Kosinskis Being There and the Existential Anti-Hero...

Kosinskis Being There and the Existential Anti-Hero Critics have referred to Kosinskis Being There as his worst novel. Perhaps, Kosinskis prosaic style is deceptive in its apparent simplicity (especially when contrasted with The Painted Bird). What Kosinski seeks to do, as Welch D. Everman relates, is to stimulate the readers recreative and imaginative task by offering only the essentials...Kosinskis style draws the reader into the incident by refusing to allow him to remain passive (25). This essay will propose that Being There is a major existential work following in the tradition of Sartre and Camus in which Chance, the main protagonist, mirrors Camuss Mersault in A Happy Death and in which Koskinski demonstrates†¦show more content†¦Chance has been given his name because he had been born by chance, yet as Everman shows, this is true of everyone, and so his given name is hardly a name at all....In addition, he loses this rather tenuous name early in the book... and therefore is without a real name (63). Furthermore, no one in the book exists without some type of tangible record proving existence. When Mr. Franklin, the Old Mans executor, interrogates Chance, he seeks commodified proof of Chances existence; he asks for, among other items, a checkbook, drivers license, insurance card, tax forms. Chance, encountering the existential dilemma, the quest for identity, counters: you have me. I am here. What more proof do you need (18)? Of course, mere existence proves useless and Chance is excommunicated from his beloved garden. Why does a writer who displays such brilliant technical skills and prosaic style resort to utilizing such a one dimensional character? Perhaps Koskinski has simply found the next logical step in the chain of psychological evolution. Yet, rather than the natural heir to Benji Compson, Chance is, instead, the natural descendent of Patrice Mersault. After Nietzsche declared God dead, we spent the next half century in an angst ridden frenzy. Sartre, Beckett, and Camus best exemplify this condition in their writings. Camuss Mersualt (perhaps the predecessor to

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Essay about Walt Disney Financial Analyis - 4488 Words

Executive Summary The Walt Disney Company (DIS) has a long and prestigious history in the entertainment business covering a period of greater than 75 years. The DIS objective is to be the world leader in production of entertainment using their diversified portfolio to differentiate its brands including Walt Disney Parks, ESPN, PIXAR, MARVEL, and ABC. The financial goals are to maximize cash flow, maximize earnings, and capital profits that will drive longer-term shareholder value (The Walt Disney Company, 2012). The DIS conglomeration offers brand recognition although DIS faces high sunk costs including updates of their parks. Although DIS is faced with a number of industry competitors, it remains the industry leader with a†¦show more content†¦Walt Disney strengths include shareholder reviews of executive compensation; stock incentive plans, and shareholders proposals (Proxy Statement, 2012). While Standards of Business Conduct binds employees, the Board of Directors a re governed by a separate Code of Ethics for Directors (Proxy Statement, 2012). Although Walt Disney determined the roles of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer as separate roles (Proxy Statement, 2011) in 2004 Walt Disney wanted to separate themselves from the perception of a rubber stamp board (Lieberman, 2012). The reforms improved governance (Palmeri, 2012), shareholder protection, and oversight of the accountability of management. Finally, Walt Disney establishes four independent committee’s including Audit, Governance and Nominating, Compensation, and Executive (Proxy Statement, 2012) that are all 90% independent (Lieberman, 2012) within the standards of the New York Stock Exchange. The independent, outside directors including former Starbucks Corporation chief executive officer (CEO) Orin Smith, ensures Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger provides a system of checks and balances regarding shareholder and stakeholder interest. Although Walt Disney’s them e parks, film, and Television Company’s enjoy a positive public image, the Board of Directors have faced several challenges during 2012. In March 2012, Institutional Shareholder Services

Free The Odor of Chrysanthemums Chrysanthem Essay Example For Students

Free: The Odor of Chrysanthemums Chrysanthem Essay ums EssaysThe Odor of Chrysanthemums The locomotive engine may be symbolic of Walter. It is an overwhelming thing, strong and powerful, the way that Walter is a huge part of her life. However, it is also impersonable and cold, just as her relationship to her husband is. Her moments with her husband, like the winding engine are hurried with brief pauses (2113). Lawrence describes their intimacy as an exchanging of nakedness, but without any real connection for long periods of time. The color red seems to symbolize death. The beginning of the story presents the pit bank with flames like red sores like its ashy sides (2111). However, death is not presented as a dreadful thing in this story. In the end, death is freedom for Elizabeth. Even John says, I do think its beautiful to look in the fire . . . . Its so red, and full of little caves and it feels so nice (2114). In a way, he is commenting on the mystery and beauty of passing on to the afterlife. When Elizabeth goes to look for her husband, there, again, is The red smear of the burning pit bank on the night (2117). Finally, she lays her dead husband on the old red tablecloth (2121). D. H. Lawrences parents did not have a good marriage. They probably did not know each other well before their marriage, as they were ill-suited for each other. The Bates do not really know one another; they are married but strangers. Lawrences father was an abusive alcoholic. Walter Bates frequents the public house. Characters: Elizabeth Bates: stifled, long-suffering, distant but caring with her family. John Bates: curious, headstrong. Walter Bates: Insensitive, absent. Was this what it all meantutter, intact separateness, obscured by the heat of living? Elizabeth is questioning the reason for living. Particularly, she is wondering at her own existence. Her life seems to have no meaning and she does not connect with any one, especially her husband. I have been fighting a husband who did not exist . . .and her soul died in her for fear. Walter did exist, but not as a true husband to her, nor she a true wife to him. She dies a little death at this thought for there is no real relationship in her life, not even a marital one. The title is significant in that chrysanthemums grow outside of the Bates home, were at the wedding of the Bates, and at her childs birth, yet Elizabeth hates the smell of them. She says, No . . . not to me, when her son asks, Dont they smell beautiful? (2115). Finally, the chrysanthemums give off a cold, deathly smell when Walter dies (2121).