Worldwide Impact Of Magical Realism English Literature Essay

Worldwide Impact Of Magical Realism English Literature Essay Imagine a world where flowers rain from the sky and people can transform into animals at will, a place in which time flows unpredictably and the fantastic seems unremarkable to observers. This is the chimeric, phantasmagorial realm of the magical realist genre of literature. Magical realism, as seen in the works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is a reflection of the Latin American postcolonial culture and has greatly influenced world literature for the last century, despite a complicated history and chronic nominal confusion. The history of magical realism is complex and multinational. To understand it, one must understand the history of the term itself. The phrase magic realism was coined by Franz Roh, a German art critic, in his 1925 book Post-Expressionism, Magic Realism: Problems of the Most Recent European Painting (Bowers 9) to describe the post-expressionist art of certain contemporary German painters (Bowers 9-10). This original magical realist movement featured a detailed, clear depiction (Bowers 9; Zamora 24) of, in Rohs words, the strange, the uncanny, the eerieaspects of everyday reality (Baker). In 1949, a second, similar term, marvelous realism, first appeared in Cuban author Alejo Carpentiers seminal essay On the Marvelous Real in America, describing the extraordinary idiosyncrasies that make up the everyday reality of Latin American life (Bowers 14-16; Feinstein). Finally, the more familiar term magical realism was first used by Angel Flores in his 1955 essay, Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction, in which Flores contends that the genre has its roots in the romantic realism of Spanish-language literature (Bowers 17-18). Soon after this essay was published, the 1960s saw the beginning of a decades-long flowering of Latin American literature and of magical realism. During this Latin American Boom, an emerging continent-wide desire to develop a distinctly Latin American culture catalyzed a creative explosion led by Garcia Marquez of Colombia, Carlos Fuentes of Mexico, Mario Vargas Llosa of Peru, Jose Donoso of Chile, and Julio Cortazar of Argentina that perfected the genre (Bowers 17-18; Feinstein). Neither magical realisms authors nor its origins are confined to Latin America, however. It was largely influenced by the Romantic and Surrealist movements in Europe, and important precursors include quasi-surrealist German writer Franz Kafka, sixteenth-century Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, and Italian surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico (Bowers 18). Among the first genuine magical realists was German author G ¨unter Grass, author of The Tin Drum (Bowers 19). Modern magical realists hail from such nations as the United States, India, Japan, Canada, Nigeria, and Italy, including noted authors Toni Morrison and Salman Rushdie (Bowers 18; Cowan 4). Perhaps because of this complicated history, there is a general consensus that there is no general consensus on how to precisely define magical realism (Baker). This can be attributed in part to confusion over the precise meanings of and distinctions between the terms magic realism, magical realism, and marvelous realism (Bowers 2). However, the styles features are less nebulous and readily identifiable. According to Flores, the essence of magical realist fiction is that, time exists in a kind of fluidity and the unreal happens as part of reality. Wendy B. Faris gives an irreducible element of magic as its most important criterion (Faris, The Question 102), in addition to a strong presence of the world we know (Faris, Ordinary Enchantments 7). This corresponds to the realism portion of magical realisms name.In general, the supernatur al coexists with the mundane, and neither character nor narrator express any feeling that such fantastic occurrences are out of place (Baker). This all creates what Adam Feinstein eloquently calls a rich, often disturbing world that is both familiar and dreamlike(Feinstein 15). Briefly, magical realist fiction presents magical events in a realistic manner. Magical realism can best be understood through examples from its authors. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian author of the novels, One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, and winner of the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature, has come to typify the genre, and even all of modern Latin American literature (Bowers 3). Fuentes calls magical realism the personal stamp of only one: Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Faris, The Question 108), and Michael Wood refers to him as the undisputed master of the magical realist voice that tells of fantasies in deadpan prose (Wood 10). Garcia Marquezs work is full of examples of magical realism. For instance, in his short story, Light is Like Water, the light from a common house fixture acts in such a way that children can sail boats on it (Faris, The Question 114), and household objects [] [fly] with their own wings through the kitchen sky (Faris, Ordinary Enchantments 12). But all subsequent examples will be taken from what is arguably his most famous work, One Hundred Years of Solitude, the story of the Buendia family. The erraticism and ambiguity of time can be seen in the example of Pilar Ternera, who, upon turning 145, [gives] up the pernicious custom of keeping track of her age and [] [goes] on living in the static and marginal time of memories, in a future perfectly revealed and established, beyond the futures, disturbed by the insidious snares and suppositions of her cards. (Garc ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a M ´arquez 394) Similarly, a rain shower lasts for nearly five years; insomnia can erase the past; a room exists where it is always a Monday in the month of March (Faris, Ordinary Enchantments 23); and, after he dies, Melqu ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±ades Buend ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a begins to chronicle the history of the town of Macondo, both recording and predicting the towns events (Faris, Ordinary Encantments 10). In another example of magical realism, yellow butterflies, relentlessly swarming and invasive, accompany Mauricio Babilonia to his trysts with Meme Buend ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a (Garc ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a M ´arquez 285-287); despite being magical, they are vulnerable to an insecticide bomb, demonstrating the realist component (Faris, Ordinary Enchantments 18-19). And, during the funeral of Jos ´e Arcadio Buend ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a, tiny yellow flowers rain from the sky, carpeting the streets (Garc ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a M ´arquez 144). The fantastical elements of magical realism can be explained in part by the cultural situation that existed at the time of the genres nascence. Magical realisms duality might be considered to be a residue from the colonial occupation of the Latin American continent. The European conquerors imposed their own culture on that of the conquered, resulting in the coexistence of two conflicting world views-European rationalism and ancient native spiritualism (Baker). In the words of Stephen Slemon, the two oppositional systems [] each [work] toward the creation of a different kind of fictional world from the other (Faris, The Question 102). Magical realism can also be seen as a form of resistance to colonial ideologies, a discursive system that challenge[s] the restrictions of a circumscribed colonial space (Baker). It honors native tradition by frequently giv[ing] voice [] to indigenous myths, legends, and cultural practices and simultaneously serve[s] a decolonizing role, one in which new voices have emerged, an alternative to European realism (Faris, The Question 103). The fact that magical realist authors often hail from transitional, third-world countries supports this hypothesis (Cowan 6). But now the magical realist tradition appears to be dying. Magical realism has been victimized by modernization and unification in Latin America, and the need to develop a distinct Latin American writing style no longer persists (Feinstein). Only a few writers like Isabel Allende still practice it (Cowan 6; Feinstein). Also, recent magical realist work is a testament to the change in the landscape of the continent, infused with urban elements and modern issues. (Feinstein). And, unfortunately, the magic is increasingly being used as an instrument of lazy deus ex machina instead of an element in an alternate world, resolving plot conflicts rather than creating them (Khair). Thus, the future of magical realism looks dim. Even if the magical realist movement has lost its  ´elan vital, it has been an important player in the history of twentieth-century literature, spearheaded by fountainheads of creativity like Gabriel Garc ´Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±a M ´arquez. Although the remnants of European hegemony led to it being most prominent in Latin America, over the course of its rich history, magical realism has left a permanent impact on worldwide literature.

Alibaba Organizational Structure Essay

Introduction and Historical Overview Over recent years the external environment and the marketplace have become increasingly dynamic and competitive, with progressive consolidation of the market leaders and continuing need of companies to adapt their structure towards our demanding society. This trend has led Alibaba Group Holding ltd. to conduct some organizational considerations before being listed on the New York Stock Exchange last September. Alibaba is a Chinese e-commerce company founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, who successfully created a B2B website and portal connecting Chinese manufacturers with thousands of overseas buyers. Ma eventually managed to attract foreigners to run the company since, during that time, people in China had very little management expertise. This decision, together with the significant Internet penetration in China, resulted in a vast growth of total export volume. Alibaba’s peculiar organizational design Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s partnership governance structure completely differs from the dual-stock-class governance design some public companies prefer. Dual-class stock structures enable companies to keep control even after they become public with their IPO. Companies with this approach (including Facebook, Groupon and Zynga) issue shares to founders enabling them to have multiple votes per share. Alibaba isn’t doing a dual-class structure and the company is actually implementing a rather different concept. The Alibaba governance structure is probably inspired by the Chinese political structure. It is a 27-person partnership where partners have the right to nominate a majority of directors effectively controlling Alibaba’s board, even though they only own a minority stake in the company. David Webb said â€Å"The shareholders are equivalent to the People in China, who have no say in how their country is run† (www.webb-site.com) in his website about government and corporate affairs. The Company justified this organizational design arguing that it wants to create a collegial leadership group that can make long-term decisions. Apparently this is not the only  reason the Chinese e-commerce giant had in deciding how to shape its structure, a great deal of relevance was given to corporate culture. As a matter of fact Alibaba relies on this structure as the only solution for preserving the culture shaped by company’s founders. Corporate culture as Alibaba’s extra engine A substantial part its corporate culture is entrenched in Alibaba’s vision statement, â€Å"aiming to build the future infrastructure of commerce and allowing customers to meet, work and live at Alibaba, at least for 102 years† (http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/about/overview). This sense of commitment is well rooted in each employee, starting from Jack Ma himself. He always believed that Alibaba’s corporate culture has been critical to the success of the company. Transparency and critical approach are part of this cultural mindset, strongly contributing to create a flattened hierarchy. Moreover, as a result of this horizontally integrated environment, one of the first things that new Alibaba employees are asked to do is to come up with nicknames for themselves. To reduce the sense of structure and superiority even those at the top of the pyramid are called by their nicknames. This sense of â€Å"family unity† has been shared within one of the biggest corporate events ever: the Alibaba’s mass marriage hosted on May 9, 2014. During the event 102 married couple had to recall the 102 years that Alibaba shall survive, as stated in the company vision statement. â€Å"The length of our marriage is 102 years, and we have 87 years left. After 87 years you can marry some else. But within these 87 years, you cannot change your mind† said Jack Ma during his blessing. Alibaba’s corporate perception of unity perfectly aligns with the decision of not reshaping its organizational structure, which allows Chairman Ma and top management to maintain control over Alibaba’s board members. Conclusion Undoubtedly, Jack Ma’s philosophy did not change to meet the IPO’s requirements. The company will continue to adhere to its principles, putting customers and employees before shareholders. Almost one year ago, Alibaba’s insistence on its partnership structure contributed to ruin plans for a possible stock market listing in Hong Kong. For this reason Alibaba chose to list in the New York Stock Exchange, where the so-called â€Å"Alibaba  Partnership† will eventually survive together with its corporate values. The company turned to the U.S. mainly because American regulators allow different types of shares, and other similar strategies to give some shareholders more voting power. On the other hand, Hong Kong regulators insisted all shareholders receive a voice in corporate decisions equal to the number of share they held, somehow interfering with Alibaba’s partner needs. Choosing to be listed in a foreign country is actually the best example of how corporate values and founders’ interest are worth such a big risk. Apparently, Jack Ma and his partners were right and Alibaba has become World’s largest IPO raising $25 billion, a result without historical precedents ( Related article: http://www.ibtimes.com/what-alibaba-chinas-e-commerce-giant-explained-1690996 )

Should College Be Free - 844 Words

Should college be free? Posted on May 8, 2011 by writefix Should college education be free, or should university students be required to pay tuition fees? Some countries have free education from kindergarten to university, while students in other countries have to pay at every step of the way. This essay will look at some of the reasons for this difference at university level. Free third level education has several advantages. First of all, everyone can attend, so the gap between rich and poor students decreases as poorer students have more opportunity. The economy also benefits from the increased pool of highly educated labor. An educated workforce attracts employers and foreign investment. Socially, a more educated population should†¦show more content†¦Bookmark the permalink. ↠ Are we becoming more independent? University: Theory or Practice? → 2 Responses to Should college be free? 1. ------------------------------------------------- Webmaster says: ------------------------------------------------- May 8, 2011 at 4:42 pm Here is a much longer version, with over 400 words! Education is widely regarded as a key factor in the economic and social development of a country, but there are different attitudes about whether students should pay or not. Some regard education as a basic right, which should therefore be provided free, while others think the individual student should have to shoulder some of the costs of his or her education. This essay will examine some of the arguments for and against free education at third level. There are several reasons why university education in particular should be paid for by the students who receive it. First of all, a university is a choice, not a requirement. Nobody is forced to attend third level, and those who do are hoping to enter very well paid jobs. Students entering professions such as engineering or medicine will be well able to repay loans or the cost of tuition.Show MoreRelatedShould College Be Free College?848 Words   |  4 Pages Free College Why are not more people going to college? One obvious answer would be cost, especially the cost of tuition. But the problem is not just that college is expensive. It is also that going to college is complicated. Free college is not just about cultural and social, neither economic. It means navigating advanced courses, standardized tests, and forms. It means figuring out implicit rules-rules that can change. College graduates have higher employment ratesRead MoreShould College Be Free? Essay1520 Words   |  7 PagesShould college be free? A current universal problem poses this question. In today’s world, full of public education standards that hold students maybe too high and in a generation bogged down by student debt, this issue qualifies as a problem more than many are maybe even willing to admit. While the prospect of free college proposes excellent ideals such as a stronger and smarter generation, no student loan problems, and a higher educated society, the truth may a ctually lie in the reality thatRead MoreShould College Be Free College?1614 Words   |  7 Pagescandidates because of his belief that tuition and cost of living at public colleges and universities should be free. Free college has become one of the most talked about policy proposals on the campaign trail, but questions surround the policy, such as how it would work, how much it would cost and how it would affect students (Rhatican). Most colleges bundle their prices in terms of tuition and fees. In 1995, tuition for private colleges was around 14k, for Public out of state it was around 7k and for publicRead MoreShould College Be Free College?1688 Words   |  7 Pagesto cover the costs? Free college is now brought up as a debate whether or not students should receive free college tuition while attending college. Some individuals would like this idea, but I am definite the taxpayers would not like it or support it. If the government cannot afford what they are in debt with now, I am quiet uncertain how adding free college would help the debt go down. I am sure that the government would find some way to get their money back from allowing free tuition, or twice theRead MoreCollege Should Not Be Free876 Words   |  4 Pagesmake public college tuition free. A recent movement to federally mandate college funding has struck the interest of the lower, impoverished members of society. However, if college tuition were free it would be unfair, unregulated, and cost-ineffective in the long run. What does free really mean? Does it include just tuition, or room, board and books? Also, would it be completely free? Someone has to pay something somewhere down the line. There is no way to make college completely free. It would beRead MoreShould Colleges Be Free? Essay1186 Words   |  5 PagesShould colleges be free in America? It is a question that is more relevant today than ever before. As education is one key factor that determines the nation’s fate going forward, this question is worth debating. Making free college education may sound good theoretically but requires herculean efforts to make it practically possible. The main question is whether such program be effective in the long run or not? If, yes how long will the government able to support these costs and from where? Are tuitionRead MoreShould College Be Free?893 Words   |  4 Pagesor not college should be free. Images of students rallying and protesting can be often seen in the news. They are in favor of making college free. I disagree and feel that college should not be free. People would be more likely to fail because there would be no financial consequence, the financial burden would be passed on to taxpayers who wouldn’t even benefit from it, and it would not be fair to those who work hard through earning scholarships and serving in the military. College should not beRead MoreCollege Should Be Free759 Words   |  3 Pages Should the cost of earning a college degree be free? Some students,parents, and educators say that it is morally wrong for a child to spend their entire life going to public school for free and having them to just turn around and pay for college. The students, parents, and educators all would agree that the cost of obtaining a college degree should indeed be free. Those who are against this issue believe that the students themselves or their parents who are financially able should pay for someRead MoreShould College Be Free?1907 Words   |  8 PagesShould College Be â€Å"Free† in America? As many young millennials rally behind Bernie Sanders and his outlandish claims of free public college for all, others sigh and shake their heads in disapproval. Are these college students really entitled to free higher education? Is it every American’s unalienable right to have a college education? Despite the recent push for free college in the United States, the economic burden and drop in personal responsibility it would create proves that colleges shouldRead MoreShould College Be Free?1916 Words   |  8 Pagesthroats since elementary, I am planning to attend college. My sisters and I being the first generation in our family to attend college, everything is a little scarier. Nothing scared me more than seeing the cost of the tuition. My parents dropped out of college after one year because they didn’t put the work in to get scholarships, and tuition was too much. My oldest sister is in her third year of college and is already planning to come out of college w ith $70,000 debt, because she is in a private school

Since Planned Parenthood Is A Non-Profit Organization,

Since Planned Parenthood is a Non-Profit Organization, Should Planned Parenthood Receive Federal Funding? Margaret Sanger founded Planned Parenthood on October 16, 1916. It didn’t start out like the Planned Parenthood we know today. It started out on October 16, 1916 by Margaret Sanger, her sister Ethel Byrne and a fellow activist Fania Mindell, when they opened a birth control clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn. They provided birth control information and advice to women, which was illegal back then. Then worked its way up to what is now known as Planned Parenthood. Throughout the 100 years of Planned Parenthood, birth control information became legal for married couples and then years after that birth control became legal for non-married†¦show more content†¦Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona said in 2011 on the floor of the Senate that abortion accounts for â€Å"well over 90 percent† of what Planned Parenthood does. Which is false, the actual figure is 3 percent. Planned Parenthood performs one in four abortions in the U.S. but they also use no federal funds for this serv ice. Stripping Planned Parenthood of federal funding would also put 97 percent of its public health work that has nothing to do with abortion at risk. (The Editors) How does federal funding for Planned Parenthood work? Most of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding is from Medicaid reimbursements for preventive care, and some is from Title X. There is no â€Å"keep-Planned-Parenthood-running† part of the federal budget. At least 60% of Planned Parenthood patients rely on public health programs like Medicaid and Title X for their preventive and primary care. So, when you hear extreme politicians talking about â€Å"defunding† Planned Parenthood, they really mean blocking patients who rely on public health care programs from getting their care at Planned Parenthood centers. (Berg) Blocking health care service to people who cannot afford it, will only make tax payers pay more because then those people go to hospitals and hospitals cannot refuse service especially if it is life threatening so either those people find a way to pay for it or it will come out of people’s pockets anyway. Legislation that â€Å"defunds† PlannedShow MoreRelatedShould The Federal Government C ontinue Funding Planned Parenthood?1501 Words   |  7 Pagescontinue funding Planned Parenthood? Planned Parenthood is an organization that has been around since at least 1921. Recently, it has been in the limelight due to the on-going Presidential debates leading up to the 2016 election. It appears that the Republicans want to take away all federal funding to shut down the clinics where as the democrats believe that the republicans are misguided in their claims. The â€Å"Planned Parenthood Federation of America† is a non profit organization, funded by theRead MoreThe Article â€Å"Editorial Defunding Planned Parenthood Hurts1642 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle â€Å"Editorial Defunding Planned Parenthood hurts the healthcare system,† states that Republicans, who dominate control in Congress, prioritize to defund Planned Parenthood. This proposal has been proposed previously, but it has not been able to surpass Obama’s veto. Since this is no longer the case, Republicans are now taking action to remove all federal funding such as Medicaid reimbursements. The proposed removal of funds is due to the fact that Planned Parenthood is associated with abortionsRead MoreParenthood : A Non Profit Organization That Does A World Of Good?966 Words   |  4 Pagesit’s right to defund a non-profit organization that does a world of good? I most certainly don’t. Planned Parenthood protects, supports, and educates our socie ty greatly from the services they provide. This essay will provide evidence and reasoning that prove that Planned Parenthood is a beneficial necessity for society, proving that it would be a horrific mistake if Congress chose to defund Planned Parenthood. First things first, it is important to know that Planned Parenthood mainly provides contraceptionRead MoreParenthood, A Non Profit Healthcare Group1574 Words   |  7 PagesThe History of Planned Parenthood and the Constitutional Right to Abortions Planned Parenthood, a non-profit healthcare group has been under fire with the public hoping to defund the clinics. Planned Parenthood is a health care provider that was funded 100 years ago. In 1916 a Birth control organization was created by Margaret Sanger . When it was first created, it didn’t consider the health or rights of women as a motive. Instead it was founded in order to stop child labor and infant mortality (PrimroseRead MoreStop Turning Personal Affairs Into Political Ones854 Words   |  4 Pagesdidn’t pass. The overwhelmingly male legislature wants to cut off federal funds for something that doesn’t directly affect 89 percent of them - women’s health services. Each year the national budget allocates more than $500 million dollars to Planned Parenthood so its hundreds of facilities can provide free and low cost reproductive services to American women. Yes, that includes abortions, but those procedures are only three percent of what they do. Last year, the Rocky Mountain branch of facilitiesRead MoreBirth Control and the Government Essay1092 Words   |  5 Pagesbecomes clear. Based off the Constitution, it is clear that Congress does not have the power to create laws that will prohibit the free exercise of religious freedoms. Religious freedoms are not limited to churches, mosques or other religious organizations, nor are they limited to acts of worship (Rivkin and Wheland). Rather they reach further to include the very way that a person chooses to live or not to live based on their religious convictions. Therefore it seems fitting that corporations, whoRead MoreThe Pro Choice Movement And Abortion986 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to bbc news â€Å"Planned Parenthood is a healthcare non-profit-making group with 59 affiliates and 700 clinics around the US, some of which provide abortion services† (Lussenhop, 2015). To expand on this quote, nonprofit is exactly what it sounds like. It is an organization that did not establish for the purpose of money making. This group was organized to provide advice and even offer abortion services to women all around the United States. In recent news abortion has stirred up many controversialRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1954 Words   |  8 PagesStates since Roe vs Wade in 1973 however, the law is constantly being targeted by conservative politicians and states. Their strategy has changed throughout the years. Instead of aiming to illegalize abortion, they are focusing on strictly regulating eligibility. For a nation that prides itself on freedom, there are still those who strive to limit and regulate women’s choices. Gender equality will not be achieved if w omen cannot have full control of their own bodies. Organizations such as Planned ParenthoodRead MoreThe Universal Declaration Of Human Rights1774 Words   |  8 Pagesprotect the health of women, some serve to impede access to health services and cause harm to women through a lack of access to care. The issue of women s autonomy and ability to make their own reproductive decisions has been a polarizing subject since the dawn of the women s rights movement. One of the landmark cases for reproductive rights is Roe v. Wade, in which an unmarried pregnant woman brought a class action suit against the state of Texas abortion laws which made it a criminal offenseRead MoreAbortion, Pro Choice, And Pro Life1503 Words   |  7 Pagesdisabilities, our elders, and the youth, for people who may not have the same advantages as others. The GOP have attempted to rescind and reverse the Affordable Care act, that had been beneficial for America, helping 6.4 million people gain health coverage sin ce the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) has been passed by the end of 2014 (U.S. Department of Health Human Services). â€Å"Repealing ObamaCare would increase the federal deficit by at least $137 billion over ten years† and send millions of people back