The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button | Adapting literature

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button | Adapting literature Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18. This quote from Mark Twain inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald to write his short story à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 1922. Just recently, in 2008, it has been adapted as a motion picture movie directed by David Fincher with great success. There have been many adaption of literature into film and the quality of the outcome as well as the number of parallels to the original work often differ greatly. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a very extreme example and for a long time the nouvelle wasnt even considered to possibly be turned into a movie due to the lack of techniques to have the reversed aging process of Benjamin Button seem real. I found the idea of living life backwards and the difficulties and experiences which are linked to such an extraordinary phenomenon very appealing. Therefore I wanted to find out more about it and read the short story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Even though book and film differ in several ways, the main idea is the same and so fascinating that I decided to do my research paper on comparing the book with the movie. B: I As we will see, the movie is a very loose adaption of the book, basically, the only consistent occurrence in both the movie and the book is Benjamin Buttons unusual, reversed aging process. Yet not even this is completely similar: while the book ´s character of Benjamin Button has the mental age of 80 at the end of his life, the movies version gives Benjamin the mindset of an infant trapped in an 80 year old body. Film: The story starts at the day when Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans. At this very day Daisy Williams is waiting in a New Orleans hospital on her deathbed for her end to come. There with her is her daughter Caroline, who stands by her and reads to her mum out loud of a diary given to her by a man called Benjamin. His mother died by giving birth to him. Now the difference to all the other newborn babies is that he was old and wrinkled. Thomas Button, his father, horrified of his son leaves him on the doorsteps of an elderly care-home. Where Queenie a black NANNA? Takes him in and treats him like her own son. Benjamin fits in well even though of his young age he looks as old as most of the residents. Soon Benjamin realizes that he is physically growing younger not older. SZENE . Early in his life, he meets Daisy, the woman of his life which he first meets when shes a young child. Both lives go different ways and sometimes their paths even cross each other. Until they finally can manage to make a life together, which however because of there different fates isnt of a long duration. (QUELLE) Book: Benjamin Button was born in 1860 in a hospital in Baltimore. But not as a baby, he had the mind and appearance of an old man in his 80s. Mr Roger Button, Benjamins father, is member of a eminently respectable family and the president of Roger Button Co., Wholesale Hardware. Because of his high social status he has difficulties accepting his son for who he was. He tries to build up the illusion that his son is in no aspect different from any other person. The times society cared a lot for conformity and therefore had very little tolerance for this curious case of Benjamin Button. Benjamin still lives a very full live just in a different kind of way. He ages backwards at the same rate as everybody else is getting older. In 1880 Benjamin Button is twenty years old (but appears approximately 50) and meets and falls in love with Hildergarde the beautiful daughter of General Moncrief. Hildegarde turns out to be attracted to older men and six month later against all moral standards becaus e of their great age difference the get married and even have a son called Roscoe. While Benjamin is getting younger Hildegarde is getting older, and he soon looses interest in her à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾He wondered what possible fascination she had ever exercised over him.(p.37) Benjamin goes off to fight in the Spanish American War, as he returns home he appears about the same age as his own son, Roscoe. Growing younger everyday he attends Harvard University at the age of 18. After Benjamin graduates he is young enough to go to prep school, until he ends up beeing playmates with Roscoes son. Without being able to stop the reversed ageing process he goes to kindergarden until he finally is even too young for that. As he grows younger and younger he looses the memory of his entire past life until ..it was all dark(p.52) While the plotline is a complete different one when comparing book and film, there are however obstacles Benjamin Button has to overcome during his lifetime. In the book mainly because of the nonacceptance of society and in the movie because of II b ; One main theme in the book is how a new born baby, physically and mentally in his 80s, is accepted into society. In the short story, which plays in 1860(first few lines), Benjamin is born in the hospital and right from the beginning one can see how Benjamin is considered to be beneath social standards of that time. When Mr Button arrives at the hospital, the doctor even worries about his own reputation : Do you imagine a case like this will help my professional reputation? One more would ruin meruin anybody. (Page 4). Mr Button still unsuspecting of what happened has to realize, that the doctor who brought himself into the world and had been the family ´s physician for over 40 years, has no interest in seeing any of the Buttons ever again as he makes clear by saying : à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Im through with you! I dont want to see you or any of your relatives ever again! Good-bye! (Page 4) It is not only the doctor who is upset and hostile. It seems like the whole hospital is worried because of this unusual event.. The hospital will never regain its flawless reputation after-(Page 6) complaint the nurse seconds before she showed Mr Button the way to his new born child. The fact that his new born baby actually is an old man outrages Mr. Button to a degree, that he even calls his own son an imposter and lier (page 8). This shows very well how the society back then reacts to phenomenons which do not fit their norms and believes. From this moment on, Roger Button does everything in his power to threat Benjamin appropriate to his age. He wants to keep the old age of Benjamin a secret and even thinks further what the best solution would be to do so. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾If, say, he could only find a very large boys suit, he might cut off that long and awful beard, dye the white hair brown, and thus manage to conceal the worst, and to retain something of his own self-respect not to mention his position in Baltimore society . Roger Button is determined to keep his illusion alive and deny the obvious which is made very clear by the following words :Benjamin was a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾baby, and a baby he should remain(page 15) What the mishap would have cost the Buttons and their kinsfolk socially cannot be determined (page 17) But the citys attention is very soon drawn onto other things the outbreak of the Civil War. By the age of twelve Benjamins parents got used to him and even felt that he was not any different from other children. This was the time when Benjamin was not troubled by society because of his appearance. Later in the book though he has once again troubles to find his place in society. This occurs when Benjamin Button who just passed his entrance examination to Yale college is called into the Yale registrars office to receive his schedule. Benjamin cant die his hair before he enters the office and therefore cant hide his elderly appearance. The registrar first thought hed be talking to Mr Roger Button. As Benjamin made is case clear and insists on his age of eighteen, once again Benjamin meets with his à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾curse he has to deal with since his birth. The idea! the registrar shouted. A man of your age trying to enter here as a freshman. Eighteen years old, are you? Well,Ill give you eighteen minutes to get out of town. (Page 23) Being unable to gain a proper education at college because of the social inacceptance of his case he starts working for his fathers company Roger Button Co. During this time, Benjamin also starts to mingle with society and meets the daughter of General Moncrief, HildegardeIt whom he marries 6 months later. The story of Benjamins birth is being remembered again but many stories were made up such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Benjamin was really the father of Roger Button, that he was his brother who had been in prison for forty years(page 31) Therefore the real story is forgotten or just so unbelievable that nobody believes it, not even his own wife. Many years Benjamin is able to life a happy life without having to worry about his physical aging process which makes him appear younger by the day, until he comes back from the Civil War to his wife and has to face that his ever younger appearance drives his wife nuts, she honestly believes its his way of annoying her and she is in the illusion that he could stop his aging process any time he wants. But, Hildegarde, I cant help it. You can too. Youre simply stubborn. You think you dont want to be like any one else. (page 37) After that point, the gab between them begins to widen. Benjamin keeps getting younger until he is a young boy. He receives a letter from the army asking him, since he served as an officer with a higher rank during the Spanish-American War to go back into service. He sees this as an opportunity to go back in time and do the duty he once enjoyed so much. Again society does not comply with his intentions. He arrives at the headquarters where he is turned down and sent home considered a little boy who wanted to play soldier. This also is the last conflict concerning the aspect of society and Benjams process of becoming younger. From that moment on Benjamin continues living his life backwards going back to kindergarden then under a nanny ´s custody getting younger and younger until hes finally gone. The skit of Benjamin Button is that the need for social self-preservation plays such a big role,that it blinds everyone from seeing Benjamins fate for what it is, and for accepting him for the person he is. Fitzgerald criticizes the community of the upper class whos reputation mainly is secured throughout conformity and their status is determend by their wealth. The social aspect or concerns about someone ´s reputation and how its influencing the book however is almost absent in the whole movie. In the film, Benjamin appears like a child, but his appearance still is so shocking to Mr. Button (PHOTO) that he grabs the baby wanting to get rid of him. It seems like he even attempts to throw the little baby into the river. (9:57) The appearance of a police officer stops that thought and he leaves Benjamin with 18 Dollars on the steps leading to a New Orleans boardinghouse for the elderly , the Nolan House (QUELLE), where Queenie, takes him in and raises him like he was her own child, hes accepted right away. There is no hint in the movie that Mr Button gave his son away for any other reason than his outer appearance .Mr Button:I thought you were a monster (1:43:23) c; In the movie, Benjamin Button has to overcome several obstacles linked to his reversed aging process such as witnessing people constantly dying in front of his eyes during his earlier time in the Nolan House, where à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾death was a common visitor. (25:03) When Benjamin talks about his process about getting younger with one of the residents living in the Nolan House. Its made pretty clear by the words of the resident what heavy burden he has to carry upon his shoulders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Well I feel sorry for you, you have to see everybody you love die before you do, its an aweful responsibility(52:47). In the movie theres a love story which helps to understand what it means to live a life backwards like Benjamin does. He meets Daisy who is the grandchild of Miss Fall and sometimes comes to visit her over the weekends at the Nolan House. Benjamin falls in love with Daisy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾ from the first time he saw her (36:47) But her being only 10 and him physically in his 70s and the mentally young age of both makes a romance impossible at least for this moment. It turns out to be a love story which develops slowly, over the course of many decades. At the age of 17, Benjamin goes on a long intense trip on a tugboat. Even though Daisy and Benjamin write each other constantly, many years pass until they meet each other again in the Nolan House in 1945 when Benjamin is 26 years old. Even though Daisy makes strong suggestions to sleep with Benjamin, he turns her down for the reason that she is to be leaving the next morning. This incident though is not important for the aspect which is discussed here. Its mentioned here only for the better understanding of the plotline. However in spring 1962, 19 years later Daisy and Benjamin meet again in New Orleans at the Nolan House where they both fall in love with each other at once. The fact that Daisy is many years older than Benjamin seems to be irrelevant for quite a long time until the reality of his curse pops back into his life. Daisy gets pregnant and Benjamin asks himself the question :How can I be a father when Im heading in the other direction? Even though his wife knows the consequences she gives him words of encouragement and insists that they will somehow make it work. But life doesnt always go according to one ´s wishes, therefore not long after the baby is born Benjamin realizes that his son needs a father and not a playmate. He makes a very tough decision and goes away, leaving his wife and daughter with enough money to live a good life. Giving up the love of his life is probably the biggest obstacle Benjamin has to overcome because of his reversed aging process. SETTING: III a;Charactere In the short story Benjamin is born as an old man apparently about seventy years of age.(p.7) He has almost white hair and a long smoke-colored beard(p.7) Benjamin starts out with a lot of demanding and complaining. Just born and still in the hospital he announces This is a fine place to keep a youngster of quiet tastes. With all this yelling and howling, I havent been able to get a wink of sleep. I asked for something to eat.(p.9) He also doesnt act anything like a baby. When he is alone he secretely smokes cigares and finds more interest in an encyclopedia than in kids ´ toys.(FOOTNOTE) Instead of playing with children of his age he finds more pleasure in sitting and talking to his grandfather. Benjamin occassionally breaks things on purpose to create the illusion beeing a normal baby just to delighten his father. he only did these thing because they were expected of him, and because he was by nature obliging.(p.18) This is also the reason why he dies his hair and shaves his bear d, he tries to please everybody around him even if hes not comfortable with it. Aging backwards for Benjamin means to overcome many obstacles as shown above and still Benjamin always keeps his dignity and never complains about his faith. Benjamin, once he left the hospital, took life as he found it.(p. 17) As Benjamin gets older, or younger for this matter, he turns out to be very intelligent and succesfull in what he does. Not only did he graduate from Havard University but also made his fathers company way more profitable due his new ideas. He also becomes an expert in dancing and great in playing golf. During his army time in the Spanish-American War in 1898 he becomes a lieutenant-colonel. He was slightly wounded, and received a medal. Benjamin also becomes more and more attracted by the gay side of life. He was dancing with the prettiest of the young married women, and chatting with the most popular of the dà ªbutantes.1912 though is a turning point in Benjamins life. His glor y years seem to be over now- as his physical appearance now is the one of a sixteen year old teenager his mental ability grows back as well. And therefore his social status is following the same process, he finds himself much alone, except for the companionship of three or four fifteen-year-old boys in the neighborhood. Now at the end of his life he behaves and thinks the way he was supposed to during his early years. He reads little boys stories and for him now playing with little stripes was the most fascinating game in the world.(p.49). He is a little boy now and he was very happy(p.49) Slowely he starts to forget no token came to him of his brave days at college, of the glittering years when he was flustered the hearts of many girls. And then he remembered nothing. In the movie Benjamin starts his life by looking like a normal baby except for his skin which is heavily wrinkeled, just like the skin of an old person. He cries like any other baby but after a closer examination by the doctor they find out that his health condition is rather in a state which can be found by elderly people than by a newborn child. Details then bookaccommodating Father: In the story Benjamins dad is very present right from the beginning. He is a succesfull man and helds a high position, both social and financial. And therefore is always concered about other peoples opinions of him. He seems to not be very open for things he doesnt understand or he doesnt believe in. Which is shown by his attempt raising his son Benjamin the normal way, which is only made possible through illusions he built for himself to avoid the confrontation with the truth. He has a hard time accepting Benjamin as his son until he gets older which is either because of Benjamins trumendous success with the company (It was mainly due him that the family fortune was doubled chpt. 7) or due to the fact that Benjamin finally appears younger than his dad. In the movie however his name is Thomas Button. He also is the head of a successful Button company, but he doesnt seem too concerned about what other people think about him, he even seems like a man without any scruble by abondoning his son just because of his appearance. Later in the movie it accured that Mr Button is sick and his time on earth is very limited. He wants to make up for everything and regrets his mistakes. He tells Benjamin that he was his father and furthermore tells him that he should never have abondoned him (1:34:37). Though the apolgy was long overdue and what he did unforgivable this small move still makes him a sympathic character at the end. Mother: While in the book the mother is alive there isnt anything else mentioned about her. In the movie however Benjamins biological mother dies giving birth to Benjamin. At her place steps Queenie, his black surrogate mother. This character is very strong and independant, its basically her who runs the whole Nolan House with all its elderly residents. Which also shows how responsible and caring she is. Her joyfull acting and her supportiveness towards Benjamin thouroughout the movie makes her a loveable character.

 Tips for writing a “9” DBQ: Essay

1. As you read the question, come up with at least three categories. Then try to fill in as much specific factual information that you can think of, and put this into the categories. It’s important to do this BEFORE you read the documents, so that you don’t forget them when you are analyzing the documents. 2. After you do this, and ONLY after, start reading the documents. When looking at the documents, be sure to look at who is the author/painter/political cartoonist/historian – many times you will recognize that name and can give the document some context by what you know about the person, even if you have never seen the document before. Recognize that not all documents are equal in significance. 3. Sometimes the documents are intended to trigger reader memory – for example, a first hand account of a labor protest turned violent in 1896 means they want you to recognize that they are talking about the Haymarket Square Riot. 4. After you figure out what the document is saying, write it down in the appropriate category. If it supports your position, put a + next to it; if it is contrary to your position, put a – next to it. Be sure that you put the letter of the document (A, B, C, etc) when you write down the point the document is making, because this will make it MUCH easier when you are putting all of this information in essay form. If you go to the College Board AP US History Exam website, you can view released prompts and suggested document analysis. 5. Do not be afraid to use a point that contradicts your position. You are expected to acknowledge the complexities of history. Just show why it doesn’t defeat your position. For example, if your essay is about the impact of Reconstruction, and your position is that the U.S. government did not do much to help the freed slaves, you should not ignore the Freedmen’s Bureau. Rather, you should point out the inadequacies of the Freedmen’s Bureau – it didn’t last long enough, the majority of local Bureau agents were hampered in their efforts by former Confederates, and there was no military power to enforce the authority of the Bureau agents. 6. Now, and only now, write your thesis. The thesis should not exceed two sentences. State your position clearly in the first sentence. In your second sentence you can define a key term (progressivism, Robber Baron, Jacksonian Democracy – depends on the prompt) and include the categories that you used in your chart back in step #1. Be sure to write your categories into your thesis in the same order in which you are going to discuss them in your essay. For example: â€Å"From 1775 to 1830, many African Americans gained freedom from slavery, yet during the same period the institution of slavery expanded. Explain why BOTH of those changes took place. Analyze the ways that BOTH free African Americans and enslaved African Americans responded to the challenges confronting them.† (2009 DBQ question) Your thesis could be something like the following: African slaves and their American-born children were ignored by the Constitution (which, in its original form, referred to slaves as â€Å"other persons†), but the contradictory nature of the new American identity [described in this student’s introduction prior to the thesis, using details that indicated the student’s knowledge of the time period referenced in the question] both led to greater freedom and more widespread bondage. Slaves and freedmen alike suffered under, exploited, and coped with the aspects of an agrarian economy, capitalism, and Christianity in America. This thesis (this was from a sample answer that received a score of 8 out of 9) makes writing the essay easy. Every paragraph should have a topic sentence that states the category (see how this sample has three categories) you are talking about and your position on this category. Then include in the paragraph the points that you listed in your chart, and make it flow together, using both the documents and outside information. The last sentence in each paragraph is the clincher sentence that finishes off your thoughts on that one category and provides a transition into the next one. When you are finished, rephrase your thesis for the conclusion.

Taking a Look at Interpersonal Communication - 716 Words

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The author Coyle elaborates in the article ‘Quality Interpersonal Communication - An Overview,’ that â€Å"In todays workplace, these relationships require an interdependence that can most effectively be achieved through better quality interpersonal communications† (1). In addition, as the strong interpersonal skills assures good relationships and satisfying communications in all environments. The more the person interacts with colleagues and customers at a work place with good interpersonal skills, the more there is increment inShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Interpersonal Communication1139 Words   |  5 Pagesnon-verbal communication among different cultures, ethnic groups and societies. We all practice communication some how, but I feel privileged of learning more details about the concepts of interpersonal communications after finishing the course. Each chapter of the book offers a very interesting, and educational instruction about social problems in relation to communication. 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Frederick Douglass, An American Slave And From Song Of Myself

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Often in African American literature the protagonist have a moment where they recognize their blackness as apart of their identity and often experience pain due to society s estimation of their inferiority due to their blackness. The â€Å"Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass† is about how Frederick Douglass overcomes the struggles of slavery. The experie nce of slavery is a continuous fight for identity and respect. Douglass, as well as Sophie Auld struggleRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Book Report The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave was written by Douglass himself, giving a detailed description of the slaveholders cruelty. Douglass was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, and he makes known that he does not know his specific birthdate, â€Å"... no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.† (47), but it was approximately around 1818. Once being enslaved, and then escapingRead MoreFrederick Douglass Vs. Olaudah Equiano Slave Narratives Essay2001 Words   |  9 PagesFrederick Douglass vs. Olaudah Equiano Slave Narratives   Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Abraham Lincoln, â€Å"Slavery is founded on the selfishness of man’s nature; opposition to it on his love of justice†. Frederick Douglass published a book on his life that he wrote in 1845, titled â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass†. It has been said that he followed in the footsteps of Olaudah Equiano who also written an autobiography known as â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano in 1789. In the book the â€Å"NarrativeRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1566 Words   |  7 Pagesof the Life of Frederick Douglass† is the story of Frederick Douglass’ life from the time he was born into slavery, to the time he escaped to freedom in the north. When Douglass wrote this book, slavery was still legal in a large portion of the United States. After Douglass’ escape to freedom and his continuation of his education, he became an abolitionist through his works of literature and s peeches. In â€Å"The Blessings of Slavery†, by George Fitzhugh he states that southern slaves for the most partRead MoreThe Truth : Early American Assumptions Uncovered1572 Words   |  7 PagesThe Truth: Early American Assumptions Uncovered The â€Å"Narratives of the Life of Frederick Douglass† is the story of Frederick Douglass’ life from the time he was born into slavery, to the time he escaped to freedom in the north. When Douglass wrote this book, slavery was still legal in a large portion of the United States. After Douglass’ escape to freedom and his continuation of his education, he became an abolitionist through his works of literature and speeches. In â€Å"The Blessings of Slavery†, by

Essay on Abstinence Programs Do They Work - 945 Words

Abstinence Programs: Do they Work? In 2005, nearly half of all high school students have had sexual intercourse. Plainly stating that abstinence programs do not work (USA Today). Abstinence programs were beneficial many years ago, but since they are ineffective in delaying teen pregnancy, then teen pregnancy rate has increased. Abstinence programs teach the â€Å"no sex until marriage† clause, but they don’t teach teens about birth control and the consequences of having sex at before they’ve matured. Although many studies argue that abstinence programs are educational and beneficial, other studies will show that they don’t delay teen sex, they don’t prevent the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and are a waste of taxpayers’†¦show more content†¦Sexually active teens that don’t use birth control have a 90% chance of getting pregnant within a year (Guttmacher Institute). Most teens refuse to use birth control for their own personal rea sons. Teens use birth control to opt out of having protected sex† (Center for reproductive Rights 80). There is a high percentage rate of teens that actually use condoms during sex. 74% of females used contraception the first time they had sex (Guttmacher Institute). The percentage of teens that used more than one form of contraception is very low. Approximately 25% of sexually active teens use 2 methods of birth control during sex (Guttmacher Institute). The rate of teens that use condoms and still get pregnant is very low. During the first year of â€Å"typical use†, 20 of teens under the age of 18 using condoms for contraception get pregnant within one year (Abstinence Programs 75). It proves that abstinence programs reach teens that are not easily influenced by sex. Diseases and Teens Teens end up getting sexually transmitted diseases because they are unaware of the consequences of unprotected sex. No abstinence-only program affected the incidence of unprotected vaginal sex (The Australian). Annually 3 million teenagers contract STDs from their partner (Robert Rector). Teens who have early sex not only suffer from STDs, they also have emotional and physical damage. Research shows that young people who become sexuallyShow MoreRelatedAbstinence And Comprehensive Sex Education999 Words   |  4 PagesI lean towards the abstinence side of the argument between abstinence and comprehensive sex education because of my religious beliefs. Although I feel abstinence should be the focus of sex education, I think it is important to teach young people a balance to protect themselves. While researching this topic, it seems that many of the articles have the same idea to teach abstinence along with safe sex which would be comprehensive sex ed. With the ris ing sexual transmitted diseases and pregnanciesRead MoreThe Reality Of Abstinence Versus Sex Education1224 Words   |  5 PagesClarissa Jane Fender Mrs. Presley English 11 10 April 2017 The Reality of Abstinence Versus Sex Education Do you ever stop to wonder what goes through a teen’s mind? Maybe it s the late paper that wasn t turned in for English or the worry of coming home after school to family members being high as a kite, maybe it s the plans for their significant other later on or the so called special night they have planned together. Whether it be one of the topics mentioned or some far off random thoughtRead MoreWhy Abstinence Programs Don t Work1368 Words   |  6 PagesIV 31 March 2015 Why I Believe That Abstinence Programs Don t Work How can people be abstinent if they experience or see sexual content very day? Abstinence programs don t work because we see sexual content on tv every day. Sex Ed classes don’t teach things in the right way. Also people miss use birth control, abortion because Sex Ed makes it seem what its not. I believe that abstinence programs don t work. Some people argue that abstinence programs do work because â€Å"centers for disease controlRead More Sex Education Essay1112 Words   |  5 Pagesactually in labor (Abstinence, 2002). The United States has the highest teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates in the Western world (Planned Parenthood, 2003). Are teens getting enough knowledge on sex and how to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies? Another heartbreaking statistic is that teenagers have the highest rate of STDs of any age group, with one in four young people contracting an STD by the age of 21 (Sex-Ed Work, 2003). Is sex education really working in school? Or do we need to changeRead MoreSex Education And Sexual Education Essay1326 Words   |  6 PagesStates in different ways. Various sexual education methods exits, however comprehensive and abstinence-only programs are the most commonly know in public schools. Although many schools in the United States prefer to give an abstinence-only lecture, the results s hown proof that these programs are ineffective because it simply does not fit the reality we live in, comprehensive sex education works better, and they do not offer honest nor accurate information about human sexuality. Providing information regardingRead MoreThe Failure Of The Trump Wall. . . . . By. Christian Cisneros.1396 Words   |  6 PagesSocial b. Psychological c. Health 2. Expected Standards 3. â€Å"Just Say No† Program III. Studies A. US Department of Health and Human Services B. Columbia University C. American Academy of Pediatrics IV. Biased Views of Sexuality A. Abstinence-Only Programs B. Alienation III. Conclusion Morales3 Sex education is important, but many students finish sex education classes with a distortedRead MoreEssay on Abstinence vs. Comprehensive Sex Education1339 Words   |  6 Pagesfederal funding was put to use in â€Å". . . sex education programs that promote abstinence-only-until-marriage to the exclusion of all other approaches . . .† according to the article â€Å"Sex education† (2010) published by â€Å"Opposing Viewpoints in Context;† a website that specializes in covering social issues. Since then a muddy controversy has arisen over whether that is the best approach. On one hand is the traditional approach of abstinence (not having sex before marriage), and on the other is theRead MoreAbstinence Only Programs For Public Schools1383 Words   |  6 Pagesadvocatesforyouth.org, â€Å"abstinence only education teaches students to abstain from sex prior to marriage.† These program has been proven to be ineffective. Abstinence only educat ion is ineffective because it is not conducive in reducing teen pregnancy rates and sexually transmitted diseases rates. Abstinence only programs are less likely to teach students about birth control and contraception and how to access it. These programs has not been shown to reduce teen sexual activity. Abstinence only programs became moreRead More Education Is Key: A Comprehensive Approach to Sex Education Essay1579 Words   |  7 Pageseducation is most effective: Abstinence, Abstinence-Plus, or Comprehensive. Abstinence sex education does not acknowledge that teenagers will become sexually active, thus, students do not learn about the different forms of contraception, and students do not learn about abortion. Also, students are taught that the risks of contracting an STD or HIV are prime reasons to remain abstinent. Abstinence-plus sex education explores the context and significance of sex. Although abstinence-plus education stillRead MoreAbstinence-only vs. Abstinence-plus1607 Words   |  7 Pagesan effective program in schools that reinforce a clear message of abstaining from sexual activity in addition to informing students of the risks posed by engaging in sexual activity. The political, and religious dissension on this issue has resulted in a procedural stalemate pre venting schools from effectively addressing the problem, and implement a comprehensive sex-education program that benefits young adults in Texas and the rest of the United States. Abstinence-Only programs are currently

Use Industrial Economic Theory to Assess the Extent Free Essays

Vertical integration is the process of combining firms, usually under a single ownership, that are different parts of a larger production scale. This could be anything from two firms to all of the firms that make up the supply chain. Due to combining multiple smaller firms, this form of integration has an effect on the market power that the firm(s) has (Riordan, 2008). We will write a custom essay sample on Use Industrial Economic Theory to Assess the Extent or any similar topic only for you Order Now This differs to horizontal integration which is the combination of firms or expansion of a single firm at one particular point of the production process (Black, Hashimzade, Myles, 2009, p. 206-7). Vertical integration is usually carried out in one of two ways. Upstream, which can be referred to as backwards, and downstream, or forward, and the definition is linked to the ownership or controlling party. Upstream is to your suppliers and downstream is to your buyers (Enz, 2009, p. 214). Although vertical integration is usually upstream or downstream it can also be balanced which is where ownership or control is shared between the firms in the supply chain. There are multiple benefits associated with vertical integration but some of the benefits may differ between upstream and downstream. Some benefits that may arise are improved coordination between firms throughout the supply chain, cost savings through internalized transactions and an increased market share (Fairburn, Kay, 1989, p. 10). There are many examples of both upstream and downstream integration in industry throughout history. In the 1970’s and 80’s many crude petroleum extracting companies acquired downstream firms such as refineries and distribution networks (â€Å"Idea: Vertical Integration†, 2009). This is mirrored today with many oil companies such as Shell and BP owning all parts of the supply chain from extraction to the petrol stations supplying the consumers. Smithfield Industries are a meat producing firm that has benefitted from upstream vertical integration. They have integrated with a variety of farms, slaughterhouses as well as other firms that make up the entire supply chain. They now have ownership or decision making power, such as changes to production levels to match changes in demand for the final products, in all the firms that supply them. As a result they now have 26% of the meat and poultry market (Pepall, Richards, Norman, 2008, p. 449) as well as receiving other benefits such as maintaining a sustainable supply for larger numbers, having control over product quality (such as the leanness of the meat) and they have designed warehouses and barns for their subsidiaries to improve their operational efficiency. Most of these benefits are predominantly in favour of the retailer Smithfield as much of these benefits are associated with lowering costs across the supply chain which lowers their final input costs. These benifits, that are associated with lowering input costs, all indicate that Smithfeild do not suffer from double marginisation as a result of thier vertical integration. Double marginalisation is when all the integrated firms set a price above the marginal cost (MC) which then creates two sets of surpluses that are incurred, also reducing consumer surplus to make all parties worse off. Pepall, Richards Newman state that this is not possible if there is competition either upstream or downstream in the chain (2008, p. 438). This is because competition can cause the wholesale price of inputs to be at the MC to either keep the upstream firm competing or the downstream firms final price competitive. Competition upstream that causes production at the MC can help the downstream firm, in this case Smithfield, achieve abnormal profits if they have monopoly power and the ability to descriminate thier prices. Although most of the benefits are for Smithfield, the subsidiaries will benefit from having more efficient processes and economies of scale that may be gained from the integration due to investment received from the parent firm. The profitability of the integration is linked to the level economies of scale obtained from it as the ability to coordinate the adoption of new technologies associated with lower marginal costs for the subsidiaries will define how much profit can be made (Avenel, 2008, p. 248). As well as this they will benefit from having a reliable retailer that will have a consistent demand for their products. Although they will have a consistent buyer for their products the subsidiaries will have to receive a lower unit price for their products as a result of bringing down their costs after the integration. This is not a negative as the demand for their product is consistent and the fall in market price will be proportional to the fall in costs. As well as Smithfield, other meat and poultry production firms have benefitted from having highly integrated production chains such as Tyson, ConAgra and Swift (Pepall, Richards, Norman, 2008, p. 449). The integration of these firms is consistent with Lieberman’s views (1991, p. 452) of why upstream integration may take place. The main reason which is applicable to this situation is that if the inputs in question account for a arge proportion of total cost (which animals being bred for meat will do) then the downstream firm is more likely to integrate. Although all these firms are highly integrated and could offer much lower prices than they already do to the consumers they choose not to. Having a higher mark up allows them to receive higher profit margins from the lower input costs while keeping similar market prices for their final out put. This is a form of non-price competition in order to receive higher profits and an example of Nash equilibrium. Nash equilibrium is where a set of price levels or production levels for each firm will not be changed based on the decision of the other competing firms (Pepall, Richards, Norman, p. 197), meaning that if one lowers their price the rest of the competitors will retaliate and all start undercutting theirs but could end up resulting in loss of profits based on how much the prices change. Nash equilibrium is common in large oligopolistic markets which are also the most common for vertical integration to take place in. This is an example of how the benefits of this integration will not be asymmetric as the final retailer can increase its profits relatively by a much larger amount than the subsidiaries they are purchasing their inputs from. All the benefits previously mentioned which are mainly associated with lower costs and prices also cause another benefit by causing barriers to entry. These are things that make it difficult to enter the market (Black, Hashimzade, Myles, 2009, p. 29). In this case the low costs due to higher efficiency will make competition for a new entrant difficult and will in turn detour others from attempting to enter the market which will keep the level of competition for the existing firm lower, especially in the case of the meat and poultry market where many of the largest firms are highly integrated. Partnerships are a form of integration that does not include control or ownership but can still provide many benefits, usually cost orientated, that may be associated with conventional integration. Partnerships often occur when both firms involved are large and it would not be cost-effective to attempt to buy them. McDonalds are a company that as well as being highly integrated they also have many partnerships with companies such as Coca-Cola, Heinze and Microsoft. In the case of the Microsoft partnership some of the benefits are streamlining operations and reducing the total cost of operations (â€Å"Microsoft Partners with McDonald’s for Global Point-of-Sale Solution†, 2005). As well as this Microsoft will also benefit by improving thier brand awareness, specifically for thier Microsoft Smarter Hospitality system. In conclusion all parties will benefit from vertical integration. But the benefits are not asymmetric. In an upstream integration the majority of the benefits are gained by the retailer that sells the final product. This is because they can increase their market share as a result of the integration as well as their costs can be greatly reduced while keeping their price relatively similar and hence creating more profits. The subsidiary firms may still end up with higher profit margins but the proportional increase is unlikely to match that of their owner firm. Another reason that the benefits are not asymmetric and are greater for the retailer is that they gain control over the subsidiary and the subsidiary has to relinquish some or all control to the owners. This allows the retailer to dictate what is produced in preparation for possible changes in demand or product portfolio which could lead to the supplier being left with excess stock. The benefits from barriers to entry will not be asymetric. In many cases, including the poultry market, the upstream markets are more monoploistic and more competitive as opposed to a more oligoposlistic structure downstream (associated with higher barriers to entry) which is shown by the fact that a single downstream firm will own multiple upstream suppliers. Also the fact that the downstream firms will get more cost/price benefits show that the added difficulty for new firms to compete will be harder. Bibliography Answers. (2011). Vertical Integration. Retrieved November 15 from http://www. answers. com/topic/vertical-integration Avenel, E. (2008). Strategic Vertical Integration without Foreclosure [Electronic Version]. The Journal of Industrial Economics,56(2), 247-262 Black, J. , Hashimzade, N. , Myles, G. (2009). Oxford Dictionary of Economics (3rd ed. ). Oxford: Oxford University Press Enz, C. A. (2009). Hospitality Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases (2nd ed. ). New Jersey: John Wiley Sons Inc. Fairburn, J. A. , Kay, J. A. (1989). Introduction. In J. A. Fairburn, J. A. Kay (Eds. ), Mergers Merger Policy (pp. 1-29). New York: Oxford University Press Idea: Vertical Integration. (2009, March 30). The Economist. Retrieved November 12, 2011, from http://www. economist. com/node/13396061 Leiberman, M. B. (1991). Determinants of Vertical Integration: An Emperical Test* [Electronic Version]. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 39(5), 451-466. Microsoft Partners with McDonald’s for Global Point-of-Sale Solution. (2005). Microsoft News Centre. Retrieved November 24, 2011 from http://www. icrosoft. com/presspass/press/2005/dec05/12-07McDonaldsPOSPR. mspx Pepall, L. , Richards, D. , Norman, G. (2008). Industrial Economics: Contemporary Theory and Emperical Applications (4th ed. ). Padstow: Blackwell Publishing Riordan, M. H. (2008). Vertical integration. In S. N. Durlauf, L. E. Blume (Eds. ), The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics (2nd ed. ). Palgrave Macmillian. The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics Online. Retrieved Novemb er 12, 2011, from http://www. dictionaryofeconomics. com/article? id=pde2008_V000029 How to cite Use Industrial Economic Theory to Assess the Extent, Essay examples

Fashion Business Is Labour Intensive but Does Not Require free essay sample

I understand that the MUM will not tolerate plagiarism and that I may not be awarded a mark for an assignment In which Contents 1. Introduction 2. Definition of Fixed Capital 3. Definition of Labor Intensive 4. Production Process Pre-production Operations Grading 2 Cut Order Planning and Marker Making Laying/Spreading 5. Other Production Processes 6. Niche Market 7. Conclusion Reference List 3 5 Introduction This essay aims to explore the validity of the above statement. Further more, it will define certain terms such as fixed capital and labor intensive in order to ascertain the exact meaning of the statement.Once the statement has been defined then this essay will explore the facts regarding the production process as well as identify what niche market is in order to prove the above statement as valid. Definition of Fixed Capital Investigated defines fixed capital (2012: 91) as the capital investments or assets that are used to start and conduct a business. Investigated further explains in the article that examples of fixed capital can include factories, office buildings, computer servers, insurance policies, legal contracts and manufacturing equipment. We will write a custom essay sample on Fashion Business Is Labour Intensive but Does Not Require or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Definition of Labor Intensive The Collins English Dictionary defines labor-intensive (2003: 91) as a term used to describe a task, industry or organization where a high proportion of costs is spent on ages or salaries. Production Process: General Sewing Data (n. D: 91) states that eighty percent of costs are committed at the design sampling stage. It goes on to say that the majority of pre-production operations involve predicting costs of labor, sample making and production.Mad, a fashion professional, explains in the article entitled The Step-by-step Process of Garment Manufacturing (2012: 85) that grading involves the process of making a pattern larger or smaller regarding its standardized size. She also points out that grading can be done by hand or by use of computer aided design. Cut Order Planning and Marker-Making Cut order planning is the process of planning the cutting of the order and is part of the marker-making activity. Marker-making is the course of creating a cost effective layout on the fabric and marking its position to ensure minimal waste. Once the marker-making activity is complete then the layers of fabric are cut either by hand or with the use of sophisticated cutting apparatus such as laser cutting. Jacobs-Bleach, Ammos, Schuster and Smith,1996:2) Laying is the process whereby one would place layers of fabric on top of each other in order to allow the cutting of multiple garment parts to create piles which would be rooted in order of assembly. In the event of a fabric defect the material would be spliced and adjusted to be placed over the defect. Spreading Layering the Fabrics, 2010: 91) Other Production Processes In addition to the above information, Mad (2012: 85) states that the process includes predominantly these steps: designing or sketching which involves the process of spontaneous recording of ideas, pattern designing, sample making which means to create samples of the patterns by cutting and testing the accurateness of the pattern, grading which means to create different sizes of the pattern, cutting, Ewi ng/assembling, pressing/ finishing which involves various ways of steaming or ironing the garment in order to create a neat and aesthetic finish.Niche Market of the market on which a specific product is focusing. The article further adds that small capital providers often focus on niche markets with narrow demographics to increase their gains. Conclusion As one can ascertain from the above paragraphs, the production process requires relatively few fixed assets. The main fixed assets that would be necessary would include, a sewing machine, various stationary: scissors, rulers, tape measures etc. An overlooked, an iron and a factory which could even be home based.It could be assumed that the main expenditure in one such business would be the labor as each step that has been explained requires a handler or technician. In retrospect the amount of labor required far outweighs the minimal expenditure necessary in order to purchase the fixed assets. This essay has defined both the terms, fixed capital and labor intensive. In so doing it has exacted the meaning of the initial statement. The essay then went on to explain the steps involved in the production process in order to ascertain what fixed assets ND proportionate labor would be necessary to conduct a fashion business. It also explored what a niche market is to express the fact that young designers could use niche markets in order to create a brand identity and focus on a particular need of a certain demographic. In conclusion, the fashion business is definitely a labor intensive one contrarily the fixed capital required would depend on the size of the business and its expected unit production. In most cases, initially, such a business would require little fixed capital but a large amount of labor therefore the statement has proven itself valid.