Thursday, September 5, 2019

SWOT Analysis of Danone UK

SWOT Analysis of Danone UK EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Activia and Actimel are the two probiotic yoghurt brands that are currently being marketed by Danone in the UK. The current market strategy for these products is that they are healthy food and part of a healthy lifestyle. Some modifications were made in the currents marketing strategy, which include modifying the current target market for both brands. These brands have the potential to make Danone UK Limited the market leader in the United Kingdom. 1. DANONE: THE PROBIOTIC BRANDS; THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. Danone UK limited, is a UK based subsidiary of the French company group Danone, which has its organizational headquarters situated in France. Danone UK is into the production and marketing of dairy products and water. Most of group Danone brands are household names in the United Kingdom and internationally, and they include the probiotic dairy brands; Activia and Actimel (DATAMONITOR, 2009). The dairy division of the Danone group, is a leader in the production of dairy products worldwide, and presently holds about 22% of the dairy products global market share (DATAMONITOR, 2009). Group Danone has different subsidiaries in varying countries and each brand has a unique attribute and name that appeals to the region or country where they are marketed. 1.1. SWOT ANALYSIS The strength, weakness, opportunities and threats that are currently influencing Danone UK are highlighted in the table below. Table: 1 STRENGTHS Health conscious company Innovative Products and marketing Customer oriented Research focused WEAKNESSES Lack of long term planning uncorroborated claims OPPORTUNITIES Health consciousness among populace Growth in awareness on digestive health Probiotic bacteria awareness THREATS New entrants Increased competition Stores own brand Increase in cost of milk and production Consumer unawareness on benefits of good bacteria Government regulation on health claim of probiotic brands 1.2. PEST ANALYSIS GRID The grid below highlights some of the factors that affect the market presently and therefore gives an idea on the way forward in the present market environment. Table 2: POLITICAL ECONOMIC SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY Government debt Recession Unemployment Trends in Research Government policy Research sponsorship Advert withdrawal E-commerce Cold weather New technology Migration 2. MARKET ANALYSIS: UK YOGHURT MARKET The UK yoghurt market comprises of the spoonable yoghurts (pots), drinkable yoghurt (drinks) and tube yoghurts. (Mintel Oxygen, 2009) The market share value of the drinking yoghurt has seen a decrease in recent years as more people turn to more healthy option of yoghurt products that more often come in pots and tubes; the tube yoghurt is more attractive for children as parents can pack it into lunch boxes for them, thus this area has also seen a significant growth in recent years. The pots yoghurt market saw an increase in sales as they offer fewer calories and some come with health claims that lead to an increase in sales, the most active category in recent time has been the probiotic or healthy yoghurt category (spoonable) (Euromonitor,2009). Development of new products and increase in sales in some categories of the yoghurt market have mostly been due to health issues, as the behaviour of consumers suggest that they prefer a healthy lifestyle and also love to indulge, thus the development of new products that offer both a healthy and indulgence option. This trend has lead to the improvement in performance of the yoghurt market generally, in comparison to other desert options. The yogurt and Fromage Frais (pots and tubes) currently hold about 15.60% of the dairy market share in the UK (Data Monitor, 2009). The pots and tubes are the best performers in the market, and they hold about 85% of the market share, while the drinking yoghurt has been largely affected by competition from other markets that offer or claim to offer a more healthy option in form of drinks e.g. smoothies and fruits juices (or soft drinks). 2.1. MARKET SEGMENTATION Majority of the market share for 2008 as seen above was held by top manufacturers which include Muller, Danone and Yoplait. Supermarkets own brands are gradually gaining a large percent of the market share, with other brands constituting about 27% of the total market share. The probiotic yoghurt brands of Danone UK are doing well in the market currently, and account for about 19% of the UK yoghurt market share. 2.2 COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Muller dairy UK is Danone UK main competitor and the current market leader. Muller has being the market leader for a while and they function across the entire yoghurt category. Some of the Muller brands are not doing so well in the market, with some consumers perceiving it as too sweet and unhealthy, but with recent brand repositioning, re-launches and new products introduced in the market they are able to continually hold onto the number one spot. Weakness: The major weakness of the Muller brands is that consumers still perceive them as unhealthy, as they usually have high sugar content (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). 2.3 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: Danone Has exclusive patent on the friendly bacteria (Lactobacilli casei Imunitass) used in addition with other bacteria in Actimel. All probiotic brands by Danone are considered healthy, hence the first choice for consumers who prefer a healthy way of life. 3. BRAND POSITIONING Probiotic yoghurts contain live bacteria that positively aid the consumers digestive system by improving microbial balance in the intestine. The probiotic brands Actimel and Activia are in the spoonable (Activia), drinking (Actimel) and the healthy option categories. In comparison, some major competing brands are perceived as unhealthy with great taste and very sweet e.g. Muller brands are perceived as unhealthy due to the sweet taste and the fact that the brands are positioned as all day snacks (Euromonitor , 2009). PERCEPTUAL MAP Healthy Actimel Activia Muller Vitality Poor taste Great taste Muller Light Unhealthy 3.1 ACTIVIA Activia is in the class of spoonable yoghurt (pots), and is in the healthy brand category. It contains the probiotic bacterium (friendly bacteria) that helps in improving the functions of the digestive system. Activia comes in fat free and low calorie flavours that consumers see as a great benefit; thus Activia has seen a rapid increase in market share since its launch in 2002, and it is one of the best performers in its category due to innovation which comprises health benefit and indulgence (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). It has a wide range of flavour in packs of four and eight pots and recently it has been proposed to introduce single pots for people with a busy lifestyle or people on the go. 3.2 ACTIMEL This is in the drinking yoghurt category, and contains the probiotic bacteria L.casei Imunitass; its main function is boosting and providing support for the immune system. Actimel has 13 different varieties, and 4 have zero percent fat content. Actimel aids the bodys immune system by fighting off germs when consumed on a daily or regular basis (Danone, 2009). 3.3 BRAND PERSONALITY GRID The consumer perception of Activia and Actimel are highlighted in the personality grid below (Table 3 and 4). ACTIVIA PERSONALITY VALUE BENEFIT ATTRIBUTE Physically fit Quintessential Indulging Wide variety range Healthy Innovative Convenient Handy Delightful Trustworthy Rich taste Relieves bloating Reliable Variety ACTIMEL PERSONALITY VALUE BENEFIT ATTRIBUTE Healthy Nutritious Boost immunity Wide product range Tasty Trusted Rejuvenation Different flavours Immunity Reliable 4. TARGET MARKET AND STRATEGY: THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE Target Market Activia Women ACTIMEL Senior citizens Adults Rest of population 4.1 MARKETING STRATEGY (PRESENT SITUATION): The Probiotic brands are currently marketed as health beneficial products, with the emphasis on â€Å"good bacteria†, and the need to see the brands as part of a healthy way of life and not just as a snack. 4.2 ACTIVIA The current marketing strategy for Activia focuses solely on women and it was put in place in response to consumer demand for healthy products. Activia is positioned as an indulgent healthy food that helps women in reducing the feeling of being bloated especially after meals, and also aids in regulating the function of the digestive system. In a recent advert a woman is seen feeling more physically fit and flexible after having a pot of Activia. An interactive website has also been set up for Activia and the content is specifically for women as it gives them health tips and encourages them to share their story on the benefits of Activia. The website has a health based outlook that further reinforces the fact that Activia is a healthy brand. (Danone , 2009) Adults on the go are gradually being included in the current strategy, with the plan to introduce single pots of Activia (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). 4.2.1 DRAWBACK This strategy targets only the women in the population, and in some ways most women in a particular age demographic i.e. 25 and above. Although this strategy has been successful so far; what steps can be taken to prevent the present segment of consumers from shifting loyalty to a brand that is healthy, of good quality and is priced lower. What can be done to increase the present target market, as large segments of the population which include children, active adults and the elderly have not been included in this strategy. 4.2.2 MODIFICATION As manager of the probiotic brands of Danone UK Ltd, I will increase the target market to include families and the elderly. The family market will include children and men, while the elderly include men and women from age 55 and upwards. This segment of the population (55+) is going to see a rapid increase in sales and market share in the future as the population ages, and with the right marketing mix of price, distribution and place, this target segment offers great potential of growth for the future of the market (Mintel Oxygen, 2009). The family segment will come with a rebranding option that will target the women who have families. As women do most of the household shopping, when they buy Activia for themselves, they will have no option but to buy for their families. More flavours and packaging should be introduced to appeal to children and their parents. The current marketing strategy for the women consumers also have to be continued and improved to make the customers remain even when offered cheaper varieties, and to do this, loyalty programmes have to be introduced i.e. where consumers gain points for each pack of Activia bought. Although this might seem expensive for the company at the start of the program, as it has to be in conjunction with supermarkets, but in the long run it will be advantageous as we would have gained a loyal customer base. The present website also has to be improved to include healthy recipes tips as women love to cook healthy for their families. An interactive educational website should be introduced for children; activities on the website can include opportunity for children to pick their favourite Activia flavours, competitions that will include one where kids get the opportunity to mix different fruity flavours and submit their entries online, with opportunities to win prices. When children are loyal to their favourite brand (Activia) parents will have no choice but to also become loyal, in that way we also get families to be consumers of the Activia brand. Thus our market share will see an increase that will come from this segment of the population. 4.5 ACTIMEL The current marketing strategy for Actimel is capitalising on the immune system boosting characteristic of the probiotic bacteria in the drink and also the claim that it improves the body capacity to combat stress for people with busy lifestyles, through the action of the bacteria in the gut. In recent times, the company has also aimed to encourage the use of Actimel by patients in the hospital as a recent study shows that Actimel has the capacity to aid patients fight off infections. Advertising and promotional activities by Danone on Actimel has helped to boost the image of this brand by placing it as a brand that supports active lifestyles and is also healthy. 4.5.1 DRAWBACK An advert for Actimel was recently banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), that the claims made by Danone on Actimel (that it boosts the natural defence of children) were not supported by sound scientific evidence (BBC, 2009); a few consumers will brand Actimel as untrustworthy. To restore the image of Actimel, scientific evidence that proves that it helps boost the natural defence of children has to be peer reviewed before publishing. Although some health professionals have said it improves immunity, this has to be reinforced so the customers can have trust in the brand. The target population for Actimel has to re-defined, as it is currently vague (covers the whole segment of the population). 4.5.2 MODIFICATION The target market for Actimel has to be clearly defined, as it seems to target all the members of the population at the moment. The population has to be segmented, and each segment given a definite strategy and marketing plan that is specific for it. The proposed target market will be segmented as shown in fig 4. There is a lot of potential in targeting the elderly and hospital patients, as they need things to help boost their immunity, and Actimel can perform that function, hence there is an opportunity of growth here. The current market strategy of positioning Actimel as a healthy lifestyle choice is great, and will work well with all segments of the population especially the adults with an active way of life. The brand should be repositioned in the children segment, as the problem with the advert can affect sales that are generated. Thus positioning it as a healthy option for children, that offers the benefit of friendly bacteria, with proven scientific studies will enable Actimel regain the trust of consumers from this segment of the population. 5. CONCLUSION Actimel and Activia have been doing well so far in the UK market, and have the potential to do better in the future. The current marketing strategies for these two brands need to be improved on. The segmenting of the target population for Actimel will give a clearer view of the market strategy put in place to enable it gain more market shares from competitors like yakult and Muller vitality. The target market for Activia will need to be expanded in order to enable Activia gain market shares in the mainstream yoghurt market. It is perceived as a healthy brand, thus it has the potential to get more market share if the target population is increased. In the future the customer base of Activia and Actimel will remain loyal as loyalty schemes will be introduced to enable them stay faithful to the brand as long as the option of indulgence and healthy living at the right price is offered. New flavours that will keep consumers interested and innovative products will definitely make and keep Danone as a leader in the UK yoghurt market. References BBC. (2009, October). Healthy yoghurt advert banned. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from News Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8305918.stm Danone . (2009). Danone Activia. Retrieved December 29, 2009, from Your digestive health matters website: http://www.danoneactivia.co.uk/ Danone. (2009). Actimel L.casei Imunitass. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from How Actimel Can Help You: http://www.actimel.co.uk/Benefits/Default.aspx Danone UK Ltd. (2008). Danone. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from About Danone Mission Website: http://www.danone.co.uk/mission.htm DATAMONITOR. (2009). GROUPE DANONE. London: Datamonitor. Euromonitor . (2009). Yoghurt United Kingdom. London: Euromonitor International. Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Market Share and Product Positioning website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460332#hit1 Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from Segment performance website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460332?select_section=460331 Mintel Oxygen. (2009, May). Yogurt UK May 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2009, from Table of content website: http://academic.mintel.com/sinatra/oxygen_academic/search_results/show/display/id=393957/display/id=460331?select_section=460345

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Comparison of Ancient Greek Pottery :: essays papers

Comparison of Ancient Greek Pottery Throughout the history of Ancient Greece thousands of great works of art were produced. Works were created in many different media, ranging from life-size statues to larger than life architectural structures. One type of art that can sometimes be overlooked, though, is pottery. There are many examples of great Greek pottery, but the two that will be used as a sample are Artemis Slaying Actaeon and Woman and Maid. By considering the backgrounds of these works, and comparing them directly we are able get a taste not only of the artistic styles of the time, but also a taste of ancient Greek culture. Artemis Slaying Actaeon and Woman and Maid share many common characteristics, due to the fact that they came from Greece, around the same time in history. Both works were produced between 480B.C.E.-320B.C.E. , the classical period of Greek art. The first, Artemis Slaying Actaeon was made circa 470B.C.E. in the early classical period, during the transition from the more stylized art of the Archaic period. The other came from around 450 B.C.E., during the high classical period when Greek art was most prominent and produced some of its most refined works. Despite the artistic beauty of the two vases, both were made for more than just decoration. The vase depicting Artemis is what was called a Bell Krater and was used for mixing the popular Greek drink of water and wine. The other, called a Lekythos was used to pour liquids during elaborate burial ceremonies to honor the wealthy. Another main function of pottery in many cases is to tell a story, which is exactly what Artemis Slaying Actaeon intends. The vase depicts the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, slaying a hunter Actaeon, whom accidentally intruded on her bathing while on a hunt. On the other hand, Woman and Maid is intended as a remembrance of a wealthy woman, and depicts an offering of a chest of valuables from a slave girl to the deceased. Just at first glance of these two vases, one can tell that they were crafted in very different styles, giving a distinct look to each. The contrast of light and dark on the two vessels are what stand out to make each piece unique. Anyone can notice that while Artemis Slaying Actaeon is mostly black, the Woman and Maid is very a luminous white.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Handmaids Tale :: essays papers

Handmaids Tale In what ways can The Handmaid&rsquos Tale be considered a feminist novel? The Handmaid&rsquos Tale is narrated by an oppressed woman, so it is to be expected that feminism becomes a recurring theme. Women have no rights or money unless they have a valid marriage to a man. They are given few options&ndash if they are fertile they can become sex slaves&ndash&lsquo womb on legs&rsquo to Commanders or choose to go to the colonies. Infertile women or&lsquo unwomen&rsquo are seen as having no use so they automatically go to the colonies where they will die from disease or radiation. Their use and status is totally dependent on their relationships with men and ability to have children. Women are used by men and treated as far inferior, in Gilead women are the men&rsquos property. The handmaids especially&ndash&lsquo We are a commodity&rsquo, their names in the household reflect this&ndash Offred&ndash Of Fred. They can be disposed of at will, even the Commander&rsquos Wives have little real importance and are given menial tasks such as ordering prayers at Soul Scrolls and knitting the Guardians scarves&ndash&lsquo Maybe it&rsquos just something to keep the Wives busy, to give them a sense of purpose&rsquo. But this concept of women being extensions and property of men is one used in our own society. Though mostly out dated now,&lsquo Mrs Peter Watson&rsquo is similar to&lsquo Ofglen&rsquo. But practically all terms for women are the extension of the term for men&ndash Mr/s, fe/male, wo/man. This leads to the idea that Atwood is really just exaggerating the current situation of the world. The second quote at the beginning of the book from Swift&rsquos&lsquo A Modest Proposal&rsquo indicates that The Handmaid&rsquos Tale is Atwood&rsquos own satirical view of present times. In an interview Atwood says&lsquo theres nothing in the text that hasn&rsquot already happened&rsquo. The third quote&ndash&lsquo There is no sign in the desert that says&lsquo Thou shalt not eat stones&rsquo&rsquo indicates that she believes Gilead could never come into existence because of the common sense of people, no one could really believe in its philosophy and beliefs, the society&rsquos flaws are too apparent. Another interpretation of the novel is that it is a reaction against any idea that the woman&rsquos place is in the home, that her sole use is one of reproduction. It demonstrates where these views could lead if encouraged or entertained. It gives the idea that men would act that way if given the power, that they would like to be in control and superior. That although men outwardly accept and respect women, inwardly they do not see them as equals&lsquo I sense in him (the Commander) none of the

Monday, September 2, 2019

Essay --

Mary McLeod Bethune was an African American educator, activist, and advisor. She believed that education provided the key to racial advancement. She became an educator and did much to contribute to American society. Mary Bethune also became very involved in government service. She started her own civil rights organization working on critical issues for African Americans and also helped many presidents in certain affairs. Mary McLeod Bethune gave the speech â€Å"What Does American Democracy Mean to Me?† November 23. 1939. The speech was given on America’s Town Meeting of the Air, which was a radio show in New York that discussed American Politics. The speech remains significant today. This speech is about Mary’s personal meaning of democracy. She speaks on the relation between democracy and African Americans. She reminded listeners that African Americans have always been willing to do whatever it takes for democracy and what it stands for. Today many African Amer ican contribute to the democracy, making this speech relatable to them. â€Æ' Who? During this time period, Mary McLeod Bethune was a well respect civil rights activists and democratic advisor. By lending her expertise to several presidents, she became popular in American government. She became a leader in the effort to build coalition among African American women fighting for equal rights, better education, jobs, and political power. She led many local and national women’s clubs. She founded the National Council of Negro Women, which opened the doors to her relationship with President Roosevelt. President Franklin D. Roosevelt named her direct of the Office of Minority Affairs in the National Youth Administration. When? This speech was given during the New Deal Era. On November ... ...ons fundamental change. To whom? The radio show the speech was given on attracted up to 3,000,000 listeners each week. When giving her speech she was giving it to over a million Americans of all races. Her speech was to those who agreed and disagreed with African American progress and equality. For those who disagreed she spoke to them to possible change their hearts. To those who agreed, she spoke to them giving them inspiration. How? We do not know what she was physically doing because the speech was through a radio station. While giving the speech, Mary Bethune’s voice was powerful. Her words were spoken very clearly and she spoke loudly. This is significant because African Americans in the past were illiterate and could not read or write and their speech would not be clear. She spoke very literate and her vocabulary was unlike most African Americans at the time.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

TEWWG Research Paper

Nanny, who dearly cares for Jeanie, is beyond retroactive, only because she fears for her granddaughter's safety. In Harpoon's novel, Nanny did not have good experiences with white men. She was born into slavery and was overpowered by her master, raping her. Giving birth to a light-skinned child caused havoc. The master's wife planned to whip Nanny, so she decided to run away and hide in the swamps with her daughter. In later years, Leafy is also raped by a white man, a school teacher. After witnessing disrespect, abuse, and rape of black women, Nanny doesn't want to risk that happening to Jeanie as well.Nanny tells Jeanie the truth about the harsh world without sugar coating it. Nanny had every reason to be worried for Genie's safety after being mistreated most of her life. Because of this she forbids Jeanie to seek love of her own and marries her off to old Logan Clicks. â€Å"Taint Logan Clicks Ah wants you to have, baby, it's protection† (Hurst 14). â€Å"Maybe it's some place way off in De ocean where De black man is in power, but we don't know nothing' but what we see. So De white man thrown down De load and tell De Niger man HTH pick it up.He pick it up because he have to, but he don't tote it. He hand it to his womenfolk's. De Niger woman is De mule uh De world so fur as Ah can see. Ad been praying' uh it HTH be different wide you. Lad, Lad, Lad! † (Hurst 14). Nanny compares negro women to mules simply because that is how they are treated. Being a black woman was the worst that one could be. They were below white men, white women, and even black men. They were the lowest and were of course treated that way. Nanny was most definitely justified in her decision to marry off Jeanie to Logan Clicks.As a former slave, Nanny knew what it could be like for Jeanie without a husband, serving as her protection and escaping the cycle of rape and abuse throughout the generations. As Jeanie becomes tired of Logan and meets the charming and successful Jo e Starks, she decides to leave for Detonative. While being Mrs.. Mayor Starks, Joe puts her to work at their store. Soon the lust in their relationship is lost. Realizing he is growing older and less attractive, Joe makes Jeanie fell terrible for every mistake she makes. This results in violence.When Jeanie makes a mistake in the store, Joe feels he needs to put Jeanie in her place by beating her in front of all the townsmen. After being abused once before, she maintained her emotions and was silent, but this time Jeanie retaliates. Deep down inside she is getting revenge on her father and grandfather. She eels how her mother and grandmother felt when they were disrespected, but at a lesser level. Wanting to avenge Nanny and Leafy, Jeanie fights back by striping away his manliness. Even being indirectly traumatized by sexual abuse has scarred Jeanie.Just by knowing that her mother and Nanny were taken advantage of hurts her deep inside. Coming into the world being a child of violenc e is mortifying. Especially, being abandoned by her mother and realizing that she never wanted Jeanie to begin with, makes one feel that they don't deserve a place in this world. When not even the mother of the child can love them, who else can? These thoughts must have run through Janis mind a million times. Fortunately for Jeanie, Nanny did not want the family cycle of rape and abuse to continue throughout her generation.Nanny truly makes the difference, causing the cycle to break. Eventually Joe dies and Jeanie is on her own. Meeting a younger man, Tea Cake, she falls in love. First being loving and passionate, the relationship turns abusive as Tea Cake takes his anger out on Jeanie. She does not completely break the cycle of abuse. This time, Jeanie does nothing. She does not fight back at all. It is not that Jeanie could not fight back. She really trusted Tea Cake o love and protect her. When she gets hit she receives an overwhelming sense of betrayal and shock (Kessler).It was truly heartbreaking. Fighting back could even make thing worse and make Tea Cake even more aggressive. Jeanie was so deeply in love that she couldn't leave. Even if she wanted to, she would have nowhere to go. In many cases when the woman tries to leave, the man becomes even angrier and would threaten them (Kessler). Resisting the control Of the abuser only seems to make matters worse. Just like Jeanie, many women are physically abused. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates that 1. Million women are victims of physical assault by their partner each year.Nearly eighty five percent of domestic violence victims are women and females between the ages of twenty and twenty-four are at the greatest risk of partner violence. Jeanie was only one of the few women to be assaulted. In the 1 ass's, Genie's time, it was even more likely that women were abused since men had more rights. One of the universal themes of literature is the idea that children suffer because of the mistakes of an earlier generation. In Genie's case, this was true. Doing everything she could, Nanny tried to mold a safe world for Jeanie.

The Story of Jane Addams

Growing up without a mother and having a very prosperous father is quite a combination. Jane Addams had to deal with that, served her life and made the best of it. Addams did what she loved. Starting and having very much progression in a settlement house was her dream. The Hull-House helped the underprivileged people, people who needed attention, care, and love. Addams provided that and much more. Ever decide that if you wanted to do something real bad, you would know you would be doing it in the end? Saving lives, protecting families, helping the disabled, provide clubs and museums, and encourage communication. Then, the future is here and you are doing what you love. Occupation is a passion and your place of work! Born in Cedarville, IL, in 1860, Jane Addams had some rock times in her childhood. Addams was the eighth child born of nine others. Mr. Addams was a prosperous miller, local political leader as state senator for sixteen years, and he fought as an officer in the civil war. When Addams was two years old, her mother died of childbirth. At age seven, her father remarried causing her to distant the relationship between her and her father. As the years went on Jane Addams had her ups and downs. But that did not stop her from her succeeding. Addams did not go to her choice college, Smith College. She was sent to Rockford Female Seminary, a college mounted on Mount Holyoke College, which set students up from missionary work. She graduated with the class of 1882. The first graduating class of Rockford. In the next six years, she studied medicine, but has to leave due to poor health. In this process she was faced with a dilemma. Her father†s sudden death, only person she depended on the most, caused her stepmother to claim her. Addams education needed serious work while family issues and illnesses caused even more pressure. Also, Addams heath was not that good either. She has had several years of neurotic illness. She extended the American Girl†s Tour of Europe to two years of travel and study of reading and writing from 1883 to 1885. Addams working on avoiding family issues, she and a couple of college friend returned to Europe in 1887. Ellen Starr and Addams returned to the United States in 1889 and opened a settlement house after ending her studies. In 1889, Addams and Starr opened a home by Charles Hull in Chicago. The purpose of this settlement house was to â€Å"provide a center for a higher civic and social life; to institute and maintain educational and philanthropic enterprises and to investigate and improve the conditions in the industrial districts of Chicago. † Addams and Starr made speech, raised money, took care of children, helped the sick, listened to trouble individuals, and more. By the second year of the Hull-House, they have two thousand people that come every week. There were many programs they provided. Kindergarten classes, adult classes, club meetings for older children, nigh school. Many facilities were added to the settlement house also. The first that was added was an art gallery, the second was a public kitchen, then a coffeehouse, a gym, more and more was added as the years went on on help the people. Jane Addams was eventually a known woman of progress, great progress. People knew who she was, she became famous. In 1905, she was appointed to Chicago†s Board of education and made chairmen of School Management Committee. In 1909 she became the first women president of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections. In 1910, she received an honorary degree ever awarded to a women at Yale University. Addams believed strongly in women†s right and they should speak out, hear a woman†s point of view. She was involved in many, many programs and took charge in many of them. In 1926, Addams suffered from a heart attack and never fully recovered. She†s remembered and thank. She helped society greatly and helped people smile in the end. The Hull-House was on great accomplishment of her many. On December 11 1931, the day she won the first Noble Peace Prize ever awarded to a women, she in the hospital and couldn†t make it. May 21, 1935, Addams dies of an unsuspected cancer. She was buried in her childhood town of Cedarville, IL. The Hull-House was a huge establishment Jane Addams held. It was very popular and helped save many and to just be happy. Addams accomplished a lot in her life and died a proud woman. She will and is remembered.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Songs of Innocence and Song of Experience Analysis

William Blake lived from 1757 – 1827 in London. He was primarily an engraver then painter until later writing his famous poems. In his childhood he was educated at home although he later attended a drawing school, Henry Pars' and was an autodidact. Blake also claimed to have visions, most notably a vision when he saw and conversed with the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel. In 1779, Blake became a student at the Royal Academy in Old Somerset House. His studies required no payment but he was expected to supply his own materials throughout the six years he would stay. He married in 1783 to Catherine Boucher, based solely on love and to this day is defined as a romantic poet. He was Associated with the Romantics because he had similar ideas that the imagination was very important. Byron, Shelly and Coleridge believed that the imagination was important – much more then rational thought. They were all against industrialisation of the countryside. The Romantics were an artistic movement which started in the 1770s through the Industrialisation of Europe continuing into the early Victorian period. They were classed here because of certain shared beliefs. The Romantics disliked the effects of the Industrial revolution. They lived during the civil war of America and the French revolution, due to the sudden questioning in the role of Monarchy and Church. William Blake produced poems, most notably the two companion poems of Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. One of his beliefs was that innocence is something good and generally saw experience as a bad thing. Evidence shows from his poems that he detested the expansion of industrialisation and very much liked the countryside as well as his deep religious attitude. Also you can read Analysis July at the Multiplex Songs of Innocence and Experience was written in 1790. The main theme Blake stressed was that a child remains innocent in his or her youth. The songs of Innocence are written in a child's point of view. They still strive strong even though there is evil around them. Blake felt as you grew older you lost that innocence as you gained more experience. The songs of Experience are written in an experienced point of view, which had realised the true evil around him or her and hated it. The first two examples are the lamb from Songs of innocence and the Tyger from songs of experience. Firstly, the lamb consists of two stanzas with five rhyming couplets. The Lamb is about innocence and Blake utilises the symbolism of a child to emphasize the theme. â€Å"He is meek & he is mild†. A lamb is a small, timid and weak animal and can portray innocence and peacefulness, properties we can associate with a child. It may also have deeper meaning, such as the Lamb of God. It was Jesus who became known as the Lamb of God because as the Jewish faith believes, sacrificing a lamb would take away your sins. The Christians saw Jesus as acting like a lamb so he could take away everyone's sins after becoming crucified, an image which shows self-sacrifice and innocence. Blake, who has a passion for religion gives praise to God for creation of a creature like the Lamb. The alliteration of â€Å"Little Lamb† gives the effect of softening the tone and adding to the imagery of innocence and possibly Blake tried to make the Lamb seem like a Nursery Rhyme, which portrays the poem being narrated by a child, therefore linking back to the theme of innocence. In the Tyger, the poem consists of six stanza's, with two rhyming couplets in each stanza. The Tyger is about experience and Blake utilises this using industrial and colour imagery like in the fourth stanza such as â€Å"what the hammer† or in the first stanza â€Å"forests of the night†. The Tyger needs experience to survive, as it needs to kill to live. Blake is questioning God â€Å"What immortal hand or eye, / could frame thy fearful symmetry† to why God would want to make animals like tigers, such as mankind. This is one of Blake's rhetorical questions throughout the poem. Read also  Case 302 July in Multiplex The â€Å"immortal hand† refers to the power of God to create. The â€Å"fearful symmetry† refers to the complexity in the tyger by the divine artistry, almost being so perfect as to be fearful to understand. Blake saw the Tyger as a very intricate animal, asking how God created it, â€Å"In what furnace was thy brain / What the anvil,†. The comparisons between the two is that the Lamb has pastoral imagery, such as language, â€Å"Vale†, â€Å"mead†, â€Å"stream†, This helps the reader picture a pastoral scene. This was the ideal life of William Blake, evidence for his want for the time before the industrial revolution. The Tyger has industrial imagery, â€Å"furnace†, â€Å"hammer†, â€Å"anvil†, to show how the Tyger is made as if it were in a factory. This imagery shows a pessimistic view of the Tyger. Blake does this because of his hate of industrialisation and saw it as an impurity to the countryside. In the penultimate stanza of the Tyger, Blake quotes Genesis, â€Å"Did he smile his work to see†. Blake is talking about the sixth day of creation when God had finally stopped and looked at his work, and saw it was good and rested on the seventh day. But then Blake adds â€Å"Did he who made the Lamb make thee! † Blake gives this rhetorical question to state whether the same God made the â€Å"little lamb† also made the â€Å"Tyger†. Here Blake questions the omniscience of God. If God is kind and all knowing shouldn't he have known evil and suffering would exist due to the creation of creatures like the Tyger. In general, Blake examines two separate animals, the Lamb and the Tyger which express his feelings on ideas about creation and the creator. Blake appreciates an innocent creature like the Lamb and is awe-struck by the complexity of the Tyger but is asking why God would make a Tyger with properties like having to kill in order to survive. Blake sees innocence as something good because as age your experience in the world increases. People see the sinister side of the world; therefore Blake would have seen ignorance as bliss. The next poems I will be analysing are The Chimney sweeper from Songs of innocence and The Chimney sweeper from Songs of Experience. The Songs of innocence version was written in 1789. Blake saw around him the child cruelty and shows this through his poem. â€Å"When my mother died I was very young,† from the first stanza immediately shows Blake's choice to make the poem in a child's perspective thus increasing the empathy, which he has tried to do repeatedly â€Å"in soot I sleep† to show the reader the bad life of poor children. Yet they continue to strive as best they can and treat each other well compared to the adults. â€Å"soot cannot spoil your white hair†, from the second stanza is about another child trying to comfort another child. In the penultimate line in the First stanza, â€Å"Could scarcely cry † ‘weep! ‘weep! ‘weep! † † is the child's attempt to say â€Å"sweep! , sweep! â€Å", which was the common street cry of chimney sweepers. It shows the child is very young and cannot even talk properly, adding to his innocence. Also this poem shows that the children have a very optimistic attitude on life, they try to make the greatest of what they have and do not fear death. This can be shown through a religious theme. When â€Å"the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy, He'd have God for his father & never want joy†. Here Blake is showing that the children will live happily for eternity if they followed God's rules. Blake therefore believes the innocence of the children is what keeps them believing they'll have a better life after this wretched one because their innocent minds were easy to manipulate with the guarantee of an afterlife. The Chimney Sweeper from Songs of experience was written in 1794. The Chimney sweeper show evidence of his former innocence and is the same chimney sweeper from songs of innocence but matured and grown to realise the real world around him. Now, the Chimney sweeper blames his parents for the life he was put in, the first stanza say's, â€Å"Where are thy father & mother†. He is miserable in his position â€Å"notes of woe† and also blames â€Å"God & his Priest & King†. Blake purposefully made this child's perspective different from the companion poem to show the chimney sweeper has been influenced by society and therefore has an experienced point of view. Through the child's experience, Blake has portrayed the child detesting religion. In the first stanza the child speaks out for his parents, but he knows â€Å"They are both gone up to the church to pray. The child is angry that the people who follow God are the same people who â€Å"taught me to sing the notes of woe. † The child is bitter towards his life and believes he has been done wrong by the adults and believes they find joy in their misery â€Å"Who make up a heaven of our misery†. Blake has done this because of the controversy around the role of the church and monarchy and is an indication of someone who is experienced to question the role of church and monarchy. The Comparisons between the two is that they both contain metaphors prophesizing a most likely death. The Songs of innocence also has dark colour imagery inside the metaphor, â€Å"Were all of them lock'd up in coffins of black. † The â€Å"black† being themselves covered in soot and â€Å"lock'd† inside the chimneys, as was a lot of boys misfortunes. The Songs of experience shows the child knowing what his parents have done to him and is aware of a possible death. â€Å"They clothed me in the clothes of death†. The metaphor also shows that he was â€Å"clothed† from the real world during his younger years of innocence, meaning he felt he was living a lie. Further colour imagery is used in the songs of innocence such as, â€Å"cannot spoil your white hair†, white symbolising something pure as well as in the fourth stanza when the children â€Å"naked and white†, go and â€Å"wash in a river, and shine in the sun†. Here Blake uses pastoral imagery to make the countryside seem like a heaven and uses more themes of religion linking â€Å"naked and white† to Adam and Eve, where they â€Å"wash in a river, and shine in the sun†, this being the Garden of Eden. Blake is using the innocence and naivety of Adam of Eve to link this with the Children. The colour imagery in the chimney sweeper from Songs of experience relates to darkness in a â€Å"black thing among the snow. † This meaning the soot covered child is an oddity among everyone else. Blake stresses that he is all alone among the world and tries to win the readers sympathy. Using the word â€Å"snow†, Blake has used the snows property of being cold to portray society's ill attitude to life. In general, Blake has tried to expose the churches twists of their religion to benefit themselves. Blake has used the chimney sweepers as evidence of this. They were taught that if they do their â€Å"duty they not fear harm. † And as the innocent children they believed blindly until gradual experience revealed that is was the church that â€Å"taught me to sing the notes of woe. † Most children were brought into chimney sweeping when they reached 5 and continued that life until their size grew too big to fit inside. Many died from becoming trapped, getting tuberculosis, asthma and testicular cancer. William Blake lived in London his whole life and wrote the poem London for Songs of experience. London was written in 1794, in the aftermath of the French Revolution. This was a time of great political conflict in Britain. It exposes the distance in classes between those in power and the poor. In the second stanza, â€Å"mind-forg'd manacles†, this metaphor contains a deeper meaning then at first glance. The â€Å"mind-forged† relates back to the tyger's meaning of being created as if it were a machine. â€Å"manacles† are chains to the arms, which is being used to say London was a like a prison. The powerful minority had imposed their laws and removed freedom of the majority. We see this as how the powerful people were granted charters to control the streets of London and the river. Blake is obviously displeased that the streets are â€Å"chartered† but more obviously for the â€Å"Chartered Thames†, which shouldn't be controlled by laws. This is evidence for his views on the removal of freedom. Blake writes the â€Å"weakness† and the â€Å"woe† has appeared â€Å"in every face† to show the misery to try and make the audience feel sympathy for the poor. The repetition of â€Å"marks† and â€Å"every† reveals the extreme anxiety which â€Å"marks† of misery show up in â€Å"every Man† and â€Å"every Infants† faces which inform us that the Londoners are weakened in mind, body and spirit by the imposing of laws and â€Å"chartered streets†. Blake has utilised this to increase the audience's sympathy. Another main point with deeper meaning is in the third stanza, where Blake utilises imagery of religion and destruction as a paradox. He is implying the fall of religion such as the religious imagery of the â€Å"black'ning church† which represents the loss of innocence and the society's desertion of faith. The â€Å"chimney-sweeper's cry† symbolises trying to clean the soot that covers society and clean what causes their misery. But the â€Å"black'ning church† can also be blackened metaphorically with the shame of not helping the poor with the use of their power. There is also a pun as â€Å"appals† means to become pale, as with fear, but the churches are becoming metaphorically black, with soot. Still in the third stanza, the â€Å"hapless soldiers sigh† is about the aftermath of the French revolution when soldiers were drafted into war, unwilling or willing. Blake uses the imagery of destruction â€Å"Runs in blood down palace walls† to explain why the society is forced to mend their â€Å"weakness† and â€Å"woe† so an uprising will not occur in London. The last stanza reveals Blake's feelings that the next generation will be affected by his generation, â€Å"youthful harlot's curse† symbolises the youth's bad deeds will cause the â€Å"newborn infant's tear† which means the new generation will have to deal with the previous generations problems. This shows how old generations make mistakes for the new such as the current generation creating global warming, which the next generation must deal with. The language in the final stanza such as â€Å"plagues† also symbolises the â€Å"curse†. The â€Å"marriage hearse† symbolises eternity with death, an oxymoron. This makes the effect of showing life is not without death, in every life there is a final misery, death. William Blake wrote Holy Thursday in songs of innocence in 1789. Holy Thursday describes the church's festival to commemorate the ascension of Jesus which takes place thirty-nine days after Easter. On the Thursday, children from the charity schools across London went on a march to attend a service at St Paul's Cathedral. Beadles were lower ranking church members who kept the order of the children as they arrived. The Songs of innocence version of Holy Thursday consists of three quatrains each with two rhyming couplets. The first stanza brings the life to the poem with use of colour imagery â€Å"red, blue and green† to emphasize the children's delight. Blake uses â€Å"innocent faces clean† to once again stress how simple and innocent children are. They are â€Å"clean† because they have not yet acquired experience, which Blake saw experience as something bad. The Beadles are â€Å"Grey headed†, revealing them as possibly old aged. Blake also describes them as â€Å"wise guardians† perhaps because of the knowledge they have acquired till their old age. This is peculiar because the main attitude of Blake was that experience was something bad. It may be that Blake writes this because he is pleased that the children are brought up with a good religious attitude by the church. In the last stanza the children sing above the â€Å"aged men†, more evidence of the beadle's old age and a way to show their experience. Blake may have done this because he believed the Beadles were not â€Å"wise† or bothered to be â€Å"guardians† of the children because they cared not for them, another link to show experience as something bad. In the last line of the last stanza, â€Å"Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door† is a reference to Hebrews 13:2, â€Å"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. † This is God telling people to be good to our fellow man as you don't know who they are. This portrays the children as angelic to the reader. Also the sentences of the poem lengthen across the page. This can represent the long marching line of the children towards the church. The Songs of experience version was written in 1794. It is about the same event from the Songs of innocence but the manner is more disheartening. The poem consists of four quatrains and Blake has removed the effect of lengthening the sentences. Pastoral imagery is evident that the children are in a â€Å"rich and fruitful land†. Blake has done this because of the beauty of the actual church itself but he then stresses they are still â€Å"reduced to misery†. This is a reflection to the sour attitude of life expressed in the poem London. Blake is furthermore disapproved of the powerful taking advantage of the poor. Blake furthermore criticises the integrity of the church by writing that the children are â€Å"Fed with cold and usurous hand. † This means that the church has no concern of the children as is only interested in continuing the ceremony so it will benefit the church as â€Å"usurous† meant to lend money for a profit. Blake has also written deeper parts including â€Å"And their ways are fill'd with thorns†, from the third stanza. Blake has used religious imagery to suggest the children's lives will be full of adversity just as Jesus did. The â€Å"thorns† give a reminder to Jesus being flogged along with the crown of thorns. This was the hardship Jesus endured but after being crucified he ascended straight to heaven. Blake is saying the children will endure hardship like this but when the die they will go straight to heaven. Comparisons between the two are that in the last line of the third stanza of the Songs of Experience version, â€Å"It is eternal winter there,† describes how the children see the ceremony from the experienced point of view. This is different from Holy Thursdays of the Songs of innocence. The last stanza of the Songs of Experience version links to the â€Å"winter† by saying that when the sun shines and the rain doesn't fall, there â€Å"can never hunger there† and â€Å"Nor poverty†. But in winter the sun does not shine and rain does fall, so therefore Blake is saying there is hunger and there is poverty. The Songs of innocence version portrays the children as â€Å"flowers of London town†, this gives a good mood of the imagery for the children. But The Songs of Experience version opposes this mood as â€Å"their fields are bleak & bare† which both quotes touch on pastoral imagery. The experience of the children has lead them to become miserable as the adults and are â€Å"bleak and bare† physically and mentally. In general, Holy Thursday is meant to be a joyous occasion as Blake writes about the children in Songs of innocence but the exploitation by the powerful minority has demoralised the poor majority and this foul mood on such an occasion is shown in Holy Thursday from Songs of Experience. William Blake died in 1827. Blake wrote Songs of Innocence and Experience to show the world the bad deeds that society had created, expanding on matters he felt important like religion and morality, child labour and cruelty. It is true that Songs of Innocence and Songs of experience are very complex and Blake has done a good job of helping the reader understand the complexity by using his powerful use of imagery and language and William Blake has definitely expressed his beliefs well though his poems.