...Samuel Langhorne Clemens, also know as Mark Twain, was born in 1835 and died in 1910 (Student Handbook 379). He is best known as an American humorist and for his realistic view of America in the nineteenth century through his novels and other stories. He had the whole world captivated through his expert writing and lectures. "I never let my schooling interfere with my education (home.eathlink.net/…/twain.html)," Mark Twain once said. Mark Twain was a great inspiration to America in the nineteenth century and is still an inspiration to contemporary writers today. Mark Twain was born as Samuel Langhorne Clemens in the small town of Florida, Missouri. He lived in a small, two-bedroom house, and being the fourth of five children, it was obviously very crowded in their house (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia 1). In 1839, at the age of four, he and his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri which is located directly adjacent to the Mississippi River (World Book 530). Here is where Twain grew up as a boy. This was where his inspiration of most his books came from. He witnessed things that would later make him the great author as we know him today. Without this period in his life, a huge chunk of literary history would be missing from America. By living on the banks of the Mississippi River, he experienced many wonderful things like colorful steamboats traveling down the river, some would just pass by, while many would stop and exchange cargo. These steamboats would bring...
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...Writing that uses slang or everyday phrases are known as Colloquialism. Mark Twain can convey an image of Huckleberry Fin by using a colloquialism in the "Adventures of Huckleberry Fin." In this book, Mark Twain can bring his characters to life by using a colloquialism and vernacular writing. By enabling the reader to read in the language and slang that was used in Huckleberry Fins daily life the reader can start to see the characters as real people. Mark Twain used Mississippi dialect to show the area that the characters were living in. Once of the passages from the story is: "I hadn't had a bite to eat since yesterday, so Jim he got out some corn-doggers and buttermilk, and pork and cabbage and greens-there ain't nothing in the world so good when it's cooked right-and whilst I eat my supper we talked and had a good time." (Twain, 1986) Using the spelling that is not correct but we as readers are still able to read the words and understand what he is trying to say. Mark Twain allows us to be a part of the story. While reading the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn we find ourselves re-reading the story in order to fully understand what Mark Twain is trying to convey. The slang and dialect make it easy to read but a little harder to understand. Mark Twain was able to use the slang of the area to carry the living conditions and the education level of each of his characters. Reference Twain, M. (1986). The adventures...
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...Name: Instructor: Task: Date: Mark Twain: Adventures of Huckleberry Fin The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin is a creative piece of literature espousing the dynamics of life in a diverse community. In the play, Jim is facing hurdles in exercising his role as a father in a society where evil is predominant. In an attempt to behave a civilized manner, Jim has embraced religious principles in his practices. His actions contradict the practices of a significant majority of the characters who have chosen to engage in uncivilized acts. For instance, cases of robbery, discrimination and alcoholism are prevalent in Jim’s society. Jim’s faith and belief has made him to embrace hulk despite the differences in their characters. He is one of the few characters in the play who believes in engaging in righteous acts in the society. He is the most likable character in the play. I identify with him (Jim) because I exude similar traits in my behavior. Moreover, I respond to challenges in a civilized manner just like Jim. Unlike Huck who embraces evil, Jim is obedient and he chooses to confine himself to religion. I adore the trait because it makes the play interesting to read. Just like Jim, a few individuals in the society have embraced meritocratic practices; however, a significant number of the few believes in breaking rules in order to succeed in life. I face similar challenges in trying to convince my peers to desist from engaging in violent acts. Moreover, discrimination acts in the...
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...Instructor’s Manual CASE TEACHING NOTES Marks & Spencer Nardine Collier and Gerry Johnson 1. Introduction This case study is about why one of the world’s most famous retails, Marks & Spencer, ran into trouble at the end of the 1990s and how it attempted to manage a programme of change to overcome those problems. It is therefore useful to explore issues concerned with organisational culture, strategic drift, strategic choice and the management of change. The case covers both the history of Marks & Spencer throughout the last century and, in more detail, from 1998 to 2004, the period when it moved from a position of market dominance to one in which it was deemed to be a take-over target. The case charts the attempts by its different chief executives to address the problems during this time and, therefore, the various change initiatives that were mounted. 2. Position of the case The case study relates, in particular, to the problems and means of managing strategic change in Marks & Spencer. So it is particularly related to the coverage of strategic inertia and strategic drift in chapter 1 and programmatic design and change in chapter 10. With this in mind it might be taught at the end of the strategy course. However, it could also be used as a case to require students to analyse the reasons for the problems of Marks & Spencer, not only in terms of organisational culture, but also in terms of the market and competitive position of the firm. In this sense it could be...
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...My Friend, Mark Twain By Owen Pangilinan Dr. Hemington English 001A 21 July 2015 Owen Pangilinan 7/20/15 July 20, 2015 My friend, Mark Twain What are the characteristics of a good friend? A good friend is someone that is giving, not only with physical possessions but with their intellect as well. Someone that will loan you money without expecting to be repaid, let you borrow their clothes, and give you good advice. A true friend is honest and loyal. They will protect your secrets and “tell it like it is.” They will not mislead you because they have your best interests in mind. A real friend is a person who accepts you as you are. They know you are not perfect, because no one is. Flaws, imperfections and fears, are what make friendships such a beautiful thing, and these things are one of the many reasons why they love you. They aren’t expecting you to change and are understanding when you make mistakes. They are also always there for you, through the best and worst times in your life. Your true friends will be there by your side on the most boring of afternoons, and will be the first to come to your aid in the event of a disaster or in times of crisis. Mark Twain is a man that possessed many of the characteristics of a true friend. Through his books, articles, movies and personal friends you can get an insight as to what he was like in real life. Some people might argue you that his sarcasm and tenacity are not the makings of a true friend rather than a trouble...
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...a birthmark on her cheek. It is a small birthmark shaped like a hand. The husband even though he does love his wife he can’t help, but to be bothered by the birth mark a little bit. Her husband told her that she came nearly perfect, but the birthmark is keeping her from perfection. Georgiana’s husband is a renowned scientist. Her husband wishes to remove the birthmark from his beloveds face. Her husband has had a dream of him removing the mark. In his dream he is trying to remove it from her face, but the harder her tries the further and further it digs itself into her face. The dream does frighten and freak him out a little bit, but he still is going to attempt to remove it. He takes his wife to his lab to do the procedure of removal of the mark. His wife is taking everything he has in there. She finds a potion that is quite strong to remove freckles from ones face. She kindly asks her husband is this what you are going to use on me to remove my mark, he replies no you’ll need something much stronger. So he does the procedure and he is successful in removing the mark, but since he removed the mark his wife died soon after it was removed. The irony I find in it is that his wife really honestly was perfect, her birthmark did not make her imperfect it just added more character to her beauty. Her husband removed the mark and to him she is finally perfect, but wanting his wife to be his definition of perfect he ended up losing the love of his life. Now, did I love this piece? I am...
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...Mark Twain On Nov. 30, 1835, the small town of Florida, Mo. witnessed the birth of its most famous son. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was welcomed into the world as the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Little did John and Jane know, their son Samuel would one day be known as Mark Twain - America's most famous literary icon. Approximately four years after his birth, in 1839, the Clemens family moved 35 miles east to the town of Hannibal. A growing port city that lie along the banks of the Mississippi, Hannibal was a frequent stop for steam boats arriving by both day and night from St. Louis and New Orleans. Samuel's father was a judge, and he built a two-story frame house at 206 Hill Street in 1844. As a youngster, Samuel was kept indoors because of poor health. However, by age nine, he seemed to recover from his ailments and joined the rest of the town's children outside. He then attended a private school in Hannibal. When Samuel was 12, his father died of pneumonia, and at 13, Samuel left school to become a printer's apprentice. After two short years, he joined his brother Orion's newspaper as a printer and editorial assistant. It was here that young Samuel found he enjoyed writing. At 17, he left Hannibal behind for a printer's job in St. Louis. While in St. Louis, Clemens became a river pilot's apprentice. He became a licensed river pilot in 1858. Clemens' pseudonym, Mark Twain, comes from his days as a river pilot. It is a river term which means...
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...Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, is perhaps the most distinguished author of American Literature. Next to William Shakespeare, Clemens is arguably the most prominent writer the world has ever seen. In 1818, Jane Lampton found interest in a serious young lawyer named John Clemens. With the Lampton family in heavy debt and Jane only 15 years of age, she soon arried John. The family moved to Gainesboro, Tennessee where Jane gave birth to Orion Clemens. In the summer of 1827 the Clemenses relocated to Virginia where John purchased thousands of acres of land and opened a legal advice store. The lack of success of the store led John to drink heavily. Scared by his addiction, John vowed never to drink again. Even though John now resisted alcohol, he faced other addictions. His concoction of aloe, rhubarb, and a narcotic cost him most of his savings and money soon became tight (Paine 34-35). The family soon grew with the birth of Pamela late in 1827. Their third child,Pleasant Hannibal, did not live past three months, due to illness. In 1830 Margaret was born and the family moved to Pall Mall, a rural county in Tennessee. After Henry's birth in 1832, the value of their farmland greatly depreciated and sent the Clemenses on the road again. Now they would stay with Jane's sister in Florida, Missouri where she ran a successful business with her husband. Clemens was born on November 30, 1835, in the small remote town of Florida, Missouri. Samuel's parents...
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...Marks & Spencer (A) Nardine Collier The M&S formula for success Michael Marks began his penny bazaars in the late 1880s. He soon decided he needed a partner to help run the growing firm and Tom Spencer, a cashier of Marks’ supplier, was recommended. From this partnership Marks & Spencer (M&S) steadily grew. Simon Marks took over the running of M&S from his father, turning the penny bazaars into stores, establishing a simple pricing policy and introducing the “St Michael” logo as a sign of quality. There was a feeling of camaraderie and a close-knit family atmosphere within the stores, with staff employed whom the managers believed would “fit in” and become part of that family. The staff were also treated better and paid more than in other companies. The family nature of this firm dominated top management too: until the late 1970s the board was made up of family members only. Marks was renowned for his personal, top-down autocratic management style and his attention to detail. This also manifested itself in the way he dealt with suppliers and meticulously ensured that goods were exactly to specification, a relationship designed to build reliance of the suppliers and ensure high and consistent quality. Until the late 1990s M&S was hugely successful in terms of profit and market share, running its operations according to a set of fundamental principles; namely to: Offer customers high-quality, well designed and attractive merchandise at reasonable prices under the brand name St Michael;...
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...------------------------------------------------- Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885),[2] the latter often called "the Great American Novel." Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which provided the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. After an apprenticeship with a printer, he worked as a typesetter and contributed articles to his older brother Orion's newspaper. He later became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River before heading west to join Orion in Nevada. He referred humorously to his singular lack of success at mining, turning to journalism for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise.[3] In 1865, his humorous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" was published, based on a story he heard at Angels Hotel in Angels Camp California where he had spent some time as a miner. The short story brought international attention, even being translated to classic Greek.[4] His wit and satire, in prose and in speech, earned praise from critics and peers, and he was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. Though Twain earned a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, he invested in ventures that lost a great deal of money, notably the Paige Compositor, which failed because of its complexity and...
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...“You will never know how much enjoyment you have lost until you get to dictating your biography.” (McChesney) Mark Twain is a world renowned novelist and a beloved American writer. His writings are based on what was happening in the world around him. Although Mark Twain is a famous novelist, his home life, background, achievements, and greatest accomplishments are what made him who he is today. Mark Twain was more than the man we all know. Clemens life became the pillar of his writings, from slavery, the use of humor, and his use of cosmic hyperbole make him the most remembered and loved author of his time. Twain was born as “Samuel Langhorn Clemens on November 30, 1835. His birthplace was a two-room frame house in Florida Missouri to John and Jane Clemens.” ("The Official Web Site of Mark Twain") After reaching the age of eighteen Twain took on an occupation in Philadelphia as a journeyman printer. Twain was twenty-five when he moved back to Hannibal, Missouri to be a part of a militia, or the Marion Rangers, after traffic on the river was halted due to the Civil War. The root of all of Twain’s inspiration can be traced back to his home life. Due to the fact that Twain was ill as a child, his recollections of those instances (along with other memories of his childhood) would eventually find their way into his novel that is based on a mischievous boy named Tom Sawyer and other writings. Twain and his family moved to Hannibal, Missouri where he befriended slaves that belonged...
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...Marks and Spencer: Plan A Issues There are many companies who are taking different steps as per as the Corporate social responsibility is concern. In this case various steps that the Stuart Rose proposed to company that could be adopt to recognize their customer with their environment friendly existence. These will help to realizing their customers on which basis M&S products are different from the others and what they are doing for them and environment. * Misunderstanding about the direction from the “Plan A” and which pillar from that can be more suitable and sustainable for the M&S in future. * Inconsistency within the sales of M&S during different time periods as it is described in case the business which is working on such large scales have to face various downfalls in their sales i.e. during the 1998 while the company has the recorded sales of 16.2billion but the market share and the profits of company dropped. * Prices that charged by the M&S are not justifiable to providing value to its customers. * Variation among the supply cycle and high costs then competitors. Analysis M&S has various opportunities to get there “plan A” implemented on different directions which involve all those five pillars that described case one by one. Which could be the stage of the climate change in which the company focuses on the reduction of the usages of the carbon dioxide for which the M&S has to do various efforts that are linked with the customers...
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...Marks and Spencer (M&S) is one of the many well-known British retailers; boasting over 700 stores in UK only and a work force of over 78,000 people world-wide.1 Marks and Spencer manages four (4) major sections, clothing, food, home and financial services. In clothing, marks and Spencer offer women’s wear, lingerie, menswear, children’s wear and footwear. For food, they offer fresh foods, ready meals, food for special occasions and wine. In the home section, they vend designer furniture, for example Autograph. With over 21 million people visiting the stores each week, M&S has become the number one provider of women wear and lingerie in the UK, and are rapidly growing their market share in men wear, kids wear and home.2 The clothing and home ware sales account for 49% of its business whilst 51% is in food i.e. fresh produce, groceries, partly-prepared meals and ready meals.3 In 2007; M&S unveiled the Plan A- a £200m project to become carbon neutral by 2012 as part of a contribution to limit climate change. “Through Plan A we are working with our customers and our suppliers to combat climate change, reduce waste, use sustainable new materials, trade ethically and help our customers to lead healthier lifestyles”4 Business Strengths and Weaknesses: M&S have been known for their brand and its awareness worldwide, which has resulted to be one of their strongest assets 5. M&S is the leading clothes retailer in UK and has managed to offer more choices and excellent...
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...Langhorne Clemens: Mark Twain (pen name) Mark Twain"—steamboat slang for twelve feet of water. I. Personal Background 1. When was the author born? Where was the place he grew up? Mark Twain was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri, U.S. but grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. 2. Describe the childhood and educational experiences of the author. In his youth, Twain was a mischievous boy, the prototype of his character, Tom Sawyer. Though he was plagued by poor health in his early years, by age nine he had already learned to smoke, led a small band of pranksters, and had developed an aversion to school. Twain's formal schooling ended after age 12, because his father passed away in March of that year. He became an apprentice in a printer's shop and then worked under his brother, Orion, at the Hannibal Journal, where he quickly became saturated in the newspaper trade. Rising to the role of sub-editor, Twain indulged in the frontier humor that flourished in journalism at the time: tall tales, satirical pranks, and jokes. II. Influences of the Writer The following were the persons, things, places and events that influenced Mark Twain. -his connection to the mississippi river as a boy and the fact that he became a riberboat pilot -time spent traveling the world -the nice life he led shortly after he married -tragedies in his family -financial problems -problems he saw in the south during reconstruction Hannibal inspired several of Mark Twain's fictional...
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...The latest results from Marks & Spencer and Primark paint a very different picture of the high street. While M&S’s like-for-like sales of general merchandise, which is primarily clothing, have fallen 1.5pc over the last six months, Primark has reported a 5pc increase in like-for-like sales and a 22pc uptick in total sales. Marc Bolland, the chief executive of M&S, says the 129-year-old retailer’s clothing business is on a “journey” after the leadership team and style was revamped. “The most important [factor] is to choose the right direction,” he said on Tuesday. The new-look M&S womenswear collection has won strong reviews from the fashion press. It shows the company has listened to criticism from customers by stepping up the quality and introducing sleeves to dresses, which was a particular sore point. Mr Bolland said there has been a “gradual improvement” in the performance of M&S’s clothing business. The company “sold through” 80pc of the clothing advertised in its high-profile 'Leading Ladies’ campaign within six weeks. However, if M&S is to put its clothing arm on a permanently firmer footing, it could still learn lessons from the extraordinary success of its upstart rival Primark. The discount retailer Primark only arrived in the UK in 1973, 89 years after M&S, but if present trends continue then it will have as many clothing customers as M&S within two years. The first lesson from Primark is that price really matters. This sounds obvious, but...
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