French culture Essay

France is a Western Europe country with a population of approximately 60. 4 million people as by July 2004. France has a diversity of religions but the dominant religion is Roman Catholic with Jewish religion having the least followers (Kwintessential, 2010). These preliminary diversities in ethnicity and religion signal a diverse French culture. This paper discusses French culture by looking into different beliefs and attitudes common to French people. Language is also a central part of French culture as well as other important values. A diverse French culture Every people have their identity which is mainly entrenched in their culture. The French are not exceptional for the French culture is rich in almost all dimensions. The culture is usually best felt when you explore philosophy or by looking at the unique literary and art work. The input of French people in philosophy is outstanding with prominent philosophers like Rene Descartes (1600s) prided as the pioneers of modern philosophy. Montaigne is also a renowned sixteenth century philosopher who is celebrated for his ability to institute as part of art. Other French philosophers include Voltaire, Pascal and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (LERC, 2010). Having such renowned philosophers indicate that the French culture has been very influential not only in European countries but also in the Western nations and practically the whole world. A people’s art is a mirror of the people and what their values are all about. French art is in the form of literature, theatre as well as other forms of art. Some of the art works are very old thus portraying a rich history of the French culture. Some of the French artists who are known worldwide include Claude Monet who is known for his contribution to impressionist art which is an impression of ones view about nature (Cauderlier, 2009). Other artists include Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir and Armand Guillaumin. The cathedrals of France such as the Notre Dame and Chartres cathedral are popular structures that showcase French artistry. In particular, the Notre Dame cathedral has its walls decorated with statues as well as gargoyles. On the other hand, Chartres cathedral has its windows made of about 3,000 m2 of stained glass (LERC, 2010). All these are magnificent features of the French art work. Writing, poetry and theatre make up a beautiful French literature. France prides of the Academie francaise which is made of prominent writers. The Hunchback of Notre Dame was for instance the work of novelist Victor Hugo in the 1800s. Among other French writes whose works have been influential in development of culture include Alexandre Dumas and Charles Baudelaire (LERC, 2010). In poetry, the works of Ronsard and Lamartine regarding nature and love are still influential (French Language, 2010). French theatre is also a unique symbol of French culture. For instance, Moliere has several comedies which portray the vanities of human nature as a satire. Other playwrights include Racine and Corneille. These pieces of literature unique to French people are a source of pride and identity to the French people thereby displaying one aspect of their culture. Language is an important aspect in the French culture. French is the predominant language with about 88 percent of the communicating through French with even most of the rest speaking French and another language. Other spoken languages which are spoken by a small percentage of people include German dialects, Flemish, Italian, Catalan dialects, Breton and Basque. Immigrants have such dialects as the Corsu, Kabyle as well as Antillean Creole (Kwintessential, 2010). French people not only utilize verbal communication but they also regularly use non-verbal communication mainly in form of gestures. For instance, an eye contact is mainly used to signify equality or to act as a cue for friendship request. Shaking hands among acquaintances is also highly regarded by French people. Specific gestures are used for counting (using fingers starting from the thumb) whereas covering ones mouth with the hands indicates making an apology or an acknowledgement that one has made a mistake (LERC, 2010). French people also have their food which is unique and defines them. French cuisine varies mainly according to regions in France as regions influence availability of food. The most common traditional meal is the baguette and cheese accompanied by wine. Other meals have several courses with an air of sophistication. Since each region has different ingredients, each region seems to specialize in such ingredients but the foods have commonalities such as use of olive oil and tomatoes. In addition to the influence of local availability, French foods also vary depending on the influence of bordering countries and immigrants (sauerkraut common Alsace which borders Germany) Lunch break usually takes about two hours for most people (FPSi, 2010) The French society also has unique family and societal values, customs and etiquettes which are an important feature of the French culture. The family is highly valued and they are families are composed of few children. The roles of each family member are clearly defined with the parents being guardians and providers. The extended family offers support either financially or emotionally. French people usually develop open and polite dealings with family members and friends. Exchange of gifts bears some given etiquettes. For instance, one is not supposed to give an even number of flowers. Nevertheless, number thirteen is said to be unlucky and therefore such a number of flowers should not be given. It is also a requirement to open gifts immediately they are received (Kwintessential, 2010). French people are time conscious and they value keeping time. For instance, one is not supposed to be late for dinner for an invited dinner for more than ten minutes without prior explanation for being late. There are unique table manners such as being a requirement to finish food in ones plate. Business is usually conducted formally and courtesy is among the most important etiquettes. For a person who cannot speak French, it is always preferable for them to apologise if they are to establish a meaningful relationship. Dark-coloured suits are recommended for as business wear for men while women can do with either business suits or if it has to be a dress, then it must be elegant and having soft colours (Kwintessential, 2010). This is an exemplary culture as it has been adopted in the business environment virtually all over the world. Conclusion French culture is interesting, unique in many ways and has influenced other cultures in the world. The philosophy, art and literature are renowned worldwide and are an identity for the French people. French culture is also clearly defined in language, foods, general etiquettes in the society as well as unique business etiquettes. The French culture is undoubtedly interesting and influential especially if one considers every minor detail of the culture. As French, one finds reason to be proud of their culture which is outstanding even in the modern world. Bibliography Cauderlier, A. (2009). Monet. Retrieved 12, May 2010 from http://giverny. org/monet/welcome. htm FPSi. (2010). French food culture. Retrieved 12, May 2010 from http://www. france-property-and-information. com/french_food. htm French Language. (2010). French culture. Retrieved 12, May 2010 from http://www. frenchlanguageguide. com/french/culture/ Kwintessential. (2010). France-French culture, customs and etiquette. Retrieved 12, May 2010 from http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/resources/global-etiquette/france-country-profile. html LERC. (2010). French culture, communication and gestures. Retrieved 12, May 2010 from http://lerc. educ. ubc. ca/LERC/courses/489/worldlang/french/frenchcultandcomm. html

Playmobil Toysâ€the Secret to the Years of Toy Craze Essay

A little over a century ago, you wouldn’t believe that Playmobil, one of the most loved toy companies, started out as a lock and fitting company originally called Metallwarenfabrik. It was founded by Andreas Brandstatter, a locksmith in Zindorf, Germany. It had a few years of great track record and was not only manufacturing locks, they were even manufacturing cash registers, telephones and other various sheet metal products coincidentally to be used for toy establishments. In the 1950s, the current owner of the company, Horst Branstatter shifted the company into plastic manufacturing and joined in on the Hula Hoop Craze, which is incidentally the start of an international craze for Playmobil Toys. But one question comes to mind, why do kids and parents go crazy for these Toys? For one, the company’s ideal for toys stem from its roots of lock and metal fitting—collecting all the right pieces and fitting them together to complete a set. Its collectability is one of its greatest marketing strategy. Same for the kids, it is a matter of pride once you manage to complete a set. Typically, most toy sets would have one center piece for the set and have multiple accessories. Each and every piece would have its individual uniqueness. The fun of having a toy is being able to divulge into a world of imagination using it as a medium. A single piece has complete functionality to fulfil its role on the set’s storyline, having functioning parts that can interact with its fellow toy pieces. This allows children of all ages to use their imagination to its full extent, giving never-ending fun on the part of the kids and a satisfied smile on their parents’ lips.

Destroys Oedipus Essay

â€Å"Chance rules our lives, and the future is all unknown†. Some people think that fate is an unavoidable part of every characters life. Every creature has to die; it is either sooner or later. No matter what fate is destined for someone, human wilfulness is like a virus that can make a life end faster than it should. Yes, fate contributes to the end but the wilfulness also can bring a person’s life to an end. End is equal to destruction. At the same time, the end for Oedipus also represented discovering his own self- knowledge. Destiny of Oedipus is equal to the truth. Theban legend believed strongly in the inevitability of fate. Throughout the course of king Oedipus’s life† he was destined one day to kill his father and to become his own mother’s husband (this prophecy made by Apollo) seem inescapable. Surely, fate put him in the certain places, at certain times. However, it’s his choices and action that ultimately lead to his downfall. People have free will but fate also plays a part in human life. Sophocles, in this play demonstrates how fate and human choice are closely linked. Oedipus had been told about his unavoidable prophecy however he tried to use his free will and choice to determine his destiny. He loved his parents Polybus and Merope, and so used his free will to choose to fled to avoid fulfilling the prophecy. Again fate plays a part driving him towards Thebes and it is fate that means he meets Lauis. However, it is not fate but Oedipus’ temper and pride (his human failing) which forces him to murder his own father â€Å"I was angry and every man of them there I killed. † If only Oedipus could control his temper, perhaps he could alter the course of his life. â€Å"I Oedipus, whose name is known afar†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ † I grieve for you my children†, clearly it is his excessive to his pride that give him power to search for a † polluter of the land† also searches for his own identity. He acknowledge that â€Å"I will fight for Laius as if he was my father† †¦ â€Å"If anyone of you knows whose hand it was that killed Laius, let him declare it fully now to me† this is a strong dramatic irony provided by Sophocle that make our audience laugh in tear and yet fell pity for Oedipus who about to set the destruction for him self. Since Oedipus is unaware of his self knowledge which eventually lead to his own banishment â€Å"his fate will be nothing worse than banishment†. He is constantly told by Jocasta â€Å"In God’s name- if you want to live, this must not go on†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ † Doomed man! O never live to learn the true! † Teriesias â€Å"You are living in ignorance of you own undoing† and the Shephard † by all the Gods, master, ask me no more! † not to continues with his search. Oedipus is stubborn â€Å"I must pursue this trail to the end, till I have unraveled the mystery of my birth† and does not care what the consequences will be of finding out his true identity. Oedipus is obsessive about the truth. Once he finds out the true Oedipus blinds himself as punishment. This tragic destruction is the fault of Oedipus strong human faults not the word of Gods. â€Å"Oedipus believed that he is the son of the unreachable Gods, also he had the power to do every thing as the Gods requisite. â€Å"I count myself the son of chance†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"What the gods required upon my honor it shall be done†. Here he have not seen himself as a moral (a normal human being), he is still dreaming that he’s the â€Å"great and glorious†, which he challenge himself to fulfill the word of gods. The moment he take duty of the Gods to help the people of Thebes, and willing to search for the murder of Liaus. This is also the end of the road for Oedipus where he can’t run or hide from his fate no more â€Å"what will be will be†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"Fate has come to me†, he trap, collapse and transform back to his real self (real image) which is â€Å"your enemy is yourself† and â€Å"bring (his) death† of his own destruction. Also, we have Jocasta who is distrustful of the oracles until the end of the play. Firstly, she challenge the gods by killed her very first son with the hope to avoid the terrible fate. How can a mother have the heart to do such thing? Surely, Sophocle had treated her very unfairly. Why did Sophocle created such person with no humanity, by the moment that her husband disappeared from Thebes, she had not keen enough to show her love to her husband by † bring everything into light†, instead she just marriage to a new hero ( Oedipus) to continues with her royal life. Even the last minutes she still denies her family fate, where we saw her chose the easy way which commits suicide â€Å"Count no (mankind) happy until (they) die†¦ Which is against what Gods want her to do: to live with Oedipus forever in an ultimately relationship. Her refusal to face life with the knowledge of her family arrangements was weak. By dying she left Oedipus to deal with the shame and humiliation on his own. Her human failings play a major part in the destruction of Oedipus. Fate does play a part in Oedipus destiny. However it is Oedipus’ hamartia, (his moral failing) made up of obsession, anger, aggression and hubris which lead to his destruction. Bringing out the true when combined with the human weaknesses and failings Jocasta, Oedipus now no longer rules and he was banished from Thebes. Oedipus rose above the power of the Gods and took charge of his own life. The audience of this play will always see the hero in Oedipus but with failings all humans possess.

Lord of the Flies & To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

John Quincy Adams once said â€Å"Always stand on your principle, even if you stand alone†. The two novels To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Lord of the Flies by William Golding, can greatly relate to this quote. The characters that are portrayed in both novels can really relate to one another in terms of the theme in the quote. Also the books themselves share similar themes and moral lessons. Atticus Finch from to kill a mocking bird is a character that plays a father; he is a strong role model and leader. Atticus is a wise man; he learns and teaches moral lessons to his children. Even though the odds are against his favor he still stands by his principle. Someone who can relate to Atticus Finch is Ralph from Lord of the flies. Ralph is a character in Lord of the flies that shows a great deal of leadership just like Atticus he stands by his principle and does whatever is right. Scout from to kill a mocking bird, is the daughter of Atticus Finch, she has very many opportunities to stand but her principle but she is rarely heard. But even though she is not really heard she takes initiative as much as possible. Piggy from Lord of the flies can relate to Scout, Piggy has so much potential to do more than he is capable of. Although Piggy always seems to find a way to get his ideas heard and recognized. Another comparison between the two novels is Miss Maudie and Simon because they are such honest people and that is one of their principles. Ralph and Atticus Finch both portray their characters as role models and leaders; Ralph in particular is a leader that does everything and stays with his accusations to prove that he is doing the right thing. The lord of the flies takes place on a deserted island after a dramatic plane crash and the only survivors are a bunch of little boys. Their first decision is to vote on a leader, the boys all chose Ralph as their leader. At the beginning of the novel, Ralph was leader, but when his followers decided to abandon him he stayed with his beliefs. He can relate to this quote because Ralph was standing on his principle even though he was alone. His friends chose to become savage beast and hunt, while Ralph stayed pure and civilized he showed that he knew his moral and stands up for what he believes in. Ralph comes across trouble thought when hes friends doubt his ideas and suggestions. When his friends turned his back on him, he still decided to stick to his ideas and his plan to be rescued and in the end it was worth it because they were saved. Another person that could relate to Ralph would be Atticus finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Like Ralph, Atticus is another strong leader and independent leader, but in the novel To kill a mockingbird. Atticus relates to John Quincy Adams quote because Atticus fights for what he believes in, which is exactly what John Quincy Adams is meant by standing by your own principle. Atticus Finch plays a Father in working as a lawyer in the novel, but he lives in a time of discrimination and prejudice. A part of the story is when Atticus is appointed to defend Tom Robinson; a black man that was accused of raping a white woman. Atticus knows that the jury will be prejudice and that there is a slim chance that Tom Robinson will win the case. Even though he knows this information he still does everything in his power to defend Tom. Atticus says that he has nothing but pity for the jury and that he is disappointed that there society is like this (Lee 213). Atticus is a character that truly does stand by his principle and shows respect and leadership. Ralph and Atticus can relate to each other because they have similar characteristics and stand by their principles. Piggy is a character from Lord of the Flies that is discouraged. Piggy plays a huge role in the novel; he is wise and has the potential and the right to be heard. Piggy in the novel was the reason that the boy had fire, he was picked on and his ideas were ignored because of the way he looked. Piggy was wise he had ideas such as making sundials and hats. Ideas like these could have really helped the boys in being successful in being rescued. Piggy was wise and the boys failed to recognize this. When Ralph was abandoned by the boys that wanted to join Jacks hunting tripe it was only Piggy, Simon, Samneric and a few littleuns. With such little people, Ralph and Piggy talked and Piggy was hears and finally recognized for his ideas and wisdom. Piggy has a lot of smart ideas that could be implemented. He can relate to the quote by John Quincy Adams because he doesn’t give up, even though he is alone, he finds a way to be heard. Scout Finch and Piggy are character that can relate to each other, and to the quote said by John Quincy Adams. Scout is a character that plays Atticus’ daughter. Scout is very smart for her age, and has many bright ideas. Although this is true her ideas are not as recognized as they should just because of her age, she is much wiser than she appears to but is not recognized for it. â€Å"We don’t write in the first grade, we print. You won’t learn to write until you’re in the third grade. † (Lee 23). This shows that Scout truly does stand by her principles but she is not recognized for it. Scout respects her father very much, but even though this is true she still denies his judgments, if she believes it is the right thing to do. An example if this would be when the Sarum group visited Atticus Finch and threatened him, Scout, Jem and dill all came to protect him. Even though Atticus told his children to return home they stayed there, this ended up helping Atticus bypass the sarum group after all. Simon is a character in Lord of the Flies that portrays a mature and wise. Simon is very honest. When Simon is told that there is a â€Å"beastie† loose on the island he adventures off on his own. He comes across a hanging parachute and realized that, the parachute was the beastie all along. When Simon knew that there could not be such thing as a beastie, he searched for the truth. Simon shows that he stayed with his principles and was determined to find the truth. He does not keep this new found information to himself or only to Ralphs tribe but he tells both Ralph and Jacks tribe. He was honest and wants to make life on the island a lot easier for the boys. He was generous enough to tell the tribes, but it was too late because Jacks tribe was so paranoid about the beastie and that he accidentally killed Simon. Although Simon had died trying to help he kept his principles in mind Simon showed how determined he was to be honest and set his friends straight. The quote by John Quincy Adams can have a lot of themes to express one of those themes that I could tell is honesty. Miss Maudie is a character in To Kill a Mockingbird that plays an honest woman. When Scout asks Miss Maudie about Arthur Radley and if all the rumors about him are true, Miss Maudie sets her straight and gives her full and honest opinion about Arthur Radley (Lee 48). This shows that Miss Maudie shows her moral conscience by admitting to Scout her honest opinion. She is also standing by her principle and passing on her wisdom to Scout. She tells Scout to find the truth and not create rumors and gossip about something that is not for certain. Miss Maudie shows a great deal of respect to the people around her. She stood by her principle as John Quincy Adams said. The quote represents honesty and Miss Maudie is a good example of honesty. There are many relations between the two novels and the quote. The quote by John Quincy Adams â€Å"Always stand on your principle, even if you stand alone† has themes that do relate to the themes and character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies. Atticus Finch and Ralph both show there leader ship and determination, when times are tough they persevere and try their hardest to make things right. This shows how determined they are to stand by their principle. Also Piggy and Scout, there are two completely different characters that play the same role. They both have such great potential to be a more recognized character; even though they seem ignored they both stand by their principles and become recognized. Simon and Miss Maudie two completely different people yet so similar in the sense that they are honest to one another. Overall there are many comparisons between these two novels and that they both have themes and characters that relate to standing by your principle.

Analytical response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analytical response - Essay Example It will also evaluate the concept of popular culture as a melting point for transnationalism. The paper will also go on to examine the relationship between transnationalism and religion and its implication on pedagogy. Transnationalism Transnationalism refers to the social matter that grows from the interconnectivity between people and the disappearance of national boundaries. This is because it evolves from the integration of minorities and foreign persons into a nation's cultural and social spheres. â€Å"The concept of transnationalism was coined in the early 1990s by an enterprising group of social anthropologists to refer to the multi-stranded activities created by immigrants across national borders† (Ben-Refael and Sternberg, 2009: p568). This implies that transnationalism is borne out of the cultural osmosis that culminates from the migration and settlement of foreign nationals in a given nation or state. Lionet and Shih (2005) go further to say that prior to the 1980s when migration became common around the world, national cultures were somewhat homogeneous. People maintained their real identities and did not really have direct linkages to other cultures. In most cases, these â€Å"other† cultures were deemed as â€Å"foreign†. ... However, after the advent of globalization and multiculturalism, nation-states need to be a little more accommodating due to the restructuring of the global order (Salih, 2013). Thus, the rest of this paper will involve a critique of the main themes of transnationalism. This will include an examination of elements that have changed with transnationalism from the core elements of the course. Transnationalism and Identity Obviously, in the current dispensation of globalization and multiculturalism, the identities of people are destined to be questioned and people are bound to change in accordance to the modification of their environments and places of domicile. Zalanga starts his analysis of the relationship between identity and transnationalism by examining the core thesis of the Marxist theory. This exegesis states that people are born into preexisting social systems and structures and hence, they grow up to honor the elements and values of the social system they were born into. This argument is true, in that different people have different attitudes and approaches to others depending on their social values and their social norms and traditions. The variations of social systems spans across the different continents and nations around the world. Thus, in a typical situation, transnationalism involves one person who grew up and spent his formative years in a single environment (Zalanga, 2012). This individual builds his conceptions and worldview around a given social system and social framework. However, such an individual may migrate and find himself or herself in a totally different nation and environment in which he might be surrounded by a totally different nation and a totally

Sustainable Design Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Design - Case Study Example Sustainable design requires that all the people involved in the design and construction of a project adopt a co-creation approach where they complement rather than replace nature. Among the factors that they should consider include, water conservation, the use of sustainable materials, renewable energy, site development and indoor environmental quality. The High Line is a public park built on a redesigned railway. Cataldi et al (2011) state that the park was first opened to the Public in 2009. It is a 2.3 kilometer (1.5 mile) long green corridor. According to the official website of the High Line (2014), the park opens from 7am to 11pm. Figure 1 shows the beautiful flowers in the park. One of the reasons behind the success of the park is the deliberate effort to co-create with nature. For example, the flowers and trees in the park are perfectly suited for the soil and climate of the area. This not only reduces the amount of effort required to care for them, but also ensures that the vegetation in the park can survive for a longtime. Fig 1 According to Sustainable plant (2014), a closed loop is a system in which there is no exchange of matter with the outside environment. The park uses recirculated water. This approach ensures that it does not put a strain on the limited water resources. It is a feature of the sustainable design principles which inspired the development of the park. The reason why the Park has such an elaborate design is because the city allowed the advocacy group who had fought for the project to be implemented. This allowed a group of people who were passionate about the idea to be involved. According to Cataldi et al (2011), this shows the value of ensuring that all stakeholders are given an opportunity to give their input on community development. Schools that incorporate green design, create a good learning environment and atmosphere for its students. This results in better academic performance in the

FedEx Corporation and Its Strategies Research Paper

FedEx Corporation and Its Strategies - Research Paper Example It was found the declining profitability of the company is the main problem that the company should take into account. In the later part of the project certain strategic solutions were suggested, and then the most feasible one was finalized. It was found that the company needs to disinvest loss-making businesses which are not the part of the core business and the finance collected can be used to strengthen that business that adds core competency to the company. A proper change management process should be followed to minimize hurdles and smooth implication of the change. The management should go on reviving the plan with changing market conditions and in this way, the company will succeed in overcoming the major problem in a highly effective manner. FedEx Corporation offers transportation facilities along with e-commerce and other business services to different parts of the world. The company has under its banner four main operating businesses with the names FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, FedEx Ground and FedEx Services. The above-mentioned business units look after different areas of operation, as for example, FedEx Express provides shipping services to clients for delivering packages and freights. FedEx Express also offers trade services to its clients through the ocean as well as air cargo distribution. It also offers global trade data and customs clearance services that can be used as an effective tool by the customer for tracking and managing the import. Such facilities are used by different international trade advisory service providers to assist their customers. The company publishes specific data related to tax and customs duty information. The other segment, FedEx Ground, delivers parcels with the help of ground services.