Jack Londons Attitude Towards Life in the Short Story, The Law of Life

Jack London's Attitude Towards Life in the Short Story, "The Law of Life" Jack London, real name John Griffith Chaney, is well known "American novelist and short story writer, born in California" (Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature 629). London's short story "The Law of Life" was first published in Mc Clure's Magazine in 1901. "It was one of his first stories written around the time at which London had just discovered that this way of writing made the biggest impression on the reader."(Tenant 1) One of the most effective elements is that the main character of the story is an old Indian, named Koskoosh. He is left by his tribe and his relatives, with nothing but a fire and some wood to keep it burning for few hours. He was sitting by the fire and thinking about his youth, remembering certain moments of his life. In this story one may found London?s attitude towards life as a phenomenon which must be undergone by every living being in this world. London calls it ?the law of life? (London 956). And the law of life is aging and death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First thing which can be treated as a kind of "the law of life" is a circle of life. The circle of life begins when a man is born and ends with his/her death. Koskoosh thinks of the leaves turning in autumn from green to brown, of young girls that grow more and more attractive until they find a man, raise children and slowly grow ugly by age and labor. Koskoosh gives an example of a young woman, whom he calls ?maiden?: ?A maiden was a good creature to look upon, full-breasted and strong, with spring to her step and light in her eyes. But her task was yet before her.? (London 958). The picture of this woman is being portrayed at her youth when she is still nice, strong and with ?light in her eyes? (London 958). She would grow up and she would take a husband. ?And with the coming of her offspring her looks left her. Her limbs dragged and shuffled, her eyes dimmed and bleared, and only the little children found joy against the withered cheek of the old squaw by the fire.? (London 958) She is not an exception. This woman gets older until she reaches such age when she becomes uninteresting and expendable for other people. And finally, ?her task was done? (London 958). Koskoosh equates her end of life with his current condition: ?she would be left, even as he had been left, in the snow, with a little pile o... ...d by every living being in the world. This author?s attitude is clearly seen from the very beginning of the story when old Koskoosh felt that he was already ?very close to death? (London 956), until the last sentence of the story: ?Was it not the law of life?? (London 961). Of course one should not forget that London writes about the far north, and as he points out himself in many stories, the rules in the far north are very different from those of any other region. The Indian custom of letting the old man die alone is not criticized by London, because this custom was a necessity for the surviving of the tribe. London only emphasizes that ?the law of life? is one and irrevocable. One may call it the circle of life or the eternal struggle for living, but the end of our life, that is death, is the same for everyone. Works Cited London, Jack. ?The Law of Life?. Eds. Ronald I. Gottesman, et al. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Vol 2. New York: WW Norton and Company, 1979. Merriam-Webster?s Encyclopedia of Literature. Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1995 Tenant, Roy. "Who was Jack London?" http://sunsite.berkely.edu/London.html  18 February 2005

Jones Case Study

Jones Case Study Scenario 1: Since it seems like the Jones’ are set on having a family and that family is important to them this scenario will focus more on what could be best for them to do to make sure their family life is stable. In this scenario it seems to me that Jim needs to find a job closer to home that maybe works him a little less. He has stated that he would like to spend more time with his son and that could be achieved by working closer to home. The commute itself would save him about 7 hours weekly that he could spend with his child.Jim has also mentioned that his job isn’t particularly exciting so this might be his chance to go after something he likes more while giving him more time at home. Since his wife makes more money it might not be bad if he took a little pay cut as well in order to accomplish his goals. As far as Lisa goes if having a family is truly a main priority for them she may not want to take the job in Atlanta. She already has a job that makes quite a bit and a move to Atlanta would only mean more work and probably would mean that they wouldn’t be able to have another child for a couple of years.Also moving to a bigger city will also mean that they will have to find new child care which may cost more, another home which will cost more and Jim will have to definitely find another job which could put a strain on the marriage if he is unsuccessful or if he is making considerably less that she is. I see the best outcome with this scenario if Jim can find a job closer to home in order to spend more time with his son and also find a change of pace with his job. Lisa would need to stick with her current position in order to make having a bigger family more attainable for the moment.Scenario 2: If Jim and Lisa put a priority on being financially secure and more so value Lisa’s career then these are some options they might consider. First off Lisa would definitely need to take the promotion and they would move to Atlanta. This would be great because they would definitely have enough money for their home as well as childcare. They would also have more financial security and would be better able to save for things like their kids education and retirement since Lisa is now making more money than both of them were combined.If Jim also found another job they would be very secure financially and potentially with the move it might open up more job options for Jim and he may find something that he enjoys more. Moving to a bigger city also opens up the options for better childcare and better education for their children in the future should their family grow. However as mentioned in the last scenario this may put a strain on the marriage if Jim is unsuccessful in finding another job. Also this new job for Lisa will probably mean more hours at work and less time with the family.It will probably also mean not having another child for quite sometime and maybe never depending on what her new roles ar e at her job. The family might definitely have to be put on the backburner for a little while as the transition occurs. Scenario 3: This scenario would be kind of an extreme mix of the two previous scenarios. Since Jim has stated that he wants to spend more time with their son he could possibly become a stay at home dad. Lisa could take the job in Atlanta, which would definitely make more than enough money to support a family of three especially since they could cut childcare costs.Some cons to this situation however would be that they would have to overcome the social stigma of having the wife work and the dad stay at home. That would be the biggest challenge in my opinion. Especially if Jim started to feel like his worth had been diminished. This could definitely put a strain on the marriage. Also Lisa would have to deal with turning over her motherly duties somewhat and spend less time with the family. She would also probably not be able to have kids anytime soon as well but if t hey decided to at least this way she wouldn’t have to take as much time off since Jim would be home tending to the new child.Jim could also start up some type of business he could run at home. This would allow him to feel like he is contributing to the family income but also spend time with the kids. Reflection: This assignment is a good preparation for big decisions that we all make in our lives. One thing that it shows is that there are many possible solutions to any problem and that we must look at the risks and rewards with each and decides which is best for our own unique family situation. These decisions would be much easier for a family with no children vs. family that already has 3 or 4 kids. If my wife and I were presented with the same situation I would think that we would follow scenario 1 the closest since family is most important to us. Neither of us are really looking to make a lot of money and for myself I wouldn’t mind being a stay at home dad. My wife may object but I love kids and spending time with them and if my wife was offered a job that paid a lot of money, enough to support a family, and it was something that she wanted to do and was passionate about I would like to think that I would support her in doing that.Every family is different though and needs to meet different needs so there is no wrong or right way to go about this. I personally believe that family should always come first but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend a lot of time with them. I think it is important though that you are there for your spouse or your kids when they need you and that you are there to support them in the things that they do. If they feel your love and support I don’t think it matters how many hours you work or how much money you make.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

Savvy by Ingrid Law. Cover Illustration by Terese Dikun. Dial Books, 2008. Ages 12 and up. Savvy is a story about an unusual family, the Beaumonts, whose family members awaken powers – coined savvy – at the age of 13. The Baumont’s sons, for example, can cause hurricanes and sparks with their savvies. The novel begins with Mibs, the youngest of the Beaumont clan, as she nears the eve of her 13th birthday and is excited to discover what her savvy would be. However, tragedy strikes a mere two days before her 13th birthday as Poppa, the Beaumont patriarch, figures in a terrible accident 90 miles away from home. What ensues is an extraordinary adventure fueled by Mibs’ unwavering belief that her savvy would be able to save Poppa. Riding a pink rickety bus and accompanied by her two brothers and the preacher’s kids, Mibs embarks on a journey to awaken her savvy and prove she can save the day. Ultimately, Savvy is a story about growing up and coming to know and accept oneself and others. It teaches about learning and seeing beyond appearances and appreciating what is skin deep. Savvy is a wondrous tale of hope, love, and redemption. The novel bridges the idea that each and every individual is very special, with unique gifts that make that person unique. Ingrid Law craftily manages to incorporate all of these into a concise yet elegantly written novel while still making the story and the characterization a priority, resulting in a book that leaves the reader filled with all sorts of wonderful emotions even after turning over that last page.

Character Differences and Morality

In Albert Camus’ The Guest, there are three main characters: Daru the schoolteacher, Balducci the policeman, and the Arab. These three characters all reveal differences that relate to one of the overall themes of the story: morality. In the story, Daru is the main character who has a hard time dealing with the concept of morality. Although there are many other themes that are prevalent to the story, morality is the major theme that each character can relate to because of their differences. Daru is a schoolteacher who feels like he is in a state of isolation from the beginning of the story to the end. He is assigned to do a task by Balducci but once he hears what he has to do he is appalled and refuses to do it. Instead of doing what he has been assigned, Daru does the complete opposite. The actions that Daru presents throughout the story show that he isn’t sure of himself and that he is very insecure. Daru has trouble dealing with the concept of morality, and his actions send him into a state of moral anguish at the end of the story. Although at times it looks like Daru wants to do well, he ends up saying or doing the wrong thing. For example, as Balducci is leaving the schoolhouse, he orders Daru to watch the prisoner before they hand him over. Daru tells Balducci that he will not hand him over. â€Å"Listen, Balducci†¦every bit of this disgusts me and most of all your fellow here. But I won’t hand him over. Fight, yes, if I have to. But not that.† (p.5); this shows how Daru is given the opportunity to do what is right but ends up doing what is wrong. While the prisoner stays with Daru, he feels very uncomfortable. Daru feels like the Arab wants to be friends with him, and Daru doesn’t want to be. This reveals that Daru is also self centered and that he doesn’t feel comfortable around strangers. Daru also starts to feel vulnerable because of what he said to Balducci before he left. Although Daru becomes upset with the Arab and doesn’t approve of the crime he has committed, he still believes that turning him in is a shameful thing to do. This shows that Daru may have a good side to him; one that cares about others and not just himself. Also shows how Daru has trouble dealing with morality. In the end, Daru cannot decide between what is right and what is wrong, which allows the Arab to choose his own fate and leaving Daru in a bind. Balducci is the policeman. The readers of the story see Balducci as a leader. Balducci has known Daru for a long time, and considers Daru like a son to him. Balducci cares about Daru and is upset when he won’t do what he has been told to do. Unlike Daru, who has trouble grasping the concept of morality, Balducci does everything right and therefore has nothing to really worry about. The only thing that Balducci has to worry about is what will happen to the Arab, once he leaves him with Daru. Balducci follows everything that he is supposed to do, like bringing the prisoner to Daru and caring for him. Once Balducci hands the prisoner over to Daru, he leaves and heads back to El Almeur. â€Å"He looked at the Arab, motionless in the same spot, sniffed peevishly, and turned away toward the door. Good-by, son, he said†¦The door shut behind him.† (p.6) Balducci, leaving the prisoner in Daru’s hands, makes the reader wonder whether or not Balducci had an ulterior m otive. And also why he left the Arab alone with just Daru? These actions of Balducci’s show that he may have wanted to give responsibility to Daru and have him see what it’s like caring for others and not just care for himself. The Arab, who is the prisoner, is very shy and apprehensive throughout the story. Although he is given many opportunities to escape throughout the story, he doesn’t. This shows that he is loyal and wants to do the right thing. Daru asks the Arab many questions, but he is very vague in answering. The Arab wants to know what is going to happen to him, but doesn’t understand anything that Daru is asking him. He also wants to know if the gendarme, Balducci, will return. His actions throughout the story tell us that he is also concerned about his safety and what will happen to him. In the end, Daru lets the Arab go and sends him away with money and food. The Arab doesn’t know what to think about what Daru is telling him to do. This shows that the Arab is confused and that he may not be able to think for himself while he is on his own. At first he is hesitant but decides to go on ahead, with the things Daru gives him. The Arab walks on ahead and disappears. Now the Ar ab doesn’t know what to expect and doesn’t know what his future holds for him. This will certify that the above work is completely original

Modern Democracies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Modern Democracies - Research Paper Example This means, in communities that act by voting, that rule belongs to the majority, as no other method has been found for determining peaceably and legally what is to be deemed the will of a community which is not unanimous† (Bryce, and Bryce 20). Keeping in accord to this definition if the modern systems of governance are followed, mainly two types of approaches towards democracy can be found, namely: multi partisan and bipartisan. In a democratic system as the common people have the sole authority to select the government by their voting power, thus, depending on their political ideology, creed, and dependence on political system parties are formed and they aim at functioning as the representatives of common people in the context of conveying their requirements to the government. In a bipartisan political structure as that of the United States the nature of democracy is determined by two major parties. The incidents of fraud in election had a major role to play in leading the U nited States political scenario to adopt the bipartisan structure. ... However, since mid 1980s several neo-liberal reforms were implemented quite in accordance with multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural demography of Brazil. The multi-cultural demography of the nation played one of the most important roles in the genesis of multi-partisan political structure and consequently provided the common people of the nation with freedom of choice so that urgent reforms can be introduced in different domains of the democratic existence within the Brazilian political context (Lemanski-Valente 89-90). Thesis Statement: The approach towards democracy in both bipartisan and multi-partisan system is to a great extent dependent on political culture of the respective nations. However, in respective system, approach towards democracy generates certain issues that will be focused with adequate attention on the structure of the United States of America (bipartisan) and Brazil (multi-partisan). The issues in approaching democracy from countries with bipartisan str ucture (such as the United States): The bipartisan structure of the United States received greatest challenge in late 1980s in approaching democracy once the Cold War was over. Ensuring democracy to the U.S. citizens became highly difficult during this time as the Cold War aftermath period was jeopardized by three major factors, namely wide spread of the liberal economic principles due to capitulation of the Soviet Union as well as of the communism; increasing economic interdependence among nations that was considered to be incompatible with traditional ideals of national sovereignty; and finally, the challenge over national sovereignty within the national itself due to negative impacts of

What Do ERP Systems mean Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

What Do ERP Systems mean - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that the above departmental processes are comprised of characteristics which have similarity and differences on various aspects. These characteristics are based upon the definition, order, customers, emdeddedness, cross-functionality and value-adding. In regards to the definition, the processes have well defined boundaries, inputs as well as outputs. Business processes operate on one or more functional units. The enterprise processes are either based internally or externally unlike the inter-enterprise process which is non-centralized. Next to ordering, the processes consist of ordered work activities based on their position in terms of time and space. In any process there must exist a recipient that receives the outcome of the process. Both enterprise and inter-enterprise process are not exceptional to this. They have targeted customers for whom they produce and deliver their products and services to. Another feature of these processes is embeddedness. Th is means that processes cannot survive alone and must be embedded to the structure of the organization/department. Further to cross-functionality, processes are expected to perform several functions. Finally, processes are characterized by transformations either upstream or downstream aimed at adding value to their products/services and their recipients at large. For the past 20 years, the detonation in the use of ERP systems across the world has proved a major factor in the advancement of business operations, services and the overall quality of products. This paper basically discusses how the ERP system operates, its elements and history. Customer intelligence identified as vital for it brings out the customers buying habits.  

Word autobiographical research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Word autobiographical - Research Paper Example I saw that people were being mistreated because they belonged to a different race altogether. The differences stemmed from the fact that there was less empathy for one another and more emphasis on one’s own self. This paper explains how racial relations are dealt with in an organizational setting and how value would be derived from different agendas that the people have had during this scenario. Moving ahead with the discussion at hand, the members of this community, which is essentially an organization, are more or less like me. They are different in the sense that they are from varied backgrounds and hence their understanding and behavioral levels are slightly distinctive. The members of the organization are undertaking the same tasks as I am and hence in a number of ways they are very similar to how I work and how I spend my life. This is an important understanding because my organization has hired individuals who are much like me and who know how to strike big with the cha nging organizational norms and routines. Furthermore, the leaders within the organization treat distinctive people of the racial differences in varied ways. They do not have any uniformity within their ranks and there is a definitive racial divide that is existent within the workplace settings. I am being treated differently than the ones who are from other sides of the city as this is something that does not go down well with the employees. Nearly every one of these employees has an issue or the other with the way the leaders manifest their point (Hindes, 2009). All of them believe that sanity can prevail if the leaders mend their ways and start doing the right thing at the right time. The role of the leaders under such racial discussions is an important one if they realize the same. If they do not understand the gravity of the situation that has come about within the workplace realms, then it is about time that they should start getting their point across to the concerned individu als. Race is such a critical and sensitive issue that it cannot be taken for granted, and especially by the people who are in significant positions, like the leaders themselves. It would be correct to state here that the other people present within the workplace settings have biased perspectives. This is because they believe it is up to them as to how they shape up racial discussions. It is a fact that they treat people in a number of different ways, all of which are based on their thinking realms. They treated the Blacks as people who are under them, no matter if they senior to them. They treat the Asians shabbily because they are from a third world region. I am also treated differently as I belong to a totally different race and I have felt that under certain occasions and situations, they treat me in a way that is unbecoming of them as well as my own self. I am of the opinion that such stigmas should be done away with because they are not at all in the better interests of the org anization from the long term scheme of things. As far as the organizational rules and policies are concerned, there are clear cut instructions as to how racial biasness should be avoided and the manner in which they should be dealt. There is absolute discouragement for racial talks, discussions, slurs and the like, but then again nothing is being promulgated in true letter and spirit within the organization (Carter, 1997). I believe this is because the human resources management department is not playing its due role in a quantifiable manner. If this department knew that such racial problems could arise, proper steps would have been taken to avoid the same. However, this seems to be something which is apparent now than ever before in the history of the organizatio