Free Essays on Life

, a picture is full of memories. Whether it’s good times at a party, a beautiful sunset captured on vacation, or maybe just a family portrait from the 80’s; it’s all about the memories. Some might even say that memories are all that we have. To author David James Duncan, memories are like â€Å"river teeth†: time defying knots of experience that remain in us after most of our autobiographies are gone (4). It is impossible for anyone to remember all the events of their lives; there are simply too many. It is the memories that continually stand out in our minds and stay with us year after year that Duncan defines as â€Å"river teeth†. They are the good and bad memories: stories, emotions, feelings and experiences that make us human. â€Å"River Teeth† is a story about the continuous cycle life. Of course each individual life contains a birth or beginning, a childhood, adulthood and at some point a death, but what Duncan tries to make evident in his definition or â€Å"river teeth† is that life is more than just these things. Duncan states that, â€Å" And eternity itself possesses no beginning, middle or end† (5). With ... Free Essays on Life Free Essays on Life Education Is The Key Is education the key to success? Many may think it is, but others may differ. I the book A Painted House, John Grisham gives’ a primary example of how educated are more successful then those uneducated. In the novel A Painted House, there was not a big focus on education at all. The history of the Chandler family was their men spent more time in war then in school, and the women spent more time doing chores and farm work then in the classroom. I believe this is why they had a hard time living or becoming successful. I don’t think the Chandler family would have survived without education in today’s society. The Chandlers were a nice family. Luke was the narrator of the story and he lived with is parents and grandparents on a farm in the 1950’s. Mexicans also stayed on the farm with them in the barn. In opinion education was not a big focus at all in the story A Painted House. The Chandler family focused primarily on many other things. They focused more on things like their farm and wars then getting an education. Luke’s grandfather was in WW1 and his father was in WW2. His uncle Ricky was in the Korean War during the time of this story. I don’t think they would have survived in today’s society because education is the focus in most normal households. In today’s society farmers are some of the most important people in the work industry. Farmers might not be the smart in every subject but they are educated enough in their field. I don’t think the Chandlers were educated enough in their field. You even need a high school education to join the military so they couldn’t even fight in war. In my opinion the more you know the better you are in life. The Chandlers took a different approach in life then learning more. They family really Ivory 2 had to learn the hard way. Luke’s mother only mentions education once throughout the whole novel. That is when she tells Luke at the end of the novel... Free Essays on Life Life†¦what is it really? Is it all a big game? People perceive it in so many different ways and interpret it to such an extent they forget what it really is. It’s a gift and opportunity that we are blessed with. Like all tasks utilising it most effectively is incredibly difficult and enjoying it while we have it seems to be the furthest from what we do. Those who tell me that ‘life wasn’t meant to be easy’ see elements in such a negative view. Life was meant to be easy†¦ we just make it hard for ourselves. Some have it easier then others but in the overall scheme of things no one has anything to complain about. Unfortunately it’s a fault in humanity†¦ so many of us see everything to be negative. Even at the best of times we find something that disappoints us. Is that because we have such high expectations? To be honest†¦ who knows? But what can be sustained is that we are all given a chance and what we do with it, how we go about doing it and what result comes from it determines how easy things become. So many complain about their appearance, they bitch about others and start fights and they whinge when things don’t go their way. But not once have any of those people stopped and thought about an individual that isn’t capable of being conscious about their appearance or capable of starting a fight†¦ and why? Because they aren’t even capable of moving. They’re bedridden or ill, or they suffer from poverty. Unfortunately due to the way society has shaped out and the way the world has evolved some have life exceptionally hard. They aren’t capable of making choices and life for them is difficult. In the sense of daily activities things are tough, but those people don’t state that life is hard or that it wasn’t meant to be easy merely because they’re grateful to be alive. They spend every ounce of energy they have in preserving themselves and things they care about instead of complaining. Anyone who is educat... Free Essays on Life Life as 1 In the 1800’s, it was not out of the ordinary for a child to work sixteen-hour days, seven days a week. Michael Thomas Sadler tried to show in the Sadler Report of the House of Commons, how brutal it was. The Sadler Report was volumes of testimonies from children workers and older people, who once had to work as children in the mines and factories. The treatment of children had become increasingly worse and worse. The main point the Sadler Report was trying to get across was the exploitation of children workers. While reading this short exert from the Sadler Report, it was evident that both mental and physical abuse was taking place. A child needs to be nurtured in a certain way to grow up happy and healthy. A child can’t be imprisoned in a factory all day and be expected to be normal. The brutality inside the factories can be separated into mental and physical abuse. Michael Thomas Sadler interviewed Mr. Matthew Crabtree. During this interview, Matthew told Sadler abou t what it was like working in a mill in the 1800s. First, Matthew stated that he works, â€Å"From 6 in the morning to 8 at night.† Then proceeds to explain when he had time to rest and eat, â€Å"An hour at noon.† The rest of the conversation about rest breaks and eating reveals that if you don’t want to bring you lunch to work with you, and most didn’t because it was eventually covered in dirt and dust from the machines, that they could go home. But the only thing was, are most of the children living a mile or two away from the mill. That means with the little time the children have a break, they stay on their feet, run home and eat, and promptly return to the mill for more strenuous work. Next, Matthew talks about how he was severely beaten at work. Sadler asks Matthew, â€Å"State the condition of the children toward the latter part of the day, who have thus to keep up with the machinery.† Matthew replies, â€Å" It is as much as they can do w hen they ... Free Essays on Life Life As A River Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. A well-known line that was made famous by Tom Hanks in the movie Forrest Gump, this quote illustrates a metaphor that can easily be applied to life. Life, at times, can be just as unpredictable as a box or See’s candy nuts and chews. What lies beneath each decadent chocolate coating, as with each new day, is unpredictable. Another metaphor that is often used for life is a river. A fine example of this is seen in David James Duncan’s, â€Å"River Teeth: A Definition†. It is through his definition of â€Å"river teeth† that Duncan provides a strong metaphor for life that gives it new meaning. A lot can be said about a single picture. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. But more than the words, a picture is full of memories. Whether it’s good times at a party, a beautiful sunset captured on vacation, or maybe just a family portrait from the 80’s; it’s all about the memories. Some might even say that memories are all that we have. To author David James Duncan, memories are like â€Å"river teeth†: time defying knots of experience that remain in us after most of our autobiographies are gone (4). It is impossible for anyone to remember all the events of their lives; there are simply too many. It is the memories that continually stand out in our minds and stay with us year after year that Duncan defines as â€Å"river teeth†. They are the good and bad memories: stories, emotions, feelings and experiences that make us human. â€Å"River Teeth† is a story about the continuous cycle life. Of course each individual life contains a birth or beginning, a childhood, adulthood and at some point a death, but what Duncan tries to make evident in his definition or â€Å"river teeth† is that life is more than just these things. Duncan states that, â€Å" And eternity itself possesses no beginning, middle or end† (5). With ... Free Essays on Life Name Date Diagnostic Essay â€Å"Bon le ton la rouler†, is the motto I, as well as every other child growing up in New Orleans, was taught. French for â€Å"Let the good times roll†, the phrase symbolized us and played a major role in our decision making. My name is __________, and yes I was born in and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. I moved to New Jersey at the end of May 2002, and love it here. The only problem I see is that the people here need to slow down a bit, take a step back from life, and for goodness sakes, RELAX. Perhaps we relaxed a bit too much in New Orleans, but you people are ridiculous. In New Orleans, I attended ___________ High School. Originally I was studying to be a surgeon, but my junior year I took Television Production as a blow-off course and absolutely fell in love with it. I have gone as far as working for New Orleans news stations, and stooped as low as filming weddings. I have studied as much TV Production as my high school would offer and now attend _________ with plans to further my education. I am currently taking English 121 with hopes of learning how to be able to sit down with a writer, give him/her an outline of what I want, and to be able to logically critique him on a piece I would like to do. I would absolutely love to be able to put a couple of skate videos out into the world and then possibly work for a major production company. Skateboarding is my absolute favorite thing to do in my free time. I feel skating is possibly one of the most challenging, frustrating and exhilarating things I have ever addressed. I started skating about five months ago, and haven’t put my board down since. My life is simplistic and I love a good challenge. Writing has never been a strong suit of mine, but hopefully that will change....

Finance and Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Finance and Management Accounting - Essay Example No commercial entity runs an R & D department to conduct in fructuous basic research ((ICMR), 2003). Management accounting is the process of identification, measurement, accumulation, analysis, preparation, interpretation and communication of information that assists managers in specific decision-making within framework of fulfilling the organizational objectives (The ICFAI University Press, 2004). Like water, this rising tide of data can be viewed as an abundant, vital and necessary resource. With enough preparation, we should be able to tap into that reservoir -- and ride the wave -- by utilizing new ways to channel raw data into meaningful information. That information, in turn, can then become the knowledge that leads to wisdom. The idea is that information, knowledge, and wisdom are more than simply collections. Rather, the whole represents more than the sum of its parts and has a synergy of its own. In an organizational context, data represents facts or values of results, and relations between data and other relations have the capacity to represent information. Patterns of relations of data and information and other patterns have the capacity to represent knowledge. ... Without on-demand access to managed knowledge, every situation is addressed based on what the individual or group brings to the situation with them. With on-demand access to managed knowledge, every situation is addressed with the sum total of everything anyone in the organization has ever learned about a situation of a similar nature. Management accounting --- Importance of Stakeholders In the highly competitive environment, the survival of an organization may depend on how well stakeholders are managed. However, when managers delegate this responsibility of managing the stakeholder interests, there is no systematic way to evaluate their performance. With an evaluation method, such as a report card, managers no longer rely on observations regarding the outcomes of stakeholder management; they receive direct information from their stakeholders and can plan interventions accordingly (Slovensky, 2002). Management planning and control system is related to accounting system. Suitable goals are set based on the information provided by the accountants. Projections of futures sales, expenses, incomes and estimation of profit are made depending on the accounting information. After setting goals while examining alternatives, information about these alternatives comes from accounting system and the accountant is made to combine the data and produce meaningful reports. Though, implementation of chosen alternative is done by the mangers alone without the intervention of accounting system, the accountant is required to collect and summarize data about the success of the chosen plan. The evaluation of performance depends heavily on the accountant accumulates and reports. Though, accounting system is helpful in the process of

Competition Mergers of Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competition Mergers of Companies - Essay Example It provides communication and entertainment answers to the majority of countries in the European Union. CaixaBank is a financial enterprise that is controlled entirely by the La Caixa Group of companies. It is the parent company of La Caixa Companies that deal with banking and other related activities. It mainly operates in Spain and other European countries and the international presence are felt through strategic alliances with key financial institutions. Banco Santander is the main company of the Banco Group of companies that deals major in international banking. It is active in retail banking, asset management, insurance and investment banking in most of the European Countries. Telefonica, CaixaBank and Banco Santander merge to form a new company. The companies are the notifying parties in the creation of Newco. The notifying companies provide the relevant documents that are used in the merger control of the joint venture. Newco will be active in Spain and it will develop an ecosystem that will be able to offer its members with numerous services. The services will be available online and will be accessible by many individuals online. Each of the Notifying parties will hold equal shareholding in Newco. They will have equal chances to exercise control over the company. It means that they will have a joint control over the Newco. Newco is expected to perform the functions of an economic enterprise in Spain. There will be a management team that will be run the day to day activities of the company. The management team will have access to the resources of the company that include finance and the assets of the company. The company will provide online services to numerous individuals in Spain. The services will include digital advertising services that will provide a chance to individuals in the digital world to advertise their products. The virtual community will be able to able to interact online and provide mobile-based couponing and loyalty services.     

Place name disambiguation pages Essay Example for Free

Place name disambiguation pages Essay Have you ever heard the saying, â€Å"Don’t judge a book by its cover and wondered what it meant? Sandra Cisneros, author of the short story, Salvador Late or Early, creates a frame of mind and brings fourth a sad and sympathetic feeling within the reader towards Salvador; who is a young boy with more weight on his shoulder than any average kid his size should have to bare. Cisneros uses imagery, diction, and characterizes Salvador as solitary, troubled, and as unnoticed child. Who takes on more responsibilities as a young boy than most would imagine at a glance, that any kid would have to endure. Author Sandra Cisneros uses simplistic tone to create a sympathetic frame of mind within the reader by using an range of imagery to grab the readers attention. Cisneros describes Salvadors responsibilities, the way he looks, and where Salvador lives leaving the reader tender in thought toward Salvador. â€Å"Inside that forty-pound body of boy with its geography of scars, its history of hurt, limbs stuffed with feathers and rags†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Cisneros) illustrate a weak, flimsy young boy with no sense of hope or direction. Cisneros then goes on to state, In that vague direction where homes are the color of bad weather†¦, painting a dark cloud over the home of Salvador inside the readers mind. Cisneros never gives the reader a specific age for Salvador but we can tell from the diction being used along with the specific details given to us by the author that Salvador is a young boy given an incredible amount of responsibility. The reader can also assume that Salvador has a head of the house type role. Also the reader immediately picks up on how poor Salvador and his family are when Cisneros writes, combs their hair with water, feeds them milk and cornflakes from a tin cup in the dim dark of the morning. This all being done by the young Salvador and by this passage the reader picks up on a depressing feeling that leaves the audience fascinated and worried at the problems this young boy is in. Cisneros labels the main character with great detail that he has a past shrouded in problem and puzzlement which in turn, leaves the reader mind with the question of what could have happened to this boy that left him with such with such a burden to carry. Salvador whose name the teacher cannot remember, is a boy who is no ones friend,†¦ (Cisneros) this statement describes Salvador as a loner and not very out spoken considering his own teacher cant remember his name. In conclusion Sandra Cisneros creates a very graphic visualization of the characteristics that help the reader build an image and a diverse amount of feelings towards the character Salvador. Leaving the reader questioning the past of the young boy, which seems to eat away at his inner emotions and will continue to do so until there is nothing left but a empty shell of pain, and agony. Burdened at a young age with the role as the head of the household young, shy, Salvador is faced each day with obstacles not many his age must overcome. Filled with a past full of secrecy, Salvador pushes forward each day braving this storm not only for himself, but for his younger siblings and a Mama, who seems to be on her own also. Described as his limbs stuffed with feathers and rags, (Cisneros) a valid argument can be made that Salvador holds more than just pain, and agony within. One can argue that any young boy who has to burden the trouble and responsibilities that Salvador carries on his shoulders each day represents, the brave and determined will to go on not for himself but for the other he loves and that quality in anyone no matter size, or age makes them an amazing person.

Comparing Roosevelts New Deal and Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Comparing Roosevelt's New Deal and Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie Books Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote many books during her time. She is best known for her Little House on the Prairie books, which were written in the 1930's during the great depression. I will contrast Roosevelt's New Deal with Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House on the Prairie books. The comparison between these two is the fact of how the Little House on the Prairie books did not depend on the government and Roosevelt's New Deal plan and how Laura and her family lived life with little to no help from the government. To start off I am going to give you a brief background on what caused the great depression and how the New Deal came about. The great depression came about for many different reasons. Some of these reasons are due to the stock market crash of 1929. Most people think that this is what started the great depression but actually it was only part of it. The upper and lower classes played a big role on wages for what was paid between the two different classes. Because of this wage difference it had an impact on the banking system. Also America became know as a credit nation vs. a debtor nation. Which meant that the United States was owed more money by other countries and the United States owed. Another problem that the United States was having is that the whole dollar vs. gold. During the 1930's the United States was still on a gold value system where paper money had no value. With all of these factors and the stock market crash of 1929 was just the final straw that broke the camels back as the saying goes. With the depression going and 1 out of every 4 people not having a job, the country was in serious troub le. Franklin D. Roosevelt came up with the New Deal. The New Deal was also known as Works Progress Administration (WPA). The program put 8,500,000 of Americans back to work. The work consisted of everything from building public parks and a writers program to paying farmers not to plant crops. This is the part of the New Deal that I will be addressing. The Agricultural Adjustment Act also known as AAA. The AAA act came about to stabilize prices and overproduction on farm products such as cotton, wheat, corn, rice, tobacco, hogs and milk.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 38

â€Å"Talon! Uh – heel!† Elena shouted and began to race as fast as she could to get out of the room. This was strategy. Would the owl become even smaller so as to get through the door or would it destroy its sanctuary in order to stay on top of Elena? It was a good strategy, but it didn't amount to much in the end. The owl shrank to dart through the door, and then resumed gigantic size to attack Elena as she ran down the stairs. Yes, ran. With all of her Power channeled to her eyes, Elena leaped from step to step as Damon had before. Now there was no time for fear, no time for thinking. There was only time to turn over in her fingers a small, hard, crescent-shaped object. Shinichi and Misao – they did make it into her nest. There must be a ladder or something made of glass that even Damon couldn't see, in the flowerbed where Saber had stopped and barked. No – Damon would have seen it, so they must have brought their own ladder. That's why their trail ended there. They climbed straight up into the library. And they ruined the flowers in the bed, which is why the new flowers weren't doing so well. Elena knew from Aunt Judith, from her childhood, that transplanted flowers took awhile to revive and perk up again. Leap†¦jump†¦leap†¦I am a spirit of fire. I cannot miss a step. I am a fire elemental. Leap†¦leap†¦leap. And then Elena was looking at level ground, trying not to leap into it, but a prisoner to her body which was already leaping. She fell hard enough to numb one side, but she kept hold of the precious crescent clenched in a deathgrip in her hand. A gigantic beak smashed into glass where she had been a moment before she slid. Talons raked her back. Bloddeuwedd was still after her. Sage and his group of sturdy young male and female vampires traveled at the pace of a running dog. Saber could lead them, but only as fast as he himself could go. Fortunately few people seemed to want to instigate a fight with a dog that weighed as much as they did – that weighed more than many of the beggars and children they encountered as they reached the bazaar. The children crowded around the carriage, slowing them further. Sage took the time to exchange an expensive jewel for a purse full of small change and he scattered the coins behind the carriage as they went, allowing Saber free reign. They passed dozens of stalls and crossing streets, but Saber was no ordinary bloodhound. He had enough Power to confound most vampires. With perhaps only one or two of the key molecules stuck to his nasal membrane he could hunt down his goal. Where another dog might be fooled by one of the hundreds of similar kitsune trails they were traveling through, Saber examined and rejected each of them as being not quite the right shape, size, or sculpture. There came a time, though, when even Saber seemed defeated. He stood in the center of a six-way crossroads, regardless of traffic, limping slightly, and going in circles. He couldn't seem to choose a path. And nor could I, my friend, Sage thought. We've come so far, but it's clear they went on farther. No way to go up or dig down†¦Sage hesitated, looking around the crimson-colored wheel of roads. And then he saw something. Directly across from him, but to his left was a perfumery. It must sell hundreds of fragrances, and billions of scent molecules were deliberately being released into the air. Saber was blind. Not blind in his keen liquid dark eyes. But where it mattered he was numbed and blinded by the billions of scents that were being blown up his nose. The vampires in the carriage were calling to go on or go back. They had no sense of real adventure, them. They just wanted a nice show. And undoubtedly many had slaves who were recording the whipping for them so they could enjoy it at leisure at home. At that moment a flash of blue and gold decided Sage. A Guardian! Eh, bien†¦ â€Å"Heel, Saber!† Saber's head and tail drooped as Sage randomly picked one of the directions and had him race alongside the running vampire to get out of the thoroughfare and onto another street. But then, miraculously, the tail went up again. Sage estimated that there could not be even one molecule of the kitsune's scent left in Saber's nostrils now†¦ †¦but the memory of the scent†¦that was still there. Saber was once again in hunting mode, with head down, tail straight, all his Power and intelligence concentrated on one goal and one goal only: to find another molecule that matched the three-dimensional memory of the one in his mind. Now that he was not blinded by the searing smell of all those different concentrated odors, he was able to think more clearly. And thinking alerted him to slip in between streets, causing a commotion behind him. â€Å"What about the carriage?† â€Å"Forget about the carriage! Don't lose sight of that guy with the dog!† Sage, trying to keep up with Saber himself, knew when a chase was about to end. Tranquillit! he thought to Saber. He also barely whispered the word. He had never been certain if his animal friends were telepathic or not, but he liked to believe that they were, while behaving as if they were not. Tranquillit! he told himself. And so, when the huge black dog with the shining dark eyes and the man ran up the steps to one particular ramshackle building, they did it silently. Then, as if he'd had a pleasant stroll in the country, Saber sat and looked at Sage in the face, laughing-panting. He opened and closed his mouth in a silent parody of a bark. Sage waited for the young vampires to catch up with him before be opened the door. And, as he wanted the element of surprise, he didn't knock. Instead he smashed a fist with the Power of a sledgehammer through the door and groped for locks and chains and bolts. He could feel none. He did feel a knob. Before opening the door, and going into who knew what peril, he said to those behind him, â€Å"Any loot we take is the property of Master Damon. I am his foreman and it was only through my dog's skills that we have made it so far.† There was agreement, ranging from grumbling to indifferent. â€Å"By the same token,† Sage said, â€Å"whatever danger is in there, I face first. Saber! NOW!† They burst into the room, nearly taking the door off its hinges. Elena cried out involuntarily. Bloddeuwedd had just done what Damon would not, and lined her back with bloody furrows from her talons. But even as Elena managed to find the glass door to the outside, she could feel other minds surging to help sustain her, to lift and share some of the pain. Bonnie and Meredith were picking their way through huge shards of glass to get to her. They were screaming at the owl. And Talon, heroically, was attacking from above. Elena couldn't stand it any longer. She had to see. She had to know that this metallic-feeling thing that she'd picked out of Bloddeuwedd's nest wasn't some bit of filthy rubbish. She had to know now. Rubbing the tiny scrap of metal against the ill-fated scarlet dress, she took a moment to glance downward, to see crimson sunlight sparkle against gold and diamonds and two folded-back little ears and two bright green alexandrite eyes. The duplicate of the first fox key half, but facing the other way. Elena's legs almost gave way underneath her. She was holding the second half of the fox key. Hurriedly, then, Elena brought up her free hand and plunged her fingers down into the carefully made little pocket behind the diamond insert. It concealed a tiny pouch, specially sewn there by Lady Ulma herself. In it was the first half of the fox key, replaced there as soon as Saber and Talon had finished with it. Now, as she shoved the second half-key into the pocket with the first, she was disconcerted to feel movement in the pouch. The two pieces of the fox key were – what, becoming one? A black beak slammed into the wall beside her. Without even thinking, Elena ducked and rolled to escape it. When her fingers flew back to make sure that the pouch was tied up and secure, she was astonished to feel a familiar shape resting inside. Not a key? Not a key! The world was spinning wildly around Elena. Nothing mattered; not the object; not her own life. The kitsune twins had tricked them, had made fools of the idiot humans and the vampire who had dared to face up to them. There was no double fox key. Still, hope refused to die. What was it Stefan used to say? Mai dire mai – never say never. Knowing what a chance she was taking, knowing she was a fool for taking it, Elena thrust her finger again into the pouch. Something cool slipped onto one finger and stayed there. She glanced down and for a moment was arrested by the sight. There, on her ring finger, gleamed a gold, diamond-encrusted ring. It represented two abstract foxes curled together, one facing each way. Each fox had two ears, two green alexandrite eyes, and a pointed nose. And that was all. Of what use was a trinket like this to Stefan? It bore no resemblance to the double-winged keys shown in the pictures of kitsune shrines. As treasure, it was surely worth a million times less than what they had already spent to get it. And then Elena noticed something. A light shone from the eyes of one of the foxes. If she hadn't been staring at it so closely, or if she hadn't been by now in the White Waltz Ballroom, where colors showed true, she might not have noticed it. But the light was shining straight ahead of her as she turned her hand sideways. Now it was shining from four eyes. It was shining in exactly the direction of Stefan's prison cell. Hope rose up like a phoenix in Elena's heart, and took her soaring on a mental journey out of this labyrinth of glass rooms. The music playing was the waltz from Faust. Away from the sun, deep into the heart of the city, that was where Stefan was. And that was where the pale green light from the fox's eyes was shining. Riding high on hope, she turned the ring. The light winked out of both fox's eyes, but when she turned the ring so that the second fox was in line with Stefan's cell, it winked on. Secret signals. How long could she have owned a ring like that and done nothing if she hadn't already known where Stefan's prison was? Longer than Stefan had left to live, probably. Now she only had to survive long enough to reach him.

The transformation of the protagonist in the Metamorphosis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1620 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/08/08 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Metamorphosis Essay Did you like this example? Franz Kafka wrote one of his best-known works called the Metamorphosis which was first published in 1915. It tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa that wakes one morning to find himself suddenly transformed into a huge insect and subsequently struggling to adjust to this new condition. It shows the readers how Gregor and his whole family is trying to adapt to his new appearance, but it’s not that simple. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The transformation of the protagonist in the Metamorphosis" essay for you Create order The novella has been widely discussed among literary critics, with differing interpretations being offered. Some of them view the transformation of the protagonist as symbolic rather than literal. I believe that Gregor does not really turn into an insect, instead, the author made an insect a metaphor for the life he lives and his relationships to those around him. Gregor is dehumanized by his boss in the way that he treats him at work. His presence at work proved more important to his boss than his well being. When Gregor neglected to arrive at work due to his unexpected physical transformation an attorney was sent to his house and exclaimed, â€Å"I hope its nothing serious. On the other hand, I must also say that we business people- for better or for worse, however one looks at it- very often simply have to overcome a minor infirmity for business concern† (20). The boss was so concerned about his business and how the absence of Gregor would affect him that he did not even bother to care about how Gregor was doing or why he had not shown up for work. He was seen as a minion to the boss. His only purpose pertained to earn more money for the company and if he was not doing that the boss saw him as a waste. The boss looked at him as a worker, not as a human being. Gregor is stripped of the emotional traits he possesses like his personalit y and seen only for the things that could help the company like his productivity. The way that the boss treats him and takes advantage of his passiveness is the first way that he is dehumanized. Gregor also experiences dehumanization through his lack of strong relationships. He does not go out with friends like a man of his age would usually do. Even before his transformation Gregor isolated himself and focused solely on his work. His mother describes, â€Å"I am almost angry that he never goes out at night; right now he’s been in the city eight days, but he’s been at home every evening† (20). In this situation, Gregor takes away his own human qualities. He does not waste what he views as precious time going out with friends, instead, he works hard long hours and comes home to his family. He does not let himself obtain relationships with friends even though his own mother encourages it. Gregor focuses intensely on his work and does not take time to reflect on himself. The time that he spends on his work draws away from the time he would need to make strong relationships and his lack of these relationships is what eventually leads to his dehumanization. H e does all of his hard work for one reason, to provide for his family. Gregor provides for his family which forces him to spend less time on his own needs and more time on his familys needs. Gregor hates his job and doesnt want to upset his boss because he knows that he provides his family s only income. When he debated whether or not to go to work he thinks to himself, â€Å"If I didn’t hold back for my parents’ sake I would have quit ages ago† (14). This shows that Gregor works not because he enjoys it but because he feels the need to pay off his familys debt. He feels as if it is his duty to provide for the family when they are under the financial distress they are experiencing. Although Gregor worked extremely hard his family takes advantage of him. While overhearing his family talking his father says, â€Å"In, addition, the money that he had brought home every month- he had only kept a few guilders for himself- had not been completely used up and had accumulated to become a small asset† (38). While Gregor worked hard at a job that he hated so he could pay off his family’s debt as quick as possible his father set away money and not caring about how his son felt about his job. This made it so he would have to work longer at his job to pay off the debts. If Gregor s family cared about his personal well being they would have done everything in their power for him to quit his job. Instead, they sat around living lavishly off of his hard earned money and let him do all of the work. This dehumanizes Gregor and shows that they view him as a paycheck instead of an important member of the family. Although dehumanized by his family, Gregor’s metamorphosis provides many unexpected positives. His father, mother, and sister all become more independent through his transformation as they are not able to depend on Gregor anymore. Despite how spoiled the family was by Gregor and his financial support, they quickly learned to adapt to their new lives without his help. After Gregors Metamorphosis, his father had to become the main provider for the family. He went from being dependent on his son to a supportive family man. He worked so often that he would t take his uniform off even to sleep. The text explains, â€Å"The father refused with a sort of obstinacy to take off his servant’s uniform even at home, and while the sleeping gown hung uselessly on a coat hook, he slumbered fully clothed in his place, as if he were always to serve and even here awaited the voice of his superior† (52). His father now works to the point of exhaustion, never for a second does he let himself relax. He works long hours and when he gets home he often times drifts into sleep even when he has not gone to lay down for bed. He wears his uniform to bed which shows that he is both subjective to his boss and proud of the work he is doing. His change in clothing at the end of The Metamorphosis signifies that the father has also changed. Gregor’s Father ch anged from a careless dependent into a proud hard working provider. Due to Gregor’s Metamorphosis, his mother learned to help support the family despite her sickness. The mother had asthma and used this as a reason she could not work for all of these years. She learned to help out in small ways, like sewing, although nobody ever forced her to work. The sister was worried she was working too hard and said to the mother, â€Å"My you’ve already been sewing for such a long time!† (52). She was not being overworked but she had done such a minute amount of work for the family for so long that even her small contribution seemed massive in comparison. The family was scared to let her work hard because of her medical condition and how weak and frail she had become with age. In reality, it was good to have her working. Gregor’s Metamorphosis helped his mother become more independent. Her small contributions that she made to the family by sewing gave her self worth and purpose. Gregor’s Sister, experience the largest change as she went from a spoiled girl with everything handed to her to a girl that had to work for what she had. Even after Gregor’s Metamorphosis he still thought of ways that he could make Gretes life better. He thought to himself’, â€Å"Only the sister still remained close to Gregor, and his secret plan was to send her, who differed from Gregor in that she loved music and knew how to play the violin movingly, to the conservatory next year† (37). Because Grete helps Gregor despite his change he still thinks of ways that he can help her out. Gregor soon realizes that this dream for Grete will no longer happen for her due to his physical state. Grete recognizes the financial situation of her family and knows that it is her duty to help. As explained in the text, â€Å"The sister, who had accepted a position as saleswomen, studied stenography and French in the evenings so that sometime later she, perhaps, would get a better position† (52). Grete worked hard as both a saleswoman in the day and student in the night. For the first time in her life, she took her destiny into her own hands and made it better without the help of Gregor. She dedicated herself to making her life better. Grete matures and takes Gregor s place as a provider of the family and becomes a strong independent woman through the process. Even before his metamorphosis occurred Gregor was dehumanized by his work was all that was important about him was his productivity, his lack of close relationships due to his extensive working, and his family treating him as nothing but an income. Although these things hurt Gregor and were the threshold for his metamorphosis to begin, he created positives for the lives of his entire family. His dad became a proud provider, his mother worked through her sickness and proved herself stronger than anybody expected, and his sister took it upon herself to become a saleswoman and get an education to better her own life. Having a family member transform into a bug may sound terrible but the outcomes may become better than ever expected.