Monday, December 30, 2019

How to Return Multiple Values From a Delphi Function

A most common construct in a Delphi application would be a procedure or a function. Known as routines, procedures or functions are statement blocks you call from different locations in a program. Simply put a procedure is a routine not returning a value while a function returns a value. A return value from a function is defined by the return type. In most cases you would write a function to return a single value that would be an integer, string, boolean or some other simple type, also return types could be an array, a string list, an instance of a custom object or alike. Note that even if your function returns a string list (a collection of strings) it still returns a single value: one instance of the string list. Further, Delphi routines can really have many faces: Routine, Method, Method Pointer, Event Delegate, Anonymous method... Can a Function Return Multiple Values? The first answer that comes to mind is no, simply because when we think of a function, we think of a single return value. Certainly, the answer to the above question is, however, yes. A function can return several values. Lets see how. Var Parameters How many values can the following function return, one or two? function PositiveReciprocal(const valueIn : integer; var valueOut : real): boolean; The function obviously returns a boolean value (true or false). How about the second parameter valueOut declared as a VAR (variable) parameter? Var parameters are passed to the function by reference meaning that if the function changes the value of the parameter—a variable in the calling block of code—the function will change the value of the variable used for the parameter. To see how the above works, heres the implementation: function PositiveReciprocal(const valueIn: integer; var valueOut: real): boolean;begin result : valueIn 0; if result then valueOut : 1 / valueIn;end; The valueIn is passed as a constant parameter—function cannot alter it, and it is treated as read-only. If valueIn or greater than zero, the valueOut parameter is assigned the reciprocal value of valueIn and the result of the function is true. If valueIn is 0 then the function returns false and valueOut is not altered in any way. Heres the usage: var b : boolean; r : real;begin r : 5; b : PositiveReciprocal(1, r); //here: // b true (since 1 0) // r 0.2 (1/5) r : 5; b : PositiveReciprocal(-1, r); //here: // b false (since -1 end; Therefore, the PositiveReciprocal actually can return 2 values! Using var parameters you can have a routine return more than one value. Out Parameters Theres another way to specify a by-reference parameter—using the out keyword, as in: function PositiveReciprocalOut(const valueIn: integer; out valueOut: real): boolean;begin result : valueIn 0; if result then valueOut : 1 / valueIn;end; The implementation of PositiveReciprocalOut is the same as in PositiveReciprocal, theres only one difference: the valueOut is an OUT parameter. With parameters declared as out, the initial value of the referenced variable valueOut is discarded. Heres the usage and the results: var b : boolean; r : real;begin r : 5; b : PositiveReciprocalOut(1, r); //here: // b true (since 1 0) // r 0.2 (1/5) r : 5; b : PositiveReciprocalOut(-1, r); //here: // b false (since -1 end; Note how in the second call the value of the local variable r is set to 0. The value of r was set to 5 before the function call but since the parameter in declared as out, when r reached the function the value was discarded and the default empty value was set for the parameter (0 for real type). As a result, you can safely send uninitialized variables for out parameters—something that you should not do with var parameters. Parameters are used to send something to the routine, except here with out parameters :), and therefore uninitialized variables (used for VAR parameters) could have weird values. Returning Records? The above implementations where a function would return more than one value are not nice. The function actually returns a single value, but also returns, better to say alters, the values of the var/out parameters. Because of this, you may very rarely want to use by-reference parameters. If more results from a function are required, you can have a function return a record type variable. Consider the following: type TLatitudeLongitude record Latitude: real; Longitude: real; end; and a hypothetical function: function WhereAmI(const townName : string) : TLatitudeLongitude; The function WhereAmI would return the Latitude and Longitude for a given town (city, area, ...). The implementation would be: function WhereAmI(const townName: string): TLatitudeLongitude;begin//use some service to locate townName, then assign function result: result.Latitude : 45.54; result.Longitude : 18.71;end; And here we have a function returning 2 real values. Ok, it does return 1 record, but this record has 2 fields. Note that you can have a very complex record mixing various types to be returned as a result of a function. Thats it. Therefore, yes, Delphi functions can return multiple values.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

United States Presidential Leadership Styles...

United States Presidential Leadership Styles: Mid-Twentieth Century Presidents look inward and upward to know what to do, and what makes up their inner beings, not their outer, are what really matter to the people they lead. Presidents have powerful motives, both personal and patriotic, that help them to commit to the highest office in our country even when their decisions are not popular. According to Thomas, (2012) we must try to remember that the most important decisions a President makes in a crisis, with the clock ticking, are lonely ones, and a wrong judgment about the enemy could mean destruction of thousands of lives. The Eisenhower and Kennedy presidencies in the mid-twentieth century can be evaluated to compare their effectiveness or ineffectiveness as president, contrast their leadership styles, and explain the importance of direct leadership of the President to the people of the United States. Eisenhower, the general, was honored for winning the Great War, but was most proud of not fighting one. Ike, as he was called from childhood, understood that there can be power in mystery and was known for operating by indirection, doing one thing while seeming to say another. He had an innate ability to focus on the main issue without distraction and possessed an ability to delegate responsibility trusting the people to whom he delegated. Following the French defeat in 1954, his administration blocked reunification and began to build up South Vietnam, both economicallyShow MoreRelatedAn Examination of Americas Two Party System Essay1697 Words   |  7 PagesAn Examination of Americas Two Party System Democracy in the United States is based on the indirect representation of the people by elected officials who are usually chosen by direct vote. Almost from the beginning of the United States history, however, two parties have shared the great majority of the elected positions from the local level to the presidency. However, up until the mid-1850s when the Republican party was formed, other parties such as the Whigs, Federalists, and Anti-FederalistsRead MoreDemocracy in Iran and Turkey Essays2319 Words   |  10 Pagesfrom 1900 to the Present. Name: Institution: Date: Please write on top of each of your exams its exact title as its appear below, making sure your answers are itemized (i.e., answer the points ONE BY ONE, and not combine them).  ITEMIZE YOUR ANSWERS   Mid Term Exam Compare and contrast the evolution of democracy in Iran and Turkey, from 1900 to present.  In process of writing your exam, you must provide the following A history of democratization process in  (1)  Iran (two pages) Comparison and ContrastRead MoreWestminister System of Government in Melanesia4515 Words   |  19 PagesTHE WESTMINISTER SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN MELENESIA The beginning of colonization was an era seen in which colonized territories began learning and adopting the styles and the systems of their colonizers. The colonizers especially the Europeans bring in new types of ideas which are now seen as parallel to the old system that has been existed for almost the rest of the entire life before being contact with the Europeans. Thus throughout the world people experience different types of colonial contactRead MoreEssay on Fundamentalism and Inerrancy of Scripture5400 Words   |  22 Pagesreligious reaction to all forms of modernity. Within Christianity this phenomenon is mostly characteristic of Protestantism but is also found in Catholicism. In fact, the term fundamentalism was coined in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, but it was only toward the end of that century that the term began to be applied to some Catholic movements. Thesis Statement: Scriptural inerrancy and Fundamentalism cannot be separated. Throughout history the inerrancy of Scripture has beenRead MoreEssay about Hum Finals Fall 2014 Individual Finals3917 Words   |  16 Pagesfounded the computer company Microsoft. c. He was a successful businessman. d. He was a well-known actor in several films, under the name Denzel Washington. 2. How did the economic situation for blacks change in the late twentieth century compared to the mid twentieth century? a. More black women were forced into domestic and food service jobs. b. Black family income increased dramatically. c. Black wealth completely closed the income gap with whites. d. Overall, economic opportunities for blacksRead MoreMaking Sense of Advertisements Daniel Pope8330 Words   |  34 PagesAdvertising (1983) and editor of American Radicalism (2001); he has written many articles on the history of American advertising, marketing, and consumer culture, and on the history of nuclear power and anti-nuclear activism. Introduction Over a century ago, Harper’s Weekly commented that advertisements were â€Å"a true mirror of life, a sort of fossil history from which the future chronicler, if all other historical monuments were to be lost, might fully and graphically rewrite the history of our timeRead MoreChinese and American Foreign Policy Essay2242 Words   |  9 Pagesshare. Unfortunately the world is full of many destabilizing factors. We have to figure out how to make the 21st century peaceful and stable, despite all of these factors. The U.S. and China are two awesome nations. One, being the largest developed nation in the world, the other one being the largest developing country in the world. Both are already permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The two countries also share common interests in making sure peace and stability is notRead MoreNew Public Management And Administrative Philosophy Essay3038 Words   |  13 Pagespolicy area, it also became the direct provider of goods and services through the bureaucracy. (4) The administration would be an instrument merely to carry out instructions, while any matters of policy or strategy were the preserve of the political leadership. (5) The motivation of the individual public servant was assumed to be that of the public interest ; in the service to the public was provided selflessly. (6) Public administration was considered a special kind of activity and, therefore , requiredRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages E SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and CultureRead MoreCulture War By Morris Fiorina6419 Words   |  26 PagesIn the book, Culture War?, by Morris Fiorina, the myth of a polarized America is exposed. Fiorina covers issues such as why Americans believe that America is polarized, that Red and Blue State people aren’t as different as they are made out to be, and that the United States is not polarized along traditional cleavage lines. This book even covers perspectives on abortion, homosexuality, and whether or not electoral cleavages have shifted. A large point of Fiorina’s is his take on the 2004 election

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 8 Free Essays

Chapter 8 I’ve managed to sneak into the bathroom long enough to read a few chapters of this New Testament that they’ve added to the Bible. This Matthew fellow, who is obviously not the Matthew that we knew, seems to have left out quite a little bit. Like everything from the time Joshua was born to the time he was thirty!!! No wonder the angel brought me back to write this book. We will write a custom essay sample on Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 8 or any similar topic only for you Order Now This Matthew fellow hasn’t mentioned me yet, but I’m still in the early chapters. I have to ration myself to keep the angel from getting suspicious. Today he confronted me when I came out of the bathroom. â€Å"You are spending a lot of time in there. You don’t need to spend so much time in there.† â€Å"I told you, cleanliness is very important to my people.† â€Å"You weren’t bathing. I would have heard the water running.† I decided that I needed to go on the offensive if I was going to keep the angel from finding the Bible. I ran across the room, leapt onto his bed, and fastened my hands around his throat – choking him as I chanted: â€Å"I haven’t been laid in two thousand years. I haven’t been laid in two thousand years. I haven’t been laid in two thousand years.† It felt good, there was a rhythm to it, I sort of squoze his throat a bit with every syllable. I paused for a moment in choking the heavenly host to backhand him across his alabaster cheek. It was a mistake. He caught my hand. Then grabbed me by the hair with his other hand and calmly climbed to his feet, lifting me into the air by my hair. â€Å"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,† I said. â€Å"So, you have not been laid in two thousand years? What does that mean?† â€Å"Ow, ow, ow, ow,† I replied. The angel set me on my feet, but kept his grasp on my hair. â€Å"So?† â€Å"It means that I haven’t had a woman in two millennia, aren’t you picking up any of the vocabulary from the television?† He glanced at the TV, which, of course, was on. â€Å"I don’t have your gift of tongues. What does that have to do with choking me?† â€Å"I was choking you because you, once again, are as dense as dirt. I haven’t had sex in two thousand years. Men have needs. What the hell do you think I’m doing in the bathroom all of that time?† â€Å"Oh,† the angel said, releasing my hair. â€Å"So you are†¦You have been†¦There is a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Get me a woman and maybe I won’t spend so much time in the bathroom, if you get my meaning.† Brilliant misdirection, I thought. â€Å"A woman? No, I cannot do that. Not yet.† â€Å"Yet? Does that mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh look,† the angel said, turning from me as if I was no more than vapor, â€Å"General Hospital is starting.† And with that, my secret Bible was safe. What did he mean by â€Å"yet†? At least this Matthew mentions the Magi. One sentence, but that’s one more than I’ve gotten in his Gospel so far. Our second day in Jerusalem we went to see the great Rabbi Hillel. (Rabbi means teacher in Hebrew – you knew that, right?) Hillel looked to be a hundred years old, his beard and hair were long and white, and his eyes were clouded over, his irises milk white. His skin was leathery-brown from sitting in the sun and his nose was long and hooked, giving him the aspect of a great, blind eagle. He held class all morning in the outer courtyard of the Temple. We sat quietly, listening to him recite from the Torah and interpret the verses, taking questions and engaging in arguments with the Pharisees, who tried to infuse the Law into every minute detail of life. Toward the end of Hillel’s morning lectures, Jakan, the camel-sucking husband-to-be of my beloved Maggie, asked Hillel if it would be a sin to eat an egg that had been laid on the Sabbath. â€Å"What are you, stupid? The Lord doesn’t give a damn what a chicken does on the Sabbath, you nimrod! It’s a chicken. If a Jew lays an egg on the Sabbath, that’s probably a sin, come see me then. Otherwise don’t waste my friggin’ time with that nonsense. Now go away, I’m hungry and I need a nap. All of you, scram.† Joshua looked at me and grinned. â€Å"He’s not what I expected,† he whispered. â€Å"Knows a nimrod when he sees – uh – hears one, though,† I said. (Nimrod was an ancient king who died of suffocation after he wondered aloud in front of his guards what it would be like to have your own head stuck up your ass.) A boy younger than us helped the old man to his feet and began to lead him away toward the Temple gate. I ran up and took the priest’s other arm. â€Å"Rabbi, my friend has come from far away to talk to you. Can you help him?† The old man stopped. â€Å"Where is your friend?† â€Å"Right here.† â€Å"Then why isn’t he talking for himself? Where do you come from, kid?† â€Å"Nazareth,† Joshua said, â€Å"but I was born in Bethlehem. I am Joshua bar Joseph.† â€Å"Oh yeah, I’ve talked to your mother.† â€Å"You have?† â€Å"Sure, almost every time she and your father come to Jerusalem for a feast she tries to see me. She thinks you’re the Messiah.† Joshua swallowed hard. â€Å"Am I?† Hillel snorted. â€Å"Do you want to be the Messiah?† Joshua looked at me as if I might have the answer. I shrugged. â€Å"I don’t know,† Josh finally said. â€Å"I thought I was just supposed to do it.† â€Å"Do you think you’re the Messiah?† â€Å"I’m not sure I should say.† â€Å"That’s smart,† Hillel said. â€Å"You shouldn’t say. You can think you’re the Messiah all that you want, just don’t tell anyone.† â€Å"But if I don’t tell them, they won’t know.† â€Å"Exactly. You can think you’re a palm tree if you want, just don’t tell anyone. You can think you’re a flock of seagulls, just don’t tell anyone. You get my meaning? Now I have to go eat. I’m old and I’m hungry and I want to go eat now, so just in case I die before supper I won’t go hungry.† â€Å"But he really is the Messiah,† I said. â€Å"Oh yeah,† Hillel said, grabbing my shoulder, then feeling for my head so he could scream into my ear. â€Å"What do you know? You’re an ignorant kid. How old are you? Twelve? Thirteen?† â€Å"Thirteen.† â€Å"How could you, at thirteen, know anything? I’m eighty-four and I don’t know shit.† â€Å"But you’re wise,† I said. â€Å"I’m wise enough to know that I don’t know shit. Now go away.† â€Å"Should I ask the Holy of Holies?† Joshua said. Hillel swung at the air, as if to slap Joshua, but missed by a foot. â€Å"It’s a box. I saw it when I could still see, and I can tell you that it’s a box. And you know what else, if there were tablets in it, they aren’t there now. So if you want to talk to a box, and probably be executed for trying to get into the chamber where it’s kept, you go right ahead.† The breath seemed to be knocked out of Joshua’s body and I thought he would faint on the spot. How could the greatest teacher in all of Israel speak of the Ark of the Covenant in such a way? How could a man who obviously knew every word of the Torah, and all the teachings written since, how could he claim not to know anything? Hillel seemed to sense Joshua’s distress. â€Å"Look, kid, your mother says that some very wise men came to Bethlehem to see you when you were born. They obviously knew something that no one else knew. Why don’t you go see them? Ask them about being the Messiah.† â€Å"So you aren’t going to tell him how to be the Messiah?† I asked. Again Hillel reached out for Joshua, but this time without any anger. He found Joshua’s cheek, and stroked it with his palsied hand. â€Å"I don’t believe there will be a Messiah, and at this point, I’m not sure it would make a difference to me. Our people have spent more time in slavery or under the heels of foreign kings than we have spent free, so who is to say that it is God’s will that we be free at all? Who is to say that God concerns himself with us in any way, beyond allowing us to be? I don’t think that he does. So know this, little one. Whether you are the Messiah, or you become a rabbi, or even if you are nothing more than a farmer, here is the sum of all I can teach you, and all that I know: treat others as you would like to be treated. Can you remember that?† Joshua nodded and the old man smiled. â€Å"Go find your wise men, Joshua bar Joseph.† What we did was stay in the Temple while Joshua grilled every priest, guard, even Pharisee about the Magi who had come to Jerusalem thirteen years before. Evidently it wasn’t as big an event for others as it was for Josh’s family, because no one had any idea what he was talking about. By the time he’d been at it for a couple of hours he was literally screaming into the faces of a group of Pharisees. â€Å"Three of them. Magicians. They came because they saw a star over Bethlehem. They were carrying gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Come on, you’re all old. You’re supposed to be wise. Think!† Needless to say, they weren’t pleased. â€Å"Who is this boy who would question our knowledge? He knows nothing of the Torah and the prophets and yet berates us for not remembering three insignificant travelers.† It was the wrong thing to say to Joshua. No one had studied the Torah harder. No one knew scripture better. â€Å"Ask me any question, Pharisee,† Joshua said. â€Å"Ask anything.† In retrospect, after having grown up, somewhat, and having lived, died, and been resurrected from the dust, I realize that there may be nothing more obnoxious than a teenager who knows everything. Certainly, it is a symptom of the age that they think they know everything, but now I have some sympathy for those poor men who challenged Joshua that day at the Temple. Of course, at the time, I shouted, â€Å"Smite the sons-a-bitches, Josh.† He was there for days. Joshua wouldn’t even leave to eat, and I went out into the city to bring him back food. First the Pharisees, but later even some of the priests came to quiz Joshua, to try to throw him some question about some obscure Hebrew king or general. They made him recite the lineages from all the books of the Bible, yet he did not waver. Myself, I left him there to argue while I wandered through the holy city looking for Maggie, then, when I couldn’t find her, for girls in general. I slept at the camp of my parents, assuming all the time that Joshua was returning each night to his own family, but I was wrong. When the Passover feast was over and we were packing up to leave, Mary, Joshua’s mother, came to me in a panic. â€Å"Biff. Have you seen Joshua?† The poor woman was distraught. I wanted to comfort her so I held my arms out to give her a comforting embrace. â€Å"Poor Mary, calm down. Joshua is fine. Come, let me give you a comforting embrace.† â€Å"Biff!† I thought she might slap me. â€Å"He’s at the Temple. Jeez, a guy tries to be compassionate and what does he get?† She had already taken off. I caught up to her as she was dragging Joshua out of the Temple by the arm. â€Å"You worried us half to death.† â€Å"You should have known you would find me in my father’s house,† Joshua said. â€Å"Don’t you pull that ‘my father’ stuff on me, Joshua bar Joseph. The commandment says honor thy father and thy mother. I’m not feeling honored right now, young man. You could have sent a message, you could have stopped by the camp.† Joshua looked at me, his eyes pleading for me to help him out. â€Å"I tried to comfort her, Josh, but she wouldn’t have it.† Later I found the two of them on the road to Nazareth and Joshua motioned for me to walk with them. â€Å"Mother thinks we may be able to find at least one of the Magi, and if we find that one, he may know where the others are.† Mary nodded, â€Å"The one named Balthasar, the black one, he said he came from a village north of Antioch. He was the only one of the three that spoke any Hebrew.† I didn’t feel confident. Although I’d never seen a map, â€Å"north of Antioch† sounded like a large, unspecific, and scary place. â€Å"Is there more?† â€Å"Yes, the other two had come from the East by the Silk Road. Their names were Melchior and Gaspar.† â€Å"So it’s off to Antioch,† Joshua said. He seemed completely satisfied with the information his mother had given him, as if all he needed were the three Magi’s names and he’d as much as found them. I said, â€Å"You’re going to go to Antioch assuming that someone there will remember a man who may have lived north of there thirteen years ago?† â€Å"A magician,† Mary said. â€Å"A rich, Ethiopian magician. How many can there be?† â€Å"Well, there might not be any, did you think of that? He might have died. He might have moved to another city.† â€Å"In that case, I will be in Antioch,† Joshua said. â€Å"From there I can travel the Silk Road until I find the other two.† I couldn’t believe my ears. â€Å"You’re not going alone.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"But Josh, you’re helpless out in the world. You only know Nazareth, where people are stupid and poor. No offense, Mary. You’ll be like – uh – like a lamb among wolves. You need me along to watch out for you.† â€Å"And what do you know that I don’t? Your Latin is horrible, your Greek is barely passable, and your Hebrew is atrocious.† â€Å"Yeah. If a stranger comes up to you on the road to Antioch and asks you how much money you are carrying, what do you tell him?† â€Å"That will depend on how much I am carrying.† â€Å"No it won’t. You haven’t enough for a crust of bread. You are a poor beggar.† â€Å"But that’s not true.† â€Å"Exactly.† Mary put her arm around her son’s shoulders. â€Å"He has a point, Joshua.† Joshua wrinkled his brow as if he had to think about it, but I could tell that he was relieved that I wanted to go along. â€Å"When do you want to leave?† â€Å"When did Maggie say she was getting married?† â€Å"In a month.† â€Å"Before then. I don’t want to be here when it happens.† â€Å"Me either,† Joshua said. And so we spent the next few weeks preparing for our journey. My father thought I was crazy, but my mother seemed happy to have the extra space in the house and pleased that the family wouldn’t have to put up a bride price to marry me off right away. â€Å"So you’ll be gone how long?† Mother asked. â€Å"I don’t know. It’s not a terribly long journey to Antioch, but I don’t know how long we’ll be there. Then we’ll be traveling the Silk Road. I’m guessing that that’s a long journey. I’ve never seen any silk growing around here.† â€Å"Well, take a wool tunic in case it gets cold.† And that was all I heard from my mother. Not â€Å"Why are you going?† Not â€Å"Who are you looking for?† Just â€Å"Take a wool tunic.† Jeez. My father was more supportive. â€Å"I can give you a little money to travel with, or we could buy you a donkey.† â€Å"I think the money would be better. A donkey couldn’t carry both of us.† â€Å"And who are these fellows you’re looking for?† â€Å"Magicians, I think.† â€Å"And you want to talk to magicians because†¦?† â€Å"Because Josh wants to know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"Oh, right. And you believe that Joshua is the Messiah?† â€Å"Yes, but more important than that, he’s my friend. I can’t let him go alone.† â€Å"And what if he’s not the Messiah? What if you find these magicians and they tell you that Joshua is not what you think he is, that he’s just a normal boy?† â€Å"Well, he’ll really need me to be there, then, won’t he?† My father laughed. â€Å"Yes, I guess he will. You come back, Levi, and bring your friend the Messiah with you. Now we’ll have to set three empty places at the table on Passover. One for Elijah, one for my lost son, and one for his pal the Messiah.† â€Å"Well, don’t seat Joshua next to Elijah. If those guys start talking religion we’ll never have any peace.† It came down to only four days before Maggie’s wedding before Joshua and I accepted that one of us would have to tell her we were leaving. After nearly a whole day of arguing, it fell upon me to go to her. I saw Joshua face down fears in himself that would have broken other men, but taking bad news to Maggie was one he couldn’t overcome. I took the task on myself and tried to leave Joshua with his dignity. â€Å"You wuss!† â€Å"How can I tell her that it’s too painful to watch her marry that toad?† â€Å"First, you’re insulting toads everywhere, and second, what makes you think it’s any easier for me?† â€Å"You’re tougher than I am.† â€Å"Oh, don’t try that. You can’t just roll over and expect me to not notice that I’m being manipulated. She’s going to cry. I hate it when she cries.† â€Å"I know,† Josh said. â€Å"It hurts me too. Too much.† Then he put his hand on my head and I suddenly felt better, stronger. â€Å"Don’t try your Son of God mumbo jumbo on me, you’re still a wuss.† â€Å"If it be so, so be it. So it shall be written.† Well, it is now, Josh. It’s written now. (It’s strange, the word â€Å"wuss† is the same in my ancient Aramaic tongue as it is in this language. Like the word waited for me these two thousand years so I could write it down here. Strange.) Maggie was washing clothes in the square with a bunch of other women. I caught her attention by jumping on the shoulders of my friend Bartholomew, who was gleefully exposing himself for the viewing pleasure of the Nazarene wives. With a subtle toss of my head I signaled to Maggie to meet me behind a nearby stand of date palms. â€Å"Behind those trees?† Maggie shouted. â€Å"Yeah,† I replied. â€Å"You bringing the idiot?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Okay,† she said, and she handed her washing to one of her younger sisters and scampered to the trees. I was surprised to see her smiling so close to the time of her wedding. She hugged me and I could feel the heat rise in my face, either from shame or love, like there was a difference. â€Å"Well, you’re in a good mood,† I said. â€Å"Why not? I’m using them all up before the wedding. Speaking of which, what are you two bringing me for a present? It had better be good if it’s going to make up for who I have to marry.† She was joyful and there was music and laughter in her voice, pure Maggie, but I had to turn away. â€Å"Hey, I was only joking,† she said. â€Å"You guys don’t need to bring me anything.† â€Å"We’re leaving, Maggie. We won’t be there.† She grabbed my shoulder and forced me to face her. â€Å"You’re leaving? You and Joshua? You’re going away?† â€Å"Yes, before your wedding. We’re going to Antioch, and from there far into the East along the Silk Road.† She said nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and I could feel them rising in mine as well. This time she turned away. â€Å"We should have told you before, I know, but really we only decided at Passover. Joshua is going to find the Magi who came to his birth, and I’m going with him because I have to.† She wheeled on me. â€Å"You have to? You have to? You don’t have to. You can stay and be my friend and come to my wedding and sneak down to talk to me here or in the vineyard and we can laugh and tease and no matter how horrible it is being married to Jakan, I’ll have that. I’ll at least have that!† I felt as if I’d be sick to my stomach any second. I wanted to tell her that I’d stay, that I’d wait, that if there was the slightest chance that her life wasn’t going to be a desert in the arms of her creep husband that I could hold hope. I wanted to do whatever I could to take away even a little bit of her pain, even up to letting Joshua go by himself, but in thinking that, I realized that Joshua must have been feeling the same thing, so all I said was â€Å"I’m sorry.† â€Å"And what about Joshua, wasn’t he even going to say good-bye?† â€Å"He wanted to, but he couldn’t. Neither of us can, I mean, we didn’t want to have to watch you marry Jakan.† â€Å"Cowards. You two deserve each other. You can hide behind each other like Greek boys. Just go. Get away from me.† I tried to think of something to say, but my mind was a soup of confusion so I hung my head and walked away. I was almost out of the square when Maggie caught up to me. I heard her footsteps and turned. â€Å"Tell him to meet me behind the synagogue, Biff. The night before my wedding, an hour after sunset.† â€Å"I’m not sure, Maggie, he – â€Å" â€Å"Tell him,† she said. She ran back to the well without looking back. So I told Joshua, and on the night before Maggie’s wedding, the night before we were to leave on our journey, Joshua packed some bread and cheese and a skin of wine and told me to meet him by the date palms in the square where we would share supper together. â€Å"You have to go,† Joshua said. â€Å"I’m going. In the morning, when you do. What, you think I’d back out now?† â€Å"No, tonight. You have to go to Maggie. I can’t go.† â€Å"What? I mean, why?† Sure I’d been heartbroken when Maggie had asked to see Joshua and not me, but I’d come to terms with it. Well, as well as one ever comes to terms with an ongoing heartbreak. â€Å"You have to take my place, Biff. There’s almost no moon tonight, and we are about the same size. Just don’t say much and she’ll think it’s me. Maybe not as smart as normal, but she can put that down to worry over the upcoming journey.† â€Å"I’d love to see Maggie, but she wants to see you, why can’t you go?† â€Å"You really don’t know?† â€Å"Not really.† â€Å"Then just take my word for it. You’ll see. Will you do this for me, Biff? Will you take my place, pretend to be me?† â€Å"That would be lying. You never lie.† â€Å"Now you’re getting righteous on me? I won’t be lying. You will be.† â€Å"Oh. In that case, I’ll go.† But there wasn’t even time to deceive. It was so dark that night that I had to make my way slowly through the village by starlight alone, and as I rounded the corner to the back of our small synagogue I was hit with a wave of sandalwood and lemon and girl sweat, of warm skin, a wet mouth over mine, arms around my back and legs around my waist. I fell backward on the ground and there was in my head a bright light, and the rest of the world existed in the senses of touch and smell and God. There, on the ground behind the synagogue, Maggie and I indulged desires we had carried for years, mine for her, and hers for Joshua. That neither of us knew what we were doing made no difference. It was pure and it happened and it was marvelous. And when we finished we lay there holding each other, half dressed, breathless, and sweating, and Maggie said, â€Å"I love you, Joshua.† â€Å"I love you, Maggie,† I said. And ever so slightly she loosened her embrace. â€Å"I couldn’t marry Jakan without – I couldn’t let you go without – without letting you know.† â€Å"He knows, Maggie.† Then she really pulled away. â€Å"Biff?† â€Å"Uh-oh.† I thought she might scream, that she might leap up and run away, that she might do any one of a hundred things to take me from heaven to hell, but after only a second she nuzzled close to me again. â€Å"Thank you for being here,† she said. We left at dawn, and our fathers walked with us as far as the gates of Sepphoris. When we parted at the gates my father gave me a hammer and chisel to carry with me in my satchel. â€Å"With that you can make enough for a meal anywhere you go,† my father said. Joseph gave Joshua a wooden bowl. â€Å"Out of that you can eat the meal that Biff earns.† He grinned at me. By the gates of Sepphoris I kissed my father for the last time. By the gates of Sepphoris we left our fathers behind and went out into the world to find three wise men. â€Å"Come back, Joshua, and make us free,† Joseph shouted to our backs. â€Å"Go with God,† my own father said. â€Å"I am, I am,† I shouted. â€Å"He’s right here.† Joshua said nothing until the sun was high in the sky and we stopped to share a drink of water. â€Å"Well?† Joshua said. â€Å"Did she know it was you?† â€Å"Yes. Not at first, but before we parted. She knew.† â€Å"Was she angry at me?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Was she angry at you?† I smiled. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You dog!† he said. â€Å"You really should ask that angel what he meant about you not knowing a woman, Joshua. It’s really important.† â€Å"You know now why I couldn’t go.† â€Å"Yes. Thanks.† â€Å"I’ll miss her,† Joshua said. â€Å"You have no idea,† I said. â€Å"Every detail. I want to know every detail.† â€Å"But you aren’t supposed to know.† â€Å"That’s not what the angel meant. Tell me.† â€Å"Not now. Not while I can still smell her on my arms.† Joshua kicked at the dirt. â€Å"Am I angry with you, or happy for you, or jealous of you? I don’t know? Tell me!† â€Å"Josh, right now, for the first time I can remember, I’m happier being your friend than I would be being you. Can I have that?† Now, thinking about that night with Maggie behind the synagogue, where we stayed together until it was nearly dawn, where we made love again and again and fell asleep naked on top of our clothes – now, when I think of that, I want to run away from here, this room, this angel and his task, find a lake, dive down, and hide from the eye of God in the dark muck on the bottom. Strange. How to cite Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 8, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Plant Cell Organelles and Their Functions Essay Sample free essay sample

All living things are made up of units called cells. A cell. the basic unit of life. is a microscopic construction that forms the basic structural every bit good as functional unit of life beings. Cells can be divided into two classs called procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are simple cells that lack nucleus and membrane-bound cell organs whereas. eucaryotic cells are more complex cells consisting atomic and cytoplasmatic stuff sheathed by a cell membrane. Plant cells are the cells found in workss consisting bomber cellular cell organs. Both workss and animate beings come under eucaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells have a standard set of characteristics. nevertheless. works and animate being cells do hold their differences. A works cell is really a big microscopic ‘fully functioning’ metropolis. literally and figuratively. lodging illumination structures known as cell organs. It is fun to learn about a works cell diagram and definitions. when your child is already intrigued with the topic. Trouble is when he truly isn’t and would instead be making anything else in the universe than survey biological science. Yet. acquisition and instruction works cell diagrams to kids can really be fun. You can utilize works cell diagram for childs to do illumination theoretical accounts and the undertaking will be fun every bit good as assist your kid to larn. Kids love doing and edifice things. So a works cell diagram theoretical account set up on a sheet of thermocol. utilizing interesting things to do up the internal cell organs should truly excite your kid. Before you do that though. brush up your ain cognition from this article. This work will demo a well Labeled annotated Plant Cell diagram and the Functions of the assorted cell organs of the works cell. I used to bask pulling labelled works cell diagrams in my biological science category ( by the way my favourite topic ) . but if larning about this is something your kid is non acute on. you can utilize this article to l earn him/her. Though larning about the labelled works cell diagram and maps can acquire a small boring. there are ways to do it a fun experience for a kid. Aim of this surveyTo by and large analyse every individual cell organ and their maps in a works cell and besides examine the similarities and differences between the works and animate being cell. Well labeled Diagram of the works Cell Chapter 2Functions of Assorted Organelles Of The Plant CellLet us get down with taking each internal cell organ found in the works cell diagram and foregrounding its map and intent within the works cell. The most of import things to observe are the differences that make a works cell so different from an animate being cell. A typical works cell is distinguished from a typical animate being cell as it contains things like the cell wall. vacuoles. chloroplasts and plasmodesmata. that the animate being cells do non incorporate. However. they lack centrioles and intermediate fibrils which are present in carnal cells. Here’s a expression at a works cell diagram with definitions of all the internal constructions. Amyloplast This is a works cell organelle. that shops starch and is non found in all works cells. It is normally found merely in workss that are starchy in nature. like tubers and some fruits. These plastids are non-pigmented cell organs that synthesize amylum granules to change over into sugar. when the works requires energy. Adenosine Triphosphate Alternately referred to as the ATP. this is a high energy molecule that shops up energy. ATP is produced by the works cell in the cristae of the chondriosome and chloroplasts and supports the of import map of energy transportation within the works cells. This multifunctional base provides the energy for cellular procedures like biosynthetic reactions and cell division. Cell Membrane This is a thin wall that is found on the interior of the cell wall. It is a bed made up of protein. fats and cellular fibre. which provides the works cell cell organs with support and construction. Besides known as the plasma membrane or plasmalemma. the cell membrane is the semi-permeable biological separation. between the cell interiors and the cell exteriors. Cell WallThis is the thin and stiff outer screen that lies above the cell membrane and surrounds the full works cell. This cell palisade bonds with other works cell walls and forms the construction of the works that we know of. Made up of cellulose fibre. the cell wall is tough and acts as a filtering mechanism for the works cell. Its most of import map is to keep internal works cell force per unit area and prevent over-expansion when H2O enters the cell. Centrosome Besides known as the microtubule forming centre. the central body is ‘centriole free’ construction that has radiating tubules arising from a dense centre. Found near the karyon of the works cell. the central bodies produce the microtubules that regulate the cell-cycle patterned advance. When the works cell divides ( mitosis ) . the central body besides divides into two parts that move in the opposite waies. Chlorophyll If you draw a coloured works cell diagram. you will hold to do a green coloured molecular construction within. to demo chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a molecule that carries on the procedure of photosynthesis. This is the procedure of bring forthing sugar and O utilizing light energy. H2O and C dioxide. This normally green cell organ is magnesium based and is found in many different molecular constructions. Chloroplast This is normally the extended or phonograph record shaped photosynthesis site that contains the chlorophyll. Besides a portion of the ‘plastids’ group. chloroplasts are similar to mitochondria. but are merely found in workss and Protista. Chloroplasts have their ain DNAs and are protected by the environing two lipid-bilayer membranes. Chromatin Chromatin is a combination of DNA and protein that is extremely complex in nature and is cardinal to the make-up of the chromosomes. Found inside the karyon of eucaryotic cells. the chromatin plays of import functions to pack DNA into smaller volumes ( to suit in the cell ) . control DNA reproductions and let mitosis and miosis. Cristae Cristae are the finger-like projections that form the folded inner membranes of the chondriosome. ATP is generated in the walls of the cristae and they besides help in cellular respiration. Made up of proteins. ATP synthase and assorted cytochromes. the cristae addition the surface country of the works cell. on which the assorted reactions can really take topographic point. Cytoplasm The cytol is basically the jelly-like substance outside the works cell nucleus. This is where all the works cell cell organs are situated and it is the substance that is wholly encircled by the cell wall. The contents of the karyon are called the karyoplasm and are non portion of the cytol. but all the other works cell cell organs are so a portion of it. Druse Crystal It’s a farinaceous type of crystal found in works vacuoles. It is composed of Ca oxalate and is considered to discourage herbivory. Golgi Body Besides known as the Golgi setup or the Golgi composite. the Golgi organic structures are level. layered sac-like cell organs. that are located near the karyon. These organic structures do the of import work of packing proteins and saccharides into membrane-bound cysts. These cysts are so exported from the cell. Mitochondrion A chondriosome is a unit of ammunition or bacillar cell organ with a dual superimposed membrane. The interior membrane is dual folded and forms projections known as the cristae. The chondriosome performs the indispensable undertaking of change overing energy stored in glucose signifier into ATP. Nuclear Envelope It’s an enclosure that surrounds nucleus and its contents. Unlike cell membrane which has pores and infinites for RNA and proteins to go through through. it keeps the chromatin and nucleolus inside the karyon. Nucleolus It is the most outstanding construction in the nucleus wherein ribosomes are made. NucleusThis is spherical organic structure that contains assorted cell organs like the nucleole ( where ribosomal RNA is produced ) and surrounded by a atomic membrane. The karyon is the control room that controls assorted cell maps by commanding the protein synthesis of the works cell. The nucleus contains DNA within the chromosomes. Peroxisomes These are membrane bound packages of oxidative enzymes that convert fatty acids into sugar and assist chloroplasts in photo-respiration. Plasmodesmata RibosomeThese are the sites that see protein synthesis and are fundamentally nil but little cell cell organs made up of RNA-rich cytoplasmatic granules. These molecules make proteins out of aminic acids. The word ‘ribosome’ is derived from the name ‘ribonucleic acid’ that is biologically really of import for the works cell. Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum Besides known as unsmooth ER. this is a huge interrelated system of membranes. infolded cannular constructions and convulted pouch that are found in the cell’s cytol. This is a web that is covered with ribosomes and these are what give it a unsmooth visual aspect. These webs conveyance stuffs through the cell and produce proteins in sacs known as cisternae. These are in bend sent to the Golgi organic structures and deposited into the cell membrane. Smooth Endoplasmic ReticulumBesides known as smooth ER. this is the same thing as the unsmooth ERs. but with the chief difference that they are smooth. They bud off from the unsmooth Ers and besides conveyance stuffs within the cell. The ER channels. known as the ER lms. are used to transport proteins and lipoids to the Golgi organic structures and the membranes. Stroma These are parts of the works cell chloroplasts and are located between the grana within their inner cell membranes. A stroma is basically the fluid matrix that surrounds the thylakoids. Thylakoid Disks These are chloropyll incorporating disc shaped membrane constructions found inside the chroloplasts. Chloroplasts are really made up of a stack of thylakoid discs that aid in the procedure of photosynthesis. The stack of thylakoid discs in the chloroplasts are known as grana ( remarkable granum ) . Vacuole These are big fluid-filled. membrane-bound infinites within the works cell. They help in keeping the cell form and most works cells have merely one. individual vacuole that represents up to 90 per centum of the entire works cell. They contain ions. sugar. secondary metabolites and enzymes. A vacuole is surrounded by a membrane called the tonoplast. LysosomeLysosomes. normally found in carnal cells are really rare in works cells. Lysosomes comprise digestive enzymes known as ‘hydrolytic enzymes’ . that are indispensable for intracellular digestion. These enzymes of works cells can be detected in the vacuole. There are many other little constructions found within the works cell like the intercellular air infinites ( spread between two works cells ) and the peroxisome ( has a chrystalline nucleus and helps in taking H from substrates ) . but I will reason my ‘plant cell diagram’ article here. Chapter 33. 1Plant Cell Vs. Animal CellIn this article. we will make a comparative survey of a works cell and animate being cell. so as to hold a better apprehension of the similarities every bit good as the differences between these two types of cells. The organic structures of both workss and animate beings are made up of cells. Although the basic construction and most of the characteristics are the same. there are many points of differences between the two. The primary differences between both cells arise because of the fact that workss have to bring forth their ain nutrient by photosynthesis. Another of import distinguishing factor is that workss have to back up their ain weight. which animate beings do by agencies of their skeleton. To execute these two of import maps. works cells and animate being cells produce different sorts of cell organs. that create a fluctuation between the two types of cells. 3. 2Plant Cell Vs Animal Cell SimilaritiesCell TypeBoth works and animate being cells are eucaryotic in nature. holding a chiseled membrane-bound karyon. NucleusIt is present in both. The nucleus carries most of the familial stuff in the chromosomes. which carry the familial information in the signifier of DNA ( deoxyribonucleic acid ) . Cell MembraneIt is a semi-permeable or selectively-permeable membrane that encloses the contents of a cell. leting merely selected molecules to come in the cell and barricading the others. Mitochondrions They act as the human dynamo of the cell. change overing nutrient into energy. Animal cells have more figure of chondriosome. as they are the lone beginning of energy. They besides contain a little sum of DNA. Endoplasmic Reticulum ( ER ) These membrane-bound cell organs consist of a series of sac-like constructions that help in the production of proteins and lipoids. and conveyance to the Golgi setup. Rough ER helps in transporting proteins and smooth ER AIDSs in the production of lipid. Ribosomes They act as sites. where proteins synthesising from aminic acids takes topographic point. Some ribosomes are attached to the endoplasmic Reticulum. while others float freely in the cytol. Golgi Bodies/Apparatus It is a planate sac-like construction which receives and processes proteins from the endoplasmic Reticulum. and transports them to assorted locations within the cell or sends them out of the cell. 3. 3Plant Cell Vs. Animal Cell DifferencesShape A ; SizeA works cell is normally larger and rectangular in form. whereas an animate being cell is spherical in form. Cell WallA works cell has a cell wall every bit good as a plasma membrane. The cell wall guards and maintains the cell form and provides rigidness to the cell. It is made up of cellulose and hemicellulose. Animal cells do non hold cell walls. The plasma membrane serves as the outer boundary to the animate being cell. Chloroplast Plant cells contain chloroplast. hence. can fix their ain nutrient. They act as the site of photosynthesis. utilizing sunlight. C dioxide. and H2O to fix carbohydrate molecules. Animal cells do non hold chloroplast. Vacuole A works cell normally has a individual big and outstanding vacuole. which is a bladder-like construction incorporating H2O and other solutes. therefore functioning as a depot of the cell. Animal cells may or may non incorporate one or many smaller vacuoles. Centrioles These cell organs are absent in works cells. In carnal cells. centrioles assist in the motion of chromosomes during the cell division procedure. Lysosomes An animate being cell contains lysosomes in its cytol. Lysosomes contain a figure of enzymes that help in the digestion or dislocation of substances in the animate being cell. Plant cells do non hold lysosomes. Amino Acids In a works cell. all types of amino acids are synthesized. An carnal cell can synthesise merely a few types of amino acids on its ain. Cell DivisionThe formation of a cell home base takes topographic point during cell division of a works cell. In carnal cells. the division takes topographic point by agencies of a bottleneck at the centre of the cell. Chapter 4Summary and ConclusionThe cells are the basic units of life that work together to execute life prolonging maps in both carnal and works universes. Plant cells are eucaryotic cells holding midst and stiff cell walls. Eukaryotic cells are cells that contain complex constructions enclosed within membranes called nucleus or nucleus envelop. within which the familial stuff is present. These cells are present in about Plant cells differ from animate being cells in that they have three different constructions known as cell wall. vacuoles and plastids. However. they lack centrioles and intermediate fibrils which are present in carnal cells.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Literary Analysis of Two Kinds by Amy Tan free essay sample

Theme The title of this short story â€Å"Two Kinds† describes the theme of this story. The mother had stated that there are only two types of daughters. â€Å"Those who are obedient and those who follow their own mind. † (pg 412) Jing Mei did not understand the truth or meaning behind that declaration until after her mothers death. Jing Mei realized that her mother only meant that she could be an obedient child by listening to her mother while at the same time follow her own heart and want her own prodigy in life. The last paragraph in this story also indicates the theme of two halves being equal to one. The two songs â€Å"perfectly contented† and â€Å"pleading child† was actually two halves of one song. Despite Jing Mei and her mother’s differences they were like the songs, they may disagree but made one stunning song. Her mother only wanted her to use the capability she knew she had. We will write a custom essay sample on A Literary Analysis of Two Kinds by Amy Tan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Amy’s story tells me that she regrets not trying to do her best and how she had taken her mother for granted. Setting and Characters Jing Mei’s mother believed that you could be anything you wanted to be in America. (p 405) America is where all Jing Mei’s mothers hope lay.She had come to America in 1949 after losing everything in china. The main character of the story is Jing Mei (Amy Tan) who is also the protagonist in the story. Her mother is the antagonist, who is always urging Jing Mei to try new things and discover new talents. Jing Mei feels as if her mother wants her to be something she is not. Other characters in the story are Lindo Jong (known as Auntie Lindo) and her daughter Waverly Jong who is about Jing Mei’s age. Through out the story there is constant competition between Jing’s mother and Auntie Lindo with the daughters.There is also Jing Mei’s piano instructor, â€Å"Old Chong†, who she takes advantage of. Jing Mei’s father is also mentioned in the story but does not have as much of a part. It appears that Amy Tan created a story based on a relationship between mother daughter dynamics. Jing Mei is a nine year old daughter that has potential, who at the beginning of the story was ‘even as excited as her mother to find the right prodigy. ’ Jing Mei hated the raised hopes and failed expectations. When she looked herself in the mirror (pg 407) she saw just an ordinary face and began to cry.She then saw what seemed to be the prodigy side of her self. She saw an angry powerful girl that only wanted to use that energy to resist her mother hopes for her. Through out the story Jing Mei seems to be a complicated character having many inner and outer conflicts. The mother comes across as being controlling and constant on push her daughter to become famous. Plot Development Early in childhood Jing Mei dreamed of finding her prodigy and being a famous Chinese American, mostly because of the views and actions her mother placed on her. Her mother believed you could be anything you wanted to be in America. pg 405) Her mother was always pushing new tests and talents on Jing Mei. She even went as far as having her daughter Jing Mei models her physical appearance and actions after a child-star Shirley Temple. Her other was always testing her with many different things trying to discover Jing Mei’s talent. Later Jing Mei started to feel like her mother was just trying to make her into someone she was not and started to just fail and not try to do anything right hoping her mother would give up. When her mother died she had realized what her mother had been trying to do. Her mother had only wanted her to do her best.She had then to realize what her mother had meant when she said are only two types of daughters, obedient daughters and daughter who follow their own mind. She knew her mother just wanted her to listen to her authority and try to do the best she could at everything making the best for her life and her dreams. The title two kinds explain in detail a lot about the story itself. Two kinds of daughters and at the end Jing Mei plays two different song learning that it is two halves to one. This story shows that Jing Mei and her mother had disagreed about many things but in the end Jing Mei learns what it all really means. Symbolism In this story by Amy Tan the piano was one of the main symbols of the story. Through out the story when Jing Mei’s mother had her taking lessons she slacked off and did not even try to do her best. At the end of the story she had the piano reconditioned and tuned (p 413) for sentimental reasons which shows that Amy really did care about her mother and the piano. I also find that the two songs that she plays at the end are also symbols of the story. She plays two songs the first being â€Å"Pleading Child†, and the second one: â€Å"Perfectly Contented†.The song â€Å"Pleading Child† is one of the songs her mother had her play as a child. At the end of the story she noticed the second song on the right hand side for the first time or so it seemed and tried to play it as well as the first. (pg 414) â€Å"Pleading child† was shorter but slower; â€Å"Perfectly Contented† was longer but faster. It was not until then that she realized that these two songs were actually two halves of the same song. These songs seemed to represent her life and the meaning behind her and her mothers attitudes and relationship with one another.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Internet Users Turn Addicts

If you're an Internet user, you know who you are. They are among all of us in society, although many may choose to not acknowledge that they too, frequently use the Internet. As I sit here and look across the street, I see a man in front of his own computer; the screen glowing against the window behind him. He does not use his personal computer for work, he is a farmer. He has become what is known as an "Internet Junky". The addiction begins innocently. At the start, you are not even aware of the possibilities that may form from your excessive computer use. You begin to take an avid interest in e-mailing with your friends and family. Once the novelty of keeping in touch with your colleagues wears off, and researching starts to bore you, you may possibly expand your computer usage to chatting. Yes, chatting. It is something that is becoming more acceptable in our lives, but it is still looked down upon by many skeptics. Chatting through the Internet involves choosing an appropriate nickname for yourself (IE: Fisherman), and then finding a room where you feel compelled to spend time in. Once you've entered the room, other fellow chatters may say, "Hello...a/s/l (age/sex/location) please." And so begins the addiction. Once you become involved in meeting people online, it is difficult to break such a habit. You may even make a daily habit of it. People have been found to carry out exactly the same behavior, not only across the nation, but across the globe. In any one room, you may come across people from five different countries of the world. Granted, not everyone who stays online for hours on end, are enveloped in chatting, but it is more often then not, the cause for Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). (Goldberg, MD) The prevalence of Internet Addiction Disorder has been increasing in number, hence a support group, among many, The Internet Addiction Support Group (IASG) has been developed. IAD, a "maladaptive" pattern for Inter... Free Essays on Internet Users Turn Addicts Free Essays on Internet Users Turn Addicts If you're an Internet user, you know who you are. They are among all of us in society, although many may choose to not acknowledge that they too, frequently use the Internet. As I sit here and look across the street, I see a man in front of his own computer; the screen glowing against the window behind him. He does not use his personal computer for work, he is a farmer. He has become what is known as an "Internet Junky". The addiction begins innocently. At the start, you are not even aware of the possibilities that may form from your excessive computer use. You begin to take an avid interest in e-mailing with your friends and family. Once the novelty of keeping in touch with your colleagues wears off, and researching starts to bore you, you may possibly expand your computer usage to chatting. Yes, chatting. It is something that is becoming more acceptable in our lives, but it is still looked down upon by many skeptics. Chatting through the Internet involves choosing an appropriate nickname for yourself (IE: Fisherman), and then finding a room where you feel compelled to spend time in. Once you've entered the room, other fellow chatters may say, "Hello...a/s/l (age/sex/location) please." And so begins the addiction. Once you become involved in meeting people online, it is difficult to break such a habit. You may even make a daily habit of it. People have been found to carry out exactly the same behavior, not only across the nation, but across the globe. In any one room, you may come across people from five different countries of the world. Granted, not everyone who stays online for hours on end, are enveloped in chatting, but it is more often then not, the cause for Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). (Goldberg, MD) The prevalence of Internet Addiction Disorder has been increasing in number, hence a support group, among many, The Internet Addiction Support Group (IASG) has been developed. IAD, a "maladaptive" pattern for Inter...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

McDonald's Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

McDonald's Organizational Change - Essay Example tariffs, export fees and even import quotas. There has been a reduced restriction on the movements of capital from one country to another together with investment. These changes has increased comparative advantages of various companies that are currently rushing to open up various branches in the world as it has become easy to manage them due to increased information flow and improved technology. One of the companies that have recorded tremendous changes over the past decade is MacDonald’s company. The company deals with fast foods a sector that faces a lot of competition as result of mushrooming of food vendors both small and huge companies. As a result there was a need to change the old management system in order to install new skills that have adequate knowledge concerning the current global market. There have been an increase in the number of multinational companies that deal with fast food e.g. KFC. This has necessitated a reshuffle in the top management in order to be ab le to diversify and increase skills required in retaining the company competitiveness. The company has looked for leaders who have the latest skills and experience concerning the latest market trends (Roch & Boivin, 2010). Initially, the company agitated for individual work so that one can have an individual performance appraisal. This was meant to ensure that the employees work harder for their work to be recognized during awarding of the most hardworking person. Due to the latest organizational changes, the management has instead preferred to change this working strategy to instill teamwork. This has worked in helping the organization deal with different challenges that may face the organization. This is because team members are able to come together and bring about different ideas that can solve the current challenge. Team groups in an organization have also made it easy for the management to manage the organization easily. This is because the management is able to appoint team l eaders who report to them. The major implication of this move is that it has enabled the company to diversify its operations as the management has the opportunity to monitor the performance of other branches that are spread in different parts of the world (Huber & Glick, 1995). Macdonald has seen a tremendous change in organization culture. A culture of an organization plays a great role in setting the performance of the organization in the market. One of the major changes has been on power distance. This is the extent to which less powerful employees of the organization are treated unequally by their leaders. Initially leaders in the organization kept a distance and never related with other employees. Instead they used an intermediary or when they meet they addressed the whole group as they had no time for a single person enquiry. This created a rift between the employees and leaders an aspect that reduced the morale of the workers in the organization. This also put a barrier to em ployees who wanted to report any issue that may have been affecting the organization performance or the relation of the employees with each other. The change that has been implementation is open office policy. This is a policy which encourages any members of staff to meet the management and leadership of the company in case there is an issue or enquiry that the management can solve. This change has been received with a lot of positive attitude from

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Emotion and Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emotion and Perception - Essay Example Once we have such level of awareness, we can then proceed to doing things that would be helpful to us in the future. For example, if we shall be able to identify, in light of these three factors, what causes us to be angry, we can be able to reduce the instances that we are angry. Therefore, studying these things is very important. For the purpose of this paper, we shall examine the different roles that sensation, perception, and emotion play in social interactions. By reading Jeffrey Zaslow's article "Pursuits: Happiness Inc," we shall try to situate these factors using three examples from the article: At David's Bridal, management believes the usual theory that the happier the workers are, the better are their performance. This is actually debatable, and many studies have been conducted on this area, but we shall not discuss whether this is true or not. We shall just assume this for the purposes of discussion. Zaslow (2006) cites in his article the study conducted by Positive Psychologist Martin Seligman about the direct proportionality of resilience and happiness. Thus, David's Bridal made a decision that if it wants its sales people to be happy, it must train them to be resilient. To encourage resilience, Zaslow reports, these sales people were taught to focus on the things "that would bring them joy." People perceive things differently. ... With that in mind, no specific instruction was given to the sales people of David's Bridal. Just focus on what will give them joy. Individual differences play on what will make someone resilient and happy. Different strokes of perception and emotion for different folks. These sales people were also taught about "emotion regulation," "impulse control," and "learned optimism." (Zaslow 2006) Emotion Regulation helps them not to be frustrated when it appears that a bride will not buy from them, or that they were unable to close a deal. Impulse control is another aspect of emotional intelligence. By having control on their emotions, such sales people are better able to draw on their creative energy and think of ways to handle their difficulties well. Whirlpool and Sensory Logic For this section, Whirlpool is intertwined with Sensory Logic. Whirlpool hired Sensory Logic to test its products before launching them to the market. Sensory Logic studies the reaction of their subjects by videotaping them. In this case, Sensory Logic was able to determine whether a particular subject is happy or not based on indicators as quick as a millisecond. According to the article (Zaslow 2006), Sensory Logic studied how subjects sensed and perceived the geometric patterns of the Duet products of Whirlpool. Accordingly, Sensory Logic was able to determine whether a particular subject was lying or not. Zaslow further adds that this is better than a focus group. Subjects provided information that Whirlpool needed, not what subjects think that Whirlpool wants to hear. In the end, Whirlpool changed some patterns in their products based on the feedback they got. Therefore, we are able to see that the roles of sensation, perception, and emotion played on the success of Whirlpool a s a

Monday, November 18, 2019

A review of development facility at Samsung Essay

A review of development facility at Samsung - Essay Example It has been found that foreign companies have a tough time managing labor issues when they enter Chinese markets. These issues include lack of educated workforce in China, reluctance of migration to work in Chinese industries and Union and Labor Law sensitive issues (Cia, Park and Zhao, 2007). Samsung group is a South Korean multinational engaged in the task of manufacturing consumer electronic and electronic components. It operates over 80 subsidiaries and serves globally employing over 470,000 employees. Samsung has been facing acute shortage of labor and problems in recruitment and selection of workforce in China. The study aims to find out reasons behind such labor problems and address them with suggested solutions. 1.1 Research title: A review of manufacturing facility of Samsung in China 1.2 Research Question: What are the reasons behind labor problems for Samsung in China? 1.3 Research Objectives: To find out the persistent problems associated with labor in China. Investigatin g reasons associated with recruitment problems for Samsung in the country. To identify ways that shall help overcome these labor problems. 1.4 Research Rationale Identify ways of managing Samsung’s labor recruitment and selection problems in China. 2. Literature Review Figure 1: Fishbone Diagram for Labor Problems of Samsung in China (Source: Joy-Matthews, Megginson and Surtees, 2004) 2.1 Main Issue 1: Cultural fit - Lack of educated workforce China is moving largely from being a labor intensive nation to a manufacturing concern that requires more of skilled labor. Such high technology work has attracted many a foreign workers and also returning overseas Chinese employees. Along with this, more and more Chinese people are trying to gain international work exposure before they return to China to get better and higher working positions in foreign multinationals (Zhang, Zhao and Lei, 2012). While undertaking a hiring process, with increased talent movement into China from global nations, gaining cultural fit has become one of the most important criteria’s for hiring new recruits. This feature has become more important than salary some companies. Companies engage employees in training into various types of technical skills if the person fits with the cultural fit requirements (Cockain, 2012). However, despite such great employment opportunities, companies in China, operating with their hierarchical work structure find it difficult to recruit right employee for the right place and at the right time. Recruitment of caliber talent has posed challenges in front of companies because the number of opportunities available for skilled workforce is far more than the availability if such skilled manpower within the country (Dryburgh, 2011). Another problem impediment in hiring top talent in organizations in China found in the study of Golley and Meng, 2011, is that most of the Chinese people are not confident about working with foreign management. They prefer to recruit a Chinese for all their managerial decisions. The company under this study is also in dire need for leadership talent. It is in need of experienced individuals with perspectives to run senior leadership. The problems with sourcing of such talent is in association with lack of knowledge of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Kantian Approach To Morality Philosophy Essay

Kantian Approach To Morality Philosophy Essay Philosophers across the divide around the have argued that human morality is determined by rationality in making decisions and acting upon them. Immanuel Kants approach to moral psychology and his rational agency concept were developed around a number of issues; first moral sensibility concept. Secondly is heteronomy, hedonism and the happiness principle which according to Kant determines human motivation and decisiveness or choice. Lastly is the categorical imperative which Kant conceptualized around practical rationality and its role in the formation of universal laws (Reath, 2006, p.1). Kants theory of human morality is conceptualized around human decision and action. This concept has not been well understood (McCarthy, 2009, p. xiii). This paper therefore, seeks to examine Kants approach to human morality his theories and principles with regard to their relevance to human life today. Kantians theories of human morality Moral philosophy is a concept that seeks to give answers to issue surrounding human morality. It gives basis to fundamental principles of human morality and to achieve this, ethical and moral obligations must be recognized and adopted by human agents. Kant in his approach to human morality, puts emphasis on basic human moral and ethical responsibilities based on the results of his famous work dubbed Groundwork in the metaphysics of moral. From this platform, therefore, it is clear that moral psychology gives answers on the fact that morality dictates human agents decisiveness and actions and also influences human socialization. As such Kants approach to human morality tries to account of these concepts (Johnson, 2008). In his human moral theories, Kant argues that the ultimate end of human decisions and actions ought to be good for ones own self and also to others. This is practical and gives meaning to moral life. He goes ahead to emphasize that good for morality is in itself a moral virtue in line with human agents happiness. Kant strongly emphasizes that moral virtue is a condition to deserving happiness in life by human agents. However Immanuel Kant also noted that in certain occasions, moral virtue may not at all time constitute to human agents happiness and may at times conflict with it (Johnson, 2008). Today, many philosophers have coined various action theories. Many of these theories have been formulated with reference to Kants principles of human morality (McCarthy, 2009, p. xiii). Kants emphasis on human actions is broadly linked to his works on metaphysics of human morality. Metaphysics of human morality was coined around various principles like; moral sensibility, human happiness, categorical imperatives, autonomy of human will, principle of humanity, human virtue and vice, principle of duty, principle of humanity and the philosophy of religion (McCarthy, 2009, p. xiii). Kants theory of moral sensibility revolves around respect for morality. He describes this respect as an important determinant of self motivation in pure practical reasoning by human agents. According to Reath, Kant broadly views this respect for morality as a major influencing factor in self motivation and decisiveness or human action and making of choices (Reath, 2006, p.1). Therefore, in this context, respect for morality can be viewed as recognition of the authority associated with moral law and also as an independent human moral feeling. In Kants theory of happiness in relation to hedonism and heteronomy, he argues that non moral motivation was unacceptable and termed them as crude hedonistic. Reath asserts that according to Kant, non moral decisions and actions are influenced by the desire for pleasure at the end. That non moral decisions and actions are inclination-based in nature. However, those opposed to Kants principle of happiness in relation to hedonism and hedonistic non moral decisions and actions, have argued that his perception of non moral decisions and actions undermine his theory of morality as they convey a misjudged opinion and mistaken conception of non moral decisions and motivation (Reath, 2006, p. 2). In his theory of happiness, Kant explains his view that the expected satisfaction and the strength of the desire are taken as sufficient reason for humans non moral decisions and actions. In his theory of categorical imperative, Immanuel Kant asserts that morality is based on human practical reasoning or rationality. He termed this rationality categorical imperative. He argued that categorical imperative was based on certain standards of morality which were either desired instrumental principles or were based on rational human intuitions. The Kantian approach to morality is based on the perception that the analysis of categorical imperative will reveal the determinants of rational human agents in morality based on instrumental principles of morality. According to Kant therefore, categorical imperative is the fundamental principle of morality. Kant regards rationality as practical reasoning that is independent and free and as such goes beyond human control and interference. Kant argues that it is this categorical imperative in every human being that gives them the power to make realistic decisions and a feeling of self worth and respect (Johnson, 2008). At the centre of Kantian approach to human morality is the principle of autonomy of human wills. He argues that human rational reasoning cannot exist without a sense of autonomy. According to Kant, laws should be humans own making and that freedom does not exist if there are no laws bound to it. Freedom in relation to laws defines human responsiveness to practical reasoning. Thus autonomy arises when there is will free from negativity and when decisions and actions are done independently. Perfectly rational decisions and actions are those that conform to those laws that are validly formulated for rational reasoning. However, imperfectly rational decisions and actions go against Kantian perception and as such have to undergo scrutiny of some other laws (Johnson, 2008). Kant also formulated another theory dubbed, the principle of humanity. The meaning of humanity in Kants approach to human moral psychology is good will (Dean, 2006 p. 8). In his works metaphysics of morals, Kant argues that every human being has the responsibility of raising himself more and more towards humanity, which he earlier described as good will. By so doing, humans have to set themselves ends which it is them alone who are capable of achieving. According to Kant, the capacity of human agents to set and adopt whichever end is characterized by humanity. However, he argues further that the capability of setting ends here is not the only way to realize humanity. The role of attaining humanity also includes accepting moral principles as sufficient need for making moral decisions, actions and choices (Dean, 2006, p. 9). According to Kant, good will is the only thing in the world that is naturally good and without conditions regardless of what it achieves or what it is attributed to. He argues that decisions or actions reached at out of good will have or out of duty have moral worth and as such represent the value of good will and human morality. Kant argues that decisions made out of duty or actions performed out of responsibility bear formal principle are as such are reason-based. They are not inclination-based as such do not bear material principle as its basis. However good will only favor inclination-based decision if they are in line with the requirements of morality (Denis, 2005, p. 18) Kantian theory of morality asserts that agents bear special status and because of that they deserve respect that must not be interfered. This principle of respect to humanity, Kant asserts is a key determinant to human practical and rational reasoning. In view of this, respect for humanity, human rights and human responsibility are the basis for human moral reasoning (Furrow, 2005, p. 49). Kantian principles of morality recognize that human agents have intrinsic value due the fact that they have the power to make rational decisions and independent judgments regarding their lives. Human beings have value regardless of whether they are cared for or not and no matter what their moral decision, actions and general behaviors are. According to Kant they posses objective worth which must be treated with respect (Furrow, 2005, p. 50). It is important to recognize that human agents poses objective worth which influences their conduct within the society from where they relate with each other. As such they must not be taken as mere objects or instruments. Kant, in his approach to morality argues that morality through practical reasoning must proceed from categorical imperative and not from hypothetical imperatives. Categorical imperatives commands that decisions and actions must be taken without conditions attached to them and independently. He recognizes that all human agents have interests, projects, goals and desires and are capable of rationally reasoning about them and acting on them (Furrow, 2005, p. 50). In his theory on human moral virtue and vices, Kant emphasizes that human beings have duties to fulfill, goals, ambitions and desires to realize. Kant describes the moral strength to achieve these as human moral virtue. He also describes moral vice as immorality in principle. In Kants view, humans set principles of moral conduct depending on basis of categorical imperative or simply rational agency. Therefore on this platform, Kant describes human trait of acting in accordance with these principles as human virtue. Kant further argues that human virtue can not be acquired through training or even through instilling second human character but rather comes from deep within humans. As such human virtue is oriented on human moral principles and human moral vice is then viewed by Kant as going against moral law in principle (Johnson, 2008). Kants approach to human morality has been the foundation for many philosophers. Whereas many have accepted his principles on human morality, others have often differed with some of these principles based on a number of contentious issues. However, according to McCarthy, Kants description of human virtue as moral strength of will is a psychological condition which is the most important in human agents. He argues that Kant conceptualized human virtue as a psychological condition of human moral appraisal and promotion. Human moral virtue is a determinant in evaluating human moral worth (McCarthy, 2006, p. 191). Human moral virtue therefore contributes to other important and related virtues like human happiness, goodwill, moral sensibility, the capability to make independent decisions and the ability to act for the good of humanity. The rationale for setting ends according to Kants principles on morality is what constitutes the ends set and adopted by human agents. Respecting the rational nature of the set ends will mean respecting human moral laws in all its functionality and not only its function or the mere obeying of human moral laws. According to Kant, the rational nature of the ends-setting has various roles in achieving humanity including the end setting itself that is influenced by human moral principles (Dean, 2006, p. 83). Webb, in his works dubbed Kants philosophy of religion, argues that there is profound connectivity between human morality and religion. Webb argues that this religion is in terms of moral faith and as such a very important connection between moral autonomy and nature. Webb asserts that it is this moral faith that Kant in his approach to human morality held to the notion that practical reasoning must prevail at all times. According to Webb, moral faith was a major determinant in his assertion that categorical imperatives were the basis on which human agents decided and acted (Firestone Palmquist, 2006, p. 7). What is attractive in Kantian approach to morality? Kant argues that agents are at all times rational in their being, decisiveness and action. They can express their desires, give their opinions and decide rationally on what they want to do. Kant sees human agents as beings that are able to act on principles. He goes ahead to categorize agents into two groups; perfect agents and imperfect agents. From his categorization of agents, it can be deduced that human beings are not the same in setting, adopting and acting on human moral principles, and may differ based on same principles. Perfectly rational agents act strictly on principle of practical or rational rather reasoning. They decide and act only on what they deem to be good. Imperfect agents may at time to act or decide contrary to their principle. They follow human morality principles out of duty while perfectly rational agents follow principles of human morality without much constraint (Denis, 2005, p.21). Kants principle of categorical imperative is an attractive approach to human morality. Categorical imperative requires that human agents realize or rather achieve the ends they have set in regard to morality. It encourages human beings or rather commands them to achieve targets they set in life. According to Kant, categorical imperatives are naturally contingent. They bind human agents to moral principles which in turn enable them to pursue and achieve the ends they have adopted (Johnson, 2008). This principle encourages hard work in human agents in order to realize self satisfaction and achieve human sense of accomplishment in life. According to Kants approach to human morality, human agents happiness lies on their own moral principles. According to Kant in his principle of happiness, agents happiness is critical and a basic need that cannot be rationally withdrawn. However, categorical imperative pertaining to the achievement of human agents happiness remains to be hypothetical. This therefore means that, for human beings to be happy they have no choice, but to make morally rational decisions and act in the same way as well. It is therefore, important to recognize that happiness in itself is a Meta end comprising all inclination-based ends human agents decide and act on (Denis, 2005, p. 21). What is unattractive in Kantian approach to morality? According to Stratton-Lake, various philosophers have found Kants approach to human morality based on a few of his principles. First, is his view that rational and good-willed human agent would decide and act only due to responsibility or out of duty. Secondly is that for any human duty to be realized, there must be categorical imperatives. Thirdly is his symmetry theory. Unfortunately all the Kantian moral principles are related and tend to borrow from each other. This makes it extremely impossible to reject a single principle while adopting the others. This has been the bond of contention between Kantian approach to human morality and other philosophers who appreciate his theories but do not totally agree with these theories (Stratton-Lake, 2004, p. 57). Kantian approach to ethical morality provides that human agents actions must be based on responsibility or duty alone. This presents challenge in distinguishing between what elements constitutes human agents moral worth and virtue. This situation ideally poses a serious confusion in trying to internalize these two principles by human agents. For instance, if human agents are expected to be virtuous in their decisiveness and action, then duties and responsibilities calling for virtuous decisions and actions should also be adopted. According to McCarthy, the principle of duty is the basis from which Kantian approach describe human moral expectations (McCarthy, 2006, p. 190). According to Denis, Kant argues in his early work Groundwork that good will decisions and actions are determined by a sense of responsibility or duty rather than due to impulse or inclination and that such decisions and actions gives them moral worth. Some philosophers have objected to this arguing that this reason-based principle perception of Kant is misguided. Objections arise from the fact that this principle gives human decisions and actions a more narrow account of morality in decisions and actions. Other scholars also object on the basis that Kants moral worth of reason-based decision and actions that it is okay not to love or sympathize with others in order to achieve moral worth helping others out of duty and responsibility (Denis, 2005, p. 19). Even though principles of morality require agents set ends to adopt and achieve, Kant argues that they are not bound to them and as such can free themselves from most categorical imperatives by withdrawing the ends or rather the targets to be realized or achieved. For instance if an agents goal or desire is to become family doctor and the means required to achieve this desire is to attend a medical school, rationally the agent will be required to attend medical school. However, the agent is free to withdraw this ambition then he or she will be relieved from the requirement of attending law school. In such a case the categorical imperative will no longer be binding on the individual (Denis, 2005, p. 21). According to Furrow, Kants approach to human morality jeopardizes freedom which to him is crucial to the wellbeing of human agents. In his approach, Kant argues that human agents are free only when their actions and decisions are not inclination-based but reason-based. Kant asserts that human agents are free only when their decisions and actions are free from external influences whereas these influences constitute attachments and commitments that result into human agents happiness. It is therefore; practically impossible to conceptualize autonomy and freedom without reference to human desires, targets goals or even purposes. Freedom is a paramount determinant of happiness in human agents. Therefore essential freedom is that which permits humans to decide and act in accordance with their personal needs, desires and values and not that which sets these values, desire and needs aside in order to make impartial judgments (Furrow, 2005, p. 89). Conclusion The Kantian theory of morality describes how human beings ought to relate to each other in the society. Kant, in his approach to human morality gives reason to human interaction and relationship. Although it has its limitations, Kantian approach to human morality describes a plausible lifestyle devoid of human immorality. The Kantian approach to human morality enables human agents to reflect and deliberate on their moral principles on elements that are meaningful and important in life like human relationships, virtues, principles and morals among others. Moral principles, theories and laws present human agents with not only better account of morally acceptable decisions and actions but also more plausible account of the role of moral law to human agents. Moral law therefore act as checks and balances on our morality as human agents. These theories and principles are based on practical cases in human lives in the views of Kant and should therefore, form the basis of human interaction and relationships today.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Mirror Images in Cat in the Rain Essay -- Cat in the Rain Essays

Mirror Images in Cat in the Rain      Ã‚   The opening paragraph of "Cat in the Rain" presented itself as a vivid painting, with Hemingway being the artist mentioned (Hemmingway, 167). This was the first in a series of mirrors that Hemingway placed in this short story. Reading this story was like being placed in a mirrored room, each mirrored wall being an element of the story reflecting upon another.    The reflection of Hemingway and the painter in the first paragraph was the first parallel that the reader is presented. However, unlike the inanimate paintings produced by the artists in the garden of the hotel, the nature of the images in Hemingway's painting changes throughout the short story. The description of the setting served more purpose than just setting the mood for the surface plot. The overall changes that occurred in the imagery was in accord with the condition of the American couple's relationship. The outside of the hotel was initially described as it would be in good weather, but gradually rain was set into the image. The dreary rain seems to lag through most...