Captain America as a Rhetorical Superhero - 1586 Words

Rhetorical Superhero Half of the person we become is an impression of the ones we admire. Growing up in the United States every child has someone they look up to. This most likely is an individual that represents success and the values we are taught to respect. Superheroes have always served as something good in our lives because they make us want to help the world and feel like we can do anything. Superheroes represent qualities that we should all attempt to embody. What Captain America truly represents can be interpreted in many ways, but there are messages being conveyed. The authors of â€Å"Captain America: The First Avengers† use rhetoric to express the social ideology that being a hero is not exactly how strong you are, but what values†¦show more content†¦The author does well to show him as courageous, but helpless. In the opening scene he defends the honor of the armed forces in the movie theater. This gets him into a fight and a beating from a much larger man. He does not back d own from the man but is overcome until his friend jumps in. Right after this Steve is shown in his scrawny form trying to enlist where the folder displays how many flaws he has. In boot camp he is again shown as subpar in stature and strength. It enables the viewers to relate to feeling insignificant and unworthy, or just ordinary. Once he is broken down it gives the chance for him to overcome everything. This aspect encourages the spectators that anyone can become a hero. Pathos is used to elaborate on the values that Captain America represents. He represents courage and sacrifice in the scene where he dives on top of the dead grenade to save the squad and also when he haphazardly invades to rescue the POW. The best example of this is the last scene of the movie where Steve flies the plane into the ice in order to save the city. He wanted more than anything to continue his relationship with Peggy but gives that up for a better chance at saving everyone. Everyone can relate to him w hen they say goodbye over the radio. This makes the viewers relate to him and feel like they could be in the same position. All of this emotional appeal also serves another purpose. It points to the fact the Steve is still human after theShow MoreRelatedThe Elements Of Comic Books1300 Words   |  6 PagesGenres are shaped by the elements that the samples display, or by the rhetorical devices that they seem to share. Genres such as comic books tend to have many elements in common; however, more similarities can be detected when the scope of the genre is further narrowed. Most specifically, a multitude of comic books display elements of mythology. Whether it be the characters or the archetypes displayed throughout, mythology has played a large role in today’s and the past’s comic books and art based

Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Reviews & Tips

Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Reviews & Tips The Fundamentals of Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Revealed It's possible to certainly revise your own paper, and I advise that you do, but it's always a great idea to let another person read your paper too. In any case, direct and indirect quotes are necessary to support your understanding of academic writing style. The very best thing about Essay is you may use any sort of language formal or informal. There are 3 basic sorts of essays,, and When given a choice, folks usually do not pick the argumentative essay. There are invariably a broad range of opinions on the field of technology, and here are our favourite things to consider on this issue. The above-mentioned topic selection may give you a very clear understanding of what things to write about. As a consequence, there are many ideas to pick from, based on style of writing. It is extremely important to decide on a great topic as a way to compos e a fantastic paper. The Awful Secret of Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram On occasion, acquiring a captivating introduction immediately grasps the interest of the reader right from the start, and it makes them more interested in reading the essay to learn more about this issue of social networking. You also need to know how to craft a compelling piece. Facts, Fiction and Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Doing sports in college ought to be mandatory. The list is really endless. As you all know, the renowned social networking Instagram is essential for hotels in 2014. Health is something which all of us have to be worried about. You should be quite attentive once you reveal the topics which may be offensive to other folks. There are many things that may be discussed in regards to education. Most Noticeable Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Bear in mind which you can make funny argumentative essays if you do a few things. It's a fact that you' ve got to opt for a point of view and prove that, even when you know that a great deal of people would disagree with you. Consider picking a topic that has been discussed by a great deal of individuals. Second, talk what you shouldn't do instead of what should be accomplished. The Basics of Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Noteworthy, it's crucial to think about the prerequisites of the write-up. The APA guidelines can be readily found online. Be aware it is possible to fail so much as the simplest topic in case you don't pay enough attention to instructions and guidelines. If you still feel just like you need more guidance, get in contact with us! What Does Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Mean? There are lots of aspects about a sport which can be argued in an essay. Then, it's essential to supply a crucial review of the literature regarding the matter under discussion. On the grounds of that, you might select a topic to write on. So make certain tha t you decide on a subject, which has values in it. Following is a superb collection of 100 essay topics. Having selected a superior topic to argue about, at this point you need to make an argumentative essay outline. Pick a topic you may work with. It's perfect if you're keen on this issue! You will probably locate a different and amazing topic you will love to write about. Essay topics in English can be hard to produce. Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram: the Ultimate Convenience! At length, now that you're prepared to work on your paper, we wish to remind you of the significance of suitable essay structure. You may continue to keep your argumentative essays for your upcoming job portfolio in case they're highly graded. You should have skills to compose a very good essay. You don't wish to lose grades as a result of incorrect essay format. The Death of Argumentative Essay Topics about Instagram Your reader ought to be convinced your argument is valid. The point is that you would like to convince the reader your argument is the perfect one, which means you'll certainly want to select a topic that you're passionate about and something which you'll become excited about researching and writing. The trick to scoring well with these kinds of topics is that the writer understands the healthcare facts. You're likely to need to do a reasonable amount of studying to compose a strong argument essay, so attempt to choose a topic that you're at least somewhatinterested in. If you're writing an argument paper about social networking, you may be inclined to argue the positive facets of social networking. It's possible to go for an intriguing topic from any area of science. A social media argumentative essay is no different. For you to make the finest argumentative essay about social networking, you're encouraged to think beyond the box about this issue.

Managerial Accounting Insurance Australia Group Limited

Question: Discuss about theManagerial Accountingfor Insurance Australia Group Limited. Answer: Introduction The report aims to present the organizational performance based on financial and non- financial measures including the analysis of accounting concepts for cost management. In order o present the report, a public listed company in Australia has been selected i.e. Insurance Australia Group Limited based on the insurance industry. To present the report, organizational cost roles and management costs have been evaluated for the current year information 2016. Analysis would be considered based on the management control theory along with the performance key measures. Background Material Major concept of the present report is analysis of cost roles and management accounting for the selected organization Insurance Australia Group Limited that assists the organization to achieve the desired goals. Accordingly, it is essential to include the appropriate performance management activities in the organization to monitor the business costs, functions and other non- financial measures. Accordingly, Insurance Australia Group Limited adopted management control theory to plan, organize and execute the business functions to maintain the business standards, manage business costs and maximize performance (Iag.com.au. 2017). The management accounting of Insurance Australia assist the organization for planning, organizing, controlling and making decisions for business activities. Academic Theory in Relation to Company Accounting Systems and Performance measurement Systems It has been analyzed that the primary aim of Insurance Australia Group Limited is a multinational insurance organization having its primary operations in the region of Australia and New Zealand. The organization has 70% of shareholding that issues insurance business under the same business name. Peter Harmer is the key person of the organization while the current revenue amounted to $9.78 billion and profit of the organization amounts to $1.23 billion (Iag.com.au. 2017). Companys performance depends on the performance and activities of the management and senior officials that is based on several factors. Performance of the senior managers and executives would be measured on the basis of performance allocations and percentage of target achieved (Henri, Boiral and Roy 2016). The management of the organization considered performance scorecards based on next- generation performance to comply the unique and relevant requirements of insurance business. Applying the method of performance wheel for measuring performance the management considered performance wheel to identify and monitor the business activities weakness in the internal control system. Accordingly, the measurement of the management performance has been based on the short- term as well as long- term business goals vesting the optimum business production policies. Individual Reports on Insurance Australia Group Limited In view of the organizational business plan in Insurance Australia Group Limited, it has been determined that the senior executives prepared and planned the financial budgets effectively resulting in generating highest revenue in Australia. Budget forecast in terms of trading and product costs including adoption of business activities for investing in the business of safety insurance, general insurance and property insurance has been done effectively (Bedford, Malmi and Sandelin 2016). Further, business principles and accountability of Insurance Australia has been analyzed and can be said that the organization complied the regulations of GAAP and IFRS to recognize the business transactions. It has been analyzed that the operating performance of the company reflected increased value since the growth in insurance margin during 2016 was 14.3% while the insurance margin in 2015 was 10.7%. Besides, underlying insurance margin increased to 14.0% in 2016 whereas 13.1% in 2015 (Iag.com.au. 2017). Other than that, organizational non- financial performance in terms of employment condition, process of trading and management of business costs have been performed by managing the fundamental principles. The management of the company implemented the management control theory by considering the theory of constraints, technology strategy as well as internal training to the employees for processing the insurance guidelines and regulations (Otley, 2016). Management of Insurance Australia also focused on maintaining the corporate governance requirements, communication process between the executive employees and their subordinates to improve the business performance. Management mainly focus es on the internal training program for the employees to explain the business strategies and procedures to perform the functions in an effective manner. Conclusion It can be concluded that the management of Insurance Australia Group Limited considers management accounting principles and theory to improve the performance with respect to appropriate planning, monitoring and controlling the accounting procedures. Further, the organizational management used constraint theory, technology strategy to improve the business performance that includes training program, communication sessions, compliance of governance and processes to improve business methodology. It has been noticed that the organization experienced higher growth in operating performance during the current year 2016 hence the organization is said to be efficient. Reference List and Bibliography Bedford, D.S., Malmi, T. and Sandelin, M., 2016. Management control effectiveness and strategy: An empirical analysis of packages and systems.Accounting, Organizations and Society,51, pp.12-28. Fullerton, R.R., Kennedy, F.A. and Widener, S.K., 2014. Lean manufacturing and firm performance: The incremental contribution of lean management accounting practices.Journal of Operations Management,32(7), pp.414-428. Henri, J.F., Boiral, O. and Roy, M.J., 2016. Strategic cost management and performance: The case of environmental costs.The British Accounting Review,48(2), pp.269-282. Hopper, T. and Bui, B., 2016. Has management accounting research been critical?.Management Accounting Research,31, pp.10-30. Iag.com.au. 2017. IAG Limited. [online] Available at: https://www.iag.com.au/ [Accessed 1 Jan. 2017]. Otley, D., 2016. The contingency theory of management accounting and control: 19802014.Management Accounting Research,31, pp.45-62.

Marketing Initiatives of Milo free essay sample

Nestle is one of the biggest multinational companies in the world offering fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) such as Milo. Nestle’s Slogan, â€Å"Good Food, Good Life† reiterates what they stand for in delivering qualitative products to the end-user being their main objective. The fundamental aim of Nestle is to increase profits however at the same time, raise the standing of living and quality of life for everyone by continually providing nutritional products to promote a healthier lifestyle for all of us. In every market, different companies offer products; consumers always want to choose the best and the healthiest product. Nestle is one of the companies which caters for the nutritional needs of consumers. Due to the great competition in the market, Nestle has evolved its product with a passage of time to maintain the market share being our main reasoning for choosing Nestle Milo. The market share of Nestle Milo is so large that their biggest competitors comprise of their own products such as Nesquick. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Initiatives of Milo or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Milo markets itself to teenagers by being a beverage that will provide kids with enough energy for sports and a fast lifestyle, whilst still being healthy. Another large part of Nestle Milo’s Marketing is the sponsorship and community programs which consist of Nestle’s ‘MILO in2CRICKET’ program offering children an opportunity to â€Å"have a go† at cricket whilst promoting physical activity at a young age. On top of this Nestle Milo also sponsors various sporting events at a school level to ensure all children have the opportunity to build their sports skills for the future. In the business environment, there are different forces such as economic forces, legal forces and the socio-cultural forces which can have an impact on the product, on the organization and the marketing manoeuvres in which nestle undertakes. This will be further examined in the first section of the report. Marketing Initiatives As we all know that there are several forces that can impact a product and an organization. Companies must take different measures according to their environments to ensure the survival of their products. When we look at Nestle Milo, we will come to know that Nestle has taken many steps to make Milo compatible with the needs and expectations of consumers. According to Ryan (2004), Nestle introduced the phrase â€Å"good food, good life†. When we look at Milo, we can see that Nestle has tried to focus on the health and nutritional benefits of its product. Nestle has also tried to focus on the market of children from 6-13 years of age. Some of the examples of the initiative taken by Milo are the ‘Good Food, Good Life’ Campaign and the ‘Milo in2 Cricket’ Program. The ‘Good Food, Good Life’ campaign is a consumer psychology that they relate the brands with things or feelings. Whenever a brand name comes to their minds, something associated with that brand or their own personal experience comes into their minds as well. In a similar manner, consumers recognize Milo as a symbol of nutrition and Health. Even the packaging and the outlook of Milo symbolises nutrition, health and energy. Another example of the initiative taken by Milo is Milo in2 cricket. It is actually an initiative taken by Milo in its Australian market. This initiative is for the children who are between the age of five and ten. In this program, these children participate in a six to twelve week cricket camp. This marketing move has enabled Nestle to penetrate into the potential market of Milo, that is, children. The program basically focuses on providing children with the skills that they need to have to perform well in cricket. Also, children attending the Cricket camp receive Milo products and merchandise which causes a great promotion for the product. Environmental Forces – Socio-cultural Socio-cultural aspect is one of the most important macro environmental factors that can have an impact on a product. According to Elliott et al. 2010), when a company is trying to maintain and establish its product in a market, it must pay special attention to the socio cultural aspect. The progressive thoughts and the changes in beliefs have impacted the population a lot. According to Bergadaa (2007), as a result, the companies have also been impacted by these changes. The parents also have an impact on the purc hases that their children make. The perspective of parents can cause a decline in the sales of product. According to Preston (2005), a customer decisions can be impacted by a change which the households are undergoing. The catholic social services (2010) have highlighted some of the difficulties which the parents are facing because of increase in petrol prices and the interest rates. Hence, other areas such as social and economic areas get impacted and the pressures build on the parents. This creates a feeling of frustration and guilt in parents. These feelings can also impact purchase decisions of parents thus Nestle must pay special attention to such macro environmental forces. Democracy is another factor which can have a great impact. Democracy is the fundamental basis of our society. It is a human nature that they always resist the imposition of anything on themselves. Galbreath has done a great work to document the importance of customer satisfaction. According to Bergadaa (2007), Nestle still continues to be impacted by the moves which a society makes to protect children against the marketing manoeuvres which companies make. This has also impacted Milo as well. Such factors will always have an impact on marketing manoeuvres of the organizations. Health – Childhood Obesity A society evolves with time into a healthy and a conscious society. They pay special attention to nutrition and health issues. Public views are greatly impacted by the health issues. Childhood obesity is one of the major issues which the modern society is facing. The society has also taken many steps to deal with these issues specially childhood obesity. Nestle Milo is continuously receiving the impacts of the measures that are being taken against childhood obesity because it is one of the most critical health problem in Australia. This socio cultural issue has caused a great impact on the company’s ability to market their product. Companies find it difficult to communicate about their products. Laws and regulations In every country, there is an organization that looks after the activities of companies. In Australia, the ASIC is doing this job. The ASIC makes laws, enforces them and acts as a regulatory authority. It works to protect creditors, investors and consumers. It has made several laws for the above mentioned purpose. The corporations Act 2001 and the ASIC Act 2001 are some of the examples of the legislations done by the ASIC. It is important that the corporate marketing initiative should follow the concerned law. Therefore, Nestle must pay attention to this environmental factor as well and must make the advertisement moves according to the laws. In Australia, the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) makes the laws for the industries and also regulates the industries. The ACCC sets the laws for trade practices and the industries. One of the important laws passed b the ACCC is the Trade practices Act 1974. According to the Australian Competition Consumer Commission 2005, this law addresses the issues about the quality, nutritional information and the imported ingredients. It is essential that the marketing initiatives which talk about the nutritional benefits of any product, they must comply with this law. According to James (2009), Milo is unable to comply with this law properly because of the caffeine content in their product. Excluding this issue, the Milo has always exhibited fairness in all other issues. Nestle has taken many measures to deal with the macro environmental forces. Nestle has always changed its marketing mix according to the needs of a market. It also shapes its strategies according to the environment. One of the major steps taken by Nestle is the recognition that it has obtained by the Heart foundation. The heart foundation endorses and emphasises the use of healthy products. References: 1. Emerald | Society and Business Review | Children and business: pluralistic ethics of marketers. 2011. Emerald | Society and Business Review | Children and business: pluralistic ethics of marketers. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? articleid=1593515. [Accessed 07 October 2011]. 2. elliot, 2009. marketing isbn13 9780470819654. Edition. John Wiley Sons. 3. Nestle Australia: Feeling Good with Nestle . 011. Nestle Australia: Feeling Good with Nestle . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. nestle. com. au/NutritionAndHealth/FeatureArticles/Pages/FeelingGoodwithNestle. aspx. [Accessed 07 October 2011]. 4. Nestle Australia: MILO Programs . 2011. Nestle Australia: MILO Programs . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. nestle. com. au/Community/Pages/MiloPrograms. aspx. [Ac cessed 07 October 2011]. 5. Overview of the Trade Practices Act. 2011. Overview of the Trade Practices Act. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. accc. gov. au/content/index. phtml/itemId/788579. [Accessed 07 October 2011].

Imagination in Heroics of Odysseus and Don Quixote Essays

Imagination in Heroics of Odysseus and Don Quixote Essays Imagination in Heroics of Odysseus and Don Quixote Paper Imagination in Heroics of Odysseus and Don Quixote Paper Essay Topic: Don Quixote Book I Fight Club Novel Literature The most respected and venerated social group in ancient times and middle ages were that of the heroic warriors, knights, and kings. The view of what it is to be a hero is winning honor through combat and in a competitive situation. A hero would be someone who has great fighting skill and would even dare to risk death to have honor. The heroes were the people who would lead their armies or fellow knights into battle and won accolades for their courage displayed on the battlefield. On the other hand, the cowardly were subjected to strong prejudice. Their existence was considered a burden on the earth and they were ignored and ridiculed by everyone. This noble characteristic is evident in the Odyssey by Homer and Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Both the authors draw different characteristics of what it means to be a hero in different ways. In the Odyssey, mere fighting skill does not necessarily mean that Odysseus was the hero. Rather, we see a man who is very shrewd and cunning. Although he is a brilliant fighter, he also shows restraint and mercy. On the other hand, Don Quixote was not a born hero like Odysseus. He is deluded by chivalric ideas of heroism and valor and sets out to reform the world along with his sensible companion Sancho Panza. Both the heroes are from two very different times of the world but both of them tried to conquer the world with their heroic acts. Its not just their heroic acts that set them as two of the most renowned heroes of all time; its also their imagination or ability to conjure things that makes them stand out. But in comparison, imagination is the key which makes Don Quixote as the hero where imagination just adds a dimension to Odysseus character that rules him along with other traits. Heroes are renowned for their abundance of qualities that enable them to conquer any problem. Odysseus, from The Odyssey, is no different. He represents the heroic ideals of Ancient Greece, and is revered for his perseverance, intelligence, and leadership abilities. Greek heroes were the people who saved people; they were courageous wise and had fighting spirit. But apart from all, all the Greek heroes used to be favored by the divine gods. Odysseus holds almost all the heroic qualities. But he was not always favored by the good gods in his decade long voyage as stated by The Study Club (1922)- As a hero, Odysseus, it is true, ranks far below Achilles, but he is a much greater figure one who can endure without despair, even the disfavor of the gods and can by strength of will and the guidance of reason eventually triumph against unbelievable odds (p. 115). So, if it was not the help of the gods or if was not only his strength and power, what was it that helps him to survive such a long journey? It was his wit, it was his imaginary that saved in many occasion. It not only saved him, it also distinguishes him from many other Greek heroes who are remembered for their muscles, not for their brains. Odysseus departure from Troy is the beginning of his long heroic adventure. What of those years of rough adventure, weathered under Zeus? (Book 1)- This quote depicts not only the rough times Odysseus will have on his journey, but also reveals that Zeus will watch over him. Odysseus will cross the threshold and go to places from where no one has returned before. On the island of the Cyclops Odysseus exhibits his abilities, as he developed a plan to escape the Cyclops cave. Odysseus has this plan and utilizes it. He and most of his men escape the cave unharmed. This symbolized the escape from the belly of the whale (Anthony, 1972). Throughout his journey, Odysseus receives some help from supernatural powers, which aid him to fulfill the heroic voyage. Aeolus, the god of winds Presents Odysseus with a bag, filled with all the bad winds. Although this was a great help to Odysseus, it did not last long. Odysseus also had help from other gods and goddesses. But it was his own skill that helped Odysseus to pass the obstacles one after another. He becomes the first to ever pass the island of the sirens unharmed. He does not carry away with the lovely seductive songs of the sirens. The men filled their ears with wax and only Odysseus, who was tied to the mast, was able to hear the tempting songs. As they passed the island, Odysseus screamed to be free, but the men would not free him. It was a temptation that Odysseus keeps in check through foresight and imagination. Similarly, when Odysseus and his crews are trapped in the cage of Cyclops, he again uses his intelligence. He realizes that he cannot defeat the one-eyed monster with his sword and muscle. Rather, he opted to wait for the opportune moment and outwit Cyclops. When asked his name, Odysseus told Polyphemus that his name is Nobody. Odysseus feeds the Cyclops some wine, which made him fall asleep. Then Odysseus and his crew took a large burning timber and blinded the Cyclops. After hearing his cries, Polyphemuss neighbors, other one-eyed monsters come running to the cave. Polyphemus yelled to his neighbors through the stone door, Nobody is killing me! Nobody has blinded me! (Book IX) The neighbors dismissed his cries and return to their own caves. Here, at first when Odyssey disguises himself as Nobody, it seems there I no real significance in this. But finally it comes out as the trick that makes Polyphemus stranded and isolated when other Cyclops thinks that he is just too drunk and went insane. Similar treatment is received by Circe, the sorceress, as Odysseus knew that she is too strong for him and if he does not counter her with his intelligence, he will turn into pigs along with his crews. Therefore, he again waits for the opportune moment and when it is there, he puts his sword on her throat and makes his way out. Again when he returns to Ithaca, he does not just go back to home. He is very much aware that things are not the same as he left them. There are suitors around here and many of them are ready to kill him and throw him out of his throne. Instead, Odysseus disguised himself as a beggar and starts to gain reliable companions. Finally, when Penelope arranges the contest, suspecting the beggar is none but his long lost husband; Odysseus again proves he is superior to the suitors and kills all of them one by one. And it does not end here since he realized he and his family is still not out of danger as the companions of the dead suitors will look for revenge and finally he triumphs over them as well. In any other story of epic, the hero would have not taken all this trouble of hide and seek play. They would have rather come straight to confront their opponents and beat them after a fierce battle and triumph. It is the wit, intelligence and the vision that distinguish him from many other epic heroes. In contrast to Odysseus, Don Quixote is not just another epic hero. He is not a youthful and strong knight or warrior who goes to a battle, fight fiercely and conquers them eventually. He is rather a man who has passed the prime of youth and now living in his middle ages. He has never gone to any battle or knight-errant, neither does he has any prior experience to fight. In Don Quixotes time, reading was the only entertainment in the home. Most people werent very well educated anyway so some could not tell the difference between pretend and reality. That is probably why people who read the bible took it so literally. The clergymen were more educated and knew how to take advantage of the people. People were so afraid of what it had to say; they did whatever it said so they would be doing well (Madariaga, 1928). Don Quixote did the same thing as those religious people. He believes exactly what he read. Unfortunately for him, those books were outdated; there were no knights in armor anymore. He convinced a less educated man to come with him on his travels. His squire is not as educated but he has good common sense. So, Don Quixote is actually the story of how an ordinary man becomes a hero even with his silly and foolish deeds. In medieval times, knights roamed the countryside of Europe, rescuing people and vanquishing evil lords and enchanters. This may sound absurd to many people in this time, but what if a person read so many books about these so-called knight-errants that he could not determine the real from that which was read? Such is the case in The Adventures of Don Quixote which takes place sometime in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Don Quixote is not really a don at all. He is a wealthy, intelligent farmer who read too many books about knight-errantry and goes crazy. He convinced a simple-minded peasant named Sancho to become his squire, promising him wealth and a high spot in society. Together they go for many adventures, both are convinced that they are doing brave and honorable acts of chivalry, when they are only two fools running around the countryside. Interesting part about Don Quixote is that his entire adventure is based upon his imagination. He lives in his own utopia where he sees everything from a great knights perspective, though the knights are long gone. He imagines himself as one of the great knights and vows to take the mission to rescue mankind. In his one of his adventures, he comes across a man named Juan Haldudo lashing his shepherd boy and thinks Haldudo is an evil knight. He challenges the farmer and makes him swear by the code of chivalry that he will pay all the accrued wages of the boy. Let all the world stand still if all the world does not confess that there is not in all the world a fairer damsel than the Empress of La Mancha, the peerless Dulcinea of El Toboso this is his announcement when he see a group of merchants and assumes that they are knights. The merchants think Don is crazed and he receives a beating from them. Again when Don comes across the giant windmills, he imagines them into evil giants. Despite his squires caution that they are harmless wind machines, he charges and one of the circling vanes knocks him out. When he realizes that these are windmills, he starts to believe that a magician must have turned the giants into windmills to thwart his heroic attack. The entire adventure of Don Quixote is based upon his imagination. He just does not seem to see things straight. Once he even attacks a funeral procession escorting a litter draped in black. He believes the litter holds the body of a wounded or slain knight who was the victim of villainy. He thinks the inns as castle and the giant turns out to be the innkeepers goatskins of wine. After many other eventful adventures, all which are something extravagant according to Dons illusion, finally he is beaten by a real knight and draws an end to his knight-errand. But he switches from one form to another- he now wants to be a shepherd and wants to live his life under the sky. He begins to think a shepherds life is a life that has appeal. Although the adventures of Don Quixote seem very stupid in nature outwardly, there are several factors which bear great value. Through his imaginary adventures, Don Quixote upholds the moral idealism. Even though he is mad, he realizes that there are eternal, unchanging values that remain valid in a modern, ever-changing world (Bell, 1947). Interestingly, throughout the novel, the character of Don Quixote remains a puzzle. Sometimes even it appears that behind his every mission, he has a vision. Liberty, Sancho, my friend, is one of the most precious gifts that Heaven has bestowed on mankind or Sanity may be madness but the maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should- this quotes suggests that may be he is deliberately trying to be a fool. Through his imagination, maybe he is trying to point out the lack of justice that prevails in the society. If we look at the use of imagination in both Odysseus and Don Quixote, we will actually find Don Quixote is the one who is dominated by his imagination a lot more than Odysseus. In fact Don Quixotes idea of realism seems to be in zero level in comparison to that of Odysseus. Odysseus is a seasoned hero who fought in numerous battles and is knowledgeable enough to know when to use the power of sword and when to use the might of his intelligence. In contrast, Don Quixote seems to be content with his own vision. He sees the world as he reads them in the book. To him the world is still threatened by the evil people and wicked knights and he must be acted as a savior. In fact, the imagination ruled Don Quixote so much that Sobre (1976) stated Don Quixote is a perfect example of created reality. The character Don Quixote is real, and he lives in a real world, but everything that he sees is exaggerated in his mind. He engages in so many adventures that he is convinced that he is doing brave and honorable acts of chivalry, when he is only a silly man running around the countryside. Odysseus on the other hand is very unlike Don Quixote and many heroes who seem invincible. They have no life, no feelings, no weaknesses. Odysseus feels pain, frustration and grief but at the same time his family and friends and those relationships and emotions are what make him like every person. He is brave and strong person, who is also very human. And above all its his ability to read a situation and use of his imaginative power to sort the best out of it. A large number of his adventures show his cool and calm nature and clear vision that makes him unlike most of the Greek epic heroes. So, we find here two different characters with two different attitudes to the world. Where Odysseus seems very practical and goal oriented, Don Quixote on the contrary is very much like a child and often seems very bizarre as a hero due to his uncanny behaviors. However, its the use of the imagination that actually draws the line of distinction between their heroics. Odysseus lives and conquers in a world where the daemons live along with the evil people and he fights them all with his might and wit. But Don Quixote has actually created a world which does not really exist in reality; it exists only in his dreams.

Shaolin Monks Fight Japanese Pirates

Shaolin Monks Fight Japanese Pirates Ordinarily, the life of a Buddhist monk involves meditation, contemplation, and simplicity. In mid-16th century China, however, the monks of Shaolin Temple were called upon to battle Japanese pirates who had been raiding the Chinese coastline for decades. How did the Shaolin monks end up acting as a paramilitary or police force? The Shaolin Monks By 1550, the Shaolin Temple had been in existence for approximately 1,000 years. The resident monks were famous throughout Ming China for their specialized and highly effective form of kung fu (gong fu). Thus, when ordinary Chinese imperial army and navy troops proved unable to stamp out the pirate menace, Nanjings Vice-Commissioner-in-Chief, Wan Biao, decided to deploy monastic fighters. He called upon the warrior-monks of three temples: Wutaishan in Shanxi Province, Funiu in Henan Province, and Shaolin. According to contemporary chronicler Zheng Ruoceng, some of the other monks challenged the leader of the Shaolin contingent, Tianyuan, who sought the leadership of the entire monastic force. In a scene reminiscent of countless Hong Kong films, the eighteen challengers chose eight from among themselves to attack Tianyuan. First, the eight men came at the Shaolin monk with bare hands, but he fended them all off. They then grabbed swords; Tianyuan responded by seizing the long iron bar that was used to lock the gate. Wielding the bar as a staff, he defeated all eight of the other monks simultaneously. They were forced to bow to Tianyuan, and acknowledge him as the proper leader of the monastic forces. With the question of leadership settled, the monks could turn their attention to their real adversary: the so-called Japanese pirates. The Japanese Pirates The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were tumultuous times in Japan. This was the Sengoku Period, a century and a half of warfare among competing daimyo when no central authority existed in the country. Such unsettled conditions made it hard for ordinary folks to make an honest living... but easy for them to turn to piracy. Ming China had problems of its own. Although the dynasty would hang on to power until 1644, by the mid-1500s it was beset by nomadic raiders from the north and west, as well as rampant brigandage along the coast. Here, too, piracy was an easy and relatively safe way to make a living. Thus, the so-called Japanese pirates, wako or woku, were actually a confederation of Japanese, Chinese, and even some Portuguese citizens who banded together. (The pejorative term wako literally means dwarf pirates.) The pirates raided for silks and metal goods, which could be sold in Japan for up to ten times their value in China. Scholars debate the precise ethnic makeup of the pirate crews, with some maintaining that no more than 10% were actually Japanese. Others point to the long list of clearly Japanese names among the pirate rolls. In any case, these motley international crews of seagoing peasants, fishermen, and adventurers wreaked havoc up and down the Chinese coast for more than 100 years. Calling Out the Monks Desperate to regain control of the lawless coast, Nanjing official Wan Biao mobilized the monks of Shaolin, Funiu, and Wutaishan. The monks fought the pirates in at least four battles. The first took place in the spring of 1553 on Mount Zhe, which overlooks the entrance to Hangzhou City via the Qiantang River. Although details are scarce, Zheng Ruoceng notes that this was a victory for the monastic forces. The second battle was the monks greatest victory: the Battle of Wengjiagang, which was fought in the Huangpu River Delta in July of 1553. On July 21, 120 monks met an approximately equal number of pirates in battle. The monks were victorious, and chased the remnants of the pirate band south for ten days, killing every last pirate. Monastic forces suffered only four casualties in the fighting. During the battle and mop-up operation, the Shaolin monks were noted for their ruthlessness. One monk used an iron staff to kill the wife of one of the pirates as she tried to escape the slaughter. Several dozen monks took part in two more battles in the Huangpu delta that year. The fourth battle was a grievous defeat, due to incompetent strategic planning by the army general in charge. After that fiasco, the monks of Shaolin Temple and the other monasteries seem to have lost interest in serving as paramilitary forces for the Emperor. Warrior-Monks: An Oxymoron? Although it seems quite odd that Buddhist monks from Shaolin and other temples would not only practice martial arts but actually march into battle and kill people, perhaps they felt the need to maintain their fierce reputation. After all, Shaolin was a very wealthy place. In the lawless atmosphere of late Ming China, it must have been very useful for the monks to be renowned as a deadly fighting force. Sources John Whitney Hall, The Cambridge History of Japan, Vol. 4, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999). Meir Shahar, Ming-Period Evidence of Shaolin Martial Practice, Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, 61:2 (Dec. 2001). Meir Shahar, The Shaolin Monastery: History, Religion, and the Chinese Martial Arts, (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2008).

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