Pascals Wager and Global Warming :: Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases

Since measurements began in 1958 -- and it can be assumed to have been the case since the industrial revolution -- emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere has risen steadily as a result of the burning of fossil fuels (Quay, pp 2344). Although there is much argument over the implications of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, there are several points that almost all scientists would agree on: firstly, carbon dioxide acts to absorb radiated heat; if present in our atmosphere will do just that to some extent. Second, the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is rising. Third, the temperature of the planet is rising - although the amount of this increase and the causes of this rise are subject to disagreement (Philander, pp 193). When I was at school in Vermont, one of my teachers explained to me Pascal's Wager. According to this teacher, the philosopher and mathematician Pascal had tried to establish the costs and benefits of believing in God. He saw it in this way: you can either believe in God or not. If you do believe in God, and there is in fact no God, then you will perhaps have spent some extra energy unnecessarily abstaining from certain pleasures and wasting your Sunday mornings in Church, but overall you did not give up too much. And, it could be argued, you may have actually treated your fellow men more kindly then you would have otherwise. If, however, there is a God, and you believed in him, then you get eternal salvation. On the other hand, you could choose not to believe in God. If there is no God, then you are fine. You can sin all you like, you can allow yourself transgressions and forbidden acts, and the only punishments you will face will be those of this life. If, however, you lived thusly and there is a God, then you face an eternity of torture and unbearable misery. So, Pascal reasoned, one would do best to believe in God and act accordingly. That way, if you're wrong, the worst thing that could happen is that you were more pious and caring then you may have otherwise been. If you do not believe in God and you turn out to be wrong, the risks become terrifying. My teacher suggested that I apply this same logic to global warming. It is a matter of playing the odds.

Finance and Short Term Debt

EncanaCost of Capital Before calculating the cost of capital I'll calculate cost of equity and cost of dept and capital structure for ENCANA: 1 Cost of Debt: ENCANA cost of debt included cost on short term debt , long term debt and publicity traded interest amount 1. 1 Short term Debt: Short term obligations (Ex. 1) = $ 1425 million Interest Rate (Ex. 1) = 3. 52% Total amount for short term debt interest = 1425 ? 3. 52% = 50. 16 million 1. 2 Long term Debt: Other long term liabilities (Ex. 1) = $1278 Interest rate (Prime rate charged) = 5. 25%Total amount for long term debt interest = 1278 ? 5. 25% = 67. 095 million 1. 3 Publicity traded: Publicity traded interest = total interest – (short term debt interest amount + long term debt interest amount) Publicity traded interest = 524 – ( 50. 16 + 67. 095) = 406. 75 million Interest rate on publicity traded = Publicity traded interest ? L. T debt on publicity traded Interest rate on publicity traded = 406. 75 ? 5351 = 7. 6% Cost on debt = Weight of long term debt ? Rate of interest on L. T debt + Weight of short term debt ? Rate of interest on S.T debt + Weight of publicity traded ? rate of interest on publicity traded = 1278/8054* ? 5. 25 + 1425/8054 ? 3. 52 + 5351/8054 ? 7. 60 = 0. 833 + 0. 622 + 5. 049 = 6. 5% *The amount $8054 is total amount of debt given in Exhibit 3 1. 4 Determining Tax rate: Tax rate for ENCANA can be determined as follow: Tax Rate= T= Net earnings before interest and tax ? tax expense T= 1260 ? 4089 = 30. 81% 1. 5 Cost of debt after tax: Cost of debt after tax = cost of debt before tax (1- Tax Rate) Cost of debt after tax = 6. 5% ( 1- 30. 81%) = 4. % ==; rate of debt (rd) 2 Cost of equity: There are following two ways to calculate ENCANA's cost of equity : 1. Using SML equation 2. Calculating cost of equity by dividend growth model 2. 1 Calculation of cost of equity for ENCANA by using SML equation: rs = r* + MRP (b) r* = 4. 20 % (Govt. long Term Treasury Bills) rm = 13. 9% (S &P arithmetic average return) MRP = rm – r = 13. 9-4. 20 = 9. 7 Beta = 1. 27 rs = 4. 20 + 9. 7 *1. 27 rs = 16. 519 % 2. 1 Calculation of cost of equity for ENCANA by using dividend growth model: rs = (D1/ Po – F) + gWhere: D1= next year dividend Po = current price of share in market F = Floatation Cost Growth from past data: Year | Dividend per share | Growth * | 2002 | 0. 2 | | 2003 | 0. 15 | -25% | 2004 | 0. 2 | 33. 3% | 2005 | 0. 28 | 40% | *Growth rate is calculated as: 0. 15/0. 2= 0. 75-1 = -0. 25? 100 =-25% 0. 2/0. 15= 1. 33-1= 0. 33 ? 100 = 33. 3% 0. 28/0. 2= 1. 4-1 =0. 4 ? 100 = 40% Average Growth= -25 + 33. 3 + 40 = 16. 1% rs = (Do (1+ g) / Po – F) + g rs = 0. 28 (1+0. 1611) / 56. 75 (1- 0. 05) + 0. 1611 rs = 0. 25108/53. 9125 +0. 1611 rs = 16. 713% Average rs = (16. 713+16. 519)/2 = 16. 616% WACC: The WACC equation  is the cost of each capital component  multiplied by its proportional weight and then summing:   WACC = rD  (1-  Tc  )*(  Dà ‚  /  V  )+  rE  *(  E  /  V  ) Where, Re = cost of equity Rd = cost of debt E = market value of the firm's equity D =  market value of the firm's debt V = Total Capital = E + D E/V = we = percentage of financing by equity D/V = wd= percentage of financing by debt T =  corporate tax rate By putting Values:Total Equity= E = no of shares * price of shares = 854. 9 * 56. 75 = $48515. 575 million Total Capital = Equity + Debt = 48515. 575+ 8054 = $56596. 575 Million WACC = wd * rd + we * re = 8054/56596. 575 * 4. 5 + 48515. 575/56596. 575 * 16. 616 = 0. 6404 + 14. 2436 = 14. 884% ENCANA should accept this project which will give a return of more than 14. 884%, because ENCANA has to pay their investors a return of 14. 884 and this will also generate profit which can be utilized as retained earnings and increase growth of its dividend.

Importance of Symbolism in What We Talk About When We...

Symbols are an essential part of daily life, since they help to express ideas without the need of a detailed explanation; traffic signs informing drivers without short paragraphs being posted in their place, facial gestures expressing feelings without having to describe them verbally, just to name a common couple. Likewise, symbols are a crucial part of a literary work, helping the author subtly incorporate concepts throughout the work. An author will deliberately incorporate a symbol into his or her literary work, which alone would mean nothing, but in context carries out a point the author is trying to make. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is a short story about four friends trying to find the true meaning of love, trying†¦show more content†¦Just like an alcoholic has a hard time admitting alcoholism, it is hard for a person in love to accept and fight against a spouse abusing him or her. For example, in What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, Terri shares her experience in her previous marriage, He beat me up one night. He dragged me around the living room by my ankles. He kept saying, ‘I love you, I love youÂ…, (Carver 763) where she explains how her husband would beat her and abuse her physically, but she still considered it being love. Carver also emphasizes the contradictions within the characters themselves in the story, which illustrates the uncertainty of love, and how there is not a clearly defined approach to understanding it. Returning to the topic of Terris previous marriage, Mel, her current husband, complains about his failure to understand how she could refer to that abusive relationship as love. However, later on when she corrects him while he is talking, he turns to her and asks her to shut up (Carver 767). Another important contradiction which takes place throughout the entire story, is how the four friends are discussing a subject which they all have had bad experiences with, since they have all been divorc ed and remarried. The contradictions throughout Carvers story symbolize how love can also contradict itself, and trying to understand love is impossible since so many particular cases can negate specific examples of love. Moreover,Show MoreRelatedEssay on Araby and Cask of Amontillado: a Comparison1002 Words   |  5 Pagesof another person. I will be talking about and comparing the different elements of each story and their relevance. Both stories take place in different countries. In â€Å"Araby† the story is about a boy from Ireland. The country itself doesn’t have too much importance. The story would be almost the same if the boy was from America. When the main character visits the bazaar is when the setting matters. In this case the setting in not the physical place, but what it represents. The items for sale areRead MoreUnderlying Meanings in Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway1296 Words   |  6 PagesElephants, is a story about a doomed relationship. Hemingway uses symbolism, dialogue, and also setting to tell this story. Behind the words said by the characters, and sights explained to the readers, are hidden meanings that when analyzed, bring the story to another level. Alcohol holds a certain amount of symbolism in the story. The two main characters, Jig, and a man we only come to know as The American are sitting in a bar. The pair order drinks, and they also talk about them. Though theRead MoreCompare And Contrast Thoreau And Walden1424 Words   |  6 PagesOliver are both very passionate about nature and what it has to offer in life, as well as the symbolism behind nature and its creatures in their works of literature, in â€Å"Walden†, and â€Å"The House of Light†, Both authors discuss their views of nature and the beauty of the world that they want to make familiar to their audience. In this essay, I’ll provide my reasoning behind this statement. In â€Å"Walden†, Thoreau talks about his experience living at Walden pond for what he said was two years, two monthsRead MoreSymbolism In Fences By August Wilson1460 Words   |  6 PagesKeep Love in or Lock it Out?: An Analysis of Symbolism in Fences Symbolism is defined as an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. In Fences by August Wilson, symbolism is used heavily throughout the play in order to represent deeper meanings and add to the emotion of the storyline. In order for the play to have so much depth and emotion, symbolism is crucial to the work itself and the heavy topicsRead MoreComparison Of Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone1075 Words   |  5 Pagesof Hogwarts. With his father’s legacy to fulfill, Albus sets on mission to save Cedric Diggory, in doing so Albus puts all of Harry’s work to defeat Voldemort in jeopardy. Throughout the series J.K. Rowling uses techniques such as: Craft Moves, Symbolism, and Main Idea/Themes. This essay will compare the beginning story and the final story of the Harry Potter Series(Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), by their u sage of the previous techniques. In HarryRead MoreEssay On The Relevance Of The Us Constitution832 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscusses the importance of the constitution and how the government has to withhold certain rules, freedoms, and rights of the people in today’s society. o I love this video because the reporters are young students and former President Obama delivers information in a professional and relatable manner. This video helps students make meaningful connections to what they learned in the text to their own lives. After students watch this video, they could act as news reporters and write an article about the dialogueRead MoreNavajo Creation Story Analysis1136 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Navajo Creation Story† There is an enormous amount of symbolism in the Navajo Creation Story. One important symbol is the number 4. The table below lists several aspects of the story that are related to the number 4. Four Mountains Snow capped Four Clans Honaghaahnii, Bit’ahnii, Hashtl’ishnii, Todich’ii’nii Fours Colors White, blue, yellow, black Four Holy People White Body – Talking God Blue Body – Water Sprinkler Yellow Body – Calling God Black Body – Fire God Four calls Voice called 4 times beforeRead MoreModernization of Romance Elements Essay1278 Words   |  6 Pageselements of romance, such as the religious quest, love and adventure and courtly and chivalric life. By modernizing romance, Gaiman suggests that love and loyalty are important values even in today’s society, that courtly and chivalric life are still alive in one way and that, unfortunately, religious quest is not as much valued as it used to be. Gaiman does this by using literary elements such as symbolism, allusion, characterization and irony. 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A Farewell to Arms Questions - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1570 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/08/15 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: A Farewell to Arms Essay Did you like this example? A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway is a love and war novel about the love between lieutenant Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. Love plays a critical role in this novel. When Frederic and Catherine first encounter each other, they immediately become invested in eachothers lives. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Farewell to Arms Questions" essay for you Create order However, Catherine is skeptical about an incoming relationship because prior to Henry she was engaged to a soldier who tragically passed away at war. This event changed her perspective on love. She did not want to marry Henry because of what happened to her fianc? ©, however, she did love Henry deeply and tried to do everything in her power to please him. Frederic slowly begins to fall in love with the English nurse. For example on page 41 the reader is able to acknowledge that he feels lonely without Catherine. Frederic said, I went out the door and suddenly I felt lonely and empty. I had treated seeing Catherine very lightly. I had gotten somewhat drunk and had nearly forgotten to come but when I could not see her there I was feeling lonely and hollow. The couple become infatuated with each other and fell completely in love. Frederic did not plan on finding love at first, he did not like commitment and was more a player and a drinker. He was very surprised when he fell deeply in love with Catherine. On page 93 he states, God knows I didnt mean to fall in love with her. The love that Frederic had for Catherine came with a lifestyle change and brought order to his life. Love made the couple do courageous things for one another. Such as long distance while Frederic is away at war. Also Catherine was deeply brave when it came to being apart for many years and knowing that her loved one could be in danger. However, their love for eachother grew stronger and stronger. The love that the two shared for one another changed their perceptions of war in a drastic way. For example, the couple ran away together to get away from the fighting war. Frederic only cared about Catherine and their baby that was on the way. Frederic never liked the idea of war or fighting in it, however, after meeting and falling in love with Catherine, he disliked the idea of war even more. On page 49 Henry states, I believe we should get the war over. it would not finish if one side stopped fighting. It would only be worse if we stopped fighting. The couple just wanted to get away fro m war. The war shaped the couples love story. If it was not for the war, Frederic and Catherine would not have met and fell in love. Because of the war, their love story had many ups and downs and was very chaotic and challenging. The couple went through long distance, went without seeing each other for years, and went through danger together. The war taught the couple to love one another through any challenge that came their way like rowing away in a boat while pregnant and being away from each other for years. The war shaped their love story as the amazing, challenging, and loving love story that it was. 2. F. Scott Fitzgerald was and still is a very popular American fiction writer. However, he believed that Catherines character was a weak link in this novel. Critics think that Catherine is not fully believable for the reader. Fitzgerald said, Catherine was the weak link in A Farewell to Arms and I think Im inclined to agree. She seems to be slightly unnatural, maybe a bit one dimensional. What is she really like? I have no idea. Fitzgerald thought that the readers couldnt understand who she really was because she was too willing to please Henry. For example, Catherine did not have any religion and she told Henry, Youre my religion. She wants Henry to know that he is all she believes and cares for. Catherine was always trying to please Henry and to not make him have any troubles or go through much work. For example, when she was pregnant as told Henry, Ill try and not make any trouble for you. I know Ive made trouble now. But havent I always been a good girl until now? She did not want the pregnancy to trouble and worry Henry. This quote shows how much Catherine wanted to please Henry. Hemingway portrays Catherine as a caring English nurse who has gone through a tragedy a while back. She is also portrayed as a very brave woman. Catherine traveled to many different countries to cure patients. She works tirelessly, especially during her pregnancy taking care of injured or ill soldiers. She also was able to row a boat while being pregnant and without complaining. For example, she offered to row the boat and said, Nonsense. Rowing in moderation is very good for the pregnant lady. She was a very brave and strong person. She was formally engaged to a soldier who tragically passed away at war. This dismal event changed Catherine into a mature, independent women who knew how to handle disappointing and sad changes in life and who was able to unknowingly change Henrys player ways. Catherines past experiences with engagement made her decide that she did not want to get married to Henry. She thinks that being married to Henry would keep them from being together during the war. According to Catherine they did not need to get married because Were really married. I couldnt be any more married. Catherine felt that they were already married and they did not have the need to do the real thing. Also her last experience of her fianc? © is what is keeping her from marrying Henry. I do not agree with Fitzgeralds opinion of Catherines character being a weak link in this novel. I disagree because Catherine is just trying to please and take care of Henry because of all the love she has for him and because she does not want to lose another loved one like what had happened to her fiance. She is a very brave and strong character in this novel. She can handle disappointment and is very independent when she needs to be. 3. In this novel, A Farewell to Arms, foreshadowing plays a very crucial role. It especially plays an important role in the outcome of Henry and Catherines life. Foreshadowing is a writing technique used to help the reader anticipate the outcome of an situation. Hemingway uses setting and foreshadowing techniques to make the readers feel the suspense about what is about to occur. In this novel foreshadowing can be interpreted in many different ways and there are many examples of it in this novel. In this novel, Hemingway subtly signaled the reader, using foreshadowing, that Catherine was going to die during childbirth. This changes the readers perspective and approach when they reach the ending of the novel. On approaching the final chapters, the readers can interpret that something bad is going to happen to Catherine. There are many examples of foreshadowing throughout this novel. These examples help the readers infer what will happen in the upcoming chapters. Throughout the novel Catherine kept on insisting thats she is afraid of the rain. She tried to deny it, however, she knew she was terrified of it and she could not deny it. In chapter 19 she states, Its all nonsense. Its only nonsense. Im not afraid of the rain. I am not afraid of the rain. Oh, oh, god, I wish I wasnt. While reading this quote, the reader can feel how scared Catherine is of the rain. She believe that should would see herself dead in it. For example, on page 129 she told Henry, Im afraid of the rain because sometimes I see myself dead in it. This quote foreshadows the upcoming event of her death. After Catherine and her child die, Henry walks out of the hospital and walks home in the rain. In the last chapter of this novel it is stated that It was like saying goodbye to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain. Catherines thought of seeing herself dead in the rain mostly came true because she died while it was raining. Catherine also stated that she has lost many loved ones prior to meeting Henry. This fact from Catherines life made the reader predict something bad was going to occur to the couple. Another form of foreshadowing is Catherine always telling Henry and saying that terrible things were going to happen to them. The feeling of melancholy is permeated, or spread out, throughout the novel. This feeling affects the readers perception of the story, the characters, and the outcome. This feeling of complete sadness that roams through the novel when u read makes the reader infer that an unhappy and sorrowful even will be coming up. It changes their views on the story, characters, and outcome because it gets the readers prepared for a sad ending. If this novel did not have the melancholy feeling that Hemingway portrays, then the readers would not be prepared for a sad or disappointing outcome. Hemingway provides the readers with hints of the finals chapters by foreshadowing and using the feeling of melancholy to make the tragic event of Catherine dying in childbirth predicta ble.

Public Company Accounting Oversight Board - 1217 Words

This report provides information about the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for Dr. Mack. The information includes the history and creation of the PCAOB, its structure, and its duties in today’s accounting world. The PCAOB is a nonprofit corporation created by congress. It was established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and was a response to the accounting scandals in the early 2000s. The SEC is authorized by congress to oversee the PCAOB’s operation. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission appoints and removes members, approves the PCAOB s budget and rules, and entertains appeals of PCAOB inspection reports and disciplinary actions. The creation of the PCAOB was necessary and will help prevent another accounting scandal which cost investors billions of dollars and a lot of confidence in U.S. businesses. The PCAOB â€Å"oversee the audits of public companies in order to protect investors and the public interest by promoting informative, accurate, and independent audit reports. The PCAOB also oversees the audits of brokers and dealers, including compliance reports filed pursuant to federal securities laws, to promote investor protection†. (pcaobus.org) Additional costs are associated with the creation and operation of the PCAOB. Additionally, public companies and auditors must adjust and learn new regulations and guidelines set by the PCAOB. However, these cannot be labelled disadvantages, as they serve in order to protect the shareholders from fraud. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board1193 Words   |  5 PagesThe Sarbanes-Oxley Act created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to assume the responsibility of overseeing the auditors of public companies. The PCAOB is a private-sector, non-profit corporation. It was established to protect the interests of investors and further the public interests in the preparation of informative, fair, and independent audit reports. (The PCAOB) Although the PCAOB is a private sector organization, it has many government-like regulatory functions. The PCAOBRead MoreThe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board774 Words   |  4 Pages Congress created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) or known as the Board, a nonprofit corporation in 2002 after Sarbanes- Oxley Act. The PCAOB purpose is to keep watch over audits of public companies in order to protect investors. Their responsibilities are broken into three main parts besides register ing public accounting firms, the first one which is setting auditing standards by establishing what they need to do for audits, establishing quality controls, ethics, and independenceRead MoreThe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board958 Words   |  4 Pagesestablished the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to regulate the audit industry to oversee accounting professionals who provided independent audit reports for publicly traded companies (SEC). Key responsibilities include: registering public accounting firms and establishing audit, quality control, ethics, independence, and other standards relating to public company audits (SEC). Conducting inspections, investigations, and disciplinary proceedings of registered accounting firms, as wellRead MorePublic Company Accounting Oversight Board1711 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), a nonprofit corporation that established by Congress and created by Sarbanes- Oxley Act, aims to supervise the audit of the public registered companies to make sure their reports conform the requirements of fairness and independence, in order to protect the interest of information users and investors (â€Å"PCAOB†, 2015). Actually, there are three major duties that PCAOB serves: setting auditing standards, inspecting registered public accountingRead MorePublic Company Accounting Oversight Board; Will It Protect Investors?1157 Words   |  5 PagesPublic Company Accounting Oversight Board; Will it Protect Investors? The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) was created by Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. This board was created to oversee the audit of public companies, subject to the securities laws, in order to protect the interests of investors (15 USC 7201, 2002). It was created in wake of the recent financial scandals of Enron, WorldCom, and Global Crossing to name a few. This Act established by Congress is to create an oversightRead More Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) - Will it Protect Investors?1109 Words   |  5 PagesPublic Company Accounting Oversight Board; Will it Protect Investors?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) was created by Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. This board was created to oversee the audit of public companies, subject to the securities laws, in order to protect the interests of investors (15 USC 7201, 2002). It was created in wake of the recent financial scandals of Enron, WorldCom, and Global Crossing to name a few. This â€Å"Act† established by Congress is to create anRead MoreFree Enterprise Fund Vs. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board700 Words   |  3 PagesIn the case of â€Å"Free Enterprise Fund v. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board† They were trying to determine what powers can reside over Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or also known as the PCAOB. They was disputing the fact that the President as no control over the board member since they are not appointed government officials and are not limited by government limitations. They are in fact in control over by the SEC, which stands for the securities and exchange commissions. In thisRead MoreThe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board2270 Words   |  10 PagesAbstract: On October 11, 2011, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) proposed a new rule. The rule is meant to name the engagement partner and other key participants who play a role in preparing audit reports. PCAOB believes that new rule would help to get more information and would be useful to investors, creditors and other financial statements users. After six years of debate over the intended and unintended consequences the PCAOB concluded and issued the rule on December 15Read MoreExtra Credit639 Words   |  3 Pagescreation of the SEC? Why was the SEC created? The SEC was created due to the stock market crash of 1929 which led to the great depression. The SEC was created to protect investors in security exchanges such as the stock market. It is responsible for oversight of both private investment and corporate investment dealings. b. What are the five divisions of the SEC? Briefly describe the purpose of each. 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Music of the World. free essay sample

Disco was one of the many musical genres developed in the sass. It mixes soaring vocals with a beat that encourages dancing, disco became the dance music of the decade. The music often had DID to 130 beats per minute and a pulse of the rhythm was often emphasized. 4. What was the British invasion? Which famous group was a part Of this movement? What impact did the group have on pop music? The British invasion was the connection of the British music culture and the American music culture. The Beetles was a famous group who was part of the movement. Their music had catchy lyrics and melodies which would be the centerpiece of pop music for the next several decades. 5. What is a boy band? What are some characteristics of a boy band? A boy band is a band that consists of between three and six young adult boys who used no instruments and just sang. We will write a custom essay sample on Music of the World. or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Their image was one of the most important elements of the group, maybe even more then the music itself. All aspects of the music were carefully controlled from their dress to even the stereotypes that the group members fit into such as bad boy and the baby.

Textual Analysis of Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Cover Essay Example

Textual Analysis of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Cover Essay Communication is imperative to the life of our culture. Fiske (1990:2) describes communication as â€Å"the production and exchange of meanings. It is concerned with how messages, or texts, interact with people in order to produce meanings†. All humans instinctively look for meaning amongst countless forms of texts all the time, whether it be in television commercials, friends fashion sense or architectural structures. However, I will be providing an analysis of the signs within the text Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith in the form of a DVD cover. A textual analysis makes an educated guess at some of the most likely interpretations that might be made from a particular text (McKee, 2003:1). I will deconstruct elements of the title, characters and conventional DVD symbols to effectively establish the most obvious meaning behind each of these signs. At its most basic level, a sign is the combination of the physical form that the it takes, (the signifier), and the concept that it represents (the signified) (Saussure in Schirato, 1996:24). The elements within the title Star Wars contain various signs which work effectively to produce and communicate its intended meaning. The first word in the title Star acts as a conventional sign, as the word is known by different sounds and spelling in other languages. (Harrington:2013b). However in English-speaking countries, the word alludes to the setting of outer-space. Space is often the prominent location of many science-fiction texts, whether it be in books such as Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, or movies such as Alien by Ridley Scott. The other signifier Wars is a universal connotation of an ongoing battle occurring between opposing parties, usually a good or bad force. We will write a custom essay sample on Textual Analysis of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Cover specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Textual Analysis of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Cover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Textual Analysis of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Cover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Harrington (2013b) clarifies that a text belongs to a genre when it shares key elements such as style, form and conventions with other texts. The subject of good and evil is a recurring theme throughout the sci-fi genre and can be proven by the Digital Film Archive (n. d. :5) when they explain that science fiction â€Å"encapsulates the universal central narrative of good versus evil†. IMDB (Most Popular â€Å"Good Versus Evil† Sci Fi Titles, n. d. ) gives an extensive list of sci-fi movies that follow this central narrative. Consequently, the combination of Star and Wars written in a gold font, signifies to the viewer that this film is a battle of good verse evil occurring within a galactic realm. The audience is able to draw on existing intertextual knowledge of other science -fiction movies are therefore able to familiarise themselves with the piece. The understanding of characters within a text are an important component in structuring the works intended meaning. The characters displayed on the front of Star Wars III assist the audience in creating a likely interpretation of the texts intended meaning. The visual design shows an ascending formation of four serious-faced characters, shadowed by a menacing figure in the background. Three of the characters in the foreground of the image are facing left and appear to be human, while the other extra-terrestrial being has its back turned to them in the other direction. This deliberate positioning represents a sense of conflict (Harrington, 2013b) or a clash of morale, thus working in relation with the title of the film and its signification of good versus evil. Most viewers would determine that the evil is represented in the form of the alien. Although there is an arbitrary connection between aliens and wickedness, it can be noted that Western Society has long held the notion that the unknown is something to be feared, as proven by alien commentators (Bowman, 2007). Similarly, the relationship between the human characters and the dark figure in the background could easily be interpreted as a representation of good and evil, stemming from cultural symbolism. The three humans are presented under a luminous, white light, which can be interpreted as them being upright and pure, while the dark figure behind them is deliberately masked in black, signifying evilness or death. These connotative meanings, that being the secondary meanings that are evoked (Gripsrud, 2006:16) are prevalent in Western Society where white symbolises purity, and black symbolises evil, again reinforcing the good and evil theme within sci-fi. However, it should be addressed that such symbolism in the text may not be recognised in other cultures. There are several conventional signs established on the Star Wars III cover that effectively communicate the text as a movie. The first and most obvious sign is the â€Å"DVD video† logo appearing on the bottom-right side of the image. This small symbol works circumtextually to indicate that this is a digital video disc and not a CD. Circumtextual framing relates to the material immediately surrounding the text (Harrington 2013a). Another sign that reveals the covers DVD format is the horizontal banner running across the top of the page reading â€Å"THX: Digitally mastered for superior sound and picture quality† (Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith n. . ). Not only does this boast the films enhanced feautures, but it also tells the audience that this text has audio and visual qualities, which are the primary elements to a motion picture. The â€Å"THX† symbol indicates to viewers that have extratextual knowledge, or dependent knowledge unspecified by the text (Ma cLachlan, Gale, Reid, 1994:3), that this brand as an audio-visual enhancement seen in various other motion pictures . From a wider cultural context, both the â€Å"DVD† and â€Å"THX† symbol may not carry such meaning within countries that have limited access to technology. The â€Å"M† symbol on the bottom-left corner of the movie poster gives insight into the texts format and genre. Most viewers in Australia would immediately recognise this conventional sign as a national classification seen on plenty of other DVDs and hence see this text as another movie. They would also be aware that the â€Å"M† signifies that the movie is a for a more mature audience, typically over the age of fifteen based on extratextual knowledge of the classification system. The words â€Å"Moderate science fiction violence† (Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith n. d. ) next to the symbol, gives circumtextual framing to the genre of the movie. After reading this, the viewer would easily relate the scientific nature of the violence to be a reflection of the science-fiction style seen throughout the work. Therefore, the Star Wars III movie cover effectively uses the visual elements of the title, characters and conventional DVD symbols to communicate its intended meaning with the audience.