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Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. The environment before the born of Airbnb
3. The new offering provided by airbnb
4. How has it changed the market?

Introduction

Airbnb is all called AirBed And Breakfast. Its headquarter is in San Francisco, California. Airbnb has infiltrated 190 countries since it was founded in 2008, leading the global sharing economy boom. Specifically, it helps users to book spare room (for home stay facility) via the Internet, opening the supply end of the idle housing to meet potential demand side. Its properties and trading volume have already begun to rival international hotel, in 2017 it’s rooms number surpassed that of the sum of top two traditional hotels: Intercontinental and Hilton.

Airbnb is very cost-effective and has become the choice of travel, tourism, business and office. It enables customers to communicate in real time through Internet platforms and apps, makes the most of resources and saves a lot of intermediate costs in hotel management, personnel recruitment. In a public interview earlier this year, Airbnb executives said that 300 million people had used their service, and after a decade of growth, Airbnb has been valued at more than $30 billion, making it the second-largest unicorn company in the United States after Ube.

The environment before the born of Airbnb

The birth of Airbnb coincides with the U. S. financial crisis in 2008. Its huge impact brought severe losses to many industries in the United States. The bankruptcy of large and small enterprises and the wave of unemployment came, and the accommodation industry could not be excluded. Affected by the economic crisis, the US hotel market suffered a severe shortage in supply in 2006-2008, and the industry was unable to effectively supply market demand due to its cost dilemma, which brought an important development opportunity for Airbnb.

The United States is home to multinational corporations. Since the 1980s, the presence of multinational companies in the United States has provided a large and stable market for the country's accommodation industry. The staffs of US-funded multinational companies can create huge business opportunities for the domestic accommodation industry only by business travel. Business travelers accounted for 44% of all hotel stays in 2007, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (2017).

Besides, tourism, one of the ten pillar industries in the United States, is a huge consumer force for the accommodation industry. According to the United States Department of Commerce (2008), the number of visitors to the United States increased year by year from 2006 to 2008. According to statistics from the American Hotel and Lodging Association, the number of hotel rooms in the United States in 2006 decreased compared to 2005, while the number of visitors increased, resulting in supply shortage of rooms. Over the next two years, this dilemma became more pronounced, setting the stage for the difficulty of ordering hotels for the American Industrial Design Conference in October 2007, and providing the best historical opportunity for Airbnb's accommodation innovations.

The new offering provided by airbnb

Airbnb provides a platform based on the Internet and mobile Internet to help travelers find short-term accommodation, as well as to help owners rent out spare rooms, to create realization channel for idle assets. House owners with vacant rooms post information on the Airbnb platform, they can decide to rent out an entire house/ apartment or a room, the accommodations can also vary from low-costed one to luxury one.

The houses provided on the platform stick to service scenario design, forming their own characteristics, the most popular houses are: Nature theme houses such as treehouse in Atlanta, Canada unique small wooden house, Romantic Theme houses such as Mexico charming shell house, Rome mini attic, California pirate theme tent, and Experience Theme houses such as igloo, vans, lighthouse and cave.

Tenants make online appointments based on the "Internet of things +" technology (cloud computing, big data, Internet of things and mobile Internet) to meet their needs. They can filter the rooms based on location, dates, number of people, price or design styles on Airbnb’s straightforward website. The website generates an individual list for the customer based on the refined attributes, the customers can view the housing information and previous guests’ evaluation. Dialog boxes are provided for guest to communicate with the host for extra information and reservation can be made and responded on website, as well as payment transaction.

How has it changed the market?

Change the profitability in accommodation industry

The hotel industry has been greatly impacted by Airbnb's onslaught, especially those low-end, non-business hotels. Airbnb shocked the relationship between demand and supply of this industry with its plenty of hosts in 190 countries that can cater millions of customers per year. Importantly, the accommodation provided by Airbnb is perfect substitute for hotels. Guttentag and Smith did market survey in 2017 and found that most of travellers shift to Airbnb from traditional hotels, primarily lower-end hotels. Zervas et al. (2015) also pointed out that Airbnb creates great supply for middle-level hotels.

Guttentag and Smith (2017) stressed that the relationship between demand and supply and consequent reduction in revenue can significantly change profitability of accommodation industry, because most hotels’ cost structure consist of high proportion of fixed cost and low marginal cost. In an empirical paper from Boston University, the authors used evidence to show that for every 10 percent increase in the supply of Airbnb, the local hotel's monthly revenue declined by 0. 35 percent, while in Austin, where is mostly covered by Airbnb, the impact expanded to 13 percent of revenue.

Affect local tourist industrylocal tourist industry benefited a lot from Airbnb

Because Airbnb makes a large proportion of its guests extend their staying period in destination by easing the burden of accommodation and engaging guests in local environments. Thus, guests are willing to spend the saving from accommodation to other tourist consumption include tourist attractions, restaurants and transportation.

Airbnb makes "Sharing Economy” become market trend

The short rental service, led by Airbnb, subverts the traditional hotel service and creates new housing rental experience. Airbnb brings the Sharing Economy into people's eyes by pioneering sharing model. Sharing economy expands optional space and welfare promotion space of trading main body, and make the both sides of supply and demand can release their share or demand items (or skills, time, money) via the Internet, increasing the alternative trading objects, and making both sides to master more information, fundamentally improving the quality of transactions and creating more welfare.

The relationship between Prospero and Ariel is a curious one. Firstly, their names have interesting connotations. Prospero brings to mind the verb ‘to prosper’ – suggestive of magic and conjuring, while Ariel, described as an ‘airy spirit’ in the character list, has a name that notifies the audience that he is of the elements and can be considered a demi-god. Despite this elevated status, Ariel is obedient to his ‘noble master’ – even though it is he who conducts a great deal of Prospero’s magic. Although there may well be a friend-like bond of mutual respect between the two characters, it soon becomes clear that Prospero is indeed in control of Ariel, who acts not unlike a right-hand man. The use of ‘sir’ and ‘master’ by Ariel to address Prospero provides evidence for Prospero’s authority and power over his subject.

Ariel appears to be indebted to Prospero, a fact emphasized to the audience by his exaggerated language. Shakespeare’s use of hyperbole to force the idea that Ariel serves Prospero is highly effective. For example, ‘All hail, great master!’ and ‘I come to answer thy best pleasure,’ portray Ariel almost as a sycophant to his master, desperate to appease him. This is continually reinforced throughout the scene, with Ariel’s responses to Prospero’s questions becoming increasingly elaborate – ‘Not a hair perished; on their sustaining garments not a blemish,’ is Ariel’s answer when Prospero asks him whether all those who were entrapped in the tempest are still alive.

This use of exaggerated tone and overtly descriptive vernacular intrigues the audience, as one wonders why Ariel might feel such an intense need to appease Prospero. The text answers this question by declaring that Prospero freed Ariel from the ‘foul witch Sycorax.’ Prospero is eager to emphasise his control, as can be seen when he retorts to Ariel’s request for freedom by declaring him a ‘malignant thing’ – reducing him to inanimate object. He goes on to ask, ‘dost thou forget from what torment I freed thee?’ When Ariel answers ‘no,’ Prospero still takes the opportunity to retell just how compassionate he was to Ariel, highlighting the ways in which Sycorax imposed her ‘age and envy’ to imprison Ariel within a tree ‘painfully’ for ‘a dozen years.’ Prospero uses sarcasm and rhetorical questions – ‘o was she so?’ to ensure that Ariel resists reiterating how he ‘has done thee worthy service, told thee no lies, made thee no mistakes’ and ‘served without grudge or grumblings.’

Shakespeare deploys imagery successfully in order to suggest Prospero’s dominance over Ariel. Prospero, who initially treats Ariel in a manner that reflects admiration, soon begins employing threatening imagery in an effort to convince Ariel that he must serve his duty or face severe punishment. Prospero threatens, ‘if thou more murmur’st, I will rend an oak, and peg thee in his knotty trails, till thou hast howled away twelve winters.’ The use of metaphor when stating ‘thy groans did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breast of bear’ in reference to Sycorax’s imprisonment of Ariel accentuates the idea that Prospero has acted as Ariel’s liberator.

In Act I, scene 2, Prospero suggests that Ariel is very much indebted to his master. While it is clear to the audience that Prospero has been hypocritical toward Ariel by enslaving him in much the same vein as Sycorax did (although she simply imprisoned him), Ariel is forced to continue serving Prospero. After Prospero’s threatening warning, Ariel reverts to his original subservience: ‘That’s my noble master. What shall I do? Say what. What shall I do?’ However, Prospero does not treat Ariel as one who is among the lowest in the Jacobin social order – like Caliban – but predominantly as a respected servant, ensuring that he retains control but also eager to praise his ‘quaint Ariel.’ The tone of Prospero is one of delight and pleasure at Ariel’s magic – ‘why, that’s my spirit.’ Instead of overtly ordering Ariel to do his bidding, Prospero simply suggests that it is his duty to do as he says – ‘Ariel, thy charge exactly is performed. But there’s more work.’ Ariel, meanwhile, generally responds with obedience.

Ariel is not the ‘moody’ character that Prospero describes him as when he tentatively asks for his ‘liberty,’ but is rather charmingly energetic and enthusiastic. When describing his actions, he uses expressive adjectives such as ‘flamed amazement’ and ‘Jove’s lightnings’ – an insight into the potential power of Ariel. His references to Neptune and Jove, both ancient Greek gods, forms a direct comparison between his work and that of a god – an idea that instantly prompts the audience to recognise that Prospero cannot govern Ariel exclusively as a servant.

There is an aspect to Ariel that separates him from the earthly world of humans. Although he may well be subject to the magician, his own conjuring is more natural and of a higher order than that the powers learned from books. Ariel is associated with the power of the elements; images such as ‘flame’, ‘thunder-claps’, ‘spirits’ and ‘nymph o’ the sea’ all enhance the idea that his is a pure figure, a child of nature.

While Prospero ultimately presides over Ariel, the audience is made aware that the relationship between the two cannot be defined so simply as master/slave. Prospero requires Ariel’s magic, while Ariel needs him to earn his liberty. Shakespeare presents the concept of mutual dependence in this scene so that as the play unravels and all achieve their aims, the conclusion is not alien to the audience, but rather relates to the beginning of the play.

Ariel is presented more favourably than his master Prospero in Act I, scene 2. Although one expects Prospero to be a positive influence on the island due to the fact that he has been usurped from power himself, and assumed the role of leader of the island due to his noble status, one must consider Prospero’s disruption of the natural order. While Prospero has seemingly convinced himself that he has the right to rule over Ariel, which in turn raises the question of whether Prospero can be considered a ‘good’ character or not, he has dominated over the natural world in Arial and the rightful heir of the island in Caliban.

In Act I, scene 2, Shakespeare introduces Ariel as both powerful and subservient, committed to the cause of his master, Prospero. Their relationship is one of mutual dependence, but is ultimately governed by Prospero, who consistently exerts his authority over Ariel. Ariel’s introduction is important in that he is symbolic of the beauty of the island. It is clear that Ariel, possibly like the island, wishes to be rid of the meddling Prospero, but he realises that he is under must obey his ‘master’: ‘Pardon, master, I will be correspondent to your command, and do my spiriting gently.’ Ariel’s obedience to Prospero signifies the latter’s continual misuse of power; he utilizes Ariel’s magic to cause disturbances, but is unwilling to grant Ariel his rightful liberty. Ariel’s appearance as one who is both natural and powerful, but under the dictatorship of Prospero, implies that he is being ruled over unjustly. Indeed, Shakespeare forges their relationship either to provoke the suggestion that Prospero’s right as ruler is not indisputable, but open to debate, or in support for the continuation of the royal inheritance of kings.

Works Cited

1. Greenblatt, S. (2004). Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W. W. Norton & Company.
2. Kermode, F. (2001). Shakespeare's Language. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
3. Shakespeare, W. (2010). The Tempest (3rd ed.). Edited by Stephen Orgel. Oxford University Press.
4. Tennenhouse, L. (1998). Power on Display: The Politics of Shakespeare's Genres. Routledge.
5. Dollimore, J., & Sinfield, A. (1998). Political Shakespeare: New Essays in Cultural Materialism (2nd ed.). Manchester University Press.
6. Montrose, L. (1996). The Purpose of Playing: Shakespeare and the Cultural Politics of the Elizabethan Theatre. University of Chicago Press.
7. Hawkes, T. (2007). Shakespeare in the Present. Routledge.
8. Vaughan, V., & Vaughan, A. T. (1999). Shakespeare's Caliban: A Cultural History. Cambridge University Press.
9. Shakespeare, W. (2019). The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Bedford/St. Martin's.
10. Loomba, A. (2005). Shakespeare, Race, and Colonialism. Oxford University Press.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Particularities of the Japanese Political System
3. Political Reforms in the Heisei Era and Consequences
4. Conclusion

Introduction

Back during the first year of the Heisei era, Japan was unraveling its ambitious program of political reforms, which were supposed to put Japanese democracy on the same foot as major Western countries. In 1989, the LDP declared in its outline of political reform “Now we are ready to show to the people our political conscience and sense of responsibility, steeling ourselves to shed blood and make sacrifices”. What remains today of the ambition of Japanese politicians to reform the country? Although significant changes have taken place since the establishment of democracy in Japan after World War II, the core characteristics of Japanese politics remain intact. Indeed, the LDP’s central role in politics is stronger than ever, money politics is still rampant, and excessive bureaucracy prevents Japan from achieving major reforms. In the wake of declining interest among youth for politics and nationwide discontent regarding economic policies, it is necessary to reflect on what are the key features of Japanese politics today, and how political reforms in Japan have failed to bring about substantial change to Japanese politics. We will proceed by first analyzing the current status of Japanese politics today, its particularities and how it compares to other advanced democracies. Then, we will examine more closely the reforms that have emerged, mainly after 1989, and their impact on Japanese politics to this day. Finally, in this essay we will try to understand to what extent these changes have failed to meet their targets and have not, as the LDP leaders desired then, shaken the LDP’s stronghold on Japanese politics.

Particularities of the Japanese Political System

After 1947, Japan was forced to adopt a democratic parliamentary system under pressures from America. Emerging from business leaders, the conservative LDP quickly became the major political party in Japan.

This brings us to a first characteristic of the Japanese system: one party wields excessive power compared to the others. Although in the prime years of Japanese democracy, the Social Democratic party, leaning towards socialism, held a great number of seats and confronted the LDP, opposition parties have since then become more divided. The main opposition party has changed names many times and is currently known as the Democratic Party for the People. However, the multiplicity of small parties make it difficult for each individual party to be fairly represented in the parliament, especially in light of the current voting system. Since the LDP’s support has become weaker after the burst of the bubble and the economic crisis in the late 1980s, they have usually retained power through a coalition of conservative right-wing parties. Despite brief transitions in 1993 and between 2009 and 2012, the LDP has always sent its leader as Prime Minister to lead the country. Even in the wake of numerous scandals and unpopular economic policies, support for the LDP has remained strong since 2012 and it is unlikely to be challenged in the near future. This highlights the key aspect of Japanese politics: it favors stability in terms of ruling party, and changes are most often coming from frequently changing Prime Ministers. Indeed, in the last 20 years alone, 16 different Prime Ministers ruled the country. Therefore, although LDP is the inevitable ruling political party, multiple factions exist inside the party and a great diversity of people are represented. Rather than a change from ruling party to opposition party, Japanese politics is characterized by regular transition among the LDP between party factions and leader.

A second key aspect of Japanese politics is its unique voting system that favors the one party dynamics. The most important elections are those of the House of Representatives, since the leader of the political party which received the highest turnout gets to rule the country. House of Representatives is composed of 465 members, among whom 176 are elected through proportional representation and 289 from single member constituencies. Since it is only semi-proportional, it tends to favor the LDP and its hegemonic position. Although composed of different factions, the strong grip of the LDP on Japanese Politics have led some scholars to question the fairness of the Japanese political system in representing citizens’ opinion.

Third, Japanese Politics suffers from low turnout and decreasing interest for elections among the younger generation. Indeed, Japanese voters seems disenchanted by politics and only 53.68% showed up at the polls for the 2017 general election, second lowest turnout in post-war Japan history. One of the reasons for this lack of political participation in comparison with other advanced democracies may be the lack of real change as the LDP has almost always won and few are willing to challenge its stance. Because older people are far more likely to vote and ever more numerous, political parties tend to favor them at the expense of younger voters. This has created a situation of “silver democracy” which undermines the credibility of Japanese Politics. If remaining unchanged, this situation could put a greater burden on Japanese democracy and its effectiveness.

Last, Japanese politics is dominated by its central bureaucracy. The role of bureaucracy in Japan is prominent and Japanese elected officials have arguably less power than the established bureaucracy. It is said that “80% of policies come from bureaucrats and 20% by elected country leaders”. This dates back to the Meiji era when aristocrats looked down on the commoners and held the slogan “Revere the bureaucrat, despise the people”. Bureaucrats hold discretionary power, licensing and approval power, making formal and informal regulations etc., which makes them the “third legislative house”. Heavy rules and regulations in Japanese society ensure that they maintain their authority. One can wonder how such a concentration of power and decision-making in the hands of elites can be considered democratic.

Besides, the LDP has been involved in numerous scandals since the 1990s (Recruit Scandal) that has revealed the porous links between the administration, the bureaucrats and business leaders.

Therefore, we can conclude that the four key characteristics of Japanese Politics are in order of importance: an hegemonic political party (LDP) with frequent internal transition, a semi-proportional voting system favoring one party, a relatively low participation rate of the population in politics and lastly, an excessively powerful bureaucracy.

Political Reforms in the Heisei Era and Consequences

Conscious of the necessity to reform politics and avoid the one-party domination, successive governments have led several reforms to cement democracy in Japan.

One of the major political reforms that was passed in 1994, after years of debate, was the change in the electoral system. Because the LDP lost the general elections in 1993, the ruling coalition pledged to enact a new electoral system that would favor an alternance of two party rule in place of the LDP hegemony, fragilized by internal scandals. Electors also hoped that the new system would be more effective to fight against corruption. Previously, voters would vote to elect one to six representatives for each of the 129 districts. However, under this system, parties would have to find ways of ensuring that each candidate obtain a minimum number of votes to be elected, in order to maximize the number of representatives they can send to Parliament. Needless to say, this strongly favored the LDP and led to endemic corruption. The reformed electoral system hoped to correct the previous failures through its two tiers: single-member districts (289 seats) and proportional representation (176 seats). Besides, it also reorganized constituencies that were malapportioned, because Japan’s population had shifted away from rural constituencies to urban settlements that were underrepresented in the previous electoral system. However, LDP has since regained power and corruption is still prevalent in Japanese politics.

Another transition came when the DPJ coalition emerged victorious from the 2009 House of Representatives election. This marked only the second time since World War II that the LDP lost the elections (first in 1993). DPJ administration promised to fight against the rule of bureaucracy and move the US Marine Base out of Okinawa, which they both failed to do. Their legislative failure and incapacity to solve internal conflicts led to their defeat and the return of the LDP in 2012. The two party system, that was the goal of the 1990s reforms, failed to materialize and the LDP has an even tighter grip on Japanese politics.

To solve the issue of silver democracy discussed earlier, and convince the younger generation to get involved in politics, politicians decided to lower the voting age from 20 to 18. It was first implemented in the 2016 House of Councillors election and resulted in a rather high turnout from younger voters. Despite opposition from the public, making young people more engaged in politics is essential to maintain effective democracy in Japan. Nonetheless, consequences were disappointing with young voters turnout shrinking in the 2017 General Election, and strictly no impact on the LDP score. Viewed as a political maneuver, the new voting age was insufficient to rebuild trust from young electors in Japanese politics.

Meanwhile, small parties have started to proliferate since the 2010s, showing the inability of the opposition parties to form a coherent political movement and gain consensus on major policies. The multiplication of small parties has only served the interests of the LDP, which denounced the unpreparedness of other parties to hold office. The once ruling DPJ has given birth to two new parties that reveal the inconceivable differences that existed among its members: Constitutional party of Japan and Kibou no Tou, led by the charismatic Yuriko Koike. The CDP, along with the Communists and the SDP form the pacifist coalition while the Koike-led coalition has since collapsed following the 2017 general elections. Therefore, there are now not one but two major opposition parties: the CDP and the Koike coalition, whose future is uncertain. So far, this change in configuration of the opposition parties has failed to threaten the ruling LDP and convince the electors.

The last political change that has been put forward is decentralization. Decentralization has been enthusiastically promoted since the 1990s in Japan. After the war, Japan had the characteristics of a heavily centralized system whereby local governments were appointed by the Central government and only delegated some minor tasks. In a broader context of political reforms in the 1990s, decentralization was thought to go hand-in-hand with deregulation which brought about the Decentralization Promotion Law in 1995. Other laws have followed to transfer more authority to local governments and move decisions further away from the Central authority in Tokyo (such as on tax revenue, citizen autonomy etc.). Once again, results were seen as insufficient as they did not contribute to an expansion of autonomy and independence of local governments.

To conclude, on the surface, there seems to have been numerous changes to Japanese Politics since the first government transition took office in 1993. A reform of the electoral system to introduce proportional representation, two DPJ administrations, lowering of the voting age and promotion of decentralization have all been conducted in the last twenty-five years. However, the results have been underwhelming: the two-party system has failed to develop, the DPJ administration is considered a failure and voters have never been so distrustful of politicians.

After looking more closely at the last decades of Japanese politics, it appears clearly that the overall political system has not evolved drastically despite its shortcomings. We shall try to understand why it has failed to do so, despite some successes, and how Japanese politics could overcome those issues. Indeed, the electoral system is still heavily biased. The introduction of a semi-proportional voting system has not had much of an impact on the politics, and LDP still remains in place. The semi-proportional voting system is insufficient to represent the ideas of the Japanese citizens in a fair way. Many have criticized the reform for being incomplete and not implementing fully proportional representation.

This flawed political system is all the more obvious when looking at the political scandals that continue to plague Japan. In 2018, two major political scandals have cast doubt on trust in politicians. They concern Moritomo Gakuen and Kake Educational Institution, two school operators with close links to Abe, that has been accused of favoritism by the Prime Minister for the sale of state-owned land and the opening of a new veterinary school. The Prime Minister simply dismissed those scandals, and refused to acknowledge his responsibility in the case; thereby underpinning the grave distrust of politicians in the country. Far from becoming more transparent, the Abe administration has been accused of insincerity and refused to confront the grim reality of corruption in Japanese politics. Meanwhile, opposition parties have also faced scandal, with Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike being embroiled in so-called “Olympics bribery scandal”. The practice is so common that the term “Money politics” has been used to qualify Japanese politics.

However, opposition parties remain as divided as ever, and have failed to “project a clear vision for the government they wish to form”, although the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Yuriko Koike’s movement emerging as potential leaders to counterweight the LDP’s overwhelming power. Yuriko Koike’s victory for the Tokyo gubernatorial election was seen as wind of change, being the first female Tokyo governor ever, and distancing herself from the LDP. Besides, the historical decision of six opposition parties including the CDP to back joint candidates in single-seat upper house races for the 2019 House of Councillors send a strong symbolic message and shows a relative discontent in LDP’s politics. It remains to be seen whether Japan’s opposition can form a coherent bloc to campaign against the LDP supremacy.

Another issue that remains to be solved is malapportionment, which refers to the uneven distribution of voting districts across the country, favoring rural areas and the ruling party. This distorted distribution means that with only 29% of popular votes, the LDP could win 79% of winner-take-it-all seats in the General Election, giving them a supermajority at the Parliament. The 129 proportionally designated seats cannot compensate for this, and opposition remains confined to a minor role. This also stems from the fact that none of the policies taken to get people to vote have shown their fruitfulness, as Japanese voter turnout keeps shrinking.

Recent developments might however show some hope, as attempts have been made by the government to challenge the omnipotent bureaucracy, reapproportionate the constituencies, as well as with the rise of a coherent opposition and a will to change before the Olympics 2020, when the international community’s attention will be focused on Japan.

Conclusion

Japanese politics display many peculiar characteristics that distinguish it from other modern democracies, namely a dominating ruling party that has only stepped out of office twice since WWII but composed of multiple factions, a semi-proportional voting system that has mainly favored the ruling party, a declining population of voters who are increasingly distrustful of politics and an exceptionally powerful bureaucracy. The result has been the continuing tenure of the LDP met with frequently changing political leaders. Since the early 1990s, numerous attempts have been made to challenge this supremacy: a semi-proportional system was introduced, and DPJ won the elections twice, each time following major corruption scandals from the LDP. Besides, the voting age has been lowered to 18 and decentralization has been heavily promoted as a means to introduce more autonomy and local democracy.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that changes have failed to meet expectations, and most aspects of politics have remained the same. Indeed, proportional representation is incomplete and continues to favor LDP, political participation remains too low for a working democracy, malapportionment is impeding other political parties from emerging. Scandals and corruption remain endemic among political parties, slowly eroding popular support in the system.

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Democratic politics are clearly facing a crisis in Japan and around the world. It is up to the Japanese government, and also, the opposition parties to take action to tackle those issues and protect democracy in Japan. Fairness, transparency, representation, and trust are values that the Japanese political system has failed to uphold thus far, and desperately needs to implement in order to regain voter support and faith in the wake of impending General Elections.

Table of contents

1. European Union (EU)
TaxesNuclear PowerDevelopment AidEducationHealth CareEldercareImmigration
2. Conclusion

This informative essay we will discuss the important political issues in Sweden today. This is important today because we want to keep Sweden safe and democratic. This essay will first discuss EU, taxes, Nuclear power, Eldercare, Development Aid, Election, Health care, immigration.

It is known that I believe that our political party is the best political party to help develop Sweden to a more advanced to rule Sweden.

European Union (EU)

We think that the EU must be better and more effective. This is done by strengthening the major common issues, such as environment and climate, migration, human rights, trade, competitiveness and the fight against inter environment national crime and other threats.

We want the EU to collaborate more on issues affecting many countries. Europe was in ruins, Bombed cities, damaged children, invalids who tried go home, desperate people that looks for food to eat. The EU has helped to make Europe's war a continent of peace and stability. We think that EU has to be developed. The EU must not focus on the wrong things. We are working for a more democratic EU. We want citizens to have greater opportunity to gain insight into the decisions made and to influence the EU. We think it is the single market and free movement that are the EU's most important forces and we want Sweden to be part of that.

Taxes

It needs to be cheaper for new small businesses to start hiring and creating jobs. We need to lower taxes on income so that the reduction reaches all and especially those with the lowest income. The tax system needs to be simplified and therefore we have proposed a broad tax reform. We want to see lower taxes on labor and instead higher taxes on environmental emissions. New arrivals and young people without high school graduates who do not get work on today's high entry salaries need to get a second chance with a new employment form. They need to start for a few years for a slightly lower salary to increase their income from low contributions and start making a salary career. Sweden needs more of the entry level jobs without education requirements in neighboring countries such as Denmark and Germany.

Nuclear Power

Step by step opens the Center Party to allow uranium eruption in Sweden. Prior to the 2006 election, the party would ban uranium mining. During the term of office, the Center Party members in the Riksdag have voted for a prohibition proposal. When the Nature Conservation Association asks the party's parliamentary candidates if they want a ban on uranium eruption, only 33 procent respond yes. Even the Christian Democrats are turning, only 13 procent today support a ban. In the 1960s Sweden was interested in nuclear, and also nuclear weapons. The Swedish government was curious about weapons from the moment they were revealed to the world, and a state run program was launched that would look into the possibility of procuring locally produced weapons by building a combined electric and plutonium reactor: R4, reactor 4.

Development Aid

A Conservative MP is leading a fightback against tabloid and right thing attacks on foreign aid with a new report on how the funds help to reduce poverty. Nick Herbert, a former minister, said it was important to defend the effectiveness of aid at a time of pressure on western governments to cut back their spending. In the foreword to his report, he said claims that aid had slowed growth and made the poor poorer did not stand up to scrutiny and detailed academic evidence shows these were minority views among development economists. Foreign aid spending is unpopular with dozens of Conservative MPs and Ukip, as well as regularly coming under attack in the pages of the Daily Mail and Daily Express.

Education

Higher education and research can be seen as an expression of human knowledge seekers and the desire to understand more about themselves and their world. It contributes to the development and critical thinking of the individual, while contributing to societal and economic development. Sweden has high ambitions for higher education, but the Liberals do not allow an expanded college to happen at the expense of quality. Sweden should have a sharp quality assurance system that disapproves of non-mature education. The high quality education will be given additional resources. Teacher led instruction should increase.

Health Care

The same applies to political parties. This is plain to see in the Senate healthcare bill. It’s hard to imagine a clearer statement of priorities than the competing approaches to health care in the United States. In short Democrats are focused on trying to maximize the number of people who have decent health insurance and are willing to accept whatever tax increases and arrangements with health insurers and other private interests are needed to make that happen. They seek the broadest possible availability of health care whatever the cost and political tradeoffs it takes to achieve it. Republicans are focused on trying to minimize taxes especially on investment income and keeping federal subsidies for health care to a minimum. They are willing to accept the wrenching consequences that attaining those goals might have for Americans insurance coverage betting that lower taxes and smaller government will fuel a more vibrant economy.

Eldercare

Some municipalities offer everyone who has reached the age of 75 a home visit of a nurse in cooperation with the county council. The nurse then makes a health check and helps you to adjust the home to reduce the risk of accidental injury. Home visits are voluntary and you can always choose to decline no. If you need a good man, the municipality will make sure you get one. Good man is called the person who takes care of and helps you get help with what you need such as care care or managing your finances. For example it may be a relative who applies for and is appointed good man for someone who is older demented or need help. You can get home care if you want to stay at home and have medical needs. A nurse may come home to you for example to change a catheter. Home services can handle easier care such as helping you take medication. In some parts of the country the municipality is responsible for home care in others the county council is responsible for this usually via the health center.

Immigration

We believe in all people's equal rights and values. We want Sweden to make a difference in the world. We want to eradicating poverty, create a safer world, strengthen democracy and safeguard procuring locally produced respect for human rights. We have always been part of an international movement with a commitment to people in other countries and the world we have in common. Our policy for peace and human security is based on our values of freedom, equality and solidarity. We want to eradicate poverty and promote economic, social and environmental development. The starting points are people's own driving forces to create development and the perspectives on which global development policy is based.

Conclusion

We want the EU to be a better place. We need to low taxes and save them to the poor people. We have 33% of Nuclear power but Christian Democrats are turning only 13% to support a ban. A Conservative MP is leading a fightback against tabloid and right thing attacks on foreign aid with a new report on how the funds help to reduce poverty. Higher education and research can be seen as an expression of human knowledge seekers and the desire to understand more about themselves and their world. In short Democrats are focused on trying to maximize the number of people who have decent health insurance. Some municipalities offer everyone who has reached the age of 75 a home visit of a nurse in cooperation with the county council. We believe in all people equal rights and values. We want Sweden to make a difference in the world. We want to eradicating poverty, create a safer world, strengthen democracy and safeguard procuring locally produced respect for human rights.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Vision
3. Motivation
4. Ethics
5. Leadership effectiveness
6. ?onclusion and reflection
7. References

Introduction

Introduction: This essay is based on the movie “Coach Carter” which is an American biographical sports drama film directed by Thomas Carter in the year 2005. The film is based on the true story of Ken Carter who was the coach of basketball of Richmond high school in California. Background: He believed that basketball was secondary to good discipline, learning right things and, personal responsibility. Throughout the movie, Carter started to teach his players about the value of self-respect, learning creative things, discipline, unity, trust and loyalty among team members. Thesis statement: I want to analyze Coach Carter's leadership in my essay to define the qualities of a good leader such as clear and straightforward vision, motivation, effective leadership styles, and confidence.

Carter always showed his players that the biggest obstacle is their own fear of trying for more than they have. 'Starting today, you will act like winners, play like winners, and, most of all, you will be winners'. In the beginning of the film, Ken Carter joins the job as a coach of basketball of Richmond optional school which was in California. Carter realized that the players are rude and disrespectful towards him during the game practice. Commentary: As a good coach, he emphasized the importance of respectful behaviour by calling all his players “sir” and also told them that he will respect them as they respect him back as a coach of their game.

Topic sentence: Looking player’s poor sports and academic performance, poor execution and behaviour, lack of respect, empathy for each other, and nonappearance of trust and loyalty, carter decided to sign a contract from among in order to show respect, care, unity and good behaviour and positive attitude towards each other and also explained they have to maintain at least a 2.3 GPA academically. Evidence & citing: However, ken carter made strict rules and regulations for the team players with that all players started to focus on to improve their performances in basketball game to win the matches confidently. Commentary: Due to rules and guidelines, all players started spending more time on practice of basketball game to become famous player of it. But on the other hand, Coach Carter was upset to get the progress’ reports of their players from their teachers in which their academic grades were started getting poor due to not attending class regularly because by spending all time on games, the players were unable to pay attention towards their studies properly. Topic sentence: In this situation, to solve the problem Coach Ken recalled to all players that they all have signed contract in which academics come first. Evidence & citing: He also decided to take appropriate actions to encourage them to improve their grades in studies and made them to study hard. Commentary: In order to implement his action, on getting poor academic scores he cancelled practice classes, locked up the gym and sent all the players to library to devote their time to studies to get good grades with the help of variety of books related to their studies. Moreover, Coach also cancelled the biggest game of the season and this action of Coach was highly criticized by the school board, parents and players also. He faced many problems but never left his rules and regulations under any circumstances and at last he made his students perfect not only in games but also in academics.

Vision

Topic sentence: Coach Carter was playing a vital role in overall development of students as outstanding motivational leader. Evidence & citing: In this movie, the main vision of Coach ken was realistic and long- term action oriented by focusing on future consequences. Commentary: There is no doubt that his vision covered wide, broader aspects of life which included not only successful achievement of mission values and goals, but also contributing to improve the personal life of his players so that they would be able to stand on their on feet in life to take right decisions. As coach Ken charter was loyal, trustworthy, and compassionate and his inspired personality left an effective and positive mark on his player’s life by playing act as a role model. He always gave priority to teamwork rather than individual performance because he believed that work in a team can change the bad behaviour and negative attitude of players to succeed in life.

Motivation

Topic sentence: In this film, Coach Ken applied two leadership styles theories first one is behavioural style theory and second is relationship management theory. Evidence & citing: According to the behavioural theory, Carter focused on how team unity and spirit can be built among players who were very angry and undisciplined teammates always wasting were fighting among themselves. Being a coach, Carter tried to motivate his team by encouragement, and inspired them to do more and more practice to get fruitful results. He effectively guided the students how to behave well during the teamwork. According to signed contract, Carter encouraged the players to wear jackets and ties, made dress code and every student was supposed to attend classes daily and sit in the front row. Evidence & citing: On the other hand, Coach Ken Carter also implemented the relationship management theory in which he taught all players essence of team spirit, unity, respect, care, kindness, cooperation and emotion for each other which help them to develop their ability to compete opponents by collective teamwork. Coach ken Carter was also supporting them to win and achieve appropriate results academically by building trust with teammates. He clearly identified the difference between teamwork and individual work and told them by following unity how they can learn new experiences, creative things and new lessons to accomplish the goals easily.

He got result in positive outcomes as Coach Ken Cater successfully developed team spirit among players for example, one of character of this movie Timo Cruz was unable to complete his punishment for being late, the entire group shared his punishment individually doing push ups and suicides to get him back in team. Commentary: In this way, Coach carter successfully gained trust and respect of his players in order to convinced them to work hard to complete their goals by adapting discipline and good moral values.

Ethics

Topic sentence: Coach Ken Carter always gave importance to time management, discipline, moral values, sympathy, care, respect, trust and kindness according to his ethical nature. Evidence & citing: He taught to players that never use abused language for any person which shows disrespect and embarrassment for their ancestors. Commentary: I also experienced his kindness while watching this movie as on the one side he was very strict about his rules and regulations but on the other hand when Coach Ken Carter came to know about Jason Lyse whose father was in jail. He understood his condition and had sympathy that his life was not over yet because he believed that with positive attitude nothing is impossible to handle in life. In this way, when he came to know the actual cause, he gave chance to Jason Lyse to join the basketball practice again.

Coach Ken Carter was also against the decision of school board that basketball practice and matches were more important as compared to academic results and graduation. He also insisted principal Garrison to focus on education systems which was mainly responsible for student’s failure.

In this movie, certain types of dilemmas was faced by Coach Ken Carter. First dilemma I observed is that Coach Ken Carter was faced dilemmas to support players in studies so that they can try to focus on improvement in their academic grades or to support the idea and opinion of parents, society and public to inspire the players to carry on basketball practice. Coach Ken Carter faced criticism from society as someone trashed his glass windowpane due to the cancellation of Fermont game which was the very popular game of the year. Moreover, one day when coach was travelling by car, at traffic signal one person suddenly started abusing him on the road for cancelling the practices. But he did not accepted decision to start basketball practice in these circumstances.

Second dilemma or critical situation faced by Coach Ken Carter was when he suspended battle and came to know the reason behind the condition then he felt sympathy for him. At this situation Coach Ken Carter was confused to punish him for his misbehaviour or have sympathy for him. But at last he forgave him and allowed him to join the basketball practice again.

Next, ends-based thinking always reveals do what is best for the greatest number of people. These identified dilemmas were resolved by principle of ends- based thinking, as Coach Ken Carter was decided to motivate the all players to complete their studies successfully with highest marks. Although, Coach decided to quit according to board decision but now players had respect for him, and all were inspired and emotionally attached with him, so they accepted to utilize their basketball practice time for study. Thus, the good interaction, respect, response and active participation of players provided help to Coach Carter to accomplish his main goal for which he preferred the job as a basketball coach in their school.

Leadership effectiveness

• Openness: in this movie, I feel the openness of coach while sharing his strict rules and regulations, feelings, and past experiences related to this game. He also told the players that I learnt about basketball from women and he never hesitated to share his own past school life experience as thirty percent of students went to prison and encouraged his players to focus on graduation.
• Conscientiousness: also showing as he was particular to make decision on the behalf on right things for success, Coach Ken Carter made and signed a contract comprising rules to attend classes regularly and sit in front row in the class.
• Extroversion: he was extravert and maintained a good relationship with previous coach to learn something new about games.
• Agreeableness: when we talk about agreeable nature, most of the time he shows disagreeable nature to take decision as his disagreeable nature only brought a big change in the education system of the Richmond high school.
• Neuroticism: when talking about neuroticism, Coach Carter never get depressed on Board’s decisions and confidently decided to quit instead of supporting the statement of Board that games were more important for students that studies.

Coach Ken Cater believed on his perception for education system of Richmond:

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• Analytical Intelligence: he had accurate and good analytical intelligence as by working hard he could examine and evaluate the actual cause of problems in education system. He thought students were not responsible for their poor academic performance because it was totally fault of faculty who designed education system by giving more priority to games rather that studies.
• Practical Intelligence: showing from his experience and knowledge as he faced that time when more importance given to games than studies which ended up the life of students in prison or death. He motivated and inspired his players how to win the game with clear vision for future.
• Creative Intelligence: he had creative intelligence with that he taught the players good moral values and skills which changed their vision for life.
• Leader-Member Exchange (LMX): as this model is based on the interaction between leaders and followers. Coach Ken Carter also became role model for their players because he taught them not only how to win the games but also made them good human being by giving them information about the importance of respect, unity and discipline in teamwork. This Contingency theory based on the good relationship between leader and followers as shown at the end of this movie through Coach Carter and Basketball players.

?onclusion and reflection

Conclusion paragraph: I learnt many key lessons from this movie that can apply on my personal life. I learnt about the importance of respect, education, unity, team spirit through this motivational film. As am doing job as a voluntary field worker and participated in the community development programs organized by society such as Awareness Camps on drug abuse, female feticide, education of girl child, Empowerment of women through formation of self-help groups by providing them training for employment and self employment. I will try to become a good coach as Coach Ken Carter to bring a change in the community for betterment.

References

• Criswell, C., & Cartwright, T. (2015). Creating a Vision (International Spanish). [Greensboro, N.C.]: Center for Creative Leadership. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=2117476&site=eds-live&scope=site
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1fFdQe_58U
• Samuel L. Jackson Stars in Riveting True Story “Coach Carter.” (cover story). (2005). Jet, 107(2), 54–58. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=fth&AN=15637105&site=eds-live&scope=site

Introduction

Should follow an “upside down” triangle format, meaning, the writer should start off broad and introduce the text and author or topic being discussed, and then get more specific to the thesis statement.

Background

Provides a foundational overview, outlining the historical context and introducing keyinformation that will be further explored in the essay, setting the stage for the argument to follow.

Thesis statement

Cornerstone of the essay, presenting the central argument that will be elaborated upon and supported with evidence and analysis throughout the rest of the paper.

Topic sentence

The topic sentence serves as the main point or focus of a paragraph in an essay, summarizing the key idea that will be discussed in that paragraph.

Evidence & citing

The body of each paragraph builds an argument in support of the topic sentence, citing information from sources as evidence.

Commentary

After each piece of evidence is provided, the author should explain HOW and WHY the evidence supports the claim.

Conclusion paragraph

Should follow a right side up triangle format, meaning, specifics should be mentioned first such as restating the thesis, and then get more broad aboutthe topic at hand. Lastly, leave the reader with something to think about and ponder once they are done reading.

Table of contents

1. Introduction
2. Setting and the Plot
3. Themes
4. Conclusion

Introduction

Race, Sports, and politics are the primary ideas expressed in the American way of life. Michael Boylan, the author of Rainbow Curve, uses a group of few individual to highlight how race as an element defined a person’s individuality. The main characters in the book are all of the different races; perhaps the author’s idea was to draw the reader’s attention to a particular era of history. Ideally, the author writes like an inspired bases ball fan. The details he captures in the book include the historical nine innings by the infamous pitcher of old days Rainbow Billy Beauchamp. The lives of baseball take center stage and essentially through the life of Bo Mellan, the left-handed pitcher protégé to the glorified Crawford pitcher. The audience gets to examine the challenges, trials and triumphs athlete endure in their illustrious sporting careers. Markedly politics and its effect on the society are given priority by the author as he shows how a mafia-like organization controlled corruption in the setting of the book. Rupert Cakos centers as the vilified Mogul who owns many enterprises in the City. He aims at using Bo to make his business popularity and charisma increased whereas al Sulami the head of Krakatowa militia group that seeks to empower the colored communities against capitalism oppression all to confront Bo on which side of the camp he is in.

The book Rainbow Curve by Michael Boylan takes place somewhere in between 1970 to 1984 when Bo first heads out with Rainbow, and his time as a major league baseball player with the Chicago Cubs 14 years after they leave America. There are many characters in the book due to story setting. However, some characters stand out. First, there is Rainbow Billy Beauchamp an old glorified right-handed pitcher, who is famous for the many historical innings he has had in his illustrious career. He takes in an orphaned kid – Bo Mellan – who grows to be his protégé who stands up to leave a legacy not just in the game but to the society in general. Rupert Cakos who is a business Mogul who owns some enterprises is given a lot of emphases, and from the writer's viewpoint, the readers get to understand how the power of one man, had an influence over millions of people living at that time. Principally, he owned the media in this case a TV station and Newspaper. Additionally, his other investments were a major league baseball team and a construction firm.

Rainbow who is a retired baseball player tries t relive his old glory days. He wants to get back into the game and gives it one more chance. His band of ‘brothers’ encompasses eleven players who are from different ethnicity. His team prides itself on having blacks, Mexicans, Whites, and Venezuelans. Together they tour the southern Americas and take the opportunity of playing in a major league for the Cubs. The retired player tries to show that age does not provide a hindrance to a person hoping to achieve his dreams. Bo Mellan as a character is the embodiment of youth, talent, passion, and mistakes as well as the element of change in the impending face of challenges. The author depicts him as a hard character that is gentle, fall in love with the wrong woman and tries his best to change the society by initiating a nonprofit organization with the intent of helping the minority and marginalized in the society. As an individual, he faces threats from a Mob and a philanthropic business mogul. Nonetheless, he shows his resilience by going against his detractors to prove that fate favors a man when he has the courage to make efforts in seeing his dreams come true. These two characters are the personification of a conventional way of life. Markedly, both al Sulami and Rupert as individuals show how power influences on the judgment of people. Their actions and corrupt dealings in the story shows how the rich in the society loves to control the multitude. Ideally, they act as the emblem of politics, which surrounds itself with power, corruption, danger and the looming uncertainty of conflicts and treachery. These characters show the aspect of how race defines an individual sporting ability and how the political machinery strives to make use of such person’s popularity for own self-gain.

By the end of the story, Bo Mellan shows just how much an individual’s effort can substantially alter the odds of society. He stands up for the good of the minority. In his community, many regard his as a hero of some sort. In truth, many see him as the mythical Robin Hood. Altogether, this character represents the sound aspect of the human nature. Though he has popularity, he still goes ahead to consider the feelings of those who are living below their means. As a character, he is the knight in shining armor as he illustrates how an individual may use their talent to change make of the society. His contributions as a person show how sports alters the lives of individuals through selflessness as in the face of danger and impending challenges he fights for the right of the people. Similarly, Rupert learns that money is not the only means to an end. While it is true that money can buy a man’s loyalty, this characters expectation does not come to fruition as he fails to buy out Bo Mellan. Al Sulami also concedes and relinquishes further attempts to threaten the talented Bo. As such, the two antagonists in the tale demonstrate that however how much power and fear can be used to silence and individual, the power of an idea triumphs all barriers as expressed int the viewpoint of the author.

Setting and the Plot

The story is set in between 1970 to 1984. The audience sees the lives that baseball players from specific communities have to endure to make their dreams come true. Notably, the era is marked by the black facing stigmatization in the sports world. In baseball, in particular, they are not a favored bunch. They have to work hard to leave up to the billing of their fans and managers alike. The use of props in the narrative makes the audience identify with an old setting. Additionally, the repetitive mention of the influence of the mob, the music, and different intercultural notions places the events to be in the last five decades.

Rainbow Curve is a narrative about sports, power, and ethnicity. It highlights the courage of two men to stand up against the challenges they face in life. Rainbow, one of the main characters, brings together a team of eleven players, who train together for bringing back glory to the major league. They move together and live in a bus while training in camps from Arizona to Wrigley’s Field in Chicago and the South America regions in Colombia. The author expertly draws connection into the American way of life of those times, with power and influence and the individual ethical choices that defines the most important moments in the lives of many people as seen through the lives of different characters in the books setting. Notably, the author depicts baseball not just as a sport, but rather an institution that involves economics, youth, and age as part of its greater mechanism.

Themes

The main ideas expressed in the book centers around three elements namely power, sports and politics. The author uses these three ideas to show people live and exist in the universe. In the era of the books setting, racists were a concept that had taken effect and affected the lives of many people. In the US alone, non-whites were significantly affected. Those who were talented in sports used their talents to give their community hope. Bo Mellan serves as an example. Through the illustrations provided, he stands out as having the interest of the people at heart. Additionally, together with Rainbow, they show that race should not be a factor that results into the occurrences of division in the society. Together with their teammates, they show that humanity stood a better chance if it were united as a people. The achievements they would make would be a phenomenon. Markedly, the narrative also captures the idea of power within the political circles and the society. Rupert shows the effects of having too much power that does not have regular checks and balances. Through his influence, a reader can understand how the society they live in best works today. On the same note, the concept of rebels in illustrated through the character Al Sulami, who fights off the powerful business mogul by trying to win over Bo Mellan who is the star protégé in the setting of the book. The author illustrates how these three themes defined the lives of many individual in the long decade that captures the plot of the stories setting.

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Conclusion

The book does an excellent job in enlightening readers on the difficulties sports personality faces during their careers. It goes further on to show that while fans may appreciate the talents an individual has, they may not necessarily acknowledge their day-to-day challenges off the field. Additionally, the author does an excellent job in showing how despite not having a good love life, Bo Mellan still manages to defy the odds and help the society he was a part off. The author also shows how powerful individual with political connections can influence on just about anything they want. Rupert is seen to want it all, his obsession with possessing people seems farfetched. The author does well to illustrate the menacing impact of a powerful individual in the society. Markedly it also demonstrates the ability of people to stand up for what they believed was good and ethical. Overall, the book shows the importance of sports in the society, attributes of race in social settings and the effects of power on people as documented in the paper.

Table of contents

1. Introduction:
2. Body Part:
3. Conclusion:

Introduction:

In Jesmyn Ward's novel Salvage the Bones, the reader is taken on a powerful journey through the eyes of a teenage girl named Esch Batiste. Set in the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi, the novel explores themes of poverty, racism, family, and natural disaster as Esch and her family face the impending threat of Hurricane Katrina. As Esch says "the storm is coming, and we are not ready" (Ward, 3). The novel follows Esch as she tries to keep her family together, protect her brothers, and come to terms with her own identity and place in the world. Through Esch's character, the reader is able to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of these themes and the impact they have on individuals and communities. In this essay, I will analyze Esch's character as it develops throughout the novel, using quotes from the text as evidence.

Body Part:

Esch is first introduced as a strong-willed and determined teenager. She is fiercely protective of her brothers and takes on the role of a mother figure to them, despite her own youth. For example, she states, "I will fight to the death to keep them safe" (Ward, 7). This determination and sense of responsibility are recurring themes in Esch's character throughout the novel.

As the novel progresses, we see Esch struggle with her own identity and place in the world. She grapples with her mixed-race heritage, feeling like she does not fully belong in either the white or black communities. She says, "I am not white or black, just me, Esch Batiste. And I'm tired of trying to make myself something for somebody else" (Ward, 93). This inner turmoil is mirrored in her relationship with Skeetah, her brother, who also struggles with his identity.

Esch also faces challenges related to her gender. She is aware of the limitations placed on her as a young woman and feels pressure to conform to societal expectations. She says, "I want to be a woman, not just a girl" (Ward, 57). Despite these obstacles, Esch ultimately finds the strength to stand up for herself and her beliefs. She asserts, "I know what I want, and I'm going to take it" (Ward, 112).

Conclusion:

In Salvage the Bones, Jesmyn Ward masterfully portrays the complexities of Esch Batiste's character. Through her struggles and triumphs, we see the human experience laid bare. Esch's determination, inner turmoil, and sense of self all contribute to the novel's powerful exploration of identity, family, and community. The novel shows that even in the face of adversity, one can find the strength to fight for oneself and one's beliefs.

“Who Moved My Cheese?” is a business bestseller by Dr. Spencer Johnson published in 1998. The story represents the different circumstances that individuals looked throughout everyday life and the attitudes that they show while they faced those moments. As indicated by the book, these attitudes are the ones that define us and prove our real identity. It doesn’t matter what happens in our lives and what we try to show to other people but how we confronted and defeat difficulties.

The book depends on four characters: 2 mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry”, and the little people, “Hem” and “Haw”. They lived in a maze that symbolizes someone’s environment and they are on the hunting for cheese, which symbolizes somebody’s success and happiness. For the characters, the most significant thing is the cheese and is for what they live for. However, for our situation, we live for success and to accomplish every one of the objectives that we set throughout everyday life. Everyone act is different in order to reach their goals and also overcome challenges in a different way. At last, similar to the characters, when we accomplish what we initially set and want we feel that we are done, that we are finished and that we don’t need to seek more in order to be happy. But, sadly, we connect to things easily and if these things are not there anymore for some reason we are not prepared to those changes. On the other hand, “Sniff” and “Scurry” are not the same as us since they are set up to changes. Their strategy was the experimentation to get what they want, the cheese. Constantly they went to Station C in order to reconsider the spot. They two of them plan their day around the cheese and their daily intake of cheese was adequate, they didn’t eat all the cheese once they saw it. From that point forward, they went one day to the station and understood that there were no cheeses left so they figured out how to locate another one. For this situation, they were set up for this circumstance and change was certifiably not a major problem for them, they simply expect it and search for an answer.

The mice speak to two kinds of individuals. Sniff speaks to the sort of individuals that are set up to changes and doesn’t get stunned when something occurred in their lives. In contrast, Scurry speaks to the general people that dependably have a solution and that doesn’t make a difference in what changes their life, people like these bring the action and solve the problem immediately. These characters are a decent method to figure out how to beat difficulties and changes throughout everyday life.

Furthermore, there are two additional characters that were mentioned previously, which are different from the mice. To start with, Hem, that doesn’t prefer to concede transforms, he is frightened of any change that can happen. Then, there is Haw, that he is able to endure changes. He realizes that changes are not the finish of life and that with patience and effort you can locate another arrangement or approach to progress. These characters are somewhat more human, as I would see it. In spite of the fact that it is perfect to be as the mice are and concede changes quickly, not get connected to things and search for arrangements, it is difficult to do it. But, the four characters caused us to discover that changes are ordinary and that we need to expect and conquer them. If we are afraid of these challenges, probably we will get stocked and can’t accomplish any objective that we set. We ought to escape our usual range of familiarity and act diversely so as to get what we need. Everybody has awful moments, everybody confronted difficulties and everybody is now and then scared of this kind of circumstances. But, if we know how to act at this moment and overcome challenges in a good way we will succeed.

The book ‘Who Moved My Cheese?’, instructed us that we need to know our identity and what we need. On the off chance that you are certain about what you need and what your objective is, everything will be a lot simpler. Your positive vibes and considerations will assist you with visualizing the best things and get your first set as an objective. Likewise, in difficulties, you ought to make certain of your identity and don’t change your personal essence. Changes can assist you with having better things or be a superior individual but you should not change what you need as a result of it. As we learn since we were kids, we gain from our mistakes. It is hard to gain from different missteps or ‘simply learn’ from life. When we committed errors and figure out how to conquer them, we certainly learn and attempt to never repeat that. Changes are fine and normal. We shouldn’t feel awful about them we should be alert, adjust and try to solve them.

Taking everything into account and analyzing the story, I can say that I have more attributes from Hem and Haw. For me, it is difficult to accept changes and comprehend that they are typical and unavoidable. I am always overthinking things, I get stunned by terrible circumstances and I am very frightful of changes. Anyhow, life made to change a little with this when last year my grandfather past away. This is the greatest change I have experience ever, and this time I needed to act a lot like Haw. I needed to endure the change, I needed to defeat it and discover answers to feel good and cheer up my family right then. At the point when days pass, I understood that life proceeds and that I must be strong. The first day I felt that my life halted everlastingly and today I am another individual with another perspective tolerating a few changes. Today, I am acting progressively like mice. In spite of the fact that I am not yet as they seem to be, I am dealing with that to be a superior individual and more joyful with life and with myself. As it was noticed previously, we gain from errors and this circumstance was the best educator for me to make me understood that changes occurred and in the event that we take them positively we can beat them.

Works Cited

1. Johnson, S. (1998). Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life. Vermilion.
2. Yasin, N. M., & Hashim, R. (2015). Who Moved My Cheese? A Review and Analysis of an Allegory About Dealing with Change. Jurnal Teknologi, 77(6).
3. Golmohammadi, A., & Karimzadegan, H. (2017). Who Moved My Cheese? A New Perspective on Dealing with Changes in Life. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(23).
4. K?yak, M., & K?yak, H. A. (2019). The relationship between the metaphorical content of "Who Moved My Cheese?" and the coping strategies of university students. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 19(6), 1559-1578.
5. Chopra, A., & Saini, V. (2018). Who Moved My Cheese? -A Book Review. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 8(6), 131-134.
6. Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2011). The leadership challenge. John Wiley & Sons.
7. Johnson, S. (2000). Who moved my cheese? An amazing way to deal with change in your work and in your life. Vermilion.
8. Johnson, S. (2002). Who moved my cheese? For kids: An a-mazing way to change and win!. Random House LLC.
9. Versteegen, J. (2019). Cheese and Chalk: An Exploration of the Representations of Change in Spencer Johnson's "Who Moved My Cheese?" and Inge Schilperoord's "Muidhond". Dapim: Studies on the Holocaust, 33(1), 77-89.
10. Bond, J. R. (2015). "Who Moved My Cheese?": A Parable of Relevance. Journal of Business and Leadership: Research, Practice, and Teaching, 11(2), 131-137.

In June 1943, Los Angeles saw a series of riots known as the Zoot Suit Riots involving American sailors and Mexican American youths. The riots were named after the Zoot suits, which were baggy suits worn during World War II. While clothing seems an irrational point to start riots, during the war rationing fabric was required therefore the excessive cloth was seen as unpatriotic to the war effort. The combination of this unpatriotic sentiment and deep-rooted racism against Mexican Americans gave white Americans the ammunition to unjustly attack them. In the midst of the riots, many Mexican American youths were beaten and stripped of their clothes with little to no consequences for the sailors/civilians. A year earlier, in the same city, Jose Diaz was murdered during an altercation between battling groups. Jose Diaz’s death became an example of the growing gang violence and gave white Americans the chance to push their fear-mongering into American society. Despite this, the Sleepy Lagoon Murder investigation saw a unique situation where Latino men were convicted for the murder with little evidence backing this. A humiliation of this magnitude, created an exasperating environment fueled by racism and discrimination. A couple decades later, the formation of the Chicano/a movement began to systematically fight for Latinx civil rights. Luis Valdez is one of the pioneering figures of the Chicano/a movement and through his literary work “Zoot Suits” brought attention to the unfairness Latinx people were subjected to. Valdez uses this play to educate the audience about the cultural importance of zoot suits, to bring to light police brutality towards Mexican Americans, and to create an enduring message that Mexican Americans are people who fight and are unwilling to diminish their identity despite the racialization/discrimination in the U.S.

Valdez’s play is based on the Sleepy Lagoon Murder of Jose Diaz and draws inspiration on the Zoot Suit Riots. The play centers on El Pachuco also known as Henry Reyna, who embodies the idea of Mexican American youths living in the turbulent and hostile atmosphere of the U.S. in the 1940’s. Valdez titled his play Zoot Suits to bring to the forefront the cultural impact of the suits within the Mexican American community and how it created dialogue of discrimination and representation in American society. As mentioned earlier, zoot suits were looked down upon because they were seen as excessive and unpatriotic. It is difficult to understand why a piece of clothing held so much threat, but we need to view it in a social and historical context. The suits originated within the African American jazz community. In Murder at the Sleepy Lagoon, Eduardo Pagan explains that the suits “was part of a larger complex of ideas and practices that the white middle class of Los Angeles found threatening to social order…summed up in a single word: ‘jazz’”. Jazz in the 1940’s was promiscuous, defiant, and at its core different from the norm. White Americans attached their discriminatory assumptions to the suits giving it the negative image. Moreover, the suit was the physical embodiment of being different and unique with its wide lapels, pegged trousers, and overall extravagant style, which was another reason for it to be seen as something bad. Despite this, Mexican Americans wore the zoot suits because their emotional value outweighed any bad perception they heard. An example of the importance of the suits is seen early on in the play. The actors establish a sense of togetherness through their banter and comfortable nature with one another. In the opening scene, the Pachuco says “Put on a zoot suit, makes you feel real root, look like a diamond, sparkling, shining”. The Pachuco is demonstrating how they identify strongly with their zoot suits by singing about the way the suits empower them. Valdez chooses to open the play with these words to give the suits liveliness. For the Pachucos, wearing their suits was a part of their identity that they were proud of. The time period is important as well because the ongoing war created a gray and somber environment. The suits gave people the chance to be unique, confident, and a space to explore themselves through fashion. However, in the words of Eduardo Pagan, “What educators, policy makers, social workers, law enforcement authorities- even members of their own community – were unable to see in viewing these children through the lens of social propriety was that part of their failure to conform came from a direct refusal to accept racialized norm of segregated America”. Keeping the play in mind, looking back to the 1940’s, we can gain insight to the prevailing fashion trends within the Mexican American community and how they chose to express themselves. While the suits were largely thought to be defiant rebellion and synonymous to criminal behavior, for Mexican Americans it was a public exclamation of their latinidad in a country that tried hard to remain homogenous.

One of the key things Valdez teaches us is that Mexican Americans were victims of highly publicized police brutality and ostracizing from the judicial system. Valdez brings attention to police brutality and how people in the justice system took advantage of their power. In the play, El Pachuco and his friends known as the 38th Street Pachucos get into a fight with the Downey Gang resulting in the death of a Chicano and hundreds of youth getting arrested. It becomes apparent that the police intend to blame Henry for the murder despite his innocence. With a tone of lamentation, Henry exclaims, “They’re going to do it again, ese! They’re going to charge me with some phony rap and keep me until they make something stick” indicating that he is not naïve to the way police scheme against people like him. El Pachuco follows with a quick retort of “So what’s new?” further reinforcing the notion that they are used to being mistreated and feel trapped in a system that is built to be against them. Valdez sheds light on how police did not hide from exploiting their privilege out in the open because there were no repercussions to their actions. When Henry is questioned by Lieutenant Edwards and Sergeant Smith, the policemen adopt a tone of pretentiousness as a way to separate themselves from Henry and establishing that they see him as lesser. They use intimidation tactics on Henry to coerce him into a confession. Their language is derogatory calling Henry and Mexicans Americans “malcontents…draft dodgers…squealer…animals… [as wearing] monkey suits” and so on. Their view of Mexican Americans is one of disdain and inconvenience. Valdez plays on this to show that if police were not able to beat a conviction out of a Pachuco, they would use anti-Mexican hysteria to get their convictions. The play is a demonstration of how Mexican Americans were often brutally beaten both physically and mentally by policemen. I believe they became scapegoats to ease the fear of gang violence in the 1940’s. With little to no Latinx representation, criminalization of the Latinx community was an easy target that police took advantage of. Valdez also brings forward the sentiments of the Chicano/a movement by showing how the judge and jury convict the Pachucos to murder. In the closing statement the lawyers gives a moving speech about how there are forces of racialization and totalitarian ideals that are working against the criminalized youth. He calls out the prosecution for deducing the youth to “some kind of inhuman gangsters” when condemning them would be like condemning “all American youth” and murdering “the spirit of racial injustice in America”. Shortly after his closing statement, the jury finds them guilty. They are incapable of seeing past their judgement despite the lawyers attempt to reason with their humanity. Valdez is implying that it is actions like this wrongful conviction, that later led to mobilization of the Mexican American community to make changes in civil rights. The injustices created sentiment amongst the community which allowed them to come together for the Chicano/a movement.

Lastly, Valdez leaves the reader with a message about what kind of people Mexican Americans are in the midst of adversity and racism. He shows the strength of a community that is marginalized and their relentless persistence to be seen/heard. Throughout the play, there is a dichotomous nature to the Mexican American community that Valdez wants to speak on. On one hand, they want to feel like they rightfully belong within American society. On the other hand, they understand the harsh reality that they are seen as lesser than and even unworthy for being different so they oppose everything and anything dealing with white American society. Henry clearly shows this when he reveals that he wishes to join the Navy and fight for his country. He believes that by joining the army, he is solidifying his status as a true American. He is proving his loyalty to his country in hopes of gaining equality for himself. El Pachuco tells him that America is not his country because Los Angeles “has declared all-out war on Chicanos”. El Pachuco is painfully aware that there are people in America that do not want them to prosper. The lives of Mexican Americans as described by El Pachuco are that of a war, bringing images of bloodshed, devastation, and murder. As readers, we know that Henry and El Pachuco are the same person. Valdez creates an inner dialogue showcasing how one person can often be at odds with themselves. During a conversation with Della, Henry wishfully says “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had this feeling like there’s a big party going on someplace, and I’m invited, but I don’t know how to get there. And I want to get there so bad, I’ll even risk my life to make it”. The party he talks about is most likely an ideology of a place of celebration where he doesn’t have to be subjected to racism or injustices. It is a place where he can be happy, dancing and singing to the joys of life. He laments that he doesn’t know how to get there, showing how he is lost and does not have the tools to get to where he wants to be. He wants to get there so bad that he is willing to die for it. His reality is filled with discrimination so in turn he creates an ideal world where he feels accepted.

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Today, Valdez’s Zoot Suits, is just as crucial and necessary as when it was first performed in the 1960’s. It speaks on the mistreatment of a community, the imbalance of power, and the idealization of a better world. Valdez educates readers on matters that are not talked about enough. We need to be aware of how Mexican Americans were criminalized and diminished in order to keep alive the fight for equality. We are still fighting the war on the home front because there are still racial injustices seen today. The immigration reform taking place now has brought out deep-rooted racialization. Racist motivations for “kicking out” those who came to the U.S. illegally are blanketed under notions of keeping America safe from criminals. This is the exact same rhetoric that Valdez used in his play. The parallels between language in the play and the immigration issues demonstrate that there are people who still believe America is an “us” vs “them” culture. It is important to remain aware of past injustices so as to not repeat the same mistakes again. History is there for us to learn from it and fight to be better because of it. Valdez was a pioneer in bringing awareness to the Mexican American community and giving us a chance to make a choice. His play was a question, asking “What are you going to do about these issues?” and personally, it is empowering to have literature that makes people question the current state of society and be a catalyst for change.

Works Cited

1. Pagan, E. (2003). Murder at the Sleepy Lagoon: Zoot Suits, Race, and Riot in Wartime L.A. UNC Press Books.
2. Rivas-Rodriguez, M. (2019). The Fight for Latino Civil Rights. Texas A&M University Press.
3. Romero, R. (2018). The Chicano Movement: An Introduction. Routledge.
4. Rosales, F. A. (1996). Chicano! The history of the Mexican American civil rights movement. Arte Público Press.
5. Sanchez, G. J. (2015). The Racial Politics of Chicano Identity: Radical Southwest. University of Arizona Press.
6. Saldaña, G. (2006). The Teatro Campesino: theater in the Chicano movement. University of Texas Press.
7. Stavans, I., & Augenbraum, H. (Eds.). (2012). Encyclopedia Latina: History, Culture, and Society in the United States. Grolier Academic Reference.
8. Valdez, L. (1992). Zoot Suit and Other Plays. Arte Público Press.
9. Valdez, L. (1992). Zoot Suit: A Bilingual Edition. Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.
10. Vargas, Z. (2018). Proletarians of the North: A History of Mexican Industrial Workers in Detroit and the Midwest, 1917-1933. University of California Press.

Table of contents

1. Book analysis
2. Conclusion
3. Works Cited

Book analysis

One may disagree different about the controversial topic displayed in the novel, My Sister’s keeper, however, one is always entitled to voice their own beliefs. My Sister’s Keeper is novel about a thirteen-year girl named, Anna Fitzgerald, and her sixteen-year-old sister Kate Fitzgerald who has a rare form of leukemia. Anna has undergone many blood transfusions, bone marrow transplants and multiple surgeries in hopes to save Kate’s life. In the novel, My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, the main character Anna clearly shows her frustration about being her sister Kate’s donor.

Anna files a lawsuit against her parents. “I want to sue them for the rights to my own body”. This causes major themes in the novel, what is right vs what is wrong, and living in the moment and finding a sense of hope. Primarily, even though parents may have a sufficient reasoning on what they do, it doesn’t always make it right or moral. Secondly, a parent’s attention should be equally shared amongst all their children or one may feel neglected. Lastly, throughout tough situations it is key not to always live in the moment. Simply finding a sense of hope is significant during any situation.

Even though parents may have a sufficient reasoning on what they do, it doesn’t always make it right. Anna was forced against her own will to be a donor for her sister Kate. “Most babies are accidents, not me. I was engineered, born to save my sister’s life.” This clearly shows that Anna’s parents conceived her to be a perfect donor for her sister. One may agree that the family is very fortunate to engineer their own baby, however, there are so many issues and hateful actions this family has faced due to their actions. By making the decision that your unborn child designed perfectly to be a donor, you are already taking over the rights of their body.

Anna lives thinking that the only reason she belongs in her family is only due to the need of a perfect donor for her sister. If Kate wasn’t sick, she wouldn’t be here, forced against her own will. Anna feels like she’s different from everyone else, because of the wrong decision her parents made. “Well, I want you to tell them, because they’ve been doing it to me my whole life. I wouldn’t even be alive if Kate wasn’t sick. I’m a designer baby. I was made in a dish to be spare parts for Kate. This clearly exemplifies the conflict between the family and reveals the theme of what is right vs what is wrong.

Sara and Brian have clearly made the wrong decision conceiving Anna in the hopes she will save Kates life. It is clear that Sara and Brian have gone against their daughter own will, making her feel obligated to donate blood and born marrow whenever Kate is in need. Many people may disagree, but it is very clear that one cannot go against their own child’s will, forcing them to risk their own health to be an unwilling donor. Sara and Brian have clearly made the wrong decision to force their daughter into a situation like they did. Anna’s rights are far more important in comparison to Kate’s or Sara’s. Due to poor decisions major conflict arises throughout the novel.

A parent’s attention should be equally shared amongst all their children or one may feel neglected. Neglect is sadly a common theme expressed throughout the novel. Jesse is neglected and unwelcomed in his family, leaving him obligated to behaving poorly. “There are some nights when you just want to know there is someone else beside you in their wide world.” Jesse is explaining his emotions on what he feels like most days. He feels helpless that he cannot help his sister Kate, but also feels a huge sense of neglect. His feelings of neglect drive him to bad things, like burn things down and act out of control for attention. His actions reflect on his sense of feelings and emotions.

Anna’s behaviour throughout the novel tends to reveal her need for attention from her family. Her feeling of neglect and manipulated drives her to stop tending to Kate’s needs in the hospital. Anna cries out to Campbell Alexander, “I gave up my marrow; the shots that sparked more stem cells in me, so that there’d be extra for my sister. The fact that I’m not sick, but I might as well be. The fact that the only reason I was born was as a harvest crop for Kate”. “I want to sue for the rights to my own body.”Since Anna feels a sense of neglect her way of receiving attention is through filing a lawsuit against her parents.

Anna is consistently feeling that she has no support from her mother because Sara’s attention is constantly only on Kate, focusing to try to save her life. This drives Anna to feeling neglected. As Anna begins to receive attention from her mother, she tends to be more willing to drop the lawsuit and be more open with her family.

Sara makes it clear that she only needs Anna to be a donor. By making Anna feel like she’s only alive to be a donor she feels deceived. These quotations are only a few out of the novel that describe to the reader how the parents are clearly neglecting two out of their three children. A parent may not realize that sharing attention equally amongst all their children is important, however, no child is the same and each child deserves to be treated and feel special in their own way.

Throughout tough situations it is important not to always live in the moment of time. Simply finding a sense of hope is significant during any situation. The theme of finding hope is very significant throughout the novel. Kate begins to not believe in herself no longer. She cannot find hope during her tough fight of leukemia. This affects her family tremendously, driving them to the point of giving up. The family is only holding onto the last bit of hope they can find in their family and life. “This is it. I know I’m going to die now. I suppose I’ve always known that. I just never knew when. And I’m okay with it. Really. I don’t mind my disease killing me. But it’s killing my family, too.” Kate is at a point in her life of giving up. She has been through it all and has come to the conclusion of just dying so she no longer has to suffer.

The only thing that has been holding her back is her family. She has realized that the disease isn’t only killing herself it is killing her family as well. It is clear that only her family is searching for hope from that point on. Hope is the only thing that continues to hold the family together as one. If the family loses hope that family will fall apart completely. Jesse is the only one who agrees with Kate about her dying. He makes it clear that the family needs to just gives up and just let Kate die. Jesse shows that there is no sense of hope left even though there is always a way to find hope. Jesse drives the family into proving him wrong by never giving up.

Jesse states: “She’s making Anna do all this ‘cause she knows she’s not gonna survive another operation.” Sara [yells] “That’s a lie, Jessse” Jesse continues to explain, “Mum, no, it’s not. Kate’s dying and everybody knows it! You just love her so much that you don’t want to let her go!” This has clearly revealed that Sara is living life worried and preparing for the absolute worst. It is very obvious that Sara and Brian do live in the moment, but they are however always searching for hope in their life. Sara is always prepared to rush to the hospital with Kate even though it is not necessary.

Jesse has realized that his sister isn’t going to live much longer and explains to his mother that she needs to let go. However, Sara and Brian are searching for hope in every situation. They hope for the best during transplants, treatments and relapses, operations, and blood transfusion with Kate. Anna may disagree with her parents’ decisions; however, she is also finding a sense of hope in her sister. Anna is also hoping that her family will realize exactly how she feels about being manipulated and how she wants to have rights over her own body. A sense of hope in life is the only thing that the family lives by.

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Conclusion

All in all, the novel, My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult, the main character Anna clearly shows her frustration about being her sister Kate’s donor. Anna files a lawsuit against her parents. “I want to sue them for the rights to my own body”. This clearly reveals the major themes in the novel, what is right vs what is wrong, and living in the moment and finding a sense of hope. Even though parents may have a sufficient justification on what they do, it doesn’t always make it right or moral. It is very clear that a parent’s attention should be equally shared amongst all their children or one may feel neglected. Also, throughout tough situations it is key not to always live in the moment. Simply finding a sense of hope is significant during any situation. “Maybe who we are isn’t so much about what we do, but rather what we’re capable of when we least expect it.” – Jodi Picoult.

Works Cited

1. Picoult, Jodi. My Sister's Keeper. New York: Atria, April 6, 2004.