Van Helsing

The style Stoker uses to write the novel Dracula, in a series of diary/journal entries, newspaper clippings, letters, and other documents, makes the story more horrifying and suspenseful. This is because as written this way, the story becomes personal. The reader gets the feeling that the story he/she is reading is true. The novel takes on the persona of a case file, which makes the story stand out as a true account of actual events. It makes the reader feel that these terrifying events could actually happen. This style of writing contributes to character development because the characters' personalities are unveiled through the writing.For example, when Dr. Seward describes Renfield, one gets a closer look into the psyche of Dr. Seward. In this excerpt, even though the reader receives a description of Renfield, the description is only what Dr. Seward sees and feels. It is a first-hand account of what a character thinks and feels through his own writing. The reader does not learn abo ut Renfield in this excerpt, but learns about Dr. Seward. This is so because Dr. Seward makes certain conclusions about Renfield, which may or may not be true. Dr. Seward states what he sees, perhaps not what Renfield is actually like.Renfield is a patient at Dr. Seward's insane asylum. Renfield is described as a refined gentleman who eats live creatures such as insects and birds. He believes that eating these living things gives him their life-force. Renfield fed the flies to the spiders, then fed the spiders to the birds, stockpiling their life-force. When he was denied a cat to which to feed the birds, Renfield at the birds himself. Renfield was used by Stoker to drive the plot. It was through Renfield that the reader first learned about Count Dracula as a vampire and Count Dracula's dark world.Renfield helped Count Dracula at first, but betrayed him because he was in love with Mina. Renfield protected her, and it cost him his life. Renfield is also an image of the theme of relig ion and eternal life. Renfield ate living creatures in an attempt to reach eternal life. He thought he would live forever if he could steal others' life-force. This is the goal of the Christian faith, to achieve eternal life. However, Renfield wanted to physically live, while Christians look forward to their souls having eternal life. Renfield contributed to the conflict because he helped all of the characters in some way.For instance, Renfield helped Dr. Seward and Van Helsing realize what Count Dracula was. Renfield also helped Count Dracula lure Mina and Lucy to him. He also helped Mina to escape Count Dracula. Without Renfield, their would not be a story. Renfield contributed to the conflict most when he helped Count Dracula in his evil plans. Renfield came under Count Dracula's control when Count Dracula made an offer to give Renfield an unlimited supply of food if Renfield helped him. When confronted by Mina, Count Dracula's obsession, Renfield tells her to run away.Count Drac ula finds out about this and is so angry that he enters Renfield's cell and breaks his neck. Without Renfield, Count Dracula probably would not have been able to do most of the things he did. Religion, as a major theme of the novel, plays a large role. Many items and people are deemed either â€Å"holy† or â€Å"unholy. † For instance, Van Helsing could be considered â€Å"holy† and Dracula could be considered â€Å"unholy. † Van Helsing likens his mission of chasing Count Dracula to one of â€Å"the old knights of the Cross. † (pg. 508) Therefore, Van Helsing could be understood as a righteous man, doing the will of God to rid the world of a monster.Count Dracula is considered a satanic figure and Van Helsing suggests that Christian icons, such as a crucifix, are the most effective weapons against evil. Stoker uses religious symbolism because he intended Dracula to be a cautionary tale, such as an urban legend. Dracula was written at a time when s cientific and social advancements, such as Darwin's theory of evolution and women gaining more liberties, posed a threat to the traditional, religious way of life. Stoker decided to personify this threat in Dracula. In another passage, Van Helsing criticizes Dr.Seward for relying too heavily on reason. It could be argued that Van Helsing is the protector of tradition while Dr. Seward is a man of science. Van Helsing goes so far as to actually blame science for Dr. Seward's logic thinking. Van Helsing believes that one should rely heavily on faith, not science. This might connect to the novel's central theme of the consequences of modernity because science is a threat to religion like Count Dracula is a threat to the other characters in the story. – Stoker, Bram. Dracula. United Kingdom: Archibald Constable and Company. 1897.

Memorable and Striking Essay

How Charles Dickens Creates Characters That Are Both Memorable and Striking  One of Charles Dickens’ greatest strengths is his ability to create characters that are both believable and memorable. Dickens appealed to all classes of society: to intellectuals and simple folk alike. In ‘Great Expectations’, which was published as a weekly serial, examples of his strengths fill the novel, and this is perhaps why ‘Great Expectations’ has remained as popular now as it was when it was first written. It was not until 1823 that Charles and his family moved to London from Portsmouth. Up until this time he had a happy family life and was doing well at school, already he was a great reader. However life in London was very different, the family had no money, Dickens could not go to school and his father was imprisoned for debt. At the age of eleven he had to work in a shoe-blacking factory and this left a long lasting impression. This experience was relatively short-lived, the family situation improved and he was able to return back to school from there to working in a lawyers office, teaching himself shorthand. By the age of twenty he had become an established newspaper reporter and started to write short stories in his spare time as well as directing and acting in amateur dramatics. Even by his mid twenty’s Dickens’ ability to absorb and portray information was remarkable. Partly due to his tremendous literacy knowledge (for example he read Defoe, Fielding when he was very young) and also as a result of his employment (he frequently reported on Parliament for example) he was able to use his detailed knowledge of London life and people in his writing.  In this essay I intend to discuss the characters of Pip, Joe Gargery, Miss Havisham and Abel Magwitch, because I think these four between them demonstrate Dickens’s expertise at blending character, plot and setting within the novel. One of the techniques that Dickens uses is first person narrative. The book is written from the point of view of Pip who narrates using personal pronouns such as ‘me’ and ‘I’. This technique is effective because it shows the viewpoint of a character (namely Pip) who is able to use personal details and clearly describes surroundings.  Pip is the person on whom the whole novel revolves; the novel starts and ends with Pip. The dictionary’s definition of a pip is ‘ a small hard seed of an apple, pear or orange’. This is relevant to Pip in a way because he is a person who should develop or grow from a ‘small bundle of shivers.’ However, his circumstances at the beginning of the novel give us the impression that this will not allow him to develop. During Pip’s early childhood, he is unjustly suppressed and bullied by his sister, and to a lesser degree, by Pumblechook at the Christmas dinner and the rest of the village.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You would have been disposed of for many shillings†¦and Dunstable the butcher would have come up to you as you lay in your straw,†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You come along and be dosed.†Ã‚  Pip is regularly fed tar water for any simple wrongdoing by his sister who also chastises him regularly with the ironically named ‘Tickler’. Although Pip has the friendship of his brother-in law Joe, this is not enough to stop him developing into a timid, undernourished yet sensitive child. Pip next has pressure put upon him when he goes to Satis House and has his first encounter with Estella and Miss Havisham. Pip’s overwhelming love for Estella and his change in attitude and behaviour towards others hide the real values of life. He becomes ungrateful to Joe and from time to time, his conscience tells him he has behaved badly but finds it difficult to change. It is quite easy to criticise Pip for his change of feeling towards his life long friend Joe, but we must understand that he has been deeply affected by the bullying which he had suffered in his early years at the hands of his dominating sister, as well as his need to improve his life-style. Pip is also rather gullible, we can see this in his encounter with the convict – he really believes that the convict namely Magwitch will tear his liver out; this is because of the atmosphere of death in the graveyard. Also the way that Magwitch speaks in his rough and raspy voice.  When Pip meets Estella, he is taken in by her charms. For the first time he becomes aware of the social differences and background between them. This makes him feel dissatisfied with his life, he feels ashamed of his home, of his ‘coarse hands’ and ‘thick boots’ and the first realisation that life could be better enters his mind. Unfortunately Pip becomes rather distant from his peers and when he finds out he is to come into fortune (his ‘Great Expectations’), he is quick to drop his childhood friends and family in case they embarrass him. Although sometimes he feels guilty about this, he still acts this way. Moving to London and meeting Herbert Pocket again inspires Pip to be more like him, a young gentleman.  However, Pip leaves behind one of the only true gentlemen in the novel Joe Gargery is a blacksmith who is married to Pip’s sister.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"A giant of a man, with fair hair curly hair and mild blue eyes.†Ã‚  Joe is an honest, kind and simple man who becomes a father figure to Pip. Throughout the novel he is one of, the few characters who does not really change. Joe shows the dignity and strength of a gentleman as he is still loyal to Pip, despite Pip’s neglect of Joe. He is able to accept his wife’s harsh personality without showing his true feelings and he finds it difficult to stand up to her strong will. Although partly educated, he is always willing to learn, and is very proud at Pip’s good fortune, and is happy to stay in the background whilst Pip is in London receiving his training to ‘become a gentleman’. Miss Havisham is a bitter old woman whose heart and mind are as decaying as the house in which she lives. When Pip first meets Miss Havisham ‘†¦the strangest lady I have ever seen†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ she is wearing ancient yellowed bridal clothes and he notices that everything in the room is gloomy, faded and old. All the clocks and her watch have stopped at eight forty am. ‘I saw that the bride within the bridal dress had withered like the dress†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢

What makes a true community

Catholicism and Community Presentation T: According to the secular definition of community; Is It a group of people living In the same area with particular characteristics In common. Within the community there Is a feeling of fellowship for others, common attributes, Interests and goals. Communities are everywhere and they have a big Impact when shaping who we are. That Is why It Is Important to surround oneself with communities that reflect and lead us to who we really are. In terms of Catholicism, as humans we are very social which is part of our vocation.Therefore a community in the Catholic view is defined by the following†¦ G: A community is a gathering of a group of people that come together in solidarity to shape the world through the common good. For example, around the world the Red Cross supplies areas suffering from various disasters with relief. This picture exemplifies the community of volunteers that have come together to do the common good of helping out the less fortunate. This group of people represent the visual aspect of community. Without everyone's contribution people stand In isolation and Individualism.Plus even through group members can come from different backgrounds they work and put their deliverables aside to become equal. That Is why everyone's role Is essential when working toward the common good. T: A community gives loyalty and respect to the commitment of the community and positive actions. The quote that we choose to represent this is â€Å"Loyalty has its roots in respects, and respect is the fruit of Love† by Paulo Cello. This quote means to us that loyalty comes from the respect of the community. So therefore when people are respectful they show this through love.When a community is respected and you omit your time to it; it is another way to show love towards it and when you do this ultimately with the right guidance the community will develop positively. G: A community helps, supports and loves one another to d evelop social aspects. Knowing that we are social beings it is important to strengthen our social qualities. A community will support and help each other through thick and thin. In result from all of these encounters with one another we are developing our social valuables. Just like In the picture with all of the people communicating and Interacting with one another.The more we help the more we will be able to love and comfort each other and feel belonging to our social surroundings. Which overall will help what our call to be social. T: A community develops values and receives true happiness from doing the right thing. Whether by exercising rights, opinions, or sharing knowledge to understand perspectives and concepts one must develop values to do the right thing. Our values and morals inspire us to do good and true happiness will follow our actions. Life can be considered like a ladder, at different rungs comes new experiences and new values are learned.When new values are learned and applied within the community or outside of it, a true sense of happiness follows from doing the right thing. And a key thing to remember Is that climbing a ladder can't be accomplished alone Instead with a community to hold and steady the ladder for you. G: A community grows together and develops ones Identity, Through displaying talents and surrounding yourself with positive people you will learn more about interests. A community will teach you more about yourself than you could ever. By being with similar people to you, over time you will be able to reveal you own identity.This is part of the spiritual aspect of community and how we develop our conscious. To represent self revelation we showed this through a mirrors and the community holding them up. From the help of others to self reveal the whole community benefits and grows. T: A community takes responsibility for each other's happiness. The people within a true community with the same values will take responsibility to ma ke sure that everyone is having a similar feeling and understanding to take away from the experience. Kids are always full of Joy and happiness, primarily when they re around a group of friends.They always look out for each other and pick each other up when they are done. Communities have the same responsibility as kids do for their group of friends. They have to look out for each other's happiness and take responsibility that everyone is happy. G: Community is very important too Catholic's life and they are everywhere and began right at the beginning with the creation story of the Earth and Adam and Eve. This includes their responsibility to have dominion of the Earth. Therefore our tree in the background of our collage represents the Garden of Eden.In fact, a tree acts as community too; every part of a tree from the bark, roots to leaves and fruit must function for the community-based structure to work properly. This sense of community is very similar to modern day communities and our need of relationships. T: In conclusion, a community is a group of people in solidarity to shape the world through the common good, it is given loyalty and respect to complete these positive actions, it develops us into social beings through support, we receive happiness and values from the good, by working together we reveal our true identity and responsibility is taken for others happiness.

World's Fair Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World's Fair - Assignment Example These ideas manifested as planning to which the author refers to as usable future. In authors view, the theme of the fair was a new concept; he urges the reader to believe that what was being offered to the viewers was nothing more than fantasy. Fantasy was presented to the viewers to allow them to imagine and accept it as reality. Once accepted as reality, fantasy tends to arouse the desire to seek for what is being offered. Fantasy was presented in various forms; at some places it took the form of solutions to their problems while at other places the purpose was to highlight their cultural prospects. Referring to the modern art, the author asserts that there are two basic mental processes that give rise to the various forms of art whether abstract or other. Geography which follows logic as its central theme and conforms to the rational understandings of humans. Geomancy on the other hand is the product of exposure to inner experiences while following an "arbitrarily permitted number of variables". This assumption may be true for some kinds of arts, yet may not be applicable to all art forms. In authors view, geometry is appealing since it only has to be "internally logical"; while geomancy is tempting as it engages the role of viewer along with the artist to bring out something positive - clearly surpassing the limits set by logic. While talking about the relative success of geometry and geomancy the author is of the view that geometry has in influence far more prominent than geomancy. The reason for this is the fact that modern day consumers have lost their ability to appreciate the sensitive aspects of art which highlight things like "feeling, emotion, intuition and manticism". Since geometry depicts the creativity in measurable and logical manner and inhabitants of the modern world are tuned to follow and understand such presentations – geometry is more successful in art

Contract law- problem question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Contract law- problem question - Essay Example (Thomas v. Thomas)2 The position in respect of existing obligations under a contract and whether they can act as good consideration will now be discussed. One of situation is the one where variation of existing obligations under a contract between the parties occurs.The principle has been modified but the extent to which such modification applies remains unclear. The long established principle in respect of variation of terms and promises in that respect was that of Stilk v. Myrick3whereby it was a long accepted principle that if there was an existing contractual obligation it could never be relied upon that is it could not as good consideration for a fresh promise with the person to whom the existing obligation was owed.. The decision of Stilk and it being good law is doubtful after the case of Williams v Roffey Brothers4the facts of the case were that carpenters, plaintiff, while doing their work, asked the defendants for additional amount of money to finish the work even though they were no doing anything more than what they were already obliged to do. After completion of the work the defendants refused to pay the plaintiff. The main argument that was put forward was that there had been no consideration for the defendants’ promise to pay the additional amount and the decision of Stilk and its application would lead to the promise being construed unenforceable. However, the Court of Appeal found that that plaintiff’ could recover the promised payments for completion of work of the flats, the Court gave a broader meaning to consideration than what had been previously given. The reasoning of Glidewell LJ in particular referred to the point of ‘practical benefits’ which were likely to have accrued to the defendants as a result of them paying the additional promised amount of money, these were that such a promise ensure that the plaintiffs stayed and continued work thus the

Douglas Holt - how brands become icons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Douglas Holt - how brands become icons - Essay Example Followers are the consumers who value a brand the most. Next are insiders who are somewhat critical to a brand. The author has linked the success of a brand with the cultural understanding of consumers while discussing the theory for the development of iconic brands. Douglas Holt has given some valuable suggestions for development of the branding strategy. The suggestions are based on the in-depth study of the historical records of some key iconic brands, such as, Harley-Davidson, BMW, and Coca Cola. One of the main points that Holt has raised in the book is that brands do not become icons by focusing only on the benefits and functions; rather the more important thing in this regard is to create a valuable place for the brand in the national culture. The author has come up with a new branding model named ‘cultural branding’. Cultural branding is a phenomenon that is applicable to a range of categories in which consumers adopt the use of products as things which can expre ss their identities. Some prime examples of cultural branding are also discussed in the book that can be used to express consumer identity. Some of the main examples include famous places, politicians, musicians, cartoon characters, famous heroes and heroines, and sports stars. Apart from this, the author has asserted that companies need to follow hybrid strategies to create iconic brands, such as, Apple, Harley, and Coke. The author has given example of BMW, which is a renowned automobile company, by saying that the company focuses on cultural branding along with a conventional focus on quality reputation in order to remain on top. The author has given example of Budweiser advertising in the initial chapters to show the role of advertising and marketing in creating iconic brands. Advertising is the key to success of a product in any particular market. If a company succeeds in creating a positive image about its products in the mind of consumers, the ways towards forming an iconic b rand becomes easier. To make a product an important part of the popular culture, companies need to develop and follow such marketing and advertising strategies that can set a high place for the brands in any particular society or culture. In the book, the author has proposed three key principles that validate the creation of an iconic brand. The first principle given by the author is that iconic brands are those which are able to deal with the severe contradictions in society. Iconic brands go beyond the functional benefits by grouping the collective desires of people of the society. Next principle is that iconic brands inject a sense of independence and strength in the mind of consumers. Such words are used in the ads that make a person escape from the realities of life. The last principle is that iconic brands work as status symbols for people. For example, a person owning a BMW car and wearing a Rolex watch is assumed top be a successful person in the society and that perception is usually same all over the world. These are the principles that are mentioned in the book by Douglas Holt that confirm the value of a brand as an iconic brand. The author has used the case studies of some of the most famous iconic brands to support the proposed principles regarding development of iconic brands. The main point raised in the book is that cultural understanding is the factor that plays the most vital role in building an iconic brand. Moreover, it is also

HSBC Plc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HSBC Plc - Essay Example rce capability, HSBC provides a comprehensive range of financial services: personal, commercial, corporate, investment and private banking; trade services; cash management; treasury and capital markets services; insurance; consumer and business finance; pension and investment and management; trustee services; and securities and custody services. financial services in 83 countries and territories. It provides its customers with a wide range of banking and other financial services, selected to complement its strategy in each market. Where HSBC enjoys large scale – or, in the case of emerging markets, where scale can be built – it offer a full range of personal financial products. In other markets, it participates more selectively, meeting the needs of customers with strong international connections. Sometimes it innovates and at other times, it relaunches some products as per the need of the market. HSBC has adopted a unified brand, using HSBC and its hexagon symbol nearly everywhere it operates, with the aim of enhancing recognition of the Group and its values by customers, shareholders and staff throughout the world. The branding initiative allowed HSBC to develop new services and products on a worldwide scale, all bearing the Group’s identity. Since 2002, the HSBC identity has carried the strap line â €˜the world’s local bank’ emphasising the Group’s experience and understanding of a great variety of markets and cultures. HSBC follows the Product Invention Strategy(Kotler,422) . This means that either it develops new products or reintroduces earlier product forms and promotion does not change. It could be diagramatically represented as follows: Managing for Growth Strategy: This strategy provides HSBC with a blueprint for organic growth and development. This strategy was launched in 2003 and would continue up to 2008. The plan aims at guiding the Group to achieve management’s vision to be the world’s leading financial services company. The company