Friday, February 14, 2020

The Hunger Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Hunger Games - Essay Example The young characters have been depicted as heroes and heroines when some of them are seen reflecting on happier moments in the past, a good example being the main character, Katniss. This essay will critically analyze the book, giving a breakdown of the main ideas found in each of the chapters. In the first chapter, the author introduces Katniss Everdeen, the narrator and the main character. The teenage girl sets out on a gathering and hunting expedition with her friend Gale as they await for the reaping in the afternoon. Katniss has been forced to take part in a fighting tournament against other teenagers. The government has forced children to fight each other to death on TV, the winner taking home prizes. The fights are usually broadcasted to the entire world. Katniss does not enjoy the fights, but she kills with a lot of professionalism and finesse, just to stay alive. From the story in the book, it can be analytically noted that the author has used Katniss to show a transformatio n from a difficult life to one where she experiences pleasure. Katniss lived a life that was full of poverty and suffering. Due to her efforts in hunting and gathering, she used her skills to later enjoy her life by experiencing pleasures which she never knew of before. These pleasures include pretty clothes, food and warmth. However, it is important to note that the author has not in any way depicted sexual pleasure. This shows that the book is very chaste and non-erotic, making it very appropriate for its target audience, young adults (Grossman 1). The story also focuses on the life of a teenage girl who gets stung to death by a mutant swarm of hornets. The author has used violence in a very hypnotic way, unlike other books on violence which tend to be very repellent. This is because violence has been used amidst a fairy tale, making the book very unique. The violence is not merely a cheap thrill. It is something deeper in the sense that the author condemns violence and the action s that take place in the arena but invites readers to enjoy the violence that has been narrated in the story (Sperling 1). ‘The Hunger Games’ exposes children readers to the violence against which society tries so hard to shield them. The author uses this strategy to show adults that they should not forget their experiences as children. They wanted to enjoy the same things against which they are shielding the children. The author supports the fact that children are not stupid, and they are physical creatures. This makes them aware of the fact that violence raw emotions, power and violence exist. The author is really saddened by the fact that adults choose to pretend that these things are not in existence and that children should not know about them (Grossman 1). The book is a bloody, horrifying and chilling one because of the violence depicted through the actions of the characters. The author shows a lot of bloodshed and ruthless killing, especially among children. The setting of ‘The Hunger Games’ is an unspecified time in the future, where such violence seems to be the order of the day (Grossman 1). This shows just how bad the author thinks things will be for humanity in the future. The world that the author has depicted is one whereby a ruling caste dominates the people. In the story, this ruling caste lives in a city known as Capitol (Sperling 1). The rest of the vulnerable population that is being dominated by

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Wall Mart's Strategic Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Wall Mart's Strategic Planning - Case Study Example Simultaneously Walton set up two other enterprises called Ben Franklin franchises and Wall - Mart Discount City. The former expanded into 15 more stores by 1962. In 1969 the company became Walt Mart Stores inc. with 15 Ben Franklin stores, 18 Wall Mart spread through out Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. To-day with combined revenue reaching to 44 billions and spread through out the 42 central and southern states the company has 1720 Wall-Marts, 208 Sam's Whole sale club, and 6 Wall Mart Supercentres in addition to two stores in joint ventures in Mexico. The company has a strategy of identifying areas with under population of 50,000 to open a store and gradually expanded by setting up distribution centres at some place closer to the store with a view to facilitate supply to all the other stores also within a day. The excellent success of the company is considered to be the result of 19 such distribution centres today. The other factor of the success of the company is treating the employees as associate partners having access to complete information about the costs, freight charges, and profit margin. The associates play a major role in the overall and individual success of stores and achieving the company's goals. It will be worthwhile to note here that each of the stores operates independently of the other. This kind of relationship in the organization components known as "pooled interdependence". If there is poor customer service at one store and how the customers view it will have ripple effect on the Wall-Mart as a whole. Basis of establishment of the Strategy: The management of the company prominently relies on the goals achieved. It is treated as a part of the planning process. The top management provides guidelines about the profits and growth. These become the basis of setting of goals. The individual stores provide their own inputs as they have their own annual goals to achieve. However, specific tactical goals are evolved at the division and the stores level. These are then forwarded to the top corporate level for further dissemination, evaluation and measurement for formulating a strategic over all policy. It will be interesting to note a typical target set for an annual goal: Opening 160 new stores; 45 new Sam's Whole sale clubs; 12 - 15 new Wall Mart Super centre; Increasing sales to more than 54 billions; Pursuing a "Buy American" plan to give preference to stocking merchandise manufactured in the United States. The individual stores have a target to achieve a sales increase of 10% over the previous period. Once the goals are established the process of action planning is commenced to provide an outline as to how the goals are to be achieved. It is done at every level. The associates also get a share of the profit above the goals set for every stores. Monitoring: Throughout the year goals achieved are monitored as laid out. But if the Wall Mart has not been satisfied of the result those stores are sold out. The Ben Franklin stores were closed in 1976 and Wall Mart stores were replaced with it. A chain of Helen's Arts and Crafts, the DOT discount drug chain met the same fate. Despite all the evaluation, assessment, dissemination of the in formations and monitoring quite a few of the ventures have failed. Financial aspect: Of interest