Bank of America Essay

The apparent problem in the Bank of America case study is that Jen McDonald (head of the Bank of America digital marketing group), and Douglas Brown (senior vice president of mobile product development) received requests to create mobile apps more specific for individual businesses as a way to gain leverage (Supta & Herman, 2012). Brown, specifically, was hesitant to add additional mobile app features as he feared it would make the application far too complex. Not only would it prove to be difficult for some users to understand, more features often make applications run more slowly, which could complicate the idea of mobile banking. In addition this could possibly give the customer a more negative experience. To cite the problem specifically, Brown stated â€Å"App complexity has led to some high-profile failures in the market place. This carries a huge risk† (Supta & Herman, 2012). Furthermore, Bank of America was provided $20 billion in capital from the United States government during the financial crisis under leadership of CEO Kenneth Lewis (Supta & Herman, 2012). Lewis had concerns that certain investors and customers would start to correlate Bank of America with Citigroup, who had previously given up 36% of its ownership to the federal government (Supta & Herman, 2012). This resulted in Brian Moynihan (head of consumer and small business banking) taking over as CEO on January 1, 2010 (Supta & Herman, 2012). Constraints and available options One of Bank of America’s options was to create different apps to target different groups and market segments, which proved to be somewhat of a risk. Not only was the organization concerned for the customers reaction, Bank of America was also hesitant because mobile apps are costly and in doing so, technology resources would be taken from other essential areas of banking such as online banking and atm machines. At this time customers were not completely trusting in working with their banks, as financial struggles were becoming more and more apparent. In order to give theBank of America the trusted name and customer loyalty it had previously held for so long, executives decided Mobile banking was the right path to take in order to save the company. Analysis and Evaluation The bank of America officially launched their mobile banking application in May of 2007. This included the ability to bank on the customers phones either by application or by accessing the mobile web through their phones browser. Douglas Brown confirmed that the success of the mobile application was astounding as the company gained four million mobile banking customers over the time span of less than three years (Supta & Herman, 2012). Because of the high level of success, business managers were eager to update the applications, in an effort to raise the level of functionality even higher. This proved to be a decision that had to be carefully considered by the Bank of America corporate team. Strengths: The Bank of America already holds the title of being one of the most prestigious banks and a leading company in the U. S. Because of their household name, marketing new products prove to be fairly easy; however identifying a product that customers will adopt and figuring out the target market are essential to Bank of America’s success. An additional strength of the mobile banking application was the timing in correlation to the launch of the application and the launch of the iPhone, making Bank of America the first bank to be able to offer a banking application on the iPhone. The most used features of mobile banking came from viewing account balances and viewing transaction details, making debit card holders the most popular users. After the mobile banking launch more customers opened checking accounts in the months of the introduction of mobile banking and did in fact use the application during that time. Weaknesses:  A weakness shown by Bank of America proved to be within technology adoption and which smart phones the mobile applications could be used by. The Bank of America was slow to adopt SMS technology and access to mobile banking was limited. It was only available to those who used online banking with Bank of America, therefore leaving a huge portion of customers out and feeling negatively about the new product. Another weakness in the new mobile application was that it had to be created with more features than competing mobile applications, which added the risk of making the mobile app more complex. Complexity is a weakness when striving to offer a simple and functional upgraded product to customers. Furthermore, the bank was recovering from the financial crisis, which caused a great loss for a company as big as themselves, as customers had to put a curb to their spending. They also feared they damaged their name in asking for $20 billion in federal backing which proved to be a huge mistake. Bank of America did not want to be associated with other banks that had borrowed capital, but in turn were forced to give up a percentage of their company. Opportunities: In analyzing the Kotler & Keller text, marketing opportunity is described as a buyer taking interest in something that has the probability to make a profit (Kotler & Keller, 2009). The introduction of mobile banking was a huge opportunity that the Bank of America capitalized on. When mobile banking was introduced costs per transaction started at 10 cents and were expected to drop to 3 to 4 cents. ATM costs were already 1. 34 per transaction which provided an advantage to debit card holders with low account balances. They also benefited in that they could easily check their account balance through their phones before making a purchase. The Bank of America capitalized on the opportunity to offer this feature to customers for absolutely no cost. This was a huge plus in gaining additional customers and fans of mobile banking, as other banks had already begun to waive ATM fees during the times of the market dropping. Mobile banking was a way for Bank of America to bounce back after financial crisis and offer users an experience they had never before been exposed to. The novelty of the design and idea would bring trust and value back to the company. Threats: A potential threat of mobile banking was that expanding on apps and adding new features can turn potential customers off because it tends to make banking more complicated throughout the introduction process. Surveys and research also showed that 44% of customers did not see a need or any type of value within mobile banking. When introducing a new product, buyer behavior tends to be very guarded as customers are reluctant to trust a pone application to keep their banking statements and accounts secure at all times. Major competitors are also a threat that the Bank of America faced. Major Banks such as Wellsfargo, Citigroup and PNC, to name a few, also offer mobile banking with virtually the same functions and applications. Mobile banking was also seen as a threat because of the high initial costs, however, from a marketing perspective, if the Bank of America were to pay extra costs to set their mobile applications apart from competing banks, the additional features would be worth the price in customer popularity and satisfaction. Recommendations Because mobile banking has been introduced by so many other banks, the best recommendation would be to create a form of mobile banking that is more secure and user friendly than competing applications. These are the two issues that customers seemed to have the most doubts about, so putting extra emphasis on these areas will surely set the Bank of America apart from others. Another recommendation is to target one particular audience and market to them specifically, therefore making age and stage in the life cycle of great importance. It is likely that the younger generation will be much more open to yet another phone application, as it is the norm for them, and will provide huge ease to another aspect of their lives. This may result in the younger generation taking more initiative when it comes to banking and gaining more responsibility in this aspect of their lives. Phone applications makes it easy to transfer money and to check balances, providing an awareness of your funds 24/7, opposed to only during banking hours. Kotler & Keller advices marketers to take the following three steps when marketing a product: 1. Compare it with a product that consumers already know about, making it more comfortable for them to base the purchase off of a past decision (Kotler & Keller, 2012). 2. â€Å"†¦The lure of â€Å"free† is almost irresistible† (Kotler & Keller, 2012). 3. Consumers often experience the â€Å"optimism bias† or â€Å"positivity illusion. † They tend to overestimate their chances of experiencing a positive outcome and underestimate their chances of experiencing a negative outcome (Kotler & Keller, 2012). These steps are recommended to the Bank of America’s target audience in order to raise popularity and awareness of the mobile banking application. In other words, it is essential to understand the meaning of consumer behavior. Kotler & Keller define consumer behavior as how individuals come up with ideas and experiences that work to satisfy the customer’s wants and needs. The customer’s desires will be met in that the mobile banking app will be free to current customers, which will already account for a huge part of the appeal. Compared with online banking, which customers are likely to be more familiar with, the target audience will see the mobile app as an easier, faster version of a feature they already value. Furthermore, because of the optimism bias and positivity illusion, customers using this product are more likely to feel it will improve their financial security and well-being. Lessons Learned In the review of the entire Bank of America case study, it is apparent that control was an issue that was brought up as the main concern of the customer in accepting the new application. Customers were weary at first, as they had concerns for the security of their finances and feared they were giving up control of their bank accounts to a mobile application. In retrospect, the customer actually gained more control over their finances as they were able to access them from nearly anywhere in the world. This goes to show how identifying with the customers emotions and providing them with a product that gains their trust and eases their concerns, will make the innovation and the company that much more successful.

The Decision To Drop The Atomic Bomb Essay - 897 Words

President Trumans decision to drop the atomic bomb on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the direct cause for the end of World War II in the Pacific. The United States felt it was necessary to drop the atomic bombs on these two cities or it would suffer more casualties. Not only could the lives of many soldiers have been taken, but possibly the lives of many innocent Americans. The United States will always try to avoid the loss of American civilians at all costs, even if that means taking lives of another countries innocent civilians. A huge proponent to the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and August 9 of 1945 was President Harry Truman. Although they value the ideas and contributions out in by†¦show more content†¦However, when you look at it in perspective, it was a wise decision in diplomatic and political terms, but not so much in ethical terms. The main argument anyone can make in opposition to the use of the atomic bombs is: why did the United States have to kill so many innocent people. In a diplomatic sense, the U.S, needed to drop those bombs to end the war according to the president at that time, Harry Truman. This was necessary to stop any plans the Japanese had about bringing the war to United States soil. In a political manner, the use of the atomic bomb put an end to the Japanese military dictatorship and put in place a constitutional monarchy, similar to the United Kingdoms. Even though they still have an emperor, the power rests in the hands of politicians. This helped stop the spread of communism here. However, it is difficult to make a case for the ethics in the use of the atomic bombing of Japan. Although it may have been needed to end the war, war, in any manner, is never ethical and all those innocent people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki should not have died. 3) Although the use of the atomic bomb on the country of Japan was an awful way to bring about the end of World War II in the Pacific, it was not a terrorist attack. Nowadays, a terrorist attack is looked at like an act of hate committed for a reason personal to the terrorist. The United States had reason to drop the bombs on Japan, and after all, they were attacked first. There areShow MoreRelatedThe Decision Of Drop The Atomic Bomb2270 Words   |  10 PagesThe decision to drop the atomic bomb, made by President Truman, was largely influenced by political factors rather than military factors. Traditionalist historians argue from the military perspective that the bomb was used to end the war as quickly as possible and with as minimal causalities as possible. Revisionist historians, on the other hand, argue the political perspective where they believe that the bomb was dropped as a diplomatic tool to intimidate the rising superpower that was the SovietRead MoreThe Decision Of Dro p An Atomic Bomb1901 Words   |  8 PagesThe decision to drop an atomic bomb is one of the hardest a commander-in-chief could make during their life. Let alone a president that was just inaugurated two months prior in the middle of World War II. This was the case for former President Harry S. Truman and it changed the world forever. In his eyes at the time and from the information given to him by his advisors this was the best option to end the fastest with the least amount of casualties for both the Americans and the Japanese. ThroughoutRead MoreEssay on The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb1543 Words   |  7 PagesThe Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed the United States naval facility known as Pearl Harbor. This attack brought the United States into World War Two. Within the four years that followed, the United States--under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt-- researched and developed an atomic bomb. This was known as the Manhattan Project. Such a bomb was more powerful and destructive than any ever known to man. After FDR died on April 12,Read MoreEssay on The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb2010 Words   |  9 Pagesconventional warfare into the nuclear age. These ideals were the brainstorming of some of the greatest minds in America and abroad. These scientists began to formulate the creation of the atomic bomb, a device that would change the world in ways that had never been imagined before. The world changed the day that the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. This evoked a cataclysmic spiral in the morals and methods of how warfare would be carried out. Those in powerful positions felt that they were omnipotentRead MoreUnderstanding the Decisions to Drop The Atomic Bomb Essay873 Words   |  4 Pagesbegan to research atomic energy and the possibility of creating an atomic bomb (Walker 10). When the bombs were created, the arguments for and against the use of it were gruesome, lengthy, and all understandable in some way. During the decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan, President Harry S. Truman and his fellow politicians had to consider the ethical arguments provided by the scientific community and the pragmatic arguments provided by the military; in order to make a decision that would be theRead More Americas Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Essay2960 Words   |  12 Pagesscrutinized issue of the twentieth century was President Harry Truman’s decision to un leash atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945. While the sequence of events preceding that fateful summer morning of August 6,1945 are fully understood, the motives behind Truman’s actions are shrouded in controversy. Top military officials publicly denounced the use of such a horrendous weapon, while the obvious advantages to the bomb, traditionalists argue, was a shortened Pacific War. ParallacticRead MoreHarry Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb1314 Words   |  6 PagesTruman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? A. Plan of Investigation Research Question: To what extent was Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified? This investigation assesses President Harry Truman’s decision to drop atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It will determine whether or not his decision was justified. This investigation will scrutinize the reasons that made Harry Truman feel inclined to drop atomicRead MoreTrumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Essay488 Words   |  2 PagesTrumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Many debates have been provoked based on President Trumans decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The debate is not solely based on the bomb being dropped, but more on the actual necessity and intention of the bomb being dropped. I believe that the Presidents decision was based dually on military necessity and on the Nations reputation. Truman was notRead MorePresident Truman’s Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb Essay1555 Words   |  7 Pagesafter something has happened, what should have been done or what caused the event†. It is a fair assumption that most people understand the old adage â€Å"hindsight is always 20/20†; alluding to the fact that, in our everyday lives, we as humans make decisions based on what we know, what seems right and occasionally what makes our lives easier. The average person does not have the mental capability to consider every possible outcome that a choice will have on his entire life, all within the thought processRead MoreEssay about Trumans Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb504 Words   |  3 Pagesthe toughest decision in your life, whether sacrificing a million of our men and thousands of war ships and plans, verses several thousand of Japanese civilian populists. This decision was on the shoulder of Harry S. Truman, the United States President, who had to make this decision by deciding whether or not to drop a newly designed weapon. The atomic bomb was tested in the sands of New Mexico, where it proved to be very successful. Harry S. Truman made a very successful decision, because he wanted

Michelle Alexander s The New Jim Crow Essay - 1123 Words

Michelle Alexander expresses in The New Jim Crow that blacks are being profiled and thus are being incarcerated or harassed more frequently than any other racial group in the United States. Although this statement is partially true, Alexander misses the fact that in recent years, other racial groups have been affected by the same unjust profiling done by authorities. Recently, overall police brutality and racial profiling has seen an increase in the United States population. Furthermore, unprovoked or inappropriate use of force by authorities has sparked conversation in America racial profiling and incarceration rates in the country. Due to this, claiming that Jim Crow laws or ideals continue to be present towards only one race is not appropriate according current circumstances. Despite vast evidence, Michelle Alexander’s contends racial profiling is specifically targeting young African Americans while data supports a massive increase in police brutality and jail populations in other racial groups as well. It is important to look at current incarceration rates throughout the entire country compared to overall ethnic makeup in order to effectively analyze the new Jim Crow in the United States. The United States is one of the largest countries in the world so high incarceration rates are expected. However, this rate has drastically increased in the past forty years, surpassing those of countries such as China, which has a population four times larger than the United StatesShow MoreRelatedMichelle Alexander s The New Jim Crow1495 Words   |  6 Pages Baker, Anderson, and Dorn (1992) talk â€Å"A Critical Thinking Approach† giving the readers six guidelines to follow when critically assessing any literary work, all of which can apply to Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow. The first guideline is about how accessible is her work. Throughout the book, Alexander made her work as clear and concise as she possibly could by explaining certain points over again in a different chapter to make sure that the audience understands what she is trying to sayRead MoreAnalysis Of Michelle Alexander s The New Jim Crow 1058 Words   |  5 PagesMichelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow presents the reader with damning evidence of structural racism that still exists in United States Institutions. Michelle Alexander is an associate professor at Stanford Law School, directed the Civil Rights Clinic, and served as the director of the Racial Justice Project for the ACLU of Northern California. This book was begging to be read. The New Jim Crow? There is a new Jim Crow? The book argues that mass incarceration is â€Å"a stunningly comprehensive and well-disguisedRead MoreThe Civil Rights Act Of Michelle Alexander s The New Jim Crow902 Words   |  4 PagesPolice brutality, or the general brutality towards black people, is not a new issue in America. Over 700 unarmed African-Americans were murdered in 2015 alone. Michelle Alexander argues in â€Å"The New Jim Crow† that the criminal-justice system in America has purposely been used as a means for oppressing black people after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. In 1903, Hon. Frank Moss, a former police commissioner of New York City, published this paragraph: For three years, there has been throughRead MoreRacism in Michelle Alexander ´s The New Jim Crow Essay868 Words   |  4 Pages The New Jim Crow In this book The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander gives a look at history racism of African-Americans in relations to slavery and brings us to into modern day racism. Not racism as a form of calling people names or by the means of segregation which would be considered overt racism condemned by society but by colorblindness and by a racial caste system. Alexander argues African-Americans are being discriminated against in the form of mass incarceration. â€Å"Mass incarceration refersRead MorePaulo Chavez s The Mis Education Of The Negro And Michelle Alexander s The New Jim Crow1955 Words   |  8 PagesPaulo Friere’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Carter G. Woodson’s The Mis-Education of the Negro, and Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow all have arguments that coincide with one another and are very similar. They focus on oppression and how the oppressed must contribute to the change that must happen in order for them to evolve from being oppressed, the contrib ution of African Americans in changing the way that society views their cultural roles in the past, as well as the rebirth of the caste-likeRead MoreThe New Jim Crow Law1014 Words   |  5 Pagesincarceration follows those who are released from prison through exclusion and legalized discrimination, hidden within America. The New Jim Crow is a modernized version of the original Jim Crow Laws. It is a modern racial caste system designed to keep American black men and minorities oppressed with laws and regulations by incarceration. The system of mass incarceration is the â€Å"new Jim Crow† due to the way the U.S. criminal justice system uses the â€Å"War on Drugs† as the main means of allowing discrimination andRead MoreThe New Jim Crow : Mass Incarceration1361 Words   |  6 PagesBook Review Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness The premise of the ‘The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness’ by Michelle Alexander, is to refute claims that racism is dead and argue that the War on Drugs and the federal drug policy unfairly targets communities of color, keeping a large majority of black men of varying ages in a cycle of poverty and behind bars. The author proves that racism thrives by highlighting theRead MoreNew Jim Crow Who Shined A Light On Mass Incarceration863 Words   |  4 PagesMichelle Alexander is a civil rights litigator and legal scholar whose 2010 book New Jim Crow who shined a light on mass incarceration. Alexander s New Jim Crow is a very informative book on what Alexander s calls America’s latest racial system. The newest racial system to Alexander is mass incarceration. I do not believe there is a New Jim Crow system operating in the U.S. The reason I feel this way is because of majority of the people who are in jail are not African American, they are whiteRead More The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness is a book by Michelle Alexander, a civil rights litigator and legal scholar. The book discusses race-related issues specific to African-American males and mass incarceration in the United States. Michelle Alexander (2010) argues that despite the old Jim Crow is death, does not necessarily means the end of racial caste (p.21). In her book â€Å"The New Jim Crow†, Alexander describes a set of practices and social discourses that serve toRead MoreSummary Of The New Jim Crow1742 Words   |  7 PagesWorks Cited Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. New York: New Press, 2010. 261 Pages â€Å"The New Jim Crow† Summary â€Å"The New Jim Crow† was written by Michelle Alexander based off of her experience working for the ACLU of Oakland in which she saw racial bias in the justice system that constituted people of color second-class citizens (Alexander 3); which is why the comparison had been made to the Jim Crow laws that existed in the nineteenth century

Essay on “the Lamp at Noon” and “to Kill a Mocking Bird”

Both â€Å"The Lamp at Noon† and â€Å"To Kill a Mocking Bird† are texts. The former is a short story while the latter is a novel. One might think those two works are mostly dissimilar for they are very different stories. â€Å"The Lamp at Noon† is about Paul, Ellen and their baby, who live on the grass lands and suffer from dust storm. Actually Paul wants to stay while Ellen wants to move to town. On the other hand, â€Å"Ð ¢Ã ¾ Kill the Mocking Bird† says about Atticus and his kids who live in Maycomb. Atticus is a lawyer and he tries his best to defend black man named Tom Robinson. However, if one further compares them can be see there are both differences and similarities between these two in term of writing techniques, characters and themes. There are†¦show more content†¦They both have unreachable goals. The former tried to prove innocence of black man in 1930s; however, the latter wants to restore his land after the dust storm. But Atticu s understands that it is impossible, he is realistic whlie Paul is too optimistic that he believes that the dust storm will stop and their life will improve. He said â€Å"So still now, and a red sky-it mean tomorrow will be fine† (72) it show that Paul is really optimistic. Next, Atticus is a very empathetic and kind person but Paul is different. He does not listen to his wife and as a result their baby dies. Furthermore, Atticus is a single man who has to both does his work and brings up his two children, but Paul who has a wife and a little baby is not really taking care about his child. So it shows that Atticus is a more responsible father while Paul is not. And they both sacrifice more than themselves to reach their goals. Paul is too taking care of his farm during his whole life and he doesnt care about his clorhes very much and he has no friends at all. His family can be broken. Atticus sacrifices his own and also his childrens reputation. One can see differences and similarities between Atticus and Paul. Lastly, in term of themes there are differences and similarities. In both texts one can see theme, empathy. In â€Å"the Lamp at Noon† Paul does not empathize with his wife, Ellen, and as a result their baby dies. While Atticus is different, he looks forShow MoreRelatedStylistic Potential of the English Noun16714 Words   |  67 Pagesof male beings, feminine (referred to as she) – names of female beings, neuter (referred to as it) – names of lifeless things and abstract notions2: Masculine: father, brother, boy Feminine: mother, girl, sister Neuter: computer, lamp, beauty, friendship Now let us consider another point of view namely that of Blokh M.[14] that a bit differs from the one already mentioned above. In her book â€Å"Theoretical Grammar† she agrees that the gender division of noun in English is expressed

Virginia vs. Massachusetts Free Essays

Shayma Hammad History 1301, Monday Wednesday 11:00-12:20 Dr. Snaples December 3rd, 2012 Debate Paper This essay explains and shows the differences between the Virginia colony and the Massachusetts colony. People all over Europe started coming down to the â€Å"new world† (America), they came to the new world for many reasons such as land, food, religion and much more. We will write a custom essay sample on Virginia vs. Massachusetts or any similar topic only for you Order Now Before I start to contrast between the 2 colonies I’m going to give a general background on them. Massachusetts was established in 1620 and Virginia was established in 1607. Virginia’s colony was Jamestown and Massachusetts was Salem and Boston. Virginia was located in the southern colony, it also offered land. Tobacco was a profitable crop, so John Rolfe took seeds and planted them in Virginia; because of this Virginia became an economic purpose. Virginia settled by men so Virginia dies out and this caused women to immigrate. Virginia was not a religious country and people ran away from Virginia because they were in debt and did not want to be a servant. The society in Virginia compared to Massachusetts are very different. Virginia economics were based on a cash crop industry. The London Company bought Virginia they believed that there were metals in America so they sent a group of settlers to Jamestown. In 1619 the House of Burgesses was formed, which made Virginia a strong democracy. Jamestown became the first English colony. Later on the colony began to collapse due to disease and starvation but they expanded their colony with the arrival of tobacco, slaves and servants. Massachusetts established religious purpose: Puritans and separatists. Since the puritans were really religious people in Massachusetts had to attend church, and some of the people were tied to a religion that they may not agree with. It is based on the Puritan worship and religion Satan and the Catholic Church was the worst for puritans. The Puritans established Harvard University they loved education. Religion was much less significant in Virginia unlike in Massachusetts. The puritans believed that science is religion because it explains God. They also believed that God does not like poor people and they did not like handicapped people. Massachusetts also brings family; unlike Virginia who brought only men at first. Massachusetts also didn’t spread out like Virginia did. Massachusetts was a self governing colony Virginia and Massachusetts did not provide freedom for their people. The puritans in Massachusetts expected their people to follow their beliefs and they were very strict on you, even though Virginia was not a religious colony you still did not have freedom because you were either going to be a servant or a slave. The life expectancy in Massachusetts was much better than Virginia because in Virginia a lot of people died and suffered from diseases and salvation. How to cite Virginia vs. Massachusetts, Essay examples

A Religious Struggle Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening Essay Example For Students

A Religious Struggle Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening Essay Only a few books dare to discuss the confusion surrounded by a religious awakening. In Bless Me Ultima, Richard A. Anaya, Premio Quinto Sol national Chicano literary award recipient, challenges standard religion and brings in different ideas through the perspective of a young and confused boy. Due to the new ideas that he is introduced to, the events that occurs especially deaths, and his eagerness for knowledge all leads Antonio to question his religious beliefs. At the end of his struggle to understand, the boy reaches the peace of mind he was seeking. Throughout the book Antonio is introduced to many new ideas. The first is the experiences he has with Ultima. Ultima is a healer who learned her techniques from an old wise man on the llano or prairie. She is sometimes called a bruja or witch. This confuses Antonio because in his heart he knows Ultima represents good and not the evil she is sometimes blamed for. Antonio learns some of the ways of Ultima and begins to understand his surroundings. He knows the name of almost every plant and what medicinal use each has. As the novel continues there is a stronger interpretation of Ultimas powers as she heals Antonios Uncle Lucas. This is the beginning of good versus evil or god versus the devil, Lucas had seen Tenerios daughters performing devil worship in the woods and in return the daughters placed a curse on his hair. When the curse was revoked by Ultima it went into effect against the daughters and as they began to die Tenerio went into an evil rage against the powers of Ultima. Antonio was then introduced to the Golden Carp and the story of the waters surrounding the town and its influence, which also allows Antonio to question the influence of god within his life, and the new power behind the carp. The next revelation for Antonio is the myth of the golden carp. Antonio learns about the golden carp from Cico, a friend of his. According to Cico, the golden carp was once a god who loved the people of Antonios town, Guadalupe. The people were not allowed to fish for the brown carp that lived in the river that flowed around the town. These fish were sacred to the gods. However, because of a drought and no food, the people had to eat the carp to survive. This angered the gods. They wanted to punish all the people by death but they relented from killing the people. Instead, they turned the people into carp and made them live forever in the waters of the river- 80. The god who loved the people wished to become a carp like them to protect them from the dangers of the river. The gods agreed and because he was a god they made him very big and colored him the color gold 81. Antonio cannot believe there is a new god and seeks answers from Ultima. Ultima is pleased that he has learned so much, but says she cannot tell him what to believe for he must decide for himself. The Golden Carp represents all the questions Tony has about religion and morality. Tonys confusion is due to conflicting forces in both these aspects of life. When Cico first introduces the Carp to Tony, he is forced to make a tough decision, Do you believe the Golden Carp is a god? which he skillfully evades until he has the information he wants to make his decision 106. After the emergence of the Carp, Tony begins to question his Catholic upbringing, and he wonders why God punishes people. This is when Tony begins to set his idealism aside and truly looses his spiritual innocence. In the early part of the novel Antonio already starts to begin questioning his relationship with God. Great Expectation Essay PaperBy asking these questions, he subconsciously challenges the validity of the church, using the excuse that he is not yet ready to understand to repress his heresy. Antonio hopes that when he makes communion, he will understand. 187 Antonios desire for knowledge nurture a growing wisdom. Feeling only emptinessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to the God within him, 221 the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦thousands of questions that push through his mindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are still unanswered after his first communion. 21 Gods failure to answer Antonios questions allows Tony to realize the truths of religion and that his answers cannot be answered by God. Used to think everyone believed in God, but now understands that there are many gods. 237 His final dream reveals the death of all the faiths and beliefs, and even the magic of Ultimaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦dies in agony. 244 Now he understands that if the old religion can no longer answer the questions of the children, then perhaps it was time to change it. 248 Furthermore, from his father, Antonio discovers most of the things people call evil are not evil at all; it is just that people do not understand those things and thus call them evil. 248 Most importantly, Tonys wisdom is complete once he is aware that understanding comes with life 248 and that he is seeing only partsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and not looking beyond into the great cycle that binds us all. 121 Antonio wants answers to the questions that have been nagging at him since he was introduced to religious ideology. He does not understand why Ultima, a close elderly friend and a curandera or healer, can save his dying uncle from the curses of evil while the priest from El Puerto with his holy water and the power of God cannot lift the curse from him. He wonders whether God really exists or if the Cicos story of the golden carp is true. Bless Me Ultima, is a compelling story that deals with Antonios family, beliefs, and dreams. Anayas writing successfully integrates the confusion of a young boy who wants answers to topics over his head with a wonderful story. By weaving three subjects in a continuous pattern the stories tie into each other. Anaya uses many Spanish phrases, which are very effective and bring a real life quality to the book. He also uses dream sequences, which accentuate Antonios confusion. With such topics it can be hard for a book to flow lightly but with comical scenes and interesting characters scattered throughout the book, this is possible. Anaya uses deep descriptions that do not bore the reader but give insight to the surroundings of the characters. Although writing is not easy, Anaya creates a masterpiece story that satisfies the mind. The theme of Bless Me Ultima is one of finding what beliefs are right for the individual by experiencing each one characteristically. This relates to our society in so many ways. People follow many different religions, but many are not content with their current situation. They want to learn more and discover the religious idea that suits them. Richard A. Anaya has brought this theme of religious confusion into the literary world and may help many confused people like Antonio find what they are searching for.

The Status of Native Culture and Identity In Contemporary Society Depicted In Thomas King’s Borders free essay sample

Thomas King’s Borders, is a first person narrative designed to represent the continuing loss of identity experienced by the native population in contemporary North America. Borders tells the story of a native family living on a reservation located close to the Albertan-Montanan boarder in Western Canada. The protagonist of Borders is the unnamed mother of the family, who by refusing to properly state her nationality, is not allowed to cross the border with her young son. When asked to state her nationality by the border authorities, the mother answers â€Å"Blackfoot. † This confuses the border guards, who are expecting the general answer of â€Å"American† or â€Å"Canadian. † The mother refuses to generalize her ethnicity as distinctly American or Canadian, which results in the family’s inability to cross the border line. King draws on the use of satire in Borders to comically address the lack of identity attributed to natives in contemporary society. We will write a custom essay sample on The Status of Native Culture and Identity In Contemporary Society Depicted In Thomas King’s Borders or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This essay will critically examine King’s work to showcase the function of figurative cultural borders in modern day society, as well as the concerning issue of native identity in the text. The mother’s proud refusal to equate her racial background with citizenship, Laetita’s attitude toward her cultural identity as a Blackfoot in the text, and the treatment of the narrator and his mother by the border authorities: all illustrate the cultural and political position of King’s text. King showcases the loss of native’s unique cultural identity to the pressures of assimilation, while also providing a political commentary on the treatment of native peoples and native culture in contemporary North America. As the protagonist of the text, the mother’s racial pride and stubbornness comes to the forefront in terms of thematic elements harboured in King’s work. The mother’s conservative attitude creates a significant tension in the introduction of the text. The narrator’s older sister named Laetita is moving across the border to Utah’s capital, Salt Lake City. Laetita is enamoured with the prospects of moving away from her family, while her Mother is noticeably unimpressed with the idea of her daughter living so far away from home. â€Å"â€Å"This is really lousy coffee. † â€Å"You’re just angry because I want to see the world. † â€Å"It’s the water. From here down, they got lousy water†Ã¢â‚¬  (King, 355). This passage showcases the mother’s negative views of America by King’s use of the word â€Å"lousy. † â€Å"Lousy,† is used to describe the coffee the mother and Laetita purchased on the American side of the border. â€Å"From here down† refers to the mother’s opinion of American water being inferior to Canadian water. The mother’s negative attitude towards the American water is indicative of her connection to the simplistic nature of native culture. While Laetita is attracted to the luxuriousness lifestyle of a big city, the Mother clearly advocates a more basic, ruralized setting reflective of native culture. The mother is clearly content with having simple necessities in her life, such as fresh tasting water, opposed to the more glamorous lifestyle Laetita that attracts her daughter. Laetita eventually moves to Salt Lake City and sends her family mail asking them to come visit her. An attempted trip to visit Laetita is thwarted by the mother’s inability to declare her official citizen at the border. â€Å"â€Å"Citizenship? † â€Å"â€Å"Blackfoot,† my mother repeated. â€Å"Canadian? † â€Å"Blackfoot. † It would have been easier if my mother had just said â€Å"Canadian† and been done with it, but I could see she wasn’t going to do that† (King, 357). The confrontation between the Mother and the border guards indicates a duality assiocated with the text’s title â€Å"Borders. † For King, there are two distinct interpretations of the meaning of border in the story. One is the obvious physical border separating the territory between Canada and the U. S. ; while the other is a metaphorical border indicating a difference between an individual’s citizenship and racial identity. The mother will not conform to identifying herself as Canadian or American, because she is content and proud of her ethnical identity as Blackfoot. The mother dismisses the concept of the physical border between the two countries. This is reflective in the opening lines of the story, where the narrator refers to the border between the U. S. and Canada to be nothing more than a â€Å"line† (King, 355). The mother feels no inclination to justify her ethnicity to the government. She is proud of her identity as a Blackfoot, and she feels as if she should be able to cross the imaginary border line as a Blackfoot, not as Canadian or American. The mother represents traditional native culture, and the loss of native identity in contemporary society. Contrastingly, her daughter Laetita is representative of a significant decline in native culture throughout North America. Laetita’s attitude towards her Blackfoot heritage changes dramatically throughout the text. Laetita is not content with her life on the reserve; she decides to make a change in her surroundings and crosses the border into America. â€Å"It was kind of exciting†¦listening to Laetita read all about how Salt Lake City was one of the best places in the entire world. â€Å"That Salt Lake place sounds too good to be true,† my mother told her. â€Å"It has everything. † â€Å"We got everything right here. † â€Å"It’s boring here†Ã¢â‚¬  (King, 358). The conflict in this passage between Laetita and her mother is indicative of the declining influence of native culture on younger generations. Laetita represents this decline, her pursuit of a new life in America shows her willingness to conform, something her mother intensely denies. The decline of native self-identity in the text is also evident in the last moments between Laetita and her mother, before Laetita leaves for Salt Lake City. â€Å"â€Å"You can still see the mountain from here,† my mother told Laetita in Blackfoot. â€Å"Lots of mountains in Salt Lake,† Laetita told her in English† (King, 356). Laetita speaks English while her mother speaks Blackfoot. This contrast accurately portrays the decline of native identity in the text. Laetita is leaving her ancestral home, and therefore discards her native dialect in favour of English, the only major language of the United States. The themes of King’s Borders provide insight to the declining status of native self-identity, as well as the submersion of native culture in contemporary society. It is critical to recognize King’s position as a Cherokee native in relation to the themes of his narrative. The significance of Borders resides in King’s political commentary on the way in which Native Americans are identified and treated in today’s society. â€Å"â€Å"I know,† said the woman, â€Å"and I’d be proud of being Blackfoot if I were Blackfoot. But you have to be American or Canadian†Ã¢â‚¬  (King, 359). The Canadian border guard is portrayed by King as being more friendly and compassionate then the American guards. She shows compassion towards the mother for her stubbornness, and also clearly respects the mother for her racial pride. This showcases the contrast in how Native Americans are viewed in Canada as opposed to America. In comparison, the American guards ignorantly addressed the situation, failing to recognize the Mother’s cultural integrity. The mother is incorrectly addressed as â€Å"Blackfeet† (357). This portrays the American image of â€Å"natives† to be negative. Instead of recognizing the Mother as a proud member of the Blackfoot community, the guard generalizes and pluralizes her identity. Government bureaucracy still reigns supreme, as the Canadian guard cannot let the mother pass the boarder without properly stating her citizenship. â€Å"You have to be American or Canadian. † The mother is finally granted passage to America as a Blackfoot, but only after much controversy and hardship. While her delay at the border was unnecessary, her strong claim to her native identity allows her to travel on her own terms as a proud Blackfoot native. King’s narrative is important to Canadian literature because it showcases the declining status of native identity in North America. Native culture is an integral part of Canadian history, and as a educated reader of this narrative, it is crucial to recognize the negative aspects of native treatment in contemporary society. Works Cited