Gold’s Symbolism in Song of Solomon - Literature Essay Samples

Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison, explores how each character searches for something, and the novel examines the ways in which they cope when they cannot find it. In the novel, many of the characters are trapped by their materialistic desires. The need to fulfill those desires erodes their souls, making them bitter. For some of these characters, their wants and needs are in the form of gold. Song of Solomon examines the human condition of being physically, spiritually, and financially trapped through the classic symbol of desire, gold. The protagonist, Milkman, is trapped physically and mentally. He feels as though his life has no meaning, and that if he could leave his situation on Not Doctor Street, he could be happy. From the time he was little, Milkman wanted freedom and escape from his life, or to â€Å"fly away.† He becomes sad and isolated from his friends and later, isolated from his family. He feels as though his future is defined by the events of his past and is constantly troubled by other people’s problems. He believes that he has done nothing to deserve the burden of the knowledge that people have given him and is too far inside himself to appreciate the love that his family members provide him. His desire to escape his life is shown when Morrison says â€Å"He wanted the money desperately, he believed but other than making tracks out of the city, far away from Not Doctor Street, Sonny’s Shop, and Mary’s Place, and Hagar, he could not visualize a life that much different from the one he had. New People. New Places. Command. That was all he wanted in his life† (179, 180). Milkman finally finds an opportunity to escape his life through his aunt Pilate’s gold. For Milkman, the gold represents what he has always desired, freedom and flight. This is shown when Morrison describes Milkman and Guitar’s first encounter with what they thought was gold: â€Å"They both saw it [the sack of gold] at the same time. It hung heavy, hung green like the green of Easter eggs left too long in the dye. And like Easter, it promised everything: the Risen Son and the heart’s lone desire† (185). The idea of fulfilling this craving and achieving happiness makes Milkman selfish and cruel, causing him to betray his loving aunt by robbing her. When he discovers that Pilate does not have the gold, he goes on a journey to find it where he finds himself along the way. After gaining a sense of identity, the journey becomes more about freeing himself mentally than finding the gold and escaping physically. He has an epiphany where he is overcome with happiness and realizes that he no longer desires escape from his family’s problems or his life , and in the same way, gives up on finding the gold. This is described by Morrison’s quote, â€Å"[H]e felt a sudden rush of affection for them all†¦ Apparently he thought he deserved only to be loved from a distance, though and given what he wanted†¦ Maybe all he was really saying was: I am not responsible for your pain, share your happiness with me but not your unhappiness† (278). At the end of the novel, Milkman never finds the gold, but gains a new identity when he realizes that the freedom gold can bring him is not worth the betrayal required to gain it. Milkmans experience supports gold’s symbolism for a worldly desires because his want for gold disappears just as his search for happiness ends. When he gives up what weighs him down, he finally is able to fly. However, other characters are not as fortunate as Milkman is in abandoning the worldly desires that trap them. Guitar, Milkmans best friend growing up, is strapped financially. He lives in poverty in the South Side of the city and wants so badly to escape and to live a more affluent life. He compares himself to wealthy white people who murder innocent African-Americans, and cannot understand how his situation is fair. He says â€Å"[E]verybody wants the life of a black man Fair is one more thing I’ve given up† (Morrison 222, 224). These internal and external conflicts eat away at him, and he sees no other way to cope than to become a murderer. Like Milkman, he sees gold as an opportunity to free himself through the wealth it can bring him. This is shown when Morrison writes â€Å"he [Milkman] wondered if Guitar simply could not resist the lure of something he had never had-money† (180). He speaks to Milkman about all the things gold can buy him, not knowing that the gold will lead him to attack his best friend. His perspective is ironic because once, while giving Milkman advice, he says †[A]ll that jewelry weighs it [the peacock[ down†¦ Can’t nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down† (179). His viewpoint shows that, like the peacock’s tail, materialistic desires weigh down your soul, and you must give them up in order to be free. This contradicts his obsession with wealth, which ultimately weighs him down to the point of committing murder and betrayal. When Milkman gives up on finding the gold, Guitar continues. In the end, Guitar remains trapped by his greed and obsession with bettering his life financially through the gold, which comes to a head when he kills Pilate. Macon Dead, Milkmans father, is a slave to his desire for property and power, making him spiritually trapped. A humble farm boy turned-wealthy realtor, he is bitter about his past. After witnessing his fathers murder as a boy, he runs away where he finds gold, beginning his desire for wealth and power that last for the rest of his life. â€Å"Gold†¦ Life, safety, and luxury fanned out before him like the tail-spread of a peacock, and as he stood there trying to distinguish each delicious color, he saw the dusty boots of his father standing just on the other side of the shallow pit†¦ Pilate darted around the cave calling him, looking for him, while Macon piled the sacks of gold into the tarpaulin† (170, 171), describes his transformation from a humble farm boy to a money-hungry man trapped by his craving for property and prosperity. As the quote describes, Macon is indifferent to the ghost of his father whom he claimed to care so much about. While he believes that wea lth will be the solution to all of his problems, it actually isolates him from his family and the people who love him. The traumatic event of his fathers murder changed him, as Morrison describes what she writes [T]he numbness that had settled on him when he saw the man he loved and admired fall off the fence; something wild ran through him when he watched the body twitching in the dirt† (50, 51). This, combined with his desire for money, rejection by his wifes father, and later, witnessing his wife kiss her father’s dead fingers, turns Macon into a cold, heartless, and broken man. He is trapped by his sadness, anger, and hunger for power, making him spiritually disconnected from love, his family, and immaterial things in life. When the possibility of obtaining gold resurfaces, he is naturally drawn in and gets behind the scheme of robbing his own sister, Pilate. The prosperity that gold could bring him is just another form of psychological imprisonment for Macon, pushi ng him farther from his sister and from love. His want for gold is stronger than his want for love, family, and loyalty, showing gold’s symbolism for desire. In Song of Solomon, the main characters are trapped by their materialistic desires, which are symbolized by gold. Milkman, Guitar, and Macon, each see gold as a way to fulfil aspects of their lives that are missing. Gold’s symbolism for worldly desires is consistent with the fact that Pilate had no interest in the gold when she in Macon found it. Instead, she took her fathers bones with her, showing that she cares more about spiritual value than she does about materialistic value. This reinforces gold’s symbolism for acquisitive desires because Pilate does not chase the gold; the three men each have different materialistic desires, so they do pursue the gold. The wealth that comes from the gold is a temptation for the men because it seems like a solution each of their problems and an end to their longings. However, their attempts to retrieve the gold push them closer into deception and farther away from their loved ones, until Guitar becomes a murderer and Macon becomes cold and dead (hence his last name). In the end, Milkman is the only one of the three that abandons his need for â€Å"gold† and realizes the true value of the people in his life and of himself.

The Social Responsibility Of A Business - 1755 Words

MF believed that a business itself cannot have any social responsibility. Only the people who own or are affiliated with the business can have any form of social responsibly. His article, A Friedman Doctrine--: The Social Responsibility of Business if to Increase Its Profits, outlines what this means for a business’s corporate executive. The corporate executive is the employee of the business owner and, therefore, is directly responsible to them. Friedman states that the corporate executive’s responsibility, â€Å"†¦generally, will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to the basic rules of the society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical customs (Friedman).† In this sense, the corporate executive’s role†¦show more content†¦This is summarized in his statement, â€Å"there is one and only one social responsibility of business–to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its pro fits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud (Friedman). Porter and Kramer take a very different stance on this topic. They believe that there is a very real and strong link between CSR and competitive analysis. The modern world ranks businesses on their CSR and directs a significant amount of publicity towards companies who are focused on the health and welfare of their customers and the earth. The traditional mindset concerning CSR puts business and society at odds, when in reality they are interdependent and reliant on each other. Porter Kramer think that antiquated thoughts about CSR have pressured businesses into thinking that there is an only one generic approach to CSR. This one-size-fits-all mindset does not actually fit all, and it is in no way the best for all business strategies. Porter Kramer believe this mindset leads to a disconnected andShow MoreRelatedThe Social Responsibility Of Business932 Words   |  4 PagesA corporation does do business within a vacuum; rather exist as part of larger collective framework of societ y, stakeholders and a global business community. I believe that corporations which are profitable, and promote moral and ethical standards are the benchmark of success; additionally, corporations bear a great social responsibility to the society it exists within, an simply working within â€Å"the basic rules of society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom† is not enoughRead MoreBusiness and Social Responsibility1140 Words   |  5 PagesWhen a business gets incorporated regardless of the business size and the nature of profession requires an adequate execution methods for being successful and to achieve its goals. Some of these goals can be short-term or long-term, depends on the nature of business. Likewise, these execution methodologies can be vary time to time as the corporate needs to satisfy different groups of people such as : top hierarchy stakeholders, staffs ,shareholders, and even non-related business groups such as environmentalistsRea d MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business1422 Words   |  6 Pagesthe business be held accountable for these actions? In his essay â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profit† Milton Friedman, powerful economist, discusses what a business should prioritize in the economic system. Friedman declares what a business is responsible for and the guidelines they must follow. Due to Friedman’s view, he would not have condoned the actions and decisions that the executives at Ford Motor Company took. Friedman argues that the only responsibility a businessRead MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business1042 Words   |  5 PagesCorporate Social Responsibility is defined as a business preparation that involves participating in creativities that help society. Friedman: The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its profits. Milton Friedman argues that the only social responsibility a business has is to itself – mainly to its profits, and therefore, its stakeholders. The business management in charge of a company works for the organization and eventually for the stakeholders. This person is responsible for carryingRead MoreThe Social Responsibility of a Business647 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿The Social Responsibility of Business: The role of business in the society became a major aspect across business after Milton Freedman wrote the most provocative article in 1970. As an economist, Freedman stated that the main purpose of businesses is to generate profits for its shareholders. Furthermore, he argued that companies with responsible attitudes were likely to encounter increased binding constraints unlike those that lacked these attitudes, resulting in them becoming less competitiveRead MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business787 Words   |  4 Pages The economist and Nobel laureate Milton Friedman’s article published in The New York Times Magazine in 1970 titled, â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits.† (NYTimes, 1970) set tone for companies all across the country and all over the world. Companies start to turn in profits that shattered all charts and stock markets. Beginning in 1960s to 1990s, Capitalism had won the cold war with its arch rival the Soviet Union had withered away into the oblivion and the companiesRead MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business1437 Words   |  6 Pagesthe business be held accountable for these actions? In his essay â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profit† Milton Friedman, powerful economist, discusses what a business should prioritize in the economic system. Friedman declares what a business is responsible for and the guidelines they must follow. Due to Friedman’s view, he would not have condoned the actio ns and decisions that the executives at Ford Motor Company took. Friedman argues that the only responsibility a businessRead MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business2053 Words   |  9 Pagesevolution-taking place; now the level of a business social responsibility has become increasingly integrated into modern business practices. This focus has seen both advantages and disadvantages to the business. However, to what extent has the use of the greater focus of a business social responsibility affected its competitive advantage in its marketplace. CSR is described as; â€Å"the principle that companies can and should make a positive contribution to society, of managing the social, environmental and economicRead MoreSocial Responsibility Of A Business1444 Words   |  6 Pagesareas of business and nonprofit management. However, Cohen’s article on social responsibility drew a lot attention from other scholars like Friedman. In view of this, this paper will discuss and define the concept of social responsibility of a business to its workers, stakeholders, and society; how the perspectives align with that of Drucker; comparing Cohen’s opinion with that of Friedman and finally determines which of the two individual’s opinion best aligns with the current business climate promotingRead MoreThe Social Responsibility Of Business Essay1959 Words   |  8 Pagesagree or disagree with the following quotation: â€Å"There is one and only one social responsibility of business—to use its resources and engage i n activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say engages in free and open competition, without deception and fraud.† Milton Friedman, a Nobel Prize winning economist. In other words, the social responsibility of business is to make a profit. I do not agree with the following quote by Milton Friedman

1. Who are the country’s main competitors and how is it...

1. Who are the country’s main competitors and how is it positioned relative to these main competitors? FDI inflows, by region and economy, 2012 (Latin American and the Caribbean) Country FDI in 2012 (Millions of dollars) 1. Brazil 65 271.85165 2. British Virgin Islands 64 895.73812 3. Chile 30 323.047 4. Colombia 15 822.93615 5. Argentina 12 551.11934 6. Peru 12 239.67185 7. Cayman Islands 4234.45103 8. Dominican Republic 3609.6 9. Venezuela 3216 Dominican Republic holds the 8th position in FDI inflows in the Latin America Caribbean sector, just above Venezuela, according to 2012 data provided by The World Bank . Due to the lack of qualified labor force, high level of debts (including government debts), and the negative†¦show more content†¦This shows potential that the economy is heading towards growth. According to the Global Innovation Index 2013 , Dominican Republic’s strengths count ecological sustainability, as in the low amount of energy used per person and growth rate of GDP per worker. Also, there is a large pool of local artisans that produce creative goods, which are often exported, bringing in profit for the nation. In contrast, Dominican Republic also has weaknesses such as the lack of funding into education, contributing to the unemployment rate of 15% and the lack of qualified candidates on the job market. Furthermore, the number of students in schools exceeds the number of teachers available and universities in Dominican Republic are usually subject to low rankings compared to other universities in the Latin Americas. Proper health care is also a disadvantage in Dominican Republic and locals do not trust their own government, due to corruption. The Research and Development sector rates poorly, leading to knowledge and technology outputs also being rated poor in the Global Innovation Index. Finally, within the investment sector, the lack of venture capital deals, along with low domestic credit to the private sector are counted as current weaknesses within the Dominican Republic. 3. How does corruption manifest itself and how should it be dealt with? While the Dominican government welcomes foreign investment, many problems can arise causing problems and risks forShow MoreRelatedGe’s Two-Decade Transformation1844 Words   |  8 PagesGes Two Decades Transformation GE’S Two-Decade Transformation 1.How difficult a challenge did Welch face in 1981? How effectively did he take charge? When Jack Welch assumed as CEO of GE in April 1981, he had the challenge of revitalizing the competitiveness and productive competency of the company. In 1981 the economy was in a recession and high unemployment combined with high interest rates exacerbated GE’s problems. GE needed to be restructured and this entailed the modernization and streamliningRead MoreThe Automotive Industry Essay3764 Words   |  16 Pagesproduces equipment used for construction, residential lawn care, commercial landscaping, and other consumer and commercial heavy equipment products (John Deere, 2014). This paper will be mainly focused on John Deere’s tractors manufacturing. However, how do we define the word tractor? The word â€Å"tractor† is derived from the Latin word â€Å"trahere† – â€Å"to pull, draw† (Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d.). The first recorded use of the word meaning an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or ploughs occurredRead MoreInvestmen t Entry Mode Strategy Of South Korea2479 Words   |  10 Pagesusing transnational strategy. With this strategy we will seek to combine the best of multidomestic strategy and a global strategy to get both global efficiency and local responsiveness (Carpenter pp 278). With this in mind, Lee will be our local man who will help us to be more approachable to the local market. I have chosen to enter the city of Busan at population over three million people. According to the CNN website, Busan is often called â€Å"the summer capital of South Korea†, which is just a two-Read MoreLast Min.Com Strategy Essay6977 Words   |  28 PagesEurope and International Business Strategy LIST OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION3 PART 1: CURRENT STRATEGIC ANALYSIS AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC EVALUATION4 1.GENERAL STRATEGY ORIENTATION4 2.COMPETITIVE POSITIONING4 OBJECTIVES AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIES6 1.OBJECTIVES6 2.INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIES6 ENTRY MODES7 1.WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARIES7 2.ACQUISITIONS7 3.JOINT VENTURES7 EVALUATION OF INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIES8 Advantages of lastminute.coms global strategy9 Disadvantages of lastminuteRead MoreStrategic Analysis Red Bull4694 Words   |  19 Pagesneeds. Whether these are obtaining physical edges, mental edges or just consumption for pleasure. The ambition of Red Bull is maintaining the top-brand status in the energy drink market and clearly distinguishing themselves from their competition, who is marketing almost the same product against extremely low prices. Red Bull uses every means of marketing to reach their target groups. Their marketing is mainly based on the â€Å"3 pillars of Red Bull; Sampling, Advertising, Sponsoring†. This meansRead MoreAir Asia Economic Analysis -Mba6898 Words   |  28 Pagesaway passengers from the major airline competitors. With its expanding strategy as objectives to reach excellent standard around the world, marketing in Asia has been the key player to achieve success. Air Asia is one of the businesses that have successfully adopted cost leadership through operational effectiveness and efficiency. The cost advantages have enabled Air Asia to become the Asia’s leading low fare airline. Air Asia has successfully positioned itself in customers’ mind. Its net profitRead MoreCoca Col Organizational Resources And Competitive Strategies3619 Words   |  15 PagesUSA. This study is conducted in order to carry out the company’s overall strategic Marketing reasoning. The report will highlight the Marketing capabilities, Competitive strategies adopted and the competitive Advantage Coca Cola USA has over its competitors in the country. Value Creation Operational Excellence Achieved The company understands that in a fast changing business environment it is essential to forecast the future trends and bottlenecks thus helping them prepare for any circumstancesRead MoreL ´Occitane Market Analysis9171 Words   |  37 Pagesby Adrien Saget, Daniela Zuluaga, Eugeniya Shurinova and Mary Arro 1 Executive Summary Cosmetic industry is one of the fastest growing industries in today’s economy. Despite the financial recession and instability the market of cosmetics keeps growing. Trends are changing rapidly: what a couple of years ago was a niche market and was aimed at a narrow range of customers today becomes a must if a company wants to survive. A number of EU countries have developed a large trade surplus and a significantRead MoreInternational Trade Theory8325 Words   |  34 PagesInformation Technology and U.S. Economic Growth Learning Objectives 1. Understand why nations trade with each other. 2. Be familiar with the different theories explaining trade flows between nations. 3. Understand why many economists believe that unrestricted free trade between nations will raise the economic welfare of all countries that participate in a free trade system. 4. Be familiar with the arguments of those who maintain that government can play a proactive role in promoting nationalRead MoreKodak Case Study Essay4195 Words   |  17 PagesKODAK CASE STUDY SRN 162658 1. Summary 2. Brief Introduction a. Introduction of a Strategic Position b. Introduction of Eastman Kodak Company 3. Analysis of Strategic Position of Kodak a. Analysis of External Environment i. General Environment ii. Industry Environment iii. Competitive Environment of Kodak iv. Introduction of Directional Policy Matrix v. Apply Directional Policy Matrix to Kodak vi. Conclusion b. Internal Resource Audit i. Physical

Life Gone By Essay Example For Students

Life Gone By Essay Jaycee Dugard the child (born on May 3, 1980) who was kidnapped more than twenty years ago at the age of 11and her story shocked the whole society in the United States of America. Hence she was kidnapped right near her home, in particular in South Lake Tahoe nobody could reveal the place where she was hidden for several years. The only witness in this story was her step-father who even tried his best to bring her back through immediate actions taken but everything went in vain. All policemen were searching her for long time and no news were heard. Finally no one could find her. The years passed and nobody was thinking that it could be possible to disclose this investigation when one of the kidnappers Phillip Garrido was suspected while distributing the fliers regarding his new church near the campus in Berkeley. He was accompanied by his wife and two daughters. He was told to register his church by the campus security officers and this fact served as the point of departure in Dugards almost forgotten case. As it occurred this person had some criminal records and in addition to that his parole agent was asked to approach them. According to his statement there were no kids in Garridos family. This was suspicious which caused their arrest in 2009 and they were found guilty in committing the following crimes: rape and unlawful deprivation of liberty. As it appeared Jaycee Dugard was detained for more than 18 years without any contact with the rest of the world. She gave birth to two kids (being 14 years old she gave birth to her first child while a year later to her other child), daughters from the kidnapper Phillip Garrido. After several years of illegal detention she returned back to her home. As a result the victim was in depression, scared and felt loneliness. From the very beginning of being kidnapped she was told a number of lies that her family did not love her and she was left alone. This all caused emotional difficulties and it took time for her to describe all the feelings in various media resources. She made decision to write about her life in detention. Accordingly she published a book called A Stolen Life which attracted lots of readers as it was based on a real story, the story told by the victim itself. It is worth to mention that Jaycee Dugard could manage to continue living without fear as an ordinary citizen and feel the happiness, reunite with her family and her daughters.