Leadership in washing machines market

Leadership in washing machines market To maintain the leadership in the washing machines market, whirlpool Maroc should sustain some effort and add some factors that will add some value to the product and the brand image of the company such as: Whirlpool Maroc must maintain the good relationship with the customer and the good after sell service, maintaining the good quality of the product and the good design of the product, Keeping the same price but trying to decrease it by using the Optional Feature Pricing, Targeting the lower class in the society by a new cheap product (load II. Introduction: In this report I am going to show you the weaknesses that may have whirlpool Maroc on it Marketing Strategy based on some analysis of the whirlpool Maroc website and research I did on the field (MARJAN supermarket) by using some marketing tools such as PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis, Competitive situation and Marketing Mix. This report will also demonstrate how this company is running it marketing strategy on the Moroccan home appliance market. And finally I will give some recommendation which will be useful for the company to increase there market share and customers satisfaction. III. Current situation: Strategic Analyses 1. Whirlpool Slogan SENSING THE DIFFERENCE 2. Mission, Vision statement and Values Taking in consideration what is mentioned on (marketing strategy MKT306, 2008) and that whirlpool Maroc is subsidiary (Appendix) of Whirlpool Corporation they share the same mission, vision and values: Mission is a measurable goal, every company needs to have to know where it is going, and its current situation along the process. A business can have many different missions under the format of the vision of the business. So, for Whirlpool Corporation the mission is creating with passion a Loyal Customers for life by providing to that customer with a good service quality and reliable product. That customer can be everyone and him the company work to create value. Vision statement is about the future situation that a business wishes to attain; the visions intention is to control, to guide, and to encourage the business as a whole to achieve the desirable state of the business. Whirlpool Corporation considers that every home in every country is the company domain and proud to provide the customer with innovative solution that fit their needs. Also to have good Performance against competitors in the future .and attract global investors with superior returns. Values define the business beliefs, the rules that control the business to the peers, the staff and importantly to the customers. The employees of Whirlpool Corporation are ordered to behave and run the business everywhere in the world under the five values of whirlpool which are: Respect: that means that the relation made in the internal and external environment of the company is based on respect. Integrity: means that the company has no right to do wrong things .the image of the company must be clean. Diversity and Inclusion: the company maintains diversity of ideas and people inside the company and allows everyone to contribute on the creation of values. Teamwork: no right to be selfish, inside the company we are one. Spirit of Winning: encourage of spirit of winning inside every member of the company to reach goals and make extraordinary result. 3. Competitive edge: With revenues more than 550 million MAD (50 Mà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬) in 2008 Whirlpool is the leader of the home appliance market in morocco representing 31% of market share, that is 8% more than the nearest competitor which is FAGOR with 23% (420 M MAD) of market share and 100 years of experience in the appliance sector. Also whirlpool is the first and only home Appliance Company which creates an e-commerce website (whirlpool.ma) to sell their product in morocco. The Moroccan customer is able to know the real price and buying on-line the specific product he like ,and whirlpool provide to the Moroccan customers accessories Unlike other competitors(FAGOR,LG). Whirlpool is present in 23 cities with 122 retailers (32 in Casablanca) no other competitor are providing in their websites about there retailers like whirlpool do. All products of WHIRLPOOL Morocco are guaranteed for 1 year, from the date of purchase. But LG products are guaranteed for 10 years (MARJAN supermarket). Whirlpool is sensitive to their customers needs and requests by building a Service Center for the customers where they can Complaint about problems they have with the product .also they can Complaint by sending e-mails or by phone call. The price of whirlpool washing machine start from 3949 MAD (AWE 6316, 5kg) to 11499 MAD (MAXY 13S, 13kg),so the customers of whirlpool are middle class society and upper class society. Whirlpool Maroc is the only company that provide the customer with wash machine that have Aquasteam system and Microban treatment. Whirlpool provides the wash machine market with 16 models of wash machines. According to Mourad Alem  ,DG of whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma,2011).the mean objective of whirlpool Maroc is to sustain a 10% progression of sells every year by renew each year between 35 and 40% of it offers. 4. SWOT Analysis According to (marketingteacher.com, 2011) The SWOT analysis is a technique that is used to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the business and determine the opportunities and threats that the business might face. Here under, the SWOT analysis of whirlpool Maroc I got based on analyzing information token from the whirlpool morocco website and research made in MARJAN California supermarket: Strengths: -The long history of the company (100 years). This can be used to show that the company is specialized on home appliance and know how to make a good product. Good relationships between the staff. Customers care. Good services. Qualified staff. -Good prices for product and Accessories. -Beautiful design. -Innovative technology 6TH SENSE. Weaknesses: -Weak marketing strategy in morocco. Brand awareness in Morocco: only one spot TV for the wash machine and doesnt consider the culture and the society customs and behavior because this spot TV is made in France and they just copy and past it on the national TV publicity, Also no publicity in newspaper and magazines. -No sponsoring for other sport, event or famous Moroccan people and only sponsoring tennis and BAHIA MOUHTASSINE. Opportunities: Weak competition with local companies (no existence of national companies which made home appliances.) Free trade agreement between THE UNITED STATES and morocco . Moroccan people start using internet for shopping. The equipment rate of washing machines is about 45% according to Mourad Alem, DG of whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma, 2011). Threats: High competition with big companies like: SAMSUNG, FAGOR, LG, BRANDT, ROYAL, ELECTROLUX. Random shocks, (political, social or natural events) such as: Boycotting the brand because it is a USA product. Changes in government policy, (the government may use a contraction monetary policy to prevent inflation which will effect the business). -The purchasing power of the customer. 5. Marketing strategy, Aims and Objectives As defined on the Philip Kotler and Kevin l. Keller book (Marketing Management 12 ed., 2006), the marketing strategy, aims and objectives is what unique position will the company be able to achieve. A marketing strategy is about the designed marketing plan to achieve a certain marketing objectives; there might be some objectives like becoming the market leader. The strategic plan here is a planning with details includes a marketing research, and next evaluating a marketing mix to become the leader. Every company needs to have marketing objectives to work on and achieve the strategy. In a marketing strategy, time is everything as long as the company takes the advantage to plan, to distribute, and to develop. (part1, chapter2, Developing Marketing Strategies and Plans.p35) In morocco whirlpool Maroc based its main advertising program on sponsoring the Moroccan tennis player BAHIA MOHTASSIN. This is publicity for the 10th anniversary of whirlpool Maroc in Morocco in association with Bahia Mouhtassine N °1 Moroccan womens tennis player. The other thing, the whirlpool Maroc marketing strategy is based also by providing product such as a washing machine which is designed as an environmental friendly product in accordance to customer expectations. This product line is named Green Generation which is specified by 4 characteristics: Reduce your consumption of energy 10% less electricity consumption compared to the energy label class A. 6TH SENSE technology is an innovation made by whirlpool engineers. The Power of Steam. The objective is to gain competitive advantage and sustain their leadership especially over the wash machine market and other component of home appliance market in general. IV. Recommendations 1. Segmentation Targeting Whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma, 2011) is using a demographic segmentation such as: social class segment, income segment, also taking in consideration geographic segmentation. The Moroccan consumers have evolved in the last few years; they are expressing the need of washing their cloth with less energy and efficiently with good price and most of all eco-friendly. They also want customized washing machines such as washing machines that have different colours and designs. The target market that the company is targeting is composed of people who want to participate in the process that the world is adopting to protect the environment. Indeed whirlpool Maroc is segmenting a middle class and upper class with medium income and plus .targeting them with 16 model of washing machines with prices starting from 3949 MAD (AWE 6316, 5kg) to 11499 MAD (MAXY 13S, 13kg) and including characteristics made for the benefit of the consumer: 6th sense and Aquasteam technology, low consumption of energy and well designed. Also with a large number of stores (122) located in different locations (23 cities) allow Store managers to stock products that suits the local community (MARJAN, ACIMAà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc) covering the entire territory of Morocco kingdom. In my opinion whirlpool Maroc should target the lower class in the society with economic washing machines. For example a washing machine with low load (5 kg and less) with cheap price under 2000 MAD (200à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬). 2. The marketing mix 2.1 Product: Whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma) is offering 16 washing machines with modern design, 2 color whit and gray, load starting from 5kg to 13kg, and integrating 5 characteristic which are the main characteristics of the Green Generation product line: Reduce the consumption of energy by 40% (compared to a unit of energy class A), optimizing the chemical action and enhancing the mechanical action of the cycle, for a perfect washing result. Whirlpool washing machines are making an effort for the environment, 10% less electricity consumption compared to the energy label class A. With this chemical treatment, whirlpool washing machine stays cleaner, fresher and more hygienic for longer. with Microban (a leader in antibacterial solutions), Whirlpool has developed a special treatment that helps reduce bacterial growth, odors and mould in the detergent drawer, a particularly sensitive part of the washing machine . The 6th sense ensures perfect wash results in continuously optimizing the energy consumed the amount of water and washing time. 6TH SENSE technology recognizes the size of the load by special sensors, and automatically adjusts resources, savings up to 50% on energy, water and time. The load is continuously monitored throughout the wash cycle and ensuring optimal washing performance. Uses the natural power of steam to gently eliminate the toughest stains and sanitize the clothes, even at low temperatures. The steam injected into the drum to maintain a constant temperature for longer, thus increasing the efficiency of washing. The steam relaxes the smooth fibers and allows the detergent to penetrate more deeply into your clothes to remove the toughest stains. As recommendation I believe that whirlpool will have more market share if it produces washing machines that can be transportable, with a low load under 5kg to take it to a camping for example. Also by providing washing machines with more colors, so the customer can fit it with his interior home design and why not try to give the customer more than 1 year of warranty. Finally whirlpool should explore the market of heavy washing machines with load more than 13kg like the company LG (www.lg.com/ma, 2011) did with the LG F12588FD with 15kg of load. 2.2 Price: Like The vast majority of companies, whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma, 2011) is developing Product line and use price steps. Indeed whirlpool Maroc washing machines have the price (out promotion) starting from 3949 MAD (AWE 6316, 5kg) to 11499 MAD (MAXY 13S, 13kg). As recommendation I think that whirlpool Maroc will increase it profit by following the Optional Feature Pricing(Neil H. Borden,1965), for example: decreasing the price of the washing machine but once the customer like the product, the sales assistance convince him of spending more money to get more Features such as customising the wash machine to fit the kitchen wall color or to buy a chemical treatment to clean the washing machine from outside and reducing the rate of that the washing machine get rusty . Finally I think that whirlpool Maroc will decries the prices if it build it factories in morocco and benefit from the Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factor of the country.(see appendix) 2.3Place: Whirlpool is present in 23 cities with 122 retailers such as supermarkets (MARJAN, ACIMA) and home appliances stores (BIOUGNASH, LE COMPTOIR, CRAMER) and that is covering the entire territory of morocco. However, I think that whirlpool Maroc should take in consideration the traditional markets called souk such as: derb ghalef, souk anamoudaji. 2.4Promotion: Whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma, 2011) is promoting with only one spot TV a year and 5 companions presses this last 10 years about washing machine .whirlpool Maroc also launched a website (whirlpool.ma), sponsoring the woman tennis player BAHIA MOUHTASSINE, made Partnership with Helga Heidrich SOS animals foundation and HABITAT FOR HUMANITY association, and occasionally decries price of it product in some event such as week of price cut in supermarkets and home appliances stores. Observing the marketing communication of whirlpool Maroc, I think that whirlpool Maroc will have more impact and will made powerful brand awareness in the Moroccan society if whirlpool made more than 1 spot TV a year and more companion press taking in consideration on these advertising the characteristics of the Moroccan culture and society , also sponsoring other sport and Athletes such as soccer, basket ball, golf, and be more social by creating partnership with orphans association such as BAYTY and MOHAMED V foundation. In addition 2.5People: According too Whirlpool Maroc (whirlpool.ma, 2011) their employees must be creative, take risks and be modest with the customer. They are women and men of different nationalities, cultures, backgrounds and sensibilities and they bring to Whirlpool different views and work together around a common goal. Whirlpool Maroc future relies on innovative thinking and intelligent action. Whirlpool Maroc offers them the opportunity to work in multicultural teams and diverse including teamwork and mutual respect are an integral part of entrepreneurship. All that characteristics to have qualified stuff that can add value for the company and most of all satisfy the customer need with a good after sell service. In my opinion whirlpool has good relationship with the customer but it will be better if they launched a website in Arabic because according too (HCP.ma, 2011) only a minority in morocco who can speak and read French even if its our second language. 2.6Process: When I have visited MARJAN supermarket, I found that the salesman was kind and qualified also that Home Delivery was for free .but to obtain the warranty you should register your washing machine by your self in the website of whirlpool Maroc. So I suggest that it will be more efficient if the consumer can register the product in the same place not to go home and register it. 2.7Physical evidence: I liked the idea that you can test the machine before take it home. What I suggest for whirlpool Maroc is to protect the body of the washing machines with Plastic Film, because people keep hitting it with their supermarket carts. Its a picture I took in MARJAN supermarket .in the right: whirlpool MAXY 13S (13kg). In the left: LG F12588FD (15kg). V. Conclusion In conclusion I think that whirlpool Maroc has good position among it competitors ,but I think also that whirlpool Maroc has to make some effort to sustain this leadership position by introducing some factors to it marketing strategy which will add some value to the company product and have more brand awareness in the future.

Hyperacusis :: Term Papers Research

Hyperacusis Hyperacusis is used to describe a high level of sensitivity to sound. It is also known as dysacusis, oxylacusis, hypersensitive hearing, or phonophobia. Persons with hyperacusis do not show abnormalloudness growth but an abnormal discomfort for suprathreshold sound (Barnes & Marriage, 1995). Audiograms for hyperacusis sufferers are typically normal. They show normal sound thresholds but the sensitivity level is above normal. The comfort level for most people is below 100 decibels. People with hyperacusis can experience discomfort at 40 to 50 decibels or lower (Schwade, 1995). The disorder may be frequency-specific (Schwade, 1995). Not all sounds of the same loudness (number of decibels) cause discomfort, but only sounds within a certain range, thus a small change of frequency may cause discomfort at low volume. The prevalence rate of hyperacusis is unknown. It frequently occurs with tinnitus, which afflicts approximately 40 million poeple in the United States (Hazell & Jastreboff, 1933). A questionnaire in a clinic population by Sanchez and Stephens (1997) found that eight percent of tinnitus sufferers have hyperacusis. These two studies would suggest about 3 million people in the United States have hyperacusis. Further a survey conducted by the Autism Research Institute found up to 40% of children with autism to be affected by hyperacusis. Hyperacusis also has an occurence rate of 95% in children with Williams syndrome (Borse, Curfs, & Fryns, 1997). These facts plus its comorbidity with many other diseases leads one to believe hyperacusis is not an extremely rare disease. Hyperacusis is a poorly understood disorder resulting in many theories of etiology and prognosis. Hyperacusis can occur alone or in conjunction with other disorders. A sudden single burst of noise (Schwade, 1995), a head injury (American Speech-Language Hearing Association, 1995), or surgery to the face or jaw (Barnes & Marriage, 1995) can result in hyperacusis. Barnes and Marriage also proposed two types of hyperacusis, peripheral and central. Peripheral hyperacusis is when the earÕs built in mechanism against loud or sharp sound seems to have been turned off. Absence of acoustic reflexes, positive history of vestibular disorders, MeniereÕs disease, or perilymph fistula account for peripheral hyperacusis. Hyperacusis co-occurring with BellÕs palsy, Ramsey Hunt syndrome, and myasthenia gravis is also considered to be peripheral hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is also an otological complication of herpes zoster (Adour, 1994) and craniomandibular disorders (Erlander and Rubinstein, 1991). Barnes and Marriage (1995) proposed another type of hyperacusis called central hyperacusis. Central hyperacusis results in an inability to tolerate specific but not necessarily loud sounds. Hyperacusis :: Term Papers Research Hyperacusis Hyperacusis is used to describe a high level of sensitivity to sound. It is also known as dysacusis, oxylacusis, hypersensitive hearing, or phonophobia. Persons with hyperacusis do not show abnormalloudness growth but an abnormal discomfort for suprathreshold sound (Barnes & Marriage, 1995). Audiograms for hyperacusis sufferers are typically normal. They show normal sound thresholds but the sensitivity level is above normal. The comfort level for most people is below 100 decibels. People with hyperacusis can experience discomfort at 40 to 50 decibels or lower (Schwade, 1995). The disorder may be frequency-specific (Schwade, 1995). Not all sounds of the same loudness (number of decibels) cause discomfort, but only sounds within a certain range, thus a small change of frequency may cause discomfort at low volume. The prevalence rate of hyperacusis is unknown. It frequently occurs with tinnitus, which afflicts approximately 40 million poeple in the United States (Hazell & Jastreboff, 1933). A questionnaire in a clinic population by Sanchez and Stephens (1997) found that eight percent of tinnitus sufferers have hyperacusis. These two studies would suggest about 3 million people in the United States have hyperacusis. Further a survey conducted by the Autism Research Institute found up to 40% of children with autism to be affected by hyperacusis. Hyperacusis also has an occurence rate of 95% in children with Williams syndrome (Borse, Curfs, & Fryns, 1997). These facts plus its comorbidity with many other diseases leads one to believe hyperacusis is not an extremely rare disease. Hyperacusis is a poorly understood disorder resulting in many theories of etiology and prognosis. Hyperacusis can occur alone or in conjunction with other disorders. A sudden single burst of noise (Schwade, 1995), a head injury (American Speech-Language Hearing Association, 1995), or surgery to the face or jaw (Barnes & Marriage, 1995) can result in hyperacusis. Barnes and Marriage also proposed two types of hyperacusis, peripheral and central. Peripheral hyperacusis is when the earÕs built in mechanism against loud or sharp sound seems to have been turned off. Absence of acoustic reflexes, positive history of vestibular disorders, MeniereÕs disease, or perilymph fistula account for peripheral hyperacusis. Hyperacusis co-occurring with BellÕs palsy, Ramsey Hunt syndrome, and myasthenia gravis is also considered to be peripheral hyperacusis. Hyperacusis is also an otological complication of herpes zoster (Adour, 1994) and craniomandibular disorders (Erlander and Rubinstein, 1991). Barnes and Marriage (1995) proposed another type of hyperacusis called central hyperacusis. Central hyperacusis results in an inability to tolerate specific but not necessarily loud sounds.

Essay --

Junk Food Should Be Banned At All Outlets In The UAE More than 72 McDonald's restaurants in the United Arab Emirates itself, and over 29 KFCs, only goes to reflect the popularity of junk food all over the world. Food that is prepared and served quickly is termed as 'fast food'. Such type of food suits perfectly into the fast paced life of a working individual. There is nothing more than ready-made food that a hard-working professional living in the city away from family could ask for. However, those who are against junk food highlight the adverse effect that it has on our health. Despite all the debate about the advantages and disadvantages of fast food, the industry is flourishing. Is junk food good or bad? The most evident advantage of junk food is that it saves time, taste good, cheap, and you can eat it in few minutes, there is no need to wash dishes because it's comes with plastics or paper food, also you can eat them anywhere and even standing. There is nothing better than getting a ready meal. No matter how much the chefs praise the benefits of fresh food, at the end of a hard-working day, when one returns home all tired and hungry, a pizza or a burger can be enough to stop his hunger. Besides the time an individual has to spend in the kitchen, cooking a meal also requires one to make a trip to the supermarket to buy the ingredients for the dish. Then there is the added effort and time consumed in washing and peeling the vegetables. All this makes eating fast food score more preferably over cooking a meal for a busy individual. Besides time, cost saving gives fast food an edge over the meal prepared in the kitchen. If one lives alone, then it is cheaper to buy a meal at the supermarket instead of cooking it at home. Also c... ...re their experiences. However, the junk food centers are quickly eating into this quality time. This is especially true about youngsters for whom a junk food center is a good place to hang out with friends. Finally, in my opinion junk food must be banned in all outlets in the UAE, because junk food is not good at all as I wrote above, it makes people rely on the ready male and their health will be weak and also will increase their risk of being obese as their body will use the desired number of calories. In addition the women will forget how to cook and this will affect their relationship with their husbands and their children, this is a reason of divorce for the negligence of the wife. References:- †¢ http://www.albayan.ae/economy/1265974470599-2010-03-02-1.224419 †¢ http://healthmeup.com/photogallery-healthy-living/reasons-why-fast-food-is-bad-for-health/16239

Parenting Styles and Abilites Essay

Families come in many different forms. Back in the 1950’s/60’s most families compromised of a father, a mother and at least one child, this is known as a nuclear family structure. In the past few decades though divorce rates rose which has caused a rise in reconstituted families for example step families, parents now work longer hours which has seen more children being raised by extended family members eg: grandparents and new changes in law has seen same sex marriages become legal. Within my placements many of the young people using the service have ended up in their situation due to family breakdowns. Many of the families live off benefits or on the poverty line and are battling with addictions to alcohol or drugs or are suffering from depression. This has a knock on affect to the young people I feel as they are therefore expected to grow up quicker in order to look after themselves or any other children that may be in the house. Also from what I have seen most of the young people do not seem to have any ambition or hopes for a better life and many get involved in the same kind of lifestyle that they have been used to all of their lives. This would agree with Bandura’s Social Learning Theory where people copy behaviours from their peers. In regards to the above Labour and Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for same sex families to have the right to adopt. Years ago this would have been frowned upon, but because same sex couples are now more ‘accepted ‘ in society I believe if they have the best intentions for the child then why shouldn’t they be allowed to raise their own families. Functionalists would not agree with this the same as they do not agree with single parent families as they believe in the nuclear family for reproduction, primary socialisation and economic support. I feel the young people that I work with have come from uninvolved parenting backgrounds. Many of them have been in trouble with the law and have never really been told right from wrong. Another reason for some of the young peoples behaviour is survival methods as they have been brought up to fend for themselves. Other parenting styles are indulgent, authoritarian and authoritative. Indulgent also known as permissive parenting normally means the parent/s are very involved in the child’s life and interests but does not believe in discipline. This results in many of the kids growing up to believe that they can do as they please and know no boundaries. Communication style would be very passive. The parent can come across very apologetic, at a loss for words, weak, hurt and anxious. Authoritarian parenting is mainly ensuring the child has strict guidelines and rules to follow and very much believes in discipline. This way of parenting normally results in the child growing up to be unhappy and in some cases they rebel against the control that they have been brought by. The parents way of communicating with the child would be very aggressive and commanding, loaded words and questions, putting the blame on the child, sarcastic and loud with a cold front. Finally there is authoritative parenting which is probably made up by most of the population. This kind of parenting shows an interest in the child but also teaches the child right from wrong. Children brought up in this kind of environment grow up happy and enthusiastic to achieve. Communication methods for this kind of parenting would be assertive. Ensuring point gets across, statements of wants and needs, caring and confident. Within the care sector in the UK it is likely you will come across all of the family styles mentioned above. In many other countries parenting styles will not play such an important part in the childs life. Children from as young as five years of age are sent out to work by their families in order to make a living, and in some cases the children do not have a choice as they have lost their family members to different environmental disasters, diseases etc. These societal issues play more of a part in the way the children grow up as they know they have no choice but to go out to work in order to survive. Recent TV progammes have followed families that live in slums in India. The whole family goes out to work long hours everyday rummaging through rubbish to see what can be recycled, the children do not always get to attend school as it is too expensive. At the end of the day the whole family sit, make and eat dinner together. Family values play a huge part in their lives and the sense of community is great, I feel this is more important as the family all seem to appreciate each other more and don’t take things for granted. In the UK parents are now having to work longer and longer hours therefore spending more time away from home, but unfortunately as in India where this seems to bring the family and community loser together it seems to be having the reverse affect here causing families to seperate and communities to be divided. I personally come from a very big close family so family is very important to me. I believe that if the young people that I worked with had close relationships with their parents then their outlook on life could have been very different. I think within the social care sector I could find this very difficult to deal with seeing how some families treat their children and are very uninvolved in their upbringing. Obviously the most important thing is ensuring the safety of the family especially the children, this would mean having to learn to accept different families styles of parenting whether I agreed with them or not as long as there were no signs of danger and ensuring the children were not put at risk in anyway. I know this is something I could struggle with but that I could not let interfere with the way my work was carried out with the family and have to accept that all families are different and live by different values.

Human psyche Essay

The urge to compete is a large part of the human psyche. When this sense of competitiveness is taken to the extreme, a war may erupt. Throughout the history of humanity wars have been waged, even before the advent of writing, when poets where there to capture their essence. The epic poem The Iliad by Homer describes a war that took place almost two thousand, seven hundred years ago. The Greek society in which Homer lived was considered more violent than any in existence today. This gave him all the inspiration needed to create an epic war poem. By revealing to the reader the futility and horror of war, Homer’s Iliad offers an excellent critique of society, more specifically the fragility of human civilization and the savagery of human nature, when under the extreme pressures of combat. This masterful piece of literature, although written in many centuries ago, has much insight on ancient Greek society that can still be applied, with a modern twist, to today’s world. The style Homer used in his epic poem was unconventional and highly successful. Compared to many other novels or poem of its time, as well as most modern pieces of literature, The Iliad is much longer. This both helps and hinders the text’s ability to convey the messages and meanings of war. In order to capture and preserve the audiences’ interest during such a long poem, Homer took the reader on adventures beyond the Trojan battle field and into the life of each individual solider. By doing this, the reader feels drawn into the story and shares the horrors and futility the Greeks faced during the Trojan War. A large part of Homer’s work is dedicated to war and battle scenes. The main reason for this is because many believed Greek society, which took place seven hundred years before Christ, was brutally violent. Fighting was an everyday occurrence and brought honour among the warriors. The Greek gods did not dissipate the violent society; in fact they encouraged it by demanding animal sacrifices as part of daily rituals. It is this bloodlust, along with Homer’s original style, that has made The Iliad popular and highly influential to this day. War stories depict, through their graphic imagery, the horrors and tragedies taking place during a battle and The Iliad is no exception. The Iliad is most effective at portraying the futility and horrors of war throughout the text with all the gory details. Homer does an excellent job at capturing the realism of each battle scene in over five thousand lines of prose, nearly one third of the poem. As critic Martin Muller points out in Fighting in the Iliad â€Å"the poet and his audience like such [battle] scenes and their periodic occurrence require no greater motivation then bar-room brawls in a Western†. The following quote illustrates Homers ability to evoke graphic images during a battle:  The shaft pierced the tight belt’s twisted thongs,  piercing the blazoned plates, piercing the guard  he wore to shield his loins and block the spears,  his best defense-the shaft pierced even this,  the tip of the weapon grazed the man’s flesh,  and dark blood came spurting from the wound. (pg149, p2) This quote gives the reader a clear image of what is happening as the shaft wounds the unfortunate soldier. Homer also adds to the horrors of the war by telling us about the history of each individual solider before their death. With about two hundred and fifty names in the text, all with individual stories behind their life or death, the story may become murky but never unemotional. Many times a character will be introduced only to be killed off within the same chapter. This adds to the death, destruction and ultimately the horror of the war the Greeks and the Trojans are fighting. As well as reminding the reader of the horrors of war, Homer tells of the futility of fighting such a bloody battle. The sense of frustration and futility of the war is clearly sown as the Greeks fight the Trojans for more than nine years on end. With war comes death, a fact that resounds throughout the Iliad:  While Euchenor knew that boarding the ships for Troy  meant certain death: his father told him so†¦Ã‚  time and again the strong old prophet said that  he’d die in his own halls of a fatal plague  or go with the ships and die at Trojan hands. (pg362, p3) In this quote, describing the life of a solider before he is killed, we see that his efforts during the war appear pointless. He could have met a similar dishonourable death by staying home and enjoying his life. Death represents the futility of fighting a war because it is the only guaranteed result. Monarch Notes tells that â€Å"since death is a constant presence in life we may better see how men value their lives when they are close to that presence†. Homer does an excellent job of bringing the reader down to the battle so that the futility of war can be closely felt.

Kite Runner Discussion Questions Essay

1. The novel begins with Amir’s memory of peering down an alley, looking for Hassan who is kite running for him. As Amir peers into the alley, he witnesses a tragedy. The novel ends with Amir kite running for Hassan’s son, Sohrab, as he begins a new life with Amir in America. Why do you think the author chooses to frame the novel with these scenes? Refer to the following passage: â€Å"Afghans like to say: Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end†¦ crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis [nomads]. † How is this significant to the framing of the novel? The author chooses to frame the novel with these scenes because I think that in the first chapter the readers can see that Amir is so guilt-stricken of not being able to help Hassan and merely witnessing and running from the tragedy. The ending however shows that Amir became the kite runner. Since a kite fighter is someone who is powerful and controlling aka selfish while a kite runner is being selfless. It symbolizes a circle, it did not end where it began but rather it was a â€Å"running† to a positive way, away from Sohrab physically but towards him emotionally. Finally he is running with freedom in his heart instead of fear. The passage â€Å"Afghans like to say: Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end†¦ crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis (nomads). † is significant because that’s how Afghans are. Despite being occupied by the Russians and ruled by the Talibans, life goes on. Even with so many sufferings, hardships and killings they continue to live their life. 2. The strong underlying force of this novel is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Discuss their friendship. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan’s true friend? Why does Amir constantly test Hassan’s loyalty? Why does he resent Hassan? After the kite running tournament, why does Amir no longer want to be Hassan’s friend? Amir and Hassan are like brothers, they were fed by the same breasts, they grew up in the same household and they would play like there’s no tomorrow. Amir is afraid to be Hassan’s true friend because Hassan is a Hazara, where they are looked down upon by other Afghans as the lowest kind of people in society. People might judge him especially the Pashtuns because Hassan is their servant and treated unequal. Amir constantly tests Hassan’s loyalty because he knows that Hassan would do anything for him and would even die for him. He describes Hassan as a loyal dog. Amir resents Hassan since Baba always gives so much attention to Hassan. Baba would never miss a birthday and even give Hassan gifts. After the kite running tournament, Amir no longer wants to be Hassan’s friend because he feels very guilty of what happened to Hassan. He feels that Hassan was the sacrifice he had to give in order to get Baba’s attention. 3. Early in Amir and Hassan’s friendship, they often visit a pomegranate tree where they spend hours reading and playing. â€Å"One summer day, I used one of Ali’s kitchen knives to carve our names on it: ‘Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul. ‘ Those words made it formal: the tree was ours. † In a letter to Amir later in the story, Hassan mentions that â€Å"the tree hasn’t borne fruit in years. † Discuss the significance of this tree. The pomegranate tree represents Amir and Hassan’s friendship. They would eat its fruits, sit on its branches and Amir would read Hassan stories as if they were the only two people on Earth. As if no one else was important. They carved their names on it symbolizing that they ruled all of Kabul. In the letter to Amir later in the story, Hassan mentions that â€Å"the tree hasn’t borne fruit in years† is very significant since it symbolizes their friendship. After the tragedy, Amir wouldn’t want to see Hassan because when he sees Hassan, he remembers what he did which was to run in fear and he did nothing about it. He feels all this guilt and because of his guilt, he decided to frame up Hassan in stealing his new watch. The tree hasn’t borne fruit in years because it is like their friendship, abandoned and forgotten. There were no longer those two boys who used to visit the tree. The tree died with their friendship. 4. We begin to understand early in the novel that Amir is constantly vying for Baba’s attention and often feels like an outsider in his father’s life, as seen in the following passage: â€Å"He’d close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups time with him. I’d sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes I sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter. † Discuss Amir’s relationship with Baba. Baba was usually aloof and cold when he was around Amir. Since Baba was interested in sports, he felt like Amir wasn’t his son because he was into writing and was weak. In a conversation with Rahim Khan Baba said that something was missing in Amir. He said that a boy who couldn’t stand up for himself would not stand up for anything. They don’t really have a good father and son relationship because Baba expected too much of Amir. It was that winning kite tournament that somehow bonded them together but after a while, it went back to being the â€Å"cold† treatment 5. After Amir wins the kite running tournament, his relationship with Baba undergoes significant change. However, while they form a bond of friendship, Amir is still unhappy. What causes this unhappiness and how has Baba contributed to Amir’s state of mind? Eventually, the relationship between the two returns to the way it was before the tournament, and Amir laments â€Å"we actually deceived ourselves into thinking that a toy made of tissue paper, glue, and bamboo could somehow close the chasm between us. † Discuss the significance of this passage. The unhappiness he felt was the guilt of not being able to help Hassan when he was raped. He felt emptier than ever. Before his birthday party, he asked Baba about changing their servants. He said that he grew up with Ali, forty years he’s been with his family Baba roared with anger. Baba even threatened to slap him if he brings it up ever again. The bond they had was only temporary and it was all because of the kite, a toy made of tissue paper, glue and bamboo. It was just a material thing, something that was also just temporary. And that was not enough to change relationships between people because relationships are built with emotions, with the heart. 6. As Amir remembers an Afghan celebration in which a sheep must be sacrificed, he talks about seeing the sheep’s eyes moments before its death. â€Å"I don’t know why I watch this yearly ritual in our backyard; my nightmares persist long after the bloodstains on the grass have faded. But I always watch, I watch because of that look of acceptance in the animal’s eyes. Absurdly, I imagine the animal understands. I imagine the animal sees that its imminent demise is for a higher purpose. † Why do you think Amir recalls this memory when he witnesses Hassan’s tragedy in the alleyway? Amir recollects the memory again toward the end of the novel when he sees Sohrab in the home of the Taliban. Discuss the image in the context of the novel. The image of the sheep being sacrificed and the look of acceptance symbolize Hassan. Hassan is a brave person but he accepts his fate. The â€Å"look of the lamb† is his loyalty to Amir. He is willing to sacrifice even rape just for Amir. He also sees that look from Sohrab when he was dancing and accepting that he will be doing that for the rest of his life. 7. America acts as a place for Amir to bury his memories and a place for Baba to mourn his. In America, there are â€Å"homes that made Baba’s house in Wazir Akbar Khan look like a servant’s hut. â€Å" What is ironic about this statement? What is the function of irony in this novel? The irony in the story is that Baba was very wealthy and influential in Kabul. A lot of people knew him because of his good works. However, in America he only works in a gas station and misses everything about his home. Baba and Amir’s going to America is Baba’s gift to Amir even if it means that he would suffer. He is terribly homesick in America. They live in an apartment in San Jose but in Kabul, Baba’s house was the most beautiful one in their district. The function of irony in this novel is that you could be the most influential, most powerful person one day and the next day you are just an ordinary person with nothing at all. 8. What is the significance of the irony in the first story that Amir writes? After hearing Amir’s story, Hassan asks, â€Å"Why did the man kill his wife? In fact, why did he ever have to feel sad to shed tears? Couldn’t he have just smelled an onion? † How is his reaction to the story a metaphor for Amir’s life? How does this story epitomize the difference in character between Hassan and Amir? The irony in the story is that the man killed his wife out of greed and after he has done this he becomes miserable. This story echoes Amir’s life because he did things out of greed. He wanted the attention of Baba and he was a little jealous of Hassan. Hassan has this perceptiveness, where he criticized Amir’s story. He was only an illiterate boy but was able to point out a major flaw in Amir’s story where he asks why the man killed his wife, couldn’t he have just smelled an onion to shed those tears. Hassan did not need to see the words on the page to know it was flawed. He did not need to look at the kite’s shadow to know where it was going. It is a metaphor in Amir’s life because he was the one with education. He was the one talented in reading and writing. Baba, in trying to redeem his own honor, raised a child who felt neglected and who acted out of fear. This was the metaphor in Amir’s life where he grew up with fear and cannot stand up for himself while Hassan was his complete opposite. 9. Why is Baba disappointed by Amir’s decision to become a writer? During their argument about his career path, Amir thinks to himself: â€Å"I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn’t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last time I had done that, I had damned myself. † What has Amir sacrificed for Baba? How has Amir â€Å"damned himself†? Baba was disappointed by Amir’s decision to become a writer because he wanted Amir to be just like him. He wanted Amir to become a doctor or a lawyer wherein they treat those professionals of higher power. He didn’t want to sacrifice anymore. He was determined to become a writer, something he really wants to be. When he was younger, Amir wanted Baba’s attention so bad that he pretended to like the sport which Baba was interested in, soccer. Back then he pretended to listen to Baba’s remarks about the game and the players but in the end he did not enjoy it. Baba was only disappointed in him that Amir did not inherit his dad’s athletic side. 10. Compare and contrast the relationships of Soraya and Amir and their fathers. How have their upbringings contributed to these relationships? Even if Baba is cold to Amir I believe that he is a great father. Baba really loves Amir and is willing to do everything and anything for his son. Back in Kabul, he would give Amir anything he wanted. In America even if they didn’t have the money, Baba still gives Amir anything that he can give. Baba would sacrifice everything he had just for Amir. He even works hard in a gas station and wouldn’t take the coupons so that he will not degrade himself. General Taheri however is someone who gives importance to what others think. When Soraya ran away, he went there and threatened to kill the man and to kill himself if Soraya didn’t come home. His attitude is bad and treats his wife as dirt. He prefers to collect welfare than lowering himself to blue collar jobs. He just waits everyday to be called back to Afghanistan. Because of their strict Afghan upbringing, Both Soraya and Amir have been very honest to each other especially when Amir was ready to tell Soraya his story of betrayal. Also because of the lack of closeness they had with their fathers it had somehow made their relationship with each other stronger and closer. 11. Discuss how the ever-changing politics of Afghanistan affect each of the characters in the novel. Because of the ever-changing politics of Afghanistan all of the characters’ lives changed. None of them were safe, no matter what privileges they have or what they believe in, anyone could be killed. Amir and Baba’s life from being wealthy, they became average in America. Ali and Hassan’s life was always in danger because of the ethnic cleansing; they were the kind of people who were killed most of the time during those years of war. 12. On Amir’s trip back to Afghanistan, he stays at the home of his driver, Farid. Upon leaving he remarks: â€Å"Earlier that morning, when I was certain no one was looking, I did something I had done twenty-six years earlier: I planted a fistful of crumpled money under the mattress. † Why is this moment so important in Amir’s journey? That moment is so important in Amir’s life because he did it twenty-six years ago. He put the money under Hassan’s mattress in order to frame him up and maybe Baba would ask them to leave. It is significant because instead of plotting to ruin one’s life, he is trying to make sure that the three children do not starve. This is the part when he is trying to change things, doing the act of putting the money under the mattress again but with a different agenda. He is now doing this selfless act for others than for himself. 13. Throughout the story, Baba worries because Amir never stands up for himself. When does this change? Amir and Baba’s relationship started to get better after the kite running competition. And I believe It was also the start of Baba’s hope that maybe Amir could do stand for himself when the time comes. Amir made his father proud, beating all of his opponents, cutting all of the kites, and being the last kite flying on thin air. It was when the Baba’s intuition that maybe his son can do handle himself someday. 14. Amir’s confrontation with Assef in Wazir Akar Khan marks an important turning point in the novel. Why does the author have Amir, Assef, and Sohrab all come together in this way? What is this the significance of the scar that Amir develops as a result of the confrontation? Why is it important in Amir’s journey toward forgiveness and acceptance? Because the only way we could accept, forgive, and overcome any problem is to face the situation. The part where Amir, Assef and Sohrab come together in that part of the book because it is the echo of confrontation with Assef back when they were children. It’s like a continuation but instead of Hassan, Sohrab stands as his representative. This time, he has a second chance to do the right thing, a second chance where he chooses to save Sohrab from Assef. After his fight with Assef he develops a scar that looks like a harelip. It is significant because it is a suffering to match Hassan’s. He begins to reconcile their troubled history. This is important in Amir’s journey to forgiveness and acceptance because that scar represents the feeling of closeness to Hassan. When Assef beats him to death and he got the scar, it is healing Amir of his guilt. He is now in the process of forgiving himself. 15. While in the hospital in Peshawar, Amir has a dream in which he sees his father wrestling a bear: â€Å"They role over a patch of grass, man and beast†¦ they fall to the ground with a loud thud and Baba is sitting on the bear’s chest, his fingers digging in its snout. He looks up at me, and I see. He’s me. I am wrestling the bear. † Why is this dream so important at this point in the story? What does this dream finally help Amir realize? It was a somewhat a symbol that made Amir realize he’s been a good son to his father all the while. It was important because it made Amir stronger and was able to believe in himself after seeing himself as the wrestler—the wrestler whom he admired all his life, his Baba. He hasn’t realized how life had also been his tough opponent and yet he still continue to breathe. He realized, he also has his own strength. 16. Amir and Hassan have a favorite story. Does the story have the same meaning for both men? Why does Hassan name his son after one of the characters in the story? Their favorite story is Rostam and Sohrab where Rostam kills Sohrab without knowing that he is his son. The story doesn’t have the same meaning for both men. Hassan names his son after Sohrab because he is so intrigue by the story. The story where the father killed his son touched Hassan’s heart. It filled Hassan’s heart with such emotion that he decided to name his son with one of the character’s name. 17. Baba and Amir know that they are very different people. Often it disappoints both of them that Amir is not the son that Baba has hoped for. When Amir finds out that Baba has lied to him about Hassan, he realizes that â€Å"as it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I’d never known. † How does this make Amir feel about his father? How is this both a negative and positive realization? When Amir learned about the truth he felt much betrayal. Amis felt very angry towards his father. He felt like they more alike than he’d ever known. Both betrayed people who would have given their lives for them. They betrayed the people who were the most loyal to them. Because of this he realized a lot of things. Amir should atone not just his sins but for Baba’s sins too. If he hadn’t been a coward, Ali and Hasaan wouldn’t have left and Baba would have brought them to America. He realized that there was a way to end the cycle of betrayal and lies and that was to save Sohrab, his nephew. 18. When Amir and Baba move to the States their relationship changes, and Amir begins to view his father as a more complex man. Discuss the changes in their relationship. Do you see the changes in Baba as tragic or positive? They grow closer out of necessity and having lost everything familiar, they cling to each other. When they moved, Baba shows more affection towards Amir. The changes in Baba were positive since he was able to re-connect with his son after a long time of coldness. Baba became the father who would do everything for his son. 19. Discuss the difference between Baba and Ali and between Amir and Hassan. Are Baba’s and Amir’s betrayals and similarities in their relationships of their servants (if you consider Baba’s act a betrayal) similar or different? Do you think that such betrayals are inevitable in the master/servant relationship, or do you feel that they are due to flaws in Baba’s and Amir’s characters, or are they the outcome of circumstances and characters? Baba devoted his life in doing works for the poor. He even devoted three years in building and funding an orphanage. He is also very firm and cold to his son, Amir. Ali in the other hand is crippled but affectionate. Ali is very close to Hassan and he taught him to be righteous and loyal. They are both determined to protect Baba and Amir. Baba’s and Amir’s betrayals and similarities in their relationship of their servants were similar. Ali is like a brother to Baba because when his parents died, Baba’s father took him as his own child. They grew up together and Ali has been with their family for forty years. Hassan also grew up with Amir. They fed from the same breasts and Hassan’s first word was â€Å"Amir†. Hassan is loyal and suffered just like Ali. They both kept secrets about Amir and Baba. Remaining silent about injustice is a way for them to show their loyalty. It is not inevitable in a master/servant relationship because I feel that they are due to Baba and Amir’s characters. Soraya had a servant who was illiterate but she taught her how to read, Amir chose differently, he lords his privileges and his education over Hassan. It is also the outcome of circumstances and characters because it is for the longing of Baba’s affection that Amir acts in fear. It is because of what society thinks and his status that’s why Baba kept his secret and did not tell Amir and Hassan the truth. 20. Who is Khaled Hosseini and how has his work in literature and in the world society of nations been critically received? Khaled Hosseini is the author of The Kite Runner. He was born on March 4, 1965 in Kabul. We can see that he has similarities with the protagonist of the story who is Amir. His father was a diplomat and his mother was a teacher of Farsi and history. They moved to the United States instead of returning to Afghanistan because chaos was everywhere. His family was some of the lucky ones to refuge to another country and not experience the sufferings and the killings. Khaled Hosseini published The Kite Runner in 2003 to critical acclaim. Parts of the novel are based on his childhood in Kabul neighborhood of Wazir Akbar Khan. While some events in the story echo those in his life, the novel is fictional. He felt ashamed, like he should have suffered more. He felt estranged from the devastation in Afghanistan, but his separation from his homeland and his â€Å"Western sensibility† combined in his fiction to bring America’s, and the worlds, attention to the faces of Afghanistan. Hosseini’s devotion to Afghanistan can be seen not only in his writing but also in his activism.. He has been a goodwill envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, since 2006, and his personal website contains links to many aid organizations that are helping Afghanistan. Interviewers describe Hosseini as a smart, handsome man with a calming air, and Time Magazine called him â€Å"almost certainly the most famous Afghan in the world. † Khaled Hosseini lives with his wife and two children in Northern California. 21. The kite flying tournament is an important event in a boy’s life in Afghanistan. Why is it significant and what does winning the kite flying tournament symbolize? How does this symbolism resonate with the novel’s title? The kite flying tournament is significant because like in Amir’s case, winning was the key to winning Baba’s heart. The tournament sets a circle of betrayal and redemption into motion. After Hassan gets raped while running his kite, Amir cannot separate kite fighting and running from his own betrayal and cowardice. In order to redeem himself of selfishness and cowardice, Amir must go from being merely a kite fighter (someone who seeks glory) to a kite runner (someone who genuinely does things for others). This symbolism resonates with the novel’s title in terms of Amir, being the fighter in the beginning to a runner in the end. 22. Discuss how the geographic location of Afghanistan has made it the crossroads of civilizations and conquering armies from ancient times up to the present. How do the results of those conquests affect the tribes in Afghanistan up to now? Afghanistan is located in central Asia, is made up of thirty-four provinces. It is bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Jajikstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. Afghanistan has always been by war. It used to be a kingdom ruled by a king then it b ecame a republic through a coup then it was invaded by Russia. Lastly, the Taliban took control over it. Pashtun supremacists massacred Shiites Hazaras. After the September11, 2001 event, the United States attacked Afghanistan and defeated the Taliban. Until now Afghanistan is experiencing civil war. People are suffering and a lot take refuge in other countries. 23. Religious Fundamentalism of the Taliban is imbricated with racial or ethnic and class problems. How are these problems dramatized in the novel? The Taliban wanted to eliminate the Shiite and massacred the Hazara population in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998. The Taliban would find the simplest things to be against the rules in order to kill some Hazara or anyone in Afghanistan.

Malaysia Famous Food Nasi Lemak Essay

Good morning to lecturer and my dear classmate. Before I start my presentation, I would like to know something, do you all have your breakfast /lunch yet? Cause now, I’m going to make you so hungry. Now , I’m going to share with you all about Malaysia famous food . As we all know, Malaysia is a multiracial country with a population of about 20 million people, This also cause the making of different cuisine appear in this lands. Among all of the delicious cuisine. There is one most popular dish based on rice that mostly accepted by all ethnic groups of Malaysia. We all called it as, â€Å"NASI LEMAK†, As the largest ethnic group in Malaysia, Malay people have form out many kind of traditional food and drink. Among all of the local food, Nasi lemak is the most popular cuisine that have designed by them. Rice of nasi lemak steamed with coconut milk, it will be served with some peanuts, sliced cucumber, hard boiled eggs and a spicy chili sambal. Sambal is the main â€Å"soul† of the Nasi Lemak, to make a delicious Nasi Lemak, Sambal is so important. Different people prefer for different favour for sambal. As example, Malaysian Indian variety of the sambal tends to be a bit more spicy, and the Malay sambal in a nasi lemak tends to be a bit sweeter. Nowadays, Nasi Lemak can be served with a choice of different curries and it also can be served with other cuisine like, rendang meat, fried chicken, squid, and many-many other delicious side-order. Nasi lemak is not only popular in the ethnic of Malaysia, many tourist that visitor our country have try for this cuisine and been attracted by the delicious of it. Nasi Lemak of Malaysia have now become one of the delicious traditional food that famous among the worlds. This is all my presentation for today, thanks for listening and giving concentrate on my talk. Thanks you.