Romeo And Juliet 11 - :: essays research papers

Why Romeo and Juliet was so popular in Shakespeare’s time and why even today it is still so popular? William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England to Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. He was the third of eight children. He went to a local grammar school, where his studies included Latin and Greek (Debnam). At the age of eighteen he married Anne Hathaway who was eight years older than he. Their marriage was hurried because Anne was already pregnant (The Tragedies, 16). Shakespeare was the father of three children, two daughters and one son, Hamnet. At this time, Shakespeare was twenty-one, and the way he supported his family is unknown. In August of 1596, Hamnet died at the age of eleven (Shakespeare’s History). Stories say that Shakespeare began his career by holding horses outside the theaters. More reliable information indicates that he acted in plays, many of his own. From acting Shakespeare progressed to writing plays both for the theater and for court performances (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare didn’t attend college, so in order to broaden his education, he studied the ways of a gentleman and read widely. He looked to Cambridge-educated playwright Christopher Marlowe, as a mentor. Marlowe was the same age as Shakespeare, but who preceded him in skillfully combining drama with poetry. In many plays throughout his career, Shakespeare paid tribute to Marlowe, though ultimately he eclipsed Marlowe as a dramatist (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare is the greatest playwright the world has ever known. The thirty-seven plays he wrote more than 400 years ago are the most popular on Earth. They are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He also wrote sonnets, a kind of poem. Writing sonnets was thought to be much more important than writing plays in Shakespeare’s day (Debnam). By the time Shakespeare turned thirty years old, he was an established actor and playwright in London. At the age of thirty-three, he had not only written the early poems and the early plays, but in the last three or four years half-a-dozen masterpieces: "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," "Romeo and Juliet," Richard II.," "King John," "The Merchant of Venice," "The Two Parts of Henry IV" (Shakespeare The Man, 382). When he was thirty-five, Shakespeare was a member of the syndicate responsible for building the first Globe theater, in Southwark, in 1599 (General Into). From then on, Shakespeare was completely involved in the theater: He wrote for the company, acted in the plays, shared in the profits, and eventually became one of the owners of the Globe theater (The Tragedies, 19).

Sociological Imagination vs. Common Sense Essay -- Sociology

Sociological Imagination vs. Common Sense This essay will aim to explain differences between the sociological imagination and common sense. What the sociological imagination and common sense are and how they are at work in our society today. Using the area of educational achievement I will bring into this essay examples through research and findings from sociologists such as; Pierre Bourdieu, Culture Capital (1977), Bernstein-(1961)speech patterns’ and Paul Willis (1977)learning to labour, and use these examples as evidence to show how these would explain educational achievement in relation to the sociological imagination and common sense assumptions. I shall begin this essay by discussing where the sociological imagination arose from and what this is in comparison to common sense. American sociologist C.Wright Mills (1959) published a sociological text called ‘The sociological Imagination (1959), C.Wright Mills wrote in his book about ‘the troubles of milieu’ the word milieu means (environment) this was looked at as being where an individual will find themselves in a situation that is of a personal social setting to them and therefore could indeed affect them personally and in some extent the situation be this persons making. Mills(1959), also wrote about public issues of social structure, referring to matters that go beyond the individual and look at society as a whole. How society is organised and how society works. This goes far beyond ‘the troubles of milieu, as it doesn’t look at the person and there individual experiences in society but looks at the wider social structure e.g social institutions†¦ education, religion, family, law and how they have developed and interact with each other examples of the differenc... ...ion, Sociology making sense of society, 4th ed, Harlow, Pearson Longman, pp. 604-605. Mills C.Wright (1959) The Sociological imagination , Harmondsworth, England, Oxford University Press. Office of National Statistics (2004), Education, Ethnicity and Identity, Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=461 [accessed 28 September 2010], Cite as (office of National Statistics 28 September 2010) Pierre B (1961) Culture Capital Cited, Taylor P ; Richardson Jr John; Yeo, A, (1995), The class structure and educational attainment, Sociology in Focus, pp.297, Ormskirk, Causeway Press. Scanlan J Stephen; Guest-editor; Grauerjolz Liz (2009) 50 Years of C.Wright Mills and the Sociological Imagination, Teaching Sociology 37, (1), pp1-7 Willis Paul (1977) Learning to labour, Westmead, hants, England, Saxon House, Teakfield Limited.

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Essay

A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings is a story that not only brings imaginary characters into play but also it combines imagination with events that we live everyday. For me, the background of the story is not unfamiliar at all, since the author Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born and raised in Colombia and I found most of the details of the story related to me when I used to live in South America. The magic realism used in this story illustrates many aspects of our society today. The reaction of the people in the town towards the appearance of an unknown creature with a bald skull, just a few teeth in his mouth and enormous and dirty wings resembling a rare angel, makes me think about how people are very intolerant to differences of other individuals. I concluded this when I read the part ...

Good to be King

A question to consider; when is it to be a King and it is not good? Answer; when the people hose the individual, but God has chosen someone else. Consider the time of Samuel when Israel desired a King. The Judges of Israel where no longer effective and â€Å"†¦ Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. † (Judges 21 :ebb ESP.) â€Å"Then all the elders gathered together and came to Samuel at Raman and said to him†¦ Appoint for us a king to judge us like the other nations. † (1 Samuel 8:4-5) God comforted Samuel by assuring him that it was not him, but God that they where rejecting.God therefore allowed Samuel to anoint the people's choice in ‘Saul' of the tribe of Benjamin. The people liked Saul, for he as tall and handsome. Basically, he looked good on the outside. I'm not sure, but I think the phrase â€Å"Don't judge a book by the cover' may have applied to this situation. In Sail's battle with the Philistines, chapter 13 of 1 Samuel, Sail's army w as heavily outnumbered and in retreat. While growing impatient waiting for God's prophet Samuel, Saul decided himself to offer a burnt offering.This event was the final prideful character flaw of Saul, and Samuel pronounced, although the Lord would have established Sail's kingdom over Israel, but instead his kingdom shall not continue. God said to Samuel â€Å"†¦ L regret that have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not performed My commandments† (1 Sam. 15:1 la) Thus, the search for the next King the individual for someone with God's own heart had begun. The Lord leads Samuel to Bethlehem and to the house of Jesse, son of Bed, grandson to Boas.Jesse brings forth his oldest son Elba, who most likely was tall and good looking like Saul. Samuel likes Elba, but is corrected by God, who says â€Å"†¦ The Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart† (1 Sam. 1 6: 7) Jesse mutinous to bring forth all of his sons, until the youngest, who needs to be retrieved from the sheep fields, and only then is Samuel convinced that he has found God's chosen one. David the shepherd boy is brought forward, anointed with oil, filled with the Holy Spirit and proclaimed, that he is Israel's next true King.Davit's first public appearance and confirmation of his ordination is found in the Valley of Ella with the Philistines' champion named Goliath. To this very day, all things very large are labeled â€Å"Goliath†. After 40 days of what we call ‘trash talking against Saul, his army and the very God hey serve, David steps up and accepts Goliath challenge. After shedding any form Of current modern battle fatigues, David with his staff and five smooth stones from the brook, one stone for Goliath and four for anyone else who dared to came after.This amazing show of courage, by the way, is the kind of King Israel needs and fits the covenant God had stated before. After seein g what was sent forth, Goliath laughs again, yet David proceeds to verbally rebuke Goliath and proclaims the truth about the God of Israel being real and powerful. The Bible says that David used one stone and it â€Å"sank into his forehead† (1 Samuel 17:ebb). I personally witnessed a baseball player get hit in the head during a high school baseball game, granted it was only 70 MPH, and the individual was using a regulated helmet, but I believe they suffered a concussion none the less.Goliath was killed with this smooth stone that penetrated through his military issued helmet. I also personally believe that if David shot the stone in the other direction, it still would have hit its target because it was Holy Spirit filled and on mission from God to show the world, especially those in Israel, whom God has anointed to be King and that no one gets away with fighting against Israel. Davit's obedience to God's commandments along with his devotion and heart for God not only establi shed a great monarchy for Israel but an example for all other nations as well.And even though Davit's sin with Batches and very poor parental skills (I. E. , with Abyssal) are recorded for our learning, the New Testament scripture mentions David in the Hall of Faith as a positive role model â€Å"†¦ Through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises†¦ Made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. † (Hebrews 1 1:33-34) The next king following Davit's death as his son Solomon who was granted an understanding mind to govern the people.

Apple Tows Matrix Essay

Pestel Analysis Political Factors : * War, terrorism, geopolitical uncertainties; issues beyond company’s ability to control. * 52% of the company’s net sales in 2007 coming from countries outside America. * Manufacturing or logistics might be interrupted by political events in the manufacturing countries. Economic Factors : * Overall global economy outlook is not good. * Inflation reduced consumer’s expenditure on luxuries. * Economic crisis influencing Apple’s retail’s business. Social Factors : * A variety of regulations & law for health and Safety may adversely affect company’s financial condition. * It is reported that the improper use of iPod may lead to hearing loss for users. * Technological Factors : * Fast technological changes. * Frequent introduction of new products and the continual improvement in product performance. Legal Factors: * Employments laws nationally and internationally * Tax laws in the U.S. and other countries * Foreign trade laws * Environmental Factors * Apple products are made from a high grade titanium which is to reduce pollution during the making and be recyclable as well * Products are also energy star qualified so they do not burn as much energy as traditional laptops do Porter Five Forces Threat of New Entrants-Low * As the Apple leads the market with the different products like Pc, iPhone, iPad and iPod which are full of the features. * As the Apple’s customer are loyal and they are ready to pay even the premium price to the company. * Apple has no debts. New entrants will not affect them initially. * The leaders of the market already capture the major distributors like * AT&T and Verizon in U.S which gain the 60% of the  market. Same thing with Hp, Toshiba, etc. Threat of Suppliers: Moderate * The supplier of the products like, memory, chips, disks and drive are not the same. * The products that are provided by the companies are standardized and had no substitute. * The companies are going to use the standardize products to reduce the cost hence the suppliers products essential for the industry. * As they are many suppliers in number, so the switching cost is low. * The products that are provided by the companies are standardized and had no substitute. * The industry is the growing industry and for the suppliers it is very profitable. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Moderate * The buyers are few and the customers are now moving towards the big stores like superstores, electronic retailers and web based retailers. * The buyers are seemed more concern about the product features and availability. * The products like PC’s and the mobiles phones are very individual and the brand is definitely critical for the success. * As there are many suppliers of the products like the * Apple, HP, Dell etc in the market and they all struggle for the distribution. The switching cost for buyers is low. Competitive Rivalry: High * The industry is fastest growing industry as the product lifecycle is not long. * The business has a high cost as in the case the all the players fight for the market share by cutting their cost. * The products are highly differentiated, because all are branded. * * The brand is definitely is critical for the success that is why the * Apple has a larger profit margins. * The competitors in the industry are using the different strategies. * The companies in the industry are in the market with the different strategies Threat of Substitutes: Low * There are many substitute of the technologies * Switching brands sometimes is costly but sometimes is easy. It may depends on the how much the product is standardized with the demanded features.

Creative and innovative management in General Electric cooperation

Introduction â€Å"Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things† (Pascale, 1990)John Kotter (1996) defined management as number of procedures which can keep the complex interaction between individuals and technology moving efficiently. He identified several phases of this complex interaction, but the most important pieces are considered to be the â€Å"planning, budgeting, organising, staffing, controlling, and problem solving†. Similarly, leadership has been defined as â€Å"a set of processes that creates organisations in the first place or adapts them to significantly changing circumstances†. Good leadership can help draw a picture for the future, support people with that vision, and motivate them to pass all the obstacles to achieve the targets. Basically, effective management and leadership can lead an organisation to successfully achieve its targets. Leaders are people ‘who inspire with clear vision of how things can be done better’ (Slater, 2001). As personality traits, leadership and management possess many similarities. Both need a certain level of influence, the ability to work as a team with a variety of people, as well as the skill to set goals and manage them realistically. Nevertheless, these two traits might be considered very different in when looking at different fields of expertise. Though leadership and management have been around for centuries, the actual classification and concept of both leadership and management have only been developed in the last 100 years. The key functions of managers have been classified by the theorist Henri Fayol (1949) as: â€Å"Planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling†. Good leadership motivates individuals to perform allocated chores willingly, competently and successfully. Leadership can improve people’s performance at work, thus encouraging them to work harder and achieve high quality results. This increases not onl y job gratification at personal level, but also productivity at company level. Managers can create a positive and encouraging work atmosphere by making the employees understand their responsibility for the work, as well as their role in planning and control. As such, managers can create a positive outlook in their teams. This sense of responsibility at employee level is required to develop and grow a business. â€Å"Leadership is management job† Deming (1997). To be a successful manager, one should take into account six important points concerning quality and competence. These include leadership skills as well as management skills, and they are the foundation for each managerial position. The following list contains additional skills which make a good manager: Building a trusting working environment; Promoting a creative atmosphere without fear of change; Ensuring the highest quality results are achieved in order to meet the needs of clients; Ensuring up to date information is available and making certain clear communication channels are active to support informed decisions; Ensuring all results and activities are completed within planned financial and time limits, whilst guaranteeing quality; Utilising the position of influence to persuade and motivate, as well as achieving personal goals. This aspect of self-management is important as a manager is often seen as a ‘role model ’. Types of Leadership Style Leadership style can be described as: Autocratic: Autocratic leaders often have the following characteristics: – Leader makes decisions without reference or consultation with others – Leader wants to have the final say and considers himself the most important person in any consultation – Due to the limited consultation, the leader might reduce morale and friendliness among other members of the team This type of leadership may be effectives in cases where a quick and bold decision is required. Democratic Democratic leaders often have the following characteristics: – Leader believes in their team and they stimulate others to engage in the decision-making process; – Leader believes that all employees are responsible for the success of the work, and thus ownership of the work may be emphasised throughout the organisation; – Leader takes the view of others into account and all relevant parties are consulted before final decision are made – Leader will try to convince or persuade others of his thoughts when a decision has to be made; – Leader may help the motivation and general morale in the work place through active involvement of employees; -Through the leaders’ efforts, the employees have a sense of belonging to the company’s ideas and ambitions; – Leader helps develop innovative ideas and development within the business. 3. Paternalistic A paternalistic leader often has the following characteristics: – The leader considers himself a ‘father figure’ and acts in this manner; – Leader does not always involve other people in decision-making; – The leader considers it important to guide and support the staff; Case study In this case study we will look Jack Welch, a well-known and influential business leader of the 20th century. Mr Welsh was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Electric Co. (GE) and he is considered a very good example of a born leader. During the 41 years he spent working with GE, he helped transform the company into a very successful, productive and thus valuable business. As a CEO, he is renowned for his creative and innovative leadership style. Jack Welsh commenced his career at GE as a Junior Engineer in 1960, just after receiving a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois. Not long after starting work at GE, Mr Welch accepted a different offer from International Minerals and Chemicals, as he was not satisfied with the bureaucracy at GE. However, this plan never materialised as Reuben Geutoff, an executive at GE at the time, convinced him to stay and helped reduce the bureaucracy. As such, Jack Welch remained with GE, and gradually p rogressed through the company, from head of the plastics division in 1968, to group executive in 1973. Only twenty years after starting at the company, Mr Welch became the youngest CEO at GE to date. During this time working in this post, the company grew from a relatively small manufacturer of light bulbs and simple electrical appliances, to a multi-billion industrial conglomerate by the turn of the century. Over 900 acquisitions, worth several billion dollars were under his supervision, and made the company several more billion dollars through the sale of part of businesses. The innovation management process One of Mr Welch’s most important skills was the fact that he was an intuitive strategist. Intuitive leadership sensitively opens opportunities for personal expansion among high value executives, enabling them to connect with and discover the hidden distinctions of transformational change that exist within themselves. For example: Implementation – the turning of prospective ideas into a new product or service, or resulting in a change in a process. Acquiring – the combination of existing as well as new knowledge and insight, both from the organisation itself as from external sources, to find an answer to the problem. Executing – turning information into a product, which can then be marketed and launched. Launching – Show the product to the market and ensure acceptance or adoption Sustaining – Ensuring the use of the project in the longer term Learning – Using the project cycle to develop, improve and change the manner in which the proje ct is managed The streategy used by Mr Welch provides an opportunity to reduce unnecessary rules and continually question the development of different rules, as well as implement a new structure or alter the way in which the organisation operates. Such changes may be necessary because the organisation’s circumstances have changed or it is taking on new activities. Mr Welch was known as a great communicator, skilled at building trust between staff throughout the organisation. At the same time, he was highly competitive. He believed that management should make sure that new ideas are encouraged and that obstackles be removed from product advancement. Companies should create a setting where staff-led initiatives are promoted, and where training and innovation was available to all that worked there. As a result of his competitive edge, Mr Welch believed such innovative projects should be carefully controlled and managed within the company. Innovative ideas can originate from anywhere in an organisational structure, but it is recognised that developing the â€Å"raw idea† to an â€Å"implemented idea† needs careful support. Managers should be provided the opportunity to be creative and try out new ideas and concepts (within pre-considered risks). Of course the manager should remain accountable and as such the project should be implemented with consideration for timing and budgets. Companies should ensure they have the capacity to accurately envisage potential risks and opportunities, and have the ability to act on any necessary changes. As such, they should ensure that their administrative rules provide support to the innovations in the workplace, instead of providing red-tape which may hold back ideas. It is important for leaders to have vision, authority, but it is more important for them to reach out to individuals all along the chain of command to make sure that everyone feels involved in the process o f change. Leaders who don’t do this, and attempt to impose their vision from the top-down instead, might manage to achieve something that looks like their vision, but which is essentially empty. To persuade stakeholders of the benefits of a creative and innovative idea, one must adopt a variety of approaches to make the ideas appear powerful and compelling. If the ideas you are promoting are congruent with your core beliefs and values, it will be easier to promote them with true passion. Hence, it is important to first consider as to why a particular change or improvement needs to happen, and also how you see this happening. The change will only happen if you truly believe in the results. The following notes can be used for guidance: 1. Get all the facts behind your idea 2. Link humen emotions to the facts supporting your idea 3. Describe your idea and support it by example 4. Create a clear implementation roadmap 7. Be ready for any questions Conclusion Mr Welch had a democratic style leadership- he was greater communicator and he shared information with his colleagues and employers. It is considered very important to include the employer in sharing information, as it if often the higher level managers who interact on a face to face level with the customers, and thus they need to have access to all necessary facts. Mr Welch had the ability to make decisions and change the rules and he possessed the has the spirit of competition. This competitive edge helped push the business towards success and his intuitive strategies helped lead the company accomplish a wide set of goals and targets. As a business leader, Jack Welch was able to work in harmony with the larger business entity and his specific business characteristics made him a successful business leader Recommendation I recommend that those who want to become great leaders like Jack Welch, build on their charisma. Every leader wants to be an excellent one, and follow in the footsteps of a good example, I believe Jack is very good example to follow.

American Renaissance

The American Renaissance period is widely acknowledged as the country's richest time in literature. It was during this years that legendary writers like Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne lived and made their contributions. According to Woodlief (2001), calling the time between 1840-1865 a renaissance or rebirth is a misnomer because there was no rebirth of greatness in American literature or culture. This period was, in fact, the first era of maturity for American literature. For the first time, literary figures sought and established their marks in the world. Literary works of great value were published and influenced society.Writers of this time were struggling to establish the American identity as opposed to the British and other Europeans. They were looking for ways to realize their potentials in order to satisfy individual egos and rise above what they perceived as social concerns. The search for identity was deeper for it delves into the individual's place and role in society. Co nsidering the short period that American literature blossomed and flourished, one would wonder what brought on the sudden burst of literary enthusiasm. There are no distinct and clear-cut explanations for this, only speculations.Some believe that literature became popular because at this point, America was well established as an independent nation. The society was ready to indulge its senses as practical matters were settled. Publishers became available to print and distribute materials for a public that was ready to embrace new thoughts and expand its experience and knowledge. The societal structure, perhaps, also contributed to this golden age in literature. There were many clashing ideas and realities that gave rise to many American Renaissance 2 inspirations for writers.The society was also rich enough to afford patronizing writers, and a  new class emerged who sought cultural enrichment. American writers during the Renaissance struggled to be original and different from Europ e's acclaimed literary figures. Because of this desire to establish identity, the writers questioned and found wanting established norms. The questions and wonderings turned into a distinct style of writing that was exclusive to America. Literary writers of this time sought new roots that would require personal involvement in a meaningful level. They wanted to escape the cloying tendencies of tradition and the increasingly materialistic drive of their time.In a way, the renaissance writers could be considered rebels. They rebelled against restraints imposed by classic dogmas and traditions. Society and literary cultures were full of clashing moralities and ambiguousness that literary responses became expected and natural. In literature, the classic school advocated form more than the emotion or the senses, a practice that the Renaissance writers changed. In short, individualism was embodied in this period. American Renaissance writers' style of writing exhibited less restraint and f ewer adherences to traditional styles and forms. They wrote according to how they think they should.In their works, the writers were more focused on inspiration and emotion rather than following conventional styles. The American way of writing was centered on human nature and the person as an individual. From Emerson to Dickens, the individual was always encouraged to be the best he can be. Emotions and the reactions against realities in the society were also favorite subjects among writers. Writers also often talked of nature and how it was lost to industrialism and modernism. American Renaissance 3 The writers used literature to explore and discover the wonder of what had been lost to progress.They turned to nature for inspiration and ideas. Writers also wrote reactions and opinions about slavery and its abolishment. The writers even declared their independence from Britain. By doing so, the American writers showed that their writings were distinct and have their own brand. The wr iters during this time knew and influence each others' thoughts and works. They wrote and respond to each others' writings, but they would insist that each was an individualist. Literary forms included tales of slavery; novels whose themes were moralistic or political; poetry; and the transcendentalism began by Ralph Waldo Emerson.These writings affected society in great measures. Some dictated proper behavior for women and men. Some were intended to affect political issues and help fuel the movement for the abolition of slavery, Despite the public opinion opposing emancipation, writers supported and advocated for abolitionism. Many writings were also published to allow Americans to think back on their past in order to establish their individualism. To thoroughly understand the American Renaissance's style of writing and its characteristics, it is necessary to discuss some of the great ones who graced the era.Abolitionism Ralph Waldo Emerson was considered by many literary scholars as the proverbial match who sparked the literary creativity of his time. Many of his contemporary writers followed his doctrines and his influence remained long after he died. As an essayist, poet, and philosopher, he made the famous â€Å"The American Scholar† speech, which is deemed to be the formal declaration American Renaissance 4 of America's intellectual independence, presumably, this means the establishment of American literary writers as serious writers comparable to their peers in Europe.In his time, Emerson was the leader of the American Transcendentalist movement, which was a group of people who protested against the prevalence of materialism in the society. The members of this group embraced new literary, cultural, religious and philosophical ideas in rejection to societal norms and concerns. Among his many accomplishments, Emerson was notably known for his 1844 speech that described his thoughts and position regarding slavery in the country. This speech was the first time that Emerson admitted openly to the public that he was for abolition.The abolitionist movement in the United States was in full swing by the time of the American Renaissance. As such, it was often used as subject for literary discourse and debates. Emerson, one of the literary giants of the period, was one of its biggest supporters. In his speech, the writer spoke against slavery even if public opinion was against abolition. Before Emerson made his famous speech, Henry David Thoreau helped convinced people to attend and listen to the speech. Lockard (2004) said that Thoreau went door-to-door to ensure attendance.Emerson's public rhetoric traced the history of slavery and the horrors associated with it. In keeping with his advocacy for individualism and the sense of self, Emerson informed the public that he welcomed the participation of the African-Americans in political discourse and self-determination. His overall speech was centered on the emancipation of the slaves and welcoming them as equals in society. Emerson was criticized as a result of speech declaring his true position on slavery. But despite this setback, he did not lose his place as the foremost literary master of the time. American Renaissance 5 IndividualismIndividualism was the central theme of the American Renaissance. It embodied the concept that a person must and always question the conventions of society. The individual should challenge accepted intellectual, as well as religious, ideals. Individualism requires a person to govern his thoughts and actions based on his personal standards rather than the dictates of society. It encouraged freedom of expression and the rejection of conventional ideas in order to foster growth. As an ardent follower of Emerson, Henry David Thoreau followed his philosophies and applied them to his own writings and in his personal life.In relation to Emerson's doctrine on self-reliance, Thoreau expanded this thought and considered individual freedom as society's highest ideal. He explored individualism as a writer, a man, and as an intellectual. To do this, Thoreau left the society he knew and lived where he was in closer contact with the natural world. As an individual, Thoreau wanted to explore new aspects of his being and personality. By living along, he sought to discover a new self that was unencumbered by traditions and conventions. As an intellectual, he wanted to know how he would rebuild his life away from the established norms of a complex societal structure.As a writer, Thoreau experimented with different styles that reflected his individuality. His writings were the product of careful study. His essays were his experiences; his poetry and prose reflected a thorough attention to languages nuances. Thoreau got his inspiration from nature. Studying nature and getting inspired by it later became a traditional mark of individualism. Thoreau's focus on nature was his way of moving away from the traditions of a materialistic society. By moving away and living in a place far from the so-called civilized American Renaissance 6 society, Thoreau escaped and transcended the lures of the world.His voluntary exile and return to nature was also a form of sacrifice and self-renewal. By successfully turning to nature as his expression of individualism, Thoreau made his greatest legacy to the literary world. Human Nature and Morality Another person who was a part of Emerson's Transcendentalist movement was Nathaniel Hawthorne, who authored The Scarlet Letter. In his stories, he repeatedly expressed his views on human nature and morality. He explored the side of humanity that is normally hidden from society. Hawthorne used human psychology to explain morality issues and ambiguities.Hawthorne did not believe that man is all good. His themes involved the wickedness of the human nature and how this weakness resulted to conflicts in society. His Puritan upbringing was also evident in the way he portrayed sinners in a s trictly moral community. Hawthorne was a descendant of a Puritan New England family. In his exploration of human nature, Hawthorne questioned moral issues. Despite his background, he didn't believe in things like heaven or hell. Hawthorne's individualism could be seen through his use of modern ideas in his themes that opposed the conservatism of the nineteenth century literature.Hawthorne used symbolism to express topics that were considered too radical in his time, like adultery and sexual conduct. Despite his being secretive and shy, he successfully wrote about sexual and moral guilt with depth. He also challenged, through his writings, the scientist and reformers of the time who dared experiment with nature. Reactions to Hawthorne's brand of writing differ. Many thought his work to be sensitive, sentimental and pure. Still, there are those who think his works as too gloomy and moralistic.