The Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Business Environment - Essay Example Businesses also aid in settling economic requirement of more than 70% of Kenyan citizens through the provision of employment opportunities. Through these employments, the government is able to involve the large population in the day to day national economic activities. Business organizations are able to produce significant quantities of goods at reduced cost. The economies of the scale are achieved; business organizations incur lower costs per unit of output because they operate on a large scale thus lower price of their products (Wang, 2009). In fact, large-scale account for over 60 per cent of all the private sector’s production. A substantial output in the gross domestic product (GDP) is thus achieved nationally due to this high percentage. Business has also enhanced economic development through encouraging competitive innovation. It is through competitive innovation that the nature of products and services Improves on a daily basis. A good example is the banking industries , initially they had only over the counter transaction, later came the automated teller machines and now mobile banking that are developments that were brought about by innovation. It is also through this that the consumers get to use the up to standard goods and services. Businesses also give chances to entrepreneurship which greatly help in the development of the economy (Haraf & Willett, 1990). Both for-profit and nonprofit profit has their share of contribution to the economy. The for-profit organizations participate actively through payment of revenues, employment creation, service provision, and production of goods and services that to the public. On the other hand, nonprofit organizations might be exempted from tax payment, but still do play a significant role in a country’s economy through involvement in activities like, provision of education, health services, voluntary provision of professional services like counseling, community services and quite a variety of serv ices essential to the sustenance of the economy. Nonprofit organizations always have it rough when it comes to capital acquisition. This is clearly portrayed by their depend on donors, well wisher and in some cases grants from the government. On the other hand, the for-profit organizations always have more option ranging from selling shares to investors, liquidating of assets, and credit from banks and profit from a business transaction. Another difference crop up when we view how the assets are handled. In the nonprofit organizations, the assets are considered nobody’s property, thus in the case of dissolution, the assets might be considered for donation to another organization of the same nature. Unlike the non-profit organizations, the for-profit organizations have their assets owned by the owners of the business (Doole & Lowe, 2008). Monetary policy can be described as the procedure through which a country control the supply of its currency while fiscal policy can be desc ribed as the use of taxes and expenditures by the government to manipulate the economy. There are majorly two forms of monetary policy programs: expansionary (easy) monetary policy and restrictive monetary policy (Wang, 2009). The expansionary monetary policy lowers the domestic currency exchange rate thus weakening the current account and ultimately improving the financial account. Vise versa

Legislative Supremacy of Parliament and the Separation of Powers Essay

Legislative Supremacy of Parliament and the Separation of Powers - Essay Example Constitution in a codified form is one which is written or contained in a single document and is a single source of law in a state. There are 3 types of constitution:- 2) Entrenchment - It is the second fundamental feature of constitution. It tells us whether the constitution is legally protected from modification without a procedure of constitutional amendment or not. The procedure of modifying a constitution is called amending. Amending an entrenched constitution requires wider acceptance. 3) Distribution of sovereignty - Sovereignty means right to have a full control over a governance's area by a group of people or an individual. Sovereignty is an important part of constitution and it is located or seen in a state. There are three types of distribution of sovereignty: 4) Separation of powers - Constitution usually explicitly divides power between various branches of government. The standard model, described by Baron de Montesquieu, involves three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. Constitutions vary extensively between these branches. 5) Lines of accountability - This feature of constitution explain that who is accountable to whom. In other words we can say that who has the right or the supreme power to appoint or dismiss the ministers. Parliamentary supremacy or legislative supremacy is a well known concept in law that applies to parliamentary democracies. ... 2) Lower house known as the 'House of Commons'. 3. The third component of parliament is 'Queen'. 4. The government of UK is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. 5. UK's constitution is uncodified. 6. UK's constitution is not entrenched i.e. no special procedure is required for modification. 7. UK's constitution is unitary i.e. sovereignty is ultimately contained at the centre. In other words we can say that sovereignty resides only in the centre of the state. 8. UK's constitution throws a light on the concept of separation of powers i.e. it involves three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. 9. In UK's constitution the line of accountability derives from the monarch or head of state, a component of Parliament. Definition of Parliamentary supremacy and Separation of powers:- Parliamentary supremacy or legislative supremacy is a well known concept in law that applies to parliamentary democracies. Under this a legislative body has absolute sovereignty i.e. it is supreme to all other government institutions. In other words, it is the supreme power and has all the authority and it may change or repeal any prior legislative acts. Parliamentary supremacy exists in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The doctrine of parliamentary supremacy may be summarized in three points: Parliament can make law concerning anything. No Parliament can bind its successor (that is, it cannot pass a law that cannot be changed or reversed by a future Parliament). No body except Parliament can change or reverse a law passed by Parliament. Separation of powers is a political doctrine (In Latin known as "doctrina", which means code of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions.) under which the legislative (a type of representative

Pennsylvania Association Essay Example for Free

Pennsylvania Association Essay The right to an appropriate public education and equal treatment of children with disabilities has been a highly contested issue in the last few decades. Until 1975, most disabled children were deliberately segregated and denied the right to education. In 1971, a case was filed by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children against the Common Wealth of Pennsylvania (PARC v. PA) on the access of to public education by the children with disabilities. Attorney Thomas K. Gilhool represented PARC while Attorney Gen. , Ed Weintrub represented the defendants in the three judge case. The concerned parents (plaintiff) through their attorney argued that children with disabilities were denied free access to education and/or an appropriate and adequate education under the then instructional programs (United States District Court, 1971). Inspired by the equal rights movement, the parents presented their claim through Attorney Thomas who based his argument on the Brown v. Board of Education case which had ruled out that the equal but separate schools’ segregation in practice was unconstitutional under the Federal constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment. However, the defendants (commonwealth) did not struggle for the exclusion of such children but rather opted to collaborate with the United States federal court and PARC to arrive at a consent agreement. The case led to a landmark decision affirming that children with disabilities have an equal right to education at the expense of the public including due processes. Ruling on the case, the judges referred to Section 1304 of the 1949’s Public School Code under which they forbid any form of denial of access of the mentally retarded children to free public education and/or training program (Ibid). Quoting Section 1372(3) of the same code, the court ruled against denial of home based instruction to any child with child retardation on the basis that the disability due to retardation is not short-long-term and/ or that the retardation is not accompanied by physical disability. The ruling also obliged the defendants to conduct with immediate effect a reevaluation of the stated plaintiffs including all other mentally retarded individuals of 6 to 21 years and provide every one of them appropriate and free public education program and training in line with their abilities (Wise Fagan, 2000). PA was also ordered to provide a preschool program for both mentally healthy and retarded children below six years of age according to their abilities The ruling demanded that commonwealth provide free appropriate public education (FAPE) which is an individualized educational and training program that meets the specific needs of each individual according to their type of disability. This implies that a school psychologists, regarded as a diagnostician with the responsibility of conducting individual study and evaluation of abnormal cases to provide recommendation. The psychologist is concerned with the assessment and arrangement of contingencies for groups or individual students (Ibid). The ruling of this case expanded the scope to which the psychologist could intervene into individualized cases as the limited focus on individualized instruction formerly practiced was lifted. For instance, prior to this case, a school psychologist would have been limited to offer intervention programs recommending special or individualized care since segregation did not allow it. This means that the school psychologist is no longer limited in the range of individualized remedies they can offer to various instructors. The U. S Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Act) governs the manner in which public agencies and states provide special education and early intervention programs for children with disabilities. It focuses on the age bracket ranging from birth to 21 years of age. IDEA was formed from the preceding Education for All Handicapped Children Act which is a product of several federal laws ruling against the unconstitutional segregation and deprivation of public education and training programs to children with disabilities (Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education). The ruling of the PARC v. Common wealth case provided the platform for these similar cases that facilitated for the 1975’s Education for All Handicapped Children Act that guaranteed for the first time, constitutionally protected rights to an appropriate and free public education to youths and children with disabilities. Amendments on the law in 1990 had the name of the Act changed to IDEA. This 1971 ruling has continued to impact on IDEA and disabilities issues at large since through its consideration, the former unconstitutional segregation of schools on separate but equal basis was nullified. References Network of Advocates for Promising Practices in Education, IDEA History. Retrieved 27 May 2010 from http://www. etsu. edu/idea/nappe/ideahistory. html. United States District Court. (1971). Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 334 F. Supp. 1257 (E. D. PA 1972). E. D. Pennsylvania. Retrieved 27 May 2010 from http://www. faculty. piercelaw. edu/redfield/library/Pdf/case-parc. pennsylvania. pdf. Wise, P. S. Fagan, T. K. (2000). School Psychology: Past, present, and future. (2nd ed. ). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

How Are Women Portrayed As Victims English Literature Essay

How Are Women Portrayed As Victims English Literature Essay The portrayal of women as victims is one of the key themes presented throughout Othello, Jane Eyre and The Colour Purple. The writers employ narrative and plot as vehicles to challenge the social attitudes of the period in which they are set. The women in the texts are subjected to three forms of suffering: physical, verbal and psychological; in which the audience/reader discover how women were treated and have the opportunity to reflect on how the drive for social change was born. Shakespeares play Othello presents women through the eyes of the fellow male characters, however there is some self-representation by the female characters; although much less frequently. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker is an acclaimed epistolary novel, showing the life and journey of Celie, a poor black woman who has known nothing of love in her life. Walker uses her as a vehicle to challenge the American society and to depict the brutality of the cruelty which black women endured daily. Finally, Jane E yre by Charlotte Bronte depicts the story of a young woman on a journey of love and self-realisation; in a characteristically bildungsroman genre, but with elements of gothic genre also. The eponymous heroine in Jane Eyre is shown as a woman suffering throughout her life in this society, as an educated, astute, yet poor young woman who is neglected and unacquainted with love. Jane is in a struggle to shake off the social conformities thrust upon her, meanwhile having to cope with psychological and physical abuse from her superiors in social status. The most prominent form of abuse present in Othello, towards the female characters, is psychological abuse; the fundamental ideas, attitudes and values the men have and how they behave around the female characters. Othello is a Jacobean revenge tragedy written in approximately 1603. Despite Elizabeth I reigning over England up to this point, women in Britain still remained dormant in society, having virtually no rights or status; the only status they could gain would be through marriage. This is where we are able to see the cause of why women were treated as property in this time, due to the importance of money; where fathers can secure fortune by marrying their daughters to wealthy aristocrats. In Othello the three women, Desdemona, Emilia and Bianca are subjected to equal amounts of abuse, although Bianca is the only one to survive in the play. Desdemona is not introduced to the audience by name until she is present on stage, which is the first indication of the subservient female status. She is only referred to as a piece of property by the other male characters, Look to your house, your daughter and your baggage, showing how Iago is referring to her as a piece of baggage, amidst his household and other property. This reference highlights not only her apparent unimportance, but also her inferior position as a female as, much like the audience, she seems unable to intervene and must watch her husband break down through paranoia. Secondly, the fact that Brabantio is not offended by this remark displays how he expects Desdemona to defer to his wishes and how this attitude was routine in this period. While Desdemona is a victim due to her sex, there are other factors also bey ond her control which cause her further suffering. There are apparent similarities to the way marginalised characters are presented, whether it is due to sex, race or belief. So, while we see the contrast in living environment between male and female characters in a white patriarchal society, we can also observe the subtle similarities, particularly between black men such as Othello and women such as Desdemona, and how black men are subjected to ridicule by white men and how this accumulation affects women. Iagos murder of Emilia and deceit of Othello could also stem from the general hatred of women that he displays; Jeremy Abrams suggested that Iagos motive for betraying Othello is an underlying homosexual love for him, and the jealousy of Desdemona that comes alongside this. Many critics has dismissed this suggestion, but there is evidence in the play which testifies to this theory, such as the two-part exchange between himself and Othello in Act 3 Scene 3 Iago doth give up the ex ecution of his wit, hands, heart, to wronged Othellos service. This is similar to an exchange of vows at a wedding as they are both kneelt, creating an image of matrimony. Despite this, Iago is a talented villain for he is able to debase the strong, wilful Othello, manipulate his devoted wife into becoming part of the scheme and dooming Desdemona, all through the cunning use of one of the core concepts of any relationship: trust. This clever, yet lethal use of trust leads Othello into paranoia and to the eventual murder of his innocent wife Desdemona. In the Victorian setting of Jane Eyre two hundred years later, women seem to have attained some benefits or choices in their lives; although once more money is paramount in giving them the opportunity to do this. Women like Jane were gentlewomen who were semi-poor, and had to work. The only worthwhile role was as a governess, and it did not carry much respect. Brontes exploration of the social position of governesses in Victorian England shows how class divide between females can lead to further neglect. There is evidence of this from the disparaging remarks from Blanche, You should hear mama on the chapter of governesses: Mary and I have had, I should think, a dozen at least in our day; half of them detestable and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi. Jane is in a rather complex situation, as her education has been impressive and she has experienced childhood in a wealthy lifestyle, she possesses a sense of self-worth and dignity, trust in God, sound morals and a passionate dispositi on. But throughout the course of the novel, her integrity is tested time and time again as a young woman, and Jane must learn to balance the frequently conflicting aspects of herself and the restraints of being a governess, in order to find contentment in love and liberty. There are instances which highlight this divide and relate to Desdemonas situation, such as the time Jane spent at Lowood as a young girl, where the reader examines how Mrs. Scatcherd forces her to stand on the stool for the rest of the lesson due to hearing misleading news of Janes childhood, followed by Brocklehursts unfair tormenting of Jane under this false information; This girl, this child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut this girl is a liar. Despite Desdemona and Jane being subjected to the same kind of abuse, the difference between the two is that Desdemona is subjected to this by a male, whereas Jane is subjecte d to this by another female; highlighting this extra element to female suffering from other females. Jane is in a continual struggle to overcome oppression and achieve equality. She must also fight against male domination, alongside class hierarchy, as her quest for self-integrity poses as a threat to men in the patriarchal society. There are three key males in the novel, Mr. Brocklehurst, Edward Rochester, and St. John Rivers, who threaten her goal of equality. Each stops Jane expressing her own thoughts and feelings by keeping her in an obedient state. Her unwillingness to comprise her integrity fuels her refusal of Rochesters proposal as Jane believes that she should not make herself a mistress to Rochester while he, legally, remains married to Bertha; not even to gratify her emotional needs. Paradoxically, her time spent at Moor House leads her to experience economic self-sufficiency and meaningful, educative work to prove that she can truly become her own woman; yet in this env ironment she lacks emotional sustenance. In regards to St. John proposal marriage, Jane declines knows the marriage would be based on the convenience rather than any emotion, and can therefore decline the offer, rather than deny her emotional needs for a husband. Jane later clarifies her choice when she says, I am my husbands life as fully as he is mine. . . . To be together is for us to be at once as free as in solitude, as gay as in company. . . . We are precisely suited in character-perfect concord is the result. The Colour Purple also portrays the constant psychological distresses of 20th century black women, and the constant fear of abusive husbands. Although we see the liberty of white women growing over the years between the writing of Othello and of Jane Eyre, for black women this oppression remains continuous. When black people were brought over to the western world as slaves, they lacked literacy and so were deemed inferior, leading to their constant persecution. Despite white and black women being in separate social background, the brutalisation and emasculation of black men in society meant their treatment of women was no better than the way white men treated women. Celie, the central character in The Colour Purple serves to show how, similarly to Desdemona, Bianca and Emilia, black women were victims of extreme forms of abuse, primarily due to the victimisation which black men were forced to endure through the slave trade in the white dominated society of the 20th Century. From an e arly age, Celie ensures her survival by making herself practically invisible; the only means of self expression or fortitude which she possesses are in her letters to God. The cause of this lies with her stepfather, Alphonso, who physically, verbally and sexually abuses her from a young age, but she represses any retaliation; contrasting greatly to view of Jane (even from a young age) but comparable to Desdemonas inert attempts to defend herself at the climax of the play. Later in life she reacts in a similarly lifeless manner when subjected to the abuse of her husband Mr._____. However, we see a change in the psyche of Celie when she meets the unconventional female character, Shug Avery. Celie has had every female relation or role model taken away from her, such as her mother or her sister Nettie, so when Shug appears as a new part of her life, Celie attaches herself to Shug and relishes the chance to find a female companion. Shug offers Celie an insight into an unknown world of su ccess, opportunity and hope, and reawakens the lost youth and vitality which Celie has spent so long restraining. This new relationship draws parallels to the unity between Jane and Helen Burns at Lowood. Helen gives Jane insights into Christian thinking and how our actions determine our place in heaven, which is similar to the way Shug opens up a world of success for Celie and an opportunity to escape her life of torment; something which she never thought possible. The second form of abuse to be addressed is verbal abuse. The letters from her sister Nettie, which Celie discovers in Mr. ______s trunk, reimburse a sense of hope and resilience for Celie, as she learns of the lives of her children which have been a mystery to her for many years. Gradually, we see Celie able to formulate and communicate her thoughts and feelings which leads to her violent outburst at Mr. ______, in which the years of abasement and maltreatment which he has put her through, is finally lifted from her shoulders. Celie takes the act of sewing, which is traditionally thought of as a mere chore for women who are confined to a domestic role, and turns it into an outlet for creative self-expression and a profitable business. So, now the reader sees her finding solace and happiness in traditional conventions which woman have been saddled with for centuries, and after remaining docile for years, she, like Jane, is finally contented and self-fulfilled And when her family are reunited with her, she has truly everything she has ever dreamed of and needed, evident as she says, Dont think us feel old at all. . . . Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt. It is interesting to see how, although she is subjected to arguably harsher levels of abuse, Celie represses these feelings and shows no signs of resistance, whereas Jane struggles continually to overcome oppression. Furthermore, Desdemona surfaces as a much more submissive character, which conforms to archetypal views about marriage and the role of women, and breaks the theme of militancy and fighting oppression amongst the three texts. These three female characters represent the authors attitudes to the oppressive nature of which women were subject to, and would have acted as a symbol of hope for all women who feel pressured in a male-controlled society. They would inspire confidence and show that perseverance through the repression thrust upon them will lead to success; although in Desdemona and Emilias cases there is an exception. Perhaps, through the deaths of Desdemona and Emilia, Shakespeare aimed to draw attention to female suffering and, although their lives will have been i n the balance earlier on in history, perhaps this was one of many stepping stones towards female equality.

Evolutionary Attitudes :: essays research papers

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes a time when discrimination was extremely common. In the fictional society of Maycomb County, we can see the primitive forms of discrimination emerge through definition of social classes due to wealth, background and association, as well as the predominant theme of racism towards African Americans. Although in present day Victoria, the subjects of discrimination encountered are different, society’s attitude and response to these flaws are much the same. In Victoria, the homeless problem as well as youth stereotypes present huge venues for discrimination within society. In addition to this, Aboriginals and oriental demographics are segregated by society due to colour and culture. Although civilized society has evolved between Maycomb and Victoria, presenting both communities with different challenges, it has not broken free of the engrained discriminatory behaviour within each of its foundations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The discrimination faced by families such as the Cunningham’s, in To Kill A Mockingbird, was based upon society’s emphasis upon social class. As with the Cunningham’s, many families were hit very hard by the depression, and thus were not as wealthy as many other families in the community. Therefore, families such as these were offered little respect by other member’s of the Maycomb community based on their wealth or associations. Maycomb’s high society looked upon some of its neighbours as below themselves. Maycomb sees these people as a burden. According to inherent honoured codes within society, the importance and meaning of such fine breeding has been ignored, making these people less than those who come from â€Å"fine† families . In cases such as the Cunningham’s , members of the community who do not fall within the parameters of a â€Å"fine† family are objectified. An example of this can be seen when W alter Cunningham, a schoolmate of Scout’s, is invited over for dinner. â€Å" ‘He ain’t company Cal, he’s just a Cunningham-’ ‘Hush your mouth! Don‘t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ company, and don’t you let me catch remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunningham’s but it don’t count for nothing’ the way you’re disgracing’ ’em†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 24) As Calpurnia points out to Scout that the Cunningham’s, despite society’s belittlement of such families, it does not give anyone the right to act superior. Although families such as these are not restricted from interaction from society, they are nonetheless victims of society’s prejudices.

Guilt In The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible Essay example -- Essay on

The presence of guilt has been felt by all human beings. As guilt grows in a person’s life it eventually begins to have a deteriorating effect on the individual. In both The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible more than one of the characters are experiencing some form of guilt and the effects of the public’s opinion on their own personal sins. Each character’s guilt originates from a different personal problem and with each character’s guilt comes a different reaction. Miller and Hawthorne use the source of guilt, the actions resulting from it and the eventual consequences to portray the concept of a guilty conscience to the reader.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Each character’s guilt originates from a different source. Through different characters, Hawthorne and Miller display guilt and it’s source to the reader. In both The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible the use of relationships between a man and a woman are used as a primary source of guilt. Hawthorne uses Dimmesdale and Hester, and Miller uses Proctor and Elizabeth. The men in both cases are experiencing guilt involving mistakes made sexually. Dimmesdale, who is a highly respected priest has a sinful relationship with a married woman, and Proctor, a married man, falls for a young girl and commits adultery. With Dimmesdale, his guilt stems from the concealment of his sin. He watches Hester as she confesses and for seven years he agonizes over it, while he still remains innocent in the eyes of all. However with Proctor, he confesses to his wife right away. In an argument with his wife he says, â€Å"’ I should have roared you down when you first told me of your suspicion. But I wilted, and like a Christian, I confessed!†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(55). The guilt that Proctor feels comes, not from a secret that he is keeping, but from â€Å"’The magistrate that sits in his heart†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(55), as Elizabeth puts it. With the women in these relationships, their guilt has a less drastic origin. Elizabeth knows that she has not committed any sin that can compare to her husband’s, but she admits that â€Å"’it needs a cold wife to prompt lechery†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (137). Even though John has committed the ultimate sin against... ...t that he was experiencing can be seen in two different lights. It eventually brought him to confession in the court, and the tarnishing of his good name. However, his confession was strictly to protect his wife, so his guilt could be seen also as a final reconciliation between Proctor and Elizabeth. Guilt has the capability of doing permanent damage to a person, and in both novels, the authors use guilt as a very negative force in a person’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible, guilt is portrayed in similar ways. Both authors use the concept of guilt to imply the idea that guilt has the capabilities to produce reactions in people that in most situations aren’t the same. The result of a guilty conscience can be used as a positive or negative force in a person’s life and through the characters in both novels, this idea is made apparent. The cause of guilt, the reactions to the guilt, and the consequences resulting from the guilt are all used by Hawthorne and Miller to show the contrasting ways of handling personal guilt in a person’s life.

Pygmalion: Social Class and Liza

1. Significance of Title: The significance of the title, †Pygmalion† is in Greek mythology, The town Cyprus Pygmalion was a king who deeply fell in love with the statue of Aphrodite. Pygmalion had pictured nothing but beauty in his mind. He worked many countless days and nights in search of loveliness beyond his powers of expression. The statue got the life, in his quest for ideal beauty and divine’s grace. Over time the two were married and he gave her the name Galatea. In contrast to Shaw’s play, â€Å"Pygmalion† professor Higgins the scientist of phonetics is a Pygmalion and a convent garden flower girl Eliza is a Galatea the statue, who will be later transformed by Higgins into an upper class lady. Though Higgins creates a new Liza, he doesn’t marry her unlike the Greek legend. The title has mythic and suggestive appeal to it. 2. Setting: The setting of Pygmalion is set in England around the late 1800s and early 1900s. Why Shaw chose this setting, it is when and where he lived, but it is important to the story in many ways. He was an active socialist, in many of his novels they were based on social and political issues like capitalism and socialism. In Pygmalion, Shaw lays down his beliefs and teaches us about society in the early 1900s. This was a time when people were just starting to be able to move up in society, if you were poor at birth, you could raise yourself to a higher level by working hard, like Liza. Women were finally starting to be considered more than just the homebuilders; they were starting to be viewed as the heart of the family. Shaw supported the idea that women should get the same opportunities as men, also he believed strongly in equality for all mankind. In this story it tells about a working young lady who gets an opportunity to become upper class lady. Throughout the novel, Shaw keeps the contrast between working class and the middle class by using strong characters from both sectors. The setting provides events and opinions from both sides of class divided. When the two different worlds are clashed together the results are interesting. England is also a major part of the setting, because it had a more rigid social structure at the time of the story than America did. It was easier to spot the differences that kept Liza stapled to the gutter of society. 3. Theme: There are many themes in this novel. One of themes is Professionalism, the idea of female professions were somewhat new, in this time period. Women were generally housewives before this period and there is some resistance to the idea of that male professions being entered by females. When Liza opening a flower shop and she comes from the lower class, it’s almost treating to the males because it’s one job that the female took away from them. Gentility and Manners is another theme. The upper class was associated with mostly good manners. The author’s position on manners was a bit unclear. Since he’s a socialist, a person might think he wouldn’t have no time for them because they are a maker of class divisions. Though Pickering’s treating everyone like a duchess, while Higgins’s pattern is treating everyone like trash. At the end of the novel Liza thanks Pickering for teaching her manners; if it wasn’t for him she would have never learned them. Change and Transformation is also another theme. The central theme and plot of the novel is the transformation of Liza. At first it appears to rest in the power Higgins expresses buy achieving his transformation. He quotes, â€Å"How frightfully interesting it is to take a human being and change her into a quite different human being by creating a new speech for her.† Liza becomes the central in the play. The learning of independence and the sense of inner self-worth is the true importance that allows her to leave Higgins. 4. Characters: Liza Doolittle is around eighteen and twenty years of age, a cockney flower girl who is energetic and street-smart. She is intelligent though was not educated by the traditional standards. Innocent vanity and consequential air describe the deplorable figure. Liza is a quick learner, who learns a genteel accent from Higgins’s and washed and dressed exquisitely as a duchess. As she is transformed, she is shocked that Higgins has lost interest in her afterwards. Liza notices the difference between a flower girl and a lady and she learns that the social graces and class not the true measure of a person’s worth. Henry Higgins is described as, â€Å"a robust, vital appetizing sort of man†, also an energetic scientific type. He is an expert in the phonetics and the author of, â€Å"Higgins’s Universal Alphabet.† His manners range from genial bullying. When he transformed Liza, he is shaken by the independence Liza demonstrates and by the end of the play Higgins is able to respect her. Another character is Alfred Doolittle is an elderly but vigorous man. He thinks he deserves as much as others Though never gets anything because the disapproval of middle class morality. Alfred is a moocher that finesses loans from the most miserly of people. 5. Conflicts: There are several conflicts in this play. Higgins and Colonel Pickering have a playful â€Å"bet† that Higgins can't make the flower girl speak and act like a duchess. There is the issue of what we actually hear and say as opposed to what we think we hear and say. Higgins transforms the flower girl into an upper class duchess, and this is why Higgins forgets about her as soon as transformed her because he won the bet. Another conflict was that Liza Doolittle wants to better herself in life, than just be a lower class flower girl but is rather stuck in her position since her income fluctuates and her education is limited. This conflict is solved when Liza decides to open her own flower show, because that is what she knows how to do. Plus she enjoys it. 6. Symbolism and Imagery: One of the symbols in this play is chocolate. Higgins loves chocolate; while he does his studies he displays them on desk. He tried to Convince her Liza to be transformed into a duchess, he lures her with chocolate. She takes a bite of half of one. Before she can reply he pops one in his mouth. In the chocolate dish before leaving his house, Liza leaves a sentimental ring given to her by him. Liza taking a bite of chocolate represents trust. Money would be another symbol because it defines the difference between lower, middle, upper class depending how much money you have. The ring is also another symbol. Usually a ring symbolizes love and marriage though Higgins and Liza were never together; she leaves the ring by the chocolate dish. This indicates that she doesn’t trust him no more, since she left the ring by the chocolates and that she doesn’t have any more feelings for him. Eliza has now moved on. 7. Author’s style: Shaw’s style in his novel, â€Å"Pygmalion† is Intellect vs. Entertainment Shaw not only wants to just entertain his audience, he also wants them to learn about social issues. Usually theatre plays are strictly to just entertain; Shaw adds his own twist to it (to learn as well). Rather than dramatic tension, his plays do tend toward discussion. Shaw understood what made plays theatrical that’s why he succeeded in his plays. His belief in the need for social improvement didn’t however discourage him for adding humor into his plays. Pygmalion most people would think that his novel would have to do with romance but it doesn’t at all. After reading the novel you might interpret that it is a romance novel, because Eliza and Higgins. Romance has been distinguished as exotic, exaggerated narratives and idealized characters. And Pygmalion is a romance not the typical one but because of the magical transformation throughout the play . 8. Key Quotations:† A woman who utters such depressing and disgusting sounds has no right to be anywhere – no right to live† (Act.1 ) By this quote Higgins does accept all the class divisions. He believes that since Liza didn’t inherit in being an upper class lady, only he can bestow worth upon her, by helping her become a lady in society’s eyes. †You don’t care. I know you don’t care. You wouldn’t care if I was dead. I’m nothing to you-not so much as them slippers† (Act4 pg64) This shows Liza’s transformation and how it changed her, they even though she completely changed in appearance deep down she is nothing like Higgins or any upper class person. She has a different way of explaining things and she wants to be her own person, but still use the traits of an upper class lady. â€Å"You are certainly are a pretty pair of babies, playing with your live doll†(Act3 pg.53) Mrs. Higgins doesn’t agree with what her husband is doing with Liza, at first she was somewhat okay with the idea, but now she thinks it’s wrong because he going to have nothing to do with her afterwards.