Complex Moralities Essay

According to Aristotle, for a writer to create an interesting character it must be morally complex, meaning it must consist of not only good or bad morals, but both. Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a few examples of this trait in its main characters. Claude Frollo, the priest, shows moral complexity, as he is the novel’s antagonist but is also very compassionate in his feelings toward Esmeralda. Phoebus, who is a nobleman, a soldier, and the captain of the King’s archers, is also one to cheat on his fiance, Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier, and later ignore his chance to save Esmeralda during her execution. Quasimodo is another quality example of moral complexity because while he remains loyal to Esmeralda in every way that he can, he also doesn’t hesitate in pushing Frollo off the ledge and murdering dozens of Truands. Moral complexity allows a reader to think about each character with more depth. Claude Frollo, Esmeralda, and Quasimodo all have positive as well as negative aspects to their personalities, which creates what Aristotle would consider to be interesting characters for this reason. In the beginning of the novel, Frollo shows his compassion and dedication when he takes in his younger brother, Jehan, and later adopts Quasimodo after his parents left him as a child. Though Frollo tried his best to mold scholarly individuals out of the young orphans they soon became symbols of his failure, as Jehan drinks and gambles his money away and Quasimodo’s deafness prevents almost any kind of learning. Frollo’s obsessive longing for La Esmeralda causes her to be hanged and Quasimodo to be tortured. It seems that everything he tries to do ends negatively, and that â€Å"by making himself a priest made himself a demon† (Hugo 282). No matter the effort he puts in to make Esmeralda love him, he only ends up causing her pain. His obsession leads him to do things he would otherwise never do. His compelling fixation with this infatuating gypsy girl leads him to stab Phoebus with a â€Å"dagger that only Esmeralda sees descend upon Pheobus, and raise again dripping† (Hugo 165). Frollo’s compassion and partially good intentions conflict with his actions and get him into predicaments. These characteristics of his contradict themselves, making him a morally complex character. Phoebus, who is supposed to be a gentleman, is not much more than a womanizer, however, he saves La Esmeralda from Quasimodo the night he attacks her. Phoebus does not love her, but leads her to think otherwise and tries to seduce her. As he spoke to the lost gypsy girl he confessed his apparent love â€Å"in one breath without making one single blunder,† suggesting that he had strung together the same exact words to many gullible and in love women just like Esmeralda. Hugo 167) When Frollo stabs Phoebus everyone is convinced he is dead but without bringing it to anyone’s attention, he recovers. Phoebus doesn’t speak up when La Esmeralda is sentanced to death for his murder because he doesn’t want to be associated with a gypsy girl and doesn’t want his fiance to find out about his relations with her. Even though he could have saved Esmeralda’s life, â €Å"he felt no great desire to make a personal appearance at the trial† (Hugo 199) With Quasimodo’s life, being soundless and confusing, he does not always make the right decisions. His thoughts and comprehensions are twisted but his heart is good. Near the beginning of the novel, Quasimodo began following Esmeralda and attacked her late at night. He was tried for it and was sentenced to being publicly whipped which later helped him realize that Esmeralda wasn’t like everybody else who made fun of him for his appearance, but she helped him and tried to understand him. For example after he was whipped for an hour all he asked for was water. Everyone listening to him laughed at him but Esmeralda gave him water. This is ironic because the reason that he was being whipped was because he attacked Esmeralda, yet she was the only one to show him sympathy and give him water. Quasimodo was so touched by her kind gesture that â€Å"from that eye, hitherto so dry and burning, was seen to roll a big tear, which fell slowly down that deformed visage so long contracted by despair† (Hugo 322). From then on Quasimodo became very loyal to Esmeralda. Though this is true, he turns on Frollo, the man who raised him and took him in when he had no one, because he is responsible for Esmeralda’s death. During Esmeralda’s hanging he couldn’t bare the rage, he â€Å"took a few steps back from the archdeacon, and then, rushing at him furiously, with his two huge hands, he struck the priest’s back and pushed Dom Claude into the abyss over which he had been leaning† (Hugo 300). Though his morals may not have been commendable, his heart and ntentions are genuine. Frollo’s bad decisions and confusing feelings, Phoebus’s corrupt loyalty but heroic stature, and Quasimodo’s twisted priorities but kind heart reflect true imperfection of the human spirit. Victor Hugo used Aristotle’s methods of giving a character moral complexity to make the reader more interested throughout the story. Neither Frollo, Phoebus, nor Quasimodo have co mpletely good or completely bad morals, but instead struggle with the decisions they face.

13 Tough Skills You Must Master to Find Career Success

13 Tough Skills You Must Master to Find Career Success The best things in life often require you to exit your comfort zone. Career success doesn’t come easily; otherwise, everyone would shoot to the top of their field fresh our of college! Here are 13 of the skills which are perhaps the hardest to learn, but are the most worth learning. Do yourself a favor and accrue a few.1. Sleeping SoundlyIf you can establish a ritual and stick with it, you’ll never need the ever popular â€Å"sleep hacks† everyone is scrambling around for. It may be tough to get into a routine, but you will never regret it.2. EmpathyIt’s a hard one to learn, but not impossible. And it’s incredibly valuable–both in the business world and in your personal life. If you can cultivate this kind of ability to feel what it might be like in others’ shoes, you will go far.3. Time ManagementThat thing you parents were always on at you about? Turns out it’s pretty important. There’s no one right way to gain this ski ll, but as long as you find a system that works for you consistently, you’re golden. Employers will notice and be impressed.4. Asking for  HelpKnowing when you’re in over your own head and need a hand is a very important thing. Being able to ask for that help is the next big thing. But both are invaluable. This is a tough one to break, but invariably makes you look more capable, rather than less.5. ConsistencyDo you have a tendency to take your foot off the gas when you reach the next milestone? This is career death. You have to work hard and keep working hard. That’s how the most successful people get where they are.6. Staying PositiveAnd not just about others- about yourself! Projecting confidence and cultivating positivity is very important. There will be times when no one else believes in you, but you should! Always.7. Knowing When to Shut UpIf you’re whining or ranting or just talking about your kids, it’s always important to know when your audience has had enough, and to be able to shut your mouth and cede the mic. Plus, learning to bite your tongue when riled and in danger of saying something you’ll later come to regret is an important skill.8. ListeningStart by practicing active listening- repeating back part of what the other person says to you, until you get more comfortable actually listening to what people are saying instead of waiting to say your next thing instead.9. Minding your Own BeeswaxKnow when to shut up and also when something is none of your concern. Your two cents aren’t always worth putting in. Know when to use your resources in someone else’s work and when to conserve them- for the benefit of all.10. Avoiding  GossipIt’s delicious and seductive to fall into the trap of talking about someone behind their back, but it can have disastrous consequences for your reputation and relationships. Learn to keep it classy and keep your head above the fray.11.  Controlling Your T houghtsDon’t let your own monkey brain or your emotions get the better of you. Continually direct your thinking toward the future, even if it is informed by the past. Move forward.12. Being PresentPeople are constantly looking into greener pastures, dwelling in the past, or looking too far forward that they don’t remember to be present in the present moment. Focus on where you are and what you are doing and try to find happiness in that moment. If you can do it now, you’ll be able to do it in the future.13. Speaking UpNinety percent of the battle of public speaking comes from doing it a few times- until you’re not so much afraid of it. But once you get comfortable speaking in public, whether in a small meeting or a huge amphitheater, you’ll be in possession of a huge asset that will stand you well in other areas of your life and career as well.

Current Economic Climate essays

Current Economic Climate essays Facing the current economic climate in the US, the Federal Reserve, for the past twelve months, has dropped interest rates in an effort to encourage spending and stimulate the economy in general. After losses for the past quarters and the events of September 11th, the country has driven right into a recession. Since interest is the price of money, the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates so people and businesses have the incentive to spend money, therefore spurring the economy. The Federal Reserve took no action last time they met in January. For the past quarters, the Federal Reserve has constantly dropped interest rates in an effort to prevent the country from entering recession. As I mentioned earlier, dropping interest rates stimulates the economy by motivating spending from not only people, but also businesses. Through its fiscal policy, the government also attempts to guide the country away from a recession. President Bush introduced a tax cut last year to stimulate spending but it didnt prove very successful. September 11th dampened the economy the current recession. The Federal Reserve is in charge of maintaining a balance. They are interested in preventing inflation by raising interest rates or stimulate spending by lowering interest rates. As the article explains, Analysts believe the economy is slowly recovering and may get out of the current recession in the next few months. Jack Guynn, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta told Bloomberg News that the Federal Reserve will consider raising interest rates if inflation becomes a concern. Inflation is an increase in the general level of prices. As unemployment rates go down, Inflation increases as shown in the Phillips Curve. Analysts are looking at the lower jobless rate, which went from 5.8% in December to 5.6% in January. The rate of change was not that significant when considering that December has a higher amount of people looking for jobs because ...

Cross-Cultural Training to Management in Organizations Research Paper

Cross-Cultural Training to Management in Organizations - Research Paper Example The need to interact with people of different cultures and understand their behaviour has become a critical aspect of international management. Let us take the example of a Hungarian employee’s encounter with an Austrian supervisor (Fink et al., 2007). The disgruntled employee complained of the â€Å"manner† in which his female Austrian supervisor delegated him work (Fink et al., 2007). According to the employee, there was absolutely no problem with the very work that was assigned; however, the supervisor failed to address her employee in an appropriate manner which offended him (Fink et al., 2007). Such, apparently trivial, instances of conflict between the manager and employee are a commonplace today. However, that does not make them insignificant. Paradoxically, such issues are not easy to understand; the cultural dimensions need to be accurately defined along a particular scale against which the behaviour can be measured. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the â€Å"cultural standard method† was introduced by Leung et al., which identifies and examines the differences in perception, understanding, thinking and judging across a multitude of cultures (Fink & Meierewert, 2001). There are, in general, three approaches to understanding the notion of cross-culturalism: cultural dimensions, personality traits and the cultural standard method (Fink et al., 2007). However, the last one is limited to Central Europe, particularly Germany and Austria (Fink et al., 2007). The differentiation within the social system lies in the discrepancy between the â€Å"normal behaviour† and that behaviour which deviates from normal behaviour.

Basic Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Basic Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example It appears also to be aimed at student groups who enter science fairs and competitions and could be particularly valuable for summer schools and extension work after class time. When reviewing this book I examined it from three specific angles: the presentation, the academic content, and the use of language. I also considered its overall strengths and weaknesses, and this three part analysis followed by evaluation is the structure I have chosen for this memo. The first point to note about this booklet is that it is available in electronic form, which makes it very convenient as a resource for teachers. It can be printed off for use in class, or alternatively it can be projected on to a screen or uploaded on to an educational network. The visual presentation is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The print is large, and there are at most two or three paragraphs of main text per page. The running head at the top of each page reminds the reader of the main topic which is â€Å"Science Fair Fun.† Section headings are in very large and bold type, while subheadings are smaller and underlined. The text comes with contents page, page numbers, main text, glossary and a list of resources for further information. This format resembles a standard project structure, and so it appears that the authors of this booklet wanted to set an example to the students in how to present information in a project report style. There are frequent illustrations which range from photographs to graphs and charts. There are also boxed areas which present key pieces of advice and useful checklists. Some of this material is layered, in magazine style and some of it is more like a web page with large colored icons. These features add interest to the booklet, and encourage students who may have weaker reading skills to persevere with the text and gain clues to its meaning from the illustrations. The use of color is interesting because it is mainly confined to the primary colors, in rather pastel shades. This may be an attempt to present a visual impression which is both attractive and serious at the same time. Too much bright color can make a text appear infantile and so this subtle coloring is a good compromise. The content of the booklet is both factual and persuasive. The factual information is all related to basic scientific terms such as â€Å"hypothesis† and â€Å"experiment.† The emphasis is on developing an awareness of scientific methods and following the steps of hypothesis formation, project design, data collection and writing up results in such a way as to come to some conclusion. There are clear instructions on how to approach each of these stages. This part of the text is rather abstract and it may be that some weaker students would find it had to follow. There is information also on how to present the project verbally, and on what the judges are looking for in a project. The second part of the booklet describes a number of previous projec ts that have been completed and this information is much more concrete. These short summaries put the theoretical terms and theories into practice, and this provides students with the opportunity to see the terms being used in actions, and a number of models on which they can build their own ideas. The glossary provides clarification on the scientific meanings of the words used, and this could be used both as preparation for study, and as a revision

Theory, Principle, and Torts In a Case Study Scenario Essay

Theory, Principle, and Torts In a Case Study Scenario - Essay Example Regarding torts, first of all, the nurse named Allison should be charged with neglect due to her lack of duty of care on the part of Ruth, the patient. She should not have forced any kind of treatment on Ruth, even if she thought it was best for her to do a compression dressing. Instead, Allison should have followed Ruth’s directives or wishes unless she did not have the power of attorney. It was very careless of Allison to simply tell Ruth that she would leave her walker out in the hallway till someone came back around lunchtime - a neighbor, no less - to check up on her. That nurse was so careless that she should be stripped of her licensure due to that foul-up. As a result, when trying to go to the bathroom, Ruth slipped and received a laceration which is a deep cut on her head. Not only this, but Ruth was also attended to by careless paramedics who didn’t transfer her over to the appropriate care unit until she was discovered some time later, not having been attende d to yet. Both on the parts of Allison and the paramedics, they really missed the boat or screwed up in terms of giving Ms. Symond the appropriate care that she needed.

Reasons for choosing Christie's Education, your Personal Statement

Reasons for choosing Christie's Education, your qualification,goals,and practical experience in the arts or auction world - Personal Statement Example This includes but is not limited to visiting museums, galleries, auction houses and out of the way venues that local patrons guide me to. I view art is the source of beauty in my own life. Art for me is not a mere vision. It is not a gratuitous answer to an invitation. Rather, it is a feeling or a reaction. It is personal and can only be shared with those that have the same keen understanding of it that I do. It is the ability to embrace someone else’s interpretation and yet know that you feel at peace only with your own. It comes in so many different forms. For example, I enjoy all types of dance, from the traditional, to folk to ritualistic expression. What elevates my ability to view and interpret art is that I do not need to find the artistic expression in whatever it is I am viewing, it shows itself to me. It is like a beacon in the night guiding me and I am compelled to respond. Indeed, I find myself employing art as a my special form of communication. Art plays a large role in the expresion of my inner thoughts and in acknowledging the beauty in my life. From dance to music to abstract art our concept of life is shown through the various ways in which we interpret it. Art has always allowed me to be as specific or as abstract as I wish. I also employ art as my own form of communication. I may not be able to express to a loved one verbally how I feel at the moment, but I do so through expressions of art. I don’t know why this is so, all I know is that art is my comfort zone. Art has taught me how to communicate through creative expression. It has taught me how to undestand human experience including the past and present. As for my own personal interests, music, opera singing, dancing, poetry and sketching are just a few of the different forms of art that I personally employ to express myself and apply my