Review for the play, The Miracle Worker. (Theatre appreciation) Essay

Review for the play, The Miracle Worker. (Theatre appreciation) - Essay Example To say that the acting in this play was awesome is an understatement. Lauren Lovett as Anne Sullivan is exceptionally brilliant. What was striking about her performance among other things was her enthusiasm. I have been to many plays before, and there is always a sense of being an observer. You are watching somebody else perform, even if it is a very good performance. Rarely are you actually drawn into the play. Lauren Lovett was Anne Sullivan for this one night. As she explained things to Helen Keller which can't be seen or heard, one's own imagination was touched. And I would certainly think I was not the only person feeling like that in the Theatre. One of the things which this play, perhaps had to do was to convey to the audience what a difficult, perhaps nearly impossible task which Anne Sullivan had to do. That actually is achieved. You appreciate the enthusiasm and the dedication that Anne Sullivan had to reach young Helen. Her idealism is almost contagious. I cannot believe t hat anybody seeing this play would be cynical about humanity after leaving the theater. The Acting of Emily Jane Stewart as the young Helen Keller is another revelation. Watching her, one never for a moment thinks that one is watching an actor act as a blind and deaf girl. It actually looked like that the production went to the extent of actually recruiting a blind and deaf girl.

WalMart and Target Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WalMart and Target - Essay Example So when WalMart enters local market it meets little competition. The opposite of cheap WalMart is an "elite" or high rate Target chain. Further I will compare these two retail companies in terms of general companies' achievements, level of services and the last point - prices. Wal-Mart entered retail market in 1962 in Rogers, Ark. Through the next eight years company incorporated and went on public on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1971 Wal-Mart set sales record for retail sales - 1 billion in sales per year. Up to 1991 Wal-Mart continued expansion on the American retail market: Sam's Club philosophy was developed and first mega stores were opened. And in 1991 Wal-Mart shifted to the international retail market, starting with retail center in Mexico City. According to the official press release of Wal-Mart, it is today the largest retail sales chain in the whole world with turnover around $285.2 billion in sales. The company employs 1.6 million associates worldwide through more than 3,600 facilities in the United States and more than 1,570 units in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, China, Korea, Germany and the United Kingdom. More than 138 million customers per week visit Wal-Mart stores worldwide. (http://www.walmartfacts.com/newsdesk/wal-mart-fact-sheets.aspx) As well as Wal-Mart, Target appeared on the re... In 1979 Target gained position of the Company's revenue top producer, in 1982 revenue reached - 5 billion USD. In 2000 Dayton Hudson Corporation changed its name to Target Corporation. According to Target Corporation annual report the Company had 45 billion dollars in sales. The company employs 0, 87 million associates in the United States and has 1308 trading facilities. More than 60 million customers visit Target stores weekly. (http://www.targetcorp.com/targetcorp_group/investor-relations/annual_report.jhtml) Level of Services Level of services is defined by three major factors: purchasing conditions, employees, cleanliness. When purchasing clothing and other products of the same group one has to choose style, quality, price and the like, plus the comfort and ease of shopping. On the psychological level people prefer elegance, a feel of free time and space. The service of Target permits this plus it provides the cleanliness around, which ensure satisfaction of a customer. Your comfort zone is satiated. Thus you make better purchasing decisions without that compelling urge to postponing a purchase. WalMart in-store atmosphere creates feeling of rush, it has no space for inner world of a customer. Of course prices in WaMart are lower but a customer has little time for choice as other customers are rushing trough store looking for a bargain. Even brand new WalMarts often looks dingy and dirty. Very few Target stores give off the "dirty" feel a customer has walking around a Walmart. Employees attitude to the customers are in very close dependence to the conditions created by the companies. In our situation Target employees are more friendly and attentive than in WalMart. Prices. A price comparative

Assessing the Sainsburys customer perceived value

Assessing the Sainsburys customer perceived value The Food retailing Industry is a huge and fast growing industry in UK .It is a complex and diverse market dominated by various big companies such as Tesco, ASDA, J Sainsburys. Price and quality of goods are the two key elements which the companies keep in mind to increase their sales and defend their position in this competitive market. In the year 2009, food retailing recorded sales figures of GBP 297,478.9 million, along with providing employment to 11.6% of the workforce in UK (Euro monitor). It is forecasted, by the year 2014 the sales would cross GBP 350,000 million. (Euro monitor) This assignment focuses on the third largest food retailer store in UK, i.e. J Sainsbury. Sainsbury is a super market which will operates its business in retail sector from the year 1869. Sainsbury is started by James and Mary Ann Sainsburys. Sainsbury today operates a total of 827 stores comprising 537 supermarkets and 335 convenience stores(J Sainsbury 2010) .With their presence in various other markets such as financial services and Property management, grocery retailing remains their core business. In an industry which employs over 3,335,000 people and with sales figure of GBP 137,590 million (Euro Monitor), Sainsbury enjoys a market share of 16% and serving 19 million customers weekly with a product offering of 30,000.( J Sainsbury 2010) QUESTION-1 Using suitable models identify the customer perceived value for the customers for a product/division/company of your choice. ANSWER- PART 1 Customer value Difference between what a  customers  gets from a  product, and what he or she has to give in  order  to get it. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/customer-value.html#ixzz16OyFiRFr Customer value proposition A  business  or marketing statement that summarizes why a consumer should  buy a product or use a service. This statement should convince a potential consumer that  one particular  product or service will add more  value or better solve a problem than other similar offerings. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/valueproposition.asp Types of CVP 1. All Benefits- benefits that an organization brings to its target customers. It tends to suffer from a lack of credibility when the value proposition is not distinguished from competitors or focused precisely on the unique needs of the customer. 2. Favourable Points of Differentiation- it mainly emphasizes the key differences between a firms offerings and those of competitors at the customer interface. It takes into account the notion that the buyer has substitutes. Like the all benefits value proposition it lacks specificity relative to the buyer. 3. Resonating Focus- Resonating focus highlights one or two critical differences between the firms offerings and those of competitors with the forethought that these differences represent those areas that are most vital in the mind of the customer. While most effective, this value proposition takes considerable time to develop as it is strongly rooted in a deep understanding of customer needs. http://www.edbarrows.com/Resources/briefs/valueProposition.pdf IMPORTANCE OF CUSTOMER VALUE   A good customer value proposition is a technique why a customer should buy a product and also distinguish your product from competitors. Gaining a customers attention will help in growing sales faster and more profitable, as well as increasing its market share. Understanding customer needs is important because it helps promote the product. A brand is the perception of a product or service that is designed to stay in the minds of targeted consumers. It is desirable to build a strong and positive brand association with your offering. Three key dimensions: Extrinsic vs. intrinsic value Self-orientated vs. other-orientated value Active vs. reactive value PART 2 VALUE PROPOSITION FOR SAINSBURY Sainsbury maintain high quality of its services by keeping up high quality product at a fair price, through well-kept rooms with an attractive appearance to fast service and a friendly staff. Sainsbury ensures that all suppliers have been evaluated by Quality Attribute System (QAS) in order to provide quality product to the customer. It has different prices which are suited to different kinds of customer. Through the execution of high quality product Sainsbury has high price. However to adjust to the needs of less wealthy clients it also offers a wide selection of basic product at a low price. Sainsbury speed is moderately-high. Sainsbury team is trying to reduce queues through recent introduction of basket tills, self-checkouts as well as introduction of newest scan and pack system. Sainsbury also offers home delivery which can be obtained the very next day. Dependability is keeping a word to customers. Sainsbury provides customers quality product at a fair prices, fulfilling custom er expectation for fresh, safe, healthy and tasty food. Sainsbury respects environment by using environmentally friendly packaging. Queuing time is reasonable and deliveries are on time. Online Shopping at Sainsburys is also a great advantage. All the above provide a  high level of dependability  and are the reason why the Sainsburys brand remains on the market for 141 years, and this makes the Sainsbury differs from its competitors. Sainsbury started a new range taste the difference that aims to provide consumers desire to treat themselves at home, rather than spending money in buying expensive takeaways or eating outside. Sainsburys continuously investing in their clothing and home decor items to accelerate the growth in non-food sector so that they can reach to more customers so as to increase its market share and sales. (Euro monitor) Sainsburys continued launching innovate products, 1% fat milk was launched which was consumed by 2.5 million households due to which its sales for basics were up by 60%. (Euro monitor) QUESTION 2 Critically evaluating value proposition of Sainsburys VALUE PROPOSITION Sainsbury supermarkets follow the mission of being the customers first choice by its service and quality. Through the method of working simpler, together and faster it delivers an outstanding good service and quality. Sainsbury accelerating its growth in non-food sector so as to reach more customers. Online facility provides its customers to shop online for non-food items also. The company has a solid brand value although discriminating competitive advantage is clearly missing. From a customer point of view it is difficult to slot them in a specific category. The company is not able to create a good market which will make them distinguish from other supermarkets with concerns to price, quality, customer service and access to variety or inventory. Sainsburys was critized by the city for allowing Tesco in getting ahead in the market in terms of customer service, loyalty and price competitiveness. Sainsburys was also criminated for not promoting itself up to its standards and also running the same type of initiatives which was running by Tesco. So the Sainsbury has failed to promote its products and services. In the process to reconstruct its mission, company has changed its marketing strategy and sold successfully the home based products in the chain of UK market and its business in Egypt. This changes the company to focus on food retailing and related activities. Sainsbury maintains 100% service level as the online business is growing rapidly. Even so, there are some issue that need to be developed for example; delivering orders in full and on time. The online business is developing at a rapid speed gaining growth in overall market. During hectic periods picking large orders from stores could become an issue. (http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/analystreports/corporate/ovum-sainsbury-cs-170835.pdf) MARKETING MIX The marketing mix used by Sainsbury to gain its competitive advantage in its retailing sector -. Product Sainsburys mainly focused in developing new product and its food quality which will be healthier to the customers. It provides more than 350 variety range of foods product which is produced to protect its natural flavour and taste of the product. Currently it has achieved to developed more than 600 organic lines to provide best range of food and major growth in groceries, bakery, and frozen foods. It has also launched a product called Blue carrot Calf known for the clear labelling of kid products which mention clear details of the products. The Sainsburys continuously concentrating on development of its product by launching a new programme every year. Price Price is the important component of the marketing mix for Sainsburys. Now a day Sainsburys is presenting its customers in UK the value for money. A lot of investment is made in improving quality and productivity in order to reduce the overall cost. For the customers in UK Sainsbury is offering, exceptional value for the money and the aim of the company is to lead the quality and become the favoured in term for the customers all through the market. If the price is cut it is not easy to get back again to the previous level without dissatisfying the customer. This is not decent for the business. Hence in short term price gain the store will be less affected where as in long term it would gain less positive. Sainsbury implemented a new strategy value for money after realising its price war in the market. A lot of investment is made in improving quality and productivity what it provides and efficiency of its activity in order to reduce the overall cost. The purpose of implementing a new s trategy is to achieve trust and value from the customer and continue its leadership. Promotion    Sainsbury gain to build up its solid brand image among the customers through various promotions. It mainly focuses on its own brand rather than the promoting other brands which they sell in the stores to form the greater wealth by its overall retail brand. Sainsbury uses different media for its promotion whereas TV, radio and advertising in cinemas to grow the company image. Sales promotions, merchandising and packing are also the key element for the promotion of the Sainsbury. Sainsbury launched Nectar Card as a main weapon for its promotion. This card is free for customers and gives discount points if customer used it in store at the time of shopping. Many other retailers are also using same type of promotions by issuing the card to customers and giving them free points for their money as these free points can be used automatically for discounts. Sainsbury store staff wears named T-shirt of the supermarket to defer as a worker to serve people. Place As per the Sainsbury it has 872 stores across UK whereas 837 super markets and 335 convenience stores. Various set up of stores are established across the country according to the needs and satisfaction of the customers and area. Sum stores are opened 24 hours a day for the satisfaction of the customers. Sainsbury is making large chain stores in different locations to create a world class distribution of groceries and work more effectively. Conclusion- Here we can see that Sainsbury always use the market mix to develop and implement its strategies by using the market mix. It satisfies the customers by improving the strategies which meet the needs of the customer. It always research on the market to know the interest of a customer who is able to buy its products. It continues to implement the market segmentation to develop its business strategies which shows the development of a business. Sainsbury use the market segmentation to display large variety of products and sell to deferent groups and to achieve large amount of sales overall. It offers a large number of products in a convenient location and opens the store for long hours. It also encourages the customers by easy cash options through debit card and credit card. It also offers the cash back facility to the customers on their purchases.   http://katamaneni12.blogspot.com/2010/09/macro-environment-and-marketing-mix.html Competitor Analysis TESCO- Competitor Company Profile Tesco is started by Jack Cohen in 1919. Tesco is biggest food retailer in the world, having 2318 stores and giving employment to more than 470000 people who serve millions of customer around the world. Tesco has a largest market in UK, where it operates under signs of Extra, Superstore, Metro and Express. Tesco offers more than 40000 products to customers including clothing and other non-food lines. Tesco vs. Sainsburys TESCO MISSION TESCO is to provide superior technical representation and to add value to a focused group of leading-edge, corporations by offering synergistic, valuable and highly innovate solutions for our customer design, procurement and manufacturing needs with continuous improvement of our quality, service and productivity to a completive advantage. TESCO VISSION What sets TESCO apart from other distributors is our commitment to customers success, by bringing an in-depth knowledge of their technology and the value added services needed to truly support the customer. The result is cost-efficient, rapidly delivered technical superior products that the customers take pride in. (http://www.tescoinc.co.kr/tesco/ecompany1.php) MISSION STATEMENT Sainsburys mission statement Our mission is to be the consumers first choice for food, delivering products of outstanding quality and great service at a competitive cost through working faster, simpler and together. Source: Sainsbury Web site Sainsburys companys vision for growth Sainsbury plcs present focus is to improve the performance of the core UK supermarket chain. Whilst doing so we will continue to explore and develop growth opportunities in other markets. Through implementing Managing for Value we will stretch our ambitions and challenge the conventional wisdom within the Company, thereby unlocking our potential and delivering value. Source: Sainsbury Web site DIFFERENCE STRATEGIES SAINSBURY STRATEGY: Sainsbury aims to provide quality products and good service at a competitive price through working faster, simpler, together and aimed to be the consumer first choice for food. Through a balance in sales growth, reduction cost and on-going margin improvements, Sainsbury look forward to progress growth. The company is dedicated to achieving industry leading margins within a dynamic, competitive market and to delivering strong double digit necessary profit growth in each year of its business programme. TESCO STRATEGY: Tesco has made a good progress with its strategy which consists of five elements reflecting its four established areas of motivation and Tescos long term promises on environment and community. The ideas of the strategy are: To be a successful international retailer To develop the core UK business To be as strong in non-food as in food. To develop retailing services such as Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and Tesco.com To put community at the heart of what we do. The market share of Tesco is 31.6% in the retail market and they also capture 50% of the grocery market share while Sainsbury has 16% and 22% of the market share respectively. Tesco sells massive products range and buy in big volume and sell it in cheap while Sainsbury buys product that are popular and their own branded product. 1/3 of the retail market is acquired by Tesco but Sainsbury is enabling to have this power. Tesco achieved its success by selling varieties of products; it is located within UK as well as overseas, they target every people. With this strategy Sainsburys have a difficult to keep up with Tesco. Sainsburys generally attract the middle class people with low class prices whereas Tesco attract all kind of people from all classes. Sainsburys is more concerned about the quality of the food they provide their customers while Tesco is concerned about reducing prices to attract their customers. Tescos main advertising approach is money saving Every little help and Sainsburys Taste the difference however during the crisis time they are one of the same. Sainsburys slip its second position in 2008, losing to Asda. Leader Tesco enlarged its market share in the year, moving ahead of Sainsburys. Sainsburys has less variety of non-food items as compared to Tesco. At the end of the evaluation period, non-food items were the reason for growth for the major supermarkets. ( http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/analystreports/corporate/ovum-sainsbury-cs-170835.pdf) MANAGEMENT Sainsbury CEO Justin king has done a great job in strengthening the brand, improved turnover at a rate of 5.5% a year and profit increases by 6.7%. king main focus was on UK store expansion rather than overseas and total number of store has been increased from 583 in 2004 to 827 today. Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy has different approach as compare to Sainsburys CEO Justin King. In his fourteen year term he has heavily invested in overseas expansion. In 1999, within UK Tesco generated 90% of its turnover and now its less than 70%. GROWTH POTENTIAL Tesco has its setups in 14 countries but that doesnt mean Sainsburys lack growth opportunities. Sainsburys results in past years in the proof of this and continuing achieving high growth rate without international expansions. To exist in this competitive market Sainsburys has done well by opening new stores across UK, adding new non-food products and banking services to existing stores. Tesco on the other hand, have more growth opportunities in Asia and other countries. Tesco is a big player than Sainsburys, for example: if we compare past twelve months results Tesco has  £56.9 billion turnover versus Sainsburys  £19.9 billion. (http://www.fool.co.uk/news/investing/company-comment/2010/07/16/a-foolish-fracas-sainsbury-vs-tesco.aspx) CUSTOMER OUTCOME AND EXPECTATION f Brand image and relationship building in a business to company market depends on how well company satisfies its customers. Sainsbury keep high quality of its services by providing high quality products to customers at a fair price. It has different prices which are suited to different kinds of customer. It provide basic product at low price to customer with low income. Sainsbury want to make it easier for customer to shop ethically and sustainably so they making every effort to live up to their expectations. Therefore from the above model, which explains between the company service and quality Sainsbury can be placed into high quality as well as service offered by the company and received by customers. Question 3 http://www.universityessays.com/example-essays/global-markets-sainsburys.php Mission statement serves a dual purpose by helping employees to remain dedicated on jobs as well as boosting them to find innovative ways of achieving company objectives so that productivity can be increased. It is common that large companies spend years and millions of dollars developing and refining their mission statement. NEW MISSION STATEMENT OF SAINSBURYS To become the UK best retailer company and earn customer lifetime reliability. NEW VISSION STATEMENT OF SAINSBURYS NEW VALUE PROPOSITION Source: Barnes, C. et. al., 2009 Creating and Delivering your value proposition p 31 Market: Sainsbury already caters to the middle class customers by providing products at affordable prices, but since Sainsbury maintains high quality amongst its products, the cost somewhat becomes high (in a comparative sense to its competitors). Sainsbury needs to provide these products at a more reasonable price to cater to the working class as well and thereby expand its existing customer base. Value experience: Benefits should include high quality at reasonable price. To reduce the travel costs Sainsbury needs to focus on locations of its stores so that they are effortlessly within the reach of its customers. Online sales should also be made easy. Complaints should be minimised by providing a good after sales service and monitoring customer feedback. Offerings: Place should include a focus on central locations. Product should include highest possible quality at affordable prices, new and innovative products could also be introduced to increase sales. Since the financial downturn of 2008 had drastic effects on the economy, consumers are trying to save as much as possible hence Sainsbury needs to keep the prices of its products as low as possible. Promotion should involve promotion of sales through discount vouchers or limited offers (e.g. buy 2 get 1 free) and continuous advertising through all available media types. Benefits: products need to be provided at the lowest possible price maintaining high quality. Constant customer feedback should be facilitated in order to keep track of its customers satisfaction. Alternatives and differentiation: Since Sainsbury focuses on quality more than the price of its products. The quality of Sainsburys products is higher than most of its competitors, but this phenomenon is not the same when it comes to price. Sainsbury needs to balance between its price and quality since its competitors such as Tesco are providing products at a lower price that is offered by Sainsbury. Proof: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN By using Ansoff Matrix tool for strategic marketing planning help to improve the position of J. Sainsbury. It accelerate to do best strategic direction depending upon the need/desire to penetrate existing or new markets with existing or new products. (http://www.emp.ac.uk/linspdfs/marketi2.pdf) If Sainsbury need to reconstruct their values, strengths and beliefs they need to split up their position in the existing market. They facing extreme competition in the real market they must innovate and improvise in new markets with their existing product offering. Partnership is a necessity in the domestic market since this is the basis of the business and its primary values. It will help the Sainsbury to rebuild its image and the connection with existing customer by confirming them the best quality, best product offers at competitive pricing. Sainsburys need to improve in its Information Technology system so that information can be processed faster and stocks can be reloaded at a faster pace. The shelfs are always stocked well and the customers keep getting informed about the available varieties. All these hard work make the shopping experience enjoyable and satisfying for the customers. As the world faced recession almost globally, Sainsbury should avoid price related conflicts and must follow specific price strategy. Since customer will not be willing to pay high prices even for the best quality products hence low pricing should be planned for the quality product. Identify problems and in time solving them as quickly as possible so that they build strong communication at every step of the channel. To introduce some products this will give a comparative advantage over their rivals. Sainsbury should open local stores in the city rather than on the outskirts of the city. Customer generally chooses to purchase in local shop rather than supermarkets to save time and money. Introduction of pay point or post office to the store would be a good idea to attract customers. The customer immediately after purchase can pay their bills without wasting time to reach these places elsewhere in the city. Sainsburys need to increase its online shopping service in non-food items, so that customer can shop online more comfortably. I would recommend Sainsburys to deliver every little helps to make it a healthier place for shop. Use simple processes so that shopping is better for customers, simpler for staff and cheaper for Sainsburys.

Comparison Of 1984 By George Orwell To The Actual 1984 Essay -- Compar

Comparison Of 1984 By George Orwell To The Actual 1984 Since the onset of the United States, Americans have always viewed the future in two ways; one, as the perfect society with a perfect government, or two, as a communistic hell where free will no longer exists and no one is happy. The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a combination of both theories. On the "bad" side, a communist state exists which is enforced with surveillance technology and loyal patriots. On the "good" side, however, everyone in the society who was born after the hostile takeover, which converted the once democratic government into a communist government, isn't angry about their life, nor do they wish to change any aspect of their life. For the few infidels who exist, it is a maddening existence, of constant work and brainwashing. George Orwell's novel was definitely different from the actual 1984, but how different were they? They were different in 3 ways: government, society, and thought.1984 starts out with a so called "traitor to the party," Winston Smith, walking through the streets nervously observing the video cameras that are watching his every move. He makes his way into his apartment and produces a journal from his coat pocket. He thinks that even this simple act of attempting to keep track of time and history could get him vaporized. This scene portrays the strong grip the government has on its patrons. A person either obeys them, or is killed, or put into a forced labor camp. After Winston starts an illegal affair with a younger woman he gets careless and "the party" finds out that he has committed what they call "thought crimes". A thought crime is the intent to do something illegal but not actually doing it. In Winston's world a thought crime is just as severe as a physical crime. They arrest him and his girlfriend and torture them until they realize what they did was wrong and that they love "the party" and will never do anything to hurt it again.The two governmental systems were different in a very major way. The actual government of England in 1984 was a democracy. This democracy's foundation was made up of a parliament and a prime minister. Most other nations of the time had the same set up. In Orwell's novel an oligarchic state existed. Airstrip One, which is the area we call England, was home to Winston and the central government of Oceania (a large natio... ...omething without actually doing it. In Oceania a "thought crime" is just as bad as a physical crime.The penalty for such an offense is that you are taken to the "Ministry of Love", but not killed. You are now brainwashed until you love the "Party." O'brien, an inner party member, justifies this by stating that all great nations of the past fell because they killed all people who didn't like them. The "Party" will never fall because they don't create martyrs. All people they eliminate love the "Party" when they are finally killed. For example: Winston is captured and brought to the "Ministry of Love," he then is brainwashed and released to society when he truly liked the "Party." Once he lived in the community for a while longer he is shot in the back of the head. The trains of thought, government, and society of the year 1984 versus George Orwell's 1984 are clearly different. After looking at the differences I stated, the reason why most people who have read the book feel sorry f or Winston should be more apparent than ever. The creation of books with story lines like 1984 help to shape our opinions of how the world should be, and make our views stronger than they have ever been.

Imagine: John Lennon Essay

Considered by many as one of the greatest songs of all time, â€Å"Imagine† was performed by John Lennon in his 1971 album Imagine. It was thought that the lyrics of the song reflected solely Lennon’s hopes for a utopian world. However, the song’s refrain can be found in several of Yoko Onno’s poems written in the early1960s, before she met Lennon, and in her 1965 book Grapefruit. It was coined by Yoko Ono, in reaction to her childhood in Japan during World War II. (â€Å"Imagine: John Lennon†, 2006) The song contains a strong political message that is sugarcoated in a beautiful melody. In the book Lennon in America, written by Geoffrey Giuliano, Lennon commented the song was â€Å"an anti-religious, anti-nationalistic, anti-conventional, anti-capitalistic song, but because it’s sugar-coated, it’s accepted. † (â€Å"Imagine: John Lennon†, 2006) Lennon realized that the softer approach would bring the song to a wider audience, who hopefully would listen to his message. Lennon therefore used soft melody and easy lyrics in order to convey a much deeper meaning to more people. Lennon used empathy in his words, in his call to the people to â€Å"imagine. † He knows a world without â€Å"countries† or â€Å"religions† does not exist, but Lennon is asking the listener to take a moment and imagine what it would be like if the words in the song would ever come true, to imagine living in a utopian world and experience the peace that everyone has been longing for. Also, the lyrics imply that Lennon recognizes the suffering of other people less privileged than he is, so he empathizes with these people and â€Å"imagines† being the same as them, being in a â€Å"brotherhood of man. † And through the song, he is also asking the listener to see and feel the things that he sees and feels, and to want a better world like he does, to end all suffering and division between peoples. Such call to â€Å"imagine† also involves the sympathetic identification with the singer and the collective â€Å"us† who Lennon refers to when he sings, â€Å"You may say I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one, I hope someday you’ll join us. † He recognizes that he is not the only dreamer, that he is not the only one dreaming of a perfect place. But he also wants the listener to â€Å"join† him and the other dreamers, and be part of the collective â€Å"us† and imagine. Lennon knows that people long for peace, but these hopes for a better and ideal future have been long abandoned by many people whose lives have been tainted with negativity. But he calls out to these people and asks them to â€Å"imagine† and remember what it is like to hope again, no matter how impossible it is for the world to live as one. In identifying with Lennon and the other dreamers, their dreams become the listener’s own. That a listener realizes that their dreams are also his own, implies the existence of a social order the evils of which, if removed, would make the dream of everyone a reality. The feeling of being a part of the dream and making that dream come true reaffirms the sense of shared responsibility and the recognition that such misery in the world ought not to be. The message of the song is pure and simple, but the ideas it imparts are radical in more ways than one. It implies that religion has been nothing but destructive to human societies. It divides people into groups, feeds them with supernatural explanations and otherworldly notions of the world, gives them something to believe in and something which they fear, in order to control them and pit them against other people of another â€Å"religion†, all in the name of God. It also recognizes how countries have been divided and that many have died because of wars waged for these countries. The song also implies that want and need for the accumulation of material possessions is a cause of suffering in the world. It causes greed and hunger, a complete imbalance between those who have and those who do not. Lennon is imagining a world where people are sharing and living together, no man better then the other, a total state of equality. It is only when all people are equal, no rich or poor, where people will realize that there is no cause for division among them. When all is united, a perfect place becomes possible because one acts not for one’s own good but for the good of everybody. Many people criticize the song as a naive dream of a man far removed from reality. â€Å"But the reason critics dislike ‘Imagine’ also happens to be exactly why the song, and all such art, is necessary. It envisions, and in doing so creates, a world that we can’t in real life. † (â€Å"John Lennon and Neil Young†, n. d. ) Such grand statements of longing for world peace seems almost hypocritical to other people. But Lennon himself once said, â€Å"We are willing to become the world’s clowns if it helps spread the word for peace. † (â€Å"John Lennon and Neil Young†, n. d. ) Truly, this song is admirable simply for its capability to influence its listeners enough to pause and think about an ideal world†¦ to imagine, even for a second. WOKS CITED: â€Å"Imagine: John Lennon. † (2006, October 31). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 31, 2006, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Imagine:_John_Lennon â€Å"John Lennon and Neil Young. † n. d. Retrieved October 31, 2006, http://www. thrasherswheat. org/jammin/lennon. htm.

Belonging in Strictly Ballroom and two related texts Essay

Explores the notion of belongers – people obsessed with belonging who prefer not to think for themselves. This Shows the pain felt by those excluded from the group, eg Fran. Fran: I understand. You’ve got your Pan Pacific’s to win and I’m back in beginners where I belong. Shows the disastrous effect conformity and fear have among belongers who gain their place inside the group at the price of conformity. Shirley Hastings, for example, lives a â€Å"life half-lived† cowering before what Barry Fife will say or think. She has let the Federation so dominate her that she has no respect for Doug and can only see her son Scott in terms of winning competitions Can be seen as a parable about multicultural Australia. At first the Anglo-Australians control the Federation, make the rules, delegate Fran (â€Å"Franjepannydellasquiggymop†) to role of abused outsider and close ranks against any possibility of change. The last scene reverses all this as both Doug and Fran’s grandmother are included in the dancing. The clapping of the crowd – started by Doug, then picked up by Fran’s father and grandmother – is carried on by the crowd, enabling Scott and Fran to dance at the crowd’s insistence, no longer under the control of the corrupt Barry Fife. Explores the contrast between authentic belonging where people speak and act from the heart and an artificial, rule-obsessed style of Belonging. Likewise dance as romantic, authentic, joyous activity is contrasted with the conservative rule-bound world of Barry Fife and his committee that decides what is â€Å"strictly Ballroom†. Fran and Scott symbolise true belonging where dance and passion flow naturally together and are set in contrast with the highly artificial dancers like Ken, Tina Sparkles and Liz. Could be read as a cheerful, upbeat, satirical parable tracing the shift from a world of false belonging dominated by conformity, fear and the cynical manipulations of the ultra-sleaze Barry Fife, towards the iconic last scene where the line between spectators and professional dancers blurs and is dissolved as Scott dressed in Spanish-matador costume and Fran in Spanish-style red dress put passion back into dance, rescuing it from the deadening effect of the old brigade. Arguably the last scene enacts a vision of a more inclusive Australia that has gained freedom by including its newcomers and learning from them. Belonging does not equal individuality in the ballroom dancing world so, in order to belong, you cannot be an individual. Not belonging does not equal exclusion from every group. So, finding a group to belong to is the key to happiness. A community can make its members feel either accepted or rejected if they fail to conform to the accepted norms. If enough people work together to challenge powerful or corrupt influences, then a new sense of belonging can emerge. This is often the case with generational change. To belong is to be accepted, to be recognised, and to connect with others whether it may be with family, friends or culture. A sense of belonging is an instinctive human need in all of us as it gives us security, emotions whether they would be true or fake, and a connection or bond with others. Accepting or resisting belonging creates characteristics which define the individual. They are shown to have different forms of relationships with others in their life. Ultimately, these relationships whether based on artificial or real emotions, give the character a sense of identity and a sense of where they belong. Although it is seen as a vital requirement in everyday life, to belong is difficult as there are many barriers, and whether or not an individual can overcome these obstacles, it will essentially determine where the individual belongs. The experiences faced by the individuals also define their concept of belonging. There is always a place where everyone belongs. Being based on the conformist ideas of ballroom dancing, Strictly Ballroom, an Australian film directed by Baz Luhrmann in 1992, clearly expresses the effects of wanting to belong and not belonging through several characters. The protagonist of the film, Scott Hastings struggles to express his individuality in the ballroom community. Due to his desire to be the pans-pacific champion, he is forced to dance his own style in the opening scene, which is seen as arrogant, by the ballroom community and as a result, he isn’t accepted for the way he is. Instead he is isolated from everybody because he resists to conform to their ways. That is until a beginner dancer by the name of Fran, seen as a nobody that has been alienated due to her major differences with her appearance, dancing skill and confidence level compared to the professional dancers, embraces Scott even though at first he doesn’t identify her as a possible partner. Due to her instinctive need to belong and seeing this as her chance, she convinces him by telling â€Å" I want to dance with you, your way. † Ballroom dancing is strict competitive lifestyle, where an individual must revolve their life around it. It is seen as being flamboyant and flashy. However this world is fake and to fit in you too must be artificial in a way that you have to have false emotions. False emotions like love is shown through the ballroom style of dancing as Scott explains the Rumba to Fran as feeling â€Å"like your in love†. In the film, there is another world that is also explored in which the individual connects with family and culture. It is a world where everyone is connected despite their differences, it is the real world with real emotion, real passion and real feeling. Fran has a place in this world with her culture and family. In this case, when Scott chases after Fran he meets her family living on the outskirts of town possibly implying that they are outsiders. However, the roles are reversed. Fran is now somewhere she belongs, and Scott is excluded due to various barriers including language barriers and cultural differences. Scott is humiliated as he doesn’t perform the Paso Doble correctly due to the fact that he dances with the desire to win. As a result of not belonging he is taught by Fran’s family to dance from the heart to express authentic feeling. His instinct tells him he needs to belong with this world, in order to express his individuality. Belonging is defined in the film through two worlds, family, and ballroom dancing which completely contrast each other. Baz Luhrmann creates an understanding of belonging through various techniques that differentiate the people that belong and don’t belong. The costumes of the ballroom dancers are all colourful and flashy, while the outfit Fran wears is bland and plain, clearly showing that she doesn’t belong. As the film is ending, Baz Luhrmann uses the song â€Å"Love is in the Air† to not only outline the relationships between the characters but also to create an understanding of Scott recognising and accepting Fran for who she is. After the many experiences faced by the characters, Fran and Scott finally understand where they belong. They belong with each other. It is an instinctive need for people to belong which is evidently shown through the closing moments of the film, as everyone starts dancing, everyone belongs despite their differences, and everyone is accepted. The Lion King Disney’s The Lion King picture book written by Justine Korman relates to the idea that you do belong somewhere, but whether you accept it depends on the experiences the individual has faced. Inspired by the Shakespearean play, Hamlet, the storyline outlines where the characters truly belong. The main protagonist, Simba, is blamed for the death of his father who is King of the PrideLands, which was caused by his power hungry uncle, Scar. He is told to â€Å"run away and never return†. The idea is that Simba has been exiled and is better off not belonging with his pride. But as seen as in Strictly Ballroom, there is always a place where you belong, and its only instinct that the individual would want to belong. Simba is soon saved from possible death by a friendly duo that take him in to their jungle, into their home. They nurture him till he becomes a fully grown adult lion giving him a place to belong and feel secure. Soon after, Simba is confronted by a childhood friend named Nala, who sparks old memories and experiences of life with his pride. At first there are barriers because he doesn’t want to return and face his past but after guidance he remembers where he belongs, He remembers who he is, He remembers that he is King. Upon returning home with his friends, and defeating Scar and saving all the lions, Simba’s instincts allow him to fit in with his new pride. Belonging is defined in this picture book as being accepted, and no matter where he goes, Simba is accepted due to his instinctive need to feel safe, and have real emotions, real friendships, and a real place to belong.The illustrator, Don Williams shows this acceptance through various scenes expressing emotions on characters faces, as well as through body language. Raw Scott Monk’s novel, Raw relates to Strictly Ballroom, as the story implies that there is always a place where an individual belongs. Belonging is defined in this text as having people that you can rely on and have a good relationship with. Sam, the owner of the Farm, a correctional facility, commits himself to always being there and always being a reliable person to all the members of the Farm. Although at first the protagonist, Brett Dalton resists help and care from Sam, he cant stop his instinctive need to belong and have a connection with the members of the farm, such as having a friendship with Frog, Josh, and Sam. Scott Monk creates an understanding of belonging in this novel with imagery and dialogue, for example the scene where due to Brett’s actions, the whole Farm suffers and has to go on a long run, makes Brett feel isolated, like he’s being watched, and targeted, implying that he is an outcast and doesn’t belong. As seen as in all texts, there is always an instinctive need to belong somewhere, whether it may be with family as seen with Fran, new friends as seen with Simba, and new hope as seen with Brett.