Monday, January 27, 2020

Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway Essay

Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway Essay This story consists of two main characters who are the girl and the American man. The waitress and people in the bar are the other characters who have superficial roles in the story. In my opinion the girl is the most important character and she has salient role in this story because the operation is going to happen for her and her decision is important in this case. The man said, its not really an operation at all (Hemingway: 2) .She is a protagonist who worries a lot about the future of her relationship. For instance she asks the man whether he will be happy and things will be like the past and he will love her again, if she did it (Hemingway: 1). Consequently, She has a round character because we get a lot of information about her and there are lots of gaps to fill (Abbott: 133). She is the person who cares a lot about keeping this relationship and being loved by the man. For example it can be traced in the following sentence in the story: Then Ill do it because I dont care about me (Hemingway: 2). She is also a type, She is dependent and emotional character. Whatever she wants to do she asks the mans idea. What should we drink? or could we try it? (Hemingway: 1). She is also very emotional because we see that she changes her mind constantly not according to logical principles and she makes decision by her heart not her mind. For example she says then Ill do it because I dont care about me (Hemingway: 2). Another round character is the man who seems to be selfish in forcing the girl to do abortion because he likes his current life style. The tags on the bags show that he enjoys travelling and seeing the world and he thinks having a baby doesnt let him follow his dreams. For instance he says that is the only thing that bothers us (Hemingway: 2). He tries to persuade the girl by repeatedly saying that its perfectly simple (Hemingway: 2, 3). He seems so worried and he wants to get to the conversation about abortion so when the woman talks about the other things he just gives short responses to show that he is not interested but when he starts to convince the girl to do the abortion he talks a lot and he becomes more active in the conversation. Unlike Jig who wants to be intimate, the man doesnt care about that and only worries about the unborn baby. He can also be a type because he is dominant and he wants to control the girl by telling her what to do. Its an awfully simple operation, J ig (Hemingway: 2). He wants to force the girl to do the operation. The woman and people in the bar are flat characters because we dont get much information about them and they dont play an important role in story. As Porter Abbott mentions that in flat characters there is not any complexity and depth feeling in their behaviors (Abbott: 133). They just give us a sense of setting in which the story happens. The most visible influence that the woman has in the story is when she comes and says about the time of next trains arrival. Hemingway tries to draw the readers attention towards the theme of the story which is abstract and can be extracted from the conflict of the main characters action. The technique applied in the story is conflict regarding values, ideas, feelings and ways of seeing the world in a society. (Abbott: 55). In the dialogue between the girl and the man, I got the impression that they had an ongoing conflict with each other, the man tries to persuade the girl that having a baby will make them unhappy and bother them but the girl thinks that if they lose the baby they will lose everything and they will never get it back (Hemingway: 2). By considering this issue, the theme focuses on different views towards the different worlds of the girl and the man. Escaping of responsibility and grasping the passing pleasure are the main issues that the readers have construed from the mans behavior through the narration. The main characters of this story who have controversial debate about getting rid of t he carrying baby. The man knows baby as a major obstacle to reaching long term happiness, also he insists on the choice of abortion to make him free from the responsibility. Its just to let the air in (Hemingway: 2). the fallowing example shows that the man disagrees with the birth of the baby. On the other hand, the girl shows uncertainty about abortion. She wants to keep this baby because she thinks this issue is an element for reaching stability in her love and life. If I do it youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll be happy and things will be like they were and youll love me? (Hemingway: 2). She thinks by losing the baby she may miss the fortune for having a family that can save her from rootlessness. By figuring out the motif in the story, the technique offered by Porter Abbott was used; looking at the subjects that repeatedly said throughout the story (Abbott: 95). Regarding this definition, it can be mentioned that drinking alcohol is as a motif which is repeated through the story, by hoping to get out of trouble and changing the atmosphere of conversation. Should we have another drink? All right (Hemingway: 1). They order beer again and they drink, they feel better and change atmosphere and the man starts to take the dialogue forward. The curtain that we mentioned above as a symbol is another motif which is a subject for communication between the couple with waitress and the way of passing. He went out through the bead curtain or The woman came out through the curtains (Hemingway: 3). Two is another motif, stopping of the train for two minutes, the station was between two lines of rail, carrying two bags (Hemingway: 1, 2, 3).In other words, it refers to existence of different desires and opinions between two characters of the story which, in a way, has caused the conflict through the story. There are a number of symbols which reader can realize the theme of the story by means of these symbols. At the beginning of story the girl looks at the line of hills and said: They look like white elephants. (Hemingway: 1). Hills symbolize the problem that the couple are involved in; the white color represents the innocence of unborn baby, elephant is a symbol of the belly of a pregnant woman. When the girl looks at the hills, she hopes to find the solution; meanwhile the American man looks at the hills and doesnt find any solution. Ive never seen one (Hemingway: 1). The lines of rails is another symbol which can show two choices of the decision by the different point of view of the couple. On one hand she sees fields of grains along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. (Hemingway: 2). This part symbolizes fruitfulness and fertility and making hope in Jig by keeping the baby because after seeing this scene she says we could have all things. (Hemingway: 2). On the other hand there is lack of passion in life and everything is brown and dry by losing the baby there is no shade and no trees. (Hemingway: 1). The girl should choose an option by selecting the track of train during the limited time. When talking about forms of narration, it is important to stress out that narrator of this story is an omniscient , the direct and indirect styles are applied to the representation with shifts from direct to indirect style and, finally into the free indirect style (Porter Abbott : 71,77). The impressive feature of the story, is narrated almost by dialogue, also narrator uses quotation marks and then shifts from direct to indirect style: Ill scream, the girl said. The woman came out through the curtains (Hemingway: 3). We can observe third person narrator obviously narrates the story by means of free indirect style. In conclusion, the story posses with characters, themes, motifs and the conflict between the couple who are main characters in dialogue. As mentioned above the girl (Jig) and the American man have different types of characters. Narrator by repeating some symbols and describing the landscape of place draws attention of reader to the theme of the story. Hemingway illustrates different ways of thinking between the girl and American man on abortion; it also shows miscommunication between them. Regardless of the theme in this story the couple in the rail station should decide about their future whether leading to a new life, fertility and making family, or ending up to death and losing the opportunity in future. I suppose at the end, the girl found herself satisfied and joyous based upon the decision that they made. It brought her comfort in mind and happiness in soul as she said: I feel fine (Hemingway: 3). In my idea Hemingway has left some space in this story for the reader to think ab out different aspects of modern life in a consumer society and the conflicts that modern people experience in their lives in their ways to reach happiness.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Examining for Aphasia Essay -- Language

Introduction Examining For Aphasia was created in 1954 by John Eisenson in New York (Eisenson, 1954). It was one of the first tests for assessing language impairment (Benson & Ardila, 1996) and provides a guided approach for evaluating language disturbances and other disturbances closely related to language function (Eisenson, 1954). The materials and procedures were developed originally for use with a group of patients in an army hospital who had aphasia and related disturbances (Eisenson, 1954, p. 32). Continued use of the original inventory resulted in refinements and improvement and testing of civilian patients has ‘shown the applicability of various parts of the test as well as of the examination as a whole’ (Eisenson, 1954, p. 32) Purpose The purpose of Examining for Aphasia (EFA) is to examine adolescents and adults whose language abilities have become impaired after normal language functioning had been established, with its main purpose being to ascertain the type and level of the language dysfunction (Eisenson, 1954). It aims to help the clinician discover what abilities remain, and to form the basis of a program of retraining. Eisenson (1954) states that results of the examination 'enable the clinician to obtain an overall view of the patient's strengths and weaknesses, as well as determine the 'level of ability within a given area of language function' (Browndyke, 2002). Construction The examination is divided into two main parts. The first includes items to test abilities and to reveal disturbances in the patient’s capacity to deal with concrete materials, visual representation, and symbols which are presented to the patient for simple recognition or for evaluations (Benson & Ardila, 1996); that is their ability ... ...yke, J. (2002). Aphasia Assessment Retrieved 9 May 2012, from http://www.neuropsychologycentral.com/interface/content/resources/page_material/resources_general_materials_pages/resources_document_pages/aphasia_assessment.pdf Eisenson, J. (1954). Examining for aphasia : a manual for the examination of aphasia and related disturbances. New York: Psychological Corporation. Kagan, A., Simmons-Mackie, N., Victor, J. C., & Aphasia Institute. (2010). Assessment for living with aphasia (pp. 1 instructional manual (26 p.), 25 record booklets (24 p.), 21 pictographic booklet (43 p. on easel), 21 rating scale card, 21 probe question card, 25 score sheets, and 21 instructional DVD). Toronto: Aphasia Institute. Skenes, L. L., & McCauley, R. J. (1985). Psychometric review of nine aphasia tests. Journal of Communication Disorders, 18(6), 461-474. doi: 10.1016/0021-9924(85)90033-4

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Limit Pricing and Oligopolies

Limit pricing is the type of pricing wherein firms discourage entrants to the market by choosing a low price that is below short-run profit maximizing price but above the competitive level. Firms who engage in limit pricing are forfeiting current profits to earn future profits. The output is being maintained despite the presence of entrants. However, there are still issues whether the application of limit pricing models is profitable for firms (2002). A firm engages in limit pricing by choosing its price and output while an entrant cannot sufficiently cover the average total cost of the remaining market demand. An established firm that is threatened by an entry in a single-period could use limit price as the highest price. This will block the entry. As first explained by Modigliani in 1958, it was assumed that entrants would expect that incumbent firm will continue production at an entry-limiting output with an entry present. It is the same as the Cournot Competition wherein firms believe that its competitors will continue production at the current levels (McAuliffe, 1997). On the other hand, â€Å"classic limit pricing† is another pricing policy where limit pricing allows established firms to earn economic profits while they are preventing the occurrence of entry. It happens if there are economies of sale in production even if the entrants and the incumbent firms have the same costs (McAuliffe, 1997). Another model is explained by Gaskin in 1971, called the dynamic limit pricing. It happens if there are threats from potential competition to a firm for current and future periods. The firms would now depend the rate of entry from the difference between the current price and their marginal costs. If a firm would want to earn high profits at current period, it will set a high price. However, the number of entry will also increase while the price and profit are likely to decrease in the future. On the other hand, if an established firm decided for a lower price, both the entry and the profits will decrease. Moreover, if the firms do not have any cost over the entrants, it will lose its position then the market will be competitive. The competitive outcome of the market however is not astonishing at all since only the price is used by the firm (McAuliffe, 1997). Both in the classic and dynamic limit pricing, the market power of the established firms are restricted due to the potential competition. In the end, they have no choice but to set the price under monopoly level. However, the expectation from an entrant that a firm would always maintain its output is not always true. After the entry period, both firms would earn high profits through high prices and restricted output. An established firm therefore with maintained output after the existence of an entry is not always a threat for an entrant. Otherwise, the established firm should bind for the current period   in order to obtain high profits with high output for the next periods (McAuliffe, 1997). Successful limit pricing could affect the market structure however few firms do set prices equal to or below the monopoly level to discourage entry. Major American companies use different strategies such as advertising and product proliferation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to discourage entry (McAuliffe, 1997). Competition is important in the American economy system but what if there is only a small number of competing companies? This condition falls under the oligopoly market. Unlike the monopoly where there is only one seller and many buyers, in oligopoly there is more than one seller (Schenk). In oligopoly, there may be homogenous or heterogeneous products; however entry is deterred by legal restrictions such as banking, minimum efficient scale such as overnight mail service , or strategic behavior (2008). Oligopoly has different models such as the Cournot-Nash Equilibrium of Duopoly and the Collusive Oligopoly. Cournot focused only on duopoly where there are only two firms competing assuming that both sell the same products produced at zero marginal cost. Both firm engage in output that is profit-maximizing expecting that the output of the other firms is maintained or held constant (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Under Cournot-Nash equilibrium, duopolists are competing for the quantities where each produces less than a monopoly. However, the sum of the production of both duopolists is more than the monopoly but their economic profits are less than the monopoly. The price is always less than monopoly level but not more than the competitive price (2008). Under Cournot equilibrium, firms would earn less than a monopoly because the duopolists’ outputs are more then the monopoly output. They would earn however more than the perfectly competitive firms since they could decrease the price upon increasing output (Lipsey and Crystal, 2007). Each competing firm is expected to adjust their outputs. However, if they cannot make any more adjustments then equilibrium is reached (Hobbs, 2001). Unlike Cournot-Nash equilibrium with doupolists as competing firms, in collusive oligopoly the firms cooperate in order to have a monopoly power. They may agree in setting price and dividing the output therefore gaining the quantity a monopoly produces and earning the economic profits a monopoly can. The firms are now earning more than doupoly profits (2008). There are many factors for collusion such as the number of sellers, personalities, equality of shares, costs of each firm, and others. There is a possibly that a collusion might disintegrate especially if the firm begin competing and cheating with the other firms (Schenk). Monopolies in the U.S. are most likely to be regulated by the government unlike the oligopolies. Price-fixing by the collusive oligopolies however is not allowed unless for agricultural cooperatives and professional sports league (2006). Collusion oligopolies, just like the doupoly, could turn into competition as well. Firms begin violating the production limits and producing more than they have to. Besides, the price tends to be lower. In the end, the collusion becomes unsuccessful. Bibliography OECD 2002, Limit Pricing, viewed 6 May 2007, . NC State University 2006, Collusive Oligopolies, viewed 6 May 2008, . 2008 Oligopoly, viewed 6 May 2008, . Hobb, B.K. 2001, Cournot Equilibrium, viewed 6 may 2008, . Lipsey, R. G. & Crystal, A. 2007, Doupoly. Oxford University Press, viewed 6 May 2008, . McAuliffe, R. E. 1997, Encyclopedic Dcitionary of Managerial Economics, Blackwell Punlishing, viewed 6 May 2008, . Schenk, R. The Theory of Few Sellers, viewed 6 May 2008, .         

Friday, January 3, 2020

How Do Congressional Conference Committees Work

A Congressional Conference Committee is composed of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and it is charged with resolving disagreements on a specific piece of legislation. AÂ   committee is usually comprised of senior Members of the standing committees of each House that originally considered the legislation. The Purpose of Congressional Conference Committees Conference committees are created after the House and the Senate pass different versions of a piece of legislation. Conference committees must negotiate a compromise bill that will be voted upon by both Chambers of Congress. This is because both houses of Congress must pass identical legislation for the bill to become law, according to the U.S. Constitution.The conference committee is usually composed of the senior members of the respective House and Senate standing committees that originally considered the legislation. Each Congressional chamber determines its number of conferees; there is no requirement that the number of conferees from the two chambers is equal. Steps for Submitting a Bill to a Conference Committee Sending a bill to a conference committee involves four steps, three of the steps are required, the fourth is not. Both houses are required to complete the first three steps. Stage of disagreement. Here, the Senate and House agree that they disagree. According to Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An Introduction, the agreement can be accomplished by:The Senate insisting on its own amendment(s) to a House-passed bill or amendment.The Senate disagreeing to the House’s amendment(s) to a Senate-passed bill or amendment.Then, the House and Senate must agree to create a conference committee to resolve the legislative disagreement.In an optional step, each house may provide a motion to instruct. These are instructions on the conferees positions, though they arent binding.Each house then appoints its conference members. Congressional Conference Committee Determinations After deliberation, the conferees may make one or more recommendations. For example, the committee may recommend (1) that the House recede from all or certain of its amendments; (2) that the Senate recede from its disagreement to all or certain of the House amendments and agree to the same; or (3) that the conference committee is unable to agree in all or in part. Usually, however, there is a compromise.In order to conclude its business, a majority of both House and Senate delegations to the conference must sign the conference report.The conference report proposes new legislative language which is presented as an amendment to the original bill passed by each chamber. The conference report also includes a joint explanatory statement, which documents, among other things, the legislative history of the bill.The conference report proceeds directly to the floor of each chamber for a vote; it cannot be amended. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 limits Senate debate on conference reports on budget reconciliation bills to 10 hours. Other Types of Committees Standing Committees: These permanent committees established under the standing rules of the Senate and specialize in the consideration of particular subject areas. As of September 2016, Senate currently has 16 standing committees, according to Senate.gov.Joint Committees: These committees include membership from both houses of Congress. Joint committees are established with narrow jurisdictions and typically lack authority to report legislation.Special or Select Committees are established by the Senate for a specific time period to undertake a particular study or investigation. These committees may or may not have authority to report legislation to the Senate.