The movement of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar

Abstract Over past three decades, Japanese Yen has fluctuated significantly against the U.S dollar. It was stronger during the 80s to the early 90s, but this value has been deteriorating since mid 90s to date.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The movement of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Japanese government intervened in many occasions in their foreign exchange market to attain unjust advantage in the global world market. However, these interventions were only felt in the short run but failed to avert the direction of the Yen in the long-run. In addition, these interventions had negligible effect on the prices of Japanese commodities in the U.S market. Introduction The current global financial market is dominated by allegations that some countries are trying to manipulate their exchange rates using unjust means. The major culprit at the present is China, although the s ame allegations were made against Japan (Vikas Yan 2006). Governments often intervene in the currency market by buying foreign exchange-mostly the major global currencies- in order to increase the demand for these currencies and consequently their values relative to their domestic currency. On the other hand, they can sell these major foreign currencies to reduce their demand in the currency market thus increasing the value of their domestic currency. In the case of Japan, it has often bought U.S. dollars from its local exporters in exchange for their domestic currency (Japanese Yen) and utilizes the dollars to purchase American securities and liquid assets (Cashin et al. 2004). U.S government has a lot of interest in the global currency manipulations, interventions and unjust alignment, since it has considerable repercussions on their economy. Unfair manipulation of the exchange rates to underrate global currencies can raise the US trade deficit, increase their dependency on forei gn investors to finance this deficit, thus affects their interest rates and their competitive advantage in the global trade. Japan has always timed when the dollar’s value is declining relative to Yen to purchase U.S securities and liquid assets. The main aim of doing this was to stabilize the value of Yen and preventing the prices of their exports from increasing in US markets and to maintain their exports’ profitability (Vikas Yan 2006). Yen’s ascension started significantly started after the signing of the Plaza Accord in 1985 by the major industrial economies at that time. It marked two distinct periods. The first part was between 1980s to early 90s where recession led to a very strong yen. The second section lies between mid 90s to date where the real exchange rate of the Yen has been depreciating significantly resulting to a deteriorated balance of trade between Japan and U.S (Rasmus Hutchinson, 2003).Advertising Looking for essay on business econo mics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Japanese interventions in the foreign exchange market Global financial analyst argued that Japan has undervalued their currency more than 20%. If this is the case, then it gives Japanese manufacturers upper hand pricewise over their American competitors. The greatest victim of the Yen undervaluation is the U.S automobile industry. The headquarter of the U.S automobile industry claimed that these gave price advantage of approximately 4000 dollars per car manufactured in Japan as compared to U.S . It enhanced the sale of Japanese cars in the American market. Figure 1 in the appendix shows the trend of the Japanese real effective exchange rate relative to the dollar from 1973 to 2006 (Vikas Yan 2006). International economists argue that currency interventions for large economies with floating exchange rates such as Japan only works for a short run and have diminutive effect on the long run. Some experts believe that even without manipulations, Japans share of the foreign exchange will still remain since it earns by investing in the US securities and other liquid assets. In 2006, Japan earned more ($40 billion) on its total investment in US than what the US earned on its investment in Japan. Japanese government interventions in the currency market took place in late 70s to 2004. Since then, Japanese government has never intervened very much in the foreign exchange market to affect the value of the dollar as illustrated in figure 2 in the appendix (Vikas Yan 2006). Currency values and Trade This section explains the impact of the yen-dollar exchange rates on the imports and exports. Theoretically, Japanese interventions in the foreign exchange market was aimed at undervaluing Yen, thus makes their exports cheaper. This should have enabled Japan to either reduce the price of their exports or maintain it while making more profits. Lower export prices and higher import prices r esults into surplus in the balance of trade and therefore increases economic growth. In reality, the functioning of the foreign exchange market is different from the theoretical perspective. To be specific, the long run relation between government interventions and foreign exchange market is difficult to demonstrate practically (Koujianou Knetter 1997). Japanese automobile manufacturers and other exporters to the U.S market do not adjust their prices in response to short run fluctuations in the exchange rates. There prices are set according to the prevailing commodity market conditions and long-run financial market conditions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The movement of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, between 1994 to early 1995, Japanese Yen rose by 34% against the dollar meaning that the prices of Japanese goods in U.S market should have followed the same trend. However, Toyota sticker prices only appreciated by 2% while the prices of Sony TV sets dropped by 15%. Conclusion Since early 70s to date, the value of Japanese Yen has fluctuated significantly against the U.S dollar. The value of Yen was relatively stable during 70s to early 80s. Yen’s ascension started significantly after the signing of the Plaza Accord in 1985 by the major industrial economies at that time. The fluctuations in the value of yen forced the Japanese government to intervene in the foreign exchange market. However, these interventions only succeeded in the short run but failed to avert the direction of the Yen in the long-run. References Cashin, P., Luis F. C., Ratna, S. 2004. Commodity Currencies and the Real Exchange Rate. Journal of Development Economics, vol. 75, pp. 239-68. Koujianou, G. P., Knetter, M. M. 1997. Goods Prices and Exchange Rates: What Have We Learned? Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 35, pp. 1244-1270. Rasmus, F., Hutchin son, M.M. 2003. Effectiveness of Official Daily Foreign Exchange Market Intervention Operations in Japan. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 9648, p. 1-5. Vikas, K., Yan, I. 2006. Real Exchange Rates and Productivity: Evidence fromAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Asia. Mimeo: University of Hong Kong press. Appendices Figure 1: Japanese Real Effective Exchange rate Figure 2: Japan’s Exchange Rate and Foreign Exchange Reserves since 1972 to 2006 This essay on The movement of the Japanese Yen relative to the US dollar was written and submitted by user Giselle Marsh to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Issues of Erotic Desire in Phaedrus and De Rerum Natura †Philosophy Essay

The Issues of Erotic Desire in Phaedrus and De Rerum Natura – Philosophy Essay Free Online Research Papers The Issues of Erotic Desire in Phaedrus and De Rerum Natura Philosophy Essay Erotic desire in Phaedrus, and De Rerum Natura is intrinsically connected with pleasure. But had Plato examined De Rerum, and Lucretius, Phaedrus, they would have been troubled by the place and role of erotic desire in the other’s work. Superficially, erotic desire in the two works differs little; both would appear to the undiscriminating reader as a variance of lust, or perhaps love. But on a deeper level, when comparing the importance of erotic desire in the works, and the relation to the conception and attainment of the summum bonum, the greatest good, ideological conflicts are revealed. The differences between the place, conception, and role of erotic desire in the two works are determined by the view of the summum bonum, which largely hinges on the question of the mortality of the soul. To get a firm grasp of the topic, it is useful to first look of the two author’s definitions of erotic desire, with short expositions on the place and role of erotic desire in the two works, irrespective of each other. What is erotic desire in Plato’s Phaedrus? Erotic desire, as defined in Socrates’ Second Speech, is: â€Å"†¦ the fourth kind of madness- that which someone shows when he sees the beauty we have down here and is reminded of true beauty; then he takes wing and flutters in his eagerness to rise up, but is unable to do so; and he gazes aloft, like a bird, paying no attention to what is down below†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (37) Erotic desire is a kind of ‘madness’ brought on by the recollection of ‘true beauty’. With Plato, erotic desire exists in a world where immortal forms are the ideal. Erotic desire is the manifestation of the longing for those perfect forms. The summum bonum is the knowledge of the truth, represented by the forms, and erotic desire is the feeling brought on in the physical world by the recollection of those forms. It is important to note the reaction of the man ‘reminded of true beauty’, and its relation to the definition of erotic desire. The man’s reaction is the first step in a process which Plato refers to as, â€Å"lov[ing] boys philosophically† (36). It is not the path of the man who â€Å"surrenders to pleasure and sets out in the manner of a four-footed beast† (39). The ideal relationship, in which a man ‘loves boys philosophically’, is never consummated, though those that love ambitiously are only a step or two below the ideal (48). This implies, since both begin the ascent back into ‘heaven’, that the erotic desire and the close relationship results, rather than strict philosophy, is the most important mechanism for the regrowth of the soul’s wings and the return to ‘Reality’. This clarifies the concept of erotic desire somewhat. Erotic desire becomes a love for another person, a love that leads one to look for a higher truth, no matter the circumstance. Man on earth is incomplete, he has lost the sense of truth and virtue he had while in ‘Reality’. Erotic desire becomes a desire for completeness that is achieved through union with another. The summum bonum is this completeness, this knowledge of the truth. But what of â€Å"practice[ing] philosophy without guile†, the other way that Socrates mentions the soul can regrow its wings? The philosopher is already as complete as possible, â€Å"since [the philosopherâ €™s mind’s] memory always keeps it as close as possible to those realities† (37). What place does erotic desire have in Plato’s Phaedrus? Erotic desire has a central place in the philosophy of Phaedrus. Socrates’s second speech, where erotic desire is discussed, occupies the literal center of the dialogue. However, erotic desire’s importance is more than just nominal; erotic desire is key to the philosophy of Socrates’s second speech. Socrates’ proof begins: â€Å"Every soul is immortal. That is because whatever is always in motion is immortal, while what moves, and is moved by, something else stops living when it stops moving.† (29) Motion is connected with life; immortality, with perpetual motion. The speech of Socrates is based on this principle, which proves the immortality of the soul. Motion is the important element to focus on. Erotic desire is the manifestation of the longing for the perfect forms that define the immortal soul’s existence; in Platonic terms, the forms exist in the collective as ‘Reality’ (34). The knowledge of these forms, and the sight of them in ‘heaven’ is the Socratean summum bonum. Truth is the greatest good, and erotic desire leads to truth. The soul’s attraction to the truth, in Plato’s terms, ‘forms’ and ‘Reality’, is paralleled by the body’s attraction to reminders of these things, in this case, the erotic desire for ‘beautiful boy’. Erotic desire is essentially a force for motion toward the forms. Since Socrates describes erotic desire earlier as, â€Å"tak[ing] its name from th e word for force†, this should be no surprise (18). It is a natural desire for the soul to want to move toward the forms, as Socrates says that the mind of the soul is â€Å"nourished by intelligence and pure knowledge† (33). ‘Nourish’ connects the forms and the soul in a physical way, in a way equational to the connection between the man and the ‘beautiful boy’. What is erotic desire in Lucretius’s De Rerum Natura? Lucretius defines erotic desire in different terms than Plato. Erotic desire is the â€Å"mind’s wound†, when man’s body, â€Å"strives for union with [her body], wants to fill that body with his own, pour out that seed into the other†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (149). For Lucretius, erotic desire contains elements of lust; it is a hopelessly physical attraction. Throughout the work, Lucretius talks of seeds, most notably with reference to atoms, and the theme continues through his discussion of erotic desire, â€Å"once we are men mature and strong, becomes an active force, compulsive, driving† (149). The ‘seed’ is the ‘driving’ force behind erotic desire in the work. There is no pretense of a higher love in De Rerum, no mention of souls, or wings or forms, but as Lucretius’s focus in his work is on the mortality of the soul, the transience of existence, there is no pla ce for such things. The main unit of Socrates’s world is the soul, while the main unit of Lucretius’s world is the atom. Both units are immortal, but only Socrates’s unit allows for an individual, perpetual existence. Erotic desire has a place in the Lucretian world view, but not a major one. Insofar as the Lucretian philosophy looks to maximize pleasure, erotic desire can bring pleasure, but remember that the greatest pleasure, the summum bonum, is the absence of all pain. Erotic desire can be the first step down into the abyss of â€Å"passionate love† (150). As Lucretius says, â€Å"What could be more contrary to nature? Nothing else inflames us, once we have it, with desire of more and more and more† (151). Love has the potential for immense pain along with its pleasure, and immense pain is exactly what Lucretius looks to avoid. Love is unnatural, not only through its ‘desire of more and more and more’, but also through the pain it almost always brings. What is more unnatural in the Lucretian system than the seeking out of pain? But the danger of falling in love is not enough for Lucretius to counsel against erotic desire, represented by Venus, â€Å"Avoiding passionate love, you need not miss all the rewards of Venus† (150). Lucretius is direct in his ‘prescription’, â€Å"The only thing to do is to confuse the issue, cure the hurt by many more- what does the adage say, Safety in hordes? Ah, that’s the right prescription† (150). Love is like a sickness, also the â€Å"germinal seeds of madness†, and must be treated with a ‘prescription’ (150). The ‘prescription’ is promiscuous sex, which stands opposed to Socrate’s condemnation of those who ‘set out in the manner of the four-footed beast’. How does the role of erotic desire differ between Phaedrus and De Rerum Natura? Erotic desire fits into the two works differently, and this is largely the result of differences in the two works’ conception of pleasure. Socrates says, â€Å"the truth is my subject,† and it is the truth, in the shape of the forms, that is the ultimate pleasure in Phaedrus (34). The result is a more abstract view of the pleasure in erotic desire; it is very much connected with the idea of forms, and the recollection of the ‘truth’ brought on by the ‘beautiful boy’. It is also one of the few ways the soul can regrow its wings, and ascend back into the realm of ‘Reality’. Erotic desire is key to the world view of Socrates’s Second Speech. Within Socrates’s concept of erotic desire is a firm belief in the immortality of the soul; erotic desire allows the fallen to rise again, it is a redeeming force. But Lucretius goes to great pai ns to prove the mortality of the soul, and thus erotic desire plays a somewhat different role in De Rerum. The soul is instead replaced by ‘seeds’, and their physical connotation. Lucretius compares erotic desire to the â€Å"mind’s wound†, and much like blood spurts from the body’s wound, the seed spurts from the mind’s. Erotic desire is a physical pleasure, in a world where everything is physical, and it is only one of a multitude of physical pleasures. But more crucial is that in the work of Lucretius, the summum bonum is the absence of all pain. This is in contrast to the Socratean summum bonum of knowledge of the ‘truth’. Socrates’s philosophy accepts that pain can follow erotic desire; he makes clear that it is a pain of the soul, â€Å"[the wing’s] feathers prick[ing] at its passageway† brought on by the absence of the ‘beautiful boy’ (40). Because the soul is immortal, pain in the present can be endured for the greater everlasting pleasure. All this pain is endured for the greatest good. Lucretius’s philosophy is consistent with the delay of gratification for a greater pleasure, but the soul in Lucretius is mortal and erotic desire provides no such opportunity. Though in Lucretius, erotic desire is a perfectly legitimate pleasure, so long as it does not develop into ‘passionate love’, which carries the potential for great pain. In a superficial way, relative to a discussion of immortal forms, Lucretius views erotic desire as a force that distorts the truth, as it causes the lover to overlook flaws in their love. It may seem obvious, but pleasure and erotic desire are inextricably linked. Imagine the discussion between the two writers; focus on the intensity of it. See how deep into their philosophies erotic desire gets them? It gets to the heart of the matter, to the ‘greatest good’, and the mortality of the soul. How is the summum bonum to be achieved? Is a part of us immortal? The two men would have disagreed. The soul is immortal for Plato, and mortal for Lucretius. Plato’s ideal is a man full of erotic desire, of that ‘passionate love’ which Lucretius denounces, but his soul will be the better for it, because it leads him to a greater good. The man of Lucretius would see no higher good in erotic desire, just a pleasure with pitfalls. For Plato, erotic desire leads to the truth, but for Lucretius it leads astray. As the two works, in the discussion of erotic desire, seem to be defined by the question of the mortality of the soul, the works, in this light, provide insight into how crucial a role time, or the lack of it, plays in the conception of the summum bonum. There is a troubling undercurrent that runs through both works. In this context, both works imply the instability of human experience. In Plato, the soul exists in the perfect world of forms, and then falls into the imperfect world of man; the cycle repeats endlessly. For Lucretius, man may take pleasure in the moment, but pain is always around the corner. Though ideologically different, both philosophers accept that stability is difficult to realize. Again, the issue hinges on the mortality of the soul, because stability can only ultimately be achieved in death. Research Papers on The Issues of Erotic Desire in Phaedrus and De Rerum Natura - Philosophy EssayHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementMind TravelComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoQuebec and CanadaCapital PunishmentEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenResearch Process Part OneHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Diets Dont Help to Lose Weight

Diets Dont Help to Lose Weight There’s More to Losing Weight Than Eating Less Change Your Lifestyle! Ask any thin adult on the street if they diet. Go ahead – we’ll wait. †¦ They don’t diet, we told you so. They don’t follow gluten-free diets, diets without bread, or sugar-free diets either. Thin people don’t fast and skip meals and eat like birds. Thin people eat, actually, rather wholesomely and, well, quite a bit. What can help a person lose weight is exercising, eating healthily and mindfully. These are the keys to losing weight – not dieting on the newest celebrity-backed nutrition trends. It comes down to one’s lifestyle, discipline and foresight, and making the right decisions about what their body does, as well as good decisions about what they put in their body. Dieting doesn’t work. Lifestyle changes help lose weight. Exercise a lot! What helps a person, any person, lose weight is exercise – and rigorous exercise. This is jogging or walking briskly for 30 minutes three to five times a week. This is hitting the weight room for an hour three to four times a week. A person needs to move their body because the majority of us life sedentary lives – mostly because of our jobs, which require computers. Rigorous exercise every other day improves one’s metabolism, the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life; the breakdown of complex substances and the consequent production of energy and waste matter. A person with a strong metabolism is generally thin and can consume a great deal of food – they burn it off quickly, the burn many of the unwanted calories they consume in a given day. That’s why exercise is important: it increases the metabolic rate in a person’s body, which makes losing weight easier and more attainable. Diets don’t he lp lose weight; exercise does. Diets may help some folks lose weight – but you can actually lose weight by eating more. That’s right. Diets like Weight Watchers do more harm than good. They require the dieter to eat pre-packaged food that lacks in nutrition and substance. People don’t need that to be healthy and thin. People, to be healthy and thin, need to eat a well-balanced diet – with lots of greens, fruits and proteins, which is what a person’s body needs to function and person at its optimal level. Moderation is good for losing weight, instead of over-eating to the point of discomfort. Foods like cucumbers, leafy greens and berries provide a person energy, but also contain vitamins and minerals that burn fat – such as B vitamins: niacin – and provide a lot of fiber. Fiber is a dietary material containing substances such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin, that are resistant to the action of digestive enzymes. Foods with fiber keep digestion on track, delivering waste via bowel movements. This, in turn, maintains a person’s waste. People need protein, too. It helps build muscles and also prevents a person from cravings, as the protein takes longer to digest. People, to lead healthy, fit lives, need to exercise and eat nutritiously. Eat Not Less But Mindfully! To lose weight, people must eat mindfully and with a plan. Eating well takes planning – research, grocery lists, discipline, and sacrifice – and it’s not necessarily cheap either. But the majority of fruits and veggies are sold relatively cheap in markets and grocery stores. Though meats are a bit more expensive to purchase in quality. Nonetheless, there are many alternatives to meat as one’s only source of protein. In any rate, a person – for their metabolism to kick in full gear, to burn calories early in the day – should eat a big, wholesome breakfast every day, lots of protein, fruit, and grains; perhaps a snack later, dark chocolate or a piece of fruit. Secondly, a moderate lunch, not as large as breakfast – but still with protein and veggies or fruit, maybe a little bread. For dinner, a French dinner: moderate-sized portions, perhaps more veggies than protein. This basically illustrates a pyramid, with the bottom, the widest port ion representing breakfast. But it takes preparation, foresight, and diligence to eat like this – so you lose maximum weight. In conclusion, don’t diet; it doesn’t work. Lifestyle changes help lose weight. Exercising vigorously each week, eating healthily and mindfully – these are the keys to losing weight. Just look at an Olympic athlete. They don’t diet. They burn thousands of calories training each day – but yet they eat like kings. Thin people don’t live by Kate Moss’s famous quote, â€Å"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.†

Native Americans and criminal justice Assignment

Native Americans and criminal justice - Assignment Example They play an intricate role in nation building. This is through some of the cultural beliefs that they hold dear to them, to this day. Some may think they are uncivilised, savage, and unruly, but Native Americans bring a certain cultural difference to the lands (Nielsen & Robyn, 2009). In regards to the criminal justice system, their system and set of beliefs are quite different. What they might believe to be wrong in their eyes might hold a different opinion in a court of law, in present time. The underrepresentation of Native Americans in many areas of the American society shows of the struggle they have to go through in modern times. They are a marginalized community, and their needs are not often addressed by the few representatives they have. Although colonization tried to bring in different ideologies, Native Americans still hold onto their beliefs (Nielsen & Robyn, 2009). They are now engaged in a war to prevent the erosion of their culture, by struggling to survive as a distinct, cultural community. In conclusion, to better understand what the Native American community goes through, it is best to understand them from before pre-colonization, to present time. This can give one an understanding as to how they relate to others as a people. One can also find the different ideologies they hold toward the criminal system (Nielsen & Robyn, 2009). Through the struggles they face, it is frighteningly normal to see why they are a marginalized group of people, and how they are trying to overcome these

Human Resourses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resourses - Essay Example Effective human resource policies should at enhancing job morale, reducing job turnover and increasing individual employee productivity (Patchen 67). Task one: human resource plans The strategic plans of human resource management are aimed at achieving increased employee morale, increased skills and compliance with the rules and regulations of the organization. The plans also aim at adhering with labor laws. Compliance with labor laws. The organization should ensure compliance with industrial labor laws on minimum wages, working hours, safety and occupational laws, pensions and other contractual obligations. There will be effective channels of communication where employees can forward their dissatisfaction with supervisors and other grievances. All the grievances will be arbitrated promptly and all employees will be accorded fair hearing in case of disciplinary proceedings (Lauby 61). Recruitment and interviewing. The organization should implement recruitment and selection practices which result to hiring the best talent. Accurate advertisements which contain the job descriptions and person specifications and other related information shall be placed within a reasonable time. Recruitment shall be fair and timely hiring shall be implemented. Well planned induction shall be offered to all new employees (Lauby 78). Compensation. Compensation shall include both monetary and non-monetary rewards. Compensation should be equitable between work groups and levels of management. Compensation shall be benchmarked to the market rates. Employee performance management. Individual goals shall be aligned to overall organizational goals and objectives. Regular performance appraisals shall be conducted and timely feedback disseminated to all employees. Training and development. Mentoring and coaching shall be offered to all employees. Training shall be aligned with individual goals and organizational needs. Skills audit shall be conducted regularly to identify training needs. Su ccession planning and continuity shall be ensured. Conformity with legal provisions (Lauby 97). The organization shall diversity, privacy, equal opportunity and freedom of information in human resource practices. Discrimination shall be prohibited. Task two: questionnaire The questionnaire will use a rating scale of one to five as follows: (1) strongly agree, (2) agree, (3) neither agree or disagree, (4) disagree and (5) strongly disagree. The list of questions which employees at all levels will be expected to respond to is as follows. 1) Are proud to work for the company? 2) Are you free to express your fear and dissatisfaction in your work? 3) Is your immediate supervisor competent in human relations? 4) Do you feel that you are able to work for the company as long as you do a good job? 5) Does the company offer salary levels which compare with others in the industry? 6) Does your compensation match your skills, roles and responsibilities? 7) Do you receive immediate feedback on y our personal accomplishments and achievements? 8) Is your immediate supervisor concerned with the quality of services you offer? 9) Do you feel the company has adequate health and safety standards in your

The Allegory of the Cave and Dante Essay -- Plato Allegory Cave Dante

The Allegory of the Cave and Dante â€Å"If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.† This maxim applies to the poet Dante Alighieri, writer of The Inferno in the 1300s, because it asserts the need to establish oneself as a contributor to society. Indeed, Dante’s work contributes much to Renaissance Italy as his work is the first of its scope and size to be written in the vernacular. Due to its readability and availability, The Inferno is a nationalistic symbol. With this widespread availability also comes a certain social responsibility; even though Dante’s audience would have been familiar with the religious dogma, he assumes the didactic role of illustrating his own version of Christian justice and emphasizes the need for a personal understanding of divine wisdom and contrapasso, the idea of the perfect punishment for the crime. Dante acts as both author and narrator, completing a physical and spiritual jou rney into the underworld with Virgil as his guide and mentor. The journey from darkness into light is an allegory full of symbolism, much like that of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, which shows a philosopher’s journey towards truth. Therefore, Dante would also agree with the maxim, â€Å"Wise men learn by others’ harms; fools scarcely by their own,† because on the road to gaining knowledge and spiritual enlightenment, characters who learn valuable lessons from the misfortunes of others strengthen their own paradigms. Nonetheless, the only true way to gain knowledge is to experience it first hand. Dante’s character finds truth by way of his own personal quest. Dante’s poetry is rich in symbolism of light and darkness. At the beginn... ...ards monstrous figures and sympathy towards those who seem to be tortured unjustly. In his perverse education, with instruction from Virgil and the shades, Dante learns to replace mercy with brutality, because sympathy in Hell condones sin and denies divine justice. The ancient philosopher Plato, present in the first level of Hell, argues in The Allegory of the Cave that truth is possible via knowledge of the Form of the Good. Similarly, Dante acquires truth through a gradual understanding of contrapasso and the recognition of divine justice in the afterlife. Ultimately, Dante recognizes that the actions of the earthly fresh are important because the soul lives on afterwards to face the ramifications. By expressing his ideas on morality and righteousness, Dante writes a work worth reading, immortalizes his name, and exalts the beliefs of his Christian audience.

Differences Between Daisy and Brett Essay

Differences between Daisy and Brett I. Introduction Thesis: Daisy and Brett differ in conformity, personality, and lifestyle. II. Body A. Daisy 1. Conformity 2. Personality 3. Lifestyle B. Brett 1. Conformity 2. Personality 3. Lifestyle III. Conclusion Differences between Daisy and Brett In the two novels, â€Å"The Great Gatsby† and â€Å"The Sun Also Rises,† the differences between the two major female characters are greatly evident. Daisy, who is a major female character in â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† and Brett, who is a major female character in â€Å"The Sun Also Rises,† plays major roles in providing apparent themes for the two novels. They do so with different strategies and beliefs. Daisy and Brett differ in conformity, personality, and lifestyle. Daisy is a beautiful young woman who is married to Tom Buchanan. She is expected to be like other proper women of that time; therefore, she is. She is not independent and relies on her husband Tom for everything. In the novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† Daisy can not decide between her husband Tom and her past lover Gatsby. In chapter seven it states, â€Å"As Tom left the room again Daisy got up and went over to Gatsby, and pulled his face down kissing him on the mouth. † She then murmured, â€Å"You know I love you. † This shows that she does not have a personality of her own and that she can not make decisions alone. In chapter one, Miss Baker states, â€Å"We ought to plan something. † Daisy then replies, â€Å"All right, what will we plan? † She then turned to Nick, the narrator, helplessly and asked, â€Å"What do people plan? † She lives an exuberant lifestyle with her wealthy husband and she gets everything she wants. In chapter one Nick states, â€Å"Their house was even more elaborate that I expected, a cheerful red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay. † Money is the source of her contentment as she states, â€Å"I’m p-paralyzed with happiness. † In â€Å"The Sun Also Rises,† Brett is an extremely attractive young woman. In the book Jake, the narrator, states, â€Å"With them was Brett. She looked very lovely. † Also, Brett does not give in easily to conformity as most women of that time. She loves to drink in large intervals as did most of the people during the period of time the story took place. An excerpt in chapter seven states, â€Å"Let’s enjoy a little more of this,† Brett pushed her glass forward. Then Mrs. Barnes states, â€Å"She is the only lady I have ever known who was as charming when she was drunk as when she was sober. † Brett is very independent and does not rely on a single man for anything. She makes her own decisions and looks after herself everyday. Brett’s lifestyle is far from perfect because she does not really own any possessions, but she is happy. Other females occasionally look upon her as a whore or slut solely because she is different, but she chooses the lifestyle she lives and loves it. To prove this point true Jake states, â€Å"Brett was radiant. She was happy. The sun was out and the day was bright. † The differences between Daisy and Brett are very evident to the reader. They are almost as complete opposites if analyzed closely. Daisy and Brett have very distinctly different views on conformity, different types of personalities, and two totally different lifestyles.