Dissatisfaction with Society Revealed in Yeats’ Stolen Child

Dissatisfaction with Society Revealed in Yeats’ Stolen Child The Stolen Child,a poem by W.B. Yeats, relates the story of a child who is lured away by fairies to a fantasy world illustrated through rich descriptions of nature and the freedom it offers. The plot of the poem becomes a metaphor for the return to innocence that the author feels is necessary in a society that is attempting to lead children away from the mysticism and innocence that characterize childhood, toward a more mundane reality as an adult. With his vivid descriptions and use of extended metaphor, Yeats is able to create a world unaffected by time, in stark contrast to the world in which we live, to illustrate his dissatisfaction with reality. In the†¦show more content†¦The island could also be symbolic of the womb, a watery environment that protected the developing child from the world. This imagery would support Yeats message that we must rekindle the innocence and abandon of our youth, which has been controlled and limited by the confines of modern society. The use of rushing water as a symbol of freedom continues in the third stanza where Yeats describes how the wandering water gushes... in pools among the rushes (28). In the final stanza, Yeats draws his most striking contrast of all to illustrate his message. He does this by following the descriptions of nature in its wildest form, of the previous stanzas, with those of the domestic atmosphere from which the child is being taken, in this stanza. Initially, Yeats established the setting of the poem in the first stanza by describing a place Where flapping herons wake / The drowsy water rats (5). This is contrasted in this stanza with images of calves on the warm hillside / Or the kettle on the hob / Or... the brown mice (45). Calves, kettles, and mice are all images that are associated with a domestic farm or a country home. Thus, this imagery is being used to portray how modern society has enslaved nature, controlling its freedom. Water rats and herons, on the other hand, are both wild and free animals that are found near water, the symbol

Be Warned and Study JusticeThe Shifting Definition of...

Be Warned and Study Justice:The Shifting Definition of Justice in Virgil’s Aeneid A twenty-first century reading of the Iliad and the Odyssey will highlight a seeming lack of justice: hundreds of men die because of an adulteress, the most honorable characters are killed, the cowards survive, and everyone eventually goes to hell. Due to the difference in the time period, culture, prominent religions and values, the modern idea of justice is much different than that of Greece around 750 B.C. The idea of justice in Virgil’s the Aeneid is easier for us to recognize. As in our own culture, â€Å"justice† in the epic is based on a system of punishment for wrongs and rewards for honorable acts. Time and time again, Virgil provides his readers†¦show more content†¦Instances that may confuse today’s audience are directly linked to the interference of the Roman gods’ will in our contemporary idea of justice. Woven throughout the Aeneid are many examples of the punishment/reward system of justice. The story of King Mezentius is a lesson in the types of characteristics and actions that can be justly punished. The King ruled his land â€Å"barbarously by force,† was a man of arrogance, and a tyrant (Virgil 246, lines 647-8, 650). He had no qualms about unnecessarily torturing his subjects in disgusting and cruel ways. Though Mezentius eventually allows himself to be killed in battle, the death of his innocent son, Lausus, is the king’s true punishment for his actions. Mezentius himself acknowledges this: My son, I stained your name with wickedness –Driven out as I was, under a cloud,From throne and scepter of my ancestors. Long since I owned my land, my hating folk,Punishment for my sins. I should have given My guilty life up, suffering every death,†(325, lines 1191-6) While the death of blameless Lausus is unfortunate, Virgil shows the type of retribution exacted for terrible treatment of others. Regardless of power or throne, Virgil shows that a king is not at liberty to do whatever he wants. The prince’s death is Mezentius’ just reward for his evils,

Analysis OF The Difference Between Fixed Cost And Variable Cost

Question : Analyse the difference between fixed and variable costs. What is the relationship of these costs with volume and profit? Discuss the use of break-even analysis as a technique for evaluating business decisions, and describe and evaluate its benefits and weaknesses. Answer : Fixed cost refers to the expenditure which is constant for different levels of production and sales. However, fixed costs will change over time with the changes n external factors. Fixed cost is independent of output or sales of the business organization. For example salary of the employees, rent for the space, insurance premium, depreciation etc (Neish and Banks, 2010). The following graph demonstrates fixed cost: Variable cost refers to the cost which fluctuates with the change in production level, sales etc. The variable cost is dependent on other factors and it has been observed that this cost varies in a specific proportion. Variable cost is responsible for changing the total cost of a product. Example of variable cost includes cost of material, wages paid to the labors, incentives to the sales representatives etc (Jagels, Coltman and Coltman, 2004). In the following diagram, variable cost is represented: Relationship of the Cost with Volume and Profit Relationship with cost, volume and profit can be established with the aid of a technique, Cost Volume Profit (CVP) analysis. The management accounting tool emphasizes on analyzing the impact of sales volume and cost of goods sold on the operating profit of the business firm. First of all, the assumptions of CVP analysis must be considered. CVP analysis assumes that all cost can be segmented as fixed or variable cost. This analysis holds for the situation when the fixed cost, variable cost per unit and selling price per unit are constant (Hart, Wilson and Fergus, 2008). The third assumption of CVP analysis is: all the produced units are sold. The profit equation is given below: P*X=Vc*X +Fc +Profit In the above equation, P = Selling price of the product X = Output/ Sales Vc = Variable Cost Fc = Fixed Cost Putting the values in the equation, the profit can be calculated for different levels of output. Contribution margin can be calculated for analyzing the relationship between cost, volume and profit. In this method, contribution margin will imply the profit of the company before considering the fixed cost (Neish and Banks, 2010). Contribution margin can be calculated with the aid of the following formula: Contribution Margin = Total Sales -Total Variable Cost On the other hand unit contribution margin can be calculated by considering the following formula: Unit Contribution Margin = Selling price per unit - Variable cost per unit Thus the contribution margin can be calculated for understanding the proportion of variable cost and selling price. Additionally, contribution margin ratio can be estimated with the aid of the following formula: Contribution Margin Ratio =Total Sales/Unit Contribution Margin High Contribution margin ratio implies that the unit contribution is low or the variable cost is high. On the other hand, low contribution margin ratio indicates that the unit contribution margin is high or the variable cost is low (Jagels, Coltman and Coltman, 2004). Break-even Analysis Break even analysis is a useful tool that helps the management accountants and production management in managing the activities effectively. Break even analysis focuses on identification of the point at which the company does not make profit or loss. The breakeven point is completely dependent on the level of production, selling price of the product, variable cost and the fixed cost (Hart, Wilson and Fergus, 2008). Breakeven point can be calculated in terms of sales volume in units or in monetary value. At the breakeven point, Profit = 0 In the equation of CVP, the value of profit can be substituted by zero and formula for calculating break even can be calculated. The following formula can be used for estimating break even sales (Hansen and Mowen, 2000): Breakeven Sales (in units) = Fixed cost/Selling price per unit - variable cost per unit Breakeven Sales (in amount) =Selling price per unit X Break even sales in units Advantages 1. Breakeven point is very useful in identifying the point at which the business firm will not incur profit or loss. 2. Break even analysis helps in estimation of profit at different level of output. 3. Break even analysis helps in predicting the impact of price change. 4. Breakeven point also helps in anticipating the impact of change in efficiency and cost on profitability (Epstein and Lee, 2011). 5. Break even analysis is a helpful tool in analyzing the correlation between the profit with different cost. Weaknesses 1. Breakeven analysis only considers the perspective of suppliers and it does not give any idea regarding sales volume. 2. In break even analysis, fixed cost is considered to be constant. However, it must be noted that in long run, fixed cost changes. 3. Additionally, it is assumed that the output of the mount produced by the business firm is completely sold by the business firm. However, in reality this situation might not take place. Hence, calculation of the breakeven point will be erroneous. 4. Break even analysis can be only applied to single product of product mix where the proportion of products are same (Coombs, Hobbs and Jenkins, 2005). References Coombs, H., Hobbs, D. and Jenkins, D. (2005).Management accounting. London: SAGE Publications. Epstein, M. and Lee, J. (2011).Advances in management accounting. Bingley, UK: Emerald. Hansen, D. and Mowen, M. (2000).Management accounting. Cincinnati: South-Western College Pub. Hart, J., Wilson, C. and Fergus, C. (2008).Management accounting. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia. Jagels, M., Coltman, M. and Coltman, M. (2004).Hospitality management accounting. Hoboken, N.J.: J. Wiley. Neish, W. and Banks, A. (2010).Management accounting. North Ryde, N.S.W.: McGraw-Hill.