Friday, December 27, 2019

Analysis Of The Movie Days Of Heaven By Terrence Malick

The film Days of Heaven (1978), directed by Terrence Malick, is a populist agrarian film that follows the lives of poor lovers who travel to the Panhandle, Texas to find work in 1916. Populist Agrarian films emerged throughout the 1930 s, a period during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, which accompanied poverty, starvation, and homelessness in its wake. in my opinion, the Days of Heaven is a revisionist film that portrays a dystopian agrarian way of life.The urbanization of society is depicted negatively whereas rural, remote areas of wide and empty land are associated with paradise. However, the rural town of Texas Panhandle is consumed with darkness by the protagonist s selfish pursuit of money, property, and leisure. Days of Heaven is a critically acclaimed film, primarily due to its unsympathetic characters making it incredibly difficult for the audience to relate. Agrarian and Western film genres share a quality of the everyday man. In John Fords, The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Tom Joad fits that category to a tee; however, Bill, played by Richard Greer, is portrayed as a selfish, violent, and cowardly anti-hero. For example, Bill fled after accidentally killing his supervisor and fled again after stabbing the wealthy, prominent farmer. In the first act, the dialogue between Bill and his supervisor is interrupted by noise in the factory. However, the second offense takes place on land with no bystanders. It is quiet, yet there is no dialogue between Bill and theShow MoreRelatedThe Movies Badlands ( 1973 ) And Days Of Heaven1212 Words   |  5 PagesThe movies Badlands (1973) and Days of Heaven (1978) are both directed by the acclaimed movie maker Terrence Malick. Both of these films have been dee med culturally significant by the Library of Congress and have been inducted in 1993 and 2007 respectively. The basis of this paper is to take these two movies and shed some light behind their creator’s process. The justification for this analysis is to prove with examples that Terrence Malick is an example of an auteur. Through the use of mise en scene

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Treatment of Women in Bram Stokers Dracula Essay

The Treatment of Women in Bram Stokers Dracula In reading Bram Stokers Dracula, I find the treatment of the two main female characters-- Lucy Westenra and Mina Harker-- especially intriguing. These two women are two opposite archetypes created by a society of threatened men trying to protect themselves. Lucy is the Medusa archetype. She is physically attractive, and wins the heart of any man who comes near her (e.g. Arthur, Quincey, Jack, and Van Helsing). Her chief quality is sensual beauty, but her sexual desire is repressed and not allowed to communicate. And yet both the spiritual side and the sexual side are in her, and when the long repressed sexuality finds a vent, it explodes and takes over completely. In other†¦show more content†¦She must not be active or adventurous, and definitely cannot be the advancing party in sexual engagement. That would be taking away mens sexual advantage, and will not be tolerated. The party of men gathers in Lucys graveyard, then, feeling their masculine power being subdued by the feminine attraction, turn angrily in defense of themselves. On the other hand, Mina Harker is the Madonna archetype. Her chief quality is not her physical attraction, but her role as mother, sister, and wife. She is not a threat to the men because her social role is domestically defined. As a wife she loves her husband, and tries to be useful to him. She practices typewriting and shorthand, keeps diaries, arranges papers, and tends to Jonathan when he is sick. As a mother and sister, she gives her sympathy to Jack, Arthur, and Quincey, allowing them to express their emotions, and thus winning their affection: I suppose there is something in a womans nature that makes a man free to break down before her and express his feelings on the tender or emotional side without feeling it derogatory to his manhood; for when Lord Godalming found himself alone with me he sat down on the sofa and gave way utterly and openly. . . . I felt an infinite pity for him, and opened my arms unthinkingly. With a sob he laid his head on my shoulder, and cried like a wearied child, whilst he shook with emotion (268,Show MoreRelated Comparison of Dracula and Bram Stokers Dracula Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesCompare/Contrast Dracula and Bram Stokers Dracula A noticeable difference in the way movies have changed over the years is evident when comparing and contrasting two films of different eras which belong to the same genre and contain the same subject matter. Two vampire movies, Dracula and Bram Stokers Dracula, present an interesting example of this type of study. Comparing the 1931 version of Dracula, starring Bela Lugosi, with Frances Ford Coppolas Bram Stokers Dracula 1993 version yieldsRead More Intertextual Exchange in Carmilla, Dracula and the Historian1639 Words   |  7 Pagesseldom duplicate their influential precursor(s); rather, they often work within a certain framework established by other writers or generic conventions, but vary aspects of it in significant ways† (Friedman 155). Sheridan Le Fanu’s, Carmilla, Bram Stoker’s, Dracula and Elizabeth Kostova’s, The Historian, clearly engage in this intertextual exchange, as evidenced by their use of narrative structure and striking character parallels. Published in 1872, Le Fanu relates the story of Carmilla from a firstRead MoreAnalysis Of Bram Stoker s Dracula 1997 Words   |  8 PagesBram Stoker’s Dracula was written in 1897. This was a time that the Victorian era and its values were changing and meeting their ends. The male-dominant world was evolving to an equal opportunity society. This meant women were no longer oppressed and limited socially, educationally, economically, or even sexually. The end of the Victorian era also called for growth in technology and medicines. Old ideas were diminishing while new ideas of the world were flourishing. Whether it be the pro femininityRead MoreDifferent Perception of Women: Dracula by Bram Stoker1850 Words   |  8 PagesIn the late 19th century, when Dracula by Bram Stoker is written, women were only perceived as conservative housewives, only tending to their family’s needs and being solely dependent of their husbands to provide for them. This novel portrays that comp letely in accordance to Mina Harker, but Lucy Westenra is the complete opposite. Lucy parades around in just her demeanor as a promiscuous and sexual person. While Mina only cares about learning new things in order to assist her soon-to-be husband JonathanRead MoreThe Feminist Movement Of Bram Stoker s Dracula1379 Words   |  6 PagesIn Victorian England, the feminist movement began to rise at an almost exponential rate. Women started to have their voices heard and even had many of their causes argued for by some men. Among these men was a lecturer by the name of Bram Stoker. Stoker spent years lecturing on and arguing for feminist causes at the Philosophical Society. That is until the â€Å"New Woman† came about. The New Woman was considered to be a new breed of woman, one that was almost inhuman or mutated, hence the name. TheyRead MoreHow Does a Marxist Reading of Dracula Open Up Meaning?2150 Words   |  9 PagesUnremarkable though it may seem, to affirm the obvious tr uism that Bram Stoker’s Dracula originates from a century that historians often describe as the most significant in terms of revolutionary ideology, whilst wishing to avoid the clichà ©d view held, it is undeniable that the more one delves into the depths of this novel the greater wealth of meaning demonstrates significant correlation with Marxist ideology. The 19th Century saw the emergence of revolutionary socialist Karl Marx, who himselfRead MoreUnseen Forces: Lesbian Relationships in Stokers Dracula and Coppolas Bram Stokers Dracula1800 Words   |  8 Pagesa blood-sucking Transylvanian man, upon diving deeper into Bram Stokers novel Dracula, one can find issues of female sexuality, homoeroticism, and gender roles. Many read Dracula as an entertaining story full of scary castles, seductive vampires, and mysterious forces, yet at the same time, they are being bombarded with descriptions of sex, images of rape, and homosexual relationships. In Francis Coppolas Bram Stoke rs Dracula, Stokers presentation of homoeroticism is taken, reworked, and presentedRead MoreHorror Movies Are All the same1163 Words   |  5 Pagesthese gruesome stories that we all truly fear. Before movies, people would purchase books of similar traumatic events to read in their spare time for amusement. It has been said by the Filmmakers IQs horror film lesson (2012), that writers such as Bram Stoker created graphic novels that would grab the audiences attention for years to come. But the horror movie, The House Of The Devil (1896), was noted as being the first ever horror movie. And as the years pasted, the industry grew and became strongerRead More Comparing Sexuality and Power in Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer1657 Words   |  7 PagesComparing Sexuality and Power in Dracula and Buffy the Vampire Slayer    At first glance, Joss Whedons Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the hour-long TV series which premiered in 1997 and is now in its third season, bears little resemblance to the book which started the vampire craze -- Bram Stokers Dracula, published a century earlier. And yet, looks can be deceiving. Although the trendy -- and often skimpy -- clothing and bandied about pop-culture references of Buffy clearly mark the seriesRead MoreAn Analysis Of Bram Stoker s Dracula 1330 Words   |  6 Pages Bram Stoker in Dracula imagines a â€Å"proper women† by demonizing Lucy ascribing to her traits of a wanton woman; a whore of a demon. A misogynistic attitude is popular in a patriarchal society, especially in the middle of the nineteenth century. On the other hand, Stoker unconsciously ties Mina’s behavior to emulate a woman of propriety. She is the very bane of what a progressive woman looks like but not when looking at her through a gynocritics lens. To prepare the reader for the id eology of the

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Development in Gas and Oil Retail Industries

Question: Discuss the results due to alterations in structure of the UK retail industry, technological changes in the UK petroleum retail sector and influence of rising oil prices? Answer: Introduction The following essay evaluates the recent trends and changes in the UK petroleum retail market. These oil entities are the world leaders in oil and gas sectors in the country. Tesco, BP and Shell are one of the prominent petroleum retail brands operating under the oil and gas sector in UK (Mitchell and Mitchell 2014.). The UK petroleum retail market is facing enormous changes due to rising oil prices, structural changes in its composition, and technological advancements. Compared to the last decade, demand of petroleum products have also risen which is a major determinant of the economic condition of UK. However, petroleum retail brands needs to consider the scarcity of petroleum resources and the impact of maximizing production policies. Additionally Mitchell and Mitchell (2014) have stated retail petroleum entities could re-consider its pricing policies that are leading to decrease in demand of its products. The rise in oil prices would have severe impacts on the economic condition of the country, which includes job cuts, rise in transportation costs and disproportionate share of investment and resources. Petroleum retail entities are facing several obstacles in its path, and its survival depends on adapting to changing circumstances in the oil and gas sector Discussion Changes in the ownership structure in the UK retail market. The ownership structures in UK retail sectors have undergone some changes in the UK retail sector (Betz 2015). As such, it can be classified in the following three ways. Hypermarkets This refers to fuel retailing, and selling oil major gas products under their own brand name. For example- Tesco is the market leader in hypermarket segment in the UK retail store, Oil and Gas companies - This is the more traditional form of selling an oil; and gas product, where oil and gas resources are leased from another brand. BP and Shell are the major traditional Oil and gas entities that have been meeting UKs demand for a long period of time. Dealers- This refers to an individual or an independent business group, which is not part of any retail entity and a company. In the recent times, the reliance on UK domestic production have reduced due to substantial oil and gas imports from other countries. Beside this, in the recent times there is some drastic changes in the UK petroleum retail market. Total S.A which has been UKs leading fuel retailers has sold a large portion of the ownership to Ronetec. These acquisitions have proven to be beneficial for Rontec, and current holds the market share in fuel retailing. According to Sueyoshi and Wang (2014), this acquisition reflects the efforts of retail entities to expand their operations to successful compete, and make negotiations with fuel suppliers and distributors. In addition, Rontec made a business partnership with Shell, which boasts of a substantial presence in the UK fuel retail market. Tan (2016) mentioned that Shellss acquisition reflects existing market opportunities in the oil and gas-retailing sector. Implications of recent changes in UK petroleum retail industry Following are the implications of recent changes in the UK oil and gas retail industry. 1. Fragmentation in supply chain in vertical integrated oil companies have increased the efficiency and have decreased the costs of supplying transport fuels to ultimate consumers. Ross (2012)stated that due to decrease in supply costs, the prices of goods have automatically lowered. Petroleum retail entities like Tesco and Shells business prospects have suffered considerably due to such market attributes,2. Spare capacity relating to the distribution system to clients, have been decreased which have resulted in the reduction of resilience and robustness of the system. Devold (2013) argued that this hast resulted in wastage of petroleum products in the country.3. Fuel suppliers used to undertake the responsibility of physically distributing products. Recently, road haulers have taken that responsibility, and have been a cause of much labor disputes. Thus, it becomes essential that required HR policies are made to tackle such issues in the workplace.4. D. Major oil companies do not op erate in the refining sector anymore, and as such are not accountable to distribute their products through their own retail network. Thus, this would assist them to structure their channels in a better way to adjust to the changing market demand in the UK. Ross (2012) mentioned that this has been a major change in the business structure of the petroleum industry. Due to this new business firms with lesser financial resources have been able t enter the market. According to Mohanty et al. (2013), the emergence and growth of hypermarkets related to oil and gas retailing, have established different successful business models in this sector. Traditionally, oil companies used to be the leading entities in the oil and gas retail sector, but have lost a large market share in the recent times. Tesco has emerged as the biggest retailer in the fuel segments, offering discounts in fuel prices to consumers. Besides this, few oil companies have started to diversify and are focusing on oil and gas production. Results due to alterations in structure of the UK retail industry The number of traditional oil and gas companies has decreased significantly in the last five years. As such, the numbers of motor fueling positions have also reduced, with a declining rate of 11%. (Mitchell 2012) mentioned that motor fuel volume sold has been the highest in South East England followed by North West England and East of England. There were substantial variations in different regions in UK in terms of the decrease in PFS. Percentage wise Yorkshire and Humber( 33%) showed the largest variation, then London (32%) and South West England (31%) (Kelsey et al. 2014). Technological changes in the energy retailing sector According to Hauser (2016), the Industry Technology Faclitatior (ITF) is a non-profit organization, which assists the oil and gas sector entities in implementing technology initiatives to the UK oil and gas retail sector. ITF would assist the brad to look for further opportunities to explore oil and gas resources in the UK. In addition, Research Councils expertise and investment can be used to assist the UK oil and gas retail sector in research and development. In the area of shale gas, the British Geological Survey (BGS) is establishing techniques to develop oil and gas resources in UK (Raimi and Newell 2014). Yusuf et al. (2013) mentioned that specifically decided by the board members of ITF to introduce innovations in the area of petroleum retail industry. The technology goals at UK gas and retail sector remains to align operational activities with advance technology mechanisms. The PILOT initiatives at oil and gas sector relate to building superior infrastructure and effective exploration technologies, to assist the firm in further expansion policies (Devold 2013). Following are the technological goals that can be adopted to improve the existing business value of oil and gas sector in UK. Addressing related issues- Petroleum retail entities has realized the need to identify specific issues that have been hampering the growth of such brands. Technology has helped them to deal with such issues relating to accessibility and exploration of oil and gas fields globally (Yusuf et al. 2013). Consulting industry experts- Petroleum retail bards regularly consult industry experts in meeting technological demands of the industry. As such, major retail entities in UK industry meet industry experts regularly to discuss issues relating to technology. Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) is also used for availing information and technology services (Davies et al. 2014). Effective usage of stewardship data Generally, Oil and gas retail supply chain entities have diverse business operations. As such, it becomes essential to monitor each business unit, and report to the management in case of any discrepancy (Mizgier and Arnez 2014). Thus, efficient technology is used to maintain smoother business operations globally. National centre of technology The business sustainability of the oil and gas industry mainly depends on its innovation in technology. Thus, it is essential that a centre of technology and research has been established which caters to the technological needs. This would assist business enterprises implement latest technological mechanisms to achieve further business growth. Carbon storage - Carbon storage techniques have evolved in the modern age, due to the wastage of oil and gas resources in the country. Brands like Tesco and Shell is using the technique of carbon capture and storage to deal with greenhouse gas emissions. Hems et al. (2013) mentioned that this would guard against 75-90% of carbon dioxide generated from a power plant from entering the atmosphere. In the current times, CSS power projects have been a relevant part in the effort to reduce carbon emission. Last year, the first large scale power sector CSR project became operational in Canada (Newell and Raimi 2015). The development and implementation of new technology in an important tool to sustain business in the challenging business environment of UK retail sector of gas and oil. Recent upgradations in technology have assisted oil and gas retail entities in achieving growth. Tesco has implemented a 4.5 billion-ridge project that consists of latest oil recovery mechanisms to add to produ ction levels. Statoil made a 4bn technology investment in Mariner, which is a valuable resource of oil field .It is expected that such emphasis in using technology in business operations, would assist brands in meeting expectations of valued clients. Influence of rising oil prices The following are the implications due to rise in price of oil Cost of transportation Expenditure in transportation and food rises as result of increase in the prices of oil. In addition, the cost of shipping also increases which directly affects the oil and gas retail sector in UK. Cost of fossil fuels- Manufacturing of natural gases also rise with an increase in the price of oil. Expenditure in relation to gas drilling and transportation leads to rise in the price fossil fuels. Besides this, cost of chemical products like asphalt which uses oil in is composition is affected. An oil price rise accompanied by recession - When oil price rise, generally consumers reduce spending on other sectors and, concentrate on keeping enough budget for food and gasoline for transportation. As such, sectors like hospitality and tourism suffer due to such extreme consumer reaction. Thus, oil price affect the market conditions to a large extent, leading to inflation Business sustainability - The petroleum retail sector is adversely influenced by rise in the prices of oil. Such period is characterized by terminating workers from jobs to get the supply and demand balance back into the market (Sueyoshi and Wang 2014). As such, these factors contribute towards negatively affecting the business sustainability of the brand. Disproportionate share of investment and resources- Increasing oil prices bring about a disproportionate share of investment and resources in the oil sector As such, consistently achieving growth becomes a difficult process. As such, it acts as barrier in delivering business performance of the brand Job Cuts and reducing investments The exploration and production of shale deposits is an important source of job growths, As such effective drilling is required in the manufacturing if shells. As such, rise in oil prices might influence the prices of shells, leading to less demand in the prices of goods. Thus business sustainability of this sector would be seriously hampered in the case if rise in oil prices. Increase in Demand for road fuels The transport sector in UK is a major determinant of the demand of petroleum products. According to DeLeire (2014), the demand has risen from 61% in the last year to 72% in the current year. The road transport remains the biggest consumer of petroleum products in UK. Conclusion With the changing market scenario, petroleum retail entities are facing innumerable challenges in the UK oil and gas industry. However brands like Tesco and re investing heavily in advanced technology mechanisms to embark in expansion policies. Besides this, these brands have to consider environmental degradation, and implement their production policies accordingly. To address this petroleum, retail entities have can adopt carbon storage facilities, to emit less carbon dioxide in the production process. Furthermore, with the changing structure there would be more intensive market competition in the UK petroleum industry, The rise in oil prices would make market survival more difficult, due to increasing production costs. Reference Hauser, S., 2016. Stakeholder influence and the diffusion of eco-efficiency practices in the natural gas exploration and production industry.International Journal of Energy Sector Management,10(1). Hems, A., Soofi, A. and Perez, E., 2013. How innovative oil and gas companies are using big data to outmaneuver the competition.A Microsoft white paper, pp.1-12 Kelsey, T., Partridge, M. and White, N., 2014.Unconventional Gas and Oil Development in the United States: Economic Experience and Policy Issues(No. 62154). University Library of Munich, Germany. Mitchell, J.V. and Mitchell, B., 2014. Structural crisis in the oil and gas industry.Energy Policy,64, pp.36-42. Mizgier, K.J. and Arnez, P., 2014. Disruptions in tightly coupled supply chain networks: the case of the US offshore oil industry.Production Planning Control,25(6), pp.494-508. Newell, R.G. and Raimi, D., 2015.Shale public finance: Local government revenues and costs associated with oil and gas development(No. w21542). National Bureau of Economic Research. Wagner, S.M., Raimi, D. and Newell, R.G., 2014. Shale public finance: Local government revenues and costs associated with oil and gas development.Shale Public Finance: Local government revenues and costs associated with oil and gas development. Ross, M., 2012.The oil curse: how petroleum wealth shapes the development of nations. Princeton University Press Yusuf, Y.Y., Gunasekaran, A., Musa, A., El-Berishy, N.M., Abubakar, T. and Ambursa, H.M., 2013. The UK oil and gas supply chains: An empirical analysis of adoption of sustainable measures and performance outcomes.International Journal of Production Economics,146(2), pp.501-514.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Positive vs Normative Accounting Theory free essay sample

Unlike normative theory, positive theory is designed to explore current Notice  how  each paragraph  has  one main  topic  area,  new topic  areas  should mean  a  new paragraph. Provide in? text  references where  appropriate accounting practice not to prescribe or advise which methods should be used. Normative accounting theories dismiss conventional historic cost accounting as being meaningless or not decision useful and prescribe the use of more ‘useful’ systems of accounting mostly based on inflation adjustments. One of the issues which became the focus of some normative theorists is how to derive the ‘true income’ (profit). Positive accounting theory had its origins in the late 1950’s and arose out of the dissatisfaction with normative theories. For example there are many conflicting objectives of normative theory including economic efficiency, decision usefulness, predicting future share price, improved quality of Page  1  of  3 Notice  how  the  last sentence  of  each paragraph  should lead  into  the  next paragraph  assisting with  the  flow  of  the essay financial reports. We will write a custom essay sample on Positive vs Normative Accounting Theory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Deciding the importance of these objectives is problematic and in fact the definition of the objective of accounting has always been defined in very broad terms. Normative prescriptions are difficult to empirically test unlike positive theories that observe real world practice and positive hypotheses are falsifiable. Positivists attempt to model the connection between financial accounting, firms and markets in a rational economic framework, rather than to take the stance of normative theorists who dismissed current practice and took a prescriptive attitude. The underlying assumption of positive accounting theory is that individuals are considered to be self-interested wealth maximisers and will act opportunistically to increase their wealth. This assumption is limited in that the notions of loyalty or morality are not considered. Positive accounting theory has its roots in agency theory and theories of the efficient market hypothesis (EMH). The primary objective of positive accounting theory is to focus on the relationships between various individuals and how accounting is used to assist in the functioning of these relationships. In particular, the fulfilment of the stewardship function and the agency relationships between owners and managers, managers and the firm’s debt providers. This contrasts with the objective of normative accounting which focuses on the notion of decision usefulness. The separation of ownership and control of firms gives rise to agency relationships. An agency relationship is defined by Jensen and Meckling (1976) as a contract under which one or more (principals) engage another person (the agent) to perform some service on their behalf which involves delegating some decision-making authority to the agent. In addition, it relies upon traditional economic literature which includes assumptions of self- interest and wealth maximisation. Due to the separation of ownership and control, agency costs (monitoring, bonding) arise in an attempt to minimise opportunistic behaviour in financial management. Page  2  of  3 Arrange  the  essay  in such  a  way  as  that each  paragraph  flows  . Create  the  scene  in the  first  few paragraphs  and provide  definitions  if appropriate  and  then tell  the  story. Best  to discuss  Ã‚  the  most important  items  first. There  are  many  items you  can  discuss,  pick the  ones  you  think most  important  and arrange  accordingly. Make  sure  you  stick  to the  word  limit. Agency theory elaborates three primary hypotheses, the bonus plan hypothesis, the debt covenant hypotheses and political cost hypothesis. For example under the bonus plan hypotheses managers may act opportunistically to increase profits if rewards are attached to profits. Under the debt covenant hypothesis if managers are nearing a breach of debt covenants they may undertake measures to avoid a breach such as revaluing assets. Under the political cost hypotheses managers may undertake measures to reduce reported profits to make the firm less politically visible and less likely to attract government attention or taxes. PAT under the EMH helps predict the reactions of shareholders to the actions of managers and to reported accounting information. For example Ball and Brown found that earnings announcements had information content and impacted share price and provided evidence that historical cost information is useful to the market. However, while supportive of the efficient markets hypothesis, the literature was unable to explain why particular accounting methods may have been selected. According to Fama (1970), the development of the efficient markets hypothesis is based on the assumption that capital markets react in an efficient and unbiased manner to publicly available information. The capital market is considered to be highly competitive and as it results the public information is expected to be quickly impounded into share prices. In conclusion this essay has provided an overview of PAT including the assumptions and objectives and contrasted the theory with some of the dissatisfaction with normative accounting theory. PAT postulates that in order to prescribe an appropriate accounting policy, it is necessary to know how the world actually operates. We can then normatively prescribe accounting practice. Therefore the two theories can be complimentary in ensuring appropriate accounting practice under prevailing diverse economic circumstances. Number of words = 885 Page  3  of  3 Conclusion  should provide  a  brief summary  of  the  essay and  then  make  a  final statement  on  the position  of  the  essay  or perhaps  an  opinion  of usefulness  or  whether you  agree  or  disagree to  a  statement.