Wizard of Oz Essay Example for Free

Wizard of Oz Essay L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz (1900) presents what might be considered America’s first fairy-tale. Certainly, few other works of children’s literature claim such a widespread and socially profound influence as this work, which is as well known as a movie and via various stage-productions as well as many contemporary re-interpretations and variations on the original theme. â€Å"There is hardly a child who is not intimately acquainted with Dorothy and her adventures{ } more than one billion people have either seen the screen version of The Wizard of Oz or read L. Frank Baum famous book[ ] It is a rare child who cannot recite the words to Ding dong, the Witch is dead, or who doesnt know what a Munchkin is. † (Cashdan 218) Baum’s story faced initial controversy: and continues to receive a share of controversy for its depth of themes and resonances. These themes are rooted in political, social, and economic aspects of the human experience and Baum’s underlying theme emerges as one which celebrates the integrity of the individual and individual liberty above accepted social hierarchies, norms, or in some cases laws. â€Å"Accepting who you are is the emotional chord that reverberates throughout The Wizard of Oz. The various psychological malaises from which people sufferanxiety attacks, phobias, psychosomatic disturbances, and the likeoften are the result of fears they harbor about what might happen if they interacted with others in an open and honest way. †(Cashdan 236) As a uniquely American fairy-tale, Baum’s novel also inverts many of the classical motifs of historical fairy-tales. Characters in classical fairy-tales often face dillemas brought upon by sin or overindulgence: greed or thwarted ambition or even revenge. In ‘The Wizard of Oz† all fo the story’s main characters deal instead with â€Å"perceived shortcomings in the self as opposed to excesses[ ] The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion are convinced that they Wizard of Oz Page -2- are not as intelligent, feeling, or courageous as others. Their hope is that Dorothy will help them remedy these shortcomings[ ] helping her companions fulfill their destinies helps her fulfill her own. (Cashdan 218) Baum’s depiction of OZ is a utopian one which forwards profound political, social, and economic ideas beneath its dazzling and myth-inspired fairy-tale surface. Many readers and scholars have identified aspects of an idealized economy and social order in the Oz books â€Å"These aspects include, among others, a communal sharing of food, the elimination of money and poverty, a dearth of punishment, an absence of greed[ ] nd the virtual elimination of death or disease. † (Karp 103) Baum’s vision is a combination of pastoral and urban utopias, a vision which is epculiarly American and remains distinctive over a century past its inception. The utopia, however, is a constructed on a series of apparent contradictions: â€Å"a utopia that is simultaneously egalitarian and authoritarian; and to establish a society that values and protects individual rights, interests, and freedoms, as well as cultural multiplicity, at the same time as it promotes the value of a unified state to which individuals owe allegiance. † (Karp 103) Baum’s answer to these contradiction resides in his emphasis upon individuality and the concept of â€Å"rugged individualism,† which reacts against the subversion of the individual will within â€Å"an impersonal industrial corporation and the loss of independence and distinctness affecting wage earners in the United States[ ] Baum populates the Land of Oz with a plethora of distinct and unique characters and has a number of these characters (as well as his narrators) praise individualism and eccentricity. † (Karp 103) Wizard of Oz Page -3- Though Baum intended to entertain readers and spark their imaginations, this â€Å"populist† articulation emerged, itself, as a political imperative; the book itself inciting the individual contemplation of personal integrity, differentiation and destiny. Frank Baums goal was to please children, and the characters are both endearing and enduring. Though this narrative tale faced controversy, Frank Baum rived long enough to see it pass, and as it did the books popularity increased. (Livingston, and Kurkjian) Similarly, Baum’s utopia found allegiance to the seemingly contradictory impulses of the Gilded Age, wherein economic surplus and wealth are celebrated in tandem with individual orientation and self-actualization. â€Å"The story of an archetypal American girl in silver shoes on a road paved with golden bricks in a country named for the abbreviation for ounce would have rung loudly for an audience in the 1890s caught up in the financial question. (Ziaukas) On the yellow brick road, the creatures Dorothy finds and associates with: Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man, each in search of a part of themselves represent â€Å"American elements, the farmer, the worker, the loquacious politician, and the archetypal Americanness that is Dorothy, seems to have a sense that something is missing, that she or he lacks the ability to fulfill his or her destinies: the farmer feels stupid and the worker empty; the roar of the politician rings hollow. † (Ziaukas) By instilling the traditional elements of fairy-tales with tremendous social, economic, and political resonance, Baum attained a fresh idiom aimed directly at those young minds searching for the measure of the individuality in American society, forming a passionate and creative anthem of individuality and selfhood while maintaining an allegiance to a progressive social order. Works Cited Cashdan, Sheldon. The Witch Must Die The Hidden Meaning of Fairy Tales. New York: Basic Books, 1999. Karp, Andrew. Utopian Tension in L. Frank Baums Oz. Utopian Studies (1998): 103. Livingston, Nancy, and Catherine Kurkjian. Timeless and Treasured Books. The Reading Teacher 57. 1 (2003): 96+. Ziaukas, Tim. Baums Wizard of Oz as Gilded Age Public Relations. Public Relations Quarterly 43. 3 (1998): 7+.

The Dot.Com Bubble Phenomenon: The rise and fall of the first e-stock

When the internet first made an appearance in the business world, outside of government and military use, the term dot.com was introduced. The technical term â€Å".com† is defined as a suffix used to describe a company that uses the internet as a primary or only marketplace for transfer of goods and services. It was being used as a suffix to the several existing web addresses. It only took a few months for .com websites to become the dominant form of business transaction (Simpson & Simons, 1998). The phenomenon behind this story lies in the rapid rise and fall of the dot.com companies and the players, events, and mindsets that accompanied the bubble boom and bust (Simpson & Simons, 1998). In 1995 Netscape was one of the first dot.com businesses to enter the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, an automated exchange which has, since the Dot.com power struggle, become associated primarily with technology shares. At that time the NASDAQ was still not considered a technology exchange and Netscape entered the exchange. In 2000 the NASDAQ 100 Composite index peaked at 5,132 points at more than 500% from its original level in 1995. America was in the grip of dot.com hysteria and anybody with little more than an idea could launch a web-based company and become â€Å"paper millionaires† almost overnight. It is important to note that the NASDAQ 100 Composite Index only started out at 100 points (Morrison & White, 2000). The overall mentality of the business approach of investors dramatically changed from investing through business models and principles to a â€Å"gold rush† (Senn, 2000) similar to the way things occur before the stock market closes today. Many people believed that the â€Å"new economy† businesses would become the blue-chips of the future. It is note-wor... ...orrison, M., & White, C. (August, 2000). Super.Com: An analysis of message strategies utilized in super bowl ads for dot.Com companies. Paper presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Phoenix, AZ. Mougayar, W. (1998, November 2). E-commerce? E-business? Who e-cares? Computerworld Parker, R. P., & Grove, C. B. (2000, July). Census bureau moves ahead on measuring e-business. Business Economics, 35, 63-65. Senn, J. A. (2000). Electronic commerce: Beyond the â€Å"dot com† boom. National Tax Journal, 53(3), 373-383. Simpson, G. R., & Simons, J. (1998, October 8). The dotted line: A little Internet firm got a big monopoly. The Wall Street Journal, pp. A1. White, C., & Scheb, J. (2000). The impact of media message about the Internet: Internet anxiety as a factor in the adoption process in the U.S. New Media and Society, 2(2), 181-194.

Respose to “He-y, Come on Ou-t!” by Shinichi Hoshi Essay

What would a life be without sunshine or moonlight, without the sound of the wind rushing through the trees, the smell of crisp autumn air, or without the feel of dewy grass brushing our feet? Our environment gives us a source of peace, happiness and relaxation. But what about a life filled with ringing cell phones, angry bosses, tight deadlines and traffic jams? Living with these aggravations causes us stress, anger and chaos, but what are the benefits? Oh, but of course! How could I forget about money! People will go to any lengths for prosperity, even as far as destroying our precious environment. Shinichi Hoshi demonstrates this mania in his short story â€Å"He-y, Come on Ou-t!†. Upon the discovery of the infinite hole, we are first introduced to man’s willingness to sacrifice the Earth’s well-being. A concessionaire claims the hole with a profitable plot in mind and launches a vigorous campaign. â€Å"We’ve got a fabulously deep hole! Scientists say it’s at least five thousand meters deep! Perfect for the disposal of such things as waste from nuclear reactors!† (154), he chanted. Since it’s not environmentally safe to dispose of nuclear waste above ground, it must be perfectly harmless to put it in ground, right? I’d hoped that the villagers would object to this ridiculous arrangement, and they did. They balked at the idea until â€Å"it was explained that there would be absolutely no above-ground contamination for several thousand years and that they would share in the profits. Into the bargain, a magnificent road was built from the city to the village† (154). I am sadly disappointed in you, villagers. You are all in the mindset of â€Å"Oh, it won’t affect us for awhile, plus we’re getting money and a new road! What could be wrong with that?† Has it not occurred to you that even though you are benefiting from this proposal, that it might be causing harm elsewhere, in serious areas such as the environment? Of course not! As human beings we â€Å"dislike thinking about the eventual consequences† (155) and are extremely ambitious, therefore being much too preoccupied with our thoughts of success and growth. Our society has become so preoccupied with visions of wealth and expansion that we’ve failed to notice the state of our weakening environment. We are â€Å"concentrating solely on producing one thing after another† (155), no matter  the price the Earth is forced to pay. I have a hard time to believe that such an intelligent species could be so horribly ignorant about such a matter. Although some are aware of the way we are wrecking havoc against our planet, so little being done to protect our earth. We all need to realize that all of our selfish and inconsiderate deeds that we are pressing upon our planet will be back to haunt us. We are sitting in the driver’s seat, chattering away on our cell phones, too engrossed to spot the danger. In the blink of an eye we see the impending collision, but it’s too late. We are all so absorbed with dollar signs that we can’t appreciate Mother Earth’s true value. â€Å"The man, however, was gazing in id le reverie at the city’s skyline growing ever more beautiful, and he failed to notice† (155).

Basic Concepts And Principles Of Good Quality Supervision

Introduction On my journey on learning about the basic concepts and principles of good quality supervision, I feel that I have started to get a good understanding of what is required of the supervisee and supervisor partnership. I will explain some of the fundamental ideas and rules, that I believe make up good supervision. 1. Analysis of basic concepts and principles of good quality supervision I have learned that the relationship between supervisee and supervisor must be of a professional and formal partnership, to deviate from this would change the dynamics of the relationship and stop both the supervisee and the supervisor being truly open. By maintaining the professional boundaries, the client will receive the best support possible as well as new skills and possible incites that the supervisee can inherit from the supervision session. â€Å"Supervision is a joint endeavour in which a practitioner with the help of a supervisor, attends to their clients, themselves as part of their client practitioner relationships and the wider systemic context and by so doing improves the quality of their work, transforming their client relationships, continuously develops themselves, their practice and the wider profession.† Hawkins P Shohet R 2012:60 I have found that to find good quality supervision, it is important to first find and meet a supervisor that has got an approved qualification and is currently registered on a recognised counselling data base, it is then important toShow MoreRelatedNursing Theory And Nursing Practice Essay1181 Words   |  5 Pagespatient care, having good human resources such as man power and well-structured collaboration among professional workers are very important. 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