Character Analysis The Catcher In The Rye - 1297 Words

When a family member passes away it causes hardship, not only immediate, but also in the long term. In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, The main character, Holden Caulfield, experiences the loss of his brother. He is distanced from his family and friends emotionally, and at boarding school, is separated physically. Out of fear, he begins to shield himself from the world around him. Because of the death of Allie, Holden pushes away any new relationships that could lead to him getting hurt and clings onto those he already had. When Holden was at the young age of 13, he was burdened with the death of his little brother. He idolized Allie, and although older, he looked up to him. When Allie died, Holden was angry, sad, and†¦show more content†¦He does not know when the right time to put himself out there is. Jane Gallagher on the other hand, creates a sense that he is fearful of their relationship. He puts off every chance he gets to contact her. He remembers there being a real connection. â€Å"I’m not in the mood right now†¦ You have to be in the mood for those things† (Salinger 33). Holden had the chance many times to go see her, or call her, but he had convinced himself that he was not prepared to see her. She knew about Allie and Holden withheld the chance to have her in his life, again out of fear of loss. Since the death of his brother, Holden has clung to stability. The only things in his life that are stable, are his siblings. Although his brother DB lives in California, he is still there for Holden â€Å"He’s in hollywood, That isn’t too far from this crumby place, and he comes and visits me practically every week† ( Salinger 1). Holden holds on to the last thing of his family that is the same from before Allie died. He has his brother and sister, and always will. Holden, when leaving Pencey, wants to talk to his sister. â€Å"Anyway, she was somebody you always felt like talking to on the phone. But I was too afraid that my parents would answer† (Salinger 68). He Garrett 3 has no way of seeing her without going home, but he trusts her the most out of any other character in the novel. Holden can’t fathom thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Characters And Themes Of The Catcher Rye 1537 Words   |  7 Pages Analysis of Characters and Themes in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger was born in 1919 to a wealthy Manhattan family. He grew up in the same social conditions as Holden Caulfield does in The Catcher in the Rye. The last thing Salinger cared about was being a successful student because he was very lazy, without care for his responsibilities and tasks. Salinger flunked out of many prep schools, and his parents sent him to a military academy named Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, where he graduatedRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Character Analysis1308 Words   |  6 PagesThe Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger is about a boy named Holden Caulfield who got kicked out of Pencey Prep, a private school for boys. Throughout the story Holden shows his dislike for society because he believes that it corrupts the innocent. Some people might say that Holden doesn ´t understand that as an adult, most innocent people stay innocent and he is just judgemental of all the people around him. Salinger suggests that in order to transition to the adult world prop erly, an individualRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Catcher In The Rye1101 Words   |  5 PagesHolden Caulfield is a character who has been through rejection and wishes to protect others innocence. He is a teen boy who is the main character in Catcher in The Rye by J.D.Salinger. He has an older brother named DB, a younger sister named Phoebe, and a younger, deceased, brother named Allie. Holden retells his story on him, trying to be the catcher in the rye. Holden has been kicked out of different colleges. He has been rejected by different girls. Holden goes through his life story. He talksRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Character Analysis788 Words   |  4 Pagesbrutally experiences both at the same time. Recognizing and understanding these representations can help you the most when trying to comprehend this character and real life people who struggle with these problems. In JD Salinger’s coming-of-age novel, The Catcher in the Rye, themes and objects that directly represent sym bolism in the main character, Holden’s, depression and loneliness. In the novel, many scenes have phones in them, which represents Holden’s loneliness. When he first arrives backRead MoreCharacter Analysis : The Catcher In The Rye2036 Words   |  9 Pagesisolation, they sometimes struggle to come to terms with the sadness and truths of those experiences. They may lie to other people and themselves in order to hide their pain, and sometimes they can become stuck. In the classic fiction novel The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger, Holden is a troubled adolescent, who is unable to move forward in life after witnessing the death of his younger brother, Allie at age 13. The death of Allie ended Holden’s childhood, but Holden’s reluctance to moveRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye Character Analysis1472 Words   |  6 Pagesthat fulfill their ideals or agree with the things they say, but these relationships can also help one discover their personal philosophies by reinforcing opposing views. Indeed, in J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the way Holden reacts to and interacts with secondary characters reveal his established philosophies and the values he holds most dear to him. Although Holden never directly interacts with Jane Gallagher during the course of the novel, the way he thinks and talks about herRead MoreCatcher In The Rye Character Analysis940 Words   |  4 PagesIn chapter ten of J.D. Salinger’s, Catcher in the Rye, there are three important concepts: loneliness, depression, and idealism. Holden evinces these concepts when he talks about his younger sister, goes to the Lavender room, and mentions Radio City Music Hall. Each of these concepts builds upon each other, especially the idea that Holden is lonely. Holden is alone once he arrives in New York after leaving Pencey Prep. Holden’s loneliness makes him think of his younger sister, Phoebe, who has a lotRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye Character Analysis715 Words   |  3 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is narrated by the main character, a sixteen year-old boy named Holden Caulfield. The story starts out with Holden attending a prep school near New York City called Pencey Academy. Soon we discover that Holden has been â€Å"given the axe† because of his apparent apathy about school and his grades. Unfortunately, Pencey is only one in a series of schools that Holden has flunked out of. The plot is all about Holden going out on an adventure by himself and tryingRead More The Catcher in the Rye - Character Analysis of Holden Caufield741 Words   |  3 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye - Character Analysis of Holden Caufield In J.D. Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caufield, describes in detail the parts of his life and his environment that bother him the most. He faces these problems with a kind of naivety that prevents him from fully understanding why it is that he is so depressed. His life revolves around his problems, and he seems helpless in evading them. Among others, Holden finds himself facing the issues ofRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Holden Caulfield s The Catcher Of The Rye 1733 Words   |  7 PagesBroderick-King English 101 5/24/16 Essay A.M.D.G. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield is faced with multiple â€Å"phonies† that divert him from those he really holds affection for. Throughout the novel Holden shows disgust for certain characters but his ability to build relationships of intimacy are most eminent. Through Allie Caulfield, Holden is able to make a more personal connection. Seeing

Persuasive Essay On Drunk Driving - 1114 Words

Each year, 13,000 people are killed by drunk drivers with a blood alcohol level above .08. Advocates of a new standard for in-car breathalyzers say that most, if not all, of those accidents could have been avoided if the drunk driver hadnt been able to turn his or her car on. If Congress and Mothers Against Drunk Driving get their way, could your next new car could come with a breathalyzer pre-installed? Much confusion surrounds in-car breathalyzer devices for those convicted of a DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while impaired), their nationwide rollout and several bills going through Congress on the matter. Some predict well all be driving a car with a similar device in future -- guilty or not -- whereas some†¦show more content†¦Local, national advocates Carl McDonald, of MADD, is quick to point out that while the campaign group is in favor of mandatory interlock penalties in all cases of DUI or DWI, or for about 1.5 million Americans convicted each year; the group is not in favor of a rollout of breathalyzers in every new car. Some say that MADD is in favor of putting interlocks in every car, McDonald said. This is not the case. An interlock device is a method by which people demonstrate sobriety by actively doing something. We would never subject the population to that kind of thing by car. Thats only for offenders. Citing remarkable progress in the number of states signing into law mandatory interlocks for all offenders, he says the law is an easy sell to lawmakers -- even in the face of opposition from states rights groups. He adds that safety legislation on airbags and seat belts also became a federal issue and puts a timeframe of about ten years on a majority of states adopting, and enforcing, an interlock law for all offenders. What happens in real life...there are people who have been arrested and convicted of drunk driving, McDonald said. Following that conviction they were suspended. People we know violate those laws repeatedly and they may have been picked up repeatedly. We know theyre driving without insurance and often intoxicated. We want to make sure that if theyre driving at all, theyre driving sober. New Mexico was theShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Drunk Driving1118 Words   |  5 Pagesthe ultimate price for a bad decision you made. In the United States, a person dies every 51 minutes due to the actions of a drunk driver. Every day, alcohol impaired drivers are responsible for an average of 28 deaths. Understanding that it can happen to you and that choosing not to drive buzzed or impaired is the only responsible decision to make. Drinking and driving even just one time can be the biggest mistake you could ever make. I would like to take you back to 2003 . I was in kindergartenRead MorePersuasive Essay On Drunk Driving1185 Words   |  5 Pagestipsy, but the other person may not get out of this situation alive. Drunk driving is a painfully real problem in our country today. Traffic deaths numbered 37,461 in 2016, and 10,497 of those had alcohol to blame (â€Å"USDOT†). That means that 28% of all traffic deaths in 2016 involved a drunk driver. Even more sobering is the fact that 1,233 of alcohol-related traffic deaths were of children aged fourteen and younger (â€Å"Drunk Driving†). Voters and legislatures know that they have to do something. By 2002Read MorePersuasive Essay On Drunk Driving Laws736 Words   |  3 PagesEssay 3 Drunk driving accounts for nearly a third of traffic related deaths in the United States. Because of this it is perfectly reasonable for laws to be in place to prevent drunk driving. In my belief, these laws are just and put in place to not only protect the driver under the influence, but those around them. John Rawls would also believe that these ideas are just due to the law not impeding on anyone’s basic liberties. The laws are also the same for everyone, no matter the social standingRead MoreDrunk Driving Persuasive Speech Essay629 Words   |  3 PagesPerkins Persuasive Speech I. Attention 1. You tube video clip, â€Å"Dedicated to Loved Ones Lost† 2. Every day in America, another 28 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2011.) II. Central Thesis Drunk driving is an epidemic that continues to have severe and life threatening consequences for those involved, if we simply take a few steps against drunk driving we can help decrease this epidemic. III. Body A. Need: Drunk drivingRead MoreBUS 303: A Persuasive and Descriptive Essay on Traffic on Freeway1838 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Persuasive and Descriptive Essay The loud screech of brakes and chaos of cars madly attempting to avoid hitting each other froze the rush hour traffic to a standstill in pure fear. You could literally smell the burned rubber, fuel and fear in the hot afternoon sun. In an instant of extreme paranoia all the drivers on the freeway stopped and looked to see what had nearly caused at least four cars to go hurtling into each other. In the fast lane sat a young man chatting on his cell phone andRead MoreDrinking and Driving Essay865 Words   |  4 Pagesdesignated driver, that should be the question Persuasive Essay ENG4U Due: March 9th 2010 For: Ms. Leroux-Simurda From Michelle Skippen One glass, two glasses, three glasses, before you know it you are drunk and you need to get home. You figure everything will be fine, considering you are a great driver, right? Wrong, drinking and driving is a deadly combination. One drink and you can reduceRead MoreDrinking and Driving Persuasive Essay858 Words   |  4 PagesDrinking and Driving Persuasive Essay Comm215 July 12, 2010 Drinking and Driving Each year numerous lives are lost due to careless and irrational driving. The disregard for safe driving has been a predicament to the United States of America for years. Many years Police have relied heavily on speed cameras, breathalyzer tests and heavy fines as a deterrent against unlawful drivers. Over the years fatality rates have increased, so the Department of Transportation and Highway Safety hasRead MorePersuasive Essay Topics1228 Words   |  5 Pages101 Persuasive Essay Topics By: Mr. Morton Whether you are a student in need of a persuasive essay topic, or a teacher looking to assign a persuasive essay, this list of 101 persuasive essay topics should be a great resource. I taxed my brain to create this huge list of persuasive essay topics relevant to todays society, but I believe I am happy with the results. I appreciate any and all comments or feedback. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24Read MorePersuasive Essay‚Äà ®Cell Phones and Driving1006 Words   |  5 PagesPersuasive Essay—Cell phones and driving Suzy Campbell Title Balancing my coffee on my left leg, eating a donut with my right hand, using my cell phone with my left hand, driving with my right knee and having a conversation with a friend at the same time are surprisingly enough all legal, as long as they don’t interfere with my driving. While all these distractions can potentially interfere with my driving, the one most people often notice is the use of cell phones. Although using cell phonesRead MoreDistracted Driving Annotated Bibliography1727 Words   |  7 PagesAnnotated Bibliography Distracted Driving. Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. In this article â€Å"Distracted Driving†, many distractions are mentioned other than just cell phone usage, such as changing the radio station or driving with kids in the back seat. It is stated that the dangers from distracted driving are because of the decrease in brain function and inability to pay full attention to the road. These practices

Apollo 13 Free Essays

On April 11th 1970 the Apollo 13 Lunar Mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard Apollo 13, 3 astronauts—Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise—were seeking to be the third mission to land on the moon. 56 hours into the flight the members of the ground crew of Mission Control in Houston, Texas listened as the 5 words NASA never wants to hear resonated through the speakers: â€Å"Houston we have a problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Apollo 13 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † These words were immortalized during the apprehensive days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis. Additionally, it can be said that Apollo 13 was one of the greatest success stories of human achievement and triumph. Director Ron Howard recreated these epic and historical events in the 1995 movie Apollo 13. The Apollo 13 theatrical movie trailer provides insight condensing the events of Apollo 13. Furthermore, it illustrates the true, real life narrative that depicts the prevailing nature of human will and the spirit to overcome such adversity. Furthermore the comradely of the flight crew and the ground crew in Houston, along with the support, thought and prayer from the entire world as they watched the subsequent events of the disaster unfold, illuminates the miracle that was Apollo 13, and proves one thing. Failure in not an option. The binary scenes between the flights crew in space and the ground crew in Houston depict the collective action of both parties and the importance of teamwork in accomplishing a goal. Apollo 13 was not seen merely as one disaster but a series of â€Å"cause and effect† disasters, each one building on the previous. In the face of this action the flight crew remained remarkably calm, analyzed the situation, communicated with the ground crew and took action. Similarly in Houston the ground team worked together as a team, analyzing the series of problems and working together to arrive at a assuredness of purpose and plan. The switching between the scenes in space and those on the ground were fast, sporadic and at times overlapping, especially during the climax of the disaster. This exemplified the coinciding responsibilities and symbiotic relationship of both teams. As well, a major difficulty with the entire Apollo 13 disaster was that at that time nobody—flight or ground crew—knew exactly what happened and how to fix it. This is illustrated by the disjointing of each team through separation of the scenes (and scenery). The flight team was shown in outer space, floating in air (due to the absence of gravity), clad in full-fledged space suits. While the ground team was on earth working in a mission control room, and clothed in typical work-attire. The flight crew, being at the event, could not see the results of the initial explosion; while in Houston the ground crew was not in a much better position, however having some vital information from instruments in the spacecraft. All the while not understanding of the cause of the problem, as well as how dire the situation was, and only knowing it was deteriorating quickly. These binaries construct an understanding that one could not survive without the other; working together, teamwork, was their only option. Human will, and the spirit to overcome such adversity can be seen in the hard-work, dedication, sacrifice and trust demonstrated by the astronauts and the members of the ground team alike, especially with so much at stake—human life. In the end, â€Å"what† broke on the Apollo 13 service module was never fixed. Instead, the ground crew came together and developed a plan of action with only one purpose: To safely return Apollo 13 to earth, and the flight crew only considered one ultimate outcome: returning to earth safely. Furthermore while focused on one united cause there was only one outcome, and it proved to be a miracle. As well, the true leadership and true vision of those involved in Apollo 13 serves as a reminder anything is possible. Gene Krantz, Apollo 13’s flight director exhibited true leadership. Gene is known for two quotes, both of which can be seen in the trailer: â€Å"Failure is not an option. † and â€Å"We’ve never lost an American in space; we sure as hell aren’t going to lose one on my watch. His refusal to even consider failure as a possibility was a significant factor resulting in the return of Apollo 13 to earth. Although addressing the multitude of complex, compounding issues and problems facing the safe rescue of the flight crew, his perfect vision—seeing things not as they were, but as they will be—was important because it refused members of the team to engage in negative thinking. As well Lovell’s wife when asked by news reported about the events voiced her positive thinking and determined attitude, â€Å"Take it up with my husband, he will be here on Friday. † The background music of the trailer crescendos along with the heightened intensity of the events. The statement by Lovell at the beginning of the trailer, â€Å"There is nothing routing about flying to the moon,† through irony foreshadows such an epic, out-of-the ordinary event. Ultimately, the Apollo 13 crew under these facts and circumstances and knowing that these astronauts barely survived the closest encounter with death in space; was nothing short of a real, true life miracle. The story is nonetheless true, and incredibly inspiring. The final scene of the trailer is a picture of earth in space with Apollo 13 across the screen. The simplicity of this final scene in contrast to the epic and immense event is somewhat overpowering and truly exemplifies Apollo 13 as one of the greatest success stories. The world stood still, watched and prayed for the safe return of the astronauts, and by overcoming all odds, they did return and in the most remarkable fashion. The success story of Apollo 13 should serve as a reminder that anything is possible. One thing that is stressed in the trailer is the greatness and epic circumstances that encompass the Apollo 13 mission. There is significant focus on intensity and disaster showcased in the trailer, including climatic and expressive music, musical crescendos, extreme emotion, intense explosions, and fire blazed action. The content producers, however, chose to stress the scene in which the shuttle takes-off and when the tank of the command module explodes in space. The viewer can then relate and infer the relationship between the two events, and assume that the unthinkable happens, disasters strikes thus leaving the astronauts paramount mission—survival. How to cite Apollo 13, Papers

Nike Financial Analysis free essay sample

Nike  is a company that has thoroughly embedded itself into the psyche of people around the world. Its a company that started with humble origins from selling footwear in the basement to becoming the behemoth in the athletic industry. Bill Bowerman, University of Oregon track ; field coach, and Phil Knight, middle-distance runner under Bowerman co-founded Nike. Nike was first established as Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964 as a partnership and the name Nike was officially adopted on May 30, 1978. The infamous Nike Logo Swoosh, was created for a fee of $35 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphics design student.In 1980, Nike becomes a publicly traded company with the completion of its Initial Public Offering of 2,377,000 shares of Class B Common Stock on New York Stock Exchange with the stock symbol NKE. Today, Nike employs over 27,000 people across the globe, and has net revenue in excess of $13 billion. The purpose of this paper is to provide investors with comprehensive information on Nike, its financial health and activities, its strength and weaknesses, and whether Nike creates value to its shareholders. This paper will analyze Nikes capital structure, scope of international operations, recent stock performance, and dividend policy. We will examine how Nikes international operations are conducted, its criticisms and strengths. Nikes debt ratios, dividend payout ratios, dividend yield, and interest coverage ratios over the previous 5 years will be discussed and compared with industry benchmarks. Its bond ratings and the relation between the operating characteristics and its leverage will also be analyzed. Managers for Nike are creating value for shareholders by expanding Nike operations in foreign markets as much as possible. Nikes sales and earnings outpaced Wall Street estimates FY 06. Nikes sales reached $15 billion and its earnings per share were up 18%.Over the past 5 years, Nikes earnings per share on compounded rate were up 20%, gross margins averaged 42% and in the past year, Nike delivered 44% margins in a period of rising costs. The current managers are maximizing shareholders wealth but in the footwear industry, Nikes performance still falls. The footwear industry averaged about 14. 25%, while Nikes growth in stock was 10. 48%. If the increase in value of shares is a benchmark of performance for managers, Nikes performance is unimpressive. Nike has a Price to Book (MRQ) ratio of 3. 97, while the industry Nike competes in has a ratio of 3. 96.S;P 500 has a Price to Book (MRQ) ratio of 3. 90. Nike has a Price to Tangible Book (MRQ) ratio of 4. 26, while the industry has a ratio of 4. 44, and the S;P 500 has a ratio of 7. 22. The Nike brand itself is the biggest strength of Nike. Its other strengths include international operations where it is expanding aggressively, innovation of new products and ability to connect with its consumers. Peoples perception of Nike as an exploiter of workers in developing nations, might cause considerable damage to its brand, and the poor performance of its stock relative to its industry is also one of its weaknesses.Nikes managers must maximize shareholders wealth, which is not at its optimum level. As a world-renowned multi-national corporation, Nike has a presence in almost every nation. Nike itself started by importing athletic shoes from a Japanese company called Onitsuka Tiger Company. Nike earns more revenues from its international operations than its domestic market. Nike earned about $6. 5 billion FY 2005 from its international operations, compared to $5. 1 billion from its domestic market. International operations appear to be a key driver of Nikes growth. Nikes international operations are divided into 3 different regions.The EMEA region oversees operations in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The Asia Pacific Region oversees operations in East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The Americas region oversees operations in South America, and North America (excluding United States). Europe, Middle East, ; Africa (EMEA) is headquartered in Hilversum, Netherlands. In terms of revenue, the EMEA is Nikes second largest region. EMEA region contributed about $4. 3 billion in revenues for Nike. Of these, footwear revenues contributed $2. 5 billion, apparel revenues contributed $1. 5 billion and equipment revenues contributed $284. million. FY05, 31% of Nike brand revenue was generated by sales in the EMEA region. This region is also the third largest in terms of manufacturing. EMEA region employs about 6,000 Nike employees, and has about 104 contract factories. These factories in addition, employ 29,242 workers. The Asia Pacific region is Nikes third largest in terms of revenue, and the largest in terms of manufacturing. Nike has 13 branch offices and subsidiaries in the Asia Pacific region. China has become both a source country and a vital market for Nike. Asia Pacific region has 3,282 Nike employees approximately.The region also has 252 contract factories located in North Asia, and 238 contract factories located in South Asia. Combined, these factories employ 550,821 workers. Nikes revenues for year 2004 from its Asian operations were about $1. 6 billion. Of these revenues, approximately $855 million were from footwear sales, $612 million from apparel sales and $146 million from equipment sales. The Americas region is the smallest in terms of revenue 2nd largest in regards to manufacturing. The first Nike shoe ever contracted out was done in Mexico in 1971. For year 2003, the region provided Nike with revenues of $624 million.Of these revenues $412 million were from footwear sales, $166 million from apparel sales and $47 million from equipment sales. This region has approximately 1076 Nike employees and additional 44,568 workers working in 137 total contract factories. Nike has branch offices and subsidiaries in five countries. Some of the challenges that Nike has faced and still faces are in regards to its manufacturing facilities and violation of labor laws. Nike has been accused on numerous occasions of employing children in its factories or exploiting workers in developing countries.In response to these allegations, Nike implemented strict standards for manufacturing facilities, including minimum age, air quality, mandatory education programs, expansion of micro-loan programs, factory monitoring, and enhanced transparency of Nikes corporate responsibility practices. In order to better its image, Nike even ceased orders from Pakistan in November 20, 2006 as the soccer-ball manufacturer there failed to correct labor-compliance violations. Examination of Nikes debt ratios reveals that the company has less debt in proportion to its assets.In 2002, Nike had a debt ratio of . 404 with total assets being worth about $6. 44 billion, and total debt of $2. 60 billion. In 2003, Nikes debt ratio increased to . 415, its total assets increased by $378. 1 million, and its total debt increased by $226. 4 million. Debt ratio fell to . 394 in 2004, and fell further in 2005 to . 358. In the year 2006, Nikes debt ratio increased to . 363, and had total assets of $9. 87 billion and total debt of $3. 58 billion. Examination of Nikes interest coverage ratio reveals that the firm can sufficiently pay outstanding debt. If one were to take only Nikes interest coverage ratios into account, it can be said that Nike generates sufficient revenue to satisfy interest expenses. In the year 2002, Nike had an interest coverage ratio of 22. 43. This further increased to 29. 04 the following year with EBIT amounting $1. 25 billion and interest expense amounting to $42. 9 million. In the year 2004, interest coverage ratio increased phenomenally to 59, with EBIT being $1. 48 billion and interest expense being $25 million. Finally for the year 2005, the interest coverage ratio was 388. 485 with EBIT being $1. 86 billion and interest expense being $4. million. Nike has a 5-year average leverage ratio of 1. 5, the industry leverage ratio is about 1. 5, and S;P 500 Index has a leverage of 4. 9. The firms leverage shows that Nike is using long-term debt, and it is measurable and appropriate. The operating characteristics include volume of sales in tune of $13,739. 7 million FY 2005, $12,739. 7 million sales in 2004, $10,697. 0 million sales in 2003, 9893. 0 million sales in 2002, and 9488. 8 million sales in 2001. These financial conditions indicate that Nike, Inc. percentages are not high and provide protection for the stockholders.Nikes bond ratings by Moody for Senior Unsecured loan has a rating of A2, an Aa3 rating for Credit Default Swap, Aaa for Equity-Implied, and an A2 rating for Bond-implied. Nike pays dividends to its shareholders every quarter. In the past 5 years, Nikes dividends ranged from $. 12 a share in March of 2002 to $. 37 a share in December of 2006. Nikes dividend rate is much higher than both the industry average, and the S;P 500 Index. For the last 12 months, the dividend rate paid by Nike was 1. 48; while the industry average was . 32, and the S;P index dividend rate was . 74. Nikes annual dividend yield is about 1. 0%, while the payout ratio is 24%. K-Swiss, one of Nikes competitors has an annual dividend rate of . 20, annual dividend yield of . 60% and a payout ratio of 9%. Skechers USA, another competitor, paid no dividends. The dividend yield of S;P 500 was 2. 06%, while the dividend yield in the footwear industry was 1. 44%. The payout ratio for the footwear industry was 20. 37%, and the S;P payout ratio was 28. 23%. Although, S;P 500 performed better than Nike in regards to dividend yield and payout ratio, one has to take into account that in footwear industry, Nikes dividend yield and payout ratio were considerably higher than its competitors. In regards to its dividend policy, Nike is very attractive, and is very much ahead of the pack. Nike also has a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) and allows its shareholders to participate in it through its Nike Direct-SERVICE Program. Through this program, shareholders can convert their cash dividends into shares at a significant discount to the current share price. Nike has a market value of $24. 41 billion. Approximately 1. 33 million shares are traded daily on average. Over the course of 5 years, Nikes stock price went from $56. 92 as of Jan 2, 2002 to $97. 45 as of Dec 11, 2006 an increase of 71. 5%. The graph below illustrates Nikes 5 Year trend. In the recent year, the firms shares were traded as high as $99. 30, and as low as $75. 52. The firm started with a stock price of $85. 95 in the beginning of the year and as of December 12, 2006 closed at $96. 57 a . 90% decrease from the previous day. The stock performance trend reveals that Nike experiences a greater loss during the months of August and September, and greater gains in October thru December, which is the holiday season. The graph below shows Nikes stock performance trend in the recent year. The chart below shows growth in Footwear Industry in comparison to SP 500 index. In conclusion, Nikes future growth would primarily derive from its foreign operations. As the footwear industry in the domestic market has slowed, Nike has to expand aggressively in foreign markets. Nike pays more dividends in comparison to its competitors; the firm should reinvest that money in aggressive expansion in foreign markets rather than giving back the shareholders the profit. Nikes returns are also significantly less than the SP 500 index and within its own industry.

Ibsen and Strindberg †Hedda Gabler and Miss Julie Argumentative Essay Example For Students

Ibsen and Strindberg – Hedda Gabler and Miss Julie Argumentative Essay Compare and contrast the characters of Hedda Gabler and Miss Julie in the plays by Ibsen and Strindberg. Support your findings with comments on the writers attitudes to their characters. August Strindberg and Henrik Ibsen were both great playwrights of the 19th century, and both played a large role in the evolution of modern day naturalism/ realism. The plays I will be discussing are Ibsens Hedda Gabler, (1890) and Strindbergs Miss Julie (1888). In Karens lecture on Strindberg, she told how the two playwrights were rivals in a sense, mainly caused by Strindbergs attitudes on social issues- Namely his thoughts and theory on the role of women in society. Thus, I am lead to believe that Hedda Gabler was written by Ibsen as a direct retaliation to Strindbergs Miss Julie, just as Karen believes that Strindbergs The Father was written as a reply to Ibsens Ghosts. Although both plays end with the suicide of the leading character, the circumstances by which they occur are very different. In order to take these plays in their full context, it is important to examine the lives of the playwrights and see just how much of their own thoughts, beliefs and feelings are reflected in their plays. I feel this is particularly important in the case of Strindberg. I was intrigued by Karens lecture on Strindberg, in particular the rise of his misogynist attitudes and his state of mental health. His attitudes are reflected in Miss Julie quite clearly. Strindberg believed that Women were a secondary form, which can be seen through reading his preface to the play. The translation of the play I examined was from the Drama Classics (D.C) Series. I found a very interesting piece of writing in this version of the play; In an editors note, it is explained that the translation was based on the original text, and contained some rants which were not included in most published versions. The most interesting of these was a part in the preface which was not in the other versions, it reads as follows;Theres a view, current at the moment even among quite sensible people, that women, that secondary form humanity (second to men, the lords and shapers of human civilisation) should in some way become equal with men, or could so be; this is leading to a struggle which is both bizarre and doomed. Its bizarre because a secondary form, by the laws of science, is always going to be a secondary form . .the proposition is as impossible as that two parallel lines should ever meet.I find these comments quite astounding, and there are no shortage of similar comments in his preface. Karen explained how Strindberg also believed that when a woman was menstruating, it meant she was in an altered state of mind. In his preface, Strindberg gives this as one of the possible reasons behind Julies suicide. An understanding of these attitudes is vital to fully understand Miss Julie and make the connection between Julie and Hedda. As I touched on earlier, Strindberg developed a hate towards Ibsen, as he saw him as a promoter of feminism. Karen spoke of Ibsens Ghosts, in which a woman spoke out against a dead man. Strindberg did not like this, as the male had no chance to defend himself. As a result, he wrote The Father. In this play, Strindberg makes all the female characters out to be dislikeable and narky. It is this which leads me to believe that Hedda Gabler was written by Ibsen as a reply to Miss Julie. I will attempt to display my reasoning behind this theory, analysing the title characters from both plays and demonstrating the writers attitudes being displayed throughout the play. To me, Miss Julie seems to be a true Battle of the sexes play, in which the male inevitably wins. Throughout the play, a power game is being played by Jean and Julie. The character of Julie is what Strindberg would describe as a half-woman- that is, she does not know her place in society and tries to dominate a male. Strindbergs preface touches on this issue;Modern feminists thrust themselves forward, selling themselves for power, honours, distinctions and diplomas as women once did for money.She is socially superior to Jean in that she is from an aristocratic family and Jean is her fathers servant. She tries to assert herself over Jean from the very start of the play when she demands that Jean dances with her. She even claims herself to be Fireproof (D. Drug Addiction In The Work Place Essay The daughter of a General, Hedda is a natural leader and does not easily fit the mould of a housewife. She emphasises this by constantly denying her pregnancy whenever Jorgen mentions it (that is, mentions it indirectly, eg. saying how she is rounded). She longs for control over everyone she comes in contact with. It seems to me the only reason she married Tesman was because she would have financial security as Tesman had an impending professorship, whilst at the same time still have the ability to dominate a dull academic. She gets power by manipulating her husband, and at one point even tells Mrs Elvsted; I want the power to shape a mans destiny. This is clearly the opposite to Strindbergs Miss Julie, where Julie had the desire to be dominated by a man. Hedda becomes jealous of Mrs Elvsteds relationship with Tasmans rival Lovborg, which is intellectual and creates a child in the form of a manuscript. I find it interesting how she gains power over Lovborg when he comes to visit. Lovborg recalls the past; Did you feel love for me? A flicker a sparkfor me? (D. Cp.57), but this flirting does not have an effect on Hedda, even if she would like to respond, she spurns his advances, thus giving her superiority over Lovborg, much as she does with Judge Brack, her confidant. He tells how Hedda has always had power;And Hedda, the things I told you! Things about myself. No one else knew, then. My drinkingdays and nights on end. I sat there and told you. Days and nights. Oh Hedda, what gave you such power? To make me tell you.. .things like that? (D.C p.58)It is Heddas jealousy for Lovborg and Mrs Elvsteds creative relationship which causes her to become destructive and destroy the manuscript, rather than see it back into Lovborgs hands, with the ever powerless Jorgen believing she did it for his sake. As she is burning the manuscript she displays her resentment towards the relationship;Look, Thea. Im burning your baby, Thea. Little Curly hair! Your baby.. .yours and his. The baby. Burning the baby. (D.C p.88)I struggled to fully understand why she urged Lovborg to kill himself, but in this context I can only speculate that it was to further consolidate the end of the relationship between Miss Elvsted and Lovborg, of which she was so envious. By the end of the play, Hedda has relinquished all of her power. Lovborgs death backfired and Hedda ended up losing the dominance over Jorgen, as he and Mrs Elvsted devote their lives to resurrecting Lovborgs manuscript and Mrs Elvsted hopes to inspire Tesman as she did Lovborg. Brack then establishes power over her through her fear of scandal, blackmailing her in a sense to agree to his terms of living. He could destroy her at any moment by releasing the information that the gun which killed Lovborg belonged to Hedda. She finds this thought unbearable; Im still in your power. At your disposal. A slave. I wont have it. I wont (D. C p.105) So Hedda, unable to live under the control of others, plays a final tune on the piano before taking one of her fathers pistols and shooting herself. Although both Ibsens Hedda Gabler and Strindbergs Miss Julie ended with the suicide of the leading character, the circumstances by which the suicides occurred were most different, and particularly in the case of Miss Julie, the writers personal thoughts were prominent in the outcome. Julie ended her life after a deep underlying yearning to be dominated by Jean and in the end displays her inferiority by begging Jean to give her permission to end her life. This is unlike the circumstances in Hedda Gabler, where Hedda maintains her dignity and status to the very end. Unlike Julie, she cannot bear the thought of being under the control of others. This is why I speculate that Hedda Gabler could very well have been written by Ibsen in direct reply and contradiction to Strindbergs Miss Julie. I am sure that Henrik Ibsen would have found a lot to disagree upon when it came to the ideas and philosophies contained within Strindbergs Miss Julie, not to mention the plays preface.

The Investigation Into the Death of Jill Dando Essay Example

The Investigation Into the Death of Jill Dando Essay On 26th of April 1999, TV presenter Jill Dando was shot in the side of her head with a modified gun at close range, on the doorstep in front of her house on Gowen Avenue. A neighbour, Helen Doble, who originally thought Dando had been stabbed, found her body, who subsequently called the emergency services. Jill Dando was taken to Charing Cross Hospital nearby, yet was declared dead on arrival. Operation Oxborough was established, a two year long investigation. Police were initially bombarded with information that bore no evidence or leads for the investigation, for which extra staff and resources were needed. While nobody appeared to have witnessed the crime, many came forward with sightings of men near the scene around the time of the crime. The first suspect was a man who had waited at the bus stop on Fulham Palace road, boarded a bus, yet got off before his supposed destination. Witnesses say that this man was sweating and looked agitated. Police learned that Jill Dando had been shot around 15 minutes previously, and therefore the sweating man became their first suspect. The man was described as 59 to 510, medium build in his late 30s, having a round face, dark complexion and being clean shaven. However, after producing the following E-fit, police began to realise that perhaps this man was not their murderer, but may have been a witness. 1 The E-fit of the sweating man The sweating man never came forward. We will write a custom essay sample on The Investigation Into the Death of Jill Dando specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Investigation Into the Death of Jill Dando specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Investigation Into the Death of Jill Dando specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer After this line of enquiry fell through, the police began to interview anyone associated with Jill Dando. This was an extensive line of enquiry as the police searched through and contacted almost 500 people listed in her filofax, examined around 14,000 emails sent to the BBC and examined all her letters and phone messages. Following this, a Range Rover had been singled out as it failed to stop at a red light shortly after the murder, in Fulham. In the process of tracking this car down, police also investigated the details of 1200 vehicles. The case had barely progressed for 6 months, counting a list of 2000 suspects. Police then contacted profiling experts in the United States, who suggested that the crime was more likely to have been committed by an obsessive stalker. This helped to narrow down the list of suspects from 2000 to 140, those of whom had an unwholesome interest in Jill Dando. They began to concentrate on a man who they had received messages about in the days after the murder, called Barry George, who lived 800 yards away from Jills home, and was described as an oddball. Following a surveillance operation, his flat was searched three times where they found circumstantial evidence such as newspaper clippings, and what may have possibly been gunshot residue, linking him to the murder. By May 2000, Barry George was arrested and charged with the murder of Jill Dando, despite his alibi. The police then began to prepare witnesses for trial, conduct identity parades and continued to gather information to counter his alibi. However, Barry George has always protested his innocence, and many appeals have been turned down. Barry George originally came under suspicion as he was acting agitated during appointments with his housing association and GP, the day of the murder. Two days later, he began asking if people could verify what he was doing the day Jill was shot. The police involved in the investigation had been told hat he was odd and owned air rifles. Much of the evidence obtained during investigation was circumstantial, and in this review the evidence will be looked at critically. * Books and magazines on firearms were found in stacks during searches of Barry Georges flat. The prosecution used this as evidence to base the claim that Barry George was a loner who was obsessed with firearms. This was also supported by the finding of a single particle of gunshot residue in his coat pocket. However, these magazines dated back to the 1980s, during the time which he had joined the TA in 1981, but left after he failed his training. After leaving he attempted to join a firearms club but was turned down. On two separate occasions he had shown a friend a gun, and fired a blank from a gun. However, there is no evidence that this interest had continued into the 90s, especially not over a period of 20 years when Jill Dando was shot. Furthermore, controversy surrounds the sole particle of GSR. The forensic scientist called as an expert witness during the trial said that after using SEM (scanning electron microscope), he was able to compare the particle with particles from a test fire using a similar bullet which was used in the murder, and he concluded that the particle found could have come from the cartridge case which was found at the scene, as they were both made up of barium, aluminium and lead. Particles found in Jill Dandos hair and on her coat were also made up of the same compounds. However, these particles may have been the same type but there was no way of distinguishing whether the particle had come from the murder weapon, as this was never found for comparison. Furthermore, the police said that when they entered the property, they had not gone in with guns. New witnesses have come forward; a retired church minister and an airport worker say that the officers were armed when they went in. They would themselves have had gunshot residue on their hands and could have easily contaminated the coat. Furthermore, these searches did not occur until a year after the murder, and therefore, it may not necessarily be gunshot residue from the murder.

How to Find an Excellent Topic for an English Literature Term Paper

How to Find an Excellent Topic for an English Literature Term Paper How to Find an Excellent Topic for an English Literature Term Paper One of the most rewarding paper types that you will ever write for an English class is a literature term paper. Its main point is to get you to take a hard and analytical look at a piece of literature. When you are developing your term paper, the topic is vital in the overall success of your piece. You will want to utilize the following advice to be ensured that it turns out successfully. Brainstorming One of the easiest ways to make sure that you select a good topic is by brainstorming some of the literary works that you can remember. Something about these pieces stood out to you and that can make writing about them more interesting. Think back to the various books that you have read. You don’t have to recall the exact name and author for this part of the process. Just simply get the general ideas down so that you know which piece you are discussing. The name and title are not important. Enhancing the List After the brainstorming process, you will have a starting list of ideas that you can write your paper on. However, you don’t want to stop there. Use your knowledge from the course to think about pieces that have excessive significance. You can use your notes for this list. Your paper is going to have to talk about themes, plots, motifs, and the like. Therefore, the pieces that have a lot of these characteristics are perfect for your paper. Identify at least three that your instructor has emphasized in the class or that possess these important features and add them to your list. Narrowing down Your Diamond in the Rough Now that you have this extensive list of options, go through each one and jot down some aspects that you can write the paper about. They can deal with any of the literary characteristics. This part is vital. Create a short outline for each and then use the one with the most â€Å"stuff† as your topic. Why is that so? Because if you have already something to say about the potential subject of your English literature term paper, it means that you are interested in the topic and will conduct a great research on it. You now have 3 vital steps you need to take in order to choose a great topic, so get to work and choose a piece that means something to you and one that you enjoy because to write a substantial term paper, you will surely have to read it again. If you are not a reading person by nature, consider short stories that won’t take much time. Anyway, you need to be comfortable with the literary work and its peculiarities if you want to succeed in writing an excellent English term paper.