linear technology Essay

Three main issues arise when it comes to dividend policy in firms. The first issue is whether dividend is needed or not and the second issue is regarding which one would be the best option among various payout methods. Lastly, the third issue is about dividend rate. Whether these issues will affect corporate values has been debated over the years. This paper will talk about such issues through the case study of Linear Technology. 1. Why dividend is needed. Linear Technology’s payout policy, unlike many competitors in the Semiconductor Industry, has a relatively large portion in dividends. Linear has provided steady dividends since 1992 in a gradually increasing rate in small amounts. Why do firms pay dividends? Can dividends raise the value of firms? To answer these questions, let’s assume that Linear pays out its entire cash balance as a special dividend. For the detailed reference and information, the appendix attached at the end can be reviewed. There would be two different kinds of approaches to this example. The first approach would be adopting the assumptions of M&M1 and adjusting Linear’s situations to it. In conclusion with M&M, the value of the firm will remain steady regardless of the dividend policy. We can simulate two symmetric firms that only vary in the dividend payout ratio. If there is a difference in firm values or share prices between these firms, investors would not let it be and just do their households. Investors in the market would reveal the opportunity of arbitrage. Therefore, the value of two symmetric firms should be the exactly the same. To sum up, there would be no change in value, earnings or EPS. The stock price would just decline just as the amount of dividend payout.  However, if w e peel the onion of assumptions, things get different. On the other hand, by taking the second approach and sticking to the fact that dividend policies can affect the value of the firm, we can compare new result with the prior result. As the cost of capital is lower than Linear’s Return on Equity, Linear’s stock is a growth stock. Being a growth stock means the company earns more than what its shareholders request for their investment. On this condition, paying out entire cash balance will possibly lower Linear’s future earnings, EPS, stock price and its company value, as the company has lesser amount of cash in its hands for future investment after paying dividend. But Linear has paid out constant dividends in spite of the results above. The reasons are as follows. Linear believes that offering dividends appeals to potential investors who not only focus on the growth of the firm but also have interests in definite incomes. Some shareholders may prefer dividends now rather than uncertain income of the future. They also thought that providing dividends can give a signal which represents stability of business as supported by dividend signaling hypothesis. It can also make it easier to get more money by getting into debts. And other numerous studies assert the fact that firms with more favorable inside information optimally pay higher dividends and receive appropriately higher prices for their stock 2. 2. What’s the best option between dividends and repurchase? Linear is powering through stock repurchase in the recent fiscal years. There are two major reasons explaining this increasing amount of stock repurchase. Linear’s employee co mpensation is mostly based on stock options and profit sharing. In order to counterbalance the exercise of stock options, Linear is buying back stock. Another reason is the lack of profitable investment opportunities. But the practical reasons exist. Stock repurchases are discretionary compared to dividends. Additionally, stock repurchase doesn’t affect the  value of the shareholders3. Go back to the example mentioned above. If the company pays out by repurchasing shares, the two approaches do not show a difference. Since the firm’s stocks are growth stocks, the cash used to repurchase stocks lacks the opportunity of generating high cash flows. Accordingly, the market price would result in decreased future earnings, EPS, and the firm value of Linear. The number of outstanding shares, instead of the price, will decrease. While the price of stock would increase just as the amount of cash paid out to repurchase the outstanding stocks. It is important that in both cases, earnings and earnings per share before the payment are not affected. 3. About the dividend rate Firms judge the rate of dividend initiations by earnings. However, simply put, if dividend rate changes depending on the change of earnings, the fluctuation of dividend will increase. This would not be good. Because cutting dividends means uncertain future cash flows. If a company cuts dividend rate, shareholders will need higher opportunity costs of capital, as a result stock prices will go down. Thus, Linear has retained constantly increasing dividend rates in small amounts. Under the theoretical assumptions such as M&M, there is no difference whether firms pay out dividends or not. And if the cost of capital is lower than a firm’s ROE, no dividend can raise a firm’s value. However, considering the real-life factors, firms should keep on steady level of dividend rate or repurchasing shares. Repurchasing shares seems to be a better solution. As a conclusion, Linear’s CFO Paul Coghlan should recommend to the board that Linear should maintain the dividend rate and repurchase its stocks, so that the stock repurchase amount of 2003 exceeds that of 2002.

Dulce Est Decorum Est and This Is the Dark Time, My Love

Neither fame nor glory can compensate for the immense suffering that war inflicts on humanity. â€Å"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori† is an ‘old’ lie told to youths ardent of joining the army. Not only are the targeted victims oppressed, but the soldiers who risk their lives fighting for their countries are left horrified. In both â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† and â€Å"This is A Dark Time, My Love†, the intimate experiences of the personas give first-hand insights of the terrors and tortures of war. Imagery, pathetic fallacy and language vividly create the ghastly image of war. This is The Dark Time, My Love† is about a people whose dreams of a better life have been threatened by the destructive power of the â€Å"strange invaders. † The persona conveys his intense anger against the British military presence and his belief that their rule is wrong and they display total injustice. Additionally, the persona accentuates the subjection, devastation, death and anger of the people of Guyana. It focuses on the â€Å"dark time† that the people are facing that the experience of the war where â€Å"all around the land brown beetles crawl about†. Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious† tell of the fear and tension that the victims feel. Even nature is sympathetic as â€Å"red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. † The poet laments of the misery of his people, the instability of his people and the sorrow brought by these â€Å"strange invaders†. In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, a soldier vividly describes the horrors of war as he hopelessly watches one of his comrades being â€Å"gassed. † Returning from the battle-field, â€Å"bent double,† coughing and limping with blood-shod feet, they had not heard the gas-filled shells being dropped. Luckily, most of the soldiers managed to escape, but unfortunately one of his comrades did not. As the persona recounts the traumatic experience, he lashes out at all who thinks that it is glorious and honourable to die for one’s country. The impact of the incident on the persona is one of loathing and revulsion. Both poets use imagery which is striking and graphic to inform us of the terrors of war. In â€Å"This is The Dark Time, My Love,† the visual image of the soldiers, â€Å"all around the land brown beetles crawl about†, in their thick armoury is like the beetles who have hard shells on their backs. All around† and â€Å"crawl† creates the image that they move around in large uniform masses, just like beetles. The word â€Å"crawl† also presents the image of the soldiers moving sneakily and invading the land with stealth. â€Å"Who comes walking in the dark night time? / Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass† creates the visual image of the soldiers, who can walk through the dark night fearlessly, unaffected by the dark times. An auditory image is also created as the tramping of the soldiers can be heard as they walk on the unthreatening, impotent grass. Imagery in this poem is used to describe the ways in which war oppresses innocent victims, whereas in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, similes are used to create images of the struggles soldiers face on the battlefield. The simile, â€Å"bent double, like old beggars under sacks†, is vivid as one can actually picture the soldiers â€Å"drunk with fatigue† and trying to make their way back to camp. They are hopeless and tired and though fighting for one’s country is said to be honourable, they are being compared to beggars. This line contrasts with the title of the poem. Both the visual and auditory image of the â€Å"knock-kneed† soldiers â€Å"coughing like hags† shows the choking effect of the smell of the gas. Their coughing sounds like that of an old, tired person, which they in fact are. They cannot breathe and being compared to ‘hags’ emasculates the soldiers. Pathetic fallacy is used in â€Å"This is the Dark Time, My Love† since even nature was in a state of sadness at the oppression of the society. This is seen by the personifications, â€Å"The shining sun is hidden in the sky/Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. The flowers appear to mourn the people in the dark time who are victims of the violence of the soldiers and the suppression by the colonial powers. It seems as if the wilting flowers, whose stems are usually drooping, are actually bending their ‘heads’ in sympathy with those who have to live through the dark times. The â€Å"shining sun† represents hope and prosperity . It is unable to penetrate through the â€Å"dark times† where the people are hopeless and in despair. The sun being hidden in the sky reflects that there is no hope for the society. The emotive and intense language used in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† tells of the anger, revulsion and disgust the persona feels about being part of the war. â€Å"He plunges at me guttering, choking, drowning, â€Å"white eyes writhing in his face† and â€Å"blood come gargling from his froth-corrupted lungs† evokes sympathy in the reader. The soldier’s comrade did not die instantly from inhalation of the gas, he suffered before he died. In all the persona’s â€Å"smothering dreams,† he never thought he would experience anything like that. â€Å"Like a devil’s sick of sin† compares war to the devil who offers no good and will never be sick of sin. War only offers pain and suffering and it is as if those who declare war are in fact devils. â€Å"This is The Dark Time, My Love† and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† both aim to convey the universal message that the stereotypical assumptions about war and fighting for one’s country are lies. Both poems tell of the atrocities of war and that war affects everyone. In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† the persona remarks that the battlefield is a horrifying experience and that many are scared for life and left feeling helpless and hopeless. The main comment the persona is trying to make is that dying for one’s country is neither noble nor honourable as people claim it to be and those anxious for glory should not buy into this belief. It emphasizes how much they had to suffer and the message received is that war is not worth the trauma and agony they have to endure. In â€Å"This is The dark Time, My Love,† the persona indicates that war is so dehumanising that even nature makes a statement as pathetic fallacy. The persona also refers to war as â€Å"the season of oppression . . and tears. † This alludes to the hostility and brutality to which the Guyanese are subjected and their suffering as a result. It goes on to say that it is a â€Å"festival of guns† and â€Å"Carnival of misery† showing that violence is so rampant, it seems to be a celebration. War imposes itself on the nation’s culture and robs the nation of its independence and dreams; â€Å"aiming at your dream. † War wreaks severe pain and distress on both soldiers and innocent, targeted people and this brings about the question whether war is really worth the suffering. Those who declare war do not endure the suffering and thus, preach that it is glorious to die for one’s country. However, as the both persona’s prove, it is no honour and certainly, no nobility to die for one’s country !

Why Is Energy Consumption So An Issue - 941 Words

Over many experiments of trial and error, in relation with the world’s energy consumption, people are trying to revolutionize how energy is used. The question is always raised, â€Å"Why is energy consumption even an issue?† The answer to that broad question would be climate change. Studies have been showing substantial evidence that climate change exists and that it will make a significant impact on Earth within the next few decades. Puneet Kollipara wrote the following: Nearly all U.S. senators agreed today on a measure affirming that climate change is real and not a hoax—including, to the surprise of many observers, Senator James Inhofe (R–OK), the man who once declared global warming a hoax. Meanwhile, although two other measures stating that humans are contributing to climate change won a majority of votes from the 99 senators present, they failed to garner the 60 votes needed to be adopted by the Senate. (Kollipara) To begin, this affirms that climate change has become a serious global issue. Since there is recognition that climate change is impacting the atmosphere, how would anyone be able to combat this issue at hand? This is where countries such as Japan and Germany occupy a significant role in finding a solution to alternative energy. Both countries have decided to reduce the amount of emission their state produces in greenhouse gases and non-environmentally friendly materials. The first key element within this study would be the independent variable, or the processShow MoreRelatedHow Organizations Can Become More Sustainable1064 Words   |  5 Pagesdemonstrates how consumption of resources can be reduced to 1/5th through a more realistic approach. For example, In Bakeries; there is high usage of energy and water and poor insulation has led to higher energy consumption and difficult working conditions. Bakers Delight (a chain of bakeries in Australia and elsewhere), reduced their energy consumption by 40%, greenhouse gases by 48%, all the while using efficient lighting, glass insulation. They have reduced the basic energy consumption by 70%-80%.Read MoreThe Problem Of Energy Drinks Essay1300 Words   |  6 Pagesbut sleep is hardly an option because we have a 6-page paper due. So what are our options? We can sit in front of the computer and inevitably fall into slumber with an incomplete paper, or we can crack open a can of good old Red Bull and power th rough the night to finish that English paper. Many college students would choose the latter and unfortunately inject some nasty chemicals into their bloodstreams to keep them awake. Energy drinks have many untested contents within the drink that aren’t testedRead MoreA Brief Note On Hydro Quebec And The Largest Electricity Company1630 Words   |  7 PagesHydropower is one of sustainable energy resources and it plays a very important role to protect our environment.The company was founded in April 14, 1994. After more than seventy years’ development, about 99 percent of electricity that Hydro-Quebec generated is by Hydropower. Hydro-Quebec’s research institute (IREQ) which is in charge of technological innovation advantages Hydro-Quebec compare with other electricity company. Why Energy consumption is Important? Energy consumption is bound tightly with ourRead MoreEcological Analysis Of Corn Stover Biofuels1603 Words   |  7 PagesState University 2016 Ecological Analysis of Corn Stover Biofuels 1.background To date, when issues related with environment, GHG(Green House Gas), sustainability are gradually concerned, increasing people are pursuing new ways to lower down the negative effect exerted by modern industry. This also attract government’s attention upon encouraging utilization and production of alternative energy and offering financial aid for some newly high-tech companies. One solution to deal with this globalRead MoreEcological Analysis Of Corn Stover Biofuels1456 Words   |  6 Pages Ecological Analysis of Corn Stover Biofuels 1.background 　　　 To date, when issues related to environment, GHG(Green House Gas), sustainability are gradually concerned, increasing people is pursuing new ways to lower down the negative effect exerted by modern industry. This also attracts government’s attention upon encouraging utilization and production of alternative energy and offering financial aid for some newly high-tech companies. One solution to deal with this global concern is finding orRead MoreEssay about Econ 545 Week 2 Assignment1305 Words   |  6 Pagesparties address Healthcare and both address Energy policy, for example. (Democrats under â€Å"Issues†, Republicans under â€Å"Our Party†.) Compare and contrast their views on two such issues. Generally speaking, how much of the disagreement is based on normative economics compared to positive economics? Give an example of loaded terminology from each site. Answer: The republican energy policy focuses on less regulation and puts the responsibility of energy independence on American business. The beliefRead MoreAlthough the concentration of activity and people within cities is frequently perceived to be the1400 Words   |  6 PagesSteemers believes that more intense land use and sharing of infrastructure such as energy, water, drainage, roads, buildings and public transport can greatly reduce the energy per capita in urban areas. He also explains that urban environments can receive huge benefits from the use of combined heat and power (CHP). CHP has the potential to deliver 55% thermal energy and 30% electrical energy by themselves. The two energies combined can typically deliver 85% or more overall. By combining the two it reducesRead MoreThe Long Term Effects Of Increasing Demand For Renewable Energy1690 Words   |  7 Pages Renewable Energy Wind, Water, Sun: Energy for the long run Prepared by Mashfik Shamir Midterm Proposal BUS 160W – An Introduction to Business Writing Queens College August 1, 2013 Professor Denise L. Miller Mashfik Shamir 8531 129 Street Richmond Hill, NY 11418 August 1, 2013 Prof. Denise Miller CUNY Queens College 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY 11367 Dear Prof. Miller: I am submitting this proposal to provide some information on the long term effects of increasing demand forRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects On Global Climate Change1302 Words   |  6 Pageswithout an harm, so it was not taken as a problem. Climate change is a prominent issue that has been debated on for quite a few decades. According to wikipedia, â€Å"climate change is a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.† In this essay, I am going to map out how copious amounts of energy consumption leads to climateRead MoreDynamics Of Energy Drinks For Teens1543 Words   |  7 PagesDynamics of Energy Drinks for Teens Caffeine is a substance that almost everyone is familiar with, but not everyone knows what the real risks can be if not taken in moderation. Energy drinks are one of the many drinks that often contain caffeine. The caffeine in these drinks helps people gain more energy throughout the day and keeps them alert. Energy drinks have become very popular among teens over the past couple of years because of the targeted marketing companies have made towards younger people

Analysis Of Her Kind By Anne Sexton - 979 Words

Anne Sexton’s poem ‘Her Kind’ deals with the nature of a woman’s role in society and the alienation that that can bring. The 1950s perceived women as domestic and they were often expected to conform to the role of the housewife. Sexton constructs this idea of a woman with multiple personalities expected to conform to societal rules and norms yet is unable or unwilling to detain herself to these limitations. Throughout, Sexton confesses her role as a woman breaking the mould from societal expectations. The poem opens with â€Å"I have gone out, a possessed witch† (Sexton, 1988, 18); the adjective â€Å"possessed† presenting an ambiguous interpretation. On one hand, it suggests that the writer is not in control of her actions; society has taken over†¦show more content†¦Ending the stanza with the confessional I, â€Å"I have been her kind’ (Ibid, 18) presents a double I. Two points of view are created: the first â€Å"I† of the various personas and the second â€Å"I† of the refrain who â€Å"steps through the frame to witness, interpret and affirm her alter ego† (Middlebrook, 1991). The â€Å"I† is displaced from sufferer to storyteller and Sexton conveys â€Å"the terms on which she wishes to be understood; not victim, but witness and witch† (Ibid, 1991), creating a bondage between women in general and Sexton herself. Sexton’s confession of disregarding the expectations of women is therefore not preoccupied w ith the feeling of sin and guilt, which one might assume with confessional writing, but rather with the feeling of empowerment and satisfaction. Witchcraft imagery continues throughout the poem however; Sexton replaces the sinister imagery of the first stanza with the anarchic but reassuring images of domesticity, depicting ‘warm caves’ and describing ‘skillets’ as ‘innumerable goods’ (Sexton, 18). The confines of domesticity, however, are brought into sharp criticism through Sexton’s careful juxtaposition of location. Placing this domestic scene within the confines of witchcraft reinforces this unwomanly ideal and something of the undesired, whilst the ‘woods’ similarly creates a strong sense of isolation and removalShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Her Kind By Anne Sexton749 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"Her Kind†: The Experience of a Woman The poem â€Å"Her Kind† by Anne Sexton describes different scenarios of a woman. In the poem, Anne Sexton uses three different characters to explain that she has been each of them in some way. Society places a gender role on what women are allowed to be and how they should behave, condemning the women who do not conform, trying to change them into society’s perfect view of what a woman should be. While this poem shows the author describing herself in terms of theRead MoreAnalysis Of Anne Sexton s Her Kind992 Words   |  4 Pageshowever, Anne Sexton uses poetry to express her emotions. After the birth of her second child Sexton suffered a mental break down. In â€Å"Her Kind† Sexton describes how she feels isolated from the world. She refers to herself as a possessed witch whose warm caves lay in the woods. Sexton uses analogy to express her house as the warm cave in the woods. This type of metaphor expressed how sexton feels about herself compared to society. Throughout the poem see uses repetation of I have been her kind. MeaningRead MoreConfessional Poetry Essay1640 Words   |  7 Pagesnot purely autobiographical, but did often express deeply disturbing personal experience. (Academy of American Poets) Three important poets who are typically associated with the confessional poetry movement are Anne Sexton, Allen Ginsberg, and Denise Levertov. An analysis of selected works from these poets yields a deeper insight into the individual poets and the broad differences among them. Poetry rarely flourishes in a vacuum. As such, the influences and history of each poet is importantRead MoreAnalysis Of My Father s Axe 802 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"My Father’s Axe†, â€Å"In the Park†, and â€Å"Her Kind† Identity Analysis Weland La The composer of My Father’s Axe, Tim Winton, explores the universal themes of male identity in the modern age, throughout his short story. He utilises many relatable scenarios throughout his short story which conveys the stereotypical male identity in today’s society. â€Å"Jamie says he doesn’t know where the axe is and I believe him; he won’t chop wood anymore. Elaine hasn’t seen it; it’s men’sRead MoreEssay about Analysis of Anne Sextons Poem Her Kind1758 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of Anne Sextons Poem Her Kind Anne Sexton was a poet and a woman, but most importantly, she was an outcast. Subjected to nervous breakdowns and admitted to a neuropsychiatry hospital, Sexton must have been all too familiar with the staring eyes and the judging minds of the public. Just being a woman in todays world often can be enough to degrade a person in the publics eye, let alone being labeled as a crazy woman. But Anne Sexton did not let society remain unchallenged in its viewsRead MoreSonnet 116 by William Shakespeare1002 Words   |  4 PagesThere is a constant theme of love found consistently within many forms of literature. The reoccurring theme of love is indicated within two poems, Sonnet 116 written by Shakespeare and Cinderella by Anne Sexton. Love is like a diamond, extremely rare and difficult to find. Shakespeare and Anne Sexton surpassed many other author’s in being able to capture the theme of love in their pieces of literature. Sonnet 116, written by Shakespeare, is one of the most popular love poems to this day. The poemRead MorePoetry Is A Complex And Difficult Genre2823 Words   |  12 Pagesmeaning of Anne Sexton’s poem, â€Å"Her Kind,† which is communicated through gripping diction, imagery, refrain, and form. But do not worry; I will guide you through Sexton’s poem by explicating it line by line. While flipping through pages of poetry, Sexton’s poem gripped me by the shoulders, sucked me into the page, and enveloped me with its words, yet still I did not know exactly what struck me. The first read-through, I merely listened to Sexton’s powerful diction and was intrigued by her refrain,Read MoreConfessional Mode in Poetry of Kamala Das3267 Words   |  14 Pagesthem more solace than life. Born on March 31, 1934 Kamala Das was major Indian English poet and at the same time a leading Malayalam author from Kerala, India. At the age of 15 she got married to bank officer Madhava Das, who encouraged her writing interests, and she started writing and publishing both in English and Malayalam. She was born in a conservative Hindu Nair family having royal ancestry but she embraced Islam in 1999 at age of 65 and assumed the name Kamala Surayya. On 31 MayRead MoreThe Entrepreneurial Mind-18021 Words   |  73 Pages2 The Entrepreneurial Mind-Set in Individuals: Cognition and Ethics 31 The Entrepreneurial Mind-Set in Organizations: Corporate Entrepreneurship 67 Social Entrepreneurship and the Global Environment for Entrepreneurship 98 Entrepreneural case analysis Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Silicon Valley: The Case of Google, Inc. 127 Entrepreneurship: Evolutionary Development—Revolutionary Impact Chapter 1 â€Å"Entrepreneurial Thought Most of what you hear about entrepreneurship is all wrongRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†

Tuberculosis Is A Disease That Affects People - 998 Words

Intro: Tuberculosis is a disease that affects many individuals throughout the world, and not always with the same prevalence. Thesis statement:For this research paper my goal is to explain and illustrate why certain populations tend to have higher infection rates of tuberculosis than the average population in the United States and what causes these higher rates. At what point do health officials step in and work on prevention in these specific populations and why aren’t we implementing the tuberculosis shot for these populations? Significance of topic: The topic of Tuberculosis is significant as it affects many populations, but it also does not affect all populations equally. Tuberculosis has an increased prevalence rate in homeless†¦show more content†¦Incarcerated individuals also have a higher rate of prevalence, with individuals experiencing 4-6% higher rates of TB infection than non-incarcerated individuals. Homeless individuals also experience higher rates of in fection due to other factors that increase TB such as substance use, high density areas with poor ventilation, and lack of proper nutrition. There are some prevention measures in place to counteract the higher prevalence of TB among minority groups or special populations such as routine surveillance, providing lab services and testing, and providing information to these groups. These measures are not currently working too well with funding being a major reason, both for these programs being funded and for these populations being able to afford these programs if they even have access to them. Certain populations, the homeless population for example, may also be distrustful of outsiders and refuse to listen to information about TB, or may be more concerned with lack of food or shelter. Current research is being done on how best to use this information to more effectively create prevention strategies and how to treat the disease. Between 1906 and 1919 a vaccine was developed by Albert Calmette and Camille Geurin, a pair of French scientists, to help prevent this terrible disease (Kupferschmidt, 2011). While effective

Downsizing Panacea Or Anathema Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Retrenchment: Panacea Or Anathema? Essay, Research Paper Downsizing ; Anathema or Panacea Over the past decennary, corporations around the universe have been preoccupied with their staff Numberss and with implementing schemes to cut down them. The aim has been to make thin organisations, trimmed of bureaucratic fat and abounding with competitory musculus. In the United States entirely, some 3.5 million workers have lost their occupations to these plans since 1987. In the first one-fourth of 1994, there were 192,572 layoffs, averaging over 3,106 occupations a twenty-four hours. ( Downs 19 ) . By 1992, more than 85 % of the Fortune 500 companies had downsized during the last five old ages, and 100 % of them were be aftering to make so in the following five old ages ( Cameron, 1994 ) . The # 8217 ; scorecard # 8217 ; below illustrates the magnitude of some of the layoffs in the last four old ages: Company Jobs Cut % of Work Force AT A ; T 128,000 30 IBM 122,000 35 General Motors 99,400 29 Boeing 61,000 37 Sears Roebuck 50,000 16 Digital Equipment 29,800 26 Lockheed Martin 29,100 17 BellSouth 21,200 23 McDonnell Douglas 21,000 20 # 8216 ; Downsizing # 8217 ; , # 8216 ; rightsizing # 8217 ; and # 8216 ; reconstituting # 8217 ; have been the popular cants used to depict the procedure of casting staff. We will write a custom essay sample on Downsizing Panacea Or Anathema Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These words give a respectable image of strategic foresight to what would otherwise be regarded merely as sweeping layoffs or fires. Some have defended the tendency toward layoffs, indicating out that the mission of a corporation is to do a net income and to supply a return for the investors. In this narrow range of definition, the layoffs seem to be working. With the Dow Jones industrial norm above 5500 and corporate net incomes at a 25 twelvemonth high, corporate America may hold fulfilled Wall Streets highest outlooks. But higher net incomes and productiveness have failed to present higher rewards and occupation security, and concern discoveries itself accused of seting corporate greed in front of the states economic involvements. There is, nevertheless, a turning organic structure of grounds that possibly layoffs are non needfully the speedy panacea for drooping net incomes that corporations and economic experts thought they were. The inquiry now being asked is, did these determinations [ to layoff workers ] reflect echt strategic thought or were they merely knee-jerk reactions to falling market portion and net incomes? A study by the American Management Association in 1992 of 547 companies that had downsized in the old six old ages found that merely 43.5 % improved their operating net incomes. In add-on to the dissatisfactory fiscal public presentation, downsized corporation besides experienced higher incidents of absenteeism, surrenders, and turnover in their work forces. They besides predicted that these companies would downsize once more within a few old ages to seek to shore up farther market portion losingss and net income diminutions ( # 8221 ; Unthinking Shrinking # 8221 ; The Economist September 1995 ) . In a recent survey, Mitchell and Co. , a US adviser house, found that most houses that restructured ( downsized ) recognized a short term additions in portion monetary value in the first six months, but after three old ages lagged the remainder of the market ( # 8221 ; When layoffs entirely don # 8217 ; t turn the tide # 8221 ; International Business Week December 1992 ) . Retrenchment is besides frequently a screen for misdirection. AT A ; T Chief Executive Officer Robert Allen committed what a Wall Street Journal editorialist called # 8220 ; a $ 7.5 billion boo-boo # 8221 ; when he bought NCR Corp. in 1990. AT A ; T is besides composing off 100s of 1000000s of dollars it invested in online services it is now phasing out. Other lurchs include its $ 150 million investing in Unitel, a Canadian long-distance web that went bankrupt. The consequence of all these errors? On January 2, CEO Allen announced that AT A ; T is extinguishing 40,000 occupations. Another illustration of executive misdirection is William Agee of the Morrison Knudsen Corporation. When he resigned in 1995, the company had recorded losingss numbering $ 114 million during the old two old ages. Agee had received $ 3.5 million in hard currency and other benefits during that period. On go forthing the company, his rupture bundle was estimated to be deserving someplace between $ 1.5 mil lion and $ 4.8 million. Citing unprofitableness, Morrison Knudsen besides laid off 277 workers in early 1995 supplying them with no rupture wage ( Baker, 1996 ) . There is besides grounds that corporate CEOs may profit straight from downsizing. Senior Corporate Consultant Alan Downs is an expert who served as a cardinal strategian for legion Fortune 500 companies in methods of cutting paysheets and beef uping bottom line consequences. Downs points out the direct correlativity between CEO wage and retrenchments. His recent analysis agrees with many other experts that there is no discernable correlativity between executive wage and public presentation. Downs does, nevertheless find a correlativity between CEO wage and retrenchments. He late examined 22 companies in a study by Fortune Magazine that announced during 1994 programs to layoff big groups of employees. He found a comparatively strong ( .31 ) correlativity between the size of the layoffs in the companies and the compensation to the CEOs. In his book, # 8220 ; Corporate Executions: The Ugly Truth About Layoffs # 8221 ; Downs reports how forcing a stock rating above a specific monetary value for a peculiar period of clip was tied straight to a CEO compensation bundle and how that led to a monolithic layoff ; On Feb. 25, 1991, the compensation commission of the board of managers of General Dynamics met to see revising the compensation bundle of its CEO, William Anders, and 24 other top executives. Under the program that they approved, the executives would have a fillip equal to their annual wage if General Dynamics stock rose 10 points, from $ 25.56 per portion to $ 35.56 per portion, and stayed there for 10 yearss. If the stock went up another 10 points to $ 45.56 per portion and stayed there for 10 yearss, they would have a fillip equal to twice their annual wage, and so on until the program expired in 1994 # 8230 ; Now it is no little effort to raise the stock monetary value of a defence contractor in a clip of major defence cuts by a few points, much less ten. They needed something monumental # 8230 ; something that would catch the attending of the media and investors on wall street while besides dulcifying the bottom line by increasing the hard currency on manus. Somehow General Dynamics would hold to look like a good investing for no fewer than 10 yearss. So what do you say that Mr. Anders and those executives did? They announced a monolithic layoff of more than 12,000 of the company # 8217 ; s 86,000 employees, cut disbursement in other countries, and froze the wages of anyone below their ranks. By the terminal of the twelvemonth, they had amasses $ 600 million in hard currency, which they promised to distribute among the stockholders, and earned themselves $ 18 million in fillips as the stock monetary value held the $ 45.56 grade for the 10th twenty-four hours. Anders personally received more than $ 9 million in salary and fillips ( Downs 224 ) These hideous narratives go even more insidious when one examines the corollary effects of a layoff. When analyzing the consequence of a big corporate layoff on the local community, research workers have found that a larger figure of people in the environing community lose their occupations as a consequence of the ripple consequence. Alan Nevin, pull offing manager of ConAm Research in Old Town, San Diego, California, puts the multiplier rate at 2.5 depending on the industry, intending that for every occupation lost in the corporation, 2.5 occupations will besides be lost in the community. He says fabrication occupations may give a rate of 3.5, due to the support services they require. These Numberss become much more terrible if an full industry downsizes ( Perry 114 ) . Equally dramatic as this is ; every bit sobering as these Numberss are ; can a corporation today afford non to reconstitute and downsize in order to remain competitory? See the Wyatt study ( Wall Street Journal, June 6, 1991 ) that found that the bulk of organisations that downsized failed to accomplish their coveted consequences. Less than half of the houses surveyed were able to cut down disbursals. A forthcoming survey by the American Management Association ( AMA ) concludes that fewer than half of the houses that have # 8220 ; downsized # 8221 ; in the past five old ages earned increased net incomes. Merely a 3rd of those that downsized reported higher productiveness. Forty per centum of the executives in a Towers-Perrrin survey of 300 major companies that had restructured and downsized, 50 per centum of the executives were dissatisfied with the results. Many houses try to do good by downsizing once more. The survey besides compared the fiscal public presentation of downsized houses over a period widening from three old ages before the retrenchment to two old ages after found that the houses as a group performed no better after the retrenchmen t that they did earlier. ( # 8221 ; When Slimming is non Enough # 8221 ; The Economist September 1994 ) . Stephen S. Roach, the main economic expert for Morgan Stanley Company used to be a major advocate of retrenchment. He now says that it has failed to bring forth the long-predicted # 8220 ; productivity-led recovery. # 8221 ; In a recent New York Times report ( # 8221 ; A Top Economist Switches His Position on Productivity, # 8221 ; 5/8/96 ) he is quoted ; # 8230 ; it is progressively clear to me that the betterments in operating public presentation and net incomes have been built on a steady watercourse of retrenchment and cost film editing that is merely non sustainable. If all you do is cut, so you will finally be left with nil, with no market portion. Technology has non succeeded in significantly increased productiveness ( 22-24 ) . As mentioned before, another top economic expert, Alan Downs has besides reversed his place on downsizing. In the early 1990s, he began to believe that retrenchment was being used chiefly as a tool for short-run stock use and that in most cases it was earnestly damaging the capacity of corporations to vie and keep profitableness in the long term. There have been other surprises to downsizing corporations. See this instance taken from the book by Charles F. Hendricks, # 8220 ; The Rightsizing Remedy: How Directors can React to the Downsizing Dilemma. # 8221 ; : The CEO of a parts maker asked the presidents of the houses concern units to see reconstituting to keep competitory pricing. One president moved fleetly on this advocate. He found a confer withing group that promised to develop a restructuring program that would convey dramatic cost decreases within the needed clip marks. The restructuring program was complete within five months. The president implemented the program quickly and reported his achievement at the following meeting with the CEO. Over the following six months, nevertheless, the reorganisation and outplacement costs really increased overall costs, although indexs suggested costs would finally diminish. The president heard some ailments that morale had dropped. Some persons commented that they were now making three peoples occupations and had problem maintaining up. Several clients reported that quality and bringing specifications had non been met. The president directed directors to decide them every bit shortly as possible, but considered them minor, sing the overall cost nest eggs. A month subsequently, the concern # 8217 ; s largest client notified the gross revenues section that they were switching their concern to a rival. The president instantly called the client and non merely promised that he would rectify the quality and bringing jobs, but through in a lasting 6 % monetary value decrease for all parts. He was shocked when the client responded that the quality and bringing jobs were bing far more than the value of the monetary value decrease he offered. Furthermore, the client # 8217 ; s runing people no longer believed his house could supply the quality parts and dependable bringing that they needed ( 78-79 ) . Perceivers across the political spectrum have found the behaviour of legion companies unseemly. Many big, successful corporations are for good downsizing their work forces while gaining record net incomes. Corporate executives are raking in multi-million dollar wage bundles while workers pay stagnates or diminutions. Republicans such as Massachusetts Gov. William Weld and presidential rival Robert Dole have lectured corporations on their duties to their coworkers and communities. Democrats such as Senators Edward Kennedy and Jeff Bingamin, Congressmen Richard Gephardt and David Bonior, and Labor Secretary Robert Reich have gone farther and suggested that the authorities provide inducements that reward good corporate behaviour and punish bad. The imperativeness hour angle s taken up the conflict call. â€Å"Corporate Killers, † blared the headline on an attending catching Newsweek screen narrative. The New York Times weighed in with an agonizingly elaborate seven portion series that chronicled the predicament of workers and communities caught up in what it called â€Å"The Downsizing of America.† Wall Street and the concern community have responded by supporting their duty to maximise stockholder value. As former Scott Paper CEO Albert S. Dunlop put it, # 8220 ; The ground to be in the concern is to do money for your stockholders. The stockholders own the company. They take all the risks. # 8221 ; Among these stockholders, the statement goes, are pension financess and common financess functioning a wide swath of American workers and consumers. The bottom line of this statement is that everyone is better off when corporate directors maximise stockholder value. This place is non a new one. Every since the perspiration stores of the industrial revolution, there has been a tenseness between the sensed ends and patterns of American industry and the periodic demand of the community. Just how much a company should or should non establish their policy devising determinations on these force per unit areas from the community is beyond the range of this paper and does non bear more th an a premonitory reference later in the summing up. Having explored the less than bright consequences of the bulk of reorganisations, it is evident that a big per centum of the companies fail to profit from their retrenchment, Those that do acknowledge a short term addition in portion monetary value may happen the benefit to be impermanent at best. Those that are fortunate plenty to truly acknowledge an addition in productiveness, and increase in operating net incomes, and a sustained competitory advantage as the consequence of a layoff, may happen themselves someplace down the route holding a higher rate of employee turnover and a subsequent trouble pulling and retaining to new talented and ambitious employees necessary to maintain the professional ranks fresh and competitory. The decision would look to bespeak that downsizing has non been the Panacea for ailing net incomes and drooping stock monetary values that many thought it would be. Why such hapless consequences? A reasonably clear form is get downing to emerge. CSC Index, a confer withing house that focuses on re-engineering surveyed 5,800 organisations in North America and Europe about their experience with reengineering and received 497 responses. The concluding study has yet to be released, but after reading the preliminary consequences, the staff of The Economist ( July 3, 1994 ) concluded that # 8220 ; possibly the most of import thing to emerge from the study, which chimes with other smaller surveies, is that reengineering is non plenty on its ain. It needs to be linked to strategy. # 8221 ; In another survey of the assorted results of reengineering reported by three McKinsey advisers, their decision was besides that enduring consequences were merely achieved when the senior direction had defined a clear and common vision of the concern # 8217 ; hereafter and invested their clip and energy in pass oning that vision and working to convey it into being ( Hall, Rosenthal, and Wade, Harvard Business Review, November-December, 1993 ) A University of Michigan, four twelvemonth survey of 30 organisations undergoing downsizing found that one of the four important forecasters of organisational betterment during retrenchment was # 8220 ; systematic analysis in progress of downsizing. # 8221 ; The findings of the survey led the writer to order that downsizing be associated with a clearly articulated vision of the coveted hereafter of the organisation ( Cameron, 1994 ) . This may sound like a restatement of the obvious, but # 8220 ; construction follows strategy. # 8221 ; That was the major determination of Alfred Chandler # 8217 ; s surveies in concern history ( Chandler, 1962 ) . The findings of the surveies mentioned above spring rise to the observation that the picks and tradeoffs involved in reconstituting a concern can merely be made after replying the inquiry: Where do we desire to travel in the hereafter? They require a clear concern scheme. Furthermore, when corporations engage in restructuring and downsizing they frequently wreck mayhems in the lives of those straight affected and dispersed fright and uncertainness among those staying. They can # 8217 ; t assist inquiring the inquiry, # 8220 ; Why are we making this? # 8221 ; It is imperative for senior directors to be able to joint a clear, strategic justification for restructuring to assist their people appreciate why these alterations are necessary to keep the viability of the organisation. In the earlier illustrations given above, restructuring was conducted by big corporations in a sort of knee-jerk response to market force per unit areas, misdirection of corporate personal businesss, or through simple greed on the portion of the executive board. In all of these illustrations there is one invariable ; the retrenchment that resulted was the executive scheme for accomplishing a specific terminal consequence. As illustrated so exhaustively by fact and statistics, this attack can merely trust to bring forth the coveted consequence, but will most probably farther impair the corporation # 8217 ; s ability to competitively bring forth in the hereafter. Downsizing, instead than being The Strategy, should be the concluding result in the strategic planning procedure, if so, the strategic planning procedure leads the executive board to a retrenchment determination. Done decently, the corporation # 8217 ; s vision for the hereafter will be the guiding visible radiation for the development of the strategic program. Before the directors of any organisation can find how to make work better or how to form to execute work more expeditiously, they must first find what work needs to be done and what procedures are critical to execute. Opportunities for increased grosss every bit good as for decreased costs need to be examined. Choices among those chances can merely be made on the footing of scheme. There are several attacks to scheme that may be used to develop the inside informations of the scheme that will most likely achieve the houses vision. A thorough analysis of all retentions and assets, market conditions, the competition, the internal and external societal force per unit areas that may originate, every bit good as the procedures used to manufacture the goods must be undertaken. A good unbroken secret in most organisations is that scheme is rarely formulated, articulated or understood in a manner that provides directors with a utile footing for doing determinations about restructuring. Armed with a full apprehension of the corporations vision, ends, and the wide degree strategic program, the concern unit degree director is so ready to carry on his/her reconstituting be aftering. This information establishes clear strategic precedences for restructuring by placing the capablenesss that do and make non lend to a house # 8217 ; s competitory advantage. When restructuring is strategic, it is common for houses to upsize countries in which strategically of import work is performed, while downsizing strategically unimportant work. Strategy elucidation sets the phase for strategic restructuring by supplying a logic for prioritising organisational work. When the concern scheme is clear it is possible to reply the undermentioned inquiries about an organisation # 8217 ; s work: What work should be the object of our most intense betterment attempts? What work activities need to be improved together and which can be improved individually? What work should be eliminated? What work should we outsource? When is efficiency ( i.e. , making things right ) and when is effectiveness ( i.e. , making the right things ) the most utile driver of of import attempts? ( Barney, 1991 ) . The of import message here is that although monolithic layoffs frequently result in a short-run addition in stock monetary value and sometimes in a moderate addition in productiveness, the long-run effects can be dissatisfactory ( and possibly destructive ) if the restructuring is non the concluding measure of a concern degree strategic execution instead than the first. It is of import that scheme be defined and directed from a corporate degree, but that the existent strategic program be developed on the concern unit degree. Seldom is it the instance that the same normative alterations directed from the corporate degree are effectual for each concern unit within the company. With a clearly defined strategic route map, a corporation will frequently detect the demand to strengthen or construct up one facet of the concern procedure while paring or depriving another. By supplying the single concern unit with a clear vision of the house # 8217 ; s ends and programs for the hereafter while leting them the liberty to map their ain strategic program, a corporation can see that the difficult determinations and procedure degree reengineering will be accomplished by the expert # 8211 ; those who work within the concern procedure daily. Another benefit to the organisation that uses this attack is the chance to work as a wise man and a manager to the single concern units while supplying a corporate broad web for re-allocation of displaced resources. There is a storm brewing on the skyline refering corporate duty. The public call and political rhetoric witnessed today are but forerunners of the whirlpool of public sentiment to come. The grounds is abundant. Presidential campaigners noted the early popularity that Buchanan achieved when he began to knock corporate behaviour. Should the economic system take a ample downswing, corporation bashing may go a popular athletics. Not that some oasis # 8217 ; t deserved it. A corporation that rewards it # 8217 ; s executives for short term stock rating while disregarding the company # 8217 ; s existent growing in footings of enlargement or increased market portion will be shortchanging the stakeholders in the company in the long term. This corporation will besides confront a turning public call against perceived neglect for the public assistance of its employees and for the communities wherein they reside. These considerations, taken in visible radiation of the amassed grounds that immense layoffs most frequently provide merely short-run addition and may make long term harm, should adequately stress the demand for cautiousness when sing a restructuring. The apparently obvious decision is that there are times and conditions when a determination to downsize is justified as a agency of accomplishing strategic enterprises. The determination to downsize, although a painful one, is non anathema. If the determination is a portion of a larger, broader strategic program, there is a distinguishable possibility that displaced persons may hold the option to retrain, relocate, or to incorporate into another subject within the company. Any action that a corporation undertakes ; if it is to win ; if it is to supply material addition ; if it is to better market place, it must be the logical result of a strategic program. Seldom are knee-jerk responses to market pressures the best. # 8220 ; A Top Economist Switches His Position On Productivity # 8221 ; New York Times May 8, 1996 Baker, Dean. # 8220 ; Trends in Corporate Duty: Geting More for Less? # 8221 ; Technical Paper. Economic Policy Institute, Washington, D.C. 1996 Barney, J. # 8220 ; Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage, # 8221 ; Journal of Management, March 1991, 99-120 Cameron, K. S. # 8220 ; Schemes For Successful Organizational Downsizing, # 8221 ; Human Resource Management, 33, 2, 189-211 Challenger, Grey A ; Christmas. # 8220 ; People Trends # 8221 ; The New York Times March 3, 1996 Chandler, A. # 8220 ; Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of Industrial Enterprise, # 8221 ; Cambridge, Mass. : The MIT Press, 1962 Downs, Alan. Corporate Executions: The Ugly Truth About Layoffs # 8211 ; How Corporate Greed is Shattering Lifes, Companies, and Communities. New York: AMACOM, 1995 Hall, Rosenthal, and Wade # 8220 ; How to Make Reengineering Really Work. # 8221 ; Harvard Business Review, 1993 119-131 Hendricks, C. F. The Rightsizing Remedy: How Directors Can React to the Downsizing Dilemma. Alexandria, Va. : Society for Human Resource Management, 1992 Perry, L. T. # 8220 ; Least-Cost Options to Layoffs in Declining Industries, # 8221 ; Organizational Dynamics, Spring, 48-61 # 8220 ; Unthinking Shrinking. # 8221 ; The Economist September 9, 1995 # 8220 ; When Layoffs Alone Don # 8217 ; t Turn the Tide # 8221 ; International Business Week December 7, 1992 # 8220 ; Wyatt Survey, The # 8221 ; Wall Street Journal June 6, 1991 Plants Cited ( continued ) # 8220 ; When Slimming is Not Enough # 8221 ; The Economist September 3, 1994 59-60 Downsizing ; Anathema or Panacea? Joe Rulo Business Policy, Mon A ; Wed 5:00 7:00 Rick Powell June 1, 1996

What Constitutes Horror in Victorian Gothic Essay Example For Students

What Constitutes Horror in Victorian Gothic Essay The original use of the term `Gothic was applied to a group of novels, including Mary Shelleys `Frankenstein, written between the 1760s and 1820s. These novels usually employed some or all of the following characteristics, which seem demonstrative of the original use of the term `Gothic: An emphasis on portraying the terrifying, a common insistence on archaic settings, a prominent use of the supernatural, the presence of highly stereotyped characters, barbarism as opposed to elegance, and the attempt to deploy and perfect techniques of literary suspense. In this way, although it does not fall into the defined period of original Gothic, Bram Stokers `Dracula could be seen as conforming to this original framework. For example, upon his recent arrival in Draculas locality, Jonathan Harker states, the crucifix is still round my neck. Whether it is the old ladys fear, I do not know, but I am not feeling nearly as easy in my mind as usual. If this book should ever reach Mina before I do, let it bring my goodbye. We will write a custom essay on What Constitutes Horror in Victorian Gothic specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This extract builds tension and suspense, hinting at future events such as his mental illness and seclusion, and displays the superstition and folklore employed in archetypal Gothic literature. The principal figures within Gothic works were the wanderer, the vampire, and the seeker of forbidden knowledge, all of which may be found within the Victorian examples of Gothicism to which I make reference. However, as with the characteristic change of genre over time, the concepts of `Gothic and `Terror have become intertwined in literary history, leading to misconceptions and difficulties in definition. Even within the original Gothic category the differences between works was great, each possessing extremely different aspects and values, although they are still generally grouped together within a homogenous body of fiction. However, the definition of this homogenised group is not the only literary use of the term Gothic. Horror fiction is often called `Gothic, as are some historical romances. This ambivalence of the term is encompassed within Angela Carters statement in the prologue of `Fireworks, that it retains a singular moral function- that of provoking unease. Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Gothic literature, whilst often retaining many aspects of the original term, and certainly relevant to the previous quote, were usually a fragmented version of the original. This period produced works dealing with the mystical, and also socially controversial issues in order to raise social consciousness. In this way, the term became modified from a fairly superficial art form into a deeper moral exploration, the aspects of the mystical and supernatural coming to be separated from Gothic, into the category of Horror. For contemporary Victorian audiences, the Gothic genre was, despite the need for confrontation of contemporary issues, a subversion of reality. Herbert Reed, quoted in `The Gothic tradition, David Punter, referred to Gothic as the representative of a particular antagonistic attitude towards realism. This is to say that not only was the Gothic genre an escape from reality, but also a deconstruction and dismemberment of it. For example, the controversial use of women not as pure, chaste people, but as monsters and seductresses, which will be discussed within a later paragraph. Addressing contemporary issues, Robert Louis Stevensons `Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, containing the vile murder of Sir Carew, was connected with actual late Victorian fears about similarly untraceable murders, centred on the archetype of Jack the Ripper. Concerning the change of values for Victorian Gothic literature, according to the publics fears, the issues of boundaries and duality of self were raised. Jekyll states that his problem stems from a lack of `personal freedom, implying that his problem was a social one, and therefore the novel attempts to connect social and moral aspirations, leading to the issue of internal ambiguity of morals, and social corruption, for which the individual may surely not be blamed. The crossing of geographical boundaries creates terror within these novels, as David Clover opined in `Vampires, Mummies and Liberals, London was increasingly becoming the symbolic place in the late Victorian and Edwardian imaginaries where boundaries threatened to dissolved, and therefore Jonathan Harkers sighting of Dracula in Piccadilly is enough to turn the convalescing Harker `pale and dizzy, precipitating a relapse. Clover continued in Dracula it is matter out of place that matters, the contamination and dissolution of the pure and sacred that counts, the transgression of boundaries and borders that is the ultimate horror. .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .postImageUrl , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:hover , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:visited , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:active { border:0!important; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:active , .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8fe877d7cb689115d795732e23247e3b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How Does Shelley Create both Horror and Sympathy for the Creature in her Novel Frankenstein EssayThe Victorian fears of mental, physical and moral degeneration are presented within Oscar Wildes `The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Stevensons `Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The horror the audience explored, and continues to explore, is that which is prompted by the dissolution, continuous and repeated, of society, the human subject, and indeed the entire nation. Dorian Grays committed murder and cry of joy upon the death of another, demonstrate his moral degeneration since he was first described as being of pure moral character. The wish that began Dorians horrific downfall If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! I would give my soul for that! stemmed from Lord Henry Wottons paradoxical and usually ridiculous views of society and life, and although it was received with outrage and called immoral, the novels fictionalisation of contemporary fears continues to be relevant today, through its understanding of human nature, and its horrors. The boundaries of what was socially acceptable and what wasnt, were also exploited to add to the horror of the Gothic novel. Dracula deals with the taboo, blurring the line between man and beast, man and God those with supernatural strength and unnatural longevity and man and woman, by displaying the existence of female passion, albeit in a demonic form. The theme of madness within the novels, especially that of usually stable and rational male characters, is prominent. Threats to body, mind and soul are recurrent, with extremes of optimism and pessimism during times of crisis, threatening the collapse of the characters surrounding worlds. David Punter remarks, in `The modern Gothic, How much, they ask, can one lose and still remain a `man? The male protagonists frequently demonstrate signs of hysteria and madness, for example Harkers illness resulting from imprisonment , Latimers prevision, which pushes him to the edge of his sanity, Jekylls mental illness, and Dorians clearly disturbed mind, and fits of feminine tears. Their hysteria is, according to David Clover, both frightening and reassuring. Due to the readers inclusion, the reasons for their madness are explicable and in most cases understandable. Nonetheless, the horror at perceiving these strong male role models crushed is not diminished. The threats imposed on the protagonists are not, however, merely physical, but also spiritual. In `Dracula, Professor Van Helsing warns his band of crusaders, It is that we become foul things of the night like him To us forever are the gates of heaven shut We go on for all time an arrow in the side of Him who died for man. For an audience for whom true life began after death, such threats appear horrific. After Lucys violation, the quest to save Minas pious soul becomes all encompassing, and their only reason for continuing their pursuit of the Count. `Dorian Grays separation of soul and body is, however intentional, horrifying and deadly. As aforementioned, the supernatural is key in increasing the horror of a Gothic novel, whilst keeping it true to the original guidelines, such as Latimers foresight. The descriptions Stoker utilises when portraying Dracula, modified to the extreme, and using simile, usually between the Count and an animal, attribute to him the revulsion he creates, and the wildness of his horror. For example, within his journal, Harker describes Draculas method of leaving the castle: But my very feelings changed to repulsion and fear when I saw the whole man slowly emerge from the window and begin to crawl down the castle wall over that dreadful abyss, face down and by thus using every projection and inequality move downwards with considerable speed, just as a lizard moves along a wall. However, Dracula is clearly already a supernatural character, with his essence grounded in opposing natures laws. Another method of displaying the supernatural is that of using the natural, but rendered unnatural by the events surrounding them. For example, the resuscitation of the maid in George Eliots `The lifted veil is in itself supernatural, because it is outside and above natural laws. Eliot uses the phrase, The dead womans eyes were wide open, and met hers in full recognition, whose use of the adjective `dead creates a shudder in the reader when it is obvious that she is talking to, and being stared at by a corpse. .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .postImageUrl , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:hover , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:visited , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:active { border:0!important; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:active , .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9fe8dffb79416f2df247f67f87a003aa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Simple horror stories EssayAnother example of someone or something natural seeming unnatural, or too evil to be human, is Mr Hyde, who the following extract demonstrates as close to demonic: the man trampled calmly over the childs body and left her screaming on the ground he gave me one look, so ugly that it brought out the sweat on me like running really like Satan. Dorians end, and his fatal error is absolutely supernatural, with the description of the unrecognisable, wrinkly old man, where there had recently been a vibrant youth, adding to both the awful moral and supernatural effect of the novel. The Gothic novel frequently portrays the perverse union of passion and death, namely vampirism. Women are made into characters to fear rather than the embodiment of purity and goodness, and implications of necrophilia are rife, especially throughout Dracula. In `Sex and Death in Victorian literature, edited by Regina Barreca, it was said, If the eighteenth century Gothic novel is about psychological terror, the vampire novel is about physical, and specifically sexual, fear. To use an extract from Dracula as an example of sexuality to increase fear etc, Holding his candle so that he could read the coffin plates, and so holding it that the sperm dropped in white patches which congealed as they touched the metal, he made assurance of Lucys coffin. Also from `Sex and Death in Victorian literature, it was remarked, concerning the use of sexuality and women as taboo subjects, and morally ambiguous, Draculas penetration of Lucys and later Minas throat signals the essentially sexual way that he comes to possess them, and the effects on both women stress their loss of chastity, such as Lucys change from purity to voluptuous wantonness. Once violated, they become, like prostitutes, foul things of the night. Latimers inability to read the mind of the cruel Bertha is demonstrative of the portrayal of women as less than pure, or as scheming, closed minded types. Dorian speaks of his `murder of Sybil Vane in nonchalant or graphic terms, such as , She had no right to kill herself. It was selfish of her, and So I have murdered Sybil Vane as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife. Woman is debased and treated lightly, even after her death, increasing both heated feeling towards the male characters of a novel, and controversy surrounding it. Lastly, the setting of the novel contributed greatly to the effect it produced. The use of far off lands, bewitching and terrifying to a Victorian audience, is a key affect, and one relating to the original idea of the Gothic, although the Victorian Gothic novel found little need for ruins, wild mountains and labyrinthine castles, as the new landscape was that of the city as a source of desolation and menace. For example, in `Dorian Gray, he explores the east end, and finds, dimly lit streets, past gaunt black-shadowed archways and evil-looking houses grotesque children monstrous apes. To its new background, the gothic novel produced a claustrophobic effect in its reader, cutting the narrator off, and separation and deception became rife. `Jekyll and Hyde uses doors as a tool of deception. Each door promises a new line of enquiry, but these prove merely to lead further into the middle of it all, and the reader is left, unable to penetrate the mystery. The barren landscape of the city serves as the backdrop to the events themselves, and displays that even in the towns, where most contemporary readers would have lived, the loneliness and exposure left one prone to all kinds of horrors. The question of boundaries becomes important again when discussing this subject, and whether one may feel safe inside a locked building, when reading a Horror story in which a man can enter a closed window in the form of mist? The novelists use pathetic fallacy, such as this use of the mist, in order to demonstrate events and emotions, and also to show the all-encompassing nature of such horrors. Nowhere is safe, and the Victorian reader knew this fact. This merely increased the macabre curiosity that compelled them to read such tales of the unimaginable.