Managing human resources in business context Case Study

Overseeing HR in business setting - Case Study Example Albeit extraordinary competition between the top brands is essential to be dealt with, the accentuation for tobacco producers should now be on managing the individuals. Hostile to Smoking efforts, new laws and the increasing open mindfulness about the damages of smoking is diminishing the yearly utilization of cigarettes. This is unquestionably a de-spurring highlight for the organization and its workers. Anyway the thing tobacco industry has propped up in support of its is the addictive idea of cigarettes. This reality anyway presents the organization with genuine corporate social duty issues and hence British American Tobacco should remember these issues when building up another human asset the executives procedure as proposed in this paper. English American Tobacco is the most globalization brand on the planet. The brand has a great many different clients over the globe, with access to more than 180 markets all around, and makes the best quality tobacco items. The brand submits its clients to consistently be enjoyed standards of corporate social duty, a training continued going all through the gathering. (http://www.British American Tobacco.com/) Except for the Chinese state tobacco syndication, UK holds the 3 of the best 5 tobacco organizations inside its limits. Philip Morris drives the market with 18% offer, BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO follows with 11%, while Imperial Tobacco and Gallaher hold fourth and fifth situation in the worldwide tobacco pie. The missing third spot has a place with Japan Tobacco. Cigarette and Tobacco Pie Share in UK Market share In UK, the cigarette and tobacco showcase is dominatingly spellbound by Gallaher and Imperial Tobacco; the two firms appreciate a 80% hold in the market. English AMERICAN TOBACCO has its assembling offices in UK however sends out a large portion of its creation. (Cullum and Pissarides, 2004) (Action on Smoking and Health, Fact sheet no.18) Rank Brand Name % portion of UK cigarette showcase Maker 1 Lambert and Butler KS 13.5 Royal Tobacco 2 Benson and Hedges Gold 7.3 Gallaher 3 Mayfair King Size 7.1 Gallaher 4 Richmond Superkings 6.6 Royal Tobacco 5 Richmond King Size 4.9 Magnificent Tobacco 6 Marlboro Gold King Size 4.4 Philip Morris 7 Magnificent KS 3.5 Magnificent Tobacco 8 Royals King Size Red 3.4 BAT 9 Superkings 3.3 Magnificent Tobacco 10 Silk Cut Purple 3.2 Gallaher Top 10 UK cigarette brands: 2004 Ongoing Developments at BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO As of late, BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO has fortified its situation in the Tobacco world market with various moves. According to the latest turns of events, to grow their arrive at farther, BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO is in procedure of procuring little firms universally to have stretched out access to the business sectors, and to have more grounded position at the equivalent. The gathering is likewise very near the culmination of buying House of Prince (HoP).

Asch Conformity Experment Essay Example for Free

Asch Conformity Experment Essay The Asch Paradigm Majority Influence Introduction In this article I will talk about the analysis that Solomon Asch’s directed in (1950) were his principle was point was to find how lion's share impact can influence one individual judgment and how pressure from the dominant part can pressurize one individual to Conform, I will likewise assess his examination strategy, the outcomes and the discoveries he accomplished. Point S Solomon Asch’s had opposed the Conformity explore directed by Muzzafer Sherriff as Asch had felt that sheriffs visual dream known as the auto kinnect didn’t truly show any aftereffects of similarity as the members were approached to partake in an uncertain assignment were they were simply approached to call attention to how far the a light went in a dull room, Asch accepted that Sherrifs try obviously had no set in stone answer so it was incomprehensible for the test to show any consequences of congruity in a gathering circumstance. Asch calculated the best way to gauge the paces of similarity was to put a person in a gathering circumstance were they would be impacted by the greater part regardless of whether they realized their gathering was offering wrong responses on an undertaking that was equivocal and clearly right. The Method (research facility analyze)

Speaking truth to power

Based on Research published by Ashridge Associate Professor Megan Reitz and Independent Researcher and Consultant, John Higgins. Most leaders are blind to the fact that people cannot speak up to them, and as a result are missing out on vital intelligence which could affect their company’s success or even survival. This is one of the key findings from a new research report, ‘Being Silenced and Silencing Others: Developing the capacity to speak truth to power’, published today by Ashridge Executive Education at Hult International Business School. The research suggests that people at the top of organisations often have an inflated idea of how easy it is for others to speak honestly to them.   They naively assume that well-meaning initiatives, such as leadership lunches, or phrases like ‘my door is always open’, will encourage employees to tell them what they need to know. Read the rest of the the article on  Harvard Business Review  or download the report here.   Find out more about the Ashridge Executive Education programme here. Step up your game with executive education at Ashridge agile business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Learning to Lead: 3 Days at Ashridge, or firm up your exec career footing with a Masters in International Business from Hult. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you learn everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .

Analyzing and Summarizing Math Data - 1438 Words

Introduction | | |AJ DAVIS is a department store chain, which has many credit customers and wants to find out more information about these customers. A sample of 50 credit customers is selected with data collected on the following five variables: 1. LOCATION (Rural, Urban, Suburban) 2. INCOME (in $1,000 s – be careful with this) 3. SIZE (Household Size, meaning number of people living in the household) 4. YEARS (the number of years that the customer has lived in the current location) 5. CREDIT BALANCE (the customers current credit card balance on the store s credit card, in $). |PROJECT PART A: Exploratory Data Analysis | |†¦show more content†¦Discuss your 3rd pairing of variables, using graphical, numerical summary and interpretation H. Conclusion |Project Part B: Hypothesis Testing and Confidence Intervals | | Your manager has speculated the following: a. the average (mean) annual income was less than $50,000, b. the true population proportion of customers who live in an urban area exceeds 40%, c. the average (mean) number of years lived in the current home is less than 13 years, d. the average (mean) credit balance for suburban customers is more than $4300. 1. Using the data set currently posted inside DocSharing, perform the hypothesis test for each of the above situations in order to see if there is evidence to support your manager’s belief in each case a.-d. In each case use the Seven Elements of a Test of Hypothesis, in Section 6.2 of your text book with ÃŽ ± = .05, and explain your conclusion in simple terms. Also be sure to compute the p-value and interpret. 2. Follow this up with computing 95% confidence intervals for each of the variables described in a.-d., and again interpreting these intervals. 3. Write a report to your manager about the results, distilling down the re sults in a way that would be understandable to someone who does not know statistics. Clear explanations and interpretations are critical. 4. AllShow MoreRelatedInterpretation By Summarizing. To Summarize Is To State1463 Words   |  6 PagesInterpretation by Summarizing To summarize is to state the most important points. We might try to summarize the Bible. We might try to summarize some scientific observations. We might try to summarize our experiences. We might try to summarize this book. Many of our statements are summaries. It would be nice if we could interpret our observations and experiences by pure objective summarizing. It’s very difficult though. Our worldviews get in the way. Anytime we summarize, we leave out informationRead MoreBeing A Double Economics And Mathematics Major Student924 Words   |  4 Pagestheme minor to analyze China’s trade. Based on the fact that I applied one-year earlier graduation, I compressed my two-term Seward honor project into six weeks to investigate the behaviors of yuan-USD exchange rate in the past few years. After analyzing the growth rate of the ratio of China’s foreign reserves over imports from 1998 to 2014, I noticed that the year of 2009 was a turning point: before 2009, the average growth rate was 1.90% while the average rate decreased to -0.08% after 2009. TheRead MoreData Vs. Data Support Instruction Essay1085 Words   |  5 Pages Data supported instruction is information that is derived from homework, small group conversations, classwork assessments, oral responses and every other classroom interaction. Data is not the annual review, but it is a whole approach to teaching. Data helps teachers understand their students. It is with this information that an educator can create and teach their lessons. The more information a teacher is able to obtain, the more beneficial it is to her. Data supported instruction provides aRead MoreParental Involvement For High School Stem Classes1005 Words   |  5 Pagesparent, and the parents interest surrounding STEM classes after the intervention. By the end of the experiment, it was clear how the intervention affected the subjects. Students who were part of the intervention group took almost a semester more of math or science classes in their final two years of high school than the control group of students. It was also found that parents with higher levels of education had children who chose to take higher amounts of STEM courses. While this effect was knownRead MoreBenfords Law And Where It Came From?1371 Words   |  6 Pagesrandomly produced set of natural numbers, such as tables of logarithms or corporate sales statistics, around 30 percent will begin with the digit 1, 18 percent with 2, and so on, with the smallest percentage beginning with 9. The law is applied in analyzing the validity of statistics and financial records. Benford’s law is a mathematical theory of leading digits that was discovered by American astronomer Simon Newcomb. In 1881 he have noticed, that the pages of logarithms book beginning with numberRead MoreThe Mathematics Of Mathematics Into Mathematics Education1947 Words   |  8 Pageswould yield to students and teachers. Po-Hung Liu stated that integrating history of mathematics into daily lessons and such will help students and teachers by increasing the students’ motivation to learn, help them to develop positive feelings for math, help to develop students’ mathematical thinking, reveal â€Å"humanistic facets† of mathematical knowledge, and give teachers more of a direction to follow when teaching (416). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) never mentioned theRead MoreQuestions On Writing Assignments : The Klandermans And Staggenborg Text3616 Words   |  15 Pagesthat involves asking questions of respondents (Trochim, 2006). The i mportance of survey research cannot be understated, as it is estimated that in the 1980s and 1990s one out of every five studies published utilized survey research as part of their data (Klandermans Staggenborg, 2002). Survey research can be as simplistic as the traditional, short question and answer survey filled out in pencil to an in-depth interview format with a variety of questions (Trochim, 2006). In social movement researchRead MoreDefinition of Business Research6895 Words   |  28 Pagesbest raw goods available to produce the most profitable product. Management will also review the best cost application methods, ensuring that all production costs are properly applied to each product or service produced. * Competitor Analysis Analyzing the current competitors of a market is an important part of business research. Knowing which companies have the best production methods or customer loyalty helps new companies understand how they can create a competitive advantage when entering aRead MoreQuestions On Writing Assignments : The Klandermans And Staggenborg Text4910 Words   |  20 Pagesmeasurement procedure that involves asking questions of respondents.? 1 The importance of survey research cannot be understated, as it is estimated that in the 1980s and 1990s one out of every five studies published utilized survey research as part of their data.2 Survey research can be as simplistic as the traditional, short question and answer survey filled out in pencil to an in-depth interview format with a variety of questions.3 In social movement research surveys such as questionnaires and interviewsRead Moreme I and me7467 Words   |  30 PagesCh.  1 Data  Collection 1.1 Introduction  to  the  Practice  of  Statistics 1 Define  statistics  and  statistical  thinking. SHORT  ANSWER.  Ã‚  Write  the  word  or  phrase  that  best  completes  each  statement  or  answers  the  question. Provide  an  appropriate  response. 1) What  is  statistics? MULTIPLE  CHOICE.  Ã‚  Choose  the  one  alternative  that  best  completes  the  statement  or  answers  the  question. 2) Which  of  the  following  is  not  true  of  statistics? A) Statistics  is  used  to  answer  questions  with  100%  certainty. B) Statistics  involves  collecting  and  summarizing  data

Reflection Essay - 792 Words

My main goal for this class was to figure out how to make university cheaper and, writing my personal statement. This class offered me more than just two things I was looking for, instead I was informed about workshops and introduced to new ways of researching. I am happy I took this class, it made the process of transferring easier. The challenges and accomplishments I am most proud of include: †¢ When class first began I knew my main goal was to learn about the personal statement and how to get money for school. Those two topics were something I emphasized on my background and goals form. I remember I thought this class would only be a general overview of how you are supposed to do things but it definitely was not, Jen made the class†¦show more content†¦Over the break I plan to dedicate more time into applying. †¢ I came in to the conferences thinking, it was going to be like the writing center. Conferences with Jen were very helpful, in fact I went to two conferences. During the first conference my main goal was to edit and structure my personal statement. Jen was very helpful, because she was able to understand my story from my writing. During the conference, she got to work she knew what needed to be removed she planned the order it sounded best in and cleaned up any other errors in the process. I remember, after the first conference I was so relieved I was able to achieve so much in one meeting and I felt ready to submit my application. Unfortunately, I was not quite there yet I still had to cut down on my essay. During my second conference both Jen and I were trying to see if the flow still works and if everything would meet the universities requirements. This process was very quick for her, she knew what paragraph had too much detail, and knew which other one needed more work. Finally, at the end of this meeting I was ready to submit with confidence. I truly couldn’t have written my personal statement without her. †¢ A great quality about this class were the online resources. Not only was Jen able to help us any time of day, but she also informed us of many events taking place in the community or at school. I attended the event where representatives from the universities cameShow MoreRelatedReflection Essay1616 Words   |  7 PagesReflective Essay The aim of this essay is to reflect on an incident, which took place in a hospital setting during the first month of my Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner course. It will explore the importance of communication amongst the health care professionals and how a good nursing documentation is an integral part of nursing. It will also demonstrate how reflection enabled me to make sense of and learn from this experience, as well as identify any further learning developments neededRead MoreReflection Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesI determined that I needed a new interest, something to keep my mind engaged and challenged. I enrolled in the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) through the Columbia Southern University (CSU) just for fulfillment. This reflection assignment exercise proves to be the catalyst for my future college endeavors. The assignment to reflect on DBA program dreamed of taking steps towards realizing those ideas and course accomplishments right now. Due to time som e course assignments, I will embrace,Read MoreSelf Reflection Essays817 Words   |  4 Pages  Self- ­Ã¢â‚¬ Observations   and   Self- ­Ã¢â‚¬    Reflections    Maximum   1000   words   each   term    The   purpose   of   these   three   reports   is   to   demonstrate   how   you   have   used   the   learning   journal   to    develop   your   self- ­Ã¢â‚¬ awareness   from   term   to   term.   (See   Section   11   about   the   Learning   Journal)    Each   report   is   due   at   the   first   class   meeting   after   each   reading   week.    Guidelines:    The   Reports   should   include   your   reflections   about:       Read MoreReflective Reflection Essay999 Words   |  4 Pagesand the best practice for creating successful outcomes. This essay will focus on how reflective practice is critical for professional life, and how the use of reflection and theory can be used by counselling practitioners to inform their practice. Reflective practice is a complex concept and has many alternate definitions and understandings of what reflective practice actually means. By breaking down the two parts and defining reflection as â€Å"serious thought or consideration†, and practice as â€Å"theRead MoreWriters Reflection Essay1463 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish Writing Reflection. English has always been one of my favorite subjects along with writing. At a young age I remember always writing childish stories, and comic books. In second grade I even won a writers competition. Writing has always been a part of my life. I keep a journal to write important events happening in my life and I like to write poems as well. However, during my high school years writing essays became more complex. For some reason I couldn’t seem to fullyRead More Mirror: Reflections of Truth Essay508 Words   |  3 Pages â€Å"Mirror†: Reflections of Truth In Sylvia Plath’s poem â€Å"Mirror†, the reader takes a look into the messages presented and compares them with the reflections that are cast in a mirror and images in a lake. When reading this poem, we discover that the speaker is the actual reflection that gives the interpretation of its views. The first interpretation is shown as a mirror on the wall â€Å"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.† (1), second as the water in the lake because she states â€Å"Now IRead MoreReflection Within Professional Development: The Gibbs Model Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesReflection Within Professional Development In this essay I intend to reflect upon a clinical skill, which I have learned and become competent in practicing. I will apply the Gibbs model to the chosen skill throughout the essay to allow for critical thought. Gibbs model includes the areas of description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. (Gibbs, 1988) The term â€Å"reflection† directly refers to one’s own ability for serious thought or consideration regarding eventsRead MoreFamily Reflection Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the last sixteen weeks from going through this class I have learned a lot. I have learned that different there are many ways to write a paper or essay. There are many ways that the format of a paper as well. But between the two essays I have chosen are from week seven which was on hunting and why it wasn’t a cruel sport in my thoughts. My other essay I have chose was from week nine, that was about on holding a family together and what makes a family a whole. Hunting topic in my thoughts whereRead MorePersonal Essay : Course Reflection992 Words   |  4 PagesCourse Reflection When my advisor asked me if I wanted to take summer school the first thing I said was, â€Å"Yeah, I want to take English 101.† The only problem was that it started at 8AM and I usually worked the night before, but I thought I could handle it. I enjoy writing. I actually write in my free time sometimes, so I thought English would be no problem. For me, writing is either extremely easy or extremely hard. It’s easy for me when I don’t have restrictions from what I can write about. I canRead MoreWriting Reflection Essay905 Words   |  4 PagesWriting a decent essay is as tedious, nerve racking, and strenuous as constructing a layer cake from scratch. First you have to decide that you are going to tackle this feat, and that can be your biggest challenge, motivation. Then you have, you must figure out what kind of cake batter you want to use. Collect all the ingredients to mesh together well, making each layer at a time. You throw all the layers together hoping tha t somehow they will come together to form a nifty design. But, they don’t

Tartuffe Guide free essay sample

Madame Pernelle is leaving because she is dissatisfied how everyone in the household is not paying attention to what she says because they are constantly chattering on and on. 2. Madame Pernelle is dissatisfied with Dorine because she is chatty, is â€Å"too saucy for a lady’s-maid†(14). She also claims Dorine to be interfering because she always has a say in something. Dorine’s having so many lines implicates that she is one of the more significant characters of the story because she is perceptive enough to see through Tartuffe. 3. The reader realizes that Orgon is behaving strangely when Orgon asks the condition of his own family, and Dorine tells him that his wife has had a terrible fever for the past few days. Without expressing sympathy for his wife, Orgon then asks how Tartuffe is, and Dorine tells him that he is doing well as he being excellent fed. Orgon strangely sympathizes Tartuffe as if he deserves more than this, while not having the best interests of his family in mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Tartuffe Guide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 4. In Tartuffe, Moliere uses dialogue to express irony in the play. When Orgon tells his brother-in-law, â€Å"You do not know the man of whom you speak,† it is ironic because although Cleante has never met Tartuffe in person, he does know that he is deceiving everyone. It is also ironic because Orgon is saying this even though he does not know Tartuffe’s true intentions. It is also ironic when Orgon says â€Å"Under his[Tartuffe] tutelage my soul’s been freed from earthly loves, and every human tie: My mother, children, brother, and wife could die, and I’d not feel a single moment’s pain,†( 276-279) because Orgon thinks that Tartuffe has taught him to free himself of human ties including family, but in actuality, he is placing Tartuffe so ahead of his family that he no longer cares about his family. 5. During the concerning of the wedding of his daughter, Orgon says he will be guided by â€Å"Heaven’s will†, which alludes to the Divine Right of Kings. This further shows that Orgon is the tyrant-like figure in the household. Act II 1. According to Orgon, Mariane should obey him because Mariane is deeply grateful for his love and that she should repay him by obeying him. 2. Mariane does not defend herself well because she has bowed down to her father’s strict order for a long time that she isn’t able to oppose him. Dorine, her lady’s maid, then helps by defending Mariane. 3. Dorine predicts if Mariane is forced to wed Tartuffe there is bound to be a sad consequence due to the two being ill suited. She also predicts that Mariane wouldn’t be able to be a faithful wife to Tartuffe and won’t be able to enter Heaven because of it. 4. Mariane’s indecisiveness causes the misunderstanding between her and Valere. She says she doesn’t know if she will accept her father’s proposal, and by not declining her father’s offer, Valere assumes that Mariane does not love him. 5. In addition to predicting infidelity, Dorine resorts to deriding Orgon’s idea of Tartuffe marrying Mariane by telling Mariane, â€Å"No don’t believe your father; it’s all hoax. (II, ii, 44) She also repeatedly interrupts Orgon as he is trying to speak to his daughter. By doing so, Dorine manages to pester Orgon enough into leaving the scene. Act III 1. Damis is impatient, and he often gives in to violent emotion, which prevents him from initially stopping his father’s plans of having Mariane and Tartuffe wed. By telling his father of Tartuffe’ s true character, he breaks Elmire’s promise to Tartuffe. 2. Tarfuffe reconciles his physical passion for Elmire with his religious nature by saying that it is easy to see the magnificence of God’s creation of her. He also simultaneously confesses his physical passion for her and showing his religious nature by saying, â€Å"You are my peace, my solace, my salvation on you depends my bliss-or desolation. † (135-136) 3. Elmire reacts by saying Tartuffe’s advances are out of character and asks him if he is afraid that she will tattle on him to her husband, but Tartuffe knows that she won’t because she is forgiving. She then proposes to not tell her husband if he promises to let Mariane and Valere marry. 4. Tartuffe manages to escape Orgon’s wrath after Damis’ accusation by using reverse-psychology as he purposely admits his guilt as a horrible person. As Orgon accuses Damis as a liar, Tartuffe purposely defends Damis, which Orgon perceives as true kindness and generosity and then insults his son as â€Å"an ingrate†(III, xi, 293) and a â€Å"villain†(III, xi, 287). 5. Elmire does not offer any resistance when Orgon disinherits his son because she is absent during the scene. In the previous scene, she defends her own position from Damis’ accusation of Elmire’s secretiveness. She exits the scene telling Damis he should have remained silent. Act IV 1. Cleante thinks that Tartuffe isn’t a true Christian because Tartuffe stood to â€Å"watch a father make his only son an exile for your sake,†(IV, i, 11-12). He also says that if Damis was seriously to blame, Tartuffe would have forgiven him and returned his inheritance back to him if he was truly a Christian. 2. Orgon, like Madame Parnelle, believes that his family is ungrateful, especially to Tartuffe. Orgon wants his daughter to marry Tartuffe because he believes that marrying Tartuffe will mortify her flesh and thus ennobling her. . Orgon waits so long appearing from under the table because he fully trusted Tartuffe and wants to reassure himself that Tartuffe is trustworthy. However, the scene drags on to show how badly he has been fooled by Tartuffe 4. Elmire uses a taunting tone, as she tells him he should wait until he is fully convinced, to further emphasize how badly Orgon has been decei ved. 5. Tartuffe doesn’t attempt to use reverse-psychology because he knows it won’t fool Orgon because he now knows that he has been deceiving him, and that using reverse-psychology would simply mean a confession of guilt. Furthermore, Tartuffe feels that there is no need to deceive Orgon, because Orgon has already given his estate and Valere’s inheritance to him. Act V 1. Orgon is worried about the papers in the strongbox because the strongbox contains documents that ruin the reputation of Argas, Orgon’s exiled friend, and Tartuffe is in possession of the strongbox, which could be used to blackmail Orgon. 2. Monsieur Loyal is ironically named because he has served Orgon’s family for many years and has returned in Tartuffe’s order to present Orgon with an order of eviction, and therefore he is not loyal. . Cleante is the most level-headed during the final confrontation because when Orgon says he will never associate himself with pious men, Cleante reminds him â€Å"don’t humor fraud, but also don’t asperse true piety. † (V, i, 53-54) Cleante also prevents Damis from acting on violence when confronting Tartuffe. Furthermore, he wishes that Tartuffe  "will soon embrace an honest piety, and mend his ways,† (V, vii, 380) 4. Tartuffe is arrested instead of Orgon because the King of France is perceptive enough to see through Tartuffe’s schemes. The political and religious climate of 17th-century France have influenced this â€Å"Happy Ending† because Tartuffe was first banned in France, and in order for the play to be performed, Moliere had to change the ending to praise the king as a wise ruler. 5. Tartuffe’s character was changed because of the prosecution towards the play by the church. The church believed that Moliere was using his play to deride religion and the church. By changing Tartuffe’s character, Moliere was granted the right to perform the play.

The Simpsons Essay Example For Students

The Simpsons Essay The SimpsonsThe Simpsons is a cartoon series produced by Gracie Films for Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Network. It began as a series for The Tracey Ullman show on April 19, 1987, and premiered as a series on December 17, 1989, in the 8pm-time slot. It started to be shown regularly on Sundays beginning on January 14, 1990. The second, third, fourth, and fifth seasons were brodcasted by Fox on Thursday nights in the 8pm time slot. It then returned to Sunday nights beginning with the sixth season. The first three seasons were animated by Klasky-Csuupo, who also worked on The Tracey Ullman show. Film Roman animated the fourth fifth and sixth seasons. We will write a custom essay on The Simpsons specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Matt Groening changed television forever when he brought animation back to prime time with The Simpsons. Groening also wrote and the fox entertainment series Futurama. The Simpsons was Matt Groenings introduction into the world of animation. Groening has also published many Simpson Comics. Itchy and Scratchy Bart and Lisas favorite cartoon. Bartman, Barts secret identity. Radioactive Man, Barts favorite comic book. Lisa Comics and Krusty Comics. The Simpsons Family was created in fifteen minutes while Matt Groening waited in the foyer of James L. Brooks office. The Simpsons family consists of six people. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Grandpa, and Santas Little Helper, the family dog. Homer Simpson is 36 years old and weighs around 260 pounds. He works as the safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. His favorite foods are donuts, pork rinds, and Krusty Burgers. His favorite beverage is Duff Beer. Marge Simpson is 34 years old and weighs about 135 pounds. She has fe ars of flying and has been convicted of shoplifting at the Kwik-E-Mart. Her hair color is blue #56 and her favorite singer is Tom Jones. Grandpa is around the age of 65 and has two sons; Homer J. Simpson and Herb, the result of meeting a girl at a carnival one night. His real name is Abraham Simpson, he lives at the Springfield Retirement Castle and his favorite past time is napping. There are three children in the simpsons family; Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Bart is ten years old and his idol is Krusty the Clown. His best freind is Millhouse and he is famous for classroom disruption, prank calls to Moes, practical jokes, and vandalism. Lisa is eight years old and admires Ralph Wiggum and Millhouse Van Houghte. Her hidden talent is picking winning football teams and her rival is Allison Taylor. Her mentor is the late Bleeding Gums Murphy and her first word was Bart. Maggie is a year old and her first word was Daddy. Her rival is baby Gerald and her downfalls are drinking out of the dogs water bowl, and falling over easily. Santas Little Helper was found in the parking lot of a racetrack by Bart and Homer and was given to the family for Christmas. The Simpsons may not be the typical American family but they have been serving Americans with entertainment for over ten years. Whether it was a meltdown at the Power Plant or a Teachers Strike at school, they always made us laugh. Documentarywww.thespringfeildfiles.comwww.simpsonshistory.comWords/ Pages : 521 / 24 The Simpsons Essay Example For Students The Simpsons Essay The American animation The Simpsons is now in its 10th season as a show in its own right. It was created by Matt Groening as shorts for the Tracy Ullman Show and was bought by the Fox Network, which began screening it as half-hour shows in 1989. Initially its success was restricted to the 9-16 year old age group, and for animation there is nothing remarkable about this. Its success grew quickly and it is now popular in many countries with many different audiences. In the 1990s we are seeing dramatic transformations in media industries and media cultures. We will write a custom essay on The Simpsons specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In geographical terms, these transformations may be seen in the shift from national to global media. The Simpsons can be seen as both a remarkable piece of global culture and as a hugely successful piece of global television. (One need only look on an Internet search engine to discover that there are literally millions of Simpsons fan-sites around the world.). The Simpsons themselves are a simple family in a small town in Middle America called Springfield. They are: Homer (loyal but stupid father), Marge (dissatisfied, trapped housewife/mother), Bart (rebellious son), Lisa (unappreciated genius daughter), and Maggie (silent baby). The show also revolves around a number of other of the townsfolk, such as Mr Burns (Homers miserly boss), Smithers (Burnss loving assistant), Apu (Indian shop owner), Principal Skinner and Moe (owner of the local bar). There are a number of reasons why we cannot simply view The Simpsons as a cartoon like any other. The rules and conventions that it follows are far more those of television or cinema than those of animation. The humour within The Simpsons exists on many different levels ranging from the obvious to the subtle, from the literary to the movie reference, and beyond. But most importantly we must consider the shows ability to make significant social comment, on general issues of culture and society, but more specifically on television, film and media, and on audience viewing and acceptance of these media. Traditionally, cartoons have been action driven and animation. Aside from the use of cameras to create the visual illusion of depth (Walt Disney famously explained the complicated technique used to allow Mickey Mouse to walk along a street without distorting depth or perspective), cartoons had a language of their own, unique and separate from that of cinema or television. They were simple and without layered meanings. They had their own conventions that were regularly used and easily understood by children. These included falling anvils, cannon balls, dynamite and gunpowder. Generally most situations in traditional cartoons are very simple and similar. They are based on a basic relationship between the chaser and chased. For examples look no further than childrens television and you will see Tom chase Jerry, Wylie Coyote chase Roadrunner and Yosemite Sam chase Bugs Bunny. So what makes The Simpsons different from these more traditional cartoon forms? Both the characters in The Simpsons their roles and situations are far more complex than in traditional animation. Indeed, what are seen as sub-characters are often the bases of stories, as executive producer Bill Oakley explains: Over eight years weve developed a town full of characters?Moe, Mr Burns or Principal Skinner can all provide the engines for stories. Producers of The Simpsons say they concentrate more on scripts than on animation, making the show more humour and script based than action based. But despite The Simpsons being seen by many as a sitcom, Oakley likes to keep the show fresh, and generally avoids sitcom writers: We want people who are not ruined by the standard sitcom form. One of the most important factors in explaining The Simpsonss cross-generational and broad demographic appeal is the sophistication of its writing. It is constructed to exist at many different levels. In terms of its humour, creator Groening says: There are the obvious jokes, the visual sight gags, the subtle literary allusions and at the most subtle, what we call the freeze frame gags. While I agree with Groening, I would categorise the humour slightly differently. The first level is blatant comedy. This includes obvious jokes. The appeal to children that originally heralded The Simpsons is based on blatant comedy and the antics of Bart, such as his famous phone pranks: Bart phones Moes tavern. Moe: Moes Tavern. Bart: Hello, is Al there? Moe: Al? Bart: Yeah, Al. Last name: Coholic. Moe: Lemme check Phone call for Al. Al Coholic. Is there an Al Coholic here? Wait a minute.. . Listen, you little yellow-bellied rat jackass, if I ever find out who you are, Im gonna kill you! This level also includes other forms of blatant humour, such as juxtaposition, and many of the visual sight gags. It can also include the simplistic use of repetition, such as catch-phrase comedy. Many of the characters have catch-phrases which are repeated wherever possible. The most famous of these are Homers Doh! and Barts Eat my shorts! Other repetitive jokes are in the form of the opening sequence, of which there are many variations. They are the lines that Bart writes during his detention and the way the family sits down in front of the TV together. The second level refers to more subtle humour. This type of humour has accounted for the expansion of appeal to a more adult audience and includes a more sophisticated repetition type joke. For example: Homer tells Marge about a work night out: Marge: So how was the office birthday party? Homer: Oh, it was de-lightful! The frosting on the cake was this thick! And Eugene Fisk (my poor sucker of an assistant) didnt know the fruit punch was spiked, and he really made an ass of himself putting the moves on a new girl in valve maintenance. Ha ha Marge: Does this girl like him? Homer: Pffft. I have to warn you Marge, I think the poor young thing has the hots for Yours Truly! The same episode jumps to six months later, when Homer is explaining about a little get-together with the boys at work. Eugene Fisk is marrying some girl in valve maintenance. Marge: Mmmhmmm. Eugene Fisk, isnt he your assistant? Homer: No! My supervisor. Marge: Didnt he used to be your assistant? Homer: Hey, what is this! The Spanish Exposition? Marge: Sorry, Homer It is unlikely that younger viewers will notice or understand this sort of humour. Other more subtle jokes include some of the signs on streets and buildings, like the one on the Springfield Hall of Records that says Not The Good Kind Of Records Historical Ones. There is a form of highbrow humour in The Simpsons that will account for its appeal to the educated and academics. This is a level that I call educated reference humour. It is made up mostly of literary and academic references. They are usually references to art, politics, philosophy or literature. (Sometimes they are cultural and as such will be dealt with in more detail later on.) Some examples of this higher level of humour are when Sideshow Bob refers to the documentation of his political corruption as Machiavellian art. A particularly good example is the Ayn Rand School for Tots. Ayn Rand was a founder of the strict philosophy of objectivism. There is much irony and humour in having a kindergarten based of Rands philosophies, and Ms. Sinclair, who runs it, explains `Our aim here is to develop the bottle within. Hence the humour in the posters inside the kindergarten: A is A and Helping is Futile. Other highbrow references include the TV show Rock Bottoms correction that Women arent from Venus, men arent from Mars and a boys references to the work of photographers Helmut Newton and Diane Arbus when the children look at a photograph of Homer and a belly dancer. The subtlest humour of all the is the freeze frame humour. Groening explains: Jokes you can only get if you videotape the show and play it back in freeze frame. What we try to do is reward people for paying attention. There are a number of freeze frame jokes in the corrections in Rock Bottom (a parody of TV show Hard Copy. For example: Cats do not eventually turn into dogs The Beatles havent reunited to enter kickboxing competitions Bart is bad to the bone Everyone on TV is better than you If youre reading this you have no life These were corrections to stories that the show must have previously run. In this context they are quite amusing, but most viewers will miss them. .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .postImageUrl , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:visited , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:active { border:0!important; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 { 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; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:active , .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .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; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5 .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9f63fd315a37a168f74f15e317eba7b5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Importance of Punctuality in the Military Essay This gives the show greater appeal as people know they are there and will want to find them. They will watch the shows over and over and form a cult following. If youre reading this you have no life is a reference to this cult following, telling people that they are wasting their time (just as William Shatner told Star Trek fanatics in an edition of Saturday Night Live). However, in doing this, the writers are continuing to put in place the mechanisms that first created the cult following. There are of course many grey areas here. Many jokes fit into two or more categories, and many jokes will also fit into issues of satire, culture, intertextuality and self-reference, which will be dealt with later. As previously mentioned, what makes The Simpsons visually different from other animations is its televisual rather than cartoon style. While other animations tend to be direct descendants of the comic strip, as a full show The Simpsonss closest ancestor is The Simpsons shorts which appeared on the Tracy Ullman. The basic signifying unit of film the basic unit of cinematic meaning was not the scene?and not the unedited film strip?but rather the shot, of which?there may be virtually limitless number within any given scene. The Simpsonss realisation of this is the key to its style. The use of televisual and filmic grammar has allowed The Simpsons to do so much that has given it a real TV style, to the point where it may not really be considered a cartoon. The show shares some convention with much sitcom. Just as in Friends you will see an establishing shot of the outside of a location before you see an internal shot, if we move around the regular locations of Springfield we will often see the same sort of establishing shot (e.g. outside the Simpson house, or outside Moes Tavern). However, the fact that it is a cartoon also allows it to move around without budgetary problems. Episodes have been set in India, England and even in space. The use of the shot has allowed for juxtaposition comedy (such as when Marge wants to get a job and Homer tells her that they really dont need the money in the next shot we see the house begin to subside into the ground). It has allowed for the development of editing style that allows simultaneous actions in two separate locations to be followed such as in Barts telephone pranks. The use of shots and editing like animation allows for a non-linear style. This is seen in the various recap and flashback episodes, but is also parodied well. In classical film a scene would cut to a clock face which would then dissolve to the same shot at a later time and then fade down and up into a new scene. This trick has become a clich? and it is a tribute to the audiences understanding of it that The Simpsons can parody it. In one case the shot moves up to a clock and fades into a new shot of the clock, and down to the scene some time later. But time has only moved on by one minute, and this parody is used to emphasise that much time has not actually gone by at all. Camera angles in the programme are generally at eye level. This is perhaps because soap operas use a similar technique to try to represent reality. By doing this, when more complex shots are used the effect is stronger and can allow for comedy or emotional responses. An example of this is when the Simpsons go to Itchy and Scratchy Land. In order that they will be able to find their car again they make a point of parking in the Itchy Lot. The camera then zooms out to reveal what must be millions of cars parked in the huge Itchy Lot. Were it not for this filmic technique the comedy would have been lost as we would have seen them park among a million other cars from the start . These film and televisual techniques lead us on to the intertextual and self references in The Simpsons. The show often makes references to other media in a number of ways. It can parody television programmes or more commonly films by actually taking a piece of a film and turning it into a part of an episode, or by having a show shown on the Simpsons television. To fully understand the cultural relevance of these references we must understand a little about the post-modern concept of intertextuality. Post-modernists take the view of Roland Barthes and reject the concept of a self-contained text. The text cannot be self-regulating and the power lies in the interpreting of the text. Hence the post-modern viewer and the viewer of the post-modern is the most empowered viewer. Post-modernists feel that if we cannot treat a text in isolation we risk missing much of what is being said. Intertextual references are as important as the text itself and are an integral part of the text. Intertextual effects radiate out from a text and have an impact on all other texts . Indeed, post-modernists believe that everything in the universe is related and to understand anything one must bear in mind all its references. To illustrate this point they refer to chaos theory: A butterfly stirring the air today in Peking can transform storm systems next month in New York . The point is that to fully understand all the cultural messages of The Simpsons we must understand its intertextual references. The first level of intertextual reference is the way in which the programme often lifts sequences from movies and animates them into the show. One of the most famous of these is the send-up of the Hitchcocks classic Psycho. In the episode Itchy Scratchy Marge , Homer is in the garage. The same musical sound effect as that of the famous shower scene is used as Maggie hits him over the head with a mallet. Homer grabs the tablecloth (shower curtain) as he falls. Red paint (blood) pours down the drain, there is a close-up of his eye. At the end of the scene we see him lying the floor just as Janet Leigh lay on in the bathtub. This is a clear, obvious and effective intertextual reference. There have been plenty of less relevant ones, such as when a moose is eating Homers rubbish (Northern Exposure). An interesting aspect is that intertextual interpreters of The Simpsons must come under the same scrutiny as iconographic interpreters of traditional art (such as Roger Fry). They often read too much into an episode and see references that are not there. In a TV interview for BBC1 James L. Brooks, a producer of The Simpsons said that if the movie is not a big film then the reference is probably false. Yet we see in every Internet listing for every episode of The Simpsons huge numbers of unconfirmed references. These include in the Dancin Homer episode a reference to nearly any other movie about baseball . Another way the show uses intertextual references is in the Simpson familys actual viewing. Often certain types of shows are shown, generally as being poor quality programming. These commonly include self-help programmes and info-mercials. (Homer is usually seen to fall for the dreadful item on sale and this seems to reflect the apparent view of the writers that most of the TV viewing public is both fickle and stupid. ) A particularly interesting case however, is the regular cartoon show, Itchy and Scratchy. This is a bloody, violent, gruesome version of Tom and Jerry, where the two characters find new and more disgusting ways to kill each other every episode. This is a very significant reference point because it is dealing with cartoon violence. Some believe that by putting the violence in this context the animators can get away with it. .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .postImageUrl , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:visited , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:active { border:0!important; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce { 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; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:active , .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .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; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u174dde53e84ad46265eca428571770ce:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Genetics of Violence Essay This is not the point. The point is to continually raise questions about censorship, violence and effect, and to satirise the gravity that the whole matter is dealt with. The Simpsons in itself is a violent cartoon, and so when Marge takes on cartoon violence in Itchy and Scratchy, she is actually taking on the existence of The Simpsons . This form of self-reference is not unusual in The Simpsons, and it is one of the most post-modern aspects of the show. Self-reference exists at many levels. A subtle reference occurs when Maggie is not allowed a dummy . She tries to suck on some toys, and the toy that she is most happy sucking is a little Bart Simpson doll. Self-reference is also present in an indirect form. There is a lot of comedy at the expense of the Fox Network. Ned Flanders says: So the network slogan is true: Watch Fox and be damned forever. Other self-references are very direct. Take, for example, The Simpsons Halloween Special II . In this episode Bart has a dream that the Simpsons are rich and famous. As they enter a posh restaurant, a customer is talking about the Simpsons (but is she talking about the Simpson family or the show as a whole?) Woman 1: If I hear one more thing about the Simpsons, I swear, Im going to scream. Woman 2: At first they were cute and funny, but now they are just annoying. This is a view that has been expressed about The Simpsons time and again, particularly in Australia where the show did not perform nearly as well as expected in the longer term. The same episode also parodies the heavy marketing and merchandising of The Simpsons. A boy is in a shop where he sees the very same Simpsons T-shirts as are actually available. Eighteen bucks for this? What a rip off! The episode features an album titled The Simpsons Go Calypso and Otto says that this has gone too far. In real life the third Simpsons album was due to be released this month. In another episode Chespirito (a Spanish television comic who dresses as a giant bee, generally with something attached to his backside) reiterates the words of Spike Lee. Credit the audience with a little intelligence, with the willingness to work it out, and they will reward you with their attention and their understanding. However, from viewing the whole section we see that the writers of The Simpsons think that the TV producers dont agree. Chespirito: Im just not comfortable with this lobster. Its the same tired old jokes. Lets give the audience some credit. Writer: How about a giant mousetrap? Chespirito: I love it! It is well known that The Simpsons deals with many cultural issues important to modern society. It has dealt with issues of modern family life, women in the workplace and the dumbing down/Americanisation of foreign cultures. When we look at all this together, the intertextuality and references to the media, the self-references, the comment on culture and so on, we can begin to see that the real comment that The Simpsons has to make is on the media. In so doing, it is also commenting on our reading and acceptance of media. The key episode to illustrate this point is Homer: Bad Man (episode 2F06). In this episode Homer is accused of sexual harassment and suffers a trial by media as all sorts of shows seem to victimise him. The sensational news programme Rock Bottom puts together a poorly edited interview to force Homer to admit his guilt. Following the interview appear in small letters the words Dramatization. May not have happened. A media circus erupts around Homer. Round the clock helicopter surveillance of the Simpson Estate is surprisingly similar to the coverage of the O. J. Simpson case , and the photographers who take photographs of Homer in the shower is a parody of the ongoing international problem caused by paparazzi photographers invasion of private privacy. We go on to see the different ways the media covers the story as Homer flicks through the TV channels. There is a daytime-television talk show. The introduction to the second show says: Today on Ben: mothers and runaway daughters reunited by their hatred of Homer Simpson. One woman is crying, saying: I dont know Homer Simpson, I I never met Homer Simpson or had any contact with him, but Im sorry, I cant go on. Presenter: Thats OK: your tears say more than real evidence ever could. Another yells: Lets have less Homer Simpsons and more money for public schools! The points made here are rather self-explanatory. These programmes do not treat the issues with any objectivity or fairness and are simply relying on the emotional responses of hatred and outrage. The media goes on to lure away Homers friends by offering them huge sums of money to tell their stories about him. Meanwhile TV news is stirring things up even further as it explains how Marge put the cat out possibly because it was harassed, we dont know. Lisa sums up the whole situation: The medias making a monster out of you because they dont care about the truth! All they care about is entertainment. The next aspect of the media coverage of the event is crucial to understanding the comment on the media and audiences being made. Having shown all this sensationalised and untrue material about Homer, there is a TV phone poll. Kent Brochman reads the results: 95% of the people believe Homer Simpson is guilty. Of course, this is just a television poll which is not legally binding, unless Proposition 304 passes. And we all pray it will. So now that the entire public has been influenced and the trial might really begin, Homer has already been judged guilty. Once again this is an important comment on the nature of the media and the way it deals with such situations, made very clearly. Of course it is also a comment on the viewers, showing how they will believe anything on TV. The show then moves on to comment on the nature of viewers and how they view TV. As Homer flicks through late night television he is upset because all the channels are making fun of him. When he finds one that is not he laughs along and forgets that they ever did. A joke is made about Mr T and Homer says, Man, I wouldnt like to be Mr T right now, forgetting that most people wouldnt want to be Homer Simpson right then. This shows how fickle the audience can be. At the end of the episode, when groundskeeper Willies home video has saved Homer, he sits down to watch Rock Bottom. It shows groundskeeper Willie calling him depraved. Homer: Oh, that man is sick! Marge: Groundskeeper Willie saved you, Homer. Homer: But listen to the music! Hes evil! Marge: Hasnt this experience taught you you cant believe everything you hear? Homer: Marge, my friend, I havent learned a thing. Homer: Lets never fight again. This re-emphasises the fickleness of the audience and how it will never learn. In essence the message of the episode is self-explanatory, however this is one of the most important meanings of The Simpsons as a whole, and this episode simply says it with clarity. While The Simpsons has a broad based comedy and a successful formula, we must really appreciate it for the message it tells us. The Simpsons clearly contains a strong message to the media but an even stronger one to the viewers. It is telling the viewers that just as the writers of the show can manipulate fact (or what is fact inside the world of The Simpsons) so can the other forms of media. It takes a cartoon to be able to tell us this because we are willing to accept that a cartoon can manipulate fact. It takes a cartoon to show us that non-animated, respected media of actuality can also manipulate the truth and manipulate the viewers. The Simpsons warns us to be wary of all we see on TV. Bibliography Movies and Television