The Complexities of Human Relationships Explored in Nella Larsens Pass

A huge amount of literature was created exclusively for African Americans during Larsen’s time. For the first time, African Americans were being told that it was okay to be proud of who they were. This knowledge and self-awareness was important in many works of literature, but a number of writers began exploring the darker side of this group with literature that concentrated on the pessimistic aspects of race relations in America. Nella Larsen's novel, Passing, focuses on this idea with the story of Clare Kendry, a tragic mulatto who "passes" as a white person. Not only is Passing representative of the dilemma of the tragic mulatto, it is also a novel that explores the difficulties of human relationships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clare Kendry's life is a great example of the difficulty of the tragic mulatto. In Passing, Clare seems to have and urge to go back to the African American world she left. Clare tells her friend Irene Redfield that "she can't know how in this pale life of mine I am all the time seeing the bright pictures of that other that I once thought I was glad to be free of†¦It's like an ache, a pain that never ceases" (Larsen 145). She also realizes a great deal how she wants to see African Americans, "to be with them again, to talk with them, to hear them laugh" (Larsen 200). Even though Irene feels that there is "nothing sacrificial in Clare's idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire," (Larsen 144) it is obvious that Clare's wish to return to her African American race is sincere, even if the reasons seem unfair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Irene believes Clare to be "selfish, cold and hard" (Larsen 144). Irene also feels that Clare does not have "even the slightest artistic or sociological interest in the race that some members of other races displayed. [She] cared nothing of the race, she only belonged to it" (Larsen 182). While there may be a little truth to this report, it does not lessen Clare's own pain at having to deny her African American legacy, and her longing to return to it. Irene isn’t being fair to Clare. She is not being the true friend that Clare needs. Irene represents a piece of society who feel that people who pass must have a ethically satisfactory reason to return to their African American roots such as a want to rebel against a white humanity that has forced them into the role of a white person. In my opinion, Clare’s desire to return to her ... ...ar just how Clare falls from the window after Jon discovers her dishonesty, just before the fall Irene reveals "that she couldn’t have Clare Kendry cast aside by Bellew...she couldn’t have her free" (Larsen 239). This tells that Irene is very likely accountable for Clare's death. Although the vagueness adjoining the incident prevents determining Irene's guilt beyond a practical disbelief, she seems to be the one character who benefits the most from Clare's death. In the end, the variations between Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield are overshadowed by their similarities revealing that their relationships are just as noteworthy as the subject of passing. Nella Larsen's Passing effectively deals with the troubles of the "tragic mulatto," and the complexities of human relationships. Her literary donation is important because of her capability to boldly handle a sensitive racial issue while also exploring the consequences of this issue on human relationships. It is obvious that Larsen included both the social and psychological characteristics of passing in her novel, and I believe that is what truly made the novel great. Works Cited Larsen, Nella. Passing. New York: Penguin, 1997.

Nokia †Internal Analysis Essay

Financial performance We start our internal analysis by looking at Nokia’s sales and profitability. Strong sales and profitability results can indicate that the previous strategies were successful and changes in either can implicate a change in the market viability (Aaker, Mcloughlin, 2007). In 2007, Nokia realized total sales of about 435 million units and a net profit of â‚ ¬7,205 million. Although it has only a market share of 9.8% in the United States market, Nokia has a worldwide market share of 37,8%. This makes Nokia the market leader in the telecom industry and hereby a dominant player in the market. Nokia has 10 manufacturing facilities in 9 countries, and from these locations she distributes her products to more than 150 countries and different segments. With sales growing considerably compared to 2006, Nokia’s large customer base has only increased. Assuming new customers will create loyalty, future earnings are brought in. However, growth in the industry is declining, making it a difficult task for Nokia to keep their customers with the company. In 2007, Nokia’s total assets were â‚ ¬35,599 million (annual report Nokia, 2007), resulting in a Return On Assets (ROA) of â‚ ¬7,205/â‚ ¬35,599 = 20.24%. Nonfinancial performance Financial performance measures are primarily a reflection of the short-term business results. Because of this, nonfinancial performance measures must also be considered. Nonfinancial performance measures often provide better measures of long-term business health (Aaker, Mcloughlin, 2007). Relative costs Since 2004, Nokia is offering cheaper phones for the emerging markets. By using her economies of scale, Nokia was able to lower her costs, resulting in an average building price of only 69 euros per handset. This was giving Nokia a dominant position because it was very difficult for Nokia’s rivals to keep up with this cost reduction. However, Nokia’s produces most of its production volume in high-wage countries, leading to considerable extra costs in the manufacturing process. Brand/firm associations Over the years, Nokia has created a strong brand by listening to her customers and understanding customer needs. Nokia is often associated with high quality phones and this isn’t going unnoticed. In 2011, Superbrands, the world’s leading independent arbiter of brands, declared Nokia the leading brand in China. And in 2010, Nokia won the Economic Times award for most trusted brand in India (Nokia.com). Effective marketing campaigns helped creating a strong brand Nokia nowadays is. Customer Satisfaction With sales increasing year by year, Nokia managed to create a large customer base which is expanding every year. Nokia produces a wide range of phones with great differences in price, design and features. Because of this, Nokia can offer products that suits different customers desires and keep every customer satisfied. New product activity Nokia is developing new products year by year. In 2007, Nokia improved her research and development department and introduced some mobile-related services and software. She also went in some partnerships with companies like Vodafone and Orange and integrated its Internet services under one brand, named Ovi. However, Nokia’s is really affected by her competitors bringing innovative products to the market. Products of companies like Apple and Samsung are far ahead of Nokia in some fields, which weakens Nokia’s position in the market. In an industry with a declining growth, it is very hard for Nokia to keep up with these innovations.

Regret by Kate Chopin Essay - 650 Words

Regret by Kate Chopin In the short story Regret by Kate Chopin a woman called Mamzelle Aurà ©lie has to keep a neighbours four children for two weeks. Mamzelle Aurà ©lie is an old and lonely woman. She has never had a man and lives alone on her farm with some animals and Negroes working for her. Because of a dangerous illness of her mother, the young neighbour has to leave and couldnt take care of her children anymore. This is why Mamzelle Aurà ©lie, who has never ever has children before, has to keep them. At the beginning she has great problems with managing those children. But after she a short period of time she starts realizing that humans need more than just food and a place to sleep at. She really starts to develop a†¦show more content†¦One example for this is that the action takes places within a short period of time, which is quite precisely two weeks, and the place of action doesnt change; it only plays on the farm. You could also say that the story features an important and critical moment in Mamzelle Aurà ©lies life and that there are just a few characters. Another very important aspect is the symbol used in this short story. I suppose it is justified to say that the children are the symbol uniting all different aspects in the story. Before Mamzelle Aurà ©lie had to keep the children she was leading a very lonely life. As the children were living with her, her life got a sense and she became a happy person. But after they left her she realized that she wasted her whole life and regrets everything. Through those children all the different themes of the story like family or loneliness come together. Now this is the one hand, but on the other several typical aspects of a short story arent part of the text. Already at the beginning of the story we get to know a lot about the main character what gives you the impression of an introduction. Additionally Mamzelle Aurà ©lie isnt really an everyday person. She is very special and represents just a very small part of the readers. But all in all my opinion is that the story features many typical elements and you can definitely call it a shortShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Regret by Kate Chopin767 Words   |  4 Pagesnot? The American author Kate Chopin gave an example of those independent women in her short story Regret. In the story, a woman called Mamzelle Aurelie lived alone in her farm. She has never got married and never had children. But one day the silence in Aurelies life was broken as she carried the burden of looking after her neighbors four children for two weeks. One might ask how could she manage to take care of these children since she never had one? In the story Chopin describes the difficultiesRead MoreEssay on A Story of a Spinster in Regret by Kate Chopin, 726 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"So she was quite alone in the world, except for her dog Ponto.† Kate Chopin’s â€Å"Regret† is the story of an elderly spinster who is burdened with the task of watching her neighbors four kids. The story is said to take place in rural Louisiana some time around the nineteenth century. Through this story Chopin portrays how people find regret in the most unlikely of places. Katherine Chopin was born on February 8, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was bilingual and could speak both French and EnglishRead MoreLet the Love Pour in1594 Words   |  7 PagesIn The short story, â€Å"Regret,† by Kate Chopin portrays a woman struggling to accept her loneliness and regret of never having children. 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Kate Chopin used her literature knowledge to show woman’s freedom and other role of woman in society back in 1900th century.  "The Story of an Hour† is also related to woman’s role in society, the story talks about the wife and husband’sRead More The Importance of Human Intimacy in Chopins Regret Essay1235 Words   |  5 PagesThe Importance of Human Intimacy in Chopins Regret      Ã‚   The short story, Regret, by Kate Chopin is about a childless spinster who accepts the responsibility of caring for a neighbors four young children while their mother is away. The main idea of the story is that even though independent people like Mamzelle Aurelie become used to living alone, they still need affection and human intimacy.    Mamzelle Aurelie is depicted as a woman with masculine traits and a somewhat militaryRead MoreEssay about The Storm by Kate Chopin693 Words   |  3 PagesThe Storm by Kate Chopin In the story The Storm, Kate Chopin plots a situation in which two people surrender to their physical desires. Chopin wrote fiction stories in the late 19th century. She was condemned due to the immorality presented in her work. At her times, woman was considered to be very innocent, and always faithful to her husband. In Chopins work one sees a totally different view of a womans behavior. She is not a popular writer of her era because of her crude works; theRead More The Story of an Hour and The Hand Essay1161 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and ‘†The Hand† by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette are similar in theme and setting. Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Kate Chopin create the theme of obligatory love and the unhappiness it entails. Both stories illustrate the concealed emotions many women feel in their marriage yet fail to express them. The two stories take place in a sacred room of the house and both transpire in a brief amount of time. The differences between the two stories are seen through theRead More Theme of Isolation in The Awakening Essays787 Words   |  4 PagesTheme of Isolation in The Awakening      Ã‚  Ã‚   One theme apparent in Kate Chopins novel, The Awakening, is the consequence of solitude when independence is chosen over conformity. 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