Strategic Analysis of Costa Coffee Market Entry to Azerbaijan Assignment

Strategic Analysis of Costa Coffee Market Entry to Azerbaijan - Assignment Example The chosen country is Azerbaijan which is located in Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range. (CIA 2012). It is of utmost importance that the company finds the niche factors that will guaranty its successful entry in Azerbaijan. Initial to the process is a research that analyzes the market. Objectives to be met are: a) to discover any advantage Costa Coffee may have over its competitors; b) To find if there is an unmet need or underserved needs of customers; and c) find the right segment. To complete the analysis, use of Michel Porter's model of analysis is prescribed. 1. Consumer Demographics. Azerbaijan has a total population of 9,643,000 as of 2011 (CIA). It is composed of 3,436,459 females and 3,307,88l males in the bracket of ages 15-64 and a male population of 227,172 and 367,675 bracket of 65 years and above. Population is composed of Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other 3.9% (1999 census). Population growth rate is 1.017% with a rank of 114 in world comparison. Baku, its capital holds 1.9 million people. 2. Product/service. Tea and coffee remain to be the favorite hot drinks in Azerbaijan. Euromonitor (2012) reports tea is consumed by almost 100% of its citizens, while coffee remains to be one of the stable areas in hot drinks, Multinationals strongly positioned here are Nestle, Unilever, and Ahmad due to the popularity of their brands. Brand loyalty is very strong in coffee. Their business structures are general partnership agreement with an LLC for Nestle, a trading company for Unilever, and corporation for Ahmad coffee. 3. Distribution channel. Hot tea and coffee products are sold in supermarkets and independent stores.  

I believe Cleopatra Essay Example for Free

I believe Cleopatra Essay It is principally in this way that I believe Cleopatra is more relevant to modern audiences than to Jacobean society. The idea of a female leader would be, after the reign of Elizabeth I, relatively unsurprising; however, women were still regarded as the property of men. It is not hard to see why a modern career woman, having gone through several relationships of her own, would find more to relate to in Cleopatra than would a Jacobean housewife. Women in the 21st century hold a much more three dimensional position than those of Shakespeares time. They were considered then unsuitable for the stage, replaced instead by some squeaking Cleopatra boy playing Cleopatra ithposture of a whore. Female sexuality in Jacobean times was considered, as written by Penny Gay, to be voraciously overwhelming, and since Cleopatra embodies that idea to the core, she would have seemed a dangerous character indeed to her first audiences. Then, she was a strange, exotic creature and an unknown quantity, but her character inspires altogether more empathy in more modern performances. In her portrayal by Judi Dench at the National Theatre in 1987, her suicide represented a grand resignation as opposed to a dark, frenzied retreat; her attachment to Anthony was pathetically touching. It is this, empathy and understanding, which the modern response adds to Shakespeares most passionate female character. Cleopatra is not done justice to by the flat, stylised Egyptian of Glenda Jackson, but flourishes as no more but een a woman. She is the poor maid of Janet Suzman, who beneath her regality is still an emotionally vulnerable character and all the more becoming because of it.  But what of Anthony? As a 21st century observer, I view it as chronically unjust that Anthony is continually referred to as the protagonist; Lord David Cecil described the play as simply the decline and fall of Anthony. Cleopatra is too often seen as the supporting act, when her character is no less rich than Anthonys and her journey no less significant. Antony is generally praised when he abandons her for politics, yet when she does what seems to her the same in the chaos of Actium, we are meant to condemn her. As L.T. Fitz writes, what is praiseworthy in Antony is damnable in Cleopatra; he can pursue power, whilst she must simply dote. It cannot be forgotten that Cleopatra too has a throne to sit upon. She does not bring about Antonys fall; in my view his political demise began before he ever met her. It is no secret that historically, his relationship with Octavius was strained regardless of Cleopatras role. Given Shakespeares reliance on historical sources such as Plutarch, this cannot be disregarded when judging his representation of her character. Furthermore, it is Anthonys choice to follow Cleopatra at Actium, as it was to become her guest when they first meet. Anthony always has the option to leave Cleopatra, for despite her charisma he always holds the greater political power. Thus, if he must be seen to have fallen, it is because he opts to do so. In fact, I see his decision to value Cleopatras love over Roman politics as an ascent rather than a fall, and it is an ascent they make together. There is no one protagonist in the play, unless the couple are viewed in a singular sense. Antony and Cleopatra combine themselves and the best values of their respective worlds. Antony retains his military valour, his ability to bear pain so like a soldier, but abandons the cold political scheming of Octavius and the new Rome. Cleopatra, on the other hand, keeps all her passion and her charisma but loses the worst of her childish wilfulness. Their love is beyond mortality, death is proud to take them, and in their mutual suicide they take on a god-like quality, articulated in Antony by Cleopatras eulogy of his legs bestrid the oceanhe was as rattling thunder. I believe that it is unfair to call this hyperbolic, which removes from its sincerity, when there can be no doubt that in her state of love and grief Cleopatra intends no exaggeration in her description of the emperor Antony. Together, Antony and Cleopatra rise above pragmatism and politics, and it is small wonder that they stun even Octavius, or that he should be moved by a pair so famous. I think it would be a dire injustice to call Cleopatra designing and blame her for Antonys political downfall; it reduces her feverish passion, her wild hedonism and the staggering extent of her love to plotting, cunning and cruelty. To me, she represents a woman of enormous courage, in her leadership but also in her refusal to compromise on emotions, however unreasonable or dramatic they might be. She is foolish, yes, but never a coward; her flight from Actium is not desertion but evidence of military inexperience and genuine fear. Her love for Antony is beyond the ordinary, it is beyond Caesar and Octavia, and how could the play be so poignant a tragedy were that not so? The very sadness of Antony Cleopatra is in the fact that the two lovers can only triumph beyond the grave, in the death of love for the pursuit of politics; an unworthy substitution if ever there was one. Cleopatra is no Iago, she has none of his manipulative malice; she is nothing more or less than a woman passionately and shamelessly in love. Bibliography Egyptian Queens and Male Reviewers L.T. Fitz  A Poem and Two Plays Robin Hamilton  The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare on Stage Stanley Wells and Sarah Stanton  (specifically Women and Shakespearean Performance Penny Gay)

History of the Microwave Oven

History of the Microwave Oven A Brief History of the Microwave Oven Like many of todays great inventions, the microwave oven was a by-product of another technology. It was during a radar-related research project around 1946 that Dr. Percy Spencer, a self-taught engineer with the Raytheon Corporation, noticed something very unusual. He was testing a new vacuum tube called a magnetron, when he discovered that the candy bar in his pocket had melted. This intrigued Dr. Spencer, so he tried another experiment. This time he placed some popcorn kernels near the tube and, perhaps standing a little farther away, he watched with an inventive sparkle in his eye as the popcorn sputtered, cracked and popped all over his lab. The next morning, Scientist Spencer decided to put the magnetron tube near an egg. Spencer was joined by a curious colleague, and they both watched as the egg began to tremor and quake. The rapid temperature rise within the egg was causing tremendous internal pressure. Evidently the curious colleague moved in for a closer look just as the egg exploded and splattered hot yolk all over his amazed face. The face of Spencer lit up with a logical scientific conclusion: the melted candy bar, the popcorn, and now the exploding egg, were all attributable to exposure to low-density microwave energy. Thus, if an egg can be cooked that quickly, why not other foods? Experimentation began Dr. Spencer fashioned a metal box with an opening into which he fed microwave power. The energy entering the box was unable to escape, thereby creating a higher density electromagnetic field. When food was placed in the box and microwave energy fed in, the temperature of the food rose very rapidly. Dr. Spencer had invented what was to revolutionize cooking, and form the basis of a multimillion dollar industry, the microwave oven. A Bit of Trivia: The Speedie Weenie Project In the spring of 1946, Percy Spencer and an associate, P.R. Hanson (Roly Hanson), were working on a secret project they called the Speedy Weenie. Muriel Withrow remembers the project well. She recalls, The Speedy Weenie Project was the nickname Mr. Spencer and my boss, Roly Hanson, gave to their secret project, the microwave [oven] Speedie Weenie meaning a quick hot dog!' (Our thanks to Mrs. Withrow for sharing this little known detail) Click HERE: 1958 Issue of Readers Digest article about Dr. Percy Spencer Click HERE: Wikiverse A World of Knowledge. Article about Percy Spencer with additional links. Nearly 6 Feet Tall, Weighing 750 Pounds Engineers went to work on Spencers hot new idea, developing and refining it for practical use. By late 1946, the Raytheon Company had filed a patent proposing that microwaves be used to cook food. An oven that heated food using microwave energy was then placed in a Boston restaurant for testing. At last, in 1947, the first commercial microwave oven hit the market. These primitive units where gigantic and enormously expensive, standing 5 1/2 feet tall, weighing over 750 pounds, and costing about $5000 each. The magnetron tube had to be water-cooled, so plumbing installations were also required. Initial Reactions Were Unfavorable Not surprisingly, many were highly reluctant about these first units, and so they found only limited acceptance. Initial sales were disappointingbut not for long. Further improvements and refinements soon produced a more reliable and lightweight oven that was not only less expensive, but, with the development of a new air-cooled magnetron, there was no longer any need for a plumber. The microwave oven had reached a new level of acceptance, particularly with regard to certain industrial applications. By having a microwave oven available, restaurants and vending companies could now keep products refrigerator-fresh up to the point of service, then heat to order. The result? Fresher food, less waste, and money saved. New and Unusual Applications As the food industry began to recognize the potential and versatility of the microwave oven, its usefulness was put to new tests. Industries began using microwaves to dry potato chips and roast coffee beans and peanuts. Meats could be defrosted, precooked and tempered. Even the shucking of oysters was made easier by microwaves. Other industries found the diverse applications of microwave heating quite advantageous. In time, microwaves were being used to dry cork, ceramics, paper, leather, tobacco, textiles, pencils, flowers, wet books and match heads. The microwave oven had become a necessity in the commercial market and the possibilities seemed endless. The First Radarange In 1947, Raytheon demonstrated the worlds first microwave oven and called it a Radarange, the winning name in an employee contest. Housed in refrigerator-sized cabinets, the first microwave ovens cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Sometime between 1952-55, Tappan introduced the first home model priced at $1295. In 1965 Raytheon acquired Amana Refrigeration. Two years later, the first countertop, domestic oven was introduced. It was a 100-volt microwave oven, which cost just under $500 and was smaller, safer and more reliable than previous models. By 1975 Sales of Microwave Ovens Exceeded that of Gas Ranges Technological advances and further developments led to a microwave oven that was polished and priced for the consumer kitchen. However, there were many myths and fears surrounding these mysterious new electronic radar ranges. By the seventies, more and more people were finding the benefits of microwave cooking to outweigh the possible risks, and none of them were dying of radiation poisoning, going blind, sterile, or becoming impotent (at least not from using microwave ovens). As fears faded, a swelling wave of acceptance began filtering into the kitchens of America and other countries. Myths were melting away, and doubt was turning into demand. By 1975, sales of microwave ovens would, for the first time, exceed that of gas ranges. The following year, a reported 17% of all homes in Japan were doing their cooking by microwaves, compared with 4% of the homes in the United States the same year. Before long, though, microwave ovens were adorning the kitchens in over nine million homes, or about 14%, of all the homes in the United States. In 1976, the microwave oven became a more commonly owned kitchen appliance than the dishwasher, reaching nearly 60%, or about 52 million U.S. households. Americas cooking habits were being drastically changed by the time and energy-saving convenience of the microwave oven. Once considered a luxury, the microwave oven had developed into a practical necessity for a fast-paced world. An expanding market has produced a style to suit every taste; a size, shape, and color to fit any kitchen, and a price to please almost every pocketbook. Options and features, such as the addition of convection heat, probe and sensor cooking, meet the needs of virtually every cooking, heating or drying application. Today, the magic of microwave cooking has radiated around the globe, becoming an international phenomenon. Inventor Spencer Doctor Spencer continued at Raytheon as a senior consultant until he died at the age of 76. At the time of his death, Dr. Spencer held 150 patents and was considered one of the worlds leading experts in the field of microwave energy, despite his lack of a high school education. On September 18, 1999, Dr. Percy LaBaron Spencer was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and took his place in history alongside such great inventors as Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and George Washington Carver. History of the Microwave Oven History of the Microwave Oven Have you ever imagined your life without a microwave oven? To begin with, the word microwave is originated from the Greek word ‘micros, which means small and refers to high frequency radio waves, the shortest waves of the electromagnetic spectrum (ideafinder, 2009). Furthermore, it can be said that microwaves work by heating up water molecules in the food and this saves time from cooking since it is a relatively fast method of cooking compared to others (history, 2009). It all began in 1946, during World War II while a research related to radars was carried out. Dr. Percy Spencer, commonly known as an electronics genius (ideafinder, 2009), was working at that time in one of his experiment laboratories at Raytheon Company. He then realised that something strange had happened. While experimenting on a magnetron, vacuum tube, a chocolate bar situated in his pocked melted and intrigued him. Dr. Spencer did not hesitate and carried out a second experiment to identify the cause of that outcome by placing some popcorn kennels next to the magnetron and as a result the popcorn eventually popped and was thrown all over his lab. Fascinated by this outcome, the next morning Dr. Spencer carried out a further experiment using an egg which exploded from the microwaves radiation and as a result burned his workmates face. At that point the brilliant idea of why not using microwaves to cook food faster came to Dr. Spencers mind. Having made his observations Dr. Spencer designed a metal box, where by using microwaves that could not escape the box, food could be cooked in it quickly. As a result, Spencer and Raytheon during the last months of 1946 manufactured the microwave oven, which was mainly used in restaurants, ocean liners and in the coaches of the trains. By 1947 the invention launched in the market after the name ‘Radarange and it must be noticed that microwave ovens are considered as by-products of another technology, since their invention resulted from the research of another technology, the radars. However, ‘Radarange was huge, weighted 750 pounds, cost around $5000 and had to be cooled down using water after each use which required further costs and acted as a disincentive to consumers. After having made several modifications to the product, the first commercial microwave ‘1161 Radarange launched in the market in 1954 and cost $1295 and its power was 1600 Watts making it enormous and expensive again. This products consumers were restaurants and specific institutions. Later on in 1967 a turning point in the microwave ovens history was made after Amana, a division of Raytheon designed the domestic microwave oven appliance. It cost about $500 and was smaller in size. As years passed by the demand for microwaves increased and in 1975 sales of microwave ovens overcame the sales of gas ranges. As reported 17% of Japanese homes used microwaves as well as 4% of US households. However in 1976, microwave ovens usage rose to 60% in United States (gallawa, 2009). The innovatio n process of microwave ovens resulted from consumers preferences (lecture notes2, 2009). The demand of microwave ovens kept rising and its price kept falling generating competition since even more companies were entering the market. However, Nelson and Winter (1982) support, that technical modification is a guidance to human advancement but can bring about negative externalities as well, influencing the stakeholders. Some believed that microwave ovens would have adverse effects on peoples health but consumers realised that microwave ovens could help them in their everyday life cooking without doing any harm to them since there were no signs of radioactivity (gallawa, 2009). It can be said that it is a result of lateral thinking due to the fact that it eliminates criticisms and disbeliefs of stakeholders (Lecture Notes 2, 2009). As a result of combining several ideas microwave ovens took several forms in order to reflect consumers taste and needs. This means that the manufacturers ac t as business men and target several markets trying to differentiate their products in order to be unique and gain large amounts of profits. An entrepreneur is ‘the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits (Richard Cantillon, 1755, Lecture Notes 1). In this case Dr. Spencer in collaboration with Raytheon, are considered as entrepreneurs since they made the first microwave oven and launched it in the market with the purpose of making profits. According to Joseph Schumpeter ‘Whatever the type, someone is an entrepreneur only when he actually carries out new combinations, and losses that character as soon as he has built up his business'(1934, Lecture Notes 2). This exemplifies that Dr. Spencer was an entrepreneur while experimenting on the metal box in order to manufacture a microwave oven but lost this character when his product got in the market. Additionally, the innovation of this product according to Schumpeters crucial distinction is a discrete change, since this innovation transformed unexpectedly in the market and no existing technology related to it. Some can argue that previous oven versions can be compared to it but the technology used while manufacturing the microwave oven is way much different since it involves microwave waves, which automatically detach it from being similar to any typical oven. Moreover, no signs of previous research concerning the product existed in the market and microwave oven reflected the customers choice. ‘Radarage had nothing similar to it in the market, and therefore predictions about the products success couldnt be made. Dr. Spencer and Raytheon were taking a risk, which was later proven to be a total failure. Improvements to the microwave oven and modifications that occurred later on resulted to gradual changes in innovation. Being closely related to previous editions of the produ ct it then reflected customers choice and remained in the market (Lecture Notes 2, 2009). Freeman (1984) explains stakeholders as ‘any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of the firms objectives and stakeholders can either be primary, those who have an immediate effect on the company or secondary, those who do not affect the company but can control it through primary ones. A stakeholder analysis would help while promoting the appliance and responding to the risks arising from this product being in the market. Will everybody be affected? All affected parties should be identified and considered and it must be stated how the product will affect their daily routine as well as if any legal issues might arise regarding the patent of the invention. Then, uncertainty would be reduced if all factors are considered fairly, since risks would be obvious and profits could be determined. Eventually, launch strategies would be designed like improving the current appliance and promoting it in the market by using the most suitable method (Lecture Not es 2, 2009). Nevertheless, the microwave oven plays a gigantic role on societys welfare. From the point in time when Dr. Spencer was experimenting on the magnetron and found out about the melt chocolate bar in his pocket until the conclusion was made stating that microwaves can be used to cook food, innovation started and it was defined. Then as a generating solution, Dr. Spencer through brainstorming and lateral thinking started the design of the new appliance. Afterwards, by combining several ideas he reached the ideal theory for the production of the microwave oven. Additionally, Raytheon Company helped Dr. Spencer with his idea and created the fist microwave oven to be launched in the market and this is described as selecting the optimal solution. Finally, after the construction of the microwave oven, one of the most crucial parts of the innovation process was done, that was to persuade the consumers that by investing in the product, they would get a benefit, and also persuade the company tha t microwave oven would generate profits. Abernathy and Clark (1985) and Martin (1994) highlighted the significance of the new market knowledge. The inventors of the microwave oven should have done enough research about producing exactly what the stakeholders would want and target those specific markets in order to succeed with their product, as it was later done when Amana designed the domestic microwave oven that was practical enough, small and affordable by households. Also, different markets have been approached since microwave oven is used for drying leather, paper and cork. Clarkson (1995) argues that stakeholders are of several ‘interests, claims or rights, proving again that research should be done. If it wasnt for the radical microwave oven, cooking nowadays would have taken more time. It improved peoples lives and it can be found in almost all households and where other kitchen appliances are situated since it is easy and safe to use. It is expected that gradual change will still be observed and that more advanced versions will be launched in the market in the near future just to meet peoples needs.

Euclid’s Elements and the Axiomatic Method Essay -- Mathematics Geomet

â€Å"There is no royal road to geometry.† – Euclid Euclid’s Elements are predominantly the most fundamental concepts of mathematics, but his perspective on geometry was the model for over two millennia. He is believed by many to be the leading mathematics teacher of all time. However, little is known about his life outside of mathematics, or even when he was born or when he died. According to a passage written by Proclus, Euclid probably lived after Ptolemy and the pupils of Plato, but came before Archimedes and Eratosthenes. This places his existence sometime around 300 B.C. Euclid is most famous for having set the guidelines for geometry and arithmetic written in Euclid’s Elements, a series of thirteen books in which Euclid states definitions, postulates, and theorems for mathematical concepts that are still used today. What is most remarkable about the Elements is the simple, rational, and very logical structure in which Euclid presents the accumulated geometrical knowledge from the past several centuries of Gr eek mathematicians. The manner in which the propositions have been derived is considered to be the prime model of the axiomatic method. (Hartshorne 296). Euclid’s axiomatic method works by â€Å"starting from a small number of definitions and assumptions at the beginning, [so that] all the succeeding results are proved by logical deduction from what has gone before.† In essence it is no more than â€Å"a method of proving that results are correct.† Many of Euclid’s proofs are constructions, all of which can be done using no more than a ruler and a compass and rely only on the theorems and rules of the system. Despite having developed this rigorous system of proofs, Euclid did not actually demonstrate everyt... ... of Nebraska Press, 1991. Blumenthal, Leonard M. A Modern View of Geometry. San Fransisco: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1961. Greenberg, Marvin Jay. Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometries. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1993. Hartshorne, Robin. Geometry, Euclid and Beyond. New York: Springer, 2000. Hofstadter, Douglas R.. Gà ¶del, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York: Basic Books, 1975 Narkiewicz, Wladyslaw. The Development of Prime Number Theory: From Euclid to Hardy and Littlewood. Brlin: Springer-Verlag, 2000. Singer, David A. Geometry: Plane and Fancy. New York: Springer, 1998. Internet Sources: Joyce, D. E. â€Å"Euclid’s Elements.† 1997, [online]. http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/java/elements/toc.html (September 18, 2002)

How to Make Ski Wax :: Process Essays

Ingredients and formula for super fast ,all temp, racing ski wax:(1) 5 lbs of paraffin wax(I use a 160 degree melt temperature wax) (2) 1/2 lb of paraflint wax hardener (3) a bar of Ivory soap (4) a regular size tube of Crest high fluoride toothpaste (5)a heaping tablespoon of spruce gum(resin from a spruce tree) The paraffin and paraflint hardener can be easily and cheaply obtained from most candle supply companies.The soap and toothpaste are easy enough.The spruce gum can be obtained from any specie of spruce tree.It exudes from wounds in the bark or broken branches.Make sure it is soft and clean,free from any dirt or bark.Spruce trees are common in many towns and suburban areas.Check ones near roads that have been recently pruned or ask the landowner permission to collect some from their tree.A lot of spruce on lawns have the bottom branches pruned. Use a pocket knife or spoon and a small jar with lid to collect the gum. In addition to these ingredients you will also need: An outdoor cookstove or grill ,a freezer,a large and small cooking pot,stove mitts,a butterknife,a cheesegrater,a handheld mixer/blender,a clock or watch,a bowl,and a few of the cheap pie tins or tin bread molds to pour the liquid wax into. CAUTION:MELTING WAX CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS.IT IS ADVISABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE PRESENT WHEN MAKING THIS WAX.MELT IT OUTDOORS AWAY FROM BUILDINGS TO AVOID FIRE.KEEP CHILDREN AND ANIMALS AWAY. Step1-Put the pie tins or tin bread molds in the freezer to get them cold. Step2-With the cheesegrater, finely grate the entire bar of soap into the bowl. Step3-With the butterknife thinly spread the spruce gum on one side of all the bars of paraffin.(To make this easier you may need to warm the gum near a gentle heat source) Step4-Pour the paraflint into the small cooking pot,put it on the burner and turn on the flame(low heat). Step5-Put a bar of paraffin in the big cooking pot(gum side up),put it on the burner and turn on the flame(high heat).When the bar melts put in another and when that melts another†¦until all are melted.(If any impurities rise to the top,skim them off with a spoon or mesh spoon.There shouldn’t be any if the gum is clean.) Step6-As soon as all bars of wax are melted begin blending the wax and gum while pouring in the soap.Continue blending.(high speed) Step7-When the soap and wax are thoroughly blended, squeeze the entire tube of toothpaste into the mixture while blending and continue to blend until the toothpaste is thoroughly incorporated into the mixture.

Literary Techniques in “The Things They Carried”

A literary technique is a device employed in literature to add depth to a writer’s work. These techniques can be obvious, such as the technique of rhyme in a poem, or subtle, such as juxtaposition, which can go unnoticed by the reader. In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien uses many such techniques to provide more depth to his book. Four literary techniques used by Tim O’Brien are symbolism, pathetic fallacy, irony, and juxtaposition. One literary technique prominent in The Things They Carried, particularly in the story by the same name, is symbolism. Throughout this story, O’Brien mentions all the things that the soldiers carry with them, both physical and emotional. However, the physical items that the men carried is more than just equipment- they are symbols that represent various facets of each soldier’s personality. For example, â€Å"Rat Kiley carried†¦ morphine and plasma and malaria tablets and surgical tape†¦ and all the things a medic must carry, including M&M’s for especially bad wounds† (O’Brien 5). The fact that Kiley carried medical necessities shows that he is a good paramedic devoted to doing his job well, but the M&M’s represent something different- Kiley’s optimistic and kind outlook on the war and life in general. Conversely, the tranquilizers carried by Ted Lavender represent his terror of the fighting in the war and his inability to face reality, rather choosing to escape from it by taking drugs. This is an effective technique because, by using these symbols, O’Brien can let the reader figure out for him/herself deeper aspects of certain characters’ personalities without actually stating them outright. Another literary device Tim O’Brien employs is pathetic fallacy, or nature mirroring humans’ emotions. In the story Speaking of Courage, Norman Bowker attempts to save Kiowa’s life but fails. He becomes depressed and remorseful about what he should have been able to accomplish. For a long time afterward, Bowker struggles with the fact that he was â€Å"braver than he ever thought possible, but†¦ not so brave as he wanted to be† (153); he is overcome with sadness and guilt. This is reflected in the weather at the time of Kiowa’s death. The soldiers were camping out in a field along the Song Tra Bong, and â€Å"the rain kept getting worse. And by midnight the field turned into soup† (145). The rain emulates the emotions of the weary and despondent soldiers. Pathetic fallacy is a very useful technique because it helps to provide the tone for the story. If the story was a sad one but the weather was bright and sunny, the tone of the story would be wrong, and vice versa. In Speaking of Courage, the fact that it was raining during the main event of the story helps the reader gain and understanding of just how bleak and dismal the events that occurred were. Irony, or a discrepancy between expectation and reality, is another literary technique used by Tim O’Brien in The Things They Carried. Many of the titles of the stories contain irony themselves. For example, Speaking of Courage is more centred on the themes of failure and the inability to be courageous than it is about courage. The story Love is not, as it would seem, about mutual love, but rather unrequited love. Field Trip, an expression with a usually very positive connotation, is a story about a visit to a battleground where many lives had been lost. The Story How to Tell a True War Story also contains much irony within it. The main point of this story is that a true war story cannot be told because the simple act of telling it makes it untrue. The title of this story is ironic- O’Brien makes the reader think that he wants to instruct them how to tell a true war story, but the reader soon finds out O’Brien’s real intention- that telling a true war story is impossible. Another ironic idea within this story is the idea that war can be beautiful. You hate it, yes, but your eyes do not. Like a forest fire, like cancer under a microscope, any battle†¦ has†¦ a powerful, implacable beauty† (81). This catches the reader off-guard because of how greatly it contrasts with the view of war we have been previously given. He continues to say that, â€Å"a true war story will tell the truth about this, though the truth is ugly† (81). This is very ironic because although the actual event may be beautif ul, if a true story is told about it, the story is ugly. This adds to O’Brien’s point that telling a story, even a true one, can only take away from the truth of the event. Using irony, O’Brien can present his message in a creative an interesting way, and this helps the readers understand his point better. Another technique used by Tim O’Brien is juxtaposition. The story The Lives of the Dead seems to be a bit of a non-sequitur to the rest of the book, however, O’Brien has put it where it is for a reason. The point of The Things They Carried is not simply to tell stories about the Vietnam War- the lesson goes deeper than that. It comes to teach that war is about more than just fighting- it is about the connection between life and death. It is about learning to detach oneself from death. It is about the sacredness and fragility of life. It is about so many things that many people never have to experience. But the Vietnam War is not O’Brien’s first time coming into contact with these kinds of issues. As a child, he had a beloved friend named Linda who died of cancer. Linda’s death was a major part of his growing up process. As a child, he already had to learn to distance himself from her death, saying, â€Å"It didn’t seem real†¦ the girl lying in the white casket wasn’t Linda† (241). And although he did not realize it at the time, her death helped him to deal with all the deaths he encountered in the war. For example, when Curt Lemon dies, O’Brien refuses to see his body as a friend who died. Instead he says, â€Å"his body was not really a body, but rather one small bit of waste in the midst of a much wider wastage† (238). The lessons that O’Brien learned as a child are very relevant and linked to his experiences in the Vietnam War, which is why he chooses to include The Lives of the Dead. But this is not the only message that O’Brien wants us to take out of the inclusion The Lives of the Dead in The Things They Carried- he wants to convey that even though something that happens in one’s life may seem horrible and meaningless, it may become of use to him or her later in life, and it may help him or her to get through an otherwise unmanageable time. O’Brien wants his reader to know that everything in life comes for a purpose. Throughout The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien makes use of many different literary techniques. In the story The Things They Carried, O’Brien uses symbolism. In Speaking of Courage, the literary technique is pathetic fallacy. Irony is used in How to Tell a True War Story, among others, and juxtaposition is used in the story The Lives of the Dead. It can be seen that literary techniques have a simple but powerful effect in The Things They Carried.

Cold War and Communism Essay

There are situations in life that can arise at any moment, without our control. Nuclear war and terrorism are two of these situations. There are things we can do to prepare for these situations, but are we ever really prepared? To live under the threat of nuclear war must have been terrible. To know that at any moment a something very catastrophic could happen to us and our family, and there are only a number of things we can do to protect ourselves, is a gut wrenching feeling. During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear war and the atomic bomb put fear into everyone’s life. There was nothing civilians could do about this, except to â€Å"Duck and Cover†. The threat of the atomic bomb was so real that schools were instructing students on what to do if and when it was to occur. â€Å"Duck and cover† is what the students were taught to do. No matter where the person was, outside or inside, duck and cover was the best thing they could do in order to protect themselves from flying debris and the extremely bright light. I’m sure that the fear that the threat of the atomic bomb scared the children very much. Living under the threat of nuclear war and living under the threat of terrorism have a lot in common. Terrorism defines many different situations, such as 9/11, a shooter entering a public place, poison being put into our air or drinking water, etc. The fear is the same, we are afraid that a situation could occur that could harm, or even kill, us or our loved ones, and there is nothing we can do to prevent it. Just like schools were teaching students what to do in case of a nuclear bomb during the Cold War, schools are now teaching students what to do in case of a terrorist attack. Since the shooting at the elementary school Connecticut, schools all over the country have been teaching the students what to do and how to handle the situation. I believe that this is a very positive thing. School shootings seem to be happening more and more often, and students should be prepared. One different between the threat of the nuclear bomb and the threat of terroristic attacks is that the nuclear bomb was expected to happen, terrorism isn’t something we expect, it tend to happen randomly with no warning. Living under the threat of any catastrophic event is very frightening. All we can do is learn what to do in the situation and be prepared.