The History Of Strategic Marketing Management Marketing Essay

The History Of Strategic Marketing Management Marketing Essay In order to pursue an effective strategic marketing management in organisation, it is necessary to grasp all of the internal and external areas and domains that may lead to successful implementation of the marketing initiatives. Realising the fact that strategic marketing management is quite a broader field, todays marketing professionals have to consider a number of those critical factors and aspects that turn the organisation into huge success, or an absolute failure. The word strategic is, itself, suggests scrupulous planning and policymaking, because these are the overall effects of strategic marketing management that play a major role in long-term growth of an organisation. Section 1 Strategic marketing plays a fundamental role in any organisation. Strategic marketing mainly helps in devising positioning strategies in relation to the market being targeted, but beyond all that, strategic marketing, primarily, helps in analysing the targeted market segments in view of the market competition with all well-established, mature and even immature products and services. After segmenting the market, a strategic marketer meticulously devises relationship strategies with those of the consumers or customers being aimed at. Strategic marketing, then, creates effective and the most relevant distribution and pricing strategies, followed by formation of exclusive strategies for advertising and promotional plans and strategies. Moreover, a strategic marketer, also, formulates business development and research strategies in a way that, ultimately, fosters long-term organisational growth and business sustainability. This is, again, the role of strategic marketing to pursue a set of strategies for marketing research too. Cosse and Swan (1983) found one major problem in marketing planning was that US product managers lacked the strategic orientation required by strategic planning. (Piercy, Morgan, 1990, 128) Usually there are three fundamental processes involved in strategic marketing, wherein planning is the leading and most significant process, followed by the implementation and control accordingly. Each of these elements is important not only for desired success of entire marketing strategies, but for an all-inclusive organisational growth. Exclusively for the planning process, organisation needs to perform a SWOT analysis first keeping view both internal and external factors. A marketing audit can help identify target markets for your firm. A marketing audit evaluates various internal and external components. (Caragher, 2008, 59) Objective and goal setting is also its main part, as it helps determine the market and consumer segmentation, as well as the role of strategic marketing management. Implementation is the process that brings the planning into action, and the control phase helps organisations in evaluating the planning process. As per their functions, strategic marketing and corporate strategies are interlinked with each other, and organisation can never achieve their role by dealing with these elements separately. According to Tom Connora (2007), a corporate strategy is more than marketing alone. (Connora, 2007, 369) A marketing strategy needs to be aligned with the corporate strategy of the organisations, while corporate strategies remain ineffective if its managers take the process of strategic marketing for granted. Corporate strategies mainly determine the direction of the organisations, where marketing is supposed to follow the same direction. Although marketing must be the principal channel of market knowledge this must be combined with and balanced by knowledge provided by the other business functions of the organisation. Thus a transcendent organisational view emerges which, it is suggested, is the true basis for corporate strategy. (Connora, 2007, 369) This is necessary to craft a comprehensive corporate strategy for the organisational success, but this cannot be completed without creating a strategic marketing plan. Knowing the fact that marketing has a lions share in entire business development of an organisation, effective corporate strategy entails a flexible structure enabling marketing strategies to freely perform in the market. The same goes for the marketing gurus in any organisation, as they can never achieve their goals and objectives if their strategies are not aligned with those of the features clarified in their main corporate strategies. Both of these factors go alongside each other. Section 2 Utilised in strategic marketing planning, various models offer numerous benefits and advantages to organisations. The first benefit of using models is that it enables strategic marketers to find out substitutes and alternatives, during strategic marketing planning. Consequently, utilisation of these models enhances the decision making capabilities for strategic marketers, helping in making due decisions without unnecessary delays. Through these models, organisations get timely information as well, thus making them capable to perform market forecasting more accurately. This well-timed information appears to be an asset in strategic marketing planning, as this information is, always, accessible and far-reaching. By using these models, organisations derive benefit from flexibility in framing the control reports as well. There is a strong link between employing strategic marketing and strategic positioning. Theoretically, strategic positioning helps in product placement in a way that makes the product easily available in the target market. In a word, strategic positioning stands for the strategic convenience in strategic marketing management, because strategic marketing revolves around positioning. Marketing strategies should respond to the distinctive characteristics and desires of its target market. Strategic positioning differentiates a business from its competitors by uniquely serving its target market. A strategic marketing plan should position a business so that its target market perceives that the business serves them and them alone. (Kruger, 2011) This is also the strategic positioning which helps in formulation of segmentation targeting. Strategic positioning also helps in multiplying the returns on existing marketing plans and strategies. Entire marketing strategies will bring no positive results if the crucial aspect of strategic positioning remains avoided. This is because strategic positioning plays a significant role in promoting the ratio of customer loyalty and profitability as well. Merits of strategic positioning with respect to strategic marketing development are includable. First and foremost, it helps determine the target audiences according to the demographics of the target market. It helps in determining the way an organisation wants to place its products or services in the market after meticulous categorisation and classifications. The employment of positioning strategies that leads to creating a position in the marketplace is undertaken over time through deployment of marketing practices including advertising, public relations, promotion, sales inducing efforts, publicity, etc., brand management, firm image and reputation, product development, and cost controls.(Blankson et. al., 2008, 2) Accurate projection of the sales can never be achieved by skipping the inevitable element of strategic positioning. As organisations are never supposed to please all and sundry under the sun, there must be a smart positioning that may your products to customers found in a predefined market. Product positioning has emerged as a separate field in the world of strategic marketing management. Despite offering a highly enriched product to consumers, this is the meticulous positioning of the product which will decide its acceptability and penetration into the market. There are various examples corroborating the significance of strategic positioning of any brand or service e.g. Coca Cola, Nestle, Wal-Mart, McDonalds, and FedEx, and GE (General Electric), and many more. Strategic positioning, also, depicts the in-depth market knowledge of organisation, as positioning is, usually, done with the help of market research, market intelligence and data gathering. Section 3 To ascertain growth opportunities in a market to the maximum, I would utilise a set of appropriate marketing techniques that includes branding, offerings, packaging and labelling, value additions, and environmental scanning. In details, I would, first, utilise the branding technique in order to differentiate the product than those of the products being offered by the competitors in the same market. Then here comes the phase of packaging and labelling that focuses on attractive presentation of the products through catchy designs and colour schemes etc., which is, further, supplemented by the labelling tool. Successful marketing strategies have always been based on unique insights into consumer behaviour, generalizations of successful tactics, brilliant advertising ideas, and technical innovations as well as market segmentation research. (Gibson, 2001, 1) The tool of offering will be, also, utilised to find out the best solution addressing the customers problems and concerns in comparison with other products available. Being a strategic marketing manager, I will, also, concentrate on value addition so as to multiply the demand and recall of the product in the real market by the targeted consumers and customers. Additionally, I will perform an essential environmental scanning by collecting the data in way that brings us exceptional growth via strategic marketing. In any market, an effective utilisation of market strategy options is taken as the fundamental and crucial phase in entire strategic marketing management. As the battle for the wallet of the emerging-market consumer shifts into higher gear, companies that think about growth opportunities at a more granular level have a better chance of winning. (Atsmon, Kertesz Vittal, 2011, 60) Being a strategic manager, I will use the same in accordance with the four Ps model which entails 1-Product, 2-Price, 3-Placement, ad 4-Promotion. This will be, accordingly, done in consideration of organisational strategies and its accessible resources so that it helps in maintaining the ratio of profitability. The same, also, fortifies the products being sold in the market, thus facilitating standardisation to a large scale. Most of the time, companies and organisation find it difficult to standardise their own marketing and positioning standards and values. Particularly on the consumer side, this standardisation is necessary, as this builds up the confidence of the target customers, and increases the customer loyal to a large extent. Standardisation is an on-going journey, where organisations need to perform the similar way to retain their existing customer base. The most important factors is that this is, also, inevitable to standardise their marketing and positioning efforts, as not all companies can maintain their level of standardisation being offered to their customers. For a defined market, creation of appropriate strategic marketing objectives is considered as a daunting task for the marketers. In fact, strategic marketing objectives are formed in a way that creates a constant need of the particular product in the market, and this objective can never be achieved with flawless standardisation. Section 4 A marketing strategy is always dependent upon various environmental factors. Starting from the political situation of the country to its sluggish economic trends, these environmental factors help in devising a win-win marketing strategy that may successfully address all of these external environmental factors all at once. The function of marketing strategy deals with determining the nature, strength, direction, and interaction between marketing mix elements and the environmental factors in a particular situation. (Akinyele, Samuel Taiwo 2010, 24) Other than law and order situations, absence of competitor in the market affects the sales of a particular product, as well as existing purchasing power of the customer, also, determines the products penetration in the concerned market. Organisations also need to keep up with those of the technology changes and up-gradations occurring in the outside word. I, being a marketing manager, will conduct an internal analysis in order to identify current strengths and weaknesses in a marketing strategy, and this will be done by evaluating the strengths and weakness of the market strategy. Strength of a market strategy is determined by evaluating the effectiveness of the promotional mix. This is, further, followed by knowing the current positing of product placement in the market, mostly relying upon quality of the products, effective branding, packaging and labelling, as well as variety of offerings made for the target consumers and customers. The most important components related to niche marketing include: Firm profile (Organisation charts, billing rates, financial statements); Partner profile (partners personal and professional objectives, firms specialties, age and tenure with the firm); and SWOT analysis (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). (Caragher, 2008, 59) This is, also, fundamental to knowing the weakness of the marketing strategies being implemented, and this is done by analysing various factors critically and neutrally. This may pertain to the lack of innovation, ineffective or irregular communication, and wrong selection of marketing and advertising channels, along with imperfect or untimely distribution of the products etc. The penetration and popularity of the digital media is one of the emerging themes in the world of marketing. As per my response to this rapidly emerging marketing theme, I propose the strategic and well-planned utilisation of the social and digital media after thorough research and investigation. This response will be tinged with usage of latest technological tools and methods, as innovative marketing enables companies to churn out maximum results in form of overall business development and profitability.

Animal Farm by George Orwell Essay

Animal Farm is an allegorical novella by George Orwell published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before the Second World War. Orwell, a democratic socialist,[1] was a critic of Joseph Stalin and hostile to Moscow-directed Stalinism, especially after his experiences with the NKVD and the Spanish Civil War.[2] In a letter to Yvonne Davet, Orwell described Animal Farm as his novel â€Å"contre Stalin†.[3] The original title was Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, but the subtitle was dropped by U.S. publishers for its 1946 publication and subsequently all but one of the translations during Orwell’s lifetime omitted the addition. Other variations in the title include: A Satire and A Contemporary Satire.[3] Orwell suggested the title Union des rà ©publiques socialistes animales for the French translation, which recalled the French name of the Soviet Union, Union des rà ©publiques socialistes sovià ©tiques, and which abbreviates to URSA, the Latin for â€Å"bear†, a symbol of Russia.[3] Time magazine chose the book as one of the 100 best English-language novels (1923 to 2005);[4] it also places at number 31 on the Modern Library List of Best 20th-Century Novels. It won a Retrospective Hugo Award in 1996 and is also included in the Great Books of the Western World. The novel addresses not only the corruption of the revolution by its leaders but also how wickedness, indifference, ignorance, greed and myopia corrupt the revolution. It portrays corrupt leadership as the flaw in revolution, rather than the act of revolution itself. It also shows how potential ignorance and indifference to problems within a revolution could allow horrors to happen if a smooth transition to a people’s government is not achieved. Plot summary Snowball’s revolution Old Major, the old boar on the Manor Farm, calls the animals on the farm for a meeting, where he compares the humans to parasites and teaches  the animals a revolutionary song, ‘Beasts of England’. When Major dies two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, assume command and turn his dream into a philosophy. The animals revolt and drive the drunken and irresponsible Mr Jones from the farm, renaming it â€Å"Animal Farm†. They adopt Seven Commandments of Animal-ism, the most important of which is, â€Å"All animals are equal†. Snowball attempts to teach the animals reading and writing; food is plentiful, and the farm runs smoothly. The pigs elevate themselves to positions of leadership and set aside special food items, ostensibly for their personal health. Napoleon takes the pups from the farm dogs and trains them privately. When Mr Jones tries to retake the farm, the animals defeat him at what they call the â€Å"Battle of the Cowshed†. Napoleon and Snowball struggle for leadership. When Snowball announces his idea for a windmill, Napoleon has his dogs chase Snowball away and declares himself leader. Napoleon’s rule Napoleon enacts changes to the governance structure of the farm, replacing meetings with a committee of pigs, who will run the farm. Using a young pig named Squealer as a â€Å"mouthpiece†, Napoleon announces that Snowball stole the idea for the windmill from him. The animals work harder with the promise of easier lives with the windmill. After a violent storm, the animals find the windmill annihilated. Napoleon and Squealer convince the animals that Snowball destroyed the windmill, although the scorn of the neighbouring farmers suggests that the windmill’s walls were too thin. Once Snowball becomes a scapegoat, Napoleon begins purging the farm with his dogs, killing animals he accuses of consorting with Snowball. He and the pigs abuse their power, imposing more control while reserving privileges for themselves and rewriting history, villainising Snowball and glorifying Napoleon. Squealer justifies every statement Napoleon makes, even the pigs’ alteration of the Seven Commandments of Animalism. â€Å"No animal shall sleep in beds† is changed to â€Å"No animal shall sleep in beds with sheets† when the pigs are discovered to have been sleeping in the old  farmhouse. â€Å"No animal shall drink alcohol† is changed to â€Å"No animal shall drink alcohol to excess† when the pigs discover the farmer’s whiskey. ‘Beasts of England’ is replaced by an anthem glorifying Napoleon, who appears to be adopting the lifestyle of a man. The animals, though cold, starving and overworked, remain convinced that they are better off than they were when under Mr Jones. Squealer abuses the animals’ poor memories and invents numbers to show their improvement. Mr Frederick, one of the neighbouring farmers, swindles Napoleon by buying old wood with forged money, and then attacks the farm, using blasting powder to blow up the restored windmill. Though the animals win the battle, they do so at great cost, as many, including Boxer, are wounded. Despite his injuries, Boxer continues working harder and harder, until he collapses while working on the windmill. Napoleon sends for a van to take Boxer to the veterinary surgeon’s, explaining that better care can be given there. Benjamin the donkey, who â€Å"could read as well as any pig†,[5] notices that the van belongs to â€Å"Alfred Simmonds, Horse Slaughterer and Glue Boiler† (a knacker), and attempts to mount a rescue; but the animals’ attempts are futile. Squealer reports that the van was purchased by the hospital and the writing from the previous owner had not been repainted. He recounts a tale of Boxer’s death in the hands of the best medical care. Shortly after Boxer’s death, it is revealed that the pigs have purchased more whiskey. Humanisation Years pass, and the pigs learn to walk upright, carry whips and wear clothes. The Seven Commandments are reduced to a single phrase: â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others†. Napoleon holds a dinner party for the pigs and the humans of the area, who congratulate Napoleon on having the hardest-working but least fed animals in the country. Napoleon announces an alliance with the humans, against the labouring classes of both â€Å"worlds†. He abolishes practices and traditions related to the Revolution, and changes the name of the farm to â€Å"The Manor Farm†. The animals, overhearing the conversation, notice that the faces of the  pigs have begun changing. During a poker match, an argument breaks out between Napoleon and Mr Pilkington when they both play the Ace of Spades, and the animals realise that the faces of the pigs look like the faces of humans, and no one can tell the difference between them. Animalism â€Å"Seven Commandments† redirects here. For the Noahide code, see Seven Laws of Noah.: The seven laws listed by the Tosefta and the Talmud are[7] 1. Prohibition of Idolatry 2. Prohibition of Murder 3. Prohibition of Theft 4. Prohibition of Sexual immorality 5. Prohibition of Blasphemy 6. Prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive 7. Establishment of courts of law The pigs Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer adapt Old Major’s ideas into an actual philosophy, which they formally name Animalism. Soon after, Napoleon and Squealer indulge in the vices of humans (drinking alcohol, sleeping in beds, trading). Squealer is employed to alter the Seven Commandments to account for this humanisation, an allusion to the Soviet government’s revising of history in order to exercise control of the people’s beliefs about themselves and their society.[6] The original commandments are: 1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. 2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. 3. No animal shall wear clothes. 4. No animal shall sleep in a bed. 5. No animal shall drink alcohol. 6. No animal shall kill any other animal. 7. All animals are equal. Later, Napoleon and his pigs secretly revise some commandments to clear them of accusations of law-breaking (such as â€Å"No animal shall drink alcohol† having â€Å"to excess† appended to it and â€Å"No animal shall sleep in a bed† with â€Å"with sheets† added to it). The changed commandments are as follows, with the changes bolded: 1. No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. 2. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess. 3. No animal shall kill any other animal without cause. Eventually these are replaced with the maxims, â€Å"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others†, and â€Å"Four legs good, two legs better!† as the pigs become more human. This is an ironic twist to the original purpose of the Seven Commandments, which were supposed to keep order within Animal Farm by uniting the animals together against the humans, and by prevent animals from following the humans’ evil habits. Through the revision of the commandments, Orwell demonstrates how simply political dogma can be turned into malleable propaganda.[7] Characters Pigs Old Major – An aged prize Middle White boar provides the inspiration  that fuels the Rebellion in the book. He is an allegory of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, the founders of communism, in that he draws up the principles of the revolution. His skull being put on revered public display also recalls Lenin, whose embalmed body was put on display.[8][9] Napoleon – â€Å"A large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar, the only Berkshire on the farm, not much of a talker, but with a reputation for getting his own way†,[10] An allegory ofJoseph Stalin,[8] Napoleon is the main villain of Animal Farm. In the first French version of Animal Farm, Napoleon is called Cà ©sar, the French form of Caesar,[3] although another translation has him as Napolà ©on.[11] Snowball – Napoleon’s rival and original head of the farm after Jones’ overthrow. He is mainly based on Leon Trotsky,[8] but also combines elements from Vladimir Lenin.[9] Squealer – A small white fat porker who serves as Napoleon’s right hand pig and minister of propaganda, holding a position similar to that of Molotov.[8] Minimus – A poetic pig who writes the second and third national anthems of Animal Farm after the singing of â€Å"Beasts of England† is banned. The Piglets – Hinted to be the children of Napoleon (albeit not explicitly stated) and are the first generation of animals actually subjugated to his idea of animal inequality. The young pigs – Four pigs who complain about Napoleon’s takeover of the farm but are quickly silenced and later executed. Pinkeye – A minor pig who is mentioned only once; he is the pig that tastes Napoleon’s food to make sure it is not poisoned, in response to rumours about an assassination attempt on Napoleon. Humans Mr Jones – The former owner of the farm, Jones is a very heavy drinker. The animals revolt against him after he drinks so much that he does not feed or take care of them. Mr Frederick – The tough owner of Pinchfield, a well-kept neighbouring farm, who briefly enters into an â€Å"alliance† with Napoleon, represents Germany. Mr Pilkington – The easy-going but crafty owner of Foxwood, a neighbouring farm overgrown with weeds, represents Britain. Mr Whymper – A man hired by Napoleon for the public relations of Animal Farm to human society, who is eventually used to procure luxuries like alcohol for the pigs. Equines Boxer – Boxer is a loyal, kind, dedicated, and respectable horse, although quite dim-witted. Clover – Boxer’s companion, constantly caring for him; she also acts as a matriarch of sorts for the other horses and the other animals in general. Mollie – Mollie is a self-centred, self-indulgent and vain young white mare who quickly leaves for another farm after the revolution. Benjamin – Benjamin, a donkey, is one of the oldest animals. He has the worst temper, but is also one of the wisest animals on the farm, and is one of the few who can actually read. He is skeptical and pessimistic, his most-often-made statement being â€Å"Life will go on as it has always gone on – that is, badly.†[12] Other animals Muriel – A wise old goat who is friends with all of the animals on the farm. She, like Benjamin and Snowball, is one of the few animals on the farm who can read. The Puppies – Offspring of Jessie and Bluebell, taken away from them by Napoleon at birth and reared by Napoleon to be his security force. Moses – An old raven who occasionally visits the farm, regaling its denizens with tales of a wondrous place beyond the clouds called Sugarcandy Mountain, where he avers that all animals go when they die—but only if they work hard. He is interpreted as symbolising the Russian Orthodox Church, with Sugarcandy Mountain an allusion to Heaven for the animals.[13] The Sheep – They show limited understanding of the situations but nonetheless blindly support Napoleon’s ideals. The Hens – The hens are among the first to rebel against Napoleon. The Cows – Their milk is stolen by the pigs, who learn to milk them, and is stirred into the pigs’ mash every day while the other animals are denied such luxuries. The Cat – Never seen to carry out any work, the cat is absent for long periods, and is forgiven because her excuses are so convincing and she â€Å"purred so affectionately that is was impossible not to believe in her good intentions†.[14] She has no interest in the politics of the farm, and the only time she is recorded as having participated in an election, she is found to have actually â€Å"voted on both sides†.[14] Glossary of Terms Coccidiosis: a parasitic infection that causes bloody diarrhea and sudden death in animals Communism: a theory or system of social organization based on the  holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state; in practice, communism is often a totalitarian system of government Comrade: a fellow member of a political party; a member of the Communist party Disinter: to exhume; to unearth that which is buried Proletariat: in Marxism, the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive Propaganda: information, ideas, or rumors disseminated to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, or other entity Regime: a mode or system of rule or government; such a system when in power Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates vesting the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, and other assets in the community as a whole Totalitarianism: absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized institution Tushes: small, short tusks such as those belonging to a boar. Major Themes The Soviet Union under Stalinism Animal Farm is a satire of totalitarian governments in their many guises. But Orwell composed the book for a more specific purpose: to serve as a cautionary tale about Stalinism. It was for this reason that he faced  such difficulty in getting the book published; by the time Animal Farm was ready to meet its readers, the Allies were cooperating with the Soviet Union. The allegorical characters of the novel represent specific historical figures and different factions of Imperial Russian and Soviet society. These include Karl Marx (Major), Vladimir Lenin (Major), Leon Trotsky (Snowball), Joseph Stalin (Napoleon), Adolf Hitler (Frederick), the Allies (Pilkington), the peasants (Boxer), the elite (Mollie), and the church (Moses). The resemblance of some of the novel’s events to events in Soviet history is indubitable. For example, Snowball’s and Napoleon’s power struggle is a direct allegory of Trotsky’s and Stalin’s. Frederick’s trade agreement with Napoleon, and his subsequent breaking of the agreement, represents the Nazi-Soviet non-aggression pact that preceded World War II. The following Battle of the Windmill represents World War II itself. Despite his fairy-tale clarity in satirizing some historical events, Orwell is less specific about others. For example, the executions in Chapter VII conflate the Red Terror with the Great Purge. The executions themselves bear resemblance to both events, although their details connect them more to the Moscow Trials than to the Red Terror. Squealer’s subsequent announcement that the executions have ended the Rebellion connects them to the period of the Red Terror, however. Orwell leaves some ambiguity in the identities of the Rebellion and the Battle of the Cowshed. These ambiguities help the reader focus on the overall satire of Stalinism and the broader warning about the evils of totalitarian government. The Inevitability of Totalitarianism Orwell held the pessimistic belief that totalitarianism was inevitable, even in the West. According to Russell Baker, who wrote the preface to Animal Farm’s 1996 Signet Classics version, Orwell’s pessimism stemmed from his having grown up in an age of dictatorship. Witnessing Hitler’s and Stalin’s movements from afar, as well as fighting totalitarianism in the Spanish Civil War, Orwell came to believe in the rise of a new species of autocrat, worse even than the tyrants of old. This cynicism is reflected in  both of his highly successful novels, Animal Farm and 1984. Orwell emphasizes the insidiousness of totalitarianism early in the novel, when the pigs take the fresh milk and apples. The pigs justify their actions on the basis of their superiority; they are smart and need more nutrition than the other animals to fuel their brainpower. There is no scientific basis for the pigs’ claim—in fact, if anyone needs more food to fuel their labor, it is the manual laborers—but they can count on the animals’ being too ignorant to realize that. In this way, Orwell makes the point that totalitarianism need not be blatant in order to be operating. It can hide under the guise of the â€Å"greater good† as it did in the Soviet Union before the totalitarianism became obvious. Orwell uses a cyclical structure in Animal Farm, which helps advance the idea of totalitarianism’s predictability. The novel begins with Jones as autocratic tyrant and ends with Napoleon not only in Jones’s position, but in his clothes as well. Over the course of the novel, Napoleon essentially becomes Jones just as Stalin becomes an autocrat after pretending to espouse equality and freedom. Orwell cements this idea in the book’s final scene, where he writes, â€Å"Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which† (139). The circularity of Orwell’s story prevents the reader from imagining a better future for Animal Farm. After all, even if another Rebellion were to take place, its leaders would eventually come to emulate Napoleon. According to Baker, technology turned out to be the force freeing people from Orwell’s age of dictators. But â€Å"technology† can be just another banner under which to rally the people. While Orwell does portray technology as a source of progress in Animal Farm, he points out that it is useless unless it is in the people’s hands. Most notably, even when the windmill is finished it is used for milling corn instead of its original purpose of supplying the animals with electricity in their stalls. Intelligence and Education as Tools of Oppression From the very beginning of the novel, we become aware of education’s role in stratifying Animal Farm’s population. Following Major’s death, the pigs are the ones that take on the task of organizing and mobilizing the other animals because they are â€Å"generally recognized as being the cleverest of the animals† (35). At first, the pigs are loyal to their fellow animals and to the revolutionary cause. They translate Major’s vision of the future faithfully into the Seven Commandments of Animalism. However, it is not long before the pigs’ intelligence and education turn from tools of enlightenment to implements of oppression. The moment the pigs are faced with something material that they want—the fresh milk—they abandon their morals and use their superior intellect and knowledge to deceive the other animals. The pigs also limit the other animals’ opportunities to gain intelligence and education early on. They teach themselves to read and write from a children’s book but destroy it before the other animals can have the same chance. Indeed, most of the animals never learn more than a few letters of the alphabet. Once the pigs cement their status as the educated elite, they use their mental advantage to manipulate the other animals. For example, knowing that the other animals cannot read the Seven Commandments, they revise them whenever they like. The pigs also use their literacy to learn trades from manuals, giving them an opportunity for economic specialization and advancement. Content in the role of the intelligentsia, the pigs forgo manual labor in favor of bookkeeping and organizing. This shows that the pigs have not only the advantage of opportunity, but also the opportunity to reject whatever opportunities they like. The pigs’ intelligence and education allow them to bring the other animals into submission through the use of propaganda and revisionism. At the book’s end, we witness Napoleon’s preparations to educate a new generation of pigs and indoctrinate them into the code of oppression. Propaganda and Duplicity Working as a propagandist during World War II, Orwell experienced firsthand both the immense power and the dishonesty of propaganda. Many  types of governments make use of propaganda, not only totalitarian ones. Consider, for instance, the arguments that led many United States citizens to go along with the idea of invading Iraq after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. Propaganda serves the positive task of uniting the people, sometimes at the cost of misleading them. Orwell takes a firm stance on the harmfulness of propaganda in Animal Farm while acknowledging its value for rallying a mistreated and disillusioned populace. In Chapter IX, Orwell demonstrates the positive value of propaganda. By this point, the animals are so downtrodden that they are desperate for something in which to believe. (Note the irony, though: it is Napoleon who has robbed them of their belief in the original version of Animalism.) The falsely optimistic statistics, the songs, and especially the Spontaneous Demonstrations give the animals something to live for. This chapter is an exception in terms of portraying propaganda in a positive light. For the majority ofAnimal Farm, Orwell skewers propaganda and exposes its nature as deception. Squealer represents a totalitarian government’s propaganda machine. Eloquent to a fault, he can make the animals believe almost anything. This fact is especially clear in Squealer’s interactions with Clover and Muriel. Each time Clover suspects that the Seven Commandments have been changed, Squealer manages to convince her that she is wrong. After the executions, Napoleon abolishes the singing of â€Å"Beasts of England† in favor of a new anthem, the lyrics of which contain a promise never to harm Animal Farm. In this propagandist manoeuvre, Napoleon replaces the revolutionary spirit of â€Å"Beasts of England† with the exact opposite, a promise not to rebel. In addition to being a source of manipulation, propaganda is an agent of fear and terror. Orwell demonstrates this quite clearly with Napoleon’s vilification of Snowball and his assurances that Snowball could attack the animals at any minute. He uses similar fear tactics regarding Frederick and Pilkington. The most egregious example of propaganda in the novel is the maxim that replaces the Seven Commandments: â€Å"All animals are equal / But some animals are more equal than others.† The idea of â€Å"more equal† is mathematically improbable and a nonsensical manipulation of language, but by  this time, the animals are too brainwashed to notice. Violence and Terror as Means of Control In Animal Farm, Orwell criticizes the ways that dictators use violence and terror to frighten their populaces into submission. Violence is one of the yokes from which the animals wish to free themselves when they prepare for the Rebellion. Not only does Jones overwork the animals and steal the products of their labor, but he can whip or slaughter them at his discretion. Once the pigs gain control of the animals, they, like Jones, discover how useful violence and terror can be. They use this knowledge to their full advantage. The foremost example of violence and terror in the novel is the pattern of public executions. The executions can be said to represent both the Red Terror and the Great Purge, but they stand more broadly for the abuse of power. For example, they are also similar to the Taliban’s public executions in Kabul’s soccer stadium in modern Afghanistan. Capital punishment for criminals is a hotly debated issue. Killing suspected criminals, as Napoleon does, is quite another issue. The executions perhaps best symbolize the Moscow Trials, which were show trials that Stalin arranged to instill fear in the Soviet people. To witnesses at the time, the accused traitors’ confessions seemed to be given freely. In fact, they were coerced. Napoleon likely coerces confessions from many of the animals that he executes. Orwell’s use of the allegory genre serves him well in the execution scene. Execution with weapons is a violent and horrifying act, but many people have become desensitized to it. Orwell’s allegorical executioners, the dogs that kill cruelly, portray the bloody and inescapably animalistic side of execution. Terror comes also in threats and propaganda. Each time the animals dare to question an aspect of Napoleon’s regime, Squealer threatens them with Jones’s return. This is doubly threatening to the animals because it would mean another battle that, if lost, would result in a return to their former lifestyle of submission. Jones’s return is such a serious threat that it quashes the animals’ curiosity without fail. The other major example of fear  tactics in the novel is the threat of Snowball and his collaborators. Napoleon is able to vilify Snowball in the latter’s absence and to make the animals believe that his return, like Jones’s, is imminent. Snowball is a worse threat than Jones, because Jones is at least safely out of Animal Farm. Snowball is â€Å"proved† to be not only lurking along Animal Farm’s borders but infiltrating the farm. Napoleon’s public investigation of Snowball’s whereabouts cements the animals’ fear of Snowball’s influence. In modern language, Snowball is pegged as the terrorist responsible for the infringements on the rights and liberties instigated by the pigs. Exploitation and the Need for Human Rights Exploitation is the issue around which the animals unite. Initially, the animals do not realize Jones is exploiting them. For this reason, Old Major’s speech is a revelation of momentous proportions. Major explains to the animals that they are enslaved and exploited and that Man is to blame. He teaches them not only what exploitation means, but also the fact that it is not inevitable. Orwell suggests that exploitation is, in fact, bound to happen when one class of society has an advantage over another. The opposite of exploitation, according to Major, is the state of being â€Å"rich and free.† Major’s ideas about animal rights symbolize the importance—and scarcity—of human rights in an oppressive regime. Gaining freedom does not necessarily lead people also to become rich, but it is better to be poor and free than poor and exploited. All the animals on Animal Farm are exploited under Napoleon’s control, save the pigs. Even the dogs, which work closely with the pigs, are exploited. The dogs face perhaps even a worse form of exploitation than the other animals, because they are made into agents of intimidation and death. Whereas Napoleon exploits the other animals’ physical strength and their ignorance, he exploits the dogs’ viciousness and turns them into villains against their parents’ wishes. Boxer’s life is a particularly sad example of exploitation because he exploits himself, believing wholeheartedly in Napoleon’s goodness. In the  end, Napoleon turns the tables and exploits Boxer, having him slaughtered for profit. By the end of the novel, we see clearly how the animals participate in their own exploitation. They are beginning to build a schoolhouse for the thirty-one young pigs Napoleon has fathered (perhaps an oblique reference to the â€Å"Thirty Tyrants† of ancient Greece). That schoolhouse will never benefit the animals that build it; rather, it will be used to educate the pigs and indoctrinate them into the cycle of exploiting others. Throughout the novel, Orwell shows us how the lack of human rights results in total helplessness. However, though it underscores the need for human rights, the novel does not suggest how to achieve them. After all, once the animals expel Jones and gain rights for themselves, the pigs take those rights away and the cycle of exploitation continues with new players. Apathy and Acceptance In the beginning of Animal Farm, the idea of freedom rouses the animals as if from a long slumber. Immediately following Major’s death, the animals begin preparing themselves for the Rebellion; just the idea of revolution is enough to motivate them, since they do not expect it to happen in their lifetimes. By the book’s end, the animals have become as apathetic as Benjamin always was. Despite the many hardships and injustices they face, the animals’ pride as well as Napoleon’s propaganda keep them invested in the â€Å"greater good† and the illusion of freedom. If Benjamin is the harbinger of apathy, Boxer is its antithesis. Strong not only in body but also in spirit, Boxer will make any sacrifice for the benefit of Animal Farm. With Boxer’s eventual betrayal by the leaders he served so unconditionally, Orwell lays bare another type of apathy—theirs. Far from truly considering Boxer a loyal comrade, the pigs treat him as apathetically as they would a mere object. Symbolically, they even make a profit by having him turned into literal objects—glue and bone meal. Boxer’s enthusiasm does not give him an advantage, but the other animals’ eventual apathy gives them a defense mechanism against the painful reality of their lives. It is no coincidence that Animal Farm’s most apathetic and cynical animal, Benjamin, is one of those that survives the  longest. Benjamin’s emotional detachment from situations, whether they are good or bad, keeps him from being disappointed. In his apathy and cynicism, Benjamin represents the stereotypical â€Å"gloomy† Russian and also the perennially pessimistic Orwell himself. Summary and analysis of Chapter I Mr. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, stumbles drunkenly up to bed as the farm animals wait in still silence. The moment he is out of sight, they begin to bustle around, preparing themselves for the big meeting that is to take place that night. Old Major has called the meeting to discuss a strange dream he had the previous night. He is waiting for his fellow animals in the big barn.

Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics Tips & Guide

Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics Tips & Guide Using the Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics No matter who you are or where you're from you'll inevitably deal with death and must find a location where your courage will come from when faced with a critical circumstance. You must get a hold of yourself. In a feeling, 1 approach to ensure that always really is always is death. There are lots of obstacles in life, and we always work to overcome them. Get the Scoop on the Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics Before You're Too Late Few individuals are fortunate enough to be this very good at something. This is partly because of its tragic love story, but might also be attributed to the thought-provoking subject matter. Love isn't something which can be wished upon, you've got to get that click. These things aren't my choice. The Good, the Bad and the Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics That sort of pain, the novel suggests, is necessary, and actually it is a component of joy. The livin g that are dying. The research will provide the readers inkling into the actual lives of the young adults afflicted by cancer, and could be give them an opportunity to identify themselves with the patients. The disease is incurable and nobody knows how long is left for the girl. That was in brief regarding the storyline. The key characters in the novel must confront death in a way in which the young and healthy aren't. Quite a few examples show up in the story. At the close of the book Hazel is made to handle the death of her only soul mate, Augustus. Augustus and Hazel decide to discover the author of the book Peter Van Houten to find out what is going to occur in the story. Hazel is particularly fascinated with this book as it relates to herself. Hazel mostly stays at home almost all the time reading the identical book repeatedly, An Imperial Of Affliction. Hazel is related to the book's most important character, Anna, in every manner. Life, Death and the Fault in Ou r Stars Essay Topics The paragraphs should consist of over 1 sentence. By means of this quote it wouldn't be a huge jump to the conclusion which he is a realist, expressed throughout his novel. It is essential that you think about the tenses that needs to be used for each paragraph of a review. Say, as an example, you're a high school student, and you should compose a 3-page essay. Though she understands a great deal about literature and even more about pain, Hazel doesn't understand a lot about the disposition of love at the start of the novel. Everybody in the novel has a different means of managing it. While adults may locate the topics within this novel heavy and too mature for kids, Green believes that young readers are likely already thinking about them. The Key to Successful the Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics Privacy software may be used to override web beacons. Non-Personal Information In some instances, we might collect details about you that isn't personally id entifiable. Learning disabilities are common and developmental stuttering. Ruthless Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics Strategies Exploited Therefore, if there's any reason why you cannot have your extended essay written on time yourself, all you have to do is place your order on our site, and leave the rest to us! And, needless to say, you've got to ensure that the range of your topic meets the range of pages you must write. The point of a cookie is to tell the Web server you have returned to a particular page. This isn't an instance of the work generated by our Essay Writing Service. What Is So Fascinating About the Fault in Our Stars Essay Topics? The home is a sad place for a result. The tour involves climbing lots of steep staircases. They head back to the hotel in the place where they make love for the initial and only moment. So, it's necessary to give your eyes rest for a while by taking rests after particular time intervals. There are several repugnant jerks on ear th and the majority of the moment, the only mature point to do is walk away. The folks who made this error weren't bad or incompetent men and women, and they weren't acting maliciously. In the fault in our stars that's exactly what happened. How frequently have you heard, but it isn't fair!''

What Are the Symbols of the Greek Goddess Athena

Athena, the patron goddess of the city of Athens, is  associated with over a dozen sacred symbols from which she derived her powers.  Born from Zeuss head, she was his favorite daughter and possessed great wisdom, bravery, and resourcefulness. A virgin, she had no children of her own but occasionally befriended or adopted others. Athena had a large and powerful following and was worshiped throughout Greece. She is represented most often alongside the following four symbols. Wise Owl The owl is considered Athenas sacred animal, the source of her wisdom and judgment. It is telling, too, that the animal most associated with her has such exceptional night vision, symbolizing Athenas ability to see when others cannot.  The owl was also associated with Athenas namesake, the Roman goddess Minerva. Shield Maiden Zeus is often depicted carrying an aegis, or goatskin shield, emblazoned with the head of Medusa, the snake-headed monster whom Perseus slew, making a gift of her head to Athena. As such, Zeus often loaned  this aegis to his daughter. The aegis was forged by the one-eyed Cyclops in Hephaestuss forge. It was covered in golden scales and roared during battle. Arms and Armor According to Homer in his Iliad, Athena was a warrior goddess who fought alongside many of Greek mythologys most famous heroes. She exemplified tactical strategy and war in the name of justice, in contrast to her brother, Ares, who represented unbridled violence and bloodlust. In some depictions, including the famous statue Athena Parthenos, the goddess carries or wears arms and armor. Her usual military items include a lance, a shield (including at times her fathers aegis),  and a helmet. Her military prowess made her a goddess of worship in Sparta as well. Olive Tree The olive tree was the symbol of Athens, the city for which Athena was a protector. According to myth, Athena achieved this status by winning a contest Zeus held between her and Poseidon. Standing on the site of the Acropolis, the two were asked to offer the people of Athens a gift. Poseidon struck his trident on the rock and produced a salt spring. Athena, however, produced a beautiful and bounteous olive tree. The Athenians chose Athenas gift, and Athena was made patron goddess of the city. Other Symbols In addition to the symbols described above, a variety of other animals were sometimes pictured with the goddess. Their specific significance is not entirely clear, but she is often associated with the rooster, dove, eagle, and serpent. For instance, many ancient Greek amphorae (tall jars with two handles and a narrow neck) have been found decorated with both roosters and Athena. In some myths, Athenas aegis not a goat shield at all, but a  cloak  trimmed with serpents  that she uses as a protective cover. She has also been depicted carrying a staff or spear around which a snake winds. The dove and the eagle could either  symbolize victory in war or the meting out of justice in non-combative ways.