Norms and Values of the Victorian Age in relation to Women

 The Victorian age presented norms and values in a way that was distinguished by focusing on how different social classes and people from different races, religions and genders acted. A feeling of difference and otherness was usually created when people tried to move from their social classes, racial category, gender or any other classification as this was regarded in society as being detachment for their belonging and identity. The writings of Emily Bronte showed great effect of such ideas and this is clear in her masterpiece Wuthering Heights as she presented this via her characters Heathcliff and Catherine. The current paper is discussing how the author presented different views of human characters than those stereotypes of the Victorian age in a challenge that shoed parts of the society at that time and inner feelings of human characters. 

A group of shibboleths were found in the nineteenth century as they included the social class of people, gender and race. In that age there was a dominant patriarchal thinking that was prevailing among people, it was the idea of giving freedom to men only and not women, deprive women from their independency and education, making men stronger in all fields and making women inferior to all men in all areas of life. (Srayisah, 2017) The English people also had a superiority feeling at that time over all races so the novel presents this through the English people look at Heathcliff as being not English and refused called a dark-skinned gypsy. This was also applied in religion as people saw Christianity to be the superior religion over all different religions. Class conflicts and differences were also features of the Victorian age, there were middle, working and high classes and that high rich class was seen to be the most superior of all. This made people to be known and referred to according to the class, gender or religion they are belonging to.

In Wuthering Heights, the author Emily Bronte is presenting a model of challenge to the society concepts at that time related to differentiation of people based on social class, race, religion and gender. She tried to focus on the phenomenon of social class, religion, race or role displacement to a different one, this can be clear from the words: — "But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire [...]" (Chapter 1: p.15). This can be regarded in the main characters of the novel Catherine and Heathcliff who are grown up together and each belongs to a different social and racial level as Heathcliff that orphan black boy was brought up in the same house with Catherine that Victorian girl who belongs to a family of the middle class but with good origins and is just set to a certain role for a female at that age. Neither Heathcliff  nor Catherine accepted the inferiority supposed on them by society and they rejected both their limited roles, Heathcliff rejected being a poor local class child and Catherine rejected the girl's trivial limited role. (Althubaiti, 2015)

The society displaced each of Heathcliff and Catherine in a separated area and level as for example, Heathcliff was first displaced when Mr. Earnshaw adopted him and raised him in Wuthering Heights and he has no known origins but to be seen as a gypsy- Mr. Earnshaw introduces him to the family by referring to him to be "as dark almost as if it came from the devil" (Chapter4.p.45), here he is racially displaced by that English family that saw him as a frightening creature, this was clear in the first impression of Catherine and Hindely to see him:  "And I pray that he may break your neck: take him, and he damned, you beggarly interloper! and wheedle my father out of all he has: only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan." (5.65) Then the displacement completed by the good treatment of Mr. Earnshaw to Heathcliff and that he preferred him on his son as this made Heathcliff put himself in a higher rank than Hindely while the social fact is that Hindely is the superior British gentleman and this caused a conflict in Heathcliff character.  (Yang, 2012) Another displacement that was completely different was made by Catherine as she opposes the female role that was assigned to her and went with Heathcliff in male qualities and activities, she was displaced by conditions to live and be raised with Heathcliff to be acting through masculine qualities as a strong girl who is well educated, she enjoyed practicing masculine activities that gave her freedom and happiness. She was also displaced by the marriage to Edgar Linton that Heathcliff saw as a rejection to him and this also displaced him to be another person and a rich man. (Leung, 2008)

A feeling of "otherness was found to grow in the souls and minds of both Catherine and Heathcliff  towards the society they live in. The maltreatment of Hindely to Heathcliff urged him to develop himself and turn to be a rich man who is strong enough to master others and end his inferiority in that society. This lead him to pull Hindley to gambling and to inherit Wuthering Heights, he also played a role of love on Isabella who eloped with him to have a son who helped him by tricks to marry young Catherine and to maintain Thrushcross Grang too-"Heathcliff, -Mr. Heathcliff  I should say in future- used the liberty of visiting at Thrushcross Grang cautiously, at first he seemed estimating how far its owner would bear his intrusion. "(Chapter 10: p.82). Catherine Earnshaw has a different role when they learned her to act and wear as a lady of the high class with its different dressing and acting codes, prestige activities and behaviors while she at the same time didn't get rid of all her masculine qualities that added power sense on her character. (Muller, 2012) Edgar was not strong enough in front of her and he tried to please her by any way, "at every meal, Edgar was ready to choke for her absence and pride alone held him from running to cast himself under her feet." (Chapter 12: p100) 

Death yet was the last end for each of Heathcliff and Catherine who although succeeded in the defiance they wanted, they couldn't live together.  The fortune that was made by Heathcliff and let him enter the high class society didn't even satisfy his needs and desires, he worked hard to get the two houses but this didn't give him what he really wanted, Catherine's love. "Is it not sufficient for your infernal selfishness, that while you are at peace I shall writhe in the torments of hell?" (15.28) He feels that he made great efforts to destroy them but didn't get relaxed or happy, his tries and wars to defeat Hindley and get the house didn't satisfy him as he saw it meaningless as Hindley and Catherine died before seeing him do that, perhaps he wished to tell Catherine and Hindley that he is stronger than the class they belong to and that he was able to be owner of all he was deprived from- "Are you possessed with a devil?" he pursued savagely "to talk in that manner to me when you are dying? Do you reflect that all those words will be branded in my memory, and eating deeper eternally after you have left me? You know you lie to say I have killed you." He sees that when Catherine dies she betrays him, she lies there underground in peace and he is tortured with love and depriving from her. The death of Catherine made him weak enough to leave his agony, he returns to be that young child who doesn't need anything from life but to have funny times with Catherine away from people with their racial judgments and views, this raises their moral to join together away from the society "otherness" and displacement based on differences of race, gender and origins. Then the death of Heathcliff gives the answer to all his conflicts as it ends and tells the reader that all human confinement for natural feelings is ended by nature death when love only stays in Hareton and young Catherine . (Asl and Iran, 2013)   

In conclusion, it is important to refer to the strong impact that Wuthering Heights left over readers from all over the world as it is a message to humanity against racism and differentiation, the author presented two main characters that were distinguished by their fights against self-desires, social stigma and love. The novel presented the issue of Victorian age and how the main protagonists of the story faced otherness and displacements beginning from their childhood till they die. Heathcliff conflict to be orphan, gypsy without money or good social origin lead him to master the acts and get the most important things he could but this was in vain when Catherine died and left him defeated by his efforts, his death shows how far human conflicts may be ended when nature take roles and that love can continue.

References

1. Althubaiti, t. (2015). 'Race Discourse in Wuthering Heights.' European Scientific Journal. Vol11. No 8. https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/5265
2. Asl, M. Iran, T. (2012). 'Recurring patterns: Emile Bronte's Neurosis in Wuthering Heights.' International Journal of Education and Literary Studies.Vol2. No1.
3. Leung, W. (2008). ' Re-reading Edgar Linton and Wuthering Heights.' English: Journal of the English Association, Volume 57, Issue 217, 1 January 2008, Pages 4–38, https://doi.org/10.1093/english/efn007
4. Muller, J. (2012). 'Human Nature and Confinement in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.' Journal of STUDENT Research. http://www.jofsr.com/index.php/path/article/view/77/41
5. Srayisah, M. (2017). 'Victorian Women in Literature.' http://cis01.central.ucv.ro/revistadestiintepolitice/files/numarul54_2017/12.pdf
6. Yang, C. (2012). ' A Deleuzian Reading of Wuthering Heights: The Micropolitics of Minorization.' Arts and Social Sciences Journal, Vol. 2012: ASSJ-44 1 http://astonjournals.com/manuscripts/Vol2012/ASSJ-44_Vol2012.pdf

 

 

IKEA Business Functions and Innovation

 IKEA is  considered as one of the most innovative  company  in the field  of furniture industry  all over the world   because  it have great capability  to provide  new ideas , new designs   that add new  values for the consumers   in order to develop the sales  and profitability  . the innovation  in the  IKEA  company  is not limited to  specific department  in the firm but its innovation  is  in all process  in products and strategies as the company depend on producing modern architectural designs, it seek to perform product development in continuous way , and have  great capability to perform cost control. IKEA depends on  innovation designers from different areas  in the world  in order to support  the design innovation  to develop the quality  and wonderful  designs. For example ;  IKEA  has innovated trash bins that measure food waste with specially built  digitalized  or automated scales

B-

There are four business functions ( operations , human resources management  , accounting and finance , and marketing ) that support the performance and productivity of IKEA.  No doubt that there is important role is  played  by the business functions  in IKEA  because  the  Business functions can enable  IKEA  to innovate in many way  in order to be unique .  Each function  from these  functions perform good part  in  providing  a creative solutions to  the  different  problems that face IKEA  during the different activities .  Business functions assists the IKEA  to offer new and  fresh ideas for the managers  in order to enable them to solve the issues  that face the company  and beat the different challenges  in the processes.  The space is opened  by Business Functions in the firm  for   good processes and thought  to appear , improve  and help in achieving the success for the company. Based on the innovation  in operations functions here ;  IKEA is capable of holding a huge stock as the items are stacked in flat way  by digital machines operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To order to render storage, handling and shipping more cost-effective, IKEA aims to use the cheapest products necessary to produce furniture without sacrificing quality. The innovation marketing ; IKEA is really effective at utilizing social networking. They share on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Pinterest promotion ,  discounts  on sales, updates, news and activities. They respond to their followers . Customers who use IKEA's VR technologies and test the kitchen and prepare it before they purchase it. Innovation in HRM; it promoted employee engagement , they depend on initiative of “life balance and diversity”. Innovation in accounting  ; The high quality of accounting information systems  in is IKEA an significant part of the high financial  performance , they digitalized all accounting process  by depending most innovative software.

Q2

A-

There  are three level of products  ; the core product, the actual product, and the augmented product. The core product of  HAMARVIK mattress is  considered the great benefits  that make the customer more satisfied because it  is designed from  generous layer of soft fillings that provide more  comfort, it is easy to carry . the  Actual product  here is high quality of mattress that we can touch it  and sense  with  a generous layer of soft fillings and Stretch fabric . The augmented product of HAMARVIK mattress is clear such as ; 25 year guarantee,  and  IKEA provide  high customer service   and after-sales service.

 

b-

Undifferentiated targeting relies on targeting wide range of clients , issuing restricted  numbers of products , using all potential  channels  to sell products, and relies on mass media to promote . Concentrated targeting strategy depend   on targeting one defined customer segment , using one product to them, relying on all plausible  media to sell and promote the product, and depending  on one price. The differentiated marketing  depend  on targeting two or more of client segments , imposing  various prices to various segments of clients, relying on all appropriate  distribution channels  that varies  by segment to sell product, and depending on all appropriate media which vary by segment to promote. Customized strategy  is  considered One-to-one marketing, always in a integration with a segment strategy

The case of IKEA, IKEA can use Undifferentiated marketing strategy. IKEA is targeting wide range of client all over the world, producing different products under the brand name “IKEA” such as Kitchenware & tableware, Rugs, mats & flooring,. IKEA also relies on all potential distribution channels all over the world such as in Kuwait. Its promotion depend on mass media such as  TV, radio . Price of IKEA  is considered as one popular price range.   

Q3

1-

The segmentation  strategy of IKEA consist of many customers segments such as  ;  middle class clients  ,  people who prefer modern furniture  & accessories , colorful&  novel items . its  targeting  consist of  ; seeking to attracting persons in ages  , sex ,  place,  as  it target all the consumer who have the common desire  that is  preferring  simplicity  , functionality , and high quality  . it also target people who are single  and have high income  or couples who want to marry .

2-

Positioning is arranging for a product to take and hold a obvious, characteristic, and preferable place if it is matched  with products of competitors in the minds of target clients. Positioning is related with marketing because  marketing  mix is mean that issued by marketers  in order to achieve the common  goals  of drawing good picture in the minds of customers

 

3-

The innovation in IKEA’s products is too risks  and costly , but it is needed to satisfy the needs of consumers . the operations  management  in   IKEA applied  innovation  in the  actual product level   in order to satisfy the sense of the customers  when  the customer test  and touch  the product . so,  there  is no innovation in the  core  product level . they depend on producing new styles  and adding new product   and this issue leaded to increase the products  portfolio  in IKEA to suit with all needs and desires of consumers . IKEA depends on innovation in design to supply customer and shops only with good quality and stunning products. It has developed cost-effective and innovative methods to meet the price and quality expectations of people. They are able to produce a range of items by having their own team of professionals, who will collaborate along with certain designs that will improvise their consumer demands such as designing new styles  sofas , armchairs, and storage furniture. Place; the Marketers of IKEA cooperate efficiently with the operations managers to make certain about enough quantities, suitable outlets and plausible delivery expenses . it have  international  huge distribution network as it have about  340 stores  in  28 nations  , its strategy depend on  having stores  in crowded areas  in the towns  in order to access to customers in simple way  . it has  applied the E-commerce model in about  14 nations  . Price  ; IKEA depend  on cost –based pricing as it matches prices with quality of product . the shipping costs  is reduced because  it depend on flat packing . its product is not costly but it is not cheap either. Promotion;   they depend on TV, print, online ads, billboards ,social media . people  ; it interest  in its people ,whether  customers  or employees . there  is no  discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity and religion. Processes  ; It comprises of 44 production units in 10 nations. By owning sawmills, IKEA manufactures its own wood and quality furnishings. It embraces the motto of a healthy world and buys  its materials from 1,800 products from suppliers, supplies the final product in pieces to be installed by clients that saves money. Physical evidence  ; In about 50 nations, IKEA has more than 350 outlets. IKEA's immense store layouts are physical proof they offer greater than a shopping experience. it provides wide area for parking. These good marketing mix here leaded to  drawing  good picture  about IKEA and  contribute  in brand positioning.

 

Bus310 A Ford case study

 

Q1

Ford is one of the most successful automobile companies internationally. It has main effective keys that it relies on in its industry environment which helped it become at high competitiveness globally.

The company's owners and leaders have enough skills and experiences that make them able to manage the business effectively as the HR managers are highly qualified to recruit effective employees who have the qualifications needed for achieving the organization's goals. An example is Allan Mulally who is the company's chief executive officer who was assigned in 2006 based on the leadership skills he masters and his method in applying the company's culture to maintain the competitive advantage of the company on the global level. Alan Mulally tried to make the company earn higher profits and be more successful through innovative vision called: "ONE Ford." That is based on coordinating between the different departments and sectors in the company. This vision is based on supporting the organization's consistency and coordinating between different divisions in Ford, this makes the HR department able to work in a cooperatively team one team work according to one strategy that aims at achieving one target. He was able to make a plan for using the knowledge of the company about automation and present new innovative cars for the market. He wished to combine all the company's asset in one unit for raising the business level and as a result its revenues and profits and innovate new products for satisfying customers and meeting their needs. He then made different transformations and altering in the company's structure and procedures to improve performance and cutting down jobs to provide new trends and processes. This is made by encouraging the engineers and designers to innovate and provide creative models for cars that can cope with the latest trends and attitudes of customers so as to combine value with trends in addition to saving fuels and presenting creative car designs. (Ally, 2019)   

There are four main factors comprising the general environment which are the political, social, technological and economics. The Political factor depends on the laws and legal situations in different markets the company is dealing with and how far the company can deal with laws legally and face challenges such as the differences in law between China and the USA as there are policies for being eco-friendly and avoiding pollution. The social factor depends on the different social fields that are dealing with the company as the CEO affected them largely when he was assigned in the company, social factor refers also to the different needs of customers based on their social levels that vary. Technological factor relates to the levels of technology the company is following and updating to meet the current revolution in technology and the challenges face the international market and different electric-vehicles and Hybrid ones. The economic factor relates to the economic flourishing or decline around the world, prices of oil, prices of metals and other different materials that are used in manufacturing cars. (Ford,2016).

There were challenges in 2009 in companies of cars such as Chrysler and General Motors as they were filed as being insolvency but the Ford company faced the government and had a loan debt by it. There are companies such as Jaguar, Aston, Volvo and Aston Martin that were sold and couldn't face challenges. Sever competition was faced by Ford and this made it in need to make a balance between value and price to boost other rivals. Mercury was closed too. This made competition higher and more serious between cars companies such as Chrysler and General Motors. New entrants threat became lower as a result of the needed sum of capital for having car companies and this made competition stronger because it was among Ford and great companies. The threat of substitute is low too as a result of global market requirements such as the low request for large autos and the different variety of options presented in the market for customers. Rise in prices of gas made it necessary to have cars that are valuable in using oils and petrol which made the need for fuel-efficient cars rather than luxury cars. These reasons made the company focus on trying to satisfy the customers and provide them many benefits that they can make use of and be attracted to the cars the company innovated. This can be effective in facing the great changes in the market and penetrate it with its developed techniques.

Q2

Speaking about the field of auto industry, there are many resources and different vital assets can help a lot in achieving the organization general goal in which they can play a vital role that help the organization  to stand among other organizations and companies in both the national and international market in order to meet all needs of the market customers. This helps in competiveness between different organizations. The logo of ford has made a great vital reputation among other companies in the international market, that is due to the great effort done over many years. When customers sea the ford logo, they directly feel respect and trust all over the world. presumably that the initiative aptitudes of the officials has powerful influence in achievement of the organization, for example, arrangement of CEO like Alan Mulally who has made a vital role for the organization to hold the main situation in 2006 subsequent to revamping new culture of the organization . The fundamental driver of Ford organization was to create tasks on a consistent premise through numerous issues, for example, ; building up the connection among PC system and assembling; the PC sequencing of cuts and things; improving proposals for effective calculated conveyance; incessantly exploiting activities that are made to create generation.

There is no doubt that engaging the representatives inside passage organization is viewed as one of the most important vital manageable variables that effect on the intensity of the organization in long haul. And to accomplish high performing association, there was compelling organization between organization, workers and associations. This made a great role that leaded to strengthen The learning and information between all levels in the organization . The organization rely upon viable projects of preparing and improvements so as to build up the aptitude of the representatives. The activities in the passage organization are worked in the portage in coordinated and one group premise.

The CEO has evacuated the layers of organization. Rudiments of strengthening incorporated with advancement in innovation have upheld the convergence of proficient information through the firm, this leaded to take care of numerous issues that confronted the organization and built up the profitability. The new technique that has been given was one portage that try to littler and progressively beneficial passage vehicle and make one group for one target. F-Series pickup automobiles have been structured by Ford's manufacturing plants and this upheld the upper hand of the organization. The administration become make extraordinary interests in developing possibilities, especially in zap, self-ruling cars, just as transportation administrations.

Most likely that the patterns of the new CEO "Mulally" is one passage that managed truth of the organization in auto advertise as they went to be the preferable rather over the greater as they wanted to deliver littler and progressively gainful Ford and needed to convey the consistency in all areas of activities in the organization and making the HR cooperating as one group toward one target and one plan . they "coordinated and utilized" the organization's advantages in various territories on the planet . they got working benefit at a lower size. They made basic and procedural adjusting in the passage firm and they upgraded the official announcing associations , shutting a few manufacturing plants, lessen the employments in the organization , and empower the originators through each R&D with tremendous spending plan by 4.5billion so as to react to the adjustments in the preferences and patterns in advances in the automobiles market and this leaded to deliver inventive cars like F-Series and Focus Electric vehicle. They plant use has been expanded by the administration of the organization and creation levels additionally have been boosted in each assembling unit. (Ford,2016). Ford  needs creation capacity in China and expanding its reality in these nations. The hard challenge in showcase where there are contenders that rely upon lean generation . there is failing to meet expectations regions and they haven't put resources into the future and this improve General Motors than portage in the last time frame .

Q3

Business competitiveness requires Ford to provide its clients with value for its goods and activities relate to the products, the company tries to find some certain features to be put in its products in order to meet the individual market needs. The company follows its "One Ford Plan" strategy that is its first business strategy applied by Mulally for confirming the business consistency all over the different branches and divisions of the company. The company tends to apply cooperation among its employees to work as one team who work according to certain goals and one vision to reach competitive advantage. This policy confirmed the company's brand against others in the market and the company wanted to apply its cost leadership strategy in order to reduce costs and raise value of the products to boost the market. The company also has a specific well-defined automotive knowledge added to making deep value of the company assets and different sources to meet the needs of clients.   

Making use of the resources of the company included using low cost resources brought from abroad in addition to applying new technologies and latest updates in the automotive field in order to present innovative ideas by the company's engineers and designers to reach higher levels of strategy such as empowering employees to be creative and provide the products with better suggestions they can innovate. This also included developing the performance of employees by training them and helping them do the right research to be used in manufacturing the cars. The company tried to make its factories and plants highly efficient to satisfy all stakeholders and raise profits at the same time. This included focusing on eco-friendly cars and new vehicles that run on electricity and other renewable sources of energy. (mainlandford, 2019) 

There are two main dimensions the company's corporate strategy is formed of which are the diversification strategy and the vertical integration. Past strategies Ford used included horizontal integration, forward and vertical ones. The company's horizontal integration lead to different acquisitions as Jaguar, Mazda and Mercury. The company also uses retrenchment as a successful strategy for reducing jobs in the company and stopping the work of factories. Diversification is applied by focusing on the extension in different global markets such as China and others. (Buckman,2009).

These strategies have provided Ford with assistance and support that helped in making it reach competitive advantage and be successful in the market as cost leadership enabled Ford to be a market leader in spite of the challenges the company faced such as the financial ones and enlarging the company factories and labs.

Global industry should be a focus for Ford to be stressed on as for example, the Chinese market is in need for being well entered in order to be satisfied. Diversification in strategies is effective in making the company able to choose and change from different strategies as being modernized is another strategy the company should focus on to penetrate markets such as China so future needs to be invested in by innovation and creativity.

References

1.     Ally, M. (2019). ' A critique of Ford’s CEO Alan Mulally’s Approach to Decision Making.' https://www.academia.edu/8284764/A_critique_of_Ford_s_CEO_Alan_Mulally_s_Approach_to_Decision_Making

2.     Buckman, J.. (2009). Ford Finds Its Way. Quality Progress, 42(6), 14-15, ABI/INFORM Global.

3.     Ford . (2016). Ford Corporate, visited in 8-11-2019;  http://corporate.ford.com/company.html

4.     Mainlandford, (2019). ' THE WAY FORWARD; FORD & ALAN MULALLY.' https://www.mainlandford.com/blog/the-way-forward/

5.     McKinsey, (2013). ' Leading in the 21st century: An interview with Ford’s Alan Mulally.' https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/leading-in-the-21st-century-an-interview-with-fords-alan-mulally Accessed in 8-11-2019

6.     Williams, B. (2010). ' Creating and Maintaining and Efficient "Buid Ford Tough" Learning Organization: The Evolution of Organizational Success.' https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266200360_Creating_and_Maintaining_and_Efficient_Buid_Ford_Tough_Learning_Organization_The_Evolution_of_Organizational_Success

 

 

 

Cultural encounters in literary works referring to William Trevor's "The Distant Past"

 

Introduction

Cultural encounters refer to the ways in which people and cultures interact and how cultures can be transformed by these ways. Different cultures may overlap and lead to conflicts. Cultural encounters are mainly interactions that occur between two groups or two peoples who use different social systems and this may cause sensitivity in issues related to religion, gender, race and social classes or any other relevant issues. The current paper is discussing ho cultural encounters are dealt with in literary works referring to William Trevor's "The Distant Past" and how the differences between different groups of people based on cultural differences can lead to different conflicts. (Schirmer, 2014)

Discussion       

Cultural encounter explains to people how past and modern different life styles can represent social customs as in "The Distant Past" William Trevor sheds light on cultural encounter between two categories of people who are the Catholics and the Protestants, the rural and the urban and the new generations and past generations. These differences based on cultural encounter cause much conflict in the story. "The Distant Past" discusses the Middleton's life and how the sister and the brother who come from an old family of the Protestant Irish group can live in the Catholic Area of Ireland. The story presents cultural encounter as how Catholic and Protestant can face each other as people living in one area where one culture dominates and how this can lead to cruelty and passive feelings and attitudes towards each other. The story also explains how people can cope with new ideas in a new society with different culture as the family kept their religion in spite of the cruel feelings. The story shows how this can affect the human from different areas such as external and internal ones referring to the society and nature as the experience of the Middletons related to their values of issues such as the past and the religion and that most conflicts ere external and some were internal referring to people's feelings and attitudes towards others. The story shows how the conflicts can fade as the Middletons were able to cope with local people as when violence grown is Northern Island, the Middletons face conflicts of ostracism from people who were formerly treating them as friends which tells how far the past affects the present. (Allen, 1993)

The author of the story is aware of the cultural encounter theme which can be clear in his way in presenting his characters as the names of the protagonists can explain that the characters are trying to avoid stressing their religion origin, this can be in this example:

"The Middletons of Carraveagh the family had once been known as, but now the brother and sister were just the Middletons.'' Page 4.

The author origins is Ireland which shows that he understands the issue well and discusses based on reality, he explains how society is having many barriers that stand against communication between peoples from two different cultures as the protagonists come Britain and are trying to work hard to live in Ireland. The author explains that the sibling found that their inheritance had reduced than the limit they had expected and their blame was on the woman and the new Irish government too. They were able to socialize with local people, sell their eggs and have good relationships with those folks but at the same time they couldn't have a good future in this place and when they grow up, they remained loyal to Britain and old hostilities with the local people declined in spite of all the difficulties they suffer, this shows that the author is well aware of the culture encounters in his own country. (Cengage Learning, 2020)

The main characters in the story who are the Middletons are aware of the cultural encounter and this is clear in the way they deal with people in the new society as they were in need to be marked by their cultural habits and features so they engaged in the society and people in the market and they tried to make friends and they were aware that this is very difficult but they needed to have respect in the society which they maintained. The characters had loyalty to the past as they lived in Carraveagh long time and their loyalty to the past is embodied in their arrogance towards the history and that they think the new regime will end but they were proved wrong by time. The father's mortgaged their house as he had a relation with the Catholic Dublin woman and spent the money on her and this made them blame her for the decline they had in life and here appears their feelings towards such culture and how it had passive effects on them. (Mortimer, 1984)

The Friday's visit to town highlights the theme of cultural encounter in “The Distant Past" These visits were for purchasing goods or for praying and they represent the town's changes in many areas such as the hotel, tourism and the grocery store and they also reflect the changes of people such as the desire of retirement the butcher has as he gets old and this also appears in the death of the dog of the Middleton after it grew old too as this death represents how friendship change throughout time and they were considered absurd, this can be clear in some points from the past such as the town youngsters and the new Bradshaw they considered silly, they also showed the differences between the old and modern generations and that the behaviors acceptance differs from time to time and this is apparent in the attitude of the Middleton in removing the symbols that refer to their expectations and temperament. (Cengage Learning, 2020)

The story contrasts tend to show cultural encounter such as focusing on differences between the past and present that show how new cultures emerged and that there are only certain times when cultural issues can be revived and that people change from having hostility against each other to be friends as time can change these feelings and attitudes which reflects the human nature and how it helps in making cultural encounter changes and make things change. Contrast is also apparent in the feelings the protagonist have towards others and themselves and the degree of tolerance they have, for example, this can be clear when Mr. Healy spoke about blowing up of the sub-post offices event and the reply of the Middleton was that they didn't want anything to be done with this event. (Allen, 1993)

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to refer to the importance of realizing the cultural encounters that cause differences in people's feelings and how they can change throughout time, the story of William Trevor "Distant of the Past" shows how cultural encounter can be apparent in the way people live and think of others' religion and characteristics based on social life and other measurements and that time can also be a factor of change of such cultural encounter.    

 

 

  

References

1.      Allen, B. (1993). 'Review: William Trevor and Other People's Worlds.' https://www.jstor.org/stable/27546670

2.      Cengage Learning. (2020). 'A Study Guide for William Trevor's "The Distant Past". Gale.

3.      Mortimer, M. (1984). 'The Short Stories of William Trevor.' https://www.persee.fr/doc/irlan_0183-973x_1984_num_9_1_2732

4.      Schirmer, G. (2014). 'William Trevor (Routledge Revivals): A Study of His Fiction.' Routledge.

 

Convergence Culture” of Henery Jenkins

 

Introduction

In his book “Convergence Culture”, Henery Jenkins addresses the life story as a form of narrative which he defines as many linguistic media oral, written image based or other different non verbal symbols. He mentioned that life stories and research on them occur across disciplines, it examines how these life stories creativity operate within the complex relationships that lie between these stories, lives and truths passing through different media and genres. In this paper, there will be a discussion of the grounds of Jenkins’s optimism supplied by a support to his views with the reasons behind it that are supplemented with examples from real life from the current digital age we live in. (Smith, 2019)

Creativity of Life Stories

Creativity has its critical impact in the lives of older people providing them with stimulation and giving sense of self worth. Through creativity, they can explore new endeavors, develop their sense of identity and help them better cope with the process of aging. Every one of them can tell his or her story of life and how creativity affected their life to learn new values and get involved to better life patterns and end up with having determined life stories. Older people may lose opportunities for growth, however, creativity and creative patterns of life can teach them much about themselves. Creative flow can produce better opportunities and enhanced expertise with greater psychological growth and transformation. Through it, the individual is capable of deepening his understanding of self and cultivates purposeful involvements. (Banks, 2019)

Life Stories and How They are Creative

According to Jenkins, the lived material of life gets shaped as narrative in life stories. In the sector of narrative psychology, we cannot find an individual’s life story on any kind of internet biography, giving the facts and events of life, rather, it is the way an individual integrates those facts and events internally and weave them back together to make a certain meaning. This narrative shall shape his identity in which everything he or she picks to include in the life story can reflect and shape who he or she is altogether. A life story does not only tell us what happened in someone’s everyday life, it, on the contrary, tells us why the events in this life were important, what they meant for that individual and who exactly he or she is. When we tell other people about ourselves, they tell our story in a narrative manner, this is how people communicate. But we think about our lives to ourselves in a narrative manner as well, we set a plot that leads us from one point to another. An old adage implies that everyone has a book inside his mind. Some people tend to write down in their diaries what occurs to them every day; nevertheless, researchers believe there is a large percent of people in the world who see their life as a story, and this is a common thing. These stories are not necessarily quite simple like fairy tales, the can have its own complications with lots of events going on in the environment surrounding people. (Beck, 2019)

According to researchers, narrative identity is constructed through the life development in adolescence and young adulthood. There is a relationship between the autobiographical reasoning and the psychological functioning of young adulthood. Young adults can construct life story narratives coded for the presence and valence of autobiographic reasoning, which is measured by the connections that lie between the events of life that are described in everyone’s self in negative, positive, neutral and mixed manner.( Fox, 1983)

Two Kinds of Stories to Tell About Ourselves

We all create our histories marked with highs and lows, and we share it to the world so we can shape our lives more meaningfully and purposely. Unlike any story we might have heard, our life does not follow a predefined path. Our experiences and identities are shifting constantly telling how we make sense of it. By taking these pieces of our lives and putting them together into a narrative we can create a unified whole which let us understand our lives coherently as a source of meaning. Researchers describe narrative identity as an internalized story we create about ourselves, as our own personal tailored myth. It contains heroes and villains like any myth who keep helping us or holding us back. Our life story is not an exhaustive history of everything that has happened, but we make the narrative choices ourselves. It focuses on the most extraordinary events, good and bad ones, because these experiences are what we need to make sense of and shape us therefore. (Medium, 2019)

How Media Affects Our Life Stories Path

Sometimes, it is hard to believe that it was only over a decade ago that our life was different from how we live now. Social media sites were available long before that but most people did not have access to them before that time. It is not just social media it is all kind of media that we encounter today and deal with, all of these media types have shaped our personality as we shaped it, we are the creator of it and they impacted our life and change how the story telling will be. On the one hand, businesses everywhere can now send their message to wider audience inside their countries and outside it. For small businesses they became capable of creating their own path in the marketplace which affected the life of people working in these companies and how they respond to different things around them. On the other hand, on social life, media has broken down the barriers when it comes to communication and provided different choices for contacting each other. Social media, for instance, made it easier to express ourselves and provided numerous ways for that not only with people we know but to the whole eternal world as well. It affected our character as it made it possible to track people down. To find older friends who we no longer meet which can open chances and opportunities in front of us in different ways. (Singer, 2013)

Amira and Media

This is time to tell an example of how media affected us so we became part of it, this is Amira, a middle aged woman who used to deal with direct contacts only at work or in social life. Few years ago, Amira had no idea about media and different tools it provide to us, then she met one of her old school friends who asked her to add her on her facebook account. Amira did not know anything about facebook until this time, she asked her friend to clarify what exactly she meant by adding on facebook. Her friend gave her a quick explanation and created an account for her. Now, Amira has a store on facebook where she sells cloths online. But if media has helped Amira financially, how can it change her life story? The answer lies here, Amira used to be a shy person, her life story was limited to those who are close to her, her family and friends, now she owns her business and she became open to different social opportunities, not just business opportunities, her character is changed, she became more social, she can talk with everyone fluently, with no shy, now she has more details to add to her life story compared to before she used the media.

Conclusion

According to Henery Jenkins, life story is a complex narrative and everyday truth, he says that as everyone was learning how to become a more active participant in the media environment, as more and more people were producing and circulating media themselves, they became part of a larger media landscape. We agree with him and we provided the support in this paper. We begin by focusing on life stories and creativity, it has its critical impact in the lives of older people providing them with stimulation and giving sense of self worth. Through creativity, they can explore new endeavors, develop their sense of identity and help them better cope with the process of aging. In the sector of narrative psychology, we cannot find an individual’s life story on any kind of internet biography, giving the facts and events of life, rather, it is the way an individual integrates those facts and events internally and weave them back together to make a certain meaning. According to researchers, narrative identity is constructed through the life development in adolescence and young adulthood. There is a relationship between the autobiographical reasoning and the psychological functioning of young adulthood. Then we discussed how media affects our life stories path either socially or in the field of business, how it shaped our personality. On the one hand, businesses everywhere can now send their message to wider audience inside their countries and outside it. On the other hand, on social life, media has broken down the barriers when it comes to communication and provided different choices for contacting each other. We provided an example of Amira who participated in the change of media and the media changed her life story as well eventually. (Smith, 2019)

 

References

1.     Banks, M. (2019). NARRATIVE IDENTITY: THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIFE STORY, AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL REASONING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING IN YOUNG ADULTHOOD. Victoria.

2.     Beck, J. (2019). The Story of Your Life. [online] The Atlantic. Available at: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/08/life-stories-narrative-psychology-redemption-mental-health/400796/ [Accessed 27 Sep. 2019].

3.     Fox, R. (1983). The past is always present: Creative methods for capturing the life story. Clinical Social Work Journal, 11(4), pp.368-378.

4.     Medium. (2019). Ways social media has changed our society. [online] Available at: https://medium.com/w-i-t/ways-social-media-has-changed-our-society-38fd4d3e5ce8 [Accessed 27 Sep. 2019].

5.     Singer, J., Blagov, P., Berry, M. and Oost, K. (2013). Self-Defining Memories, Scripts, and the Life Story: Narrative Identity in Personality and Psychotherapy. Journal of Personality, 81(6), pp.569-582.

6.     Smith, E. (2019). The two kinds of stories we tell about ourselves. [online] ideas.ted.com. Available at: https://ideas.ted.com/the-two-kinds-of-stories-we-tell-about-ourselves/ [Accessed 27 Sep. 2019].

The Victorian realist tradition as this can be clear in Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte, Conan Doyle's The sign of Four and The Beach of Falesa of Stevenson.

 

Introduction

The nineteenth century literary works presented an image of the Victorian realist tradition as this can be clear in Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte, Conan Doyle's The sign of Four and The Beach of Falesa of Stevenson. The three works depict brutal truths about reality of domestic life and social exclusion as well as dispossession as realist elements that reflect real issues. This is going to be discussed in the current paper referring to examples from the three texts. 

Discussion

Wuthering Heights can represent the convention of Victorian realism such as brutal truth of social life. Realistic elements were represented in the characters of the middle and lower classes such as the peasants and Earnshows and this can also be clear in the domestic subjects the novel presented as people relationships, conflicts and the socio economic factors that moved events from the childhood of the characters to the end of their lives, Heathcliff and Catherine were faced by these facts which prevented them from their love and from living with each other as social factors surrounded her life as a woman from a high class stopped her from her love and natural life she lived with Heathcliff and this led him to suffer his real nature as a brutal man who came from lower social class and this also turned him to take revenge from those who prevented him from his beloved. Realistic elements in Wuthering Heights were also represented in the family history chronology and the cultural geography that realistically particularized elements as place, time and culture against gothic fiction and fantasy in the novel. (Bronte, 2016)

Realistic elements can also be regarded in the novel's plot as although there is irrational access in forming the characters and the super-natural element role, the plot presents conflicts that are based on the cause and effect in some kind of a chain that form characters' decisions and choice in life as Catherine is seen turning from living as a natural girl who does all she loves with her friend Heathcliff to be a lady who follows rules of the high class society at that time, speaking a s a lady and dressing as a lady in spite of the fact that she loved to live naturally and this results in the realistic consequences that Heathcliff too turned his life from what he really loved to what could bring him in the high class society owning Wuthering heights and taking revenge from all who caused him suffer. (Islam, 2018) This can be seen in Nelly's words about how Catherine turned to be a lady to match realism of her social class:

"Catherine kept up her acquaintance with Lintons . . . she imposed unwittingly on the old lady and gentlemen."  (Ch VIII. Page, 3.)

The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle also represented some realistic ideas that were related to the Victorian age as the author tends to present Sherlock Holmes as a foil for that time shortage of the police forces that was a truth as this can be clear in the words of Mary Mortson when she told Holmes how the police wasn't able to find her father when he disappeared and this is also clear in the note of Thaddeus Sholto when he asked Mary not to bring the police and he states later that:

"There is nothing more unaesthetic than a policeman. I have a natural shrinking from all forms of rough materialism"(52).

This shows how the police is regarded as brutal and not helpful and provincial. Holmes also discerned that killers could escape by ways of the Thames and mistakes of the police as they mistake the culprit of Thaddeus Sholto. (Cooke, 2010)

Imperialism is also represented by Doyle in the Sign of the Four as a symbol for reality at that time. This can be apparent in the plot of the story as the story revolves the treasure of Agra and associates the East with the riches as the treasure in the story relates to Indian rajah and the plot suggests it relates to the British Empire as even Holmes didn't think of returning it to the original owner which reflects brutal truth of imperialism in Britain at that time. The story here represents reality of the British Empire which exploited the treasures and resources of India as its colony with no regard or consideration to the original people. (Oliver, 2016)

Stevenson’s ‘The Beach of Falesá' represents realism through the sea story that presents real South Sea character and real life details through romance and human life. Stevenson in that long story tried to follow realism as he portrayed the manners of people of many different social classes in the island society as it is considered a novel of manners, the author also tended to choose names as those in reality, names for people and names for ships although the island itself is a fictional one. The author tried to use all the real things and real experiences he had in sea in the story and thus he addresses British colonialism through making a confront between miscegenation and the taboos and referring to domestic elements such as gender and race picturing human nature through the natives having gullibility and superstition, presenting the traders with treachery and crudeness and the missionaries who are characterized with misguided zeal. Realism in the story also appears in Wiltshire characterization as he is rough and uneducated but at the same time has rudimentary decency and courage. Realism in the story is also presented in shedding the light of the Europeans' hypocrisy that is opposed by the islanders' honesty and simplicity which can make a conflict. (Buckton, 2007) The story also presents how the island bears many different people without problems as this is common:

"By this time we had come in view of the house of these three white men; for a negro is counted a white man, and so is a Chinese! a strange idea, but common in the islands." Page 4.

Conclusion

In conclusion, realism was used in literary works of the nineteenth century as many authors at that time presented their works based on real facts and truths of life at that age. This is clear in Wthering Heights as Bronte presented her characters and thir attitudes based on facts and brutal nature of human beings, this was also clear in Doyle's The Sign of the Four and Stevenson's The Beach of Falesá as authors referred to colonialism and other issues that were so attached to real life in their nature and experiences.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

1.      Bronte, Emily. (2016). 'Wuthering Heights (Fourth International Student Edition) (Norton Critical Editions).' W.W. Norton and Company.

2.      Buckton, O. (2007). 'Cruising with Robert Louis Stevenson: Travel, Narrative, and the Colonial Body.' Ohio University Press.

3.      Cooke, M. (2010). 'Fear of and Fascination with the Foreign in Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes Adventures.' https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1705&context=theses

4.      Islam, D. (2018). 'Character Analysis of "Wuthering Heights".' https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324437653_Character_Analysis_of_Wuthering_Heights

5.        Oliver, K. (2016). 'The Sign of the Four, EMC Resource Pack.' https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/assets/uploads/preview_files/EMC_SignFour_SAMPLE.pdf