which had been built by Ferdinand, learning how to read and write, as well as training in the use of arms, horsemanship, and the art of the chase. He may have been trained to arms by Pedro Ansurez, a Castilian count (1037–1119), known to have been in residence at Ferdinands court at the time. Military Career In 1065, Ferdinand died and his kingdom was divided up between his sons. The eldest, Sancho received Castile; the second, Alfonso, Leà ³n; and the region of Galicia was carved out of the northwest corner to create a separate state for Garcà ­a. The three brothers proceeded to fight one another for the entire kingdom of Ferdinand: Sancho and Alfonso together fended off Garcia and then fought each other. El Cids first military appointment was as standard-bearer and commander of troops for Sancho. Sancho emerged victoriously and reunited their fathers possessions under his control in 1072. Sancho died childless in 1072, and his brother Alfonso VI (ruled 1072–1109) inherited the kingdom. Having fought for Sancho, Rodrigo now found himself in an awkward situation with the Alfonso administration. According to some records, the breach between Rodrigo and Alfonso was healed when Rodrigo married a woman named Jimena (or Ximena), a member of a high-ranking Asturian family in the mid-1070s; some reports say she was Alfonsos niece. A 14th-century romance written about El Cid said he killed Jimenas father the Count of Gomez de Gormaz in battle, after which she went to Ferdinand to beg for redress. When Ferdinand refused to pay, she demanded Rodrigos hand in marriage which he willingly gave. El Cids main biographer, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez Pidal, thinks that is unlikely since Ferdinand died in 1065. Whoever she was and however their marriage came about, Ximena and Rodrigo had three children: Cristina, Maria, and Diego Rodriguez, all of whom married into royalty. Diego was killed at the battle of Consuega in 1097. Despite his presence serving as a magnet for Alfonsos opponents, Dà ­az served Ferdinand loyally for several years, while Ferdinand waged war against Almoravid invaders. Then, after leading an unauthorized military raid campaign into the Muslim-controlled taifa Toledo, which was a tributary kingdom of Leon-Castile, Dà ­az was exiled. Fighting for Saragossa Upon exile, Diaz went to the Muslim taifa Saragossa (also spelled Zaragoza) in the valley of the Ebro, where he served as a mercenary captain with considerable distinction. Saragossa was an independent Arab Muslim state in Al-Andalus, which at the time (1038–1110) was ruled by the Banu Hud.  He fought for the Huddid dynasty for almost ten years, scoring significant victories against both Muslim and Christian foes. Famous battles which El Cid is known for were the defeat of Count Berenguer Ramon II of Barcelona in 1082, and of King Sancho Ramirez of Aragon in 1084. When the Berber Almoravids invaded the peninsula in 1086, Alfonso recalled Diaz from exile. El Cid willingly returned and was instrumental in the defeat at Sagrajas in 1086. He stayed in favor with Alfonso for only a brief time: in 1089 he was exiled again. Rodrigo gained his nickname El Cid at some point during his military career, perhaps after his battles at Saragossa. The name El Cid is a Spanish dialect version of the Arabic word sidi, meaning lord or sir. He was also known as Rodrigo el  Campeador, the Battler. Valencia and Death After being exiled from Alfonsos court for the second time, El Cid left the capital to became an independent commander in the eastern part of the Iberian peninsula. He fought and extracted enormous amounts of tribute from the Muslim taifas, and, on June 15, 1094, he captured the city of Valencia. He successfully fought off two Almoravid armies who attempted to dislodge him in 1094 and 1097. He established himself as an independent prince in the region based at Valencia. Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar ruled Valencia until his death on July 10, 1099. The Almoravids recaptured Valencia three years later. El Cids Legends There are four documents which were written about El Cid during his lifetime or shortly thereafter. Two are Islamic, and three are Christian; none are likely to be unprejudiced. Ibn Alcama was a Moor from Valencia, who witnessed and wrote a detailed account of the loss of that province to El Cid called Eloquent Evidence of the Great Calamity. Ibn Bassam wrote a Treasury of the Excellences of the Spaniards, written in Seville in 1109. The Historia Roderici was written in Latin by a Catholic cleric sometime before 1110. The poem Carmen, written in Latin about 1090, extols the battle between Rodrigo and the Count of Barcelona; and the Poema del Cid, was written in Spanish about 1150. Later documents written long after El Cids life are even more likely to be fabulous legends rather than biographical sketches. Sources Barton, Simon. El Cid, Cluny and the Medieval Spanish Reconquista. The English Historical Review 126.520 (2011): 517–43.Barton, Simon and Richard Fletcher. The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2000.Fletcher, Richard A. The Quest for El Cid. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.Pidal, Ramà ³n Menà ©ndez. La Espaà ±a Del Cid. Trans. Murray, John and Frank Cass. Abington, England: Routledge, 2016.