Lord of the Flies Essay Example

Lord of the Flies Essay Civilization vs. Savagery What do symbols illustrate in novels? In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, symbols are illustrated through people, objects, and colors. In this novel, a group of children are faced with the difficulty of living isolated from society after their plane crashes on a deserted island. With no formal civilization, parents, or rules, the kids have the freedom to do as they choose. Throughout the novel, the boys find and use objects on the island that symbolize something of different importance. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses different objects to symbolize the difference between civilization and savagery. One of the first symbols presented in the Lord of the Flies is the conch shell. After the boys’ plane has crashed on the island, Ralph and Piggy, two of the main characters, find the conch lying in the sand on the beach. Ralph immediately recognizes the conch as being a possible way â€Å"to call the children to assemblies. † (Cox 170). The conch soon becomes one of the most powerful symbols of civilization in the novel. â€Å"He can hold it, when he’s speaking. † (Golding 33). This quote refers to the idea that, whoever has possession of the shell, may speak. It soon becomes a symbol of democratic power, proactively governing the boys. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer With Ralph being the leader, and Piggy by his side, the conch shell serves as an equivalent to the executive branch of government. He who holds the shell is superior, at that time. When savagery begins to take control of the boys as the novel progresses, the conch shell begins to lose power. After innocent Ralph is involved with the murdering of Simon, he holds onto the conch tightly, remembering the sense of graciousness that he once had. The conch shell ends up getting smashed during the scene of Piggy’s death, when Roger kills him with ‘the rock,’ another symbol in the book. Another symbol presented in Lord of the Flies is the beast. The beast, representing horror, is the most intricate of all the symbols. It is unique because it is not an actual object, but instead it is the imagination of the boys. It shows the inclination toward evil that all human beings are faced with in a time of great disaster. Simon, a character of human goodness rather than savage, comes up with the conclusion that the beast was not actually an object or figure, but instead it was the boys themselves. â€Å"Maybe it’s only us. † (Golding 89). After Simon speaks of this, the boys erupt in anger. Jack and the rest of his savage boys fall into chaos. Jack promises that there is a beast and they will find and kill it. The boys’ strong will to kill shows their fear of the beast and it disables the connection that they once had with civilization. As the savagery of the boys continues, the beast becomes looked upon as a leader, and they begin to make sacrifices. The erratic behavior expressed by the boys is what brings the beast out of their imaginations and portrays it as something that actually exists. The more devilish the boys become, the more the beast seems to be real. Along with the conch, the next symbol, the signal fire, was also present at the beginning of the novel. This symbol, representing life, was one of the only chances the boys had for reconnecting with society. Two signal fires were made on the island. One was built on the mountain in hope that a plane would see it, and the other was built on the beach, in hope that a ship would see it. In the first few chapters, the boys strived hard to keep the fire going, except for Jack. Instead of focusing on the fire, Jack was more excited about hunting for pigs. â€Å"There was a ship. Out there. You said you’d keep the fire going and you let it out! † (Golding 70). This shows how much the fire meant. Knowing that the boys may only have one chance at being saved, Ralph was furious at Jack when he found out that he let the fire burn out. The fire was so important to the boys on the island because it represented the small amount of civilization still left inside of them. When the fire burnt out and the ship did not see them, the boys ultimately gave up. They recognized the fact that they weren’t going to be saved and they would have to live lives of savages. Oddly enough however, at the end of the story the boys are saved because a ship sees a fire on the island; not the signal fire, but a fire made from the destruction caused by the savage boys. Another symbol is presented through the disability of one of the characters, Piggy, whose vision is much below average. He has glasses and these glasses play an important role throughout the book. Piggy is the smartest and most intellectual out of all the boys. From the very beginning of the novel Piggy’s intellect is shown when he uses his glasses to start the first ignal fire. He uses the lenses to reflect the sun’s light on a piece of wood. Piggy’s glasses play a key role in keeping the boys’ minds focused on being rescued. As long as they had a signal fire lit, the chances of being rescued were still probable. The boys’ chances of being returned to society vanish after an altercation between Ralph and Jack, where Jack steals Piggy’s glasses from his face. Ralph and Piggy are now left abandoned after Jack, now with the glasses, moves to the other side of the island with a few of the other boys. Piggy, without his glasses, cannot see. This represents the change from civilization to savagery. At the start of the novel, when Piggy first has his glasses, the boys on the island remain civilized, making attempts to keep the signal fire strong. As the novel progresses, and Piggy looses his glasses, the decline of civilization toward savagery is present. The collapse of the boys is also revealed through the symbolic masks that the boys design. These masks, which are used by Jacks followers called ‘the hunters,’ are made of clay paint. The evilness of the boys is clearly shown when they wear the masks. It is almost as if an infectious disease is spread upon them; they lose all sense of civilization. After Jack paints the mask on his face for the first time, it is clear what it does to him. â€Å"He began to dance and his laughter became a blood thirsty snarling. â€Å"He capered toward Bill, and the mask was a thing of its own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-consciousness. † (Golding 64). This not only shows the cruelty of the mask, but it also shows how it opens Jack into the world of being a savage. Also, Golding mentions the colors of Jack’s first mask as being Red, White, and Black. These colors symbolize â€Å"violence, terror, and evil. † (Golding). The darkest and most violent symbol on the island is the rock. Roger, one of the savage boys, uses the rock to kill Piggy. Comparable to the mask, the rock is red representing violence. â€Å"High overhead, Roger with a sense of delirium abandonment, leaned all of his weight on the lever. † (Golding 180). This describes the scene when Roger, standing on a cliff, pushes the rock down on Piggy. The scene in the story when Roger kills Piggy represents more than just the death of one of the protagonists. Not only does the rock smash Piggy, but it also shatters the conch. The conch and Piggy were a few of the only figures of civilization left on the island. At this point, almost all the boys become savages and feel no sympathy towards the death of Piggy. In Lord of the Flies, the main characters are used to signify important thoughts and concepts. Piggy represents â€Å"prudence, logic, science, and the process on thought, which he uses throughout the story to remain civilized. † (Taylor). Piggy is the thinker behind Ralph, the leader, who comes up with ideas such as starting the fire with his glasses. His intellect represents the world of civilization that the boys once lived in. Simon has been given the characteristic of a mystic, or someone that is supernatural. He signifies â€Å"the Christ-figure. † (Spitz). In an Interview, William Golding even refers to Simon as â€Å"a saint. † (Kermode 219). He is shy and incomplete, yet he uses the intellect that he has to help others. Ralph, who has been the leader from early in the novel, is the most important representation of civilization on the island. Even though he loses his best friend Piggy, his friend Simon, and the conch, he still remains civilized. Like Simon, he learns that savagery is present among all humans. Jack, being the first of two main antagonists, is the number one exemplary of savagery on the island. His lust for power and his rampant terror among the boys sets him far apart from the civilized. This is present at the very beginning of the novel when Jack becomes upset about loosing the top leadership position to Ralph. The second antagonist is Roger. Roger shows the cruelty and bloodthirstiness of the savages at their climax. Roger, being one of Jack’s main followers, ends up murdering Piggy with the rock. The most significant and most apparent symbol in the story is the Lord of the Flies. The Lord of the Flies, which gives the book its title, is a slaughtered pig’s head that is placed onto a spear. The head, seen by Simon, is described as gruesome and terrifying. When Simon stumbles upon it in the Jungle, it seems to talk to him, telling him about the evil that lies within all humans. The dead pig’s head also tells Simon that he is going to have some â€Å"fun† with him, which foreshadows Simon’s death. The Lord of the Flies is ultimately a symbol of terror, but more importantly a symbol of the devil. The evil shown through the pig’s head is the same evil that has been causing the civility of the boys to decline. In Lord of the Flies, William Golding uses different objects to symbolize the difference between civilization and savagery. From the beginning of the novel to the end, the decline of civilization toward savagery is present among the boys. At the start, the boys tried hard to remain civilized by using objects such as the signal fire and Piggy’s glasses. As the novel progressed, the turn from civilization to savagery began to take place after Jack lets his lust for savagery get the best of him when he steals Piggy’s glasses. Lastly, at the end of the novel, the domination of savagery is present with the masks, the Lord of the Flies, and the rock. Once all hope of returning to civilization is lost, the boys accept their lives as savages. The symbolism that Golding employs in Lord of the Flies shows the difference between the civilization that the boys’ once knew and the savagery that fell upon them. Works Cited Cox, C. B. A review of ‘Lord of the Flies. ’ † Critical Quarterly 2. 2 (Summer 1960): 112-17. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Vol. 58. Detroit: Gale, 1990. 170-72. Dunn, Daisy, â€Å"Book Blog| The Spectator. † Spectator Magazine| World Politics Current Events, News, and Discussion. The Spectator. 17 Nov. 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print. Golding, William. â€Å"Lord of the Flies Themes| Gradesaver. † Study Guides Essay Editing| Gradesaver. Gradesaver LLC, 1999. Web. 9. Nov. 2011. Kermode, Frank. â€Å"The Meaning of It All. † Lord of the Flies: Casebook Edition. Ed. James R. Baker Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. New York: Penguin Group, 1988. Spitz, David. â€Å"Power And Authority: An Interpretation of Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies. ’ † The Antioch Review 30. 1 (Spring 1970): 21-33. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Sharon R. Gunton. Vol. 17. Detroit: Gale, 1981. 172-73. Taylor H. Harry. Rev. of The Case Against William Golding’s Simon-Piggy. (2004): 65-67. Bloom, Harold. â€Å"Bloom’s Guides: Comprehensive Research Study Guides. † Print. Lord Of The Flies Essay Example Lord Of The Flies Paper I will now talk about the opening of Harry Hooks second screen adaptation of William Goldings cult novel about a group of British school children that revert to savagery when marooned on a deserted island. The new adaptation replaces British school children with a group of American military cadets. Harry Hook is also a very effective professional film director who employs a wide range of camera techniques. At the start of Harry Hooks version of Lord Of The Flies we see a blank screen for about 10 seconds, we also hear very strange electronic music, which gives a strange intriguing effect. This also gives the audience no idea about what is going on this is very similar to Peter Brooks first shot in his screen adaptation of Lord Of The Flies only Brook has a bell in the background. We see the foot descending. When we see the foot it gives a shocking effect, but as we then see the full male body descending it seems quite peaceful. While we see this there is no noise at all. This is also very similar to Peter Brookss version of The Lord Of The Flies because I think Brook uses Cricket and people clapping politely to represent peace, Harry Hook decides to use the silence to represent peace. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord Of The Flies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lord Of The Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lord Of The Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When we see the man slowly sinking past the camera we see he is wearing a pilots uniform. The audience can infer that this man is a pilot. The audience can also deduce that we are in the sea or underwater. We then see bubbles rising from his mouth we can now infer that he is drowning; we then see a blue screen this is confusing the audience are trying to guess what is happening. The camera then cuts to a shot of boys above the water, the water is splashing against the camera and making the camera move so we can not see exactly what is going on, we hear loud screaming there is a sense of panic and worry. Harry Hook has used the camera in a first person point of view so it seems like we are actually seeing the view that one of the boys would see. We then see an underwater shot looking upwards we see flailing legs and hear muffled shouting. I like this camera technique because it creates a sense of confusion and disorientation. This camera technique was used a lot in the film Jaws it created a sense of panic and distress because when ever we seen an underwater shot in Jaws we knew something bad was going to happen just like when we hear the drum in Peter Brooks version of The Lord Of The Flies we know something bad is going to happen. The camera then rotates 360 degrees looking upwards from under the water. This shows the vulnerability of the survivors. We then see another underwater shot of a boy swimming down again. The audience is confused wondering what is he after? Then see a mid shot of a life raft then exploding open this startles the audience and explains how they survive and also what the boy was so desperate to retrieve from the water. In the next shot we see the title credits Lord Of The Flies on a silver and black background. And just like the Peter Brook version the letters stand out from the black background. We hear jaunty music drums, violins and flutes it has a very Irish jig feel to it, which in my opinion creates a sense of adventure and excitement. The next shot we see an extreme long shot of the island where their destination is. The raft floats onto the screen from a distance showing the survivors, who there are about twenty children and one pilot, unconscious. The boys wade ashore to where their journey begins. Lord of the Flies Essay Example Lord of the Flies Paper Lord of the Flies was written in the 50s, a decade or so after the war. The war demonstrated the savagery of the human race most famously so with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The book is a reflection of Goldings pessimism of human nature. The island becomes a microcosm of the wider world where fallen human nature leads to a huge war. When all the boys meet together in chapter 2, there is initially some conflict between Ralph and Jack, but this is just a struggle of egos and not necessarily showing any kind of savagery. There is at first an agreement to order the island with a democratic system, and this is first represented by the conch, which is in effect the symbol for democracy on the island. Ill give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when hes speaking. Originally we see the boys as mildly presentable, most noticeably the choir who are introduced to us in a formation all in identical black clothing Each boy wore a square black cap with a silver badge in it. Their bodies from throat to ankle, were hidden with black cloaks. But soon all the boys except Piggy become far more scruffy and disorganised and eventually develop animalistic behaviour. These traits are most prominent in Jack. Here are some quotes showing his less civilised appearance Tattered shorts, hair is considerably longer, His bare back was a mass of dark freckles and peeling sunburn. He is described as dog like, flared nostrils hiss of indrawn breath, eyes are bolting and nearly mad. He speaks more aggressively now aswell as being offensive suddenly Jack shouted in rage Are you accusing? He and his now group of hunters which in itself is a descent into savagery turning a group of choir boys to hunters now discover bloodlust and have somewhat of an obsession with hunting. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer On Jacks first hunting attempt we saw reluctance in killing the pig. Perhaps because his consience is trying to prevent him from crossing the line into savagery. The next time Jack sees the pig he attacks it with no hesitation at all. He swung back his right arm and hurled the spear with all his strength. compulsion to kill Not only does he not hesitate when hunting anymore but he actually enjoys it as stated by Ralph But you like it! You want to hunt. Which is not followed by a denial from Jack. Hunting is becoming a personal preoccupation for him. Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood. Is Jacks most emphatic statement concerning hunting, and cements the idea in the readers head Jack is now a savage. His attitude rubs of on the boys, they become more savage and are made into a tribe, with painted faces and a desire to kill. The boys sat down and panted like dogs. paint our faces so they wouldnt see-surround them and then.. An example of Jacks attitude rubbing of on the choir boys is when Roger and Maurice kick over the littluns sand castles kicking them over, burying the flowers, scattering the chosen stones. Maurice followed, laughing, and added to the destruction. The fact that the small boys were known with the generic title of littluns and bullied about due to the social heirachy in place is explained by the fact there is no society where the boys are. No mothers watching their children the society is their own, and with those rules out of place Golding shows, this cruel nature is in all of us, but society restricts us from demonstrating it. Maurice had received chastisement for filling a younger eye with sand. Now there was no parent to let fall a heavy hand. The whole system of democracy begins to fail early on in the book, Jacks stubbornness to cooperate is a main cause of this, he hunts on his own and takes away many of the boys from democracy All at once the crowd swayed towards the island and were gone-following Jack. Most of the boys do not play their part in the democratic society Theyre off bathing, or eating, or playing Ralph makes meetings and everyone talks and makes decisions, but very rarely are these ideas actually into action Every day. Twice a day. We talk. Jack insists on dictatorship, he breaks the rules frequently and likes to control the group and not hear others views. Eventually he breaks away from the group and forms his own, who are complete savages and only seek to cause destruction upon the island. He becomes somewhat of a tribal chief, dressing himself up as an idol The move from democracy to dictatorship is shown through tribal dancing, chanting, feasting, disregard for the littluns. The tribe do not use names, they sacrifice a pigs head to the beast. The conch loses power throughout the book mainly because of Jack manipulating its purpose and rules. For instance he says the conch doesnt count at the top of the mountain and eventually it is destroyed in the fight between the two tribes. One can also detect the descend into savagery through the events of the boys using rocks and stones and making fires. The great rock of pink granite is the meeting place of the boys for meetings and could therefore be seen as the physical symbol of organisation, democracy and civilisation manifested on the island. Rocks and stones are soon items that aggression are taken out, for example there is a part of the book where Roger throws stones at Henry, even though he deliberately misses him because the way he acted in a civilised society is still fresh in his mind. here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. He is excited at the prospect of mastery over Henrys actions, an emotion showing fallen human nature. In Chapter 6 we see a party led by Ralph and Jack lead a party to hunt the beast on a previously unexplored part of the island. All but Ralph become restless with the challenge of being rescued and are instead compelled to tip over rocks, but this time it has a darker motive. The rocks are not just tipped for fun as they were with Jack, Simon and Ralph early on, but they are tools of losing aggression. The climax of rock tipping is met when Ralph and Piggy and the twins go to Jacks tribe on the fort. Roger finds a rock that would be suitable to crush the people down below a log had been jammed under the topmost rock and another lever under that a full effort would send the rock thundering down. Note that Roger no longer hesitates when it comes to using rocks to inflict pain, the invisible force that is his civilised self is now gone. Roger pushes the rock down and kills Piggy, the group have commited a deliberate act of murder and it completes the descendance of his tribe into evil, savage behaviour. The conch exploded into a thousand tiny fragments and ceased to exist this is a symbol of the complete and utter annhialation of democracy, order, and civilization. It holds the significance of Piggys glasses being broken (the breakdown of true vision) but on a grander scale. Also fire holds a role in the descent into savagery, originally fire is a good thing. It seems as though it is the boys escape from the island and perhaps their only hope, this would be done by sending up smoke which they hoped would be seen by a passing boat/ship If a ship comes near the island they may notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. This plan eventually turns into an assault on nature, the fire crawled through leaves and brushwood was savage with smoke and flame The fire spreads across the island and Golding suggests the death of the boy with the mulberry birthmark. Golding is perhaps demonstrating symbolically how all humans are born with the mark of original sin, and are destined to be evil and go to hell. This is suggested by the line Piggy looked nervously into hell. The task of keeping the rescue fire alight becomes increasingly difficult, Jacks group finds hunting a more desirable occupation and only Ralph, Piggy and Simon are left with the fire. A turning point in the book is when the fire goes out and a ship goes by without noticing the boys. The fire going out is symbolic of the hope of being rescued dying out, and the ship going away shows the boys going further and further from civilisation. The hunters later come back and look disappointed that the fire is gone, but a dead pig on the fire rises their spirits and it seems that eating the dead pig seems more important to them than the prospect of rescue, which is a demonstration of the group turning to savagery. At one point when Sam and Eric are guarding the fire, the flames illuminate the outline of the dead parachutist, this invokes fear them and they run away convinced they have seen the beast. Fear is then felt by all in the group at some point, even the rationally Piggy is swept away by supersticion. It is fear that is detrimental to the state of the group, sincere statements from Sam and Eric leave little room for doubt. Weve seen the beast with our own eyes-No we werent asleep they even give a detailed account of how the beast chased them through the forest. The groups response was a strong one The circle of boys shrank away in horror. Sam and Erics irrational fear has been passed to all other boys, even those who try to combat it feel fear, even Simon is fearful of it However Simon thought of the beast, there rose before his inward sight the picture of a human race once heroic and sick. Even though the boys descend from civilisation into savagery there are glimpses of their previous states of mind even in the light of their situation. Boys state their addresses and Jack flinches when describing how he killed a pig. Percival Wemys Madison, The Vicarage, Harcourt St. Anthony, Hants, telephone, telephone, telephone Civilisation is in the boys minds, but gradually savagery descends and we see all traces of society fade away, most noticeably in Jacks new found bloodlust and lack of hesitation when killing pigs. Lord of the Flies Essay Example Lord of the Flies Essay Argument 1: Civilization vs. Savagery Every human has a central instinct lying within them. It is not a question of how close to the actual surface it appears, but rather how well an individual controls and deals with it. In a state of increasing distress and panic, what is one truly capable of? Can one remain sophisticated or will the temptation of their dark inner most thoughts take over, bringing out the savage which exists in us all? William Golding’s Lord of the Flies explores this inquiry through an allegory represented by a group of boys who have been marooned on a deserted island, with no surviving adults. Lord of the Flies has been interpreted and analyzed in several different manners. It has been derived that the allegory of Civilization vs. Savagery is among the strongest interpretations based on considerable supporting evidence. William Goldings Lord of the Flies allegorically shows the good and evil that co-exists in every human being. Each character and symbol displays this possible by what it represents. Ralph and Jack allegorically represent opposing political forces: Jack as the dictator and Ralph as the prototype of a democratic leader. The disappearance of authority figures and the prospect of fun, however, also bring with them fear, for the boys are scared of the possibility of long-term abandonment on the island, a fear that is to be reinforced later by the monster. (Golding, note 1, p. 33) The island represents the archetypal garden and the conch shell which represents power. Golding uses British schoolboys to prove that a little bit of evil exists in all of us. Each of t hese symbols help in proving that we all have some evil in our hearts. â€Å"Everything is taken from the ship. Nothing is invented. We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lord of the Flies specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is all painstakingly applied on the island. Time is nothing but the time necessary for capital to produce a benefit as the outcome of work. And the providential function of God is to guarantee a return. God knows his people, the hardworking honest type, by their beautiful properties, and the evil doers, by their poorly maintained, shabby property. Robinsons companion is not Eve, but Friday, docile towards work, happy to be a slave, and too easily disgusted by cannibalism. Any healthy reader would dream of seeing him eat Robinson. † (Gilles Deleuze, p. 12) Ralph begins the story as a carefree boy who does not understand the tragedy amongst the boys. Ralph soon realizes a need for authority and becomes the true leader of the boys. He represents a democratic leader and a traditional form of government. To enforce a parliamentary procedure, he uses to conch shell. Weve got to talk about this fear and decide theres nothing in it. (Golding, note, 1, p. 88) This symbolizes power and authority. In the Civilization vs. Savagery allegory Ralph is part of civilization. He represents reason and leadership. While on the island it was Ralph who first gathered everyone on the beach. It was there that he was elected chief and he established their society. He runs a democracy where everyone votes on issues and he is willing to take everyone’s opinion into consideration. He believes that as long as they stay civilized they can easily survive, live in harmony, and eventually be rescued. â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them,† (Golding, p. 42). Ralph insists on having rules on the island and at first Jack agrees with him although his jealousy for Ralph’s power drives him to constantly undermine and disobey Ralph and his requests. Argument 2: As a religious allegory The significance of Golding’s work is buried deep in his allegorical symbolism. The central focus of Golding’s allegory is the conflict between good and evil. Through his work, Golding attempts to define the nature of evil. He demonstrates the overwhelming presence of evil in every aspect of human life. He depicts evil in his story in many ways. Golding elaborates on the problems of moral choice as well as the inevitability of original sin and human fault. The blindness of self deception, as expressed by the boys, further aids in the development of Lord of the Flies as a religious allegory. During the time in which William Golding devised his allegory, the typical writing style of his contemporaries was centered about an uncertainty of human values. â€Å"The writers of the 1950’s exhibited a fundamental doubt whether life has any importance whatsoever† (Cox 49). Golding contrasted this typical point of view by describing friendship, guilt, pain, and horror with a full sense of how deeply meaningful these can be for the individual. Golding used young boys to show how religion and the teachings of the Bible remain present in every man’s life. Thus, Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies, is a religious allegory with ties to both the new and Old Testament of the Bible. The success of Golding’s work is credited largely to his Christianity. His religion provides and intricate and symbolic plotline to many of his novels. His religious sense does not provoke him to give up all hope for human kind; instead, it provides him with insight to the dignity and importance of human action. The development of plot,descriptions of the island and sea, and treatment of character, he explores actual life to prove dramatically the authenticity of his own religious view point (Cox 48). Golding has been known to have a preoccupation with evil and original sin. Original sin is the Christian idea that all people are born with an inherent sin because of the actions of Adam and Eve. Golding once told a reporter, â€Å"Evil can look after itself. Evil is the problem† (qtd. in Green 173). Golding wishes to scrape off the labels and destroy artificial patterns. He represents himself as what used to be termed a Deist, yet the whole moral framework of his novels is conceived in terms of traditional Christian symbolism (Green 173). In the Lord of the Flies, the character Simon is presented as a Christ figure. There are many different interpretations of what Simon actually represents, however, Golding intended this character to be interpreted as a Christ-figure. As proven by this novel, along with his subsequent literary works, Golding is not to be labeled easily. His characters serve many purposes symbolically and in plot development. Lord of the Flies’ moral framework is conceived in terms of traditional Christian symbolism, however Golding does not fail to include several twists to further obfuscate the reader attempting to label his work. Golding has included a Christ-figure in several of his works. This Christ figure is always someone actively engaged in interpreting the human condition. The characters provide a sense of insight to the influence religion has had on William Golding’s life. The fact that so many of his works include such Christ-figures exhibits the prominent influence of religion in Golding’s life. Golding appears to be preoccupied with the problems that are the eternal questions of a religious man: the nature of good and evil, guilt and responsibility, the meaning of death and free will (Hynes, â€Å"Novels of a Religious Man† 70). His novels are preoccupied with these themes. The characters are challenged with the opportunity to do the right thing and the temptation to give in to the inherent evil within themselves. Golding’s strong intent to convey his message in made obvious in the way he communicates his central message. When Simon suggests that perhaps the beast is in only the boys themselves, it is very symbolic of this idea. This rather subtle interpretation of human nature from a small boy demonstrates further that Golding is so concentrated on his moral message that he will not hesitate to make the youngsters â€Å"dance to his tune† (Johnston 11). The fact that Golding will allow for his central message to be conveyed through the use of a young boy represented as the Christ-figure in the novel shows his intent and focus on religion as well as his concern for the human race. The allegorical symbolism of the novel is presented even more boldly in the content of the story. Even the title itself contains allegorical significance. The name, â€Å"Lord of the Flies,† was the Philistine Beelzebub or Satan. The Jews transmuted his name to mean Lord of the Dung or Filth (Green 176). This name is tied into the sodomy and brutal killing of the sow. It is also connected to the flies surrounding, seemingly engulfing the impaled pig’s head. By the time of the New Testament, â€Å"Lord of the Flies was translated to Lord of the Devils, a generalized Satan (Green 176). It seems utterly too coincidental for this title to have such a deep rooted-religious meaning without the intention of the author. Golding has purposely chosen such a title to lay the groundwork for his religious allegory. The title of the novel is not the only similarity between Golding’s work and the Old Testament. The approach of evil serves as another device to connect Golding’s work to the Bible. Literary critic E. M. Foster concurs with my observation about the approach of evil as an allegorical device. As in the Old Testament, when evil appears in the form of the â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, Beelzebub, he sends a messenger to prepare his way for him in another form. The name of his predecessor is Jack in the Old Testament (Foster 100). This is similar to the approach of evil in the Lord of the Flies. While some may interpret the odious Jack as the satanic figure, he can also be viewed as evil’s predecessor. His evil character and influence comes before the downfall of the island to the inherent evil of the boys. He is the first of all of the boys to have a bloodlust; Jack exhibits the first urge to hunt. Jack’s dictatorial character serves as a harbinger to the evil that will inhabit the island when it is unleashed in all the boys. Another connection to the Old Testament is found in the treatment of pigs throughout the course of the novel. Literary critic Kirsten Olsen notes that in the Old Testament the pig is a non-kosher food. The swine serves as a symbol of filth and forbiddenness (Olsen 130). In the story, the incidents associated with pigs are intertwined with the darkest aspects of human behavior. The hunting of the pigs for food turns into a joyous hunt for blood. The hunt of the female sow shows the true evil of the boys as they sodomize and torment the pig (Golding 135). The joy derived from the killing of the pigs exposes the true evil that is present in the boys. There is another strong association to the Old Testament found in the form of the murderous feast dance performed by the boys (Golding 135). Literary critic Kirsten Olsen observes that this ritualistic dance is strikingly similar to the dance of the Israelites depicted in the Old Testament. The boys dance ritualistically as they all fall victim to the mob mentality that surrounds them. The Israelites dance as they worship the golden calf: both ritualistic dances have an atmosphere of total abandon and revelry (Olsen 130). The last relationship to the Old Testament is present in the Christ-figure of the novel, Simon. While, Golding himself has referred to Simon as a Christ-figure, many literary critics interpret Simon as a derivative of Moses. The similarity between Moses and Simon is evident in their actions. Both Simon and Moses bring wisdom down from the mountain only to discover barbarous ignorance from their people (Olsen 130). The second portion of allegorical symbolism is connected with the New Testament. The first such symbolic intertwining is found in the setting of the island itself. The uninhabited island that serves as the setting for the Lord of the Flies is a mirror image of Eden when the boys first land there. The lush, remote island is full of fruit which hangs for the picking. As literary critic, Lawrence Friedman observes, the tropical climate prompts the boys to shed their clothes (Friedman 65). Literary critic L. L. Dickinson says the boys â€Å"accepted the pleasure of morning, the bright sun, the whelming sea and sweet air, as a time when play was good and life so full that hope was not necessary and therefore forgotten† (Dickinson 13). The boys are free to do what they wish, being restricted only by their own conscience. Just as Adam and Eve were at their own liberty do what they pleased, the boys unrestricted and free. They know however, that performing a morally wrong action will force them to suffer the consequences just as Adam and Eve. The perfection of the setting is placed in the boys’ hands. Just as Adam and Eve had their destiny placed at their fingertips, the boys are tempted with the same decisions. Golding illustrates that mankind is just like Adam and Eve: we can only suppress our greed and savagery for a short amount of time before it inevitably surfaces. Thus, the halcyon, â€Å"Edenic† setting slowly turns into a hell. The setting that resembles paradise is only ephemeral strictly because of the savagery within the boys. The irony is that boys create their own hell just as Adam and Eve were by their own fault exiled from Eden. The beginning of the transformation of the island is represented by the shattering of Piggy’s glasses (Friedman 68). Piggy represents reason in the microcosm of the island. Thus, when Jack strikes Piggy and consequently shatters one of his lenses, reason is symbolically half blind. Hence, without reason, the boys begin to express their inner savagery and slowly the island transforms. This incites the transformation of the innocuous little boys into cold hearted savages. The building of the first is a signal of resurgence of civilized values. However, the fire soon rages out of control. The boy with the birthmark is killed: the seed of fear has been planted (Friedman 68). Reason has failed to explain the darkness within and the island paradise begins its fatal transformation into hell. Golding’s story reflects his opinion on original sin and human nature. Golding demonstrates how evil is dormant in human nature even when the world appears sunny. He depicts how the corruption of darkness can arise from man himself and cast shadows over the sunny, seemingly pleasant setting (Hodson 22). The central Christian message of the novel that Golding attempts to convey is that we are all born in sin or will lapse into it (Foster 100). The boys’ behavior is inevitable because of man’s original sin. The growth of savagery in the boys demonstrates the overwhelming power of original sin (Cox 47). The boys are too evil to account for the evil within themselves. Thus, they project their irrational fears out into the outside world. The beast serves as the externalization of the inner darkness in the children’s nature and its ascendancy is inexorable, along with the path into savagery. This is symbolic of the evil instilled in man through original sin. Literary critic, Arnold Johnston, notes that this also depicts the challenge that the good or holy aspect of society must overcome (Johnston 10). Perhaps the most significant part of Golding’s allegorical puzzle is his Christ-figure, Simon. As well as being compared to Christ, Simon has also been interpreted by the literary critic Samuel Hynes as a saint. He is compared to his supposed namesake, Simon, from the New Testament (72). Simon is one of Christ’s apostles. Other than the name, the other similarity that Simon shares with Simon from the Bible is, as Golding himself puts it he â€Å"voluntarily embraces his fate† (qtd. n Hynes, â€Å"Novels of a Religious Man† 72). The first aspect in the development of Simon as the Christ-figure in the novel is his isolation. His lonely, voluntary quest for the beast is the symbolic core of the book. In his excursion away from the boys, Simon shows himself to be the one character who has an affinity with nature. His first act once the boys reach the island is to withdraw to a place of contemplation, a limpid, sunlit space in the midst of the forest (Hynes, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies19). There are strong religious overtones o the area that Simon finds which, with its candle-buds and serene stillness, resembles a place of worship. This withdrawal parallels Christ’s withdrawal to the temple as a young boy as described in the New Testament. Golding creates the character Simon with intentions for him to be the embodiment of moral understanding. Golding describes Simon to be â€Å"a lover of mankind, a visionary, who reaches commonsense attitudes not by reason but by intuition† and to be â€Å"a Christ-figure in my fable† (qtd. in Hodson 27). The whole story moves towards Simon’s view of reality. Simon helps the â€Å"littluns’ reach a high branch of fruit, indicating his kindness and sympathy; many of the older boys would rather torment the â€Å"littluns† than help them. Simon also sits alone in the jungle clearing while marveling at the beauty of nature. This indicates his basic connection with the natural world. Simon takes the responsibility to help Ralph with the shelter while the other boys enjoy the island or join Jack in the hunt (Golding 53). Simon is the sole exponent of fundamental, natural good. Through Simon’s pure goodness, he is ostracized form the rest of the boys on the island. Simon’s confrontation with the Lord of the Flies is the most complex of the whole novel. This scene is sublimated to its primary purpose: dramatizing the conflict between the civilizing and savage instincts in human beings. The scene also shows Simon’s innocence and sets the stage for the harsh contrast between him and the rest of the savage boys. While staring into the pig’s mouth he sees the infinite cynicism and evil of adult life. This scene serves to dramatize the clash between good and evil. Christ also has a confrontation with evil when he is tempted by Satan in the New Testament. The â€Å"Lord of the Flies† has invaded Simon’s forest sanctuary to preach an age old sermon: evil lies within man whose nature is inherently depraved. Simon cannot counter this lesson. He is engulfed by the spreading of the vast mouth, overwhelmed by Beelzebub’s power and thus he loses consciousness (Friedman 70). He later gathers the courage to face the evil; the inherent and inexorable evil that is in all the boys (Cox 53). He then climbs the hill to go spread the word to the rest of the boys and enlighten them. Golding paints his most startling and powerful scene shortly after the confrontation between good and evil. This scene is the brutal murder of Simon when he descends from the mountain to share the truths of life with the rest of the boys and free them from their fears. They eliminate the hope of Christ’s sacrifice by repeating the pattern of his crucifixion. Lawrence S. Friedman concurs that Simon’s fate underlines the most awful truths about human nature: its blindness, its irritability, and its blood lust (Friedman 71). Piggy and Ralph’s participation in Simon’s heinous murder help to further expose the hopeless human condition. The boys later console themselves and say that Simon’s death was an accident. Piggy’s desperate rationalizations of his ignominious action point to the inability of human reason to cope with the dark reality of nature. As literary critic Lawrence Friedman states, Piggy’s excuses are frantic attempts to explain basest human instincts and actions (Friedman 72). Another similarity between Simon and Christ is that both die for their society (Dickinson 24). Christ dies for the sins of the world; Simon dies as atonement for the evil in the boys. Simon’s dead corpse and the way it is carried out into the ocean is another way of tying him to Christ. He is seen in a holy light after his untimely death. The way Golding describes the corpse being carried out to sea suggests transcendence. â€Å"Softly surrounded by a fringe of inquisitive bright creatures, itself a silver shape beneath the steadfast constellations, Simon’s dead body moved out toward the open sea† (184). The other characters in Lord of the Flies become allegorical agents through Golding’s intricate plot development. All of the boys are both good and bad. Even Ralph and Piggy participate in Simon’s murder: this demonstrates the complexities of human nature. Jack’s name is symbolic in its ties to the New Testament. Jack was a disciple of Christ (Dickinson 14). Thus, the miscreant, Jack, serves as an ironic twist of the religious connotations of his name. Golding’s novel serves as a lesson for society. It teaches us that evil is inherent in all men due to original sin. The spiritual vacuum of Golding’s novel is completed within the tragedy of Lord of the Flies: the futility of Simon’s sacrificial death, the failure of adult morality, and the final absence of God. In this novel, God’s absence leads only to despair. Golding himself states that theme of his novel is â€Å"grief, sheer grief, grief, grief† (qtd. n Friedman 74). The novel is a meditation on the nature of human political society, dealing with such concerns as the development of political systems and the clash in human nature between savage and civilized behavior. Golding has composed a narrative that is essentially a myth or allegory. His elusive writing style has been the central focus of countless literary critics. This myth or allegory strikes through to the deepest roots of our existence- to fear, to hunger, and then to the will to survive. Because these roots are universal to men, he has managed to give fictional form to religious themes. For it is through myths and allegories that the substance of religious belief is most directly communicated. ?

Employability and Professional Development

Employability and Professional Development Introduction Employability is the capability of an individual to be initially employed, continue being employed and get a new employment when needed. However the definition has to take into account the fact that employability relies on the labour market more than the capacities of each worker.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Employability and Professional Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The classical definition of employability therefore seems to blame the victim for not demonstrating a capacity to handle a job when in actual reality there are only a limited number of jobs available. On the other hand, an interpretation of the definition of employability might be that given the scarcity of jobs, those who are able to manoeuvre the competition and emerge as the most suitable for the job are deemed to be more employable than the others. According to Weinert (2001), the development of worker’s employ ability is dependent on the development prospects of the organization and its environment and the needs of the workers for personal development. While most of the initiatives and procedures of evaluating skills rest with the employer, a worker is still expected to voluntarily dedicate effort to become suitable. Organizations have different tools for evaluating a worker’s competencies including, assessment of occupation orientation, competencies portfolios indicating the worker’s knowledge of what she or he can do, skill referentials that indicate the difference of the requirement of a job post and the actual skills possessed by the worker at the given time. An individual’s employability is affected by the employability of others. When everyone has a degree, then the possession of the degree is only a ticket for the individual to still fit as a candidate for the job. Employability is not only about having the requirements of a given job but also about knowing the chances one has for the job compared to other job seekers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In view of this dependence of an individual’s employability on the employability of others, then the true definition of employability as defined by Brown, Hesketh Williams (2002) is the â€Å"relative chance of finding and maintaining different kinds of employment†. Employability in the business environment Business leaders and politicians remind us that in order to be efficient as a nation we have to be knowledgeable, skilled and have the capabilities that employers seek in the knowledge economy. National governments are no longer able to guarantee job placement in a competitive environment where workers are becoming abundant. A worker’s employability undergoes examination at the hiring moment, during the work contract and at the time of dismissal (Wei nert et al. (eds.) 2001). The more a business is knowledge driven, the higher its dependence on the employability as the sole competitive edge in the market. Employability is a replacement of the bureaucratic career structures that employers used to evaluate their workers. The elimination of bureaucratic career structures makes organizations lean and flat. As a result, these organizations undergo a number of restructurings that make employees surplus or change the skill mix of different jobs in the organization. It is advisable that employees match their competencies with the requirements of the industry so that they remain employable in their current organization or in other organizations in case they are considered a surplus in their current jobs (Drucker 1993). The dynamics of the global economy have made the notion of job redundancy extend from semi-skilled and unskilled workers to cover managers and other professionals. According to Drucker (1993), employability is a shift of p ower in the global capitalism. People are less motivated to commit to one organization for a lifetime and instead have the energy and entrepreneurial spirit that drives them to explore more opportunities. Organizations that depend on the skills of these workers are there at the mercy of the workers who have the knowledge, skills and insights desired by the organization. As people move away from long-term company careers, they enjoy more economic freedom. As a result, young workers are able to bypass organizational hierarchies and obtain senior management jobs while still in their thirties.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Employability and Professional Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although companies put a premium on intellectual capital of important employees to be the drivers of innovation and value additions that gives the company a competitive advantage, the actual organizational environment has a majority of the workers depending on average skills to perform most of their occupational tasks. In terms of graduate employability, it is worth noting that the influx of graduates in the labour market is constant. Most graduates enter the labour market with heavy debt from student loans and believe that they deserve better payment so as to repay their student debts. The extent of the belief that the higher your professional qualifications the higher your pay depends on the number of people having the same qualifications who are interested in the same jobs and the number of jobs available. Therefore, the employability of a graduate increases with further education, as long as the competition in the labour market does not increase their qualifications (Brown, Hesketh Williams 2002). As individuals, more importantly graduates, increase their employability on certain jobs, they diminish their employability for other jobs. The career choice taken specifies a person’s employabili ty on that field and technically shuts out the person from becoming employable in other fields. Therefore when making a choice of becoming employable in a given field, it is important to note that one is cutting off the options of getting employment in other professions. A case for personal development Increasing ones employability in a given field has the effect of reducing one’s employability in the same field but on lower levels where one is seen to be overqualified. Personal development is one of the ways of ensuring that one remains employable. Employability of an individual is traced to the ability of the individual and their will to modify their qualifications to fit the current demands inside the organization or on the external employment market (Drucker 1993). In reference to the social theory, employability is an individualization of the worker selection process in an increasing serve economy that encompasses economic, political and social changes (Gonon et al. (eds .) 2008). In personal reference, the understanding of where I am in terms of employability to my professional position of choice gives me an upper hand to position adequately my presentation to fit the employers’ requirements for specific jobs.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Employers want an employee who adapts to the changing state of the organizational environment and refocuses their core competencies to deliver solutions for moving the organization closer to its goals. With the improvement of my personal performance, I am able to demonstrate that I fit this criterion. My ability to breakdown my obstacles or problems and pinpoint solutions will come in handy for any employer seeking a key skill in tackling dynamic challenges in the organization. I have accomplished a personal analysis of my qualities and can present potential employers with references to where I used the given quality to produce positive change. This is certain to increase my employability by demonstrating to employers that in addition to the required skill, I have the necessary quality to ensure that work delivery is in accordance to the employer’s expectation and that in case of unforeseen difficulties, I am able to navigate with minimal assistance. I understand my weaknesse s and strength areas of my personality and will only position myself to be appointed for jobs that can fully employ my personality strengths and require little or no skills in areas that I show a personality weakness. In addition, I will be seeking additional skill training so that I improve on the areas where I am weak so that the weakness does not become a disadvantage in consideration of other people’s employability. By coming up with priorities for personal development in line with my career goals, I feel more confident in my employability. I understand that with the right skill and quality mix, I stand a chance of negotiating with a potential employer on the compensation of my job such that I will be okay in terms of social status and be able to reap the financial benefits of my employability. Setting priorities for personal development has given me a morale boost to face the challenge of kick starting my career. I now allocate the importance of each activity I engage in according to its relevancy to my career objective and what the activity adds to my personal development (Verhaar Smulders 1999). To sum up, my understanding of the increasing role of knowledge in the creation of wealth by organization and my contribution to an organizational success through my appropriate application of skills and competencies serves as my encouragement to continue in my personal development. Reference List Brown, P., Hesketh, A. Williams, S. 2002, Employability in a knowledge-driven economy, working paper 26, retrieved from web. Drucker, P. 1993, Post-capitalist society, HarperCollins, London. Gonon, P., Kraus, K., Oelkers, J. and Stolz, S. (eds.) 2008, Work Education and Employability, Peter Lang, Bern. Verhaar, C. H. A. Smulders, H. R. M. 1999, Emplyability in practice, Journal of European Industrian Training, vol 23, no. 6, pp. 268-274. Weinert, P., Baukens, M., Bollerot, P. P.-G M. and Walwi, U. (eds.) 2001, Employability: from theory to practice, Trasactio n Publishers, New Brunswick, NJ.

The SAT Scores You Need for Nursing Programs

The SAT Scores You Need for Nursing Programs SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you wondering the kind of SAT scores you need to get into nursing schools? Applying for undergraduate nursing programs is simpler than you might think, but it's important to make sure you understand exactly what's expected of you. This article will explain everything you need to know about applying to nursing school, including the different types of nursing programs that are available, the current average SAT/ACT scores for nursing school students, and what you need to do to make your application stand out. We'll also go through some examples of great nursing schools so you can see their SAT requirements. Read on to find out the SAT nursing scores you need and to get tips for a successful nursing school application! Feature Image: Walt Stoneburner/Flickr What Are the Differences Between Associate, Bachelor’s, and Graduate Nursing Programs? Before we dive into the specifics, let's go over the types of nursing programs we'll be covering. You can apply for either an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a graduate degree in nursing. Although both the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can help you become an RN, getting a BSN opens you up for more opportunities down the line; for example, you could become a nurse manager or apply to an advanced degree program so you can become a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist. The main drawback to the BSN is that it takes more time to complete- four years as opposed to two. But if you’re planning on going to a four-year college anyway, the BSN will be a good choice. If you’re applying to nursing graduate programs or for licensing to practice as a nurse, you could be required to take many exams, including the GRE, the Test of Essential Academic Skills, and the National Council Licensure Examination. However, your undergrad GPA will by far be the most important factor- especially your performance in pre-nursing classes. This article focuses on undergraduate BSN applications, but you can read more about graduate nursing programs here. Applying for a BSN is very similar to applying to any other undergraduate program. You’ll submit an application, likely through the Common Application, Universal College App, or Coalition App, and send your transcript and SAT/ACT scores. Your high school GPA and SAT/ACT score will be the most influential parts of your nursing application, just like they are for any undergraduate program. Your performance in math/science classes as well as on the Math section of the SAT/ACT and the Science section of the ACT will be especially important, though your overall performance matters as well, since you need to be in line with the school’s SAT/ACT score and GPA ranges. Get ready to hit the books. (Steven S/Flickr) Undergraduate Nursing Requirements for the BSN If you’re aiming to be competitive for a BSN, you mainly need to pay attention to each school’s general admission requirements. In some cases, you'll just get into the school like any other undergraduate and then declare the nursing major once you're there- so all you need to do is focus on being able to get into the school. In other cases, you’ll need to apply specifically to the nursing program or school, which often has slightly higher GPA and SAT/ACT averages than the general undergraduate population does. And in other cases, you'll apply to the school and then apply to the nursing program after three or four semesters there. This is common at larger schools, where more students want to get into the program than there are available spots. To account for the fact that nursing programs are more competitive, you should aim for SAT/ACT scores at the top of a school’s middle 50% range. What does this mean? If your desired school’s average (middle 50%) SAT score range is 1300-1400 (in which 1300 is the 25th percentile and 1400 is the 75th percentile), you should try to aim for a 1400 or higher- this would put you at the top of that school's applicant pool and guarantee you’ll be competitive for the nursing program. To find a school’s GPA and ACT/SAT average score range, search for "[School Name] PrepScholar" or "[School Name] PrepScholar SAT/ACT." We've put together pages that detail the score ranges of all major US colleges and universities. For this article, we'll highlight some popular nursing programs in the US and include their average SAT score ranges. But if you want to look up any other school's nursing program, you can use this search process. The BSN Application Processes at Popular Nursing Schools In this section, we’ll go through some of the top undergraduate nursing programs in the US and explore what their admission requirements and average SAT/ACT score ranges are. In addition, we'll highlight a couple schools that allow you to start the BSN partway through college, which is a great way to get into nursing if your high school record and SAT scores are so-so. We'll also go over nursing-specific application procedures and advice for the schools we highlight. As you’ll see, there are many school-specific procedures for nursing applicants. This means it'll be important for you to carefully research the nursing programs you’re interested in so you can make sure you're aware of any nursing-specific requirements (such as taking the SAT Subject Tests or submitting an extra essay). Petersen Events Center at the University of Pittsburgh (Ronald Woan/Flickr) University of Pittsburgh Applying for nursing at the University of Pittsburgh means you basically have to follow the general admission guidelines for undergraduate applicants. All applicants need four years each of English and math, three years of social studies and science, and five years of academic electives. In addition to these basic undergraduate requirements, the nursing school suggests you take the following classes: "Two units of foreign language as an elective are highly recommended. School of Nursing faculty recommends that students consider taking any of the following courses if offered: Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics, or any Computer Class." When you click on the "Additional Admission Information" link, you’ll be taken to the general application requirements page for all prospective freshmen, which explains that all applications should have a challenging mix of classes, including a tough senior year schedule. Pitt’s middle 50% scores are 1240-1418 for the SAT and 27-32 for the ACT. Remember that you need scores at the upper bound or higher to ensure you’re competitive, so try to aim for around a 1420 on the SAT or a 32 composite ACT score at the lowest. University of Pennsylvania Want to attend the nursing school at Penn? Applicants to the School of Nursing have to apply the same way regular undergraduates do. This means you need to be competitive for Penn to get into Penn Nursing (which is no easy feat, given that Penn is an Ivy League college!). There is one application detail to note for Penn. The admissions page about testing says nursing applicants should probably take the SAT Subject Test in Chemistry or another science subject. Penn's average score range is 1420-1560 on the SAT and 32-35 on the ACT, so aim for a 1560 on the SAT or a 35 on the ACT to be competitive. O'Neill Library at Boston College (Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism/Flickr) Boston College For Boston College, you can apply to the nursing school through the normal undergraduate admission process- you just have to indicate that you are applying to the School of Nursing on your application. The School of Nursing is one of four undergraduate divisions at BC. While it's possible to transfer later on into the nursing school from a different undergrad division, this can be difficult: "As Boston College regulations specify, on a limited basis, it is possible for undergraduatestudents to transfer across schools at BC subject to the availability of space. Because the BS(nursing) program requires skills laboratories and clinical placements in which there is limitedspace, slots in any given year/class are capped and vary from year to year. Transfer is NOTguaranteed." In short, should you apply for admission to nursing at BC, you have to be competitive for BC and then some. Aim to be at the top of BC's average SAT range (1490) as opposed to the middle. BC's middle 50% SAT range is 1320-1490 and their middle 50% ACT range is 31-33. New York University Nursing applicants follow standard undergraduate admissions protocol, which means submitting the Common App, your transcript, letters of recommendation, and essays. NYU has a test-flexible admissions program, meaning you can submit the SAT or ACT if you want or substitute AP scores, IB scores, SAT Subject Tests, or another national test. Since NYU is test-flexible, you can still go by their published SAT/ACT middle 50% ranges, but bear in mind that not all applicants are submitting these tests. You should, as the testing page advises, submit the tests that make you the most competitive. For example, if you took AP Biology and got a 5 on it, you should submit that score since that would look great on a nursing application. Furthermore, you're encouraged to take the following courses while in high school: Four years of English with a heavy emphasis on writing Three or four years of mathematics Three or four years of laboratory sciences Three or four years of history/social studies Three or four years of a foreign language In order to be eligible for admission to the nursing program at NYU, you have to meet something called the "Technical Standards," but all this means is that you have to sign a form certifying that you meet these standards after you’re admitted. In terms of additional requirements for nursing, there aren't that many: "Applications to the Bachelor of Science at NYU College of Nursing consider the strengths of the applicant’s academic history and performance, letter(s) of recommendation, work or volunteer experience in the health care field, full-length essay, and personal statements" (bold emphasis mine). In short, you should absolutely emphasize any past experience you have in health care, even if it’s just volunteering. Nevertheless, there are not dramatically different application requirements to get into NYU Nursing. NYU's average test scores are 1290-1490 on the SAT and 29-33 on the ACT, so aim for at least a 1490 on the SAT or a 33 on the ACT. (Chris Radcliff/Flickr) University of California, Los Angeles To get into the nursing program at UCLA, you must meet the freshman admission requirements for the UC system and complete a supplemental application for nursing. The supplemental application gives "potential students the opportunity to provide additional information about their preparation for entry into the nursing profession." There's a similar application process for nursing at UC Irvine (other UC schools such as UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego don't offer nursing programs). You can read the full application requirements for the University of California here (the reqs are the same for all UC schools, including UCLA). UCLA's middle 50% test scores are 1240-1490 on the SAT and 25-33 on the ACT, so aim to have a 1490/33 or higher to be competitive for nursing. University of Washington UW has a BSN program, but you start the program two years into college and complete the BSN your junior/senior year. This means that you don’t apply for UW’s BSN until your sophomore year of college. Furthermore, Washington's BSN application doesn’t require the SAT/ACT. Instead, the program is basically looking at your grades from the first two years of college. You don't have to be a current UW student to apply either: you could start college somewhere else, take some prerequisite courses for nursing, and then apply for UW's BSN as a sophomore. To apply, you need to have at least a 2.0 cumulative college-level GPA and have completed all the necessary prerequisite courses. You also need to have a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer or paid health care experience in one setting within a period of three months, completed within 12 months prior to applying to the BSN program. In short, UW's BSN program is a great opportunity if your high school GPA or SAT/ACT scores aren't so great and you want the chance to prove yourself in college. If you decide to apply to UW anyway (even though you won't start the BSN until your third year of college), you'll still want to get decent test scores: at present, the middle 50% test scores are 1190-1420 on the SAT and 27-32 on the ACT. Aim for the higher end on these to raise your chances of getting into UW as a whole. Campbell Hall at Michigan State University (Alex/Flickr) Michigan State University Similar to UW, you don't apply to MSU's nursing program until you've already started college. Then, while taking prerequisite nursing classes, you can apply for the BSN program at MSU. (Like UW, it's also possible to transfer to MSU nursing from another college or university, so feel free to start your undergraduate degree wherever!) Although you have to do well in the nursing pre-requisite classes, for this application, your high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores don't matter. So if you’re worried that your grades aren’t high enough for a super-competitive BSN program, programs such as those at MSU and UW give you the chance to reset in college and work on doing well in prerequisite nursing classes. If you choose to apply to MSU- even if you're not sure whether you'll end up eventually applying to the BSN program- you should try to get good SAT/ACT scores. MSU's middle 50% scores are 1100-1320 for the SAT and 23-28 for the ACT. Get at least 1320 or 28 to give yourself a stronger chance of gaining admission to MSU. How to Get Into a Nursing Program: 4 Steps to Take In the majority of cases, if you’re going into a nursing BSN program right out of high school, you'll follow standard college admission procedures. The only main difference is that the admission criteria might be slightly higher if the school's BSN program begins right away. There will not only be greater emphasis on your science and math grades but also higher ACT/SAT score ranges for nursing applicants. Additionally, you might be expected to have some previous work or volunteer experience in the health care field. To make sure you put together the best BSN application possible, follow these four steps. Step 1: Check Admission Requirements at Your Desired Schools The schools you're applying to will probably require the Common Application or other universal application form, SAT/ACT scores, high school transcripts, and letters of recommendation. SAT Subject Tests and/or an application supplement for nursing might be required as well, so make sure to read schools' official websites carefully! Step 2: Look Up Schools' Average GPAs and ACT/SAT Score Ranges If you haven’t taken either test yet, set your target SAT/ACT score around the upper bounds of your school’s SAT/ACT middle 50% score range. If you have already taken either the SAT or ACT but your score falls short of this range, consider retaking the test to ensure you'll be competitive. Step 3: Learn About Each School's Nursing Program Before you apply to your nursing programs, be sure you know the ins and outs of each program you've chosen. Figure out the following: do you just need to get into the undergrad program there and then declare your major, or do you apply specifically to a nursing division? (If this isn’t made clear on the admissions website, feel free to call or email the admissions office.) Or will you apply for the nursing major after you get into the school, such as what students must do at UW and MSU? The difference is that nursing divisions are slightly more competitive to get into, whereas for schools where you declare your major once you’re there, you just need to worry about getting in, period. Step 4: Note Any Nursing-Specific Requirements or Suggestions Take note of any requirements or recommendations for each nursing program specifically. As an example, recall how UPenn recommends taking the SAT Subject Test in Chemistry and Pittsburgh maintains a list of recommended elective courses for future nurses. The Bottom Line: What SAT Scores Do You Need for Nursing? Getting into nursing programs as an undergraduate is basically the same as getting accepted to undergraduate programs in general- just slightly more competitive. To give yourself the best chance at your top schools and nursing programs, focus on maintaining strong grades, particularly in math and science, and studying so you can get a high SAT/ACT score. As we advise with any student, you want to apply to a wide range of nursing schools- safeties (schools you're very sure you’ll get into based on your test scores and GPA), targets or matches (schools you're likely to get into), and reaches. Also, keep in mind that there are BSN programs like those offered at UW and MSU that allow you to apply once you've already started college. This gives you the chance to reset and prove yourself in college if you don't have a stellar high school GPA. Finally, remember that if for some reason undergraduate nursing doesn’t pan out for you, you can always instead focus on excelling in your undergrad and then applying for a graduate-entry degree in nursing. What’s Next? Thinking about possibly going into healthcare administration instead? Find out what degrees you need for different careers in healthcare administration here. Learn more about SAT Subject Tests. Taking (and acing!) Chemistry or Biology would look great on a nursing application ... and in some cases might even be required! Learn how to come up with a target SAT/ACT score based on your top schools. Struggling with ACT/SAT Math? Get tips on how to stop running out of time on ACT Math and SAT Math. Acing the Math section will be an important component of your standardized testing, whether you take the ACT or SAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Signal-Tek Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Signal-Tek Corporation - Case Study Example Two larger instrument manufacturers have been taking some of the division’s market shares by offering low-cost products at a quicker rate. STC has been unable to keep up with the competition resulting in a reduction in their workforce by 15 percent. In 2002 STC was awarded a contract with the U.S. Army by offering the lowest cost on signal generators. However, their calculated costs were based on old data. Their plan is to produce newer and more efficient models. Major Problem STC’s first major problem was their lack of focus on timely goals and their inability to produce low-cost, solid-performance, and high-reliability instruments. Due to the aforementioned, larger manufactures are taking over their division market shares and STC’s work force had to be reduced by 15 percent which also reduces their rate of production. Secondly, the supply department does not have a formal engineering background making their situation worst when compiled with the fact that there is no cohesion between the engineering department and themselves. For low-cost and efficient production of quality instruments both the expertise of the engineering and supply departments are needed to work collaboratively together from beginning to end. Lastly, STC should have never made a bid with the U.S. Army based off of old data for material and production costs. Possible Solutions/Alternatives A. The engineering department collaboratively working with the supply department can reduce costs and improve efficiency. B. Research and an assessment of production should be implemented before any new project and an assessment should be conducted on why the organizations old methods were not working. C. The engineering department collaboratively working with the supply department while conducting research to produce better results would be the best alternative. D. The advantage of both departments working together would be the result of better efficient instruments offered at a lower -cost. The disadvantage may be the clashing of ego’s that one department knows more than the other. The advantage of taking time out to conduct research and do an assessment would be the result of a better understanding of the situation at hand. The disadvantage of this would be biases getting in the way of containing valid facts. Choice and Rationale The best choice would be to start at the bottom level and get the engineering and supply department to engage in their projects together. I would set up a mandatory meeting for these departments and list the advantages of both working together and the great outcome it would produce for the organization as a whole including increased job security. Questions 1. Early supply management involvement can assist in low-cost and timely new product development by using their buying expertise to spot the best quality deal. 2. Supply management’s involvement enhances an early supplier involvement program by giving first-hand knowled ge on their expertise of buying. The potential benefits of this are reducing costs and improving efficiency which creates better job security and a healthier work environment. 3. The division can increase cooperation/communication between the engineering and supply departments by first establishing a meeting and presenting factual data on the benefits of their collaboration which includes increased job security. 4. Standardization will greatly improve the new product development by keeping everyone on the same page which decreases confusion and increases efficiency. 5. More effective supply management involvement changes engineering’s role by adding buying knowledge to their list of skills. 6. The division can help to expand supply management’

Bethany Qualls's essay Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bethany Qualls's essay - Assignment Example Most arguments and facts expressed in Qualls’ essay have their basis on evidence, examples, and references. Formality in academic writing is a vital aspect. An academic paper should be free of slang and informal words including contractions (Beard 474). Qualls’ essay satisfies the standards of formality in academic writings. It is free of informal words and contractions. Besides formality, clear statement of a writer’s point of view is imperative. While stating the point of view, writers avoid using second person pronouns. Instead, third person pronouns are best applicable with exceptions of instances when first person pronouns use is justified. Qualls’ essay is appropriate in expressing views using third person pronouns and, in some instance, the first person. Although Qualls’ essay conforms to the standards of a formal and well-written academic paper, there are notable points that demand improvement. In some instances, Qualls does not use direct and succinct statements. Sentences appear vague, long or complicated and, therefore, unclear. An example is the use of shortened words in Qualls’ essay. The sentence, â€Å"I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit,† contains a shortened word. Instead of using â€Å"wasn’t,† Qualls should use â€Å"was

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare Essay This is how a 21st century love story goes: Boy meets girl. Two days after that, the boy tells her the 3 â€Å"magical† wordsâ€Å"I love you†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ hold on, here’s the funny part. She believes him. People nowadays don’t value love. They don’t understand that the word â€Å"love† isn’t just a 4 letter word†¦ It’s way beyond that. This is what William Shakespeare is trying to clarify in his Sonnet 116. He wants to expound what love is, what it isn’t. Using a couple of metaphors, Shakespeare’s main aim is to elucidate the theme that real love is immortal, consistent and certainly not under the mercy of time. Shakespeare starts off sonnet 116 by saying that true love overcomes impediments and doesn’t get affected by the changes in the surrounding. Following that, he compares true love to a Lighthouse. How are the following related? Well, a lighthouse, as well all know, guides ships and at the same time, overcomes all of the storms tempests, at the same time, love as well guides couples and lost hearts to the right track and is able to overcome all the adversities it might encounter. Furthermore, Shakespeare continues with the metaphors saying â€Å"It is the star to every wandering bark†. Here, Shakespeare is comparing love to a star. Long time ago, people used to depend on â€Å"stars† as a source of guidance since compasses back then didn’t exist. Yet again, love is being compared to a star that leads the way for lost hearts. Lost hearts, blind eyes, love guides them all. In addition, Shakespeare stresses on the idea that love isn’t for time wasting or entertainment. Love isn’t restricted within a limited time, hence why Shakespeare describes what love is not: it is not susceptible to time. Priceless, consistent, immortal, permanent, this is what true love is all about in the eyes of Shakespeare. He definitely gives a clear description about what love is through the metaphors he included that contributed to his main clarification. Sonnet 116 revolves around a single theme, one that Shakespeare firmly believes in. In this cruel, twisted, tumultuous, and confusing world, there is only one constant force; Love. Shakespeare focuses on the idea that love isn’t temporary and does not fade with youth. Beauty disappears, youth fades; however, love endures till the afterlife. All the metaphors that Shakespeare included in this sonnet contributed to the theme that love is immortal. If one finds changes in the loved one, it must NOT affect love; otherwise, it wouldn’t be true love after all. What Shakespeare is basically saying is simply, love is constant, immortal, and consistent  and overcomes impediments. If it doesn’t fall under the following description, then it isn’t true love. To sum up, Shakespeare writes this poem in hope of clarifying the idea that love isn’t all about beauty, youth or price. It is priceless and isn’t under the clemency of time. The metaphors in sonnet 116 contribute in reaching a main theme, and that is what Shakespeare’s main aim is. It doesn’t matter how old you get, it doesn’t matter how rich or poor you are, it doesn’t matter how pretty or false you are because once you’re in love, all of these won’t matter anymore. I definitely agree on Shakespeare’s definition of true love for nowadays I believe it’s rare to find. With fingers crossed, I hope people would read this poem with a notepad in their hand to take notes and value love for its true meaning instead of overusing it.

Anatomy of a Love Letter :: essays research papers

Anatomy of A Letter, Part I   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  You’re right Sandra. A letter from you is the very last thing that I want right now. We have been together for so long and I know you feel that I am throwing it all away as some sort of â€Å"over reaction† but you fail to see the bigger picture. Just put yourself in my shoes for a moment and stop thinking about you and maybe you’ll see the reason why our relationship is beyond repair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I understand that our relationship was, as you put it, â€Å"stalled† due to a lack of concern about our future together. What I don’t get is that you didn’t come to me once to tell me how you were felling about that huge step in our lives. I had no idea how important it was to you that our careers coincide. You are a very independent woman and I didn’t want my aspirations to hinder your progress in the corporate world. You see, that’s one of our problems, we have a lack of communication. We have known each other since we were children and yet you still find it hard to come and talk to me whenever something upsets you. Instead you found Mr. â€Å"lovedoc† and talked to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  And another thing, this whole situation is not about you. Do you know how many times you mentioned yourself in your letter? 33 times!! This is supposed to be about US and how we can get past this together. You know, You didn’t even say your were sorry. Not once did you even apologize. You kept talking about YOU, and what YOU had to sacrifice and what YOU have to give. There is no such thing as a one sided relationship. I gave my all in this relationship too. And unlike you I didn’t need another woman to run to when things got rough. I stayed faithful to you through the goodtime and the bad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I don’t think you will ever know the pain that I am going through right now. You will never know the heartache I felt when I read those e-mails, one after the other, each spoken with such lust and desire.

Cultural Anthropology Essay

1. How does a culture’s physical environment shape the type of subsistence pattern they practice? How does subsistence impact a culture’s degree of social stratification? How is the degree of social stratification mirrored in religious systems? The amount of sunlight and rainfall and the types of soil, forests, and mineral deposits all have an effect on the type of subsistence pattern a particular society develops. For example, In the U.S society people have different choices to obtain their food such as obtain their food from a fast-food restaurant or obtain their food for cooking from a grocery store or supermarket; other societies have different ways to obtain their food supplies. Which lead us to different type of life practices to get food such as people who live close to sea do fishing practices and people who live near to a desert obtain their food by hunting. The specific biome and environmental conditions may limit the development of certain types of subsistence patterns. For example, Arctic conditions are not conducive to agricultural activities, nor are arid regions suitable for rice production. In some societies of wealth, power and prestige are linked with ownership of land or the number of animals acquired. 2. Describe economic exchange among band societies and it purpose. How does this type of exchange change with different societal types and why? The major form of economic system with band societies is called reciprocal economic system; the system is based on exchanges among family groups as a means of distributing goods and services throughout the society. One of the main reasons for this system of reciprocal exchange is that food and other resources must usually be consumed immediately. There are three types of reciprocity: generalized, balanced, and negative. The most used one among societies is called generalized reciprocity (Own Group), an immediate return is not expected and that the value of the exchanges will balance out in the long run. For example, in our society parents take care of their kids, so you take care of them in their old age. Another one is balanced reciprocity (Other Groups); this type is more direct with immediate return. For example, in our society change money for someone, such as change a dollar for someone to four quarter to use the snick machine. The last one Negative Reciprocity (Rare), it is the attempt to get something out of nothing. For example, in our societies people who go to the car dealer try to take the car for the cheapest price they can and the dealer try to take more money from the buyer. Both of them are negative reciprocity which means try to get something out of nothing. They do them because it makes the life for them easier and without the sharing between them life would be barder and less pleasant. The greater predictability and concentration of resources within a particular region, the more pronounced the conceptions of private ownership and exclusive rights to territory among foragers in comparison to territorial rights among different hunter-gathers. 3.What are some ways in which the higher degree of mobility affects the technologies, subsistence behaviors, and social organization of pastoralists versus horticulturalists? Higher degree of mobility affects the group to maintain a certain number of people in the group to keep it effective to move to another place. To do so, they use this mean called, Fissioning, moving of people from one group to another. Another means of population control is infanticide, the deliberate abandonment or killing of infants, and geronticide, the killing of old people. Higher degree of mobility also affect the technologies. In this case, technology does not refer to just tools or artifacts, but it also includes the cultural knowledge that has to be maintained by the society. All foraging peoples have an extensive knowledge of their environmental conditions and of the appropriciate means of solving technological problems in these environments. Different from horticulturalists, foragers need to know where to find the plants, when to find them during different seasons, which plants are edible, and so on since they need to move during different seasons to pursue game and other resources. Inuit created an extremely complex foraging technology. Because of the weather conditions and the environment, they developed sophisticated techniques for curing hides from caribou and seals to make boots, parkas, and snow goggles. 4. Marriage is a human universal. In what forms does marriage exist and why? What is the function of endogamy and exogamy? How do forms of marriage exchange vary and how does each function to serve society? Marriage provide a systemic form of social mobility for the entire society. Endogamy is a type of marriage between people of the same social group or category. Endogamous marriages are carefully arranged so as to maintain genealogically appropriate kinship bonds and descent relations in the top-ranking descent group. Exogamy is a type of marriage between people of different social group or categories. Having this type of marriage gives significant benefit to the one side of kinship, which does not have as power as the another kinship, because they can share the power once one get married. Most agricultural states practiced some form of marital exchange. The most common type of exchange was dowry- goods and wealth paid by the bride’s family to the groom’s family. Dowry appears to be to the groom’s family exchanges wealth for the bride. The dowry was used as a social exchange between families to arrange a marriage contract.

Advertising Mixture of Art and Science Essay

Advertising allows us to communicate a salient message to a large group of consumers faster than any other form of communication. It allows us to truly connect with the consumer; it gives us an opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship between the consumer and a brand. At its best, advertising will create a sense of urgency for the consumer, awareness often honest and accurate that there are products, places, styles or sensibilities that cry out for action or attention. Advertising is a compendium of all communications that consumer sees, feels, touches, hears, smells, and so on. If they are walking through a store, the packaging on particular product is advertising. If they are at home, the direct mail they receive in their mailbox, the e-mails and pop-ups on their computers, or the images they see on television are advertising. The logos on the NASCAR autos or even the t-shirts with every name known to mankind are advertising Advertising A Mixture Of Art And Science: Advertising is a fine balance between art and science. The science part of it is consuming information, but the true challenge is translating these facts into a relevant strategy, into an original, creative execution, and generating the right communication stream. Explanation: Advertising is a mix of science and art. Most companies approach marketing problems in the same way we all do a certain level of copy testing, using qualitative and/or quantitative research techniques. That is the science side of it. The art is in the ideas. It s in being able to see something that others don t see and to develop creative ideas around it. There s a lot of art to that. There are some fundamental rules which successful advertising must follow. First, need to understand the brand which about to take on. Ask questions such as: What are its core equities? Who are the brand s consumers? From there, we need to understand the consumers and observe how that brand fits into their lives and their day-to-day routines. Once we have got that, we can develop a strong, critical consumer insight. Then marry that insight with the core equities of the brand. That way the insight becomes brand-centric. After that, provide a strong creative brief that helps the creative understand the brand, the arriers the brand might face, and exactly what it is that the advertising should do. In reviewing the creative s ideas, it is important that keep in mind whether they really deliver on the marketing strategy. We need to set aside our own tastes and put our self in the consumer s shoes, because nine times out of 10 you aren t the target consumer anyway. Ask, Will this idea connect to the consumer? Once we ve completed the review, take the ideas to the client. WE have to listen to the client, because its job is to protect the core equities of the brand. The client needs to feel comfortable, but also needs to judge the idea the way you did will it connect? You need to cut through the clutter, engage the consumers, and persuade them to take an action or purchase the product. At the end of the process, we need to get the results and learn from them. If the process worked well, understand what made it successful and keep it going. To succeed in the advertising business, we must be able to see opportunity in the abstract and then, you must make it real. Advertising is a part art, part science, and perhaps even a greater measure of discipline. If you don t have a disciplined approach to developing a strategic platform, it will be impossible to produce quality material over a long period of time. The essential tactics for this type of disciplined approach are many: Hiring, training, firing, strategy development, creative development, media development, account service, research; how you follow up with your clients on a day to day basis; the processes you use within your agency; the financial discipline you have within your company; how you approach developing a real partnership with the client; how you approach developing an understanding of their products or services. So, discipline isn’t something that s nice if we have time for it; it s mandatory. We can t just wing it. In years past, advertising agencies have had the reputations of being free-thinking, free-wheeling, free-spending bastions of creative largesse where folks think, do and create great things all day long. But anyone who has worked in the business knows that the creative part is the figurative tip of the iceberg: It only represents about 10% of what we do. The rest of the time is spent learning, researching, understanding, and massaging information so that we can actually deliver a message that makes sense and produces results. Conclusion: Advertising has been described as something that interrupts someone s attention long enough to be able to sell them something. Fundamentally, you are imposing yourself intruding upon someone s time and finding a way to connect with a passive mind in a very brief period to help inform or intrigue with something that has value to that person. That’s what advertising is. The art relates to the entertainment qualities, which are there to capture interest. The science is in the ability to understand what you are going to do when you have those two or three seconds of attention. The science involves having an understanding of people and human nature; understanding the qualities of a product, a brand, a category, or a specific offering and being able to frame it properly.