The Return: Midnight Chapter 43

â€Å"Elena?†Stefan said quietly. â€Å"Could you ask me to come in? You have to invite me in if you want to – to talk – â€Å" Invite him in? He was already in – inside her heart. She had told the Guardians that everyone would have to accept Stefan as her boyfriend of almost a year. It didn't matter. In a low voice she said, â€Å"Come in, Stefan.† â€Å"The window's locked from your side, Elena.† Numbly, Elena unlocked the window. The next moment she was encompassed by warm, strong arms in a desperate, fervent embrace. But the moment after that, the arms dropped, leaving her frozen and lonely. â€Å"Stefan? What's wrong?†Her eyes had adapted and by the starlight through the window she could see him hesitating before her. â€Å"I can't – It isn't – It's not me you want,†he said in a rush that sounded as if it came through a constricted throat. â€Å"But I wanted you to know that – that Meredith and Matt are holding Bonnie. Comforting her, I mean. They're al okay and so is Mrs. Flowers. And I thought that you – â€Å" â€Å"They put me to sleep! They said they wouldn't put me to sleep!† â€Å"You fel asleep, lo – Elena. While we were waiting for them to send us home. We al watched over you: Bonnie, Sage, and I.†He was Stillspeaking in that formal, unusual tone. â€Å"But I thought – Well, that you might want to talk tonight, too. Before I – I left.†He put a finger up to stop his lip from shaking. â€Å"You swore you wouldn't leave me!†Elena cried. â€Å"You promised, not for any reason, not for any length of time, no matter how noble the cause!† â€Å"But – Elena – that was before I understood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You Stilldon't understand! Do you know – â€Å" His hand flew to cover her mouth and he put his lips to her ear. â€Å"Lo – Elena. We're in your house. Your aunt – â€Å" Elena felt her eyes widen, although of course subconsciously she had known this al along. The air of familiarity. This bed – it was her bed, and the spread was her beloved gold and white bedspread. The obstacles she'd known how to avoid in the dark – the tapping at her window†¦she was home. Like a climber who has negotiated an impossible-seeming section of rock, and almost fal en, Elena felt a tremendous rush of adrenaline. And it was this – or, perhaps, simply the power of the love that flooded through her – that achieved what she had been so clumsily trying to reach. She felt her soul expand and come out of her body. And meet Stefan's. She was appal ed by the hastily swept-away desolation in his spirit, and humbled by the surge of love that flooded every part of him at the touch of her mind. Oh, Stefan. Just – say that – that you can forgive me, that's all. If you forgive me I can live. Maybe you can even be happy with me again – if you just give it a little time. I'm already happy with you. But we have all the time in the world, Stefan reassured her. But she caught the shadow of a dark thought whisked quickly out of the way. He had al the time in the world. She, however†¦ Elena had to choke back a laugh but then clutched at Stefan suddenly. My backpack – did they take it? Where is it? Right beside your nightstand. I can reach it. Do you want it? He reached in the darkness and pul ed up something heavy and rough and none too pleasant-smel ing. Elena thrust one frantic hand inside it while Stillholding on to Stefan with the other. Yes! Oh, Stefan, it's here! He was beginning to suspect – but he only knew when she drew out the bottle labeled Evian Water and held it to her cheek. It was icy cold, although the night was mild and humid. And as it effervesced violently, it glowed in a way that no ordinary water did. I didn't mean to do it, she told Stefan, suddenly worried that he might not like to associate with a thief. At least – not at first. Sage said to get the water from the Fountain of Eternal Youth and Life into bottles. I dug up a big bottle and this little one, and somehow I stashed the smaller one in my backpack – I'd've put the big one in, too, but it didn't fit. And I didn't even think about the little one again until after they took away my Wings and my telepathy. And a good thing, Stefan thought. If they had caught you – oh, my lovely love! His arms squeezed the breath from Elena's lungs. So that's why you were suddenly so eager to leave! â€Å"They took almost everything else supernatural about me,†Elena whispered, placing her lips close to Stefan's ear. â€Å"I have to live with that, and if they'd given me a chance I'd have agreed – for the sake of Fel ‘s Church – if I'd been logical – â€Å"She broke off as she suddenly realized that she had been literal y out of her mind. She'd been worse than a thief. She'd tried to use a lethal attack on a group of – mostly – innocent people. And the worst thing was that a part of her knew that Damon would have understood her madness, while she wasn't sure Stefan ever could. â€Å"But you don't have to change me into – you know,†she began whispering frenetical y again. â€Å"A sip or two of this and I can be with you forever. Forever and – for – forever – Stefan – â€Å"She stopped, trying to get her breath and her mental balance. His hand closed over hers on the cap. â€Å"Elena.† â€Å"I'm not crying. It's because I'm happy. Forever and ever, Stefan. We can be together, just†¦just us two†¦forever.† â€Å"Elena, love.†His hand kept hers from twisting open the bottle. â€Å"It – isn't what you want?† With his other arm, Stefan pul ed her tightly to him. Her head fel forward onto his shoulder and he rested his chin on her hair. â€Å"It's what I want more than anything. I'm†¦dazed, I guess. I have been ever since – â€Å"He stopped and tried again. â€Å"If we have al the time in the world, we have tomorrow,†he said in a voice muffled by hair. â€Å"And tomorrow is time enough for you to start to think it through. There's enough in that bottle for maybe four or five people. You're the one who's going to have to decide who drinks it, love. But not tonight. Tonight is for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With a sudden rush of joy Elena understood. â€Å"You're talking about – Damon.†Amazing how difficult it was to simply say his name. It almost seemed a violation, and yet†¦ When he could talk – like this – for a moment to me, he told me what he wanted, she sent. Stefan stirred a little in the darkness, but said nothing. Stefan, he only asked for one thing before he†¦went. It was not to be forgotten. That's all. And we're the ones who remember the most. Us and Bonnie. Aloud she added, â€Å"I wil never forget him. And I wil never let anyone else who knew him forget him – for as long as I live.† She knew she'd spoken too loudly, but Stefan didn't try to quiet her. He gave one quick shudder and then held her tightly again, his face buried in her hair. I remember, he sent to her, when Katherine asked him to join her – when we three were in Honoria Fell's crypt. I remember what he said to her. Do you? Elena felt their souls intertwine as they both saw the scene through the other's eyes. Of course, I remember too. Stefan sighed, half-laughing. I remember trying to take care of him later in Florence. He wouldn't behave, wouldn't even Influence the girls he fed on. Another sigh. I think he wanted to get caught at that point. He couldn't even look me in the face and talk about you. I made Bonnie send for you. I made sure she got both of you out here, Elena told him. Her tears had begun to flow again, but slowly – gently. Her eyes were shut and she felt a faint smile come to her lips. Do you know – Stefan's mental voice was startled, astonished – I remember something else! From when I was very young, maybe three or four years old. My father had a terrible temper, especially right after my mother died. And back then, when I was little, and my father was furious and drunk, Damon would deliberately get in between us. He'd say something obnoxious and – well, my father would end up beating him instead of me. I don't know how I could have forgotten about that. I do, Elena thought, remembering how frightened she had been of Damon when he'd first turned human – even though he'd put himself in between her and the vampires who wanted to Discipline her in the Dark Dimension. He had a gift for knowing exactly what to say – how to look – what to do – to get under anyone's skin. She could feel Stefan chuckle faintly, wryly. A gift, was it? Well, I certainly couldn't do it, and I can manage most people, Elena replied softly. Not him, though. Never him. Stefan added, But he was almost always kinder to weak people than to strong ones. He always did have that soft spot for Bonnie†¦ He broke off, as if frightened he'd ventured too near something sacred. But Elena had her bearings now. She was glad, so glad, that in the end Damon had died to save Bonnie. Elena herself needed no more proof of his feelings about her. She would always love Damon, and she would never al ow anything to diminish that love. And, somehow, it seemed fitting that she and Stefan should sit in her old bedroom and speak of what they remembered of Damon in hushed tones. She planned on taking the same thing up with the others tomorrow. When she final y fel asleep in Stefan's arms, it was hours after midnight.

Reconstruction DBQ Essay

The era of Reconstruction in the 1870s in both the North and South experienced battle for equality for men freed by the 13th Amendment. America was on the brink of recreating the American government, showing genuine signs of a better and brighter future for the African American population. Economic and political practices limited the liberties of black men. Vicious hate groups struck fear unto those who supported the integration of freedmen. The political realm during the time saw a regression of pro-equality emotions in both the Union and in the South. In spite of the promising hope for African Americans that surfaced in 1876, political, economic, and social aspects laced throughout the American government altered the potential for the assurance of equal rights for freedmen. The South exhibited extreme disdain for freed African-American men and women. Restrictions were placed on freedmen in order to hinder their success in a recently freed nation. These laws, often called â€Å"Black Codes†, prohibited the freedman from practicing basic rights. In Opelousas, Louisiana, black men and women were not allowed to live in town, go into town, or hold public meetings in town, and they were required to be â€Å"in the service of some white person, or former owner† (Document A). Enacted immediately after the Civil War, these laws suppressed the equal rights that freedmen were supposed to have. These laws were put into effect by state governments, and they desperately called for interference by the federal government that would not come as soon as it should have. In addition to the Black Codes, sharecropping in the south forced freedmen into an endless cycle of labor and death. This â€Å"cycle of poverty† received land, in turn for promising t he landowner half the crop. At the end of the harvesting cycle, after the sharecropper has given half the crop to the landowner, the sharecropper owes more than he has earned, and the in-debt sharecropper must remain in service next year for the owner (Document B). By 1870, sharecropping was the dominant means by which African Americans could gain access to land in the South, but the southern landowners made it so that the sharecroppers would forever remain owing money to the owner. These limitations placed on the freedmen did not allow them to practice their newfound freedom. Groups of previously Confederate southern men sought out those who condoned the recognition of equality for all races. In a specific account, a white, Northern soldier by the name of Albion Tourgee alerted the North Carolinian Republican Senator of a murder of a man murder by the Ku Klux Klan. This murder was the murder of an honest Republican man, and his support for equality for freedmen got him killed (Document C). This murder acted as a precedent for Tourgee, showing him and any other person that defied the ideals of the KKK would not be tolerated. The KKK wished to abolish any racial toleration in society, and their efforts successfully made the Union members fearful of what they were capable of. In another account, a freed slave was kidnapped by the KKK and beaten mercilessly because he refused to allow a white man to take his place in the legislature. The slave explained that the members of the Klan were in fact first-class men who would be expected to abide by higher morals. Abram Colby, the slave, states â€Å"no man can make a free speech in my country†¦ it can not be done anywhere in Georgia† (Document D). There is a clear violation of rights that all men in United States are given. White men found it necessary to gang up on the innocent black population and let it be known that the participation of freedmen in government would not be tolerated. This example set by the KKK for the government portrayed the lack of support of equality in America. The election of 1876 shaped the future of Reconstruction in the United States. In the election, electoral votes were disputed over, and the Electoral Commission was formed. The argued-over states of Florida, Louisiana, Oregon, and South Carolina saw accusations of fraud in the elections. Republicans dominated electoral commissions and they were able to throw out enough votes to allow Hayes to win (Document F). Despite the win for Democrat Samuel J. Tilden in terms of popular vote, Republican Rutherford B. Hayes ended up winning the election, thus crushing any chance of permanent Reconstruction for the nation. The Compromise of 1877 granted Hayes the presidency, and he removed all Federal soldiers from the South, ensuring success for all-white governments. The once promising future of Reconstruction was officially dismissed due to this election, and racial equality became a forgotten cause. Despite the potential that the United States saw for a Reconstruction of the way of living in the country, key events catalyzed the digression of thoughts of equality in the 1870s. Democrats were steadily regaining control of the South, as the already-weak Republican presence in region only became weaker as northerners lost interest in Reconstruction. The Depression of 1873, along with continued pressure from the Ku Klux Klan, drove most white Unionists, carpetbaggers, and â€Å"scalawags† out of the South by the mid-1870s, leaving blacks alone to fight for radical legislation. By the end of the decade, the fight was over, and equality for freedmen remained an unsolved matter.

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How can visual art be related to or used in accounting major Research Paper

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The Chocolate of Tomorrow Essay Example for Free

The Chocolate of Tomorrow Essay R evenues from the chocolate industry continue to prove rewarding, with 2011 figures from IBISWorld predicting annualized growth of around 2% over the next five years, after dampened expectations during the dark days of 2007-09. But behind the encouraging headlines, many companies are battling to stay on top of a rapidly shifting marketplace. Taste is diverging, as fast-growing economies and empowered consumers demand more from their products. For industry stalwarts, the requirement to offer local, highly tailored and increasingly diverse products represents a serious threat to market share. Spotting the markets that are likely to grow quickly will make the difference between the winners and losers of tomorrow’s chocolate landscape. According to official government figures, current hot spots include India (annual growth rate 15%), China (9%), Russia (6%) and Mexico (3. 8%). They all exhibit a number of key factors that help them stand out from the pack, including a youthful population, rapid capital inflows and retail consolidation. In this report, we’ll take a tour of the factors shaping the chocolate market of tomorrow – from geography and demographics, to consumer needs and preferences, and other market drivers. And we’ll attempt to offer a glimpse into the future by defining what might be the chocolate bar of 2030. John A Morris European Head of Consumer Markets KPMG LLP  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The chocolate of tomorrow State of the market Contents 4 The global picture. What they’re eating and why: a world tour of consumer taste in the chocolate market The three types of consumer shaping the way people buy chocolate across the world Four factors that are increasingly de? ning the chocolate market A glimpse of the future – and what it might mean for the industry 6 Shoppers’ preferences 8 Trends to consider Where next for chocolate? The industry has weathered a global recession and is still seeking growth. But with some markets saturated, where does its future lie? The global chocolate industry is many things, but as a bellwether for the wider economy its use is limited. Revenues have remained resilient despite a recessive global picture, falling disposable incomes, volatile commodity prices and increasing competition. Chocolate is often described as recession-proof. Some economists call it the ‘lipstick effect’: when facing an economic crisis, consumers are more willing to buy less costly luxury goods, such as cosmetics and chocolate, even as they cut back on other luxuries. Revenues over the past few years would seem to back this hypothesis, although year-on-year growth remains relatively sluggish and the spectre of volatile input prices continues to cast a shadow over future projections. Although the global market is still dominated by Western Europe and North America, emerging markets clearly represent the future. The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) accounted for 55% of global confectionery retail growth in 2011. Other emerging economies with youthful populations and an acquisitive middle class are likely to develop a taste for chocolate and, as their disposable incomes grow, they will represent important target markets. With the traditional markets of Western Europe and North America seemingly saturated, manufacturers are being forced to pull even more innovative tricks out of the bag to attract consumers, from enigmatic ? avor combinations to bolder health claims, portion control and personalized bars. Like a large sharing tablet, the market is breaking up. Taste is diverging as the BRICs and empowered Western consumers demand more from their products. Where will the market take us next? 10 The bar of 2030 12 Contacts Global chocolate retail market value 120 100 US$ billion 80 Source: Euromonitor 60 40 20 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 3  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The chocolate of tomorrow The global picture Western Europe is still the largest chocolate market in the world, but slow growth suggests saturation. Health is becoming a major driver in new product launches: in 2011, 10% of products were marketed as vegetarian, 7% as free from additives and 7% as organic. The US eats more chocolate by volume than any country, says the International Cocoa Organization. Consumers are demanding value – and wild ?avors, such as bacon and wasabi. Health matters but is not yet a major driver. The large Hispanic market is key. The British government is pressurizing manufacturers to tackle obesity, although only 12% of consumers see fat content in chocolate as an important factor. Portion control is imperative, with smaller bars and larger ‘sharing packs’ introduced to curb overeating. In Mexico, 52% of the population are under 20: a huge market for candy and chocolate. Around 80-90% of chocolate products are aimed at children. This offers opportunity for tie-ins with well-known children’s brands, but rising obesity levels may prompt regulation. The world of chocolate Geography is still key to understanding the speci? cs of consumer taste. What are customers across the world demanding? 4 Easter is big business in Brazil, with 100 million Easter eggs eaten every year – and this is likely to increase. But childhood obesity presents a curb on growth. With more than 35% of children overweight, child-focused product launches have been driven down by 62%.  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. Russia is one of the most promising emerging economies for chocolatiers. The market is worth more than US$8bn and is expected to grow 45% by 2016. As consumers move up the value chain, artisan manufacturers begin to stake their claim. Widespread lactose intolerance has made for a slow start in China, but chocolate sales have risen 40% since 2009. Lindt claims in its annual report that the market is growing 30% a year. Premium products are popular, with over half of all sales bought as gifts. At US$11. 4bn, Japan is the largest Asian market. Domestic artisan companies are ? ourishing but foreigners can ? nd it hard to gain a foothold. Nestle’s Kit-Kat brand is the exception, appealing to consumers with 200 unusual ?avors and special editions. India has always had a sweet tooth, and chocolate is fast becoming its favorite treat, ahead of sugar candy, with an annual market growth rate of 15%. Cadbury’s now owns 70% of the market, introducing innovative products that can survive in the extreme heat. The Middle East/North Africa market is expected to reach US$5. 8bn by 2016, up 61% on today. Almost every part of Africa is growing: South Africa is the biggest market, but sugar confectionery is still 22% more popular there than chocolate, says Leatherhead Food Research. Source: Euromonitor Global market share by region, 2011 Western Europe 32% North America 20% Asia 17% Latin America 13% Eastern Europe 12% Middle East and Africa 4% Australasia 2% 5  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The chocolate of tomorrow Shoppers’ preferences. What consumers want The psychology behind chocolate suggests consumers see it as a ‘naughty but nice’ impulse treat. But a closer look reveals three distinct types of buyer, each with different behaviors and demands THE CONVENIENCE BUYER Chocolate may be seen as an impulse purchase, but it’s becoming increasingly everyday among consumers. Convenience is a major driver for chocolate lovers, who want to grab a bar from a local store or throw a multi-pack into the trolley during a weekly shop. As convenience becomes more important to time-poor shoppers, sales of tablet bars are growing (up 37% in the UK last year) as consumers grab and go. Premium chocolate-makers such as Godiva are rethinking their strategies to get a bite of this lucrative market, introducing smaller bar formats. A desire for convenience is also increasing the popularity of sharing bags, particularly in Western markets, as consumers buy to share or ? nish eating later. Manufacturers have reacted with packaging innovations, such as the ‘memory wrapper’ from Mars that allows bars to be twisted, closed and saved. Mars says the innovation â€Å"empowers the consumer†. It also drives brand loyalty. THE VALUE BUYER In many markets, value is a hot topic. In the US, 79% of consumers look for good value when choosing chocolate, although 70% also want a name brand, according to Mintel Oxygen – meaning even value shoppers are making demands of manufacturers. Value is particularly important in economies where the middle class is still being de? ned – and may exist far below Western levels. According to research from ? nancial services provider Rabobank, a 45g chocolate bar accounted for less than 1% of the weekly shopping budget in the US and UK in 2010, but in India the same bar made up 18% of the weekly food allowance: which means a snack comes at the expense of a full meal. One-size-? ts-all global pricing solutions are dif? cult when the income levels and aspirations of the fast-growing middle class differ so widely. Although disposable income is rising in emerging markets, we could assume that a large proportion of consumers will continue to look for the cheapest option. Value-conscious shoppers favor a new generation of outlets. Discount stores are ? ourishing, which is forcing supermarkets to think more like discounters to attract ? ckle customers, including increasing their private label ranges. Small grocery stores may lack the economies of scale to compete on price, while ‘specialist’ formats are being crowded out. In emerging markets, ‘one-stop’ retail locations are becoming popular due to low prices and greater choice. Where they’re buying 15. 7% 1. 5% 45. 3% 10% 27. 5% Non-store Specialist stores Small grocery stores Supermarkets and discount stores Others 6  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. Global chocolate retailers market share 2011. Source: Euromontior THE LUXURY BUYER The luxury chocolate market continues to embrace the mainstream – and not just in developed economies. â€Å"The psychology is that even expensive chocolate is an affordable luxury,† says Marcia Mogelonsky, Global Food Analyst at researcher Mintel. Chocolate is becoming increasingly premiumized, and brands such as Godiva and Lindt have become almost mass market as consumers develop a taste for everyday glamour. Godiva, which has increased its sales from US$400m to almost US$700m in 10 years and is now owned by Turkey’s Yildiz Holdings, plans to become a staple for the health-conscious, sweettoothed consumer. â€Å"Our revenues have increased in all our markets, especially in China and Japan, which are the most important markets right now,† Godiva CEO Jim Goldman has said. â€Å"[Marketing our product] is a balancing act. And it’s different in every country. We do retain our prestige†¦ but we have to be relevant. † In Russia, the chocolate market is expected to grow 45% over the next ? ve years, to reach US$11. 6bn, says Euromonitor. Belgian artisan chocolatier Jean-Philippe Darcis has his eye on the country, predicting: â€Å"The market will evolve and people will have more buying power. † Lindt is enjoying double-digit sales growth in the Middle East. In China, rich dark chocolate is thriving, with Ferrero Rocher and artisan chocolate maker Senz launching exclusive premium dark brands in the last two years. Unsurprisingly, larger manufacturers are keen to get a bite of this burgeoning sector but, without the personal story required to sell such products, they can struggle. The solution: purchase artisan brands and market them as separate entities – large producers’ economies of scale mean this phenomenon makes life hard for surviving artisan brands. Mars has Ethel M, Nestle bought Maison Cailler and Hershey owns Dagoba and Scharffen Berger. â€Å"It may sound counterintuitive, but what’s happening in the [global ? nancial] crisis is a quest by consumers for value, for more affordable products, but also for products that overtake their expectations,† says Laurent Freixe, head of Nestle’s European business. However, large manufacturers with designs on artisan businesses must be careful. â€Å"Consumers like artisan companies because they are high quality and unique,† warns Mary Nanfelt, Food Analyst at IBISWorld. â€Å"That uniqueness and independence must remain. † Luxury sales on the up â€Å"What’s happening in the ? nancial crisis is a quest by consumers for products that are more affordable but that also overtake their expectations† 2001 2005 2008 2011 0 0. 5 1 1. 5 2 2. 5 Godiva Lindt 3 US$bn sales 7  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The chocolate of tomorrow Trends to consider Driving growth From sustainability to eventing, four factors that are increasingly important in understanding the global chocolate market – and the opportunities they could create both now and in the future SUSTAINABILITY Food origin is an increasingly important driver for consumer purchasing decisions in more developed markets, particularly at high-end retailers. Mary Nanfelt, Analyst at IBISWorld, says: â€Å"Americans in particular are becoming more socially conscious in their choices, buying chocolate from sustainable and organic sources. † Globally, use of Fairtrade cocoa has risen dramatically over the last few years, and smart phone users can even download ethical shopping apps. All the major manufacturers have embraced Fairtrade to some degree. Kraft’s Cadbury brand has tripled the amount of Fairtrade cocoa it uses, and Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, the UK’s best-selling bar, is certi? ed Fairtrade. Hershey announced this year that it would begin to source the cocoa for its Bliss brand through Fairtrade farms, while Mars and Nestle already have best-selling Fairtrade lines. INNOVATION As consumers become ever more demanding, innovation is crucial to market share. And personalization is likely to be the next consumer-driven revolution in the industry. Nestle is leading the pack in this area. Maison Cailler allows customers in Switzerland, the world’s largest per capita chocolate market, to create personalized taster packs based on their preferences. Its Spanish brand Diselo con Chocolate recently launched an e-commerce platform where customers can create their own assortments. Gum and candy businesses such as Wrigley’s have already introduced personalized packaging (particularly aimed at gifters) and chocolate could soon follow suit. The next logical step is for consumers to design chocolate bars that cater to their unique palate – but which manufacturer will take on the production challenge involved? HEALTH Although many consumers view chocolate as an occasional treat and don’t obsess over its effect on health, fat is becoming a major issue for manufacturers. So-called ‘fat taxes’ are threatened in a number of major economies, including the US and the UK, while European countries such as Denmark and Hungary have already introduced surplus taxes on unhealthy food. In Japan, the government has gone one step further and is taxing companies and local authorities with a h proportion of overweight igh employees or residents. An increased emphasis on healthy lifestyles is an imperative for governments facing rising healthcare costs, particularly in developed economies that are battling childhood obesity. This has impacted childfocused product launches, which fell 62% last year in the US and Brazil, both countries that are struggling to keep their weight down (more than 35% of Brazilian children under six are overweight or obese). Globally, 21% of parents reported switching products to give their children healthier snacks, potentially reducing brand recognition among the next generation. To combat this, the industry should debate the potential health bene? ts and enable chocolate to be among the next generation of functional foods, pushing the antioxidant effects of dark chocolate or investigating the energyboosting properties of bars with oats, nuts or ‘super fruits’. Latvian brand Laci is using ‘super berry’ sea buckthorn in its products. Smaller bars (Mars has capped its bars at 250 calories in the UK and Australia, and will follow suit in the US in 2013) can encourage awareness of portion sizes. Fairtrade takes off 35,000 30,000 Global production in tonnes 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 Source: Fairtrade Foundation 5,000 08 20 03 20 04 20 20 05 06 20 07 20 20 09 10 20 8  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. QA Bert Alfonso CFO, Hershey Personalization is likely to be the next revolution in chocolate†¦ the logical step is for consumers to design bars that cater to their unique palate EVENTING In many countries, chocolate is an essential component of religious events, special occasions and festivals. The seasonal chocolate market is worth US$4. 9bn in the US, an increase of 6. 4% since 2010, says Mintel. Easter is the biggest chocolate event globally and, although the shelves can appear full of competing products, the market is in fact far from saturated. Easter products launched worldwide rose 45% during 2011. Canada has proved particularly fruitful for manufacturers, with seasonal activity increasing 89% in 2011. In gift-hungry Western Europe, growth in seasonal product launches is particularly notable in the UK and France, where seasonal activity increased 53% and 41% respectively. In more mature markets like the US and Australia, there is evidence to suggest consumers are choosing to buy a smaller number of high-margin, luxury items rather than focusing on value products. In Australia, where Easter chocolate spending is expected to grow 3% in 2012 to over US$178m, specialty retailers stocking luxury Easter eggs from the likes of Lindt have been reporting robust growth. China has seen a seasonal boom. The expanding middle class is spending more on premium chocolate, which makes the perfect gift. More than half the chocolate bought in China is purchased as a gift, with Christmas and the Lunar New Year peak buying times. According to Shaun Rein, author of The End of Cheap China: Economic and Cultural Trends that will Disrupt the World, costly confectionery ? lls a gap in traditional present-buying. â€Å"Chocolate hits a good market position. There just aren’t that many other prestige gift items in the $50-$200 range. † Q How has Hershey maintained growth in a time of ? nancial uncertainty? A: We have focused on productivity gains, which have been reinvested in the products consumers are looking for, and increased marketing activity. Gross margins have increased over the last few years as a result of several actions, including raising prices in the US market to offset rising commodity costs. We believe we’re in the middle of a secular bull market for commodities, driven by the growth of emerging economies. What steps have you been taking to mitigate rising raw material costs? Aside from pricing, we use hedging programs in everything but dairy. Certain costs are predictable but when it comes to commodities, we follow the fundamental as well as technical market indicators for materials such as cocoa and sugar. Longer-term, there’s an opportunity to improve cocoa yield in regions such as West Africa. The methods being used at the moment aren’t that sophisticated, which is why we are involved in farming training to enhance cocoa-growing productivity. Overall, cocoa farming is still pro? table at current market prices – and some markets are actually increasing production. How much of your future revenue would you like to see coming from overseas? We have targeted US$1bn revenue from our overseas operations by 2015 – we’ve actually been pacing ahead of that. Mexico, Brazil, India and China are the most important markets for us, and we now manufacture in all of them. We have been manufacturing in China for several years, rather than just exporting there, because US chocolate simply isn’t formulated for the local taste pro? le. How do you see the luxury market developing in future? I believe that smaller artisan companies will ? nd it harder to stay in the market in the long term. Luxury is growing again as a segment and competition is intensifying. It could eventually account for 20% of the market over time. What type of chocolate will we be eating in 2030? A lot of the products currently available in the US market still have longevity. There will be more personalized products as the market seeks to deliver on unique taste pro? les. Also, consumers are looking for more permissive, better-for-you alternatives. The digital aspect of personalization is still at an early stage and we will see further investment from manufacturers. The mass market won’t go away, but it will evolve. 9  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The chocolate of tomorrow The bar of 2030 Looking to the future What kind of chocolate will we be eating in 2030? The rapid change of the past few years gives us some vital clues to the industry’s direction Innovative packaging To stand out on the shelves and reduce costs, packaging could undergo a revolution. Manufacturers will devise new ways to ensure chocolate doesn’t melt in the extreme heat of many emerging markets, as well as introducing new bar sizes. Health bene? ts Chocolate could ride the trend for nutraceuticals. Nestle has already announced plans to invest US$510m in â€Å"pioneering a new industry between food and pharma†. Medicinal herbs could be used as an ingredient, or even aspirin. Additional betterfor-you ingredients such as super-fruits, nuts and oats may become more common. Additive-free chocolate will become the norm in developed economies. Dark chocolate could increase in popularity as consumers become more aware of its health bene? ts. Attracting youth Marketing to the youthful populations of emerging markets (especially India and Latin America) will be vital. Use of popular culture, including bands and TV shows, in marketing campaigns may increase, as will viral marketing and social media interaction, as young people broaden their channels. While children prefer sweeter chocolate, concerned parents will look for chocolate with added health value. 0 03 2 Luxury vs commodity A growing middle class will continue to propel the luxury market, and will increasingly drive it into mainstream retailers. But this will pose a challenge: although middle class consumers in emerging markets may develop expensive tastes, their disposable income will still be relatively limited. Manufacturers may need to choose between margins and volume, positioning themselves carefully as either a luxury or commodity player. The outsourcing solution. The most successful chocolate companies could be purely marketing and RD operations after outsourcing their production to industrial suppliers. The public won’t even have heard of the world’s largest chocolate producers, who will work behind the scenes to supply well-known brands. 10  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. The personal touch Bespoke bars may be commonplace. One artisan chocolate maker says he envisages smaller shops offering people the chance to create their own bar. As consumer palates grow more sophisticated, unusual ? avors will become the norm, with chocolate-lovers choosing their own combinations. Consumers may also be able to design their own packaging. New distribution channels Chocolate will be available from a wider variety of outlets, from coffee shops to health food stores, to cater for convenience buyers. Supermarkets and discount stores will continue to dominate sales, particularly among value customers. Premium chocolate could become available in mainstream stores as luxury buyers proliferate. Brands might seek to move up the value chain by creating their own ? agship stores, something Hershey and Mars (through its MM’s brand) have already done successfully. ar b 0 Fresh ? avors In developed markets, ? avors may become increasingly unusual as palates grow more sophisticated and brands seek a marketing boost. Combinations of sweet and savoury (such as bacon and chocolate) will increase, and salt, olive oil, herbs and ? owers will all be used as ? avorings. Middle class rule Manufacturers are likely to offer more chocolate from ethical sources to meet aspirational buyers’ needs. Middle class consumers will also be keen on premium chocolate for gifting purposes, and seasonal launches, which increased 6% during 2011, will continue to grow. A new recipe Milk chocolate will have a l ower cocoa content due to rising prices, and manufacturers will be forced to use cocoa more sparingly. Demand for cocoa could spiral out of control: one Latin American manufacturer predicts that China and India increasing average per capita consumption by just 1kg could make most manufacturers’ current models unsustainable. In that scenario, arti? cal cocoa could become a viable alternative. Price vs size Think small Rising obesity levels and government regulation will lead to manufacturers limiting portion sizes. Sharing bags of smaller bars will become more popular as people seek to limit the amount eaten in one sitting. Average per capita consumption (currently 8kg in Europe) may drop, although overall consumption is likely to rise as the global middle class mushrooms. In emerging markets, chocolate takes a hefty bite from the household budget. As input price volatility continues, manufacturers may have to keep value in mind or risk losing consumers. Price per gram is rising fast in developed markets, but research shows consumers feel cheated if bars get smaller but price is static. Mainstream manufacturers could be forced to choose between containing cost, at the expense of size, and moving further up the value chain. 11  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member firms of the KPMG network of independent firms are affiliated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. All rights reserved. About KPMG KPMG is a global network of professional ? rms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We have 145,000 outstanding professionals working together to deliver value in 152 countries worldwide. KPMG is organized by industry sectors across our member ? rms. The Consumer Markets practice, which encompasses the Food, Drink and Consumer Goods and Retail sectors, comprises an international network of professionals with deep industry experience. This industry-focused network enables KPMG member ?rm professionals to provide consistent services and thought leadership to our clients globally, while maintaining a strong knowledge of local issues and markets. It’s clear the chocolate market is shifting rapidly, and presents a range of challenges and opportunities. To discuss any of the issues raised in this report, please get in touch. Contacts Willy Kruh Global Chair, Consumer Markets and Food, Drink and Consumer Goods +1 416 777 8710 [emailprotected] ca Nick Debnam ASPAC Regional Head of Consumer Markets and Food, Drink and Consumer Goods KPMG in Hong Kong +852 2978 8283 nick. [emailprotected] com Stephane Gard Head of Consumer Markets KPMG in Switzerland +41 21 345 0335 [emailprotected] com John A Morris EMA Region Head of Consumer Markets KPMG in the UK +44 20 7311 8522 john. [emailprotected] co. uk Patrick W Dolan Americas Region and US Head of Consumer Markets KPMG in the US +1 312 665 2311 [emailprotected] com Publication name The Chocolate of Tomorrow Published by Haymarket Network Ltd Publication no 120788 Publication date June 2012 Pre-press by Haymarket Pre-press The information contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation.  © 2012 KPMG International Cooperative (â€Å"KPMG International†), a Swiss entity. Member ? rms of the KPMG network of independent ? rms are af? liated with KPMG International. KPMG International provides no client services. No member ? rm has any authority to obligate or bind KPMG International or any other member ? rm vis-a-vis third parties, nor does KPMG International have any such authority to obligate or bind any member ? rm. All rights reserved. The KPMG name, logo and â€Å"cutting through complexity† are registered trademarks or trademarks of KPMG International. Photography and illustration: Creativ Studio Heinemann/Westend61/Corbis; Peter Dazeley/Getty Images; AP/Press Association Images; Shutterstock.

The Vicissitude of Faith in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay Example for Free

The Vicissitude of Faith in Night by Elie Wiesel Essay The Vicissitude of Faith in Night When we’re young and we have a toy or a play thing, we get angry if that thing is taken away from us; we throw a tantrum. This is because the toy retains our focus and interest, and then it’s just ripped away. Elie Wiesel was prematurely ripped from his world of family and faith, forced to the infamous concentration camp of Auschwitz to wither away along with the burned remains of his past and hopes. The drastic change from Wiesel’s rendition of his experiences during the Holocaust, Night, portrays many themes throughout the entirety of its pages, with one of the most prominent themes being Elie’s own faith and its vicissitude over time, of which is seen in the early years of his life where he was devout to his religion, to the train ride and arrival at Auschwitz where he begs God to help, ending in the death of his God as the children are hung, and the total rejection of a God altogether. As a child, before the Holocaust, Wiesel was a fervent and dedicated Jew. Early in the pages of Night, Wiesel recalls a question that his father had asked him. â€Å" ‘Why do you pray? ’ he asked me, after a moment. Why did I pray? A strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe? † (Wiesel 2). Wiesel’s life is centered around his religion; he finds it completely abstruse for his father to question his praying, because praying is what he does. Praying, faith, Judaism; all these things are his toys. Wiesel doesn’t just worship to worship, he worships because that is the thing he gets to play with. Imagine if these toys were taken away from him? These are just any toys, these toys are essential to his sanity and well-being. He compares his faith and prayer to his breathing. Not only does he need them, but losing them would be a debility that Wiesel isn’t sure he can face. Despite the necessity to retain this, they ignore the warnings and threats that the Nazis pose, and he and his family remain almost blissfully ignorant of the fact that there is the threat of their toys being ripped away and everything they know languishing into little more than a memory. This threat is sitting right in their front yard, and they have no idea of the vicissitude that will come and change their lives when the threat walks onto the porch, rolls up its sleeves, and knocks on the door. â€Å"Anguish. German soliders— with their steel helmets, and their emblem, the death’s hand. † (Wiesel 7). Everybody had denied it, but there they were. The Germans had come to Elie’s home of Sighet despite everyone’s belief. The Germans seemed nice at first, but this view would be ephemeral. The Germans first housed themselves inside the homes of the Jews, but this soon cascaded into constantly forcing them to give up their valuables, pushing them away from their homes until one day they were loaded onto the train and all Elie had left were the clothes on his back, his family, and God. The events leading up to his arrival were periods where he begged for God. He begged to God, whom he had dedicated his life, to save him and his family from the abrasive fist of the concentration camp. Once at the reception center, this is where he the game changes. When he watches the people around him pray for their lives, he just wonders â€Å"Why? † Why should he bless His name, when He has gone mute? In just a few short weeks, everything that he ever based his life on he questioned and went against. This changes his view on the world entirely. He now knows that God, the one who has always been beside him, can turn away from the torture of millions of people like it were nothing. He went from wholeheartedly giving his life to God, to eventually abjuring him altogether and getting angry at him. This is totally different for him; he’d never felt any distain for him until then. This shatters him, but at least his God is still there; still existent even though he looks away from the destruction. Unfortunately, this can’t last long. Wiesel had endured a lot during his time in concentration camps. Knowing that his God had turned his back on him was painful; without God the conditions made him extremely vulnerable and blighted. The Germans were persistent in crushing every one of them. They were determined to teach those who stepped out of line a lesson, and give an example of punishments to everyone else. And so, thusly, there were hangings. And, at one of these hangings was a child, who had been accused of something by the Germans and was thusly hanged. You can tell that all of Wiesel’s hope in God is lost when he says, â€Å" ‘Where is He? Here He is— He is hanging here on this gallows†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ † (Wiesel 62). Whilst everyone is looking for God, he already knows where he is. He is dead; he has been hanged just like everyone else. Before, he just rejected his God. God was just a figure who had ignored him in a time of need. But when he witnessed those hangings, he realized that God had not turned his back on him. God had tried to enter and was murdered. The safety of God and the sanctuary that comes with it was dead inside all of them. It was not God who had turned his back; it was the Germans who had forced him away. Wiesel went through many treacherous experiences during his time in concentration camps, but one of the worst was the change in is faith. Judaism used to be his world, he used to dedicate his life to it. It says early on in the book that every day he would study the Talmud in the first half of the day, and then he would go to the synagogue in the other half. One day, this was all ripped away from him. He used to be faithful, but soon afterwards he was left with the dawning realization that the God he was begging for help would no longer listen. He wouldn’t listen because his God couldn’t listen anymore. The Nazis made sure that anything having to do with Judaism was punished and murdered, and that goes for his God too. His toy was faith, the God that lay inside him where he could go for hope. But the Nazis took it away from him. At first, it would seem as if God had betrayed him. This was not the case, God had not betrayed him. The God that he held inside him, the God he loved and lived with and the God who had always been there had been beaten out of him and killed. This toy was a piece of him he can never have back. All because someone came up, took it, and crushed it. The toy became broken, and just like that, so did Wiesel.

Dulce Et Decorum Est Commentary

Dulce Et Decorum Est Commentary Dulce et decorum est is a famous anti-war poet written by Wilfred Owen in 1917, during the WWI. It portrays war as a brutal and dehumanizing experience by utilizing a number of horrific, gruesome imageries effectively. This poem is based on a quotation from a Latin poem, Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, which means It is sweet and proper to die for ones country. However, there is absolutely nothing in the actual poem that is sweet, nor is there any description that associates directly to its title. The poem is ironically dedicated to Jessie Pope, a childrens book writer and a poet known to write poems that deliver patriotic messages. It also objurgates the media that propagated the innocent soldiers for attempting ignoble political maneuvers, and also those who glorify war without any just purpose. The poem can be divided roughly into three sections: the soldiers leaving the battlefield; a scenery of the soldiers suffering from an unexpected gas attack; and a blistering critici sm against those who glorifies these soldiers. The first stanza describes how the soldiers are mentally and physically distressed from the brutal and horrifying experiences of war. It mainly focuses on the discomforts and grieves of the soldiers who are in desperate need of medical supplies and attention. Wilfred Owen draws a sharp contrast between these old war-stricken soldiers described as Old beggars under sacks and the glorious and virile images people tend to have against soldiers. This stanza clearly highlights the fact that they are NOT marching towards the battlefield with patriotic spirit, but instead trudging exhaustingly like Hags who are completely worn out and mutated. They march by putting forth all the little strength left in them and walking Knock-kneed so that they can at least keep on moving forward. Many have lost their boots from cursing through sludge, and in retreat from warfare, many drag their feet, shod in their own blood with desperate need of recovery from the accumulated fatigue. The poem consist a number of 28 lines, and has a convectional rhyming structure. It uses full rhymes such as sack and back, sludge and trudge, boots and hoots, and so on. The rhyme scheme is in alternative groups of four, ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ KLKL MNMN. However, the stanzas are broken up irregularly into 8, 6, 2, 12 lines, and are not presented as quatrains.   In the first section, with a stanza of 8 lines, an octave which basically explains the environmental conditions and the deplorable situations the soldiers are in, and one of six, a sestet,, it can be assumed to be an Petrarchan sonnet, although it is not tenacious to the classical form since Wilfred Owen does not seem to strictly adhere to the actual rhyme scheme. The poem starts off with an slow pace, creating an ambience of dismay and dejection by utilizing words such as Sludge and Trudge. Owens illustrative use of imagery here allows us to picture and understand the poor environmental and physical conditions they are in. It shows how the soldiers are not merely tired, but that they are coming close to losing all the hopes they may have had for their bright future. A very good use of simile can be seen in the first verse where the soldiers are described to be old, crippled reprobates, who are Bent double, like old beggars under sacks / knock need, coughing like hags, even though many must have been very young. By saying so, Owen effectively breaks the widely accepted image of soldiers being brave, patriotic and highly motivated. Another intriguing term that deserves a mention here is Distant rest which can be interpreted in two ways: one interpretation may simply mean to have a long-awaited rest to recover from exhaustion, but it also implic itly refers to Rest In Peace as a destiny for many engaged in war. The second stanza prompts the readers to an abrupt alarm of danger. Gas, GAS! Quick, boys! Just as the boys were heading for a peace of mind by retreating from the front line, gas shells drop beside them. As soon as they hear the warning, the soldiers begin to hastily wear their Clumsy helmets to save their own lives in ecstasy of fumbling. Terrible and shocking images of the gas attack are highlighted by focusing on the unfortunate one who does not get to wear the mask in time and is slowly but surely poisoned to death. The notion of lung burning And floundering like a man on fire or lime creates a terrifying image of the man writhing and suffering from the symptoms of intoxication. The poem consist a number of 28 lines, and has a convectional rhyming structure. It uses full rhymes such as sack and back, sludge and trudge, boots and hoots, and so on. The rhyme scheme is in alternative groups of four, ABAB CDCD EFEF GHGH IJIJ KLKL MNMN. However, the stanzas are broken up irregularly into 8, 6, 2, 12 lines, and are not presented as quatrains. In the first section, with a stanza of 8 lines, an octave which basically explains the environmental conditions and the deplorable situations the soldiers are in, and one of six, a sestet,, it can be assumed to be an Petrarchan sonnet, although it is not tenacious to the classical form since Wilfred Owen does not seem to strictly adhere to the actual rhyme scheme. Owen again makes uses of similes to describe the affect the gas attack is making to the man. And floundering like a man n fire or lime. Also capital letters and exclamation marks are utilized as accents to emphasize the sense of urgency and panic, and to make the image even more graphical. GAS! Gas! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling. He deliberately uses the word ecstasy, which usually means to be rapturous, to dramatize the overflowing sense of panic and fear the soldiers are in. Owen applies words such as floundering, clumsy and stumbling not only to pace up the poem, but to communicate the sense of emergency, and the chaotic turmoil the soldiers find themselves in. However, then there is a sudden slowing down of pace led by the daunting imagery of fatal silence prevailing over the soldiers drowningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦under the green sea of poisonous gas. Also, there is a use of double entente seen here Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light / As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. Not only does the imagery of the green sea imply the luminous gas misting in the air, but it also portrays the view the soldiers see through the dim lenses of their gas masks. The ones who are protectively accoutered in mask passively observe the life of the unprotected relentlessly fading away The two lines In all my dreams before my helpless sight and He plunges at me, guttering, chocking, drowning are thoughtfully separated to show all those who believe blindly that war in reality is not about brevity or winning or for anyones country but is simply about survival and an desperate escape from an overwhelming fear of becoming crippled both physically and mentally. Owen continues to utilize metaphors linked to sleep walking, dreams and nightmares, to assert how terrible, and relentless the returning image given is. The helpless sight indicated here is describing the guilt feeling of how the speaker I is unable to help the gas-poisoned comrade. He enumerates continuously a number of verbs to accentuate the immediacy of the section, and to reiterate the unimaginable suffering of the comrade as he drowns deep in the green sea. And at last, for the last stanza, Owen describes the soldiers death mask as a devils sick of sin, to implicate that an once innocent youth has fallen into the pitfall of hell. The last four lines here are very ironic and cynical, as if they are Wilfred Owens own words. The poem ends with an asseveration that Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, is a complete lie, In the last verse, Owen, for the first time, employs the second person you to directly address us readers in an attempt to wake us up to see the ugly reality of war that he unveils. In the phrase Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, Owen reminds the readers that these soldiers in the battlefield were also once the children ardent for some desperate glory, who were brainwashed to sacrifice their lives in such a pitifully poor environment. In the last lines, his anger, ill feeling and strong sense of denunciation towards the absurdity of war are vividly expressed in a manner that is highly convincing to the readers n ot to let the old lie be passed on unnoticed to the next generation. My friend, you would not tell with such high zest / To children ardent for some desperate glory In the last sentence, Wilfred Owen purposely does not apply the use of iambic meter, as if there is no meaning, or no point in making an effort to place the words within the proper metrical structure, to emphasize his anger and sense of distrust towards the old lie in the most straightforward manner. Although the pace is still speedy, the word choices here become forthright and very striking, as if to emulate a war reporter with a doomed eye uttering whatever comes up in his mind out of desperation. In this stanza, he graphically pictures the dreadful images of a man tormented by the gas attack, giving revolting descriptions related to body parts, which are horrifying and visually disturbing. And watch the white eyes writhing in his face / blood gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs. I assume the phrase is intended to stir the readers emotions as powerfully and shockingly as possible, by meaningfully describing the facial appearance of a soldier, who is normally stereotyped as a handsome and virile youth, deform into an gruesomely dehumanized face, as a result of the poisonous gas he could not help inhaling. What we observe from the poem is that Wilfred Owen has been successful in employing various literary devices, to create the ghastly and horrifying images of the war. He implicates that war is brutal and vile, and completely contradicts the idea of how sweet and proper it is to die for ones country. He overall gives a very steady progression in the poem, in despite of the frightful imageries of the soldier suffering from the plaguing gas attack. In addition, Wilfred Owen makes use of irony to criticize not only Jessie Pope, but to all those people who believe warfare to be honoring and splendiferous tradition.  ­

Comparing The Lamb and The Tyger by William Blake Essay -- Papers Comp

Comparing The Lamb and The Tyger by William Blake Of the many poetic works by William Blake, "The Lamb" and "The Tyger" show a large amount of similarity, as well as differences, both in the way he describes the creatures and in the style he chose to write them. The reader will find many similarities in these two poems. Both of them discuss the creation of the creatures by God. The lines, "Little Lamb, who made thee?" and "What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry" clearly show that the poet is referring to a being who is capable of creating life (538). These two poems are also alike in the aspect that they both talk about the object viewed in the eyes of the common man. "The Lamb" is described in a biblical sense to give the reader a feeling of a soft, gentle, heavenly creature. In "The Tyger", Blake uses the same technique to describe the tiger as a fearful, devil-like monster. The structure of the two poems also reveals a large amount of similarity. In "The Tyger" and "The Lamb", each consecutive sentence rhymes....

What is Economics? Essay -- Defining Economics

Many people think that economics is about money. Well, to some extent this is true. Economics has a lot to do with money: with how much money people are paid; how much they spend: what it costs to buy various items; how much money firms earn; how much money there is in total in the economy. But despite the large number of areas in which our lives are concerned with money, economics is more than just the study of money. It is concerned with:  · The production of goods and services: how much the economy produces; what particular combination of goods and services; how much each firm produces; what techniques of production they use; how many people they employ.  · The consumption of goods and services: how much the population as a whole spends (and how much it saves); what the pattern of consumption is in the economy; how much people buy of particular items; what particular individuals choose to buy; how people’s consumption is affected by prices, advertising, fashion and other factors. In 1932 Professor Lionel Robbins defined economics as â€Å" the science, which studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses.† Economics is simply the study of how society decides what, how and for whom to produce. In answering the questions what, how and for whom to produce, economics explains how scarce resources are allocated between competing claims on their use. The central economic problem is the problem of scarcity. ..