Compare the two nineteenth century horror stories Essay Example for Free

Compare the two nineteenth century horror stories Essay Compare the two nineteenth century horror stories, The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, showing how Poe uses a range of techniques to make his stories dramatic and effective. The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart are two of the earliest horror stories ever written; they were written in the 1840s by the American author Edgar Allan Poe. Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts in 1809. He tragically died in 1849 following a life of alcohol and drugs. The Black Cat tells us about a man who is in a condemned cell. He is on death row and reflecting on his life and the reason behind the situation he is in. He tells the reader about his love for animals and how he married early in life. His wife allowed him to buy a black cat who never left his masters side. However, the narrator tells how he became an alcoholic and started to mistreat his wife and pets. On returning home one night he seized the cat and in fright the cat had bitten him. This made him angry and therefore he cut out one of the cats eyes. A few days later he took the cat, slipped a noose around its neck and hung it from a limb of a tree. That night the house burnt down and engraved on the wall was the figure of a cat. Later on in the story the narrator tells us of how he found a cat that closely resembled the one he had killed. The cat would never leave his side which started to make him hate the creature. He was walking down the steps of the cellar one day with his wife when the cat followed and sent him headlong down the steps. In fury he picked up an axe and aimed a blow at the cat. His wife tried to stop him so he buried the axe into her brain. He buried the body in the wall of the cellar. The police found the body as the man become cocky and tapped on the wall where he had buried his wife, there was a wailing sound and the police uncovered the body with the cat on the corpses head. The Tell-Tale Heart tells us about a man who has been accused of being mad. He looked after an old man who had a vulture eye. His eye was a pale blue and had a film over it. Whenever the eye fell upon the narrator, it made his blood run cold. Therefore he decided to kill the old man. In the week before he killed him the narrator tells us about how he crept into the old mans bedroom every night at midnight, trying to find the right moment to kill him. On the eighth night the old man became aware that someone was in his room. The narrator says how he could hear the mans heart beating in his chest and was frightened that the neighbours would hear it. He ran into the room; seized the man out of his bed and pulled the bed on top of him. He then took the planks from the flooring of the bedroom and placed the body there. Once he had replaced the floorboards the police arrived saying that a neighbour had heard a shriek and they wished to search the property. He led them towards the old mans bedroom and placed some chairs out for them on the exact spot of the body. He began to make typical chat with the officers but could hear the heart of the old man beating louder and louder until it drew the narrator mad and he confessed to the murder. Both stories have typical features of a modern horror story blood, murder, the murders conscience and supernatural aspects. However, the structure of the stories differ. The Black Cat is a longer story and is more detailed. It includes more background description. I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. This quote shows that The Black Cat tells us about the background of the narrator since he was a young boy. The Tell-Tale Heart is more concise and includes some very detailed sections but less background. Presently, I heart a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief Oh no! It was a low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. This quote shows that The Tell-Tale Heart has some very detailed sections as the narrator goes into depth about the noise that the old man made. The two narrators have various things in common; they both tell the story in first person and use eyes as an important feature in the story. In the opening paragraph both narrators also say that they have been accused of madness but deny the accusation. Mad indeed would I be to expect it, In a case where my very senses reject their own evidence. Yet, mad am I not. This quote from The Black Cat supports my point that the narrator has been accused of being mad but denies it. But why WILL you say that I am mad? This quote from The Tell-Tale Heart also supports my point as it is from the opening paragraph of the story and the narrator is asking why he is being accused of being mad. The significant differences between the two narrators are; The Black Cat gives a more in-depth background about his life before the present day whereas The Tell-Tale Heart goes straight into the present. The Black Cat is also set in different rooms of the house and other areas where as The Tell-Tale Heart is set in just one room. The relationship between the readier is also different. The Black Cat is wrote as if the narrator is writing a letter whereas The Tell-Tale Heart is wrote as if the narrator is actually speaking to the reader. For the most wild, yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen. These words suggest to me that The Black Cat tells the story as if he is writing a letter. How then am I mad? This rhetorical question shows that the narrator tells the story as if he is actually talking to the reader. The two narrators in the story get caught as they become too over confident about the hiding place of their victims. They both lead the police to the place that the bodies are buried. Sound is also a major part in the reason for the two narrators getting caught. Poe uses a range of visual and sound techniques to make the stories dramatic and effectible. In both stories sound plays a major part in the narrators getting caught. Then quickly swelling into one long, loud and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman. This quote from The Black Cat suggests to me that the points I have made are correct. The sound makes the story more dramatic and suspicious. It also leads the police to the corpse. But the beating of the heart grew louder, LOUDER! I thought the heart must burst. This quote also suggests to me that the beating of the heart made the murderer go mad and confess. It also adds an eerie effect to the story. Poe also uses visual description in the stories. The corpse, already greatly decayed and clotted with gore, stood erect before the eyes of the spectators. Upon its head, with red extended mouth and solitary eyes of fire This phrase of writing from The Black Cat goes into great visual detail about the corpse which makes it a lot easier to picture the story in your head. The amount of description sets the scene very effectively and makes the reader feel like there telling the story from their own personal experience. The use of evil words such as greatly decayed and clotted with gore also emphasise the fear and terror of the story. Poe uses a range of imagery in the stories; including alliteration, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeias, and rhetorical questions. These all make the stories dramatic and keep the reader interested. In The Tell-Tale Heart Edgar Allan Poe uses a lot of onomatopoeia and metaphors. my blood ran cold This quote proves the point that Poe uses metaphors in this story. Like the thread of a spider This also proves that Poe uses Similes in this story. Both of these enhance the story as they make it more dramatic and effective. In The Black Cat Edgar Allan Poe uses a lot of alliteration, metaphors and personification. My tenderness of heart This quote is particularly important as later on in the story the narrators heart is the complete opposite from tender. Grew with my growth This quote from the story shows alliteration. By using both of these quotes the writer is making the story more effective as he is making it more interesting to read. He is also encourage interpretation from the reader and helping them to feel the emotion of the characters. Poe also uses language devices to make the stories dramatic and effective. These include rhythm, repetition, and rhetorical questions. In The Tell-Tale Heart. Edgar Allan Poe uses a large amount of rhetorical questions. How then am I mad? This is effective in the story as it involves the reader. It does so by encouraging the reader to reflect upon the question and therefore get involved more with the story. Poe also uses repetition. He had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him. The repetitive phrase all in vain, tells us of the narrators joy at the old mans terror. He also uses a capital D in death. This infers he is using death as a name, suggesting that the old man is death. In The Black Cat Poe uses plenty of rhythm and repetition. Have terrified Have tortured Have destroyed me. In this quote Edgar Allan Poe has repeated the word have. He has used a rhythm by pausing at the end of each word and the dashes indicate an intensity of emotions. He has also used evil words such a terrified and tortured which again emphasise the fear and terror of the story. This makes the story more dramatic. In both stories Poe also uses capital letters to emphasise words this gives an immediate dramatic impact. In conclusion, Poe uses a range of techniques to make his stories dramatic and effective, many of these are still used by horror writers today. Although The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart are similar in numerous ways, Poe uses different techniques in each one to make the stories effective in their own particular way.

Walden - The American Economy :: Thoreau Walden Essays

Walden - The American Economy When the American people think of the word economy; money and the government often come to mind. In Greek Eco means the household and Nomy means to manage something. So why do American's tend to think of money and ownership when they think of the word "Economy?" Are Americans mearly living a career or are they living some other narrowly focused routine? Is a worthwhile lifestyle being lived? In Walden by Henry David Thoreau, Thoreau describes what is wrong with the American culture and society and how solitude can make the human pure. Thoreau sets out to build a house in the woods to try and demonstrate that every person can live a simple life. When he begins his stay at Walden Pond he only has an ax that he has borrowed. His house is built and he moves in on July 4, 1845 (420).. He becomes very familiar with nature and his surroundings and less familiar with the humane society. According to Moss, "He views the ponds as pure, sacred wells and as places for spirtual renewal" (421). He feels that the soal needs to be cleansed in order to discover the real meaning of life and be able to enjoy it. Too many people are content with the surface of life and merely following tradition. Thoreau wants people to look deeper into nature. Throughout Throreau's stay at Walden Pond, he encourages America to take a deeper look at life. Thoreau begins his essay with an explanation of exactly why he went to stay at Walen Pond. Joyce Moss writes, "He went out to live in the wilderness by himself- to demonstrate that it is possible to

Corporate Strategy and Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries Such as India Essay

Foreign direct investment (FDI), in its simplest term, is when a company from one country makes an investment into building a facility in another country, or when investments are made in order to acquire a certain stake in enterprises operating outside the economy and country of the investor. FDI plays an extraordinary role for firms wanting to operate and compete in a global business. It can provide a firm with new markets to penetrate, cheaper production facilities, access to new technologies, skills, and financing. For a host country or the foreign firm receiving the investment, it can provide many opportunities that are necessary for economic growth and development. FDI can also come in many different forms, such as direct acquisition of a foreign firm, setting up a facility in a foreign country, or investing in joint ventures and/or strategic alliances with local and foreign firms (Kim & Kim, 2006). In the past decade, due to a dramatic change in the way businesses are conducted, combined with loosening of governments’ regulations on foreign investments, FDI has increased dramatically on a global scale. When companies make decisions regarding FDI, this process require the efficient allocation of funds to investment opportunities, which often require large amounts of money that will hopefully bring greater returns to its investors. With foreign investments being far riskier than domestic investments, the effective and efficient use of funds is critical for the future performance of a multinational company. Multinational companies that engage in FDI provide a range of potential benefits that extend to the actual investors as well as the host country that is receiving the investment which are quite apparent. An example within many of these advantages include, increased profits for the industry or the firm due to lower costs of resources abroad, and increase in jobs provided in the host country. However, despite the positive arguments for FDIs there are still also many reasons how or why these type of investments can prove to be harmful. Domestic firms may consider these investments as unfair competition because the home-market is losing jobs that are instead being set-up abroad. Also, the host country may feel that they are losing their national identity due to foreign cultures and influences being imposed on them. Despite the many benefits that FDIs have provided both companies and host-countries, it is still unsure that such activities will not extend harmful effects to either participant due to the various reasons mentioned above. A reasonable outline for investments should be set-out in order to allow investors reap the benefits of their investments, while simultaneously contributing positively towards the growth and development of the host-country. The following sections of this report will attempt to analyze FDI effects on developing countries, the means available for companies to invest in foreign markets, mergers and acquisitions, and other issues related to the field of foreign direct investment. Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries Foreign direct investments initiated by MNCs occur primarily because in most cases these type of activities aim to fulfill all MNC’s primary objective; to maximize shareholder value (stock price) by â€Å"taking-on† various value-adding activities or investments. As such they are considered as being major contributors to economic growth for developing countries. A host country will usually want to attract foreign investors in order to acquire additional resources such as capital, new technologies, knowledge, as well as increased job opportunities for its population. Over the past decade globalization has increased dramatically, which has also sparked increasing flows of FDI in developing countries as governments begin to ease up on their regulations. According to publications from the Institute for International Economics, FDI in developing countries, and countries who are in a transition phase of their economy (i. e. China) grew dramatically during 1990-1998, from $24 billion per annum to approximately $120 billion per annum. Mentioned in the previous section, FDI in theory, as well as in practice, has proved to offer several gains to developing host countries who accept MNC’s investment efforts. From these gains, the major ones that are usually more specific to developing host countries include the transfer of technology that couldn’t otherwise be acquired through investments or trade, development of human capital through employee training, and gains in profits resulting from corporate tax revenues in the host country (Loungani and Razin, 2001). The fact is that the impact of FDI in a certain country may vary from one country to another country, therefore the degree of FDI impact really depends on the government policies and regulations that are set forth in order to either attract or deter FDI inflows. Therefore, we could concur that government policymakers have the most important role when it comes to FDI decisions. They should be aware of the different methods that could be used to promote FDI and how each of these means would affect the development and growth of the local economy. Often, policymakers seem to rush into FDI liberalization policies without considering the pros and cons of such actions. However, as the South East Asian economies have well proven to the rest of the world, if FDI can be used strategically, it can be an extremely useful tool for emerging economies and developing countries. FDI in India India’s recent liberalization of its foreign investment regulations has generated strong interest by foreign investors, turning India into one of the fastest growing destinations for global FDI. Foreign firms are setting up joint ventures in several of India’s fastest growing sectors such as telecommunications, computers software, financial services, tourism, etc. According to a global survey conducted by KPMG International on corporate investment plans in June 2008, India is expected to experience the largest overall growth in its share FDI, and will most likely become a haven for investments within the manufacturing industries. It’s true that India is becoming one of the most favored investment destinations for many developed countries as well as countries whose economies are in a transition phase. The following diagram shows how GDP per capita growth, trade volumes, and FDI inflows have surged over the years 2001-2006. Within the past few years, Japanese firms are increasingly purchasing various amounts of equity ventures in Indian firms, particularly within the automobile, electronics, and IT sectors. FDI is now recognized as one of the most important drivers of economic growth for India, and as such, the Indian government is making all efforts to attract and facilitate FDI and investment from foreign investors. India’s liberalization efforts have not only removed national barriers towards foreign investments, but have also made the process of investment activities much easier by establishing various measures. According to India Business Directory (IBD, 1999-2009), some of these implemented measures include: †¢Loosening of foreign exchange controls in order to promote greater tradebetween India and other countries †¢Companies now have significant amount of freedom to raise funds from foreign markets in order to invest and expand their foreign operations in India †¢Trade between countries is subject to fewer trade restrictions; i. . decreasing tariff levels †¢Foreign investors can pass on earnings from Indian operations with relative ease As India and its industries continue to develop and expand, more and more investors are attracted to its market with hopes of experiencing great returns. The possibilities of foreign investment in India seem endless with the combination of incentives and benefits that the Indian government offers to foreign investors. Some of these incentives include tax exemptions due to the various tax treaties that India has with 40 other countries, as well as investment incentives offered by the Indian government and the state (IBD, 1999-2009). One of the major reasons why India has attracted vast amounts of FDI in recent years is due to its FDI policies. According to the Embassy of India website (2009), FDI up to 100 percent is allowed under the â€Å"automatic route† in all sectors and activities except for those that are otherwise stated. Some of these sectors that don’t permit full ownership by the foreign investor include such items that require special licensing; i. e. alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and tobacco products, electronic aerospace and defense equipment, explosives, and hazardous chemicals. There are also other sectors of the economy that are prohibited from receiving ANY form of FDI, which include atomic energy, railway transport, ammunition and defense equipment, and mineral oils. However, most of the sectors fall under the â€Å"automatic route† for FDI, which basically implies that FDI can take place without the approval of the central government.

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