Children's Literature Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children's Literature Critique - Essay Example In the first part of the book, the story revolves around Pacman-looking circle, searching for the lost pizza-like piece which completes its being. There is no indication whether Pacman-looking circle is a male or female. Pacman-looking circle looks for the missing pizza-like piece everywhere, asking people it meets along the way if they have seen the missing piece or if they can give directions leading to where the missing piece is. It looks everyone and does not give up with the search since it has high hopes that it was going to find the missing piece. In his search, it sings a melancholic song which it hums to show how sad it was for not finding its missing piece. The song, â€Å"Oh, I am looking for my missing piece; I am looking for my missing piece†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Silverstein, 1976) makes readers feel the pain the Pacman-looking circle has. Pacman-looking circle finds several pieces a long its way. It tries if they can fit in the space only to be disappointed that they cannot. Some fitThis does not discourage it since it goes on with its search with hopes that it would find the missing piece. The first part of the series comes to an end when Pacman-looking circle finally finds its missing piece. It is intriguing to note that Pacman-looking circle fits the missing piece only to realize that it cannot put up with it. ... Silverstein demonstrates that the missing piece had not come to terms with Pacman-looking circle’s realization that one should be happy with the way they are. It was searching for a piece to make it complete. However, upon meeting the big O, the missing piece is made to understand the fulfillment one gets by understanding one-self. The big O mentors the missing piece and makes it understand that there is no need to look for another piece to make it complete. The content in The Missing Piece series is suitable for young children. This is because at this age, most children normally face challenges of self-acceptance brought about by some of the imperfections they may have. For instance, an albino child may be alienated from his peers because he or she feels out of place. In as much as being an albino is not his or her wish; the child should be made aware that the condition should not be a hindrance to his or her communication and interaction with others. Therefore, by reading th e book, children will get an understanding of how they are. Additionally, will learn to appreciate and love themselves despite the imperfections they have. The book also has basic illustrations and simple phrases that catch the attention of children. For instance, while describing the missing piece’s movement, Silverstein (1976) asserts, â€Å"the missing piece was bumping instead of flopping, and then it was bouncing instead of bumping.† Such illustrations arouse the interests of young children. The front cover of the book also has the picture of the Pacman-looking circle, and it is most certain that children who have a glimpse of it on bookstore shelves would request

Room And Board Essay Example for Free

Room And Board Essay As a Minnesota-based privately owned company, Room amp; Board has been known for offering products that combined classic, simple design with high quality handcrafted furniture and giving exceptional service to their customers. Approximately $50 million of revenue a year was generated through Room amp; Board fully integrated, multichannel sales approach, consisting of its eight national retail stores, an annual catalog and a web site. The purpose of this case analysis is to determine how to institutionalize its way of doing business beyond the life of its founder and how to strengthen its culture and high employees and customer engagement while growing at a rate that sustained its economic health. The situation analysis will examine four factors: the general environment, the industry, competitors, and Room amp; Board internal environment. The general environmental analysis consist of Technological Trends Room amp; Board does not really have any technological advantage over it’s competitors but two advantages it has is giving people a choice of materials used in the product like custom designs in wood and metal materials along with ordering these material ahead of time to cut down on time when a customer does order a product made with certain material in mind. Demographic Trends Room amp; Board demographic trends group is nation-wide which include suppliers and customers. More than 85% percent of its furniture is manufactured in America. Room amp; Board is proud of its commitment for supporting American manufacturers and small, family owned business. Economic Trends At Room amp; Board, quality was also about providing value. That value was inherent in the company’s products, which lasted and whose style and design were timeless. Providing furniture that customers could count on enjoying for many years. Political/Legal Trends Room amp; Board decided early on that it did not want to compete by the traditional rules associated with the retail furniture industry. They wanted to create its own supply chain of approximately 40 vendors, nearly all privately owned family businesses. Sociocultural Trends Room amp; Board was based on the principles of trust, respect, relationships, transparency, entrepreneurial ownership of one’s job and career, and the importance of a balanced life. They believed that individuals thrive in an environment where they are empowered to make decisions and everyone’s view is heard and respected. Global Trends Room amp; Board was looking to expand in other region of the United State but has not yet looked to go global. Industry Analysis Competitor Analysis The competitor analysis is to better understand Room amp; Board top competitors and their outlook on the industry. Room amp; Board made it impossible to have any direct competitors because their exclusive design, corporate structure, and long-lasting quality products. Room amp; Board has two indirect competitors which are Designs Within Reach and Crate and Barrel. Designs Within Reach was a public company. In fiscal 2006, it had $110 million in sales through its 63 stores, which ranged in size from 1,100 sq. to 11,000 sq. ft. Although Room amp; Board stores were fewer in number, they were much bigger, at 30,000 sq. ft. Crate and Barrel had grown from a small family business, to a chain of over 160 mall-based stores. More than 50 percent of Crate and Barrel products were imported from Europe. SWOT Analysis Strengths Room amp; Board has a great corporate structure. They have achieved the eniviable market position of managing its growth and avoiding the capital market pressures. Room amp; Board has created a consistent, seamless, self-reinforcing system that cut across culture, execution philosophy, employee hiring, and benefits. Weaknesses The two alternative strategies would be one to extend catalog and retail furniture business by adding E-Commerce to their website. The other would be to create a dynamic method of hosting web assets. Strategic Alternative Implementation Both alternatives should be implemented but the one that should be addresses first would be to create a dynamic method of hosting web assets. This would allow customers to purchase custom merchandise online, which is critical that they see a visual of the furniture that they have uniquely designed. Room amp; Board should hire an interactive agency to help design and develop a dynamic consumer facing configuration tool that would allow customers to design and purchase customized furniture with ease and confidence.

What Being An American Menas To Me :: essays research papers

What Being An American Means to Me I believe the term American applies to the entire hemisphere, from Alaska to Chile and Argentina, assuming that all people fall under the same culture as the conventional United States. Basically I feel like it means being a small part of a huge diversity of people. As an infant, like all other infants, I started with no culture and slowly learned the cultural values of the United States of America. These cultural values seem almost oblivious as I look back on it now, but as I have matured I have come to understand what it means to be an American. If I have the chance to travel some I believe I will have a stronger sense of what being American means to me. I think this is because it would give me a more realistic view of the world with regards to other countries. With diversity comes learning, understanding the differences between people and myself. It often seems that people simply think that their values are the right ones, but I would like to think that it is within the potential of every person to go beyond this. I believe that there is probably always a better way, we just have to find it. I think it is important to learn not to attach a good or bad label on a culture, but to realize that life is not that simple. Being American is a privile ge and there are many connotations to being American. I also think it is important to stand for what you believe in, but also be accepting of other possibilities without judgement. We all have to realize that there are differences and that is what makes this world such a great place to live in. Sometimes I believe that Americans feel they are so powerful and elitist and do not appreciate the wonder of other cultures in the world. I think being an American means the right to have rights, the freedom to be different. I would also say it means having the ability to control your own life, your destiny.

Half the Sky

As we read â€Å"Half the Sky† we were able to get a taste of how difficult the lives were for the women that were a part of these terrible doings to women. Coming from a family in which the majority is women, I cannot bare to see any women put in the situations that these women were put in; the daunting thing about the whole situation is that these heinous acts still exist today. As for the question, why is the desperate state of women in impoverished cultures also a great opportunity for them?This question is a very odd question because in the end there really is no good outcome to any of this. Too many women in these impoverished cultures they barely had enough money to put slippers on their feet. The brothels were many women were abducted and forced to do work by labor or sex is also a place where some of these women actually volunteered to work at. â€Å"Despite the knowing the knowledge of what actually occurs to women in these brothels, some women were so desperate for money that they voluntarily went in the brothel’s to work†.The fact is, is that these women’s backs were against the walls financially, mentally, and physically, some felt the only way out was to work and make money. Even though they knew what happens in these brothels. The fact that these types of things still exists baffles me every day. To actually think that in this day and age people still do things like this. One day hopefully sooner than later we will wake up and not be concerned about any of this.

Gender and Family Essay

It can be said the males make up the vast majority of the prison population. It can also be said that men are just plain different than women when it comes to ethics, morals, and violence. Whether gender has any influence on whether or not a crime is committed is not fully understood, but there are many theories. What are some current explanations for gender differences as they relate to delinquency? * * There are many views and theories as to if and how gender affects delinquency. One of the major theories is the gender-schema theory which basically states that society influences create girls feminine and boys masculine and that they are expected to adhere to those gender roles. Others theorize that differences are based on traits and that it is the â€Å"interaction of biological and psychological traits with the social environment that produces delinquency† (Siegel & Welsh, p. 142). Much of this has to do with child development. Other theorists believe social factors such as family life and friendships play a major role in criminal behavior. The feminists hold that crime rates have fluctuated because of the increased role women have in today’s society .Another contributor to the debate is the power-control theory which attests that women commit less crime because men have a role as the breadwinner for the family. How does family affect delinquency? * Much of our life is based on relationships and family is a big part of that. Family relationships, or the lack of relationships, can influence a  person in many ways. The affect is unique to the person and their situation so it is hard, if not impossible, to determine if family interactions can influence criminal behavior. * How does family makeup affect delinquency? * Factors in regards to family makeup that affect delinquency can include divorce or separation, economic stress, abuse, as well as lack of adequate or positive adult supervision. The family interactions can either be a positive influence or a negative one which could increase the risk for delinquent behavior. * How does family behavior influence delinquency? * * There are four categories of family behavior that are possible contributors to delinquent behavior. These include family breakup, conflict, deviance, and neglect (Siegel & Welsh, p. 159). These factors can combine or work individually to create a high risk environment for delinquent behavior. Research done in regards to these four relationship theories and their applicability is still controversial. * Unhappy marriages, separation, divorce, and remarriage all contribute to an unstable home environment. The institution of marriage is no longer what it used to be. There have been studies done, but none have concluded with substantial results on this issue. Although the divorce rate has increased to, it has not been shown that this has been caused by family breakup. The theory that family conflict can lead to delinquency has shown in research to be a contributing factor in delinquency. †Adolescents who are incarcerated report growing up in dysfunctional homes† (Siegel & We lsh, 161). This can mean anything from parents who argue a lot to parent-child conflicts based on rules or punishment. Other family members who exhibit deviant behavior can also have a negative influence. When delinquent behavior appears to be acceptable and other family members are participating in criminal acts, children or other siblings may view it as an appealing practice or condoned behavior. Neglect can come in many forms and is also a theory behind what causes delinquent behavior. Although each family structure is different with  contributing cultural factors, there may be a link between children who do not have a strong parent-child connection. Problems may arise due to inconsistent discipline, inadequate supervision, or family resources being stretched too thin due to family size or economic situations. Are delinquent females treated differently than delinquent males by members of the juvenile justice system? * Yes, female juvenile offenders are treated differently than male offenders. They are less likely than males to get arrested and charged for a crime. However, once charged, females typically receive a harsher punishment. Are they treated unfairly? * Typically, female offenders are under more scrutiny of stereotypes than males. Society, and those employed in the juvenile justice system hold females to a different moral standards than men. However, this is dependent upon the situation as well as the location. * Do they benefit from being female? Why or why not? * In some ways, females benefit from gender inequality, but in other ways it works against them. While they may not get arrested as often, once in the system they often deal with unfair conditions. In fact, â€Å"Institutionalized girls report that they are given fewer privileges and less space, equipment, programs, and treatment than institutionalized boys† (Siegel & Welsh, p.152). References Siegel, L. J. & Welsh, B. C. (2005). Juvenile delinquency: The core. (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Free Essays on The Illiad

The Iliad The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem that has several heroes. Heroism is the most important aspect of the characters’ lives, giving definition to their actions and their raison d’à ªtre. A hero is always of noble birth, strong, intelligent, and a great leader. Another way the reader can differentiate a hero from a mere mortal is by the help that he receives from the gods. The gods intervene on the side of a hero and give him whatever aid is necessary to achieve victory. One may believe that there is only one hero in the Iliad, Achilles. However, Hector is the true hero. By examining Hector, Odysseus, Diomedes, and Nestor, one can see that these characters surpass all others. A hero is usually of noble birth with one parent being of divine descent. However, Hector is an exception to this rule. It is believed that Hector is the 1st born son of King Priam and Queen Hecabe of Troy. Since Priam is a descendant of Zeus, this divine lineage is passed down to all his sons. Therefore, Prince Hector is considered to be of divine decent which allows him to be regarded as a hero. In Hector’s speech about his son Astynax, the reader gains invaluable insight into what it means to be a hero: Zeus, and you other gods, grant that this boy of mine may be, like me, pre-eminent in Troy; as strong and brave as I; a mighty king of Ilium. May people say, when he comes back from battle, â€Å"Here is a better man than his father.† Let him bring home the bloodstained armour of the enemy he has killed, and make his mother happy. To Hector the ideals of strength, intelligence and being magnanimous are important. It is important for a hero to display his strength and prowess, and thus kill many in battle. One can see the truth to this statement through the epithet â€Å"man-killing Hector.† Men are said to fear Hector because he kills many, especially when he storms the Greek wall. When Hector fights Patrocl... Free Essays on The Illiad Free Essays on The Illiad The Iliad The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem that has several heroes. Heroism is the most important aspect of the characters’ lives, giving definition to their actions and their raison d’à ªtre. A hero is always of noble birth, strong, intelligent, and a great leader. Another way the reader can differentiate a hero from a mere mortal is by the help that he receives from the gods. The gods intervene on the side of a hero and give him whatever aid is necessary to achieve victory. One may believe that there is only one hero in the Iliad, Achilles. However, Hector is the true hero. By examining Hector, Odysseus, Diomedes, and Nestor, one can see that these characters surpass all others. A hero is usually of noble birth with one parent being of divine descent. However, Hector is an exception to this rule. It is believed that Hector is the 1st born son of King Priam and Queen Hecabe of Troy. Since Priam is a descendant of Zeus, this divine lineage is passed down to all his sons. Therefore, Prince Hector is considered to be of divine decent which allows him to be regarded as a hero. In Hector’s speech about his son Astynax, the reader gains invaluable insight into what it means to be a hero: Zeus, and you other gods, grant that this boy of mine may be, like me, pre-eminent in Troy; as strong and brave as I; a mighty king of Ilium. May people say, when he comes back from battle, â€Å"Here is a better man than his father.† Let him bring home the bloodstained armour of the enemy he has killed, and make his mother happy. To Hector the ideals of strength, intelligence and being magnanimous are important. It is important for a hero to display his strength and prowess, and thus kill many in battle. One can see the truth to this statement through the epithet â€Å"man-killing Hector.† Men are said to fear Hector because he kills many, especially when he storms the Greek wall. When Hector fights Patrocl... Free Essays on The Illiad Homer’s The Iliad, Aristophanes Lysistrata, and Aeschylus The Seven Against Thebes, all dealt with issues concerning manhood in the Greek and Roman days, war also came but it was only because of the attitudes of these men. These three writers have different views when it came down to the topics of war and manhood, but they all view certain situations and issues similarly. The men in those days wouldn’t back down from any fight, they stood and fought, I would say they were barbaric; and because of this attitude war came naturally to them. These authors felt the same way about manhood; the men followed the principle of arete. Arete means that if a man were dealt a challenge he wouldn’t back down, he would fight, even to the death. The Iliad speaks about a few characters that were so overwhelmed with rage that nothing else mattered to them. Achilles has all the marks of a great warrior, and proves the mightiest man in the Achaean army. He is brave and is ready to accept any challenge, â€Å"Achilles put on his armor; he gashed his teeth, his eyes gleamed like fire, for his grief was greater than he could bear. Thus, then, full of fury against the Trojans, did he don the gift of the god.† (Pg 236) Hector was another such man who had followed this arete code, he says, â€Å"Three times have I fled round the mighty city of Priam, without daring to withstand you, but now let me either slay or be slain.† (Pg 265) This statement is an example of arete that all of the men had. It was a manly attit ude; they would rather be killed than to back away from a fight. Agamemnon is the king of Mycenae and commander-in-chief of the Achaean army. He’s not nearly as strong as Achilles but he has a similarly hot temper and prideful streak. He says, â€Å"Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me.† (Pg 3) He is so set in his ways and so prideful that even though...

Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women

Why Powerful Men Sexually Harass Women We know from recent studies that half the workforce in the US is female. And were also well aware that though the numbers may be equal, the power distribution isnt. Only 15 women served as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies in 2009. Even at the upper and middle levels of management and leadership, men predominate. And with power comes abuse. When a woman files a sexual harassment complaint, its rarely about a co-worker harassing her. Its usually a boss, supervisor, or someone higher up the food chain. Anecdotal evidence suggests that for some men, power provides opportunities and access. Many perpetrators dangle potential jobs, pay raises, or promotions in front of women with the implication that if youre nice to me, Ill be nice to you. But is sexual harassment about sex and lust, or control and domination? Is power the catalyst that flips the off switch into an on position for some men who would otherwise not behave this way if they werent in charge? Those who study human behavior tend to agree that powerful men sexually harass women more than men on equal footing with their female co-workers, but what triggers that is up for debate. Most, however, agree that sexual harassment is not about desire but domination. Noted legal scholar Catharine A. MacKinnon specializes in sex equality issues under constitutional and international law. In her book Directions in Sexual Harassment Law co-written with Reva B. Siegel, MacKinnon states: ...[S]exual harassment is...the expression, in sexual terms, of power, privilege, or dominance....To understand sexual harassment primarily in terms of misplaced sexual desire is wrong for many of the same reasons that it is a mistake to understand rape as primarily a crime of passion or lust. acceptance of interpersonal violencethe desire to dominate womenhigh authoritarianismdifficulty seeing others’ perspectives (difficulty being empathetic)belief in sex-role stereotypesendorsement of stereotypic views of male sex-role norms While the tendency is to link the above traits to male behavior, it might be more accurate to blame hormones specifically an overabundance of testosterone. Widely recognized as a major factor in dominant behavior, testosterone also impacts men in other ways (and can similarly influence women with elevated levels in their own bodies). Writing about The Testosterone Curse for Psychology Today, Leon F. Seltzer, Ph.D. notes the many traits associated with high-T (high testosterone) males: ...[D]ominant individuals also tend to be extremely competitive, and are frequently endowed with whats commonly known as the killer instinct. ....[I]n cutthroat businesses, its undeniably an asset....[but] a driving need to compete with others undermines the empathy, understanding, tolerance, and compassion necessary to sustain close, caring relationships.At its worst, high-T dominance and competitiveness can involve brute force, violence, and fighting behavior of all kinds....Their more tender feelings literally blunted by elevated testosterone levels, they tend not to be particularly concerned aboutor, for that matter, interested inthe feelings of others....Sadly, theres seems to be something about high testosterone levels that contributes to an almost predatory frame of mind....Complementing this tendency to be imprudent, rash, or even reckless, are a variety of research findings indicating that high-testosterone males are more likely to be impulsive, impatient, unreliable.... According to anthropologist and historian Laura Betzig, the point of politics is sex. She cites rulers throughout history who routinely engaged in sexual harassment and sexual assault, adding: Why is every man with a big harem a despot? Because collecting women–like tribute, like labor, like homage–tends to require force. People...tend to cede favors on two accounts. One is, they get a favor back; the other is, they get beat up if they dont. There are, in short, positive and negative sanctions. because they can Powerful men have a both an overactive libido as compared to normal men, but they are also more willing to gamble that they can get away with their sexual activities....[I]n my opinion, it is the position of power itself that makes men arrogant, narcissistic, egocentric, oversexed, paranoid, despotic, and craving even more power, though there are exceptions to this rule. Powerful men generally have a keen eye for female beauty and attractiveness....Every willing woman confirms the power of the powerful man....It is not too speculative to think that powerful men live in a sexualized or eroticized world. Not only do they expect to have sex whenever they fancy, but they also expect that every woman is always willing to provide this service, and enjoy it. They are...opportunistic and just take what they want. It probably comes as a complete surprise when somebody does not comply. The forbiddenness, and the awareness of transgression, makes the sex even more attractive... Sources:Betzig, Laura. Sex in History. Michigan Today, michigantoday.umich.edu. March 1994.MacKinnon, Catharine A. and Reva B. Siegel. Directions in Sexual Harassment Law. p. 174. Yale University Press. 2004Seltzer, Leon F., Ph.D. The Testosterone Curse (Part 2). PsychologyToday.com. 6 May 2009.Sex and Power: Powerful Men Have an Overactive Libido. Spiegel Online. 27 May 2011.