(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP PERSONAL STATEMENT

(SAVE OUR STUDENTS) SCHOLARSHIP - Personal Statement Example As we all know, health insurance will cover only a partial amount of medical needs, and since my mother fell ill we have seen the medical bills pile up faster than expected. Our out of pocket costs were larger than my father could have ever imagined, and he was forced to dip into my college fund to cover the amount of money needed to help lower my mothers medical expenditures. This situation was not something that could have totally depleted my college fund though. Another event happened that has finally pushed my familys finances over the edge. In what can only be called a double whammy of bad luck, my father has been injured at work. This work-related injury has sidelined him from the workforce and has depleted our family savings in the process. Needless to say, my parents’ medical needs take priority over my college education. So it comes as no surprise that my college fund went from helping keep me in the college to helping keep food on the table and bill collectors at bay. At this crucial stage of my health science educational career, it is imperative that I stay in school. I am only a number of units shy of graduating from my chosen major, which I hope to parlay for a nursing education in 2013. However, I can afford to pay for my school fees this coming school year only if I manage to obtain some financial aid. Due to the situation of my parents, I am not in a position to look for a full-time job that will allow me to attend college on my days off. These days, I help augment the family income by working on a part-time basis as a cashier and delivery person. Part-time jobs will not help me pay for my college bills and the needs of my family. That is why I have chosen to become pro-active and to apply for financial aid and scholarships whenever possible. My grades in schools are pretty decent. I have been able to keep up my grade point average despite the situation that I find myself in at home. I managed to

The Struggle For Indigenous Rights In Latin America Research Paper

The Struggle For Indigenous Rights In Latin America - Research Paper Example Racial discrimination and ethnicity have hindered acquisition of well-paying jobs for the indigenous Latin Americans. In this regard, some indigenous residents have migrated to urban areas in the quest for better living standards (Kay 450). Unfortunately, the people who migrate to urban areas secure poorly paying jobs that cannot sustain the basic family needs. Apparently, lack of jobs and poor payment has resulted in poor living conditions for the indigenous people in Latin America. Most indigenous Latin Americans have no access to quality education. In addition, the existing education system does not reflect the cultural needs of the indigenous population. The cultural structure and beliefs face the danger of extinction. In fact, the future generation might not have the privilege to enjoy the rich indigenous culture and religious practices. Access to health facilities and services is a great challenge facing the indigenous people in Latin American (Gracey and King 67). The high poverty levels, ignorance, and discrimination have made access to good healthcare a challenge to the indigenous people. Many indigenous people die, and others fail to perform daily chores due to illnesses since they cannot access medication. Despite the challenges of education and job opportunities, the present condition of indigenous people Latin Americans are better than in the olden days. Posters and Leon 209, migration to the urban areas by some indigenous people can be applauded for opening new settlements in towns and enlightening the local people on economic matters. In addition, some people have been able to acquire quality education and have secured formal employment. The living standards of the indigenous Latin Americans have changed gradually over the years.

Different Types of Narration Essay Example for Free

Different Types of Narration Essay There are a variety of ways to narrate a story, but essentially they can be broken down into two main groups: first person narrative, and third person narrative. In the use of the first person narrator, the story is told through the eyes of the I narrator. The first person narrator can only relate incidents that he or she has witnessed, and only he or she can interpreted the situation, therefore in this respect the first person narrative is limited. We must remember that a first person narrator in a novel is not the novelist but a character who sees things only in the light of his or her own point of view and coloured by his or her personality, therefore events are biased to the narrators opinion. This of course can be used to effect in books where the first person narrator is unreliable and therefore we are forced to see a false picture of events. For example in The Beach by Alex Garland, events are told by Richard, a backpacker in Bangkok. In the extract I have chosen, Richard recounts an encounter with Mister Duck, who, at the beginning of he book, commits suicide. In the extract below, it is only the second time that Richard meets Mister Duck, the first being when Richard was feverish. Therefore we can easily presume that Richard was hallucinating when he first met Mister Duck but in this extract, it is hard to tell, from the way Richard narrates it, that Mister Duck is imaginary: Mister Duck sat in his room on the Khao San Road. Hed pulled back one of the newspapers that covered the window and was peering down to the street. Behind him, strewn across his bed, were coloured pencils, obviously the ones hed used to draw the map. The map was nowhere in sight so maybe hed already tacked it to my door. I saw that his shoulders were shaking. Mister Duck? I said cautiously. He turned, scanned the room with a puzzled frown and, then spotted me through the strip of mosquito netting. Rich Hi. Of course, through first person narrative, we develop a more intimate relationship with the narrator because we have their character and way of thinking forced upon us, which in cases can make you sympathise more with this character, as you know their private emotions that they would not show openly. For example in The Remains of the Day the use of the first person narrator creates suspense and mystery over the intense relationship between Stevens and Miss Kenton. Also in this extract, we feel Stevens character imposed on the story as his unquestioning faith and dedication to his job cost him dearly his personal life. And finally Stevens unwavering sense of duty and reserve at all times leading him to deny his emotions eventually drive away the woman he loved. As demonstrated in the extract I have chosen: As I was bolting the door, I noticed Miss Kenton waiting for me, and said: I trust you had a pleasant evening, Miss Kenton. She made no reply, so I said again, as we were making our way across the darkened expanse of the kitchen floor; I trust you had a pleasant evening, Miss Kenton. I did, thank you, Mr Stevens. Im pleased to hear that. Behind me, Miss Kentons footsteps came to a sudden stop and I heard her say: Are you not in the least interested in what took place tonight between my acquaintance and I Mr Stevens? I do not mean to be rude, Miss Kenton, But I really must return upstairs without further delay. The fact is, events of a global significance are taking place in this house at this very moment. When are they not, Mr Stevens? Very well, if you must be rushing off, I shall just tell you that I accepted my acquaintances proposal. I beg your pardon, Miss Kenton? His proposal of marriage. Ah, is that so, Miss Kenton? Then may I offer you my congratulations. Thank you, Mr Stevens. Of course, Ill be happy to serve out my notice. However, should it be that you are able to release me earlier, we would be very grateful. My acquaintance begins his new job in the West Country in two weeks time. I will do my best to secure a replacement at the earliest opportunity, Miss Kenton. Now if you will excuse me, I must return upstairs. I started to walk away again, but then when I had all but reached the doors out to the corridor, I heard Miss Kenton say: Mr Stevens, and thus turned once more. She had not moved, and consequently she was obliged to raise her voice slightly in addressing me, so that it resonated rather oddly in the cavernous spaces of the dark and empty kitchen. Am I to take it she said, that after the many years of service I have given in this house, you have no more words to greet the news of my possible departure than those you have just uttered? Miss Kenton, you have my warmest congratulations. But I repeat, there are matters of global significance taking place upstairs and I must return to my post. Pages 218-219 In this extract we are frustrated by Stevens reserve and lack of emotion, and without the story being told form his side we might have felt Stevens to be cold hearted and distance and therefore dislike him. But in fact we pity his actions and feel moved. An autobiographical persona such as Pip in Dickens Great Expectations, are not to be taken as complete or even accurate portraits of their authors they are often no more than studies in self criticism: I was quite as dejected on the first working-day of my apprenticeship as in that after-time; but I am glad to know that I never breathed a murmur to Joe while my indentures lasted. It is about the only thing I am glad to know of myself in that connexion. For, though it includes what I proceed to add, all the merit of what I proceed to add was Joes. It was not because I was faithful, but because Joe was faithful, that I never ran away and went for a soldier or a sailor. It was not because I had a strong sense of the virtue of industry, but because Joe had a strong sense of the virtue of industry, that I worked with tolerable zeal against the grain. It is not possible to know how far the influence of any amiable honest-hearted duty-going man flies out into the world; but it is very possible to know how it has touched ones self in going by, and I know right well that any good that intermixed itself with my apprenticeship came of plain contented Joe, and not of restless aspiring discontented me. In the same way the innumerable portraits by artists of their friends, enemies or acquaintances are notoriously one sided, exaggerated and even on occasion, libellous. In a first person narrative, the use of interior monologue can be used where the reader is allowed inside the mind of the narrator and so we can hear their inner thought. For example in Ernest Hemingways A farewell to Arms, when Henry hears that his wife is gravely ill we receive an interior monologue: The nurse went into the room and shut the door. I sat outside in the hall. Everything was gone inside of me. I did not think. I could not think. I knew she was going to die and I prayed that she would not. Dont let her die. Oh, God, please dont let her die. Ill do anything for you if you wont let her die Please, please, please dear God, dont let her die. Dear God, dont let her die. Pleas, please, please dont let her die, God, please make her not die. Ill do anything you say if you dont let her die. You took the baby but dont let her die that was all right but dont let her die. Please, please, dear God, dont let her die. Here we feel that the character is deeply involved in his surroundings and what is happening, the events he is recounting are extremely emotional and moving, but this is not always the case. In Nausea by Jean-Paul Satre, it is the story of an observer of life in a small cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, and here the narrator is totally withdrawn from his surrounding, as though watching it on television. The narrator is distanced from events and the book is almost like a third person narrative in the sense that he is telling the story of the lives of those sitting around him, but of course true to first person narration he is interpreting the situation into how he sees it: It is half past one. I am at the Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Mably, eating a sandwich, and everything is more or less normal. In any case, everything is always normal in cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s and especially in Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Mably, because of the manager, Monsieur Fasquelle, who has a vulgar expression in his eyes which is very straightforward and reassuring. It will soon be time for his afternoon nap and his eyes are already pink, but his manner is still lively and decisive. He is walking among the tables and speaking confidentially to all the customers: Is everything all right, Monsieur? I smile at seeing him so lively: when his establishment empties, his head empties too. Between two and four the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ is deserted, and then Monsieur Fasquelle takes a few dazed steps, the waiter turn out the lights, and he slips into unconsciousness: when this man is alone, he falls asleep. The second type of narrative is third person narration. The narrator is omniscient, that is, able to move between characters, situations, and locations at any point, and granted full access to characters thoughts, feelings, and motivation. This is the advantage that third person narration has over first person, yet a sense of intimacy with the characters is harder to achieve. Some narrators might comment on the events taking place in the novel as they unfold, and even interpose their own views; the Victorian novelists such as Charles Dickens were adept at this manner of intervention, for example in A Christmas Carol, Dickens talks directly to the reader to convey his thoughts and ideas: Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooges name was good upon Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was dead as a door-nail. Mind! I dont mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of out ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the countrys done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Alternatively, the author might limit the narrators overt presence, and recount the narratives events as directly as possible. A third-person narrator might have a limited point of view, confined to only one or a few characters, as in much of Emily Brontà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s Wuthering Heights, where the author is wholly absent and uses the characters to tell the story. Therefore she never directly interrupts the story to make a direct comment or moral judgement on the action of the characters. We notice that Emily Brontà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ in Wuthering Heights uses narrators that are involved in the proceedings and therefore these people try to inflict their point of view on the reader. In this case it is to emphasise the point that the relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy is unique and not something that Nelly, or Lockwood (Wuthering Heights two main narrators) will never fully comprehend as only Heathcliff and Cathy can explain their love for each other. She rung the bell till it broke with a twang: I entered leisurely. It was enough to try the temper of a saint, such senseless, wicked rages! There she lay dashing her head against the arm of the sofa, and grinding her teeth, so that you might fancy she would crash them to splinters! Mr Linton stood looking at her in sudden compunction and fear. He told me to fetch some water. She had no breath for speaking. I brought a glass full; and, as she would not drink, I sprinkled it on her face. In a few seconds she stretched herself out stiff, and turned up her eyes, while her cheeks, at once blanched and livid, assumed the aspect of death. Linton looked terrified. There is nothing in the world the matter, I whispered. I did not want him to yield, though I could not help being afraid in my heart. She has blood on her lips! he said, shuddering. Never mind! I answered tartly. And I told him how she had resolved previous to his coming, on exhibiting a fit of frenzy. In some cases the events of the story are told through an impersonal narrative. This impersonal narrator then relates the story through the senses of different character, presenting the reader with a more rounded picture. For example in The Tesseract by Alex Garland, the story is told from many points of view, quickly changing between one characters perspective to another, each time the story being told from that characters sense and feeling. In the extract below we witness the situation from three of the character point of view The telephone made for an indifferent witness. But Seans reflection in the bathroom mirror, making contact as he turned away from the vent, was less detached. Even under pressure, the sight was arresting. His face seemed to be in a state of flux. Unable to resolve itself, like a cheap hologram or a bucket of snakes, the lips drew back while the jaw relaxed, the stare softened while the frown hardened. Fear, Sean thought distantly. Rare that one got to see what it actually looked like. Other peoples, sure, but not your own. Intrigued, he leaned close to the mirror, ignoring the footsteps that were already working their way up the stairs. Aaaah, were going to be late, said Don Pepe, breaking the tense silence of the last five minutes. Jojo nodded and nervously pushed his thumbs into the padding around the steering wheel. Yes, sir, we are. Im sorry. Jojo paused a moment before saying Yes, sir again. He was leaving time for Teroy to add his own apology. After all, hed been the one who had suggested Hotel Patay in the first place. But Teroy, sitting in the passenger seat, wasnt saying a word. No sense diverting Don Pepes irritation on to him, when he could keep his head down and his mouth shut and let Jojo take all the abuse. Fair enough. Jojo would have been doing the same if their roles had been reversed. The narrator is very important in a story as the narrator is responsible for the way a story is conveyed to its reader, or its point of view. The variety of ways that the author can manipulate the narrator and his or her point of view in order to gain maximum control over the work as a whole is often the essence of whether the reader gained the desired effect set by the author.

Why Prada Came To China

Why Prada Came To China We divided the paper into 5 sections. The first section is something about the history of the company. The second one explains the reason of Pradas coming to China. The third one introduces the form they come to China. The fourth one is to let you know the specific form, which we know as organization structure, Prada has used to enter China. The last one is conclusion. Our groups idea is to let everyone of us have a full understanding of Prada instead of each person just knowing some pieces of it when the paper done. On this basis, we first make every group member get involved in completing the first three sections. According to this, we make specific divisions. David, the only boy in our group, takes charge of section one. You can find it in page . Lily and Elaine administer the second section. You can find it in page . Then, Joi and Candice write the third one. You can find it in page . On this condition, everyone can get a wide scan of Prada. When we have done all first three sections, we start section four together. This section is about the specific form Prada use in China. The organization structure is an important issue in this years Week of diplomacy, so every one of us needs to grab the main concept of the book we learned in October. Then, we use what we learned to see the organization structure of Prada. This part also needs to answer eig ht basic questions in chapter 10. The reason for we write section four together is the part needs knowledge in book, we want everyone can get enhanced in researching and evaluating Pradas organization structure. Take all the factors such as the equality of divided work into account; we divide the eight problems into five parts. Question one to three is done by Elaine and Lily, question four is done by Candice, question six to seven is made by David and Joi is take charge of the last two questions. The conclusion contains four questions, Candice writes the first, Lily is the second, next is Elaine and the last is David. Since we have done the first four sections together, we have made the resource public in our group. It is no different who do this part. So we divide conclusion part by draw. From now on, we will first introduce the summary of each section. In section one; you can see a brief history of Prada. Mario Prada is the founder of Prada. In 1913, he established a store selling some luxurious commodities. In 1919, the Italian royal family becomes its consumer because of its good fame. In the past so many years, the company has faced many changes. Hundreds of years later, Prada met a very challenge task. They must enlarge their range of sales to avoid being beaten in the global economy. It plays an important role in its expansion career. In section two, there is the reason of Pradas coming to China. It has been explained in section one. This part is concentrated on the details. Prada has been found exploring all over the world. In section three, we can know the form they come to China. Prada is a wholly foreign-owned enterprise company, and this is not the only option which Prada can choose. There are 3 types of investment forms which are called wholly foreign-owned enterprise, Sino-foreign Joint Venture and representative office. In section four, we can look the form in detail. We will see it below and will not have more added words here. I History of Prada Mario Prada is the founder of Prada. In 1913, he established a store selling some luxurious commodities. Fortunately, his goods sell well at the outset and he became a famous and successful businessman in Europe. In 1919, the Italian royal family becomes its consumer because of its good fame. When Miuccia Prada, the grand-daughter of Mario, met with Patricio Bertelli, an unbelievable change occurred. Patricio Bertelli was a businessman who was able to come up with creative ideas from time to time. He built up IPI spa producing Prada leather goods with the Pradas official authorization in 1977. Several years later, the two companies were combined together to pursue the greatest profit. A critical innovation happened in 1983 that the managers of Prada decided to show consumers a total new impression by blending tradition elements with modern architectural setting, which proved to be successful later and resulted in creating fresh products. After 1986, some international cities were sel ected to build chain store by Prada, such as London, Paris and Tokyo. In 1993, a new brand named MiuMiu was designed to appeal to some women who are crazy about purchasing trendy and sophisticated goods. Hundreds of years later, Prada met a very challenge task. They must enlarge their range of sales to avoid being beaten in the global economy. Sooner or later, it will happen to everyone because Chinese manufacturing is so good, Prada designer Miuccia Prada said in an interview. (Prada moves manufacturing into China, MO http://www.moluxury.com.au/themodown/?p=2012 October 25, 2012, by David) He was the first person to express ideas of expanding the company internationally on the public. His words reveal a new strategy which Prada has made. It is a time that they paid more attention to the market of Asia. Bertelli, another Prada officer, believed that with the improvement of average salary in China, more and more people will be high on some luxurious goods. Therefore, it is a wise decision to build more manufacturing factories, pulsing selling more goods in China. In fact, from the statistics in Prada Spa, we can make a conclusion that Asia, especially China, contributes to the main part of 60% of Pradas net profit in 6 months. Another March report by McKinsey Co., Bloomberg News said Chinas purchases of optional goods will jump to an annual compounded rate of 13.4 per cent between 2010 and 2020. (Prada Embarks on Ambitious Expansion Plan, Misa, http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/345225/20120524/prada-leather-china-india-brazil-morocco-istanbul.htm , October 25, 2012, by David) That also reminds the leader that China has potential development of economy and lots of Chin ese people have enough money to pay for novel goods. Although some experts estimate that the demand for luxurious commodities will fade considering there is a huge distance of salaries between the rich and the poor in China, Pradas sales are still going up. For this, Prada Spa has targeted to launch 12 to 15 new stores in China alone this year.(Prada Embarks on Ambitious Expansion Plan, Misa, http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/345225/20120524/prada-leather-china-india-brazil-morocco-istanbul.htm October 25, 2012, by David) It is good news for newly rich people in some developing cities enjoying their lives better, especially rich women. Unsurprisingly, the rate of Pradas expanding is over 50% according to some experts estimates. It states that the Pradas situation in China is fine and the leaders of Prada shouldnt miss this opportunity and make up their minds on grasping it. In addition, in 2011, to strengthen the influences in China, a fashion show named Prada RTW Spring 2011 displayin g a slightly revamped spring collection was hold in Beijing. Pradas company wants to tap further into that growing understanding. The show is part of Pradas plan to continue to expand in the region as it opens more stores in Mainland China and nearby territories. (Miuccia Prada on China, the Web-and more Amanda Kaiser http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/prada-takes-spring-summer-to-beijing-3443673?full=true October 25, 2012, by David) The stars like GongLi and Maggie Cheung also attended this fashion show. Miuccia Prada who is CEO of Prada at the present was interviewed by reporters after the end of fashion show. The main idea is that she likes China because China has changed a lot for years and this trend never fade easily. Prada will keep investing the market in China. It is necessary because the first store in China is in Hong Kong but it produces and sells foreign countries mainly. Only big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai can we purchase what we want at present. Meanwhile, the cost of employing a person is relatively cheaper than other countries. If Prada built more factories in China, they can save a lot of money to support more important producing or studying tasks which asked to supply a huge sum of money in time. Some news said that the average of salary in American is 27 times than that in China, while the span of salary of Chinese workers and American workers sounds more exaggerate, which announced that Chinese workers average salary is only 4% of American workers average salary. On the other side, more job positions will be offered if Prada built more factories in China, which is expected by most of the college students considering more and more intense competition is happened in China. Prada can also use local resources to produce more goods if it enters into China. China is a big country and has rich natural resources. If all Prada goods are imported from America, tariff will be a serious problem which Prada must be faced. We thin k the tariff in China is high and sometimes corrupt power also hinders the development of trade. To some degree, building factories in China may save some expenses. To sum up, we believe that four factors contribute to Pradas entering into Chinese market. The first is broad market, which makes sure that Prada will have enough sales channels. The second is the improvement of Chinese salary. Chinese people are able to consume luxurious goods now. The third is cost. Employing a Chinese worker cost less than employing an America worker. The fourth is local resources. Using local resources can let up expenditures. II Why PRADA came to China Prada as the symbol of luxury fashion has launched in many parts of the world. In its Asia Pacific market, the Chinese parts can not be ignored. Prada has a globalization strategy which contains opening 80 stores per year at the end of 2014, and it was doubted by some experts who said the ambitious strategy may weak the long-term value of the brand. (What Pradas IPO Says about the Bigger Picture, LUXURY SOCIETY, http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/06/what-pradas-ipo-says-about-the-bigger-picture, October 24, 2012, by Elaine), and coming to China is a part of its whole strategy. China is the country with the most amount of population. These years China has been developing faster and faster, and more and more Chinese who can afford luxury things has appeared. Many famous brands such as Dior, Chanel, and Levis all take China as the new area to raise their sales standards. So do the Prada. In fact, Prada develops very well in China though it has some difficulty at the beginning. Prada has made retail on the Internet and China is one of the big markets. The direct retail plays an important role in earning Pradas salary (Prada Rocks the Trend Audrey Phoon http://www.divaasia.com/article/4554 October 24, 2012, by Elaine) so it is important for Prada to make good use of the China market. But as a famous luxury brand, Prada should keep a balance between increasing supply and the desire which consumers want to buy the products. As usual, we fairy men do not want to spend so much money on just something not that useful. But when it comes to people who are rich enough and want to be different and Prada makes sense. If so many people wear or use things same as those rich people, they will loose the desire to buy the products of Prada. Prada needs to know what is the purpose of their expansion and it may do better by always recognizing what kind of people is their customers (What Pradas IPO Says about the Bigger Picture, LUXURY SOCIETY, http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/06/what-pradas-ipo-says-about-the-bigger-picture, October 24, 2012, by Elaine). As we say above coming to China is just a part of Pradas globalization, the brand also expands somewhere else. Unfortunately, we did not find the specific answer. However, according to the 2011 annual report, when they did the feedback on the market sales, we can see they have lots of markets such as the Asia Pacific market, the European market, the Italian market, Japan market and the American market. It is not hard to see that the brand has sold itself all over the world. And the condition of each market sales is very well so we can be sure that Pradas globalization strategy is a right choice (PRADA annual report, PRADA Group, http://www.pradagroup.com/documents/201201/E-Annual-Report.pdf Page36, October 24, 2012, by Elaine) Prada is an Italian brand. As a result, there are many obstacles for Prada to come to China. There are many differences between Italy and China, including governments, business practice and customs and personal differences. Firstly, there are many differences in governments between Italy and China. For an example, the taxes of Italy are different from Hong Kong, China. In Italy, the investors are asked to pay the tax called Italian capital gains tax. On this condition, if you make profits from selling your shares, you should pay the tax at a level of 27 percentages. It is as the same as the income tax in the rate they should hand in. However, in Hong Kong, China, it is quite different. As usual, the investors in Hong Kong who are involved in IPOs dont need to pay this kind of tax. (What Pradas IPO Says about the Bigger Picture, LUXURY SOCIETY, http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/06/what-pradas-ipo-says-about-the-bigger-picture , October 25, 2012, by Lily) Secondly, there are many differences in business practice and customs. Their culture is different. With the time passing by, the consumers in China are more nitpick about the luxury brands. In the past, they want to show their strengths, status, and their financial conditions through their clothes. They prefer to brands instead of quality, design and so on. However, this condition has changed. Now, the consumers have a taste which is detailed with high quality and perfect design. This condition make Prada attract more people in China. (China luxury battles shifting tastes, Emily Jane Fox, http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/03/news/world/china-luxury/index.html?source=yahoo_quote, October 25, 2012, by Lily) In an interview, the founder of Prada, Miuccia Prada, says that there are many barriers to resolve such as cultural differences. From her opinion, the world has become a global village. So the fashion should adapt the village with different religious, costumes and something else. Prior to this, it images the spirit of a small group. It means that they dont need to produce peculiar products for peculiar markets. However, they should adapt the worlds trends which is becoming bigger and bigger. She thinks it is a big challenge. Feminists have mixed feelings with love and hate. Feminists want to find facility about the standards of beauty and Womens externalization. In USA, feminism is not a widely used word any longer, which results from the liberation of women. Miuccia Prada says that it has a long way to go. However, in China, the womens rights are still a concerned problem. Because a large amount of women are devoting themselves into their work and their buying power is associated wi th their social power. (Prada and Chinese Feminists, PALM BEACH Woman TM Magazine, http://www.palmbeachwoman.com/business/prada-and-chinese-feminists/, October 29, 2012, by Lily) Thirdly, there were some personal differences within the company in deciding that China was a good market for Prada. In a report, the news agency declared that the choice of Hong Kong for Prada as a listing site triggered controversy in Italy. However, Miuccia Prada told people that the controversy has been solved and it was an easy decision because of Chinas association as a big economy and its large demands on luxury products. (What Pradas IPO Says about the Bigger Picture, LUXURY SOCIETY, http://luxurysociety.com/articles/2011/06/what-pradas-ipo-says-about-the-bigger-picture#4525 , October 25, 2012, by Lily) III The form they come to China Italian brand Prada which was famous at the beginning for its shoes and handbag is one of the leaders among the luxury companies. The products of Prada such as bags, clothes and shoes are all popular with the customers. To some extent, if someone wears Prada clothes, then, people will think that one has good fashion taste and high social status. With the rapid development of Chinas economy and technology, the life of people changes a lot and gets better and better. Meanwhile, peoples demands become much more multiple and complex, not only for the most basic necessities, they begin to pursue a more upscale sophisticated lifestyle, including the purchase and collection of luxury. So, Prada took the notice of Chinas potential market and finally, Prada made a right decision that is entering the market of China. Prada is a foreign investment company. company invests money to open direct in China Prada operates in China through about 25 directly operated stores and a network of selected high-end multi-brand stores and luxury department stores. Whether the sale of Prada is good or bad has nothing to do with the Chinese Government and us Chinese citizens. Prada is responsible for its own profit and loss, as well as the companys management. (Italy keen to bring FDI in fashion, textiles, Business Line Company, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/economy/article3428719.ece, 11-2-2012, by Joi) Prada is a wholly foreign-owned enterprise company, and this is not the only option which Prada can choose. There are 3 types of investment forms which are called wholly foreign-owned enterprise, Sino-foreign Joint Venture and representative office. Sino-Foreign Joint Ventures need the foreign companys cooperation with their Chinese partners. Usually, the foreign company provides money and the Chinese company provides human resources and land use rights or the other needed items. Also, the Chinese company should handle problems with the Chinese bureaucracy if any difficulty shows up during the process of producing or purchasing. LV is an obviously example of this investment way. Under this circumstance, both of them dont need to calculate the contribution ratios so that they can achieve the profit totally according to the terms of negotiate without disagreement. It is often used for BOT projects. In addition, the first steps for Prada outlet can possibly use the way of Representative Offices, although establish a Representative Office is not the most popular way for foreign investors in China. Strictly speaking, it is barred from many ways like executing direct business activities and it cannot receive the money for it services in some cases. Beside, its staff will not even agree with the terms. To get large profit in this way can be a little difficulty for a company in some conditions. Normally, it is used for purposes just like market liaison, research or product sourcing. The Representative Offices is popular because its not only relatively quick and easy, but also inexpensive to establish. On the other hand, wholly foreign owned enterprises allow the form of 100% foreign ownership. It is so attractive to the foreign investors, whose number has been increased recent years. It is very popular among investors that not only has little experience in investing, but also want to avoid the barriers with the Chinese partner and governments policy. Also many famous brands, for instance, UGG are a member of this team who also prefers to use this entry vehicle. Nowadays, foreign investors are more willing to take the risk of acting this way, said some financial experts. Thus, wholly foreign owned enterprise is not Pradas only option, but it can be the best. (Prada Outlet, http://www.google.com.hk/search?q=prada+outlet1tw9JG2+http%3A%2F%2Fwww.i-arthome.com%2Fforum%2Fforum.php%3Fmod%3Dviewthread%26tid%3D8402rlz=1C1CHSB_enCN499CN499oq=prada+outlet1tw9JG2+http%3A%2F%2Fwww.i-arthome.com%2Fforum%2Fforum.php%3Fmod%3Dviewthread%26tid%3D8402sugexp=chrome,mod=2sourceid=chromeie=UTF-8 ,11-07-2012, by Candice ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° IV The Organization Structure Taken by Prada in Coming to China Miuccia Prada, who is Prada named by, says that Now fashion embraces the whole world with different religions, costumes, et cetera, et cetera. Before, it reflected the spirit of a small group. There is just one collection, and we dont make specific things for specific markets, but try to accommodate a world which has become a lot bigger. Its a lot more difficult in this sense. (Prada and Chinese Feminists, PALM BEACH Womanà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Magazine, http://www.palmbeachwoman.com/business/prada-and-chinese-feminists/, October 29, 2012, by Lily) She thinks the world contains so many different cultures and styles. It is hard to make each people satisfied. She argues that it may not that useful to try to appeal to everyone in every different country. But on the other hand, we can try to build a bigger world, let the different styles be mixed and create a new style. It can be more difficult to accomplish due to the different thinking. No matter how the idea will impact the result, we can sa y Prada is a company which has creative thinking and it can make a big difference from other luxury brand. It is a typical global strategy Prada uses. Organizational structure is the formal system of task and job reporting relationships that determines how employees use resources to achieve organizational goals. Not only the global strategy is the factors that influence a companys organizational structure, the organizational environment, technology, human resources also do. The outside organizational environment is stable at the second-the hard time is over and Prada gain praise when compared to other related brands. It may result in a decentralized authority system, and the organizational system is not that tight. Of course, the chain of production is always tight and strict. What we say stable here is their structure which is used to hunt overseas markets. When it comes to human resources, Prada has hired many talented people who may probable require freedom and autonomy. It may a lso result in the decentralized and flexible structure. All of above, we believe that the organization is decentralized and flexible. From where we stand, the organization is organized in the best way in the short term. The world is changing fast, so their organization structure can be changed in the long run. Prada has a large team for development of production. They think creativity is the most important things. To make their product lead the worlds fashion, the standards to enter the company they have set are more difficult to meet. Prada always tries to select best one of their field in the employment market. The company will not miss the chance to grab the talents who are still at school, too. (PRADA annual report, PRADA Group, http://www.pradagroup.com/documents/201201/E-Annual-Report.pdf Page26, October 24, 2012, by Lily) Their fair and pellucid ways to select has drawn many excellences attention. It is not hard to see the company has employed many talented people. Their skills vary a lot. Some of them good at designing, some have an advantage in industry manufacturing, some can see higher than others of the whole business cycle. Their different skills can give them the bases to let the idea of a designer become a real product for business. Whats more, Prada is very strict to their cycle of production. Prada even hire specialized people no matter in or out of their local country to take charge of their quality monitoring. External manufacturing is also charged by the checker. (Business Model, Prada Group, http://www.pradagroup.com/en/group/business-model, October 25, 2012, by Elaine) The important reason they are so strict is that they think their task is significant enough for them to devote themselves to it. Prada thinks feedback is also important; the company makes annual report every year. Workers can get direct information about how their job is done. Task significance and skill variety allow employee to realize their job is meaningful. It results in Pradas all-round and consistent success since most of their employees have high motivation, performance and satisfaction. (PRADA annual report, PRADA Group, http://www.pradagroup.com/documents/201201/E-Annual-Report.pdf Page26, October 24, 2012, by Lily) We can see the employees have much motivation to do the ir jobs and due to which they become more and stricter to themselves. As what we say above, China is an important part in its globalization strategy, so the manager who is ready to locate in China needs to pay attention to every aspect. There are many tools for a manager to improve his or her job, and the job enlargement and job enrichment we learned before plays an important role. At first, we will explain that what is the job enlargement and job enrichment. Job enlargement is to increase the number of tasks for a given job. Job enrichment is to increase the degree of responsibility a worker has over a job can lead to increased worker involvement. With the development of technology, some people in some company feel boring with their work and dont want to take part in the work. It will decrease the efficiency. On this condition, its necessary to conduct job enlargement and job enrichment. We will state my opinion about how a typical job in China can be enlarged and enriched. We choose a middle manager to express my view. Only a group of elites can not constitute an excellent team. The more important thing is that everyone can do his own work well. Its important to have a good middle manager. At first, the manager should know what he or she should do to achieve their goal and have his or her own thoughts. The manager can divide the works into several groups and make them speak out their opinion about how to do well in their job. Secondly, the manager should distribute appropriate assignments to the subordinates. From our opinion, the appropriate number is two or three. Every task has its requirement and purpose. The manager should set standards for them to estimate. The feedback will be a good choice. Thirdly, the manager can give help to the subordinates. It doesnt mean that the manager should be responsible for the task. If the manager gives too much help, the subordinates will lose enthusiasm. Then, the manager sometimes should have a meeting to ask for information about the tasks and solve the problems together. Everyone can learn from another one. At last, we think team spirit is the most important. What can a manager do in China to improve cohesion? The manager can create a comfortable atmosphere. For an example, he or she can open a snack corner with food and drinks for the worker to chat or have a break. After work, the manager can get the workers together to have a dinner or go to a KTV to relax. The manager can have a harmonious interpersonal relationship with them and listen for their suggestions. In general, Prada Company uses the flat organizational hierarchy. Strictly, it is a hybrid structure. It is not a part of a chain, besides, it has the completed structure and the designing organizational structure is divided into different by function and division. Each department can be adjusted easily by functions and divisions so that they can coordinate with each other when the company faces different types of difficulties. Also, the flat organizational hierarchy with market structure can work. It should be a boundary less organization, there is direct contact between boss and staffs. If it is improve like this, everyone has more chance to play a liaison role to contact with constant other people. This new structure can improve the employee relationships so that staffs in Prada can feel superiors care about themselves and get ready for new challenges, which can let the company get both more effectiveness and efficiency. As far as I am concerned, the structure can influence the outcome and the organizations culture. Organizational structure can determine that how employees use resources and how can they achieve the goals. In another word, to some degree, organizational structure can decide the ways in which employees feel, think and behave even affect their values, beliefs, and norms. Advances in technology and the human resource is what an organizational structure depends on. However, the most important thing is the design of a companys organizational structure. When people have to work together and accomplish their goals, they have to interact frequently. And after that, with deeply knowing with each other, the harmony in the organization can be better and better. This helps the company accomplish its final goalearning more money. (Prada group, organizational structure, http://www.pradagroup.com/en/group/organizational-structure, November 2, 2012, by Candice) According to the diagram which I found on the Internet, we believe the organization can be divided into four levels. (Organizational structure,  © Prada http://www.pradagroup.com/en/group/organizational-structure, October 28, 2012, by David) The top level is Board of Directors. It is an institution shouldering the responsibilities for stockholders and the company. It has rights to formulate financial budget schemes or final accounting of revenue and expenditure projects. Allocation of profit schemes and covering the deficit is also jobs for Board of Directors. To sum up, Board of Directors is a brain of a company, which decides what to do next and releases the most authoritative commands. The second levels are CEO, Chairman and Deputy Chairman. They receive the consensual messages which Board of Directors has been discussed. All they should do is to study the task and allocate each step to different departments. They are critical in that if they fail to evaluate the situation, the following things which would be done next are not meaningful at all. In general, function is a significant factor influencing the division of the organization, completing that Prada. The leaders of various departments organize their specific manufacturing processes according to the indexes or targets which they are required to reach. The leaders of the bottom level are asked to complete one part of the specific targets. For example, the bottom level may be a workshop producing tyres in a car plant. Our team supposes that Prada is a decentralized organization. Each level only controls the next level. Everyone in this firm can express ideas about the projects or the tasks. Although Prada was a centralized firm in the past, it has been transforming into a decentralized organization. In history, Pradas development is depended on the creator, Mario Prada, a merchant who had a sense of business opportunities and investment. However, his successor was not able to manage this business effectively and efficiently compared with Mario Prada, which resulted in the decline of Pradas sales last century. To avoid this happened again, Prada managers are willing to listen to their employees voices and consider the possibilities of practicing their suggestions. There is no doubt that the present construction of authority is appropriate for Prada. Patricio Bertelli, owner and CEO of Prada recently stated that he is confident in the future development of the Prada brand and distribution network. Prada has invested ten million euros in the TRANSFORMER project, a design innovation to be presented at Saul, Korea during this month. Miuccia Prada will personally attend to the official launch of the project and she is confident that this investment will be beneficial in the near future for both Korea and the entire region. (PRADA shows confidence in future and continues investments, http://www.cpp-luxury.com/prada-shows-confidence-for-future-and-continues-investments/,  © 2009 cpp luxury, October 28, 2012, by David) Meanwhile, about EUR 1000 million revenues that Prada had achieved in 2011. Prada and Miu Mi

tragoed Elements of Tragedy in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Elements of Tragedy in Oedipus Rex It is not the tragic subject matter of the text that is of primary interest - but rather the manner in which the plot is developed. The story line progresses as if the reader is "unpeeling an onion." The tale of King Oedipus is well known. An enraged Oedipus unknowingly slays his father (Laiusq, King of Thebes) and supplants him as monarch and as husband to his own mother (Queen Jocasta). As each successive "layer of the onion" is unpeeled, Oedipus is brought a step closer to realizing the true nature of his actions. Foretold in prophecy and initiated by his anger, the downfall of Oedipus comes to fruition as all facts gradually come to light. This "enlightening" starts with the revelations of a blind prophet named Tiresias. Though sightless, Tiresias can "see" the truth. He argues with Oedipus "...you have your sight, and do not see... . Yea, you are ignorant... ."(Sophocles, 15). Understandably, Oedipus is enraged at the prophet's accusations and fatally insists on investigating the murder of King Laius. In Aristotle's Poetics, it is stated that a tragedy must be complete - having a beginning, middle and end. Of equal importance "...the sequence of events, according to the law of probability or necessity, will admit of a change from bad fortune to good or from good fortune to bad."(Aristotle, 15). The impetus for the downfall of Oedipus, "Known far and wide by name" (Sophocles, 1), is his anger. Enraged he slew King Laius and in anger he hastily pursued his own ruination. From the aforementioned recriminations of Tiresias to the conflict with his brother-in-law Creon (his ill temper again displayed - "Tempers such as yours most grievous to their own selves to bear,... .(Sophocles, 25); through the revealing exchanges with his wife/mother Jocasta and her slave (whose pity saved the infant Oedipus), damming insight grows in a logical sequence, all the while fueled by the Oedipal rage. Realizing the heinous nature of his actions, Oedipus blinds himself in a fit of anger and remorse - now, as Tiresias, he can see. In an age where popular entertainment is apparently guided by the maxim "more is better" (see the body count in any popular "action thriller") and "special effects" dominate,

The Artificial Nigger: Truths Behind Racism Essay -- essays research p

In O'Connor's "The Artificial Nigger" the essences of prejudice and degradation are captured to a great extent. Reality shows us with needless consistency people in a need to feel better about themselves only achieve it by being better than someone else. Therefore every opportunity at hand, including racism, is taken advantage as a form of gratification. Mr. Head, the grandfather, is an example of one of these people. He is in competition with seemingly everyone he encounters while in a day trip to the City. Racism is just one of the ways he utilizes to demean others while elevating his own self-image. O'Connor's depiction of a Southern, and close-minded person goes into the extreme depths of what constitutes as well as produces an imprudent racist. Mr. Head, a self-proclaimed missionary, plans on taking his grandson, Nelson, to Atlanta city. Intending to introduce Nelson to the focal point of his racist teachings. However, Mr. Head's subconscious motives are to have Nelson believe his grandfather's existence in his life is indispensable. He hopes Nelson dependency upon him increases. Doing so would not only make his own self feel superior but also satisfy his own dependency needs. He's content with the thought that once Nelson has had the opportunity in experiencing the city. He will "be content to stay at home for the rest of his life"(251). His only comforting thoughts, as he laid to sleep before the day of the trip, were not of turning Nelson into a racist however, of "thinking how the boy would at last find out that he was not as smart as he thought he was"(251). Degrading anyone, including his own grandson, is another way by which Mr. Head can feel satisfied with himself. He welcomes and anticipates the point at which Nelson questions his own intelligence. Towards the beginning of the story Mr. Head belittles Nelson rationalizing once arriving in the city "he will've been there twict"(250). Considering Atlanta was his place of birth Nelson believed it to be true. Logically Nelson made sense nevertheless, "Mr. Head had contradicted him" (250). Irony is first present here as Mr. Head continuously accuses Nelson of being ignorant, yet Mr. Head is the one displaying ignorance in every spoken.From the beginning of the story Mr. Head is seen as a character extremely selfish and only concerned with ... ...ad, now faced with a choice, I believe chooses to ignore his enlightenment. His character throughout the story displayed ignorant, adolescent, frightful behaviors. I find it hard to believe him altering his manner. He's acknowledged his dependency on Nelson and Nelson now is conforming to him. As they stood watching the train fade into the distance, he comments, "I'm glad I've went once, but I'll never go back again". (270) Nelson finally concedes to have experienced the city once, not twice as he adamantly claimed. For Mr. Head choosing to do nothing is a choice in itself."The Artificial Nigger" is a great story, which can be used to help better understand what sorts of underlining factors come into play when people have deep hatreds of distinct cultures. Not commonly can a racist attribute all his hate to the color of ones skin. There are almost always other issues, which can be linked back to low self worth. Such as if someone of a different race was promoted while another looked over. Those are such beginnings of racist thoughts and later actions. Works CitedO'Connor, Flannery. Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux 1979

Celibacy and Catholic Priests Essay

In today’s world, many wonder why Catholic priests can’t get married and have a family of their own. This issue and question can be boiled down into one word: celibacy. Being celibate is defined as being â€Å"One who abstains from sexual intercourse, especially by reason of religious vows,† according to thefreedictionary.com. This definition is not understood by many because the thought of having a life without sex is unbearable, especially in today’s society. By exploring this topic in depth, one can understand why celibacy is an important factor of the Catholic priesthood. According to Father Kenneth Doyle of the Catholic News Service, priests hold this sacred vow for three particular reasons: it closely resembles Christ Who was unmarried, it shows and proves that love can be present without being physical, and it allows a man to give all of his energy to the Lord rather than to a family. In understanding how celibacy became so important, we have to look at its history, particularly at the third, fourth, eleventh, and sixteenth centuries, according to John O’Malley in his article Some Basics About Celibacy (8). In the third century, within the early Church, many priests and even most of the apostles of Jesus were men with wives and families. It was a common feature among the early Church, and even some of the Holy Fathers, or Popes, were known to be married and have children. It is clear that during this time period, the patristic era and early Middle Ages, celibacy was not enforced and not important within the Church. Early in this century, Constantine’s recognition of Christianity brought about status change for all Christians: because they were not being oppressed and martyred they looked for new ways to follow Christ and challenge themselves to give their lives for Him. John W. O’Malley writes, â€Å"With St. Jerome (345-420), as well as many others, virginity for those espoused to Christ began to be extolled with new fervor and consistency.† This became the building block for legislation and more teachings on the subject of celibacy (9). O’Malley points out that the fourth century brought about more change for Christians as they came out of hiding in the catacombs (9). The Council of Elvira was held in 305, which consisted of nineteen bishops as well as a number of priests, deacons, and laypeople. O’Malley writes that Canon 33 was a product of this council and that it was the first piece of legislation that dealt with the issue of the clergy and marriage. It reads: It has seemed good absolutely to forbid the bishops, the priests, and the deacons, i.e., all the clerics in the service of the ministry, to have relations with their wives and procreate children; should anyone do so, let him be excluded from the honor of the clergy. (9) This decree changed things, because it made a tradition into a law, and any who violated it would be punished. This decree was really meant to put continence or self-restraint on married clergy, because the idea of mirroring Christ and having complete dedication to the sacraments was becoming more important, as well as trying to lead by example as clergy to the laypeople. This was very important in setting up what would change in the eleventh century as more authoritative figures wanted to establish order and set things right within the Church (9). According to O’Malley, the eleventh century sought to recover from the Dark Ages and was able to retrieve patristic era canon law collections (10). These recovered canon law collections contained laws related to the idea of celibacy and acted as maps or blueprints for a series of holy and zealous popes for thirty-five years, who were determined to set order in the Church and society (10). During this time the papacy established a rule of authority and power, which far surpassed anything that preceded it, and began reforming the Church. The reformers had the main goal of trying to get the clergy’s behaviors and actions to mirror the ancient canon laws interpreted by the reformers, and were striving to make the clergy and the Church more holy in nature. One of the greatest popes in history was Pope Gregory VII who came into office towards the end of the movement. Thanks to his efforts, the law of celibacy began to appear in the form that would most resemble today’s form, which is the prohibition of the ordained from being married before or after ordination (10). The sixteenth century saw the beginnings of the reformation, where the idea of celibacy was challenged and questioned by Luther and others, who broke away from the Church and who were also married. The Council of Trent was the Church’s response to the Protestants; it solidified what celibacy means today for the Church and condemned three thoughts on celibacy. According to O’Malley, these were as follows: â€Å"First, that clerics in major orders and religious priests who have made a solemn vow of chastity can validly contract marriage; second, that the regulation of celibacy is a disparagement of marriage; and third, that those who, after making a solemn vow of celibacy, cannot observe it are free to contract marriage† (11). O’Malley points out that the law has been modified. Canon 277, which is observed and practiced today, reads: Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and therefore are obliged to observe celibacy, which is a special gift of God, by which sacred ministers can adhere more easily to Christ with an undivided heart and can more freely dedicate themselves to the service of God and humankind. (11) Continuing to dive deeper into the topic of celibacy, it is important to make a distinction between the Catholic teachings of dogma and discipline. According to Catholic Answers, dogmas are teachings within the Catholic Church that will never change, and a discipline can change. As Catholic Answers points out, because of the many different variations of celibacy in the Eastern Rite Catholics, Orthodox and Oriental Christians where married priests are quite common, celibacy is a disciplinary rule, not a dogma like the Trinity is. Of course there are rules and regulations on marriage and being ordained in those areas that have married clergy, but it is the tradition in the Western or Roman Catholic Church that their clergy take a vow of celibacy; exceptions can be made for Roman Catholic Priests who are married because they converted after being Lutheran or some other denomination. Many Fundamentalists attack celibacy as being a discipline or practice that goes against the Holy Bible and against nature itself because Genesis 1:28 says to, â€Å"Be fruitful and multiply.† As Catholic Answers points out, many also argue that celibacy itself leads to perversion or that it can cause illicit sexual behavior, which is simply not true. It is true that many people are called to be married in their lives, but Catholics Answers states, â€Å"†¦The vocation of celibacy is explicitly advocated—as well as practiced—by both Jesus and Paul†. Thus, it is easy to see why celibacy is a very intricate and important part of the priesthood, because it allows the priests to be more like Jesus and have a more connected relationship with the Father and the people they minister to, just like Jesus Himself. Paul understands the importance of celibacy and complete dedication to the Lord by saying in First Corinthians 7:32-34 that, â€Å"I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided†. Being celibate is neither unnatural nor against the Bible. Jesus and Paul practiced and advocated it in their times; clearly, it is not wrong. Catholic Priests are extremely important in today’s world because they provide us with the seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the sick. Being celibate helps priests to perform these sacraments in the most holy manner and with complete connection to God. Unfortunately, in today’s world the idea or discipline of celibacy is becoming something that is very hard for some to understand and practice, even for priests. In her article entitled On the Verge of Ideological Mutiny: Celibacy and the Roman Catholic Priesthood, Cathleen M. Falsani said that, â€Å"The debate about mandatory celibacy for priests raises ire and eyebrows, as the Roman Catholic Church experiences a daunting shortage of priests and a declining interest in religious vocations, while stories of sexual indiscretion and abuse abound† (16). It is true that today, many people blame celibacy as the main cause of shortages to the prie sthood and many argue that celibacy shouldn’t be forced onto someone and instead be a personal choice. This issue takes a toll on the entire Church and can threaten the availability of the Mass and sacraments if shortages of priests continue (16). Many also take the Church’s view on sex as a negative thing in that sex is a bad thing and that its only use is to create children, which is why many believe that celibacy is in place for Catholic priests, according to Falsani and Bob McClory a former Catholic priest (16). As Falsani points out, the Church has responded to this view with Blessed Pope John Paul II’s papal letter which stated that, â€Å"The heart of a priest, in order that it may be available for this service, must be free. Celibacy is a sign of a freedom that exists for the sake of service†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (17). This really is what celibacy for those in the priesthood is all about: it allows them to be focused and be married to the church and God in a way that many simply many can not comprehend nor understand. It is about complete sacrifice and giving of one’s self for the greater glory of God and heaven, which allows them to administer and perform the seven holy sacraments in a way that reflects Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles who followed Him and gave up their lives for Christ’s glory. Yes, many of the apostles may have been married; nonetheless, they began to develop a greater love and meaning to what it means to be a servant of the Lord to others and to truly give up their lives in service to Him. Celibacy is not against Church teachings. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, it actually helps strengthen and reaffirm practices within the Catholic Church and proves that life is possible without giving in to worldly desires. In his article Why Celibacy Makes Sense, Robert Barron says that, â€Å"Celibacy†¦is a form of life adopted by people in love with Jesus Christ† (19). This is exactly what drives priests in their ministry and enables them to continue their work with great fervor and zeal. The Catholic priest is a person who is able to prove that being in control of one’s own desires is possible, especially in a world that is filled with sex around every corner. They are able to be that bright light within the darkness that emulates Christ and His purity and love. Imagine if Roman Catholic priests were all allowed to be married in today’s world. This would not raise any eyebrows like it does now; instead, it would just be another thing that is am ong the norm in society. However, it is precisely because of this abnormal thing called celibacy that people do raise their eyebrows at these holy men living in a world that desperately needs people to stand out and be different than what society expects them to be. This is exactly what Jesus did. He was someone Who stood out like a sore thumb during His time, but this allowed Him to lead by example and show everyone who turned their heads that a life with Him and the Father was worth living, no matter how different it was from everyone else’s in society. In The Theological Basis for Priestly Celibacy, the theologian Max Thurian writes, â€Å"Observing celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven does not mean being any the less a man; by renouncing a natural form of existence, the priest discovers life in all its fullness. Christ was certainly no less of a man because he did not have affections other than those for his brethren, and a bride other than the Church.† This sums it up very well: priests try to be leaders of men and are fully committed and faithful to their bride, the Church, and to the flock of people that they minister to. The call to celibacy and the priesthood is a supernatural one, and one which the world sees as unnatural. Contrary to popular belief, celibacy and the call to be a priest is not for those men who have no attraction to women, because like everyone else, priests are human beings and men who still have wants. In his study entitled Seminarians Today, Paul Stanosz writes that sociologists Dean Hoge and Jacqueline have reported that seminarians and young priests view themselves as, â€Å"Men set apart† (19). Many priests are men who really wanted to have a family and children but decided to heed the call to sacrifice this desire and instead be fathers within the Church. The most important tool for priests and seminarians to stay strong in their training and ministry is personal prayer, and Paul Stanosz writes that, â€Å"When asked what they looked forward to as priests, the students mentioned having time for personal prayer and for leading others in prayer† (22). The main reason that seminarians and priests enjoy their personal prayer so much is that they are able to enter into a deeper prayer state because of their total commitment to the Church and not to a wife or children. Celibacy is a practice that allows priests and seminarians to be more connected with the Lord, and thus they can enjoy prayer more and get more out of it. In fact, they can draw others to it as well, because of their mirroring of Jesus Christ’s life and their connection to their unique calling. This truly makes Catholic priests â€Å"Men set apart† and is exactly what is needed in today’s world and what needs to continue within the Roman Catholic C hurch (19). As we have examined, celibacy is a topic that many do not understand because it is one that goes against the social norms of today’s society. Ultimately, it is a very big sacrifice and one that is necessary for Roman Catholic priests to effectively minister and be different from every other man in society. It is something that creates a unique bond between the celibate priest and his ministry and continues a tradition that has been handed down through history and advocated by the Church’s most prominent leaders. As mentioned at the start of this paper from Father Kenneth Doyle, celibacy allows for priests to closely resemble Jesus Christ as the leader and model of the church, it allows for love to exist and be present without being physical, and it allows priests to focus all their energy on the Church rather than on a family or children. This commitment is very grave in nature. According to the Catholic encyclopedia at newadvent.org, during the beginning of the priestly candidates’ ceremony, the bishop tells them just how significant this commitment is by saying the following: You ought anxiously to consider again and again what sort of a burden this is which you are taking upon you of your own accord. Up to this you are free. You may still, if you choose, turn to the aims and desires of the world. But if you receive this order it will no longer be lawful to turn back from your purpose. You will be required to continue in the service of God, and with His assistance to observe chastity and to be bound for ever in the ministrations of the Altar, to serve who is to reign. This is what it means to be celibate: to go against the grain and serve the Lord and the Church with all that one can offer as a priest and as a true man and disciple of Jesus Christ. Bibliography Barron, Robert. â€Å"Why Celibacy Makes Sense.† Commonweal 132.14 (2005): 17-9. ProQuest Religion. Web. 17 Oct. 2012. â€Å"Celibacy and the Priesthood.† Celibacy and the Priesthood. N.p., 10 Aug. 2004. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Celibate.† The Free Dictionary. Farlex, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . Doyle, Father Kenneth. â€Å"CatholicPhilly.com: News from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Powered by The Catholic Standard & Times and Phaith Magazine.† Explaining Celibacy for Latin-rite Priests. N.p., 24 July 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. . 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