A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams Essay -- A Streetcar Na

A Streetcar named Desire was written by Tennessee Williams, during the restless years following World War II. The play was based on the life of a woman named Blanche Dubois. Blanche was a fragile and neurotic woman, desperate for a place to call her own. She had been exiled from her hometown Laurel, Mississippi after seducing a seventeen year old boy. After this incident, she decided to move to New Orleans with her sister Stella. She claimed she had to move, in result of a series of financial calamities which have recently claimed the family plantation, Belle Reve. Her sisters husband, Stanley Kowalski is very suspicious seeing that Blanche seems like an ambitious woman. Therefore, he decides to investigate her. He wanted to make sure Blanche didn’t sell the plantation for her own good. As he begins to find out more about her past, all of Blanches lies catch up to her. Soon, her circumstances become unbearable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blanche Dubois the main character of the play, was an English teacher in Mississippi. She presents herself as a very prim, proper, and prudent person. She once proudly told her sister Stella that her name in French meant white woods. Blanche Dubois is also overly concerned with her appearance, accessories, bathing and age. She was very disturbed by the light, and usually preferred to be in the dark. Many believe it was to prevent people from noticing her real age. Deep inside she was hurt and destroyed. All of this pain was caused by the death of the love of her life. She was married to a young man named Allan, and they loved each other very much. Until one day Blanche found out that Allan was sleeping with another man. Once she confessed to him she knew his secret he committed suicide. Ever since, Blanches’ life was never the same again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blanche Dubois always felt she was loved and admired by many. However, things changed after her husbands tragic death. Life was not easy for her, as she became lonely and slept with different men. Her loneliness led her into moving unexceptedly with her sister Stella. However, this only caused more troubles in her life. She was not very well liked by her brother in law, Stanley Kowalski. Stanley was from Poland, and had very little education. He was also a very strong, good looking man. He was loyal to his friends, passionate to his wife, but extremely cr... ...t people around Elysian Fields were living a contrasting lifestyle from theirs. That â€Å"their† type is not the one they’re used to. Stella and Blanche were raised on a plantation with money, while Stanley and his friends were poor and uneducated. The conflict began when these two classes were pushed together in the same world. This is shown when Stanley and Blanche meet each other, and their opposite lifestyles are obvious. Stanley is sweaty, dirty, and rude; whereas Blanche is well dressed and soft spoken.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In A Streetcar named Desire, Tennessee Williams presented to us the character of Blanche Dubois. She was the haggard and fragile southern beauty whose happiness was cruelly destroyed. She always avoided reality, and lived in her own imagination. As the play goes on, Blanches â€Å"instability grows along with her misfortune.† Her life ended in tragedy when she was put into a mental institution. Her brother in law’s cruelty combined with her fragile personality, left Blanche mentally detached from reality. Stanley Kowalski showed no remorse for his brutal actions, destroyed Blanches life and committed her to an insane asylum.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Tyco International Company Culture and Ethics

On September 12, 2002, Tyco International’s former chief executive officer L. Dennis Kozlowski and former chief financial officer Mark H. Swartz have been arrested and charged with stealing more than $170 million from the company as well as more than $430 million through false sales of Tyco stock and covering the information from shareholders. Kozlowski and Swartz were charged with more than thirty counts of wrong doing. Hence, Tyco scandal was one of the most notorious of the early 2000s. Consequently, companies need to be alert of any changes in their culture, predominantly with regard to ethical behavior. For example, according to George P. Jones (2003), if sales personnel who aggressively book revenue are consistently rewarded while those who take a more conservative approach are left behind, one may expect to find problems in the company’s revenue classifications and related financial figures. Furthermore, corporate culture is how a corporation thinks the business should be ran. Senior management always has a belief that a firm owed it to its shareholders to get as much profit as possible forgetting that the company’s corporate culture is as important as the profit making. In Tyco’s case, the CEO, Kozlowki was the second-highest-paid CEO, but his lack of conservativeness, his aggressive business style and his extravagant way of living, did raise some red flags and indicated that Kozlowski was acting unethically by manipulating the company’s financials and using the company’s money unethically. According to Whelan G. 2012), as MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS (MNCs) have become more numerous, more powerful, and more variously engaged (Dunning & Lundan, 2008; Roach, 2005; UNCTAD, 2010), and as their global operating context has changed (Kobrin, 2005; Ruggie, 1982, 2008a), so too have the normative demands commonly made of them. Within the business ethics and business and society literatures for example, the belief that ‘globalizatio n' has increased the power of MNCs, and concomitantly decreased the power of states, has informed a body of work that normatively prescribes, and positively describes and explains, the political duties and activities of MNCs. Tyco’s stock price initially fell when Tyco was going to make a bid for Honeywell (subject of General Electric's failed takeover last year). The rumor caused Tyco's share price to plummet around 8. 5 percent in the last half hour of trading, and although a company spokesperson denied there was any truth in it immediately after the close, Tyco was in the spotlight – it came under very close scrutiny in the days and weeks that followed (insideinvestorrelations. com). Additionally, the fraud began to unfold when the Securities and Exchange Commission was examining the company's stock price. Business practices by senior management have raised some red flags and the SEC started an investigation into Tyco's practices. Suspicious accounting practices surfaced because Tyco had forgiven a $19 million loan to Kozlowski in 1998 and had paid the CEO's income taxes on the loan. It was then discovered that the company's stock price had been overvalued, and that the CEO and CFO had sold 100 million dollars' worth of shares, and then stated to the public that he was holding them, which was a misrepresentation and misled the investors. Kozlowski and Swartz stole approximately $600 million by taking unauthorized pay and bonuses, abusing loan programs and selling their company stock at overstated prices after lying about Tyco’s finances. And according to nbcnews. com, often, when these two men were accused of stealing millions of dollars, prosecutors said, the defendants hid their alleged thefts by failing to disclose the bonuses and loan forgivenesses in company prospectuses and federal filings, and bought the silence of underlings with outsized compensation. Both used Tyco’s money to buy extravagant lifestyles that featured art, jewelry and real estate, prosecutors said. An example of that spending was the gaudy $2 million toga party Kozlowski threw for wife Karen’s 40th birthday on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, they said. Tyco paid about half of the party’s cost. Lines Mr. Kozlowski crossed in his tenure as CEO †¢He had Tyco pay for his $30 million New York City apartment which included $6,000 shower curtains and $15,000 â€Å"dog umbrella stands†. He also purchased several acres in the private gated community, â€Å"The Sanctuary†, in Boca Raton, Florida †¢He was engaged in financial frauds through Loan forgiveness and inappropriate bonus payments. †¢He also lied to the shareholders by overrating the stocks of the company. Kozlowski made Tyco pay $1 million (half of the $2 million bill) for the 40th birthday party of his second wife. The party was held on the Italian island of S ardinia, it included an ice sculpture of Michelangelo's David urinating Stolichnaya vodka and a private concert by Jimmy Buffett. The party was announced as a shareholder meeting in order to get corporate funding. CONCLUSION Perhaps one of the most disturbing things of the Tyco scandal was that nobody caught the thieves on time, the fraud surfaced when special groups were put in place to particularly prevent fraud and protect investors. The SEC was not able to prevent or catch the problem on time, they only caught this once it had already spread widely. Decentralizing corporate structure can make it difficult, even for the board of directors, to effectively monitor a firm’s dealings and finances. Kozlowski’s fall and the repercussions of his dirty dealings (financial penalties and jail time) are also detailed. Finally, an explanation of how Tyco survived the scandal is provided, along with safeguards the company has put into place to ensure that similar misconduct does not occur in the future. Reference Jennings, M. (2012). Business ethics: Case studies and selected readings. 7th Ed. Mason, OH South-Western Cengage Learning Whelan, G., 2012. The Political Perspective of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Critical Research Agenda. Retrieved from: learners.ncu.edu George P. Jones, May 2003. Corporate Culture and Ethical Behavior. Retrieved from: http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2003/May/CorporateCultureAndEthicalBehavior.htm Insideinvestorrelations.com. Fall of the house of Tyco. Retrieved from: http://www.insideinvestorrelations.com/articles/case-studies/16294/fall-house-tyco/ Nbcnews.com. Ex-Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski found guilty. Retrieved from: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/8258729/ns/business-corporate_scandals/t/ex-tyco-ceo-dennis-kozlowski-found-guilty/#.UYa2oKLqnco

The Novel Night by Elie Wiesel - 995 Words

The Nazis and other Germans not only killed over six million people during the Holocaust, but one and a half million of people killed were children. Over a million of them were Jewish and many of the others were Gypsy, Polish, and others living in Europe at the time. In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie shares his personal experience during the Holocaust starting in Sighet and ending when he was freed from Buchenwald. Children of all ages risked their lives for survival and many were only able to live for a very short time because of the difficult situations and conditions. Many were killed in the gas chambers as soon as they arrived at the concentration camps because they were considered useless. The younger children were killed right away like his sister Tzporia, but as Elie got older he got beaten and tortured by the Nazis and was treated like an animal not a human being. Young children had no chance of survival once the war began. The first example of when children were mistreated was when Moshe the Beadle came back after he had been deported to polish territory and told everyone â€Å"Babies being thrown into air and the machine gunners used them at targets.†(4). The Nazis drive to exterminate everyone was sickening and they knew the young children were the weakest and had to be the first to go. They had no morality if they would throw the babies in the air. They are treating the babies incorrectly and are acting like they aren’t human beings. The Jewish people refusedShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Novel Night By Elie Wiesel882 Words   |  4 Pagesand killing camps, to be starved or even beaten to death. This was the cause of death of approximately 6,000,000 Jews. The actions that the Germans took against these innocent people were inhuman. The book, Night, was written by Elie Wiesel, a survivor of the Jewish Holocaust. At the time, Elie was just a fifteen year old boy, living in a small town with his family. He aspired to have great knowledge of his Jewish religion. However, by the year 1944, he was taken from his home and separated from hisRead MorePainful Experiences of the Holocaust in the Novel, Night by Elie Wiesel1185 Words   |  5 PagesNight Essay Prompt: Analyze how Wiesels character changed throughout the novel, especially in regard to the Jewish religion and towards God as a result of his experiences during the Holocaust. How does Wiesel’s transformation reveal the author’s intended theme about the Holocaust? World War II is a very impactful point in history where the Holocaust is viewed as one of the worst acts of human genocide. Countless Jewish victims endured traumatizing amounts of suffering and pain that transformedRead MoreEliezer Wiesels Relationships1270 Words   |  6 Pages Elie Wiesel was a young boy, when his life changed drastically. He was born in Sighet, Transylvania, which is now Romania. He was born to Shlomo and Sarah, which they had four children, Hilda, Bea, Tsiporah, and Eliezer. Wiesel and his family practiced the Jewish religion, before he was forced into the concentration camps. In the novel Night, Elie Wiesel had a strong belief in God. When Elie and his family were sent off to the concentration camps, he tested his belief in God. In the novel NightRead MoreThe Psychological Association Of Night By Elie Wiesel1285 Words   |  6 Pageswonder what happened to the children who did survive. Elie Wiesel was one of those children who was ‘lucky’ enough to survive. However his ‘luck’ came at a severe price. Elie Wiesel suffers both severe emotional and physical trauma in his novel, Night. Night tells the story of a young boy, Eliezer Wiesel, and his struggles to survive during the Holocaust. Becoming a victim of various Nazi German concentration camps at the young age of fifteen, Elie finds himself separated from his mom and sisters, neverRead MoreEssay Symbolism in Elie Wiesels Night860 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in Night by Brooke Justus Elie Wiesel uses several types of figurative language in Night. In his novel, Elie’s use of symbolism is most important in helping the reader understand the horrors of his experience during the Holocaust. The first and most prevalent example of symbolism in the book is the title itself. By calling the novel â€Å"Night† it is apparent to the reader that the Holocaust was a dark experience, full of terror and suffering. The entire novel is filled with â€Å"last nights†. ElieRead MoreThe Holocaust : The World, And The Jews Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pagessubject. While learning about the Holocaust, my Professor, Gordon Dueck, has used Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night, Laurent Binet’s novel, HHhH, and Norman Goda’s historical overview, The Holocaust: Europe, the World, and the Jews, 1918 – 1945, to teach us about the Holocaust. This paper will discuss the different forms of Holocaust representation that I have learned about and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of memoirs, novels, and historical overviews while learning about the Holocaust. The first typeRead More Dawn by Elie Wiesel Essay716 Words   |  3 PagesDawn by Elie Wiesel In this report you will see the comparisons between the novel Dawn and the life of Elie Wiesel, its author. The comparisons are very visible once you learn about Elie Wiesel’s life. Elie Wiesel was born on September28,1928 in the town of Hungary. Wiesel went through a lot of hard times as a youngster. In 1944, Wiesel was deported by the nazis and taken to the concentration camps. His family was sent to the town of Auschwitz. The father, mother, and sister of Wiesel died inRead MoreNight By Elie Wiesel Analysis817 Words   |  4 Pages1940). The novel, Night told by Elie Wiesel, is an autobiography written about him and his family being seized out of their home in 1944 to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Night is the alarming record of Eli Wiesel’s recollections of the passing of his family, and his despair as a profoundly perceptive Jew going up against irrefutably the abhorrence of man. In the beginning of the novel, Elie described his father as a straightforward sort of man. As in the novel Elie stated, â€Å"MyRead MoreThe Holocaust Of Night By Elie Wiesel991 Words   |  4 PagesElie Wiesel wrote this non-fiction book to alert his audience of his and his families experiences in the Holocaust and what they went through. He notes his journey through chronological events using extreme description. He accomplished this purpose by detailing every little thing that he experienced and that the people around him experienced. The central thesis of Night by Elie Wiesel is that a hostile and insensitive environment and world can cause even the strongest person to lose faith and identityRead MoreNight, By Elie Wiesel1083 Words   |  5 PagesIn the 1960 novel, Night, Elie Wiesel utilizes several literary devices, including the symbology of nighttime, motif of religious practices, and theme of father-son relationships, in order to emphasize the atrocities of the Holocaus t specifically for Jews. Wiesel’s first hand experience in concentration camps allows for a vivid retelling of what many people had to endure. The symbolic portrayal of the nighttime helps to add a deeper meaning to the text. The title of the novel, Night, brings the