Caravaggios The Denial of St. Peter

Caravaggios The Denial of St. Peter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In approximately 1610, Michelangelo Merisi, referred to today as Caravaggio by virtue of his hometown, painted his The Denial of Saint Peter, an oil-on-canvas depiction of St. Peters renunciation of Jesus and disavowal that he was a disciple of Christ. Though it passed through the hands of several cardinals over the centuries,[1] the work itself was not commissioned by any religious authority, and was entirely conceived by Caravaggio. It currently is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most important aspect of the work stems from its era: Caravaggio painted in the early Baroque period, a time in art largely focused on emotion, drama, and realism in the portrayal of humanity, as opposed to the idealized, somewhat emotionless scenes of the Renaissance.[2] The Denial of Saint Peter is a prime example of this trend, for, as opposed to depicting idealized human forms in a heavily structured and adorned setting, it portrays just three figures, all of whom are imperfect, human, and express clearly visible emotion. While Caravaggios subject matter is far from unique, his distinctive approach toward its illustration is revolutionary with respect to earlier Renaissance art; of course, it resembles other works from the Baroque period, which Caravaggio himself helps to usher in. The drama and emotional anguish of Caravaggios work is apparent even upon first glance. Upon examining the figures in the work, we see that Saint Peter is far from flawless and virtuous; instead, he is easily intimidated by a soldier as he frantically distances himself from Christ, pointing at himself incredulously as if to appear utterly surprised at the notion that he is somehow associated with Jesus. Peter lacks the saintly character attributed to Biblical figures in earlier works, for he has deeply furrowed brows and looks pale and sickly in the harsh light shining on him-in fact, he more closely resembles a cowardly man eager to appear common and nondescript. The woman and the soldier have powerful emotional elements in their depictions as well-the soldier appears threatening, seemingly warning Peter of the consequences of allying with Christ, while the woman bears a stern expression that signals her certainty of Peters solidarity with Jesus. Finally, the sheer size of the figur es is noteworthy, for it places all emphasis on them and on no other point in the painting. Caravaggios stylistic effects, in addition to the figures expressions, also lend the painting a dramatic air. The first and most obvious such technique is his use of lighting: specifically, the work has extreme contrasts between light and dark, which, due to their harsh appearance, convey an almost theatrical impression to the viewer. In fact, Peters head is fully and strongly illuminated, while the soldiers visage, though just opposite his, is barely visible; the womans face, furthermore, is alternately obscured and lit-with little or no attempt to mediate the two extremes. This consistent use of dramatic lighting, which in this case radiates only from the left of the painting, is termed â€Å"chiaroscuro†; in fact, Caravaggio used it so often that his version of the technique is labeled â€Å"tenebrism.†[3] The effect that these techniques have on a work is profound, for they create a powerful sense of tension in the piece because of their stark, almost jarring appear ance. In The Denial of St. Peter, this effect is quite noticeable, for by illuminating Peter, but not the soldier, the sense that Peter is being interrogated and pressured becomes heightened; it is almost as if a spotlight is on him, coercing him into giving a reply. Another important stylistic note is the varying level of detail Caravaggio applies to parts of the work. The background is not at all important, as is demonstrated by the broad, carefree, almost haphazard brushstrokes and lack of any remarkable detail behind any of the figures; by contrast, Peter, the soldier, and the woman are all painted with exceptional detail, exemplified by the soldiers helmet, which is ornately and intricately decorated, and Peters face, which has distinct furrows and creases. This again serves to highlight the fact that the three figures and their emotional tension are the central features of the work and that all else is ancillary. Caravaggios work closely mirrors others of the Baroque period. Spanish artist Juan de Valdà ©s Leals Pietà  , painted between 1657 and 1660 and currently on display at the Metropolitan,[4] features many of the same techniques Caravaggio uses to enhance the dramatic effects and emotional impact of the work. The use of chiaroscuro is immediately apparent, for the Virgin Mary and Christ are both well-lit, while the background is mostly darkened. As in Caravaggios work, this element lends the work a powerfully dramatic aspect and compels the viewer to focus on the subject matter and its intense psychological themes. Furthermore, Christ is an emaciated, bloodied figure, as the stigmata bleed profusely in the painting; Leal portrays him as a tortured, weakened man, unlike prior depictions of a handsome, nourished Christ. He has a gaunt, starved body, reflecting the anguish Leal wishes to convey, and the Virgin Mary looks on with a combination of anger and pain, a radical departure from the mostly serene Mary seen in earlier works. The overall tone of the work is one of anguish, a theme reinforced by Leals manipulation of light and the graphic, disturbing depiction of Christ. Renaissance works, while portraying similar religious subject matter, are radically different from Caravaggios painting and other Baroque art. Raphaels Pietà   of 1503, part of the Colonna Altarpiece and currently in the Gardner Museum,[5] while depicting the very same subject as Leals work and certainly portraying grief and suffering, conveys an entirely different emotional character and lacks the psychological depth seen in either Caravaggios or Leals piece. Of first note in Raphaels Pietà   is the size of the figures; they are proportionately smaller when compared with Caravaggios, somewhat reducing their impact on the viewer. Additionally, the lighting in the painting is mostly uniform, and thus lacks the striking contrasts found in Caravaggios work that impress the viewer with emotional immediacy. The figures themselves also lack any poignancy. The Virgin Mary is largely expressionless, and while a man to the left seems to lament the death of Christ, the level of drama and anxiety seen on St. Peters face is missing. Also of note is the fact that Christ appears as a nourished, healthy figure, and thus does not inspire the viewer with grief or sorrow. Thus it is apparent that this work portrays an idealized scene suited perfectly to Renaissance standards, and therefore has little in common with the flawed, emotional figures of Caravaggios or Leals work. In short, Caravaggios large, overtly sentimental figures, combined with his extreme uses of light and lack of attention to background detail, produce a work that impresses the viewer with its passion, tension, and dramatic tone. As we can see, this is entirely consistent with Baroque art, for the similarities with Leals work are immediately evident. Caravaggios Renaissance predecessors depict idealized and romanticized figures that lack the emotional involvement suitable for their subject matter. By contrast, Caravaggio strives to represent and amplify human tensions and imperfections, achieving a compelling realism. Sources Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. Revised Second Edition, Volume 2. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005. â€Å"Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi). The Denial of Saint Peter (1997.167)†. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/crvg/ho_1997.167.htm (March 2010) Raphael. Pietà  . 1503-1505. www.gardnermuseum.org/collection/raphael_p16e3.asp (March 2010) Leal, Juan de Valdà ©s. Pietà  . 1657-1660. http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/european_paintings/pieta_juan_de_valdes_leal/objectview.aspx?collID=11OID=110002315 (March 2010) â€Å"Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi). The Denial of Saint Peter (1997.167)†. In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/crvg/ho_1997.167.htm (March 2010) [2] Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. Revised Second Edition, Volume 2. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005,p. 722. Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. Revised Second Edition, Volume 2. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2005,p. 735, 744. Leal, Juan de Valdà ©s. Pietà  . 1657-1660. http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/european_paintings/pieta_juan_de_valdes_leal/objectview.aspx?collID=11OID=110002315 (March 2010) Raphael. Pietà  . 1503-1505. www.gardnermuseum.org/collection/raphael_p16e3.asp (March 2010)

A Worn Path Essay -- essays papers

â€Å"A Worn Path† â€Å"A Worn Path† is a story of determination and true strength of a grandmother through her journey to her grandson’s salvation. The title itself explores a cyclical path that each of us encounters in our lives and will continue to do so in the future. â€Å"The Worn Path† begins and ends throughout the course of Phoenix Jackson’s journey. In the story "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty, an old woman whose human spirit is full of devotion, dignity and high drive overcomes tremendous impediments of life in the name of love for her grandson. Phoenix’s feebleness is evident through a description given portraying her as an elderly worn out woman whose hindered walk resembled â€Å"pendulum of a grandfather’s clock†. Her weaknesses and frail characteristics were plainly an impediment...

Angelas Ashes Essay -- essays research papers

Angela’s Ashes Title:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The title of this book is Angela’s Ashes. The title doesn’t make a lot of sense because the story about Angela’s cremation and her lost ashes is found in part two of the book. However, ashes do appear in the book in relation to Angela. An example of this would be the ashes from Angela’s Woodbine cigarettes. And another example would be Angela sitting next to the ashes from the fireplace during hard times. Author:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frank McCourt was born in depression-era Brooklyn and remained there until the age of four when he left with his family to his native country, Ireland. He came face too face with many hardships but managed to make it back to New York city at age nineteen. Upon his arrival Frank worked as a high school English teacher for forty-five years. After retiring from teaching, Frank, along with his brother, Malachy, performed a two man show called â€Å"A couple of Blaguards.† Frank won the Pulitzer Prize for his book Angela’s Ashes in 1997. Major Characters:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main character of the book is Frank McCourt himself. The entire book is written in first person. He describes his life as a â€Å"miserable Irish Catholic childhood.† And he certainly has the right to. His family was forced to move out of the United States, and move to their native country, Ireland. There Frank came upon many hardships such as the loss of his twin brothers, Eugene and Oliver, and his drunken father who couldn’t get a job for very long and only making matters worse. Frank is a very smart and diligent student. His classmates however show no respect for him because he is poor. He then quits school to begin working at the young age of fourteen. And when he leaves his job at the post office to write threatening letters and deliver and manage a Protestant newspaper he is criticized. He has plenty of adventures in both jobs. He even falls in love with a seventeen year old girl, Theresa Carmody, who is dying of consumption. Frank earns p lenty of money from his work, and he has plenty of dreams about escaping poverty and returing to America and sending the rest of his family to later join him. His dream of returning to America does in fact come true, but before that Frank is very worried about how he will be punished in the afterlife and whether or not he would make it into heaven. He f... ...rank thinks that what he’s seeing is something you could only see in the movies like a beautiful scene. And he makes it sound like he’s in a movie theater. Frank’s dream of returning to New York came true. Relevance of the Work to the Present Time:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This work has a lot of relevance to today; for one thing, there is still poverty. Poverty is a hardship that millions of people must face everyday. And relating to poverty, there is still discrimination between social classes. Hunger is very prominent today. This is another problem that millions must face. Also, in relation to the book, many people have problems with alcohol. And many people still make fun of one another, and succumb to incestuous pleasure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is however one universal affair mentioned in the book which everyone experiences. And that affair happens to be dreams. Everyone has dreams and everyone dreams of something and no one ever questions it. The power of dreaming is not just a state of mentality but rather a force within everyone that no one can control. Frankie shows the power of dreams and proves that they can come true. He returns to America doesn’t he?

The Return: Midnight Chapter 24

Stefan woke early. He spent the time from dawn until breakfast just watching Elena, who even in sleep had an inner glow like a golden flame through a faintly rose-colored candle. At breakfast, everyone was more or less Stillwrapped up in thoughts of the day before. Meredith showed Matt the picture of her brother, Cristian, the vampire. Matt briefly told Meredith about the inner workings of the Ridgemont court system and painted her a picture of Caroline as werewolf. It was clear that both of them felt safer at the boardinghouse than anywhere else. And Elena, who had woken up with Stefan's mind al around her, embracing her, and her own mind Stillful of light, was completely at a loss for a Plan A or any other letter. She had to be told gently by the others that only one thing made sense. â€Å"Stefan,†Matt said, draining a mug of Mrs. Flowers's pitch-black coffee. â€Å"He's the only one who might be able to use his mind instead of Post-it Notes on the kids.† And, â€Å"Stefan,†said Meredith. â€Å"He's the only one Shinichi might be afraid of.† â€Å"I'm no use at all,†Elena said sadly. She had no appetite. She had gotten dressed with a feeling of love and compassion toward al humankind and a desire to help protect her hometown, but as everyone pointed out, she was probably going to have to spend the day in the root cel ar. Reporters might come to cal . They're right, Stefan sent to Elena. I'm the only logical person to find out what's really going on in Fell's Church. He actual y went while the rest of them were finishing breakfast. Only Elena knew why; only she could feel him at the limits of her telepathic range. Stefan was hunting. He drove into the New Wood, got out, and final y startled a rabbit out of the brush. He Influenced it to rest and not be frightened. Surreptitiously, in this thin woodland without cover, he took a little blood from it†¦and choked. It tasted like some kind of hideous liquid flavored with rodent. Was a rabbit a rodent? He had been lucky enough to find a rat one day in his prison cel and it had tasted vaguely like this. But now, for days, he had been drinking human blood. Not just that, but the rich, potent blood of strong, adventurous, and in several cases paranormal y talented individuals – the crme de la crme. How could he have gotten used to it so quickly? It shamed him now, to think of what he'd taken. Elena's blood, of course, was enough to drive any vampire wild. And Meredith, whose blood had the deep crimson taste of some primordial ocean, and Bonnie, who tasted like a telepath's dessert. And final y Matt, the Al -American red-blooded boy. They'd fed him and fed him by the hour, far past what he needed to survive. They'd fed him until he'd begun to heal, and seeing that he was healing, they'd fed him more. And it had gone on and on, ending with Elena last night – Elena, whose hair was taking on a silvery cast and whose blue eyes seemed almost radiant. Back in the Dark Dimension, Damon hadn't exercised any restraint at all. Elena hadn't exercised any on her own behalf. That silvery cast†¦Stefan's stomach clenched when he thought about it, about the last time he'd seen her hair that way. She'd been dead then. On her feet, but dead just the same. Stefan let the rabbit scamper away. He was taking another oath. He must not make Elena into a vampire again. That meant no significant blood exchange between the two of them for at least a week – either giving or taking might tip her over the edge. He must once again adjust to the taste of animal blood. Stefan shut his eyes briefly, remembering the horror of the first time. The cramps. The shakes. The agony that seemed to tel his entire body that it wasn't getting fed. The feeling that his veins might explode into flame at any moment, and the pain in his jaws. He stood up. He was lucky to be alive. Luckier than he ever could have dreamed he would be in having Elena beside him. He would work through the readjustment without bothering her by tel ing her, he decided. Just two hours later Stefan was back at the boardinghouse, limping slightly. Matt, who met him at the heavy front door, noticed the limp. â€Å"You okay? You'd better get in and ice it.† â€Å"Just a cramp,†Stefan said briefly. â€Å"I'm not used to exercise. Didn't get any back there in – you know.†He looked away, flushing. So did Matt, hot and cold and furious at the people who had put Stefan in this condition. Vampires were pretty resilient, but he had the feeling – no, he knew – that Stefan had almost died in his prison cel . One day under lock and key had convinced Matt that he never wanted to be imprisoned again. He fol owed Stefan to the kitchen where Elena, Meredith, and Mrs. Flowers were – what else? – drinking mugs of tea. And Matt felt a twinge when Elena instantly noticed the limp and got up and went to Stefan, and Stefan held her tightly, running reassuring fingers through her hair. Matt couldn't help but wonder, though – was that glorious golden hair turning lighter? More like the silvery gold it had been when Elena had first gone with Stefan and was on her way to turning into a vampire? Stefan certainly seemed to be inspecting it closely, turning each handful as he raked his fingers through it. â€Å"Any luck?†Elena asked him, tension in her voice. Wearily, Stefan shook his head. â€Å"I went up streets and down streets and wherever I found a – a young girl who was contorted, or whirling round and round, or doing any other of the things the papers mentioned, I tried to Influence them. Well, maybe I shouldn't have bothered with the whirling girls. I couldn't catch their eyes. But the final count is zero for eleven.† Elena turned toward Meredith in agitation. â€Å"What do we do?† Mrs. Flowers busily began rummaging through bundles of herbs that hung above her stove. â€Å"You need a nice cup of tea.† â€Å"And a rest,†Meredith said, patting him lightly on the hand. â€Å"Can I get you anything?† â€Å"Well – I've got a new idea – scrying. But I need Misao's star bal to see if it wil work. Don't worry,†he added, â€Å"I won't use any of the Power in it; I just need to look at the surface.† â€Å"I'l bring it,†Elena offered, getting up promptly from where she was sitting on his lap. Matt started slightly and looked at Mrs. Flowers as Elena went to the door of the root cel ar and pushed. Nothing moved and Mrs. Flowers simply watched benignly. It was Stefan who rose to help her, Stilllimping. Then Matt and Meredith got up, Meredith asking, â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, are you sure we should keep the star bal in that same safe?† â€Å"Ma ma says we're doing the right thing,†Mrs. Flowers answered serenely. After that things happened very fast. As if they'd rehearsed it, Meredith pressed the exact place to open the root cel ar door. Elena fel to her hands and knees. Faster than even he had imagined he could go, Matt went barreling toward Stefan with one shoulder down. Mrs. Flowers was frantical y pul ing great swaths of dried herbs down from where they hung above the kitchen table. And then Matt was hitting Stefan with al the power in his body and Stefan was stumbling over Elena, his head going down and down and meeting no resistance on the way. Meredith was coming at him sideways and helping him do a complete forward flip in the air. As soon as the flip took him out of the doorway and he was cartwheeling down the stairs, Elena got up and shut the door and Meredith leaned against it, as Matt shouted, â€Å"How do you keep in a kitsune?† â€Å"These might help,†gasped Mrs. Flowers, stuffing odiferous herbs into the crack under the door. â€Å"And – iron!†cried Elena, and she and Meredith and Matt al ran to the den where there was an enormous, tripartite iron fire screen. Somehow they bundled it back to the kitchen and set it upright against the root cel ar door. Just then the first crash came from the inside against it, but the iron was heavy and the second crash against the door was weaker. â€Å"What are you doing? Have you al gone crazy?†Stefan shouted plaintively, but as the entire group began to cover the door in Post-it Note amulets, he cursed instead and became pure Shinichi. â€Å"You'll be sorry, damn you! Misao's not right. She cries and cries. You'll make it up to her with your blood, but not before I introduce you to some special friends of mine. The kind who know how to cause real pain!† Elena lifted her head, as if hearing something. Matt watched her frown. Then she cal ed to Shinichi, â€Å"Don't even try to probe for Damon. He's gone. And if you try to track him I'l fry your brains.† Sul en silence greeted her from the root cel ar. â€Å"My goodness gracious, what next?†murmured Mrs. Flowers. Elena simply nodded for the others to fol ow her, and they went al the way to the very top of the house – Stefan's room – and spoke in whispers. â€Å"How did you know?† â€Å"Did you use telepathy?† â€Å"I didn't know at first,†Matt admitted, â€Å"but Elena was acting as if the star bal was in the root cel ar. Stefan knows it's not there. I guess,†he added with a guilty start, â€Å"that I invited him in.† â€Å"I knew as soon as he started groping my hair,†Elena said with a shudder. â€Å"Stefan and D – I mean, Stefan knows I only like it touched lightly, and at the ends. Not mauled like that. Remember al Shinichi's little songs about golden hair? He's a nutcase. Anyway, I could tel from the feel of his mind.† Matt felt ashamed. Al his wondering about Elena maybe changing into a vampire†¦and this was the answer, he thought. â€Å"I noticed his lapis ring,†Meredith said. â€Å"I saw him with it on his right hand as he went out earlier. When he came back he had it on his left hand.† There was a brief pause as they al stared at her. She shrugged. â€Å"It was part of my training, noticing little things.† â€Å"Good point,†Matt said at last. â€Å"Good point. He wouldn't be able to change it in sunlight.† â€Å"How did you know, Mrs. Flowers?†Elena asked. â€Å"Or was it just the way we were behaving?† â€Å"Goodness, no, you're al very good little actors. But as soon as he stepped over the threshold Ma ma fairly shrieked at me: ‘What are you doing, letting a kitsune into your house?'So then I knew what we were in for.† â€Å"We beat him!†Elena said, beaming. â€Å"We actual y caught Shinichi off guard! I can hardly believe it.† â€Å"Believe it,†Meredith said with a wry smile. â€Å"He was off guard for a moment. He'l be thinking up revenge right now.† Something else was worrying Matt. He turned to Elena. â€Å"I thought that you said that both you and Shinichi had keys that could take you anywhere, anytime. So why couldn't he have just said, ‘Take me inside the boardinghouse where the star bal is'?† â€Å"Those were different keys from the Twin Fox key,†Elena said, her brows drawn together. â€Å"They're, like, the Master Keys and Shinichi and Misao Stillhave them both. I don't know why he didn't use his. Although it would have given him away the moment he was inside.† â€Å"Not if he went inside the root cel ar, and stayed there the whole time,†Meredith said. â€Å"And maybe a Master Key can override the ‘not invited inside'rule.† Mrs. Flowers said, â€Å"But Ma ma Stillwould have told me. Also there are no keyholes in the root cel ar. at all.† â€Å"‘No keyholes'wouldn't matter, I don't think,†Elena answered. â€Å"I think he just wanted to show how clever he was, and how he could fool us into giving him Misao's star bal .† Before anyone else could say a word, Meredith held out her palm, with a shining key on it. The key was golden with diamonds inset and had a very familiar outline. â€Å"That's one of the Master Keys!†cried Elena. â€Å"It's what we thought the Twin Fox key would look like!† â€Å"It sort of came out of his jeans pocket when he did that flip,†Meredith said innocently. â€Å"When you were flipping him over me, you mean,†said Elena. â€Å"I suppose you picked his pocket too.† â€Å"So, right now, Shinichi doesn't have a key to escape with!†Matt said excitedly. â€Å"No key to make keyholes,†Elena agreed, dimpling. â€Å"He can have fun changing into a mole and burrowing out of the root cel ar,†Meredith said cool y. â€Å"That's if he's got his transforming gear or whatever with him.†She added, with a troubled change in her voice, â€Å"I wonder†¦if we should have Matt tel one other person where he's actual y hidden the star bal . Just†¦Well, just in case.† Matt saw knitted brows al around him. But suddenly the realization hit him that he had to tel someone that he'd hidden the star bal in his closet. The group – including Stefan – had picked him to hide it because he had so stubbornly resisted when Shinichi was using Damon's body as a puppet to torture him a month ago. Matt had proved then that he would die in hideous pain rather than endanger his friends. But if Matt were to die now, Misao's star bal might be lost to the group forever. And only Matt knew how close he had come today to tumbling down the stairs along with Shinichi. Far below they al heard a shout. â€Å"Hel o! Is anybody home? Elena!† â€Å"That's my Stefan,†Elena said and then, without a shred of dignity, she ran to launch herself from the foyer into his arms. He looked startled, but managed to break her fal before they both went down on the porch. â€Å"What's been going on?†he said, his body vibrating infinitesimal y, as with the urge to fight. â€Å"The whole house smel s like kitsune!† â€Å"It's All right,†Elena said. â€Å"Come and see.†She led him upstairs to his room. â€Å"We've got him in the root cel ar,†she added. Stefan looked confused. â€Å"You've got who in the root cel ar?† â€Å"With iron against the door,†Matt said triumphantly. â€Å"And herbs and amulets al over it. And, anyway, Meredith got his key.† â€Å"His key? You're talking about – Shinichi?†Stefan turned on Meredith, green eyes wide. â€Å"While I've been gone?† â€Å"It was mostly an accident. I sort of stuck my hand in his pocket when he was upside down and off balance. And I lucked out and got the Master Key – unless this is an ordinary house key.† Stefan stared at it. â€Å"It's the real thing. Elena knows that. Meredith, you're incredible!† â€Å"Yes, it's the right one,†Elena confirmed. â€Å"I remember the shape – pretty elaborate, yes?†She took it from Meredith's hand. â€Å"What are you going to – â€Å" â€Å"Might as well test it,†Elena said with a mischievous smile. She walked to the door of the room, shut it, said, â€Å"The den downstairs,†inserted the winged key in the lock, and opened the door, stepping through and shutting the door behind her. Before anyone could speak, she was back, with the poker from the den held aloft in triumph. â€Å"It works!†Stefan cried. â€Å"That's amazing,†Matt said. Stefan looked almost feverish. â€Å"But don't you realize what it means? It means we can use this key. We can go anywhere we like without using Power. Even to the Dark Dimension! But first – while he's Stillhere – we ought to do something about Shinichi.† â€Å"You're in no condition to do that now, dear Stefan,†Mrs. Flowers said, shaking her head. â€Å"I'm sorry, but the truth is that we have been very, very lucky. That wicked kitsune was off guard back then. He won't be now.† â€Å"I Stillhave to try,†Stefan said quietly. â€Å"Every one of you has been tormented or had to fight – whether with your fists or your minds,†he added, bowing slightly to Mrs. Flowers. â€Å"I've suffered but I've never had a chance to fight him. I have to try.† Matt said, just as quietly, â€Å"I'l go with you.† Elena added, â€Å"We can al fight together. Right, Meredith?† Meredith nodded slowly, taking Stefan's poker from his fireplace. â€Å"Yes. It may be a low blow, but – together.† â€Å"I say it's a higher blow than letting him live and go on hurting people. Anyway, we'l take care of it†¦together,†Elena said firmly. â€Å"Right now!† Matt started to get up, but his motion was frozen in midair as he stared in horror. Simultaneously, with the grace of hunting lionesses or bal et dancers the two girls closed in on Stefan, and simultaneously they swung their separate pokers; Elena hitting him in the head and Meredith hitting him squarely in the groin. Stefan reeled away from the blow to the head, but simply said, â€Å"Ow!†when Meredith hit him. Matt knocked Elena out of the way and then, turning as precisely as if he were on the footbal field, got Meredith out of â€Å"Stefan's†way too. But this imposter had obviously decided not to fight back. Stefan's form melted. Misao, green leaves woven into her scarlet-tipped black hair, stood before them. To Matt's shock, her face was pinched and pale. She was obviously very il , although Stilldefiant. But there was no mockery in her voice tonight. â€Å"What have you done with my star bal ? And my brother?†she demanded feebly. â€Å"Your brother's safely locked up,†Matt said, hardly knowing what he was tel ing her. Despite al the crimes Misao had committed he couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She was clearly desperate and il . â€Å"I know that. I was going to say my brother wil kil you al – not as a game, but in anger.†Now Misao looked wretched and frightened. â€Å"You've never seen him really angry.† â€Å"You've never seen Stefan angry either,†Elena said. â€Å"At least not when he had al his Power.† Misao just shook her head. A dried leaf floated from her hair. â€Å"You don't understand!† â€Å"I doubt we understand anything. Meredith, have we searched this girl?† â€Å"No, but surely she wouldn't have brought the other one – â€Å" Elena said crisply, â€Å"Matt, take a book and read it. I'l tel you when we're done.† Matt was reluctant to turn his back on a kitsune, even a sick one. But when even Mrs. Flowers nodded gently he obeyed. Still, back turned or not, he could hear noises. And the noises suggested that Misao was being held tightly and searched thoroughly. At first the sounds were al negative murmurs. â€Å"Huh-uh†¦huh-uh†¦huh-uh†¦huh- oops!†There was a rattle of metal on wood. Matt only turned when Elena said, â€Å"Okay, you can look. It was in her front pocket.†She added to Misao, who was looking as if she might faint, â€Å"We didn't want to have to hold you and search you. But this key – where in heaven's name did you get keys like this, anyway?† A pink spot showed on Misao's cheeks. â€Å"Heaven is right. They're the only two left of the Master Keys – and they belong to Shinichi and me. I figured out how to steal them from the Celestial Court. That was†¦a long time ago.† At that moment they heard a car on the road – Stefan's Porsche. In the dead silence that fol owed, they could also see the car through Stefan's window as it swung into the driveway. â€Å"No one goes down,†Elena said tersely. â€Å"No one invites him in.† Meredith shot her a keen glance. â€Å"Shinichi could have tunneled out like a mole by now. And he's already been invited in.† â€Å"My fault for not warning you al – but anyway, if it is Shinichi and he's done anything to hurt Stefan he's going to see me when I'm angry. The words Wings of Destruction just popped into my head and something inside me wants to say them.† There was a chil in the room. No one met Stefan, but in a moment they could al hear running footsteps. Stefan appeared at his door, burst through, and found himself confronted with a row of people al looking at him suspiciously. â€Å"What the hell is going on?†he demanded, staring at Misao, who was being held up between Meredith and Matt. â€Å"Misao – â€Å" Elena took two steps toward him – and wound herself around him, drawing him into a deep kiss. For a moment he resisted, but then, bit by bit, his opposition col apsed despite the roomful of observers. When Elena final y let go, she just leaned against Stefan, breathing hard. The others were al crimson with embarrassment. Stefan, flushed as he was, held her tightly. â€Å"I'm sorry,†Elena whispered. â€Å"But you've already ‘come home'twice. First, it was Shinichi and we locked him in the root cel ar. Then it was her.†She pointed, without looking, toward the cowering Misao. â€Å"I didn't know how to make sure that Shinichi hadn't escaped somehow – â€Å" â€Å"And you're sure now?† â€Å"Oh, yes. I recognize you. You're always ready to let me in.† Matt realized that she was shaking and quickly stood up so she could sit, for at least a minute or two, in peace. The peace lasted less than a minute. â€Å"I want my star bal !†Misao cried. â€Å"I need to put Power in it or I'l go on weakening – and then you'l have murdered me.† â€Å"Go on weakening? Is the liquid evaporating out of the star bal or something?†Meredith asked. Matt was thinking about what he'd seen on his home block before the Ridgemont sheriffs had got him. â€Å"You've gathered Power to put in it?†he asked mildly. â€Å"Power from yesterday, maybe?† â€Å"Power from ever since you took it. But it isn't joined with†¦ me. With my star bal . It's mine, but not yet.† â€Å"Like maybe some Power from making Cole Reece eat his guinea pig while it was alive? From making kids burn down their own houses?†Matt's voice was gravel y. â€Å"What does it matter?†Misao retorted sul enly. â€Å"It's mine. They were my ideas, not yours. You can't keep me away – â€Å" â€Å"Meredith, keep me away from her. I've known that kid Cole since he was born. I'l always have nightmares†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Misao perked up like a wilting plant getting water. â€Å"Have nightmares, have nightmares,†she whispered. There was a silence. Then Meredith said, careful y and expressionlessly, as if she were thinking of the stave, â€Å"You're a nasty little thing, aren't you? Is that your food? Bad memories, nightmares, fear of the future?† Misao was plainly stumped. She couldn't see the catch. It was like asking a regular hungry teenager â€Å"How about some pizza and a Coke? Is that what you want?†Misao couldn't even see that her appetites were wrong, so she couldn't lie. â€Å"You were right before,†Stefan said forceful y. â€Å"We have your star bal . The only way to make us give it back would be to do something for us. We're supposed to be able to control you anyway because we have it – â€Å" â€Å"Old-ways thinking. Obsolete,†Misao growled. There was a dead silence. Matt felt his stomach plummet. They had been betting on â€Å"old-ways thinking†al along. To get Shinichi's star bal by making Misao tel them where it was. Their ultimate goal had been to control Shinichi using his star bal . â€Å"You don't understand,†Misao said, pitiful y and yet angrily at the same time. â€Å"My brother wil help me fil my star bal again. But what we did in this town – it was an order, not just for fun.† â€Å"Could'a fooled me,†Elena murmured, but Stefan's head jerked up and he said, â€Å"An order? From who?† â€Å"I†¦don't†¦know!† Misao screamed. â€Å"Shinichi gets the orders. Then he tel s me what to do. But whoever it is should be happy by now. The town is almost destroyed. He ought to give me some help here!†She glared at the group, and they stared back. Without knowing that he was going to say it, Matt said, â€Å"Let's put her in the root cel ar with Shinichi. I've got this feeling that we might al be sleeping in the storage room tonight.†

Master of Business Administration Essay

Pricing policy refers to the policy of setting the price of the product or products and services by the management after taking into account of various internal and external factors, forces and its own business objectives. Pricing Policy basically depends on price theory that is the corner stone of economic theory. Pricing is considered as one of the basic and central problems of economic theory in a modern economy. Fixing prices are the most important aspect of managerial decision making because market price charged by the company affects the present and future production plans, pattern of distribution, nature of marketing etc. Generally speaking, in economic theory, we take into account of only two parties, i. e. , buyers and sellers while fixing the prices. However, in practice many parties are associated with pricing of a product. They are rival competitors, potential rivals, middlemen, wholesalers, retailers, commission agents and above all the Govt. Hence, we should give due consideration to the influence exerted by these parties in the process of price determination. Broadly speaking, the various factors and forces that affect the price are divided into two categories. They are as follows: I External Factors (Outside factors) 1. Demand, supply and their determinants. 2. Elasticity of demand and supply. 3. Degree of competition in the market. 4. Size of the market. 5. Good will, name, fame and reputation of a firm in the market. 6. Trends in the market. 7. Purchasing power of the buyers. 8. Bargaining power of customers 9. Buyers behavior in respect of particular product II. Internal Factors (Inside Factors) 1. Objectives of the firm. 2. Production Costs. 3. Quality of the product and its characteristics. 4. Scale of production. 5. Efficient management of resources. 6. Policy towards percentage of profits and dividend distribution. 7. Advertising and sales promotion policies. 8. Wage policy and sales turn over policy etc. 9. The stages of the product on the product life cycle. 10. Use pattern of the product. Objectives of the Price Policy: A firm has multiple objectives today. In spite of several objectives, the ultimate aim of every business concern is to maximize its profits. This is possible when the returns exceed costs. In this context, setting an ideal price for a product assumes greater importance. Pricing objectives has to be established by top management to ensure not only that the company’s profitability is adequate but also that pricing is complementary to the total strategy of the organization. While formulating the pricing policy, a firm has to consider various economic, social, political and other factors. The Following objectives are to be considered while fixing the prices of the product. 1. Profit maximization in the short term The primary objective of the firm is to maximize its profits. Pricing policy as an instrument to achieve this objective should be formulated in such a way as to maximize the sales revenue and profit. Maximum profit refers to the highest possible of profit. In the short run, a firm not only should be able to recover its total costs, but also should get excess revenue over costs. This will build the morale of the firm and instill the spirit of confidence in its operations. 2. Profit optimization in the long run The traditional profit maximization hypothesis may not prove beneficial in the long run. With the sole motive of profit making a firm may resort to several kinds of unethical practices like charging exorbitant prices, follow Monopoly Trade Practices (MTP), Restrictive Trade Practices (RTP) and Unfair Trade Practices (UTP) etc. This may lead to opposition from the people. In order to over- come these evils, a firm instead of profit maximization, and aims at profit optimization. Optimum profit refers to the most ideal or desirable level of profit. Hence, earning the most reasonable or optimum profit has become a part and parcel of a sound pricing policy of a firm in recent years. 3. Price Stabilization Price stabilization over a period of time is another objective. The prices as far as possible should not fluctuate too often. Price instability creates uncertain atmosphere in business circles. Sales plan becomes difficult under such circumstances. Hence, price stability is one of the pre requisite conditions for steady and persistent growth of a firm. A stable price policy only can win the confidence of customers and may add to the good will of the concern. It builds up the reputation and image of the firm. 4. Facing competitive situation One of the objectives of the pricing policy is to face the competitive situations in the market. In many cases, this policy has been merely influenced by the market share psychology. Wherever companies are aware of specific competitive products, they try to match the prices of their products with those of their rivals to expand the volume of their business. Most of the firms are not merely interested in meeting competition but are keen to prevent it. Hence, a firm is always busy with its counter business strategy. 5. Maintenance of market share Market share refers to the share of a firm’s sales of a particular product in the total sales of all firms in the market. The economic strength and success of a firm is measured in terms of its market share. In a competitive world, each firm makes a successful attempt to expand its market share. If it is impossible, it has to maintain its existing market share. Any decline in market share is a symptom of the poor performance of a firm. Hence, the pricing policy has to assist a firm to maintain its market share at any cost. Ques2. Explain the important features of long run AC curve. Ans: Long run AC curves Long run is defined as a period of time where adjustments to changed conditions are complete. It is actually a period during which the quantities of all factors, variable as well as fixed factors can be adjusted. Hence, there are no fixed costs in the long run. In the short run, a firm has to carry on its production within the existing plant capacity, but in the long run it is not tied up to a particular plant capacity. If demand for the product increases, it can expand output by enlarging its plant capacity. It can construct new buildings or hire them, install new machines, employ administrative and other permanent staff. It can make use of the existing as well as new staff in the most efficient way and there is lot of scope for making indivisible factors to become divisible factors. On the other hand, if demand for the product declines, a firm can cut down its production permanently. The size of the plant can also be reduced and other expenditure can be minimized. Hence, production cost comes down to a greater extent in the long run. As all costs are variable in the long run, the total of these costs is total cost of production. Hence, the distinction between fixed and variables costs in the total cost of production will disappear in the long run. In the long run only the average total cost is important and considered in taking long term output decisions. Important features of long run AC curve 1. Tangent curve Different SAC curves represent different operational capacities of different plants in the short run. LAC curve is locus of all these points of tangency. The SAC curve can never cut a LAC curve though they are tangential to each other. This implies that for any given level of output, no SAC curve can ever be below the LAC curve. Hence, SAC cannot be lower than the LAC in the ling run. Thus, LAC curve is tangential to various SAC curves. 2. Envelope curve It is known as Envelope curve because it envelopes a group of SAC curves appropriate to different levels of output. 3. Flatter Unshaped or dish-shaped curve. The LAC curve is also U shaped or dish shaped cost curve. But It is less pronounced and much flatter in nature. LAC gradually falls and rises due to economies and diseconomies of scale. 4. Planning curve. The LAC cure is described as the Planning Curve of the firm because it represents the least cost of producing each possible level of output. This helps in producing optimum level of output at the minimum LAC. This is possible when the entrepreneur is selecting the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size where the minimum point of SAC is tangent to the minimum point of LAC. . Minimum point of LAC curve should be always lower than the minimum point of SAC curve. This is because LAC can never be higher than SAC or SAC can never be lower than LAC. The LAC curve will touch the optimum plant SAC curve at its minimum point. A rational entrepreneur would select the optimum scale plant. Optimum scale plant is that size at which SAC is tangent to LAC, such that both the curves h ave the minimum point of tangency. In the diagram, OM2 is regarded as the optimum scale of output, as it has the least per unit cost. At OM2 output LAC = SAC.

Justification For The 9/11 Attacks Essay Example for Free (#911)

Justification For The 9/11 Attacks Essay ? The United States of America is a country, which has a free-market economy, freedom of expression for its citizens and the most influential power structure in the world. According to the CIA Fact Book (2009), â€Å"It is a country that has an average per capita GDP of $48,000 and population of around 307,212,123. America is a country, which is home to Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and atheists a like†. All of the above are the reasons for the attack on United States of America on September 11th 2001. According to Crenshaw (2003), â€Å"When the new kid in class wants to become popular, he can either be friends with the already popular guy who is strong, smart and captain of the football team, or he can pick on him and try to replace him† (P. 20). That is the psyche of the terrorists who attacked America. From the point of Al-Qaeda, it makes perfect sense to attack America because Saudi Arabia, Egypt and any other region they wanted to operate in became an ally of America. The terrorists could not operate in a state which was sharing intelligence with America, or who could foil their plans. After running from one country to another, Osama Bin Laden finds refuge in Afghanistan and uses one of America’s strengths against itself. The strength known as the free media is used to declare an open war against United States of America, and then America’s freedom is used for their own heinous agenda to carry out the attacks. In the path of world domination, the terrorists chose to attack the most leading state and come under the limelight. According to Abdullah (2003), â€Å"Their attack did not end on 9/11, but their implantation of fear in the hearts of people across the world began as a consequence of the attacks aftermath†. If you choose to believe that America could have prevented these attacks by choosing not to form allies with the chosen Middle Eastern countries, then you must also realize that could have served a major blow to America’s economy and foreign affairs. Even if America has allies in the Muslim world for global interests, it does not mean that America should become a target of terrorism. Organizations like Al-Qaeda have the ability to convert an average citizen into a extremist through their brainwashing techniques, creating hatred and blame for the Americans. This war cannot be won through infantry and missiles; this war can be won through diplomacy and open talks about foreign policy. Even if the prior bombing attacks were prevented, another set of attacks would have taken place. Suicide bombers are not apparent, these are men and women who are out to kill as much and give their life while doing it. These are people with a fatal death wish that can take hundreds of lives with them. We need to understand the reason behind this behavior; these people are coming from countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon and countries, which are underdeveloped. Their governments cannot even provide the citizens with basic health insurance, education, clean water and even electricity at times. With conditions such as these, people are easier to make to believe in a purpose, which may be as irrational as suicide bombing, to attain the fruits of afterlife. Even if that is the case, that the American government could not prevent this attack because the enemy was so committed to make a statement by recruiting attackers through brainwashing people who at times were citizens of America. Even if this war is not biological, nuclear or any of such kind, yet its psychological. Still, the doubt remains that American government could still detect the sense of anti-American propaganda spreading in the world and if it did detect it, why did it not take measures to control or counter it? The American government could have carried out a campaign to insure that it would not seem unreasonable or offensive to the Muslim world. According to Adherents (2009), The Muslim community consists of over 1. 5 billion, which is over 21% of the population of the world. Thus, it is imperative that they should have been taken into consideration before making decisions such as the openly denying of the Palestine peace treaty and forming allies with Saudi Arab even though majority of the terrorists attackers in the past and of even 9/11 were Saudis. United Sates of America must realize that it couldn’t have prevented the 9/11 attacks, but it can try to take a different approach with its foreign and national policies because the present track has not proven to be affective. Therefore, America has to realize that it is in a position of power as the world leader and with that power has received some unwanted enemies who wish to take that power from the country. In order to win this war and not let this power go into the wrong hands, America must fight along side the rest of the world. Crenshaw, M. (2003). Why America is the Primary Target? Terrorism As A Globalized Civil War. New york: Longman. Middle East Review of International Affairs. (MERIA). (December 04 2003). Causes of anti-Americanism in the Arab world: a socio-political perspective by Abdel Mahdi Abdullah. Retrieved 05th June 2009. From http://meria. idc. ac. il/journal/2003/issue4/jv7n4a6. html Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). 06th June 2009. Fact Book. Retrieved June 06th 2009. from Justification For The 9/11 Attacks. (2017, Feb 23).

How Enterprise Application Integration Competes with ERPs Research Paper

How Enterprise Application Integration Competes with ERPs - Research Paper Example As a result, the competition among businesses has augmented and organizations are putting their attention on supply chain synchronization and management to improve their corporate performance. On the other hand, for many years, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems have been used for managing supply chain operations. In addition, the boundaries of ERP systems on integrated systems have directed organizations to look for innovative business management techniques to put together their systems as well as supply chains (Themistocleous, Irani, & Love, 2002). This paper presents a detailed analysis of enterprise application integration. The basic aim of this research is to show how EAI competes with Enterprise Resource Planning. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) EAI (Enterprise application integration) is the way of integrating two or more tools or systems in order to allow them to work as one. In this scenario, EAI includes hardware, software and services. However, enterprise application integration systems are utilized to put together contrary systems, like that an older technology based system in which a huge investment has previously been made (it is usually known as legacy system) and a latest business application, like that customer resource management (CRM) system; in a particular business. Moreover, the enterprise application integration systems are implemented with growing rate to put together the corporate systems of a variety of businesses to allow business dealings among companies to take place electronically (Themistocleous, Irani, & Love, 2002; HostIP, 2012). EAIs and ERPs The need for implementing EAI arose in the 1980s when a lot of business organizations that had until that time implemented information technology (IT) to computerize a variety of company procedures began to assume that the incorporation of these business management applications could, along with other things, augment competence and build accuracy inside company procedures. In this scenario, many IT managers tried to redesign previously implemented business management systems and applications in order to build them as if they were integrated. Instances of these endeavors comprise attempting to carry out operational transaction processing (linked with enterprise resource planning system working and operations) on systems for informational data handling and processing. On the other hand, the enterprise resource planning systems, which included the functions of human resource management, accounting, manufacturing, distribution and other back-end operations or business dealings that do not openly engage clients, grew in reputation all through 1990s when the majority of large size corporations began modernizing their mainframe systems with the latest client/server based ERP systems such as People-Soft Inc., SAP AG, and J.D. Edwards & Co. However, to make these business management systems well-matched with their legacy systems, businesses turned to enterpri se application integration vendors for integration solutions (Themistocleous, Irani, & Love, 2002; HostIP, 2012; PeterIndia, 2012; MuleSoft Inc., 2012). Insufficient Nature of ERP Systems Managing supply chains and organization’s requirements to incorporate their applications on enterprise and cross-enterprise level is one of the complex jobs. However, for the incorporation of external and internal business tasks, companies are carrying-on